Free The Wind Dancer by Iris Johansen Page A

like." He slipped the material of the gown off her
shoulders. "When it pleases me, I'll bare this pretty flesh and fondle you. No matter
where we are. No matter who is watching."
    She was gazing at him as if mesmerized, the pulse fluttering wildly in the hollow of her
throat.
    "Are you a virgin?"
    She moistened her lips with her tongue. "Yes."
    "Good." He felt a primitive jolt of satisfaction so deep it almost obliterated the memory
of Lorenzo's words. "Thank the saints for that obnoxious mixture, whatever it was."
    "It was fish oil and garlic and chicken dro--" She broke off as his hand slipped beneath
the bodice of the gown and one hard palm touched the nipple of her breast. He could feel
the hard pounding of her heart beneath his fingertips. She closed her eyes. "I remember
now. You didn't want to know."
    "I'd rather know why your breast is swelling so sweetly under my hand."
    "Is it? I don't know why. Maybe I'm falling ill. I feel quite peculiar."
    "You're not ill." His palm moved back and forth on her breast, stroking it as if it were a
favorite kitten. "You'll always respond like this when I touch you." He squeezed her
breast gently.
    Sanchia's eyes flew open and wild color stained her cheeks. She looked down at his big
hand covering her breast. "This gives you pleasure?"
    "Oh yes, as much pleasure as it gives you."
    "It doesn't give me pleasure. It makes me feel hot and I ache... "
    Lion squeezed her breast again, running his thumbnail over the rosy tip. "So do I. That's
how pleasure starts." His thumb and forefinger began to pull teasingly at her pointed
nipple. How would it feel in his mouth when he sucked and teethed it? he wondered. The
thought caused his fingers to tighten with unconscious cruelty.
    A shudder trembled through her and her gaze flew to his face.
    His fingers instantly released her. "That was a mistake. I didn't mean to hurt you."
    "You didn't. It just felt... odd."
    Lion looked down at her. He knew he had gone far enough for now. Not nearly far
enough for him, he thought ruefully, but if he didn't leave her at this moment, he wouldn't
leave her for the night.
    Cristo, why was he leaving her when he was rock hard and burning to be inside her sweet
tightness? So she wasn't ready for him, he would be gentle and--His lips tightened as he
realized he was lying to himself. He was too hungry for her and he could never control a
hunger such as this if he were between her thighs. He would go wild and drive and
plunge in a frenzy of lust until she would think him the same rutting dog as Ballano.
    The comparison to Ballano caused him to reluctantly release her breast and draw his hand
from the velvet bodice. "Stand up," he said hoarsely.
    Bright flags of color burned in her cheeks as she gazed at him in confusion.
    "Stand up. It's done." His lips twisted in a smile. "For now."
    She scrambled to her feet and took a step back. "You're not going to touch me anymore?"
    He stood up and started for the door. "Undress and go to bed."
    "Where?"
    He gestured to the bed across the room. "Did you think I meant for you to sleep on a
blanket on the floor as Ballano did?"
    "But that's your bed," she stammered.
    "All the more reason for you to occupy it. My bed, my slave. Lorenzo says I have a very
possessive nature. If that's true, then I should enjoy seeing you in my bed when I return."
    "Where are you going?"
    "To Giulia's chamber." Lion's smile held a hint of cruelty. "I need a woman, and Giulia is
always accommodating. Unlike you, she knows how to take pleasure as well as give it.
She doesn't care what arouses me as long as I pleasure her enough. She'll even be grateful
to you."
    "I don't think so." Sanchia frowned. "And perhaps she only pretends pleasure. I've heard
whores do that."
    He looked at her blankly. He had never even considered that possibility. Could Giulia
really be...
    Sanchia started to laugh.
    Cristo, the little devil was needling him, he realized with astonishment. First she had
shown the most abject