Page 29 of Dragon Unbound (Dragon Kings 3)
Chapter Eleven
Tamlyn couldn’t make sense of the sensations whirling through her. So many years of fearing dragons didn’t just vanish. But then there was this attraction, the need to be close to Cullen. She wanted to put her hand on him again. One touch against his muscular arm simply wasn’t enough.
She wanted to run her hands over every inch of him. To strip away his odd clothes and feast her eyes on the hard body beneath. His shirt molded to him, giving her an idea of what she sought. And that tease only made her palms itch to reach for him.
Her breath caught when she saw his gaze lower to her mouth. When she parted her lips, he swallowed before lifting his brown eyes filled with desire. Tamlyn was out of her depth. Her brain told her to run away, to put distance between them so she could think clearly again.
But her body wanted something altogether different. It needed to know his touch, longed to know what it felt like to be in his arms.
Hungered for him.
She couldn’t catch her breath. Warmth flooded her. She lost herself in the beautiful pale brown pools of his eyes. Why did he make her feel safe? Was it magic? Was he using some kind of spell to make her want him? At the moment, she didn’t care. She was too caught up in the wonderful, blissful feelings.
The distance between them lessened. She didn’t know if she had moved or if it was Cullen—and she didn’t care. The yearning within her was too powerful to ignore.
His large palm slid against her cheek. Her heart leapt when his fingers sank into her hair. As his face grew near, she closed her eyes. Then his mouth brushed hers. It was so gentle at first that she wasn’t sure if it was real. Then he was back, his lips supple yet demanding. His other hand came around the back of her neck to gently hold her. The feel of him, the taste of him, was as if she had been waiting her whole life for the kiss.
She moaned softly when his tongue slid against hers. Tamlyn parted her lips and gripped his shoulders as their tongues found each other, twisting, turning, gliding. Heat pulsed through her. He deepened the kiss, sweeping her into a frenzy of desire and pleasure that she never wanted to end.
To her disappointment, he ended the kiss. They were both breathing hard when he leaned back to look at her. She had to blink several times to bring him into focus. How could one kiss send her spiraling into such carnal need?
Tamlyn jumped to her feet and moved a safe distance away from Cullen before she ripped off his clothes—though she wasn’t sure the other side of Zora would be far enough away. She squeezed her eyes closed and blinked them open. He watched her, making no attempt to hide his desire. Her heart leapt at the sight of it.
No one had ever looked at her in such a way before. It did something to her that she couldn’t name. And all she wanted to do was return to her seat, lean in, and kiss him again. What would be the harm?
Cullen stood. She searched his face, trying to see if she could determine what he was thinking. Unfortunately, she couldn’t decipher anything. If she was going to be around him, Tamlyn had to learn to read Cullen. If she continued as she was, she’d likely make some kind of huge error.
Like kissing him again. She knew in the depths of her very soul that she was meant to share her body with him. She’d never known anything with such certainty before, and it frightened her.
“You still fear me?” he asked.
Not in the way he thought, but maybe it was better if he believed she did. For both of them. “Yes.”
“I’ll win you over eventually,” he said with a grin.
She took another step back after seeing his smile. How could he get more gorgeous?
He ran a hand over his beard. “This might be a good time for you to describe how others are dressed in Stonemore.”
Clothes. That was a safe thing to talk about. “Yes.”
He frowned at her and waited.
Tamlyn shook herself. She had to stop acting insane. After a deep breath that she slowly released, she thought about the city. “There is abject poverty living close to extreme wealth.”
“Sadly, that isna condensed to Stonemore or even this realm.”
She didn’t like hearing that. Were all humans the same? Surely, not. “The wealthy prefer fitted dark blue garments. The lower classes wear greens, browns, reds, and oranges. The tops will typically be long-sleeved with plunging necklines. Most everyone wears breeches, but some women choose long skirts. Shoes range from sandals to boots. Like mine,” she added when she glanced at his.
Cullen grinned. “Mine would be a giveaway.”
“I almost wish they could see you dressed like this. I’d love to see their reaction.”
He crossed his arms over his chest, a small frown marring his forehead. “Your people travel, correct? It wouldna be out of the ordinary for someone from another city to visit Stonemore.”
“There are visitors, yes. The city has good trade, but they’re not very welcoming to outsiders or newcomers.”
“Because they have something to hide?”
“Because they’re narrow-minded arseholes who can’t see that our world is bigger than they are.”
Cullen shot her a wide smile. “Nicely put.”
She couldn’t hold back her answering smile. “Why do you want to know about travelers?”
“In case there’s a need to think fast while we’re there.”
“I wish I never had to return,” she said as anger rose to choke her. “It’s a vile city.”
He dropped his arms and slowly walked around the courtyard but remained near her. “You could…remove…those in charge, but it wouldna change the city.”
“I know. The tiny minds have had control for too long and brainwashed everyone. I’m sure some without magic believe as we do, but they dare not speak out for fear of reprisal. I blame it on the religion. The Priests of Innus are utterly devoted to their deity, who speaks through one person—the Divine.”
Cullen snorted. “He’s no’ full of himself, is he?”
