“I did. It’s practically roasting in here.”
“N…n…no…it…isn’t.” Her teeth chattered more forcefully. Her nose and ears were cold and now her unbound hair was caught under him. Should have cut it like she wanted to. Fiona had talked her out of it. Nosy, bossy servants. “W-why…d-did…you…undo…m-my…hair?”
“Because, it’s very sexy and I wanted to feel it and see it loose. Now I want to see it hanging down, creating a curtain enclosing just the two of us.”
His hand slid from her back around to her abdomen. She could feel the warm skin of his stomach against her back where he’d left her shirt pulled up. Shaking too hard, she couldn’t reach around to pull it down. Warmth followed the hand slowly moving across her body.
“First chance I get, I’m cutting it. It’s too hard to take care of if you’re going to unbraid it on me.”
“No.”
Where did he get off telling her how to style her hair? His audacity rendered her speechless.
“Why did you dye your hair?” he asked.
“Don’t like white.” There, her voice was coming back as her space in the bed began to warm. “Too cold.”
“This red is awful.”
“It makes me feel warmer. I like red.”
“Well I like your red undies. Wish they were a little more brief though,” his chuckle was warm in her ear and a shiver ran down her body. “Still cold?”
“A little.”
“And the brown lenses for your eyes? More disguise?”
“Yep.”
“So what was this about you soon being the ex-Crown Princess?”
His body was a far more subtle seductive force than his eyes. Dangerously close to cupping her breast, his hand spanned the plane of her stomach, his fingers touching the beginning swell of flesh. In an attempt to preserve what remained of her modesty, she placed her hand over his to hold it from moving more.
“I came home to abdicate in favor of Coreen so she can marry you and do the royal princess stuff she was born to do.”
That apparently struck a nerve.
Gunnar’s hand stopped moving. He stopped moving. Not even a breath. It was as if the man froze.
A second later Noreen was on her back staring up into blue eyes flashing with angry silver sparks.
“What?” he demanded.
“I’m a horrible princess,” the words tumbled from her in a rush. “Cory’s the one interested in politics and ruling. She’ll be the better queen. That’s why we can’t make love. You’re meant for the Crown Princess and I’m abdicating. Since you’re going to be my brother-in-law, I’m not going to have sex with you now. Or ever. That’s why you should have gone to the other transport while you had the chance.” Ooh, he didn’t look happy.
“I have enough trouble with the gods messing with my destiny. I don’t need you doing it any more than you already have,” he growled at her.
“What are you talking about? I’m freeing you. It’s obvious you’re in love with Cory. You don’t even know me.” She tried to wiggle out from under him but he just pressed his body more firmly against hers. How’d he get between her legs? Why did he have to come to bed naked?
“Y-you…” he stuttered, as if he were choking on the words. “You spoiled little brat! You ran away ten years ago and put me through hell waiting for you to show up. You dumped your responsibilities on your sister and left your entire family to cover for you. I’ve never heard of a more selfish act. That’s what your father was talking about.”
Noreen put her hands on his chest and tried to push him off her. “How dare you!” When that didn’t make him move she thought about trying the clap again. “I was just getting out of Cory’s way!”
Gunnar’s eyes sparked even more and he grabbed her hands, pinning them to the bed on either side of her head. “Oh, no, you don’t. Not again. You won’t call down Thor’s Hammer on me again. Ever.”
Angry, she bucked her hips trying to dislodge him. Damn, he was heavier than her. She wasn’t tiny, but he had nearly double the raw muscle mass she had.
“Oh, yes, there you go, älskling,” he crooned. “A woman with spirit, that’s what I like.”
“Of all the insufferable… You arrogant… Egotistical… Maniacal…goat! I thought you were pure!”
“My flesh has never touched another woman’s flesh. At least not like this.”
Noreen gasped when he thrust against her. He felt… huge.
“No!” she shouted. “Not like this. You can’t!”
Panic clawed at her heart and she felt the start of burning tears sting the back of her eyes. She’d never been forced before, each lover treating her like a precious jewel, never taking more than she allowed. Always the one in control, she’d never had so much as a bruise unlike the ones most likely forming on her wrists right now. Fear made her gasp and fight against him.
“I can… but I won’t.” He was unmovable as he stared down at her. “I won’t rape you, even though I’d probably have not only your father’s blessing for doing it, but Odin’s as well. You’re right. I’m arrogant enough that I want you willing and begging for me.”
Her mouth dropped open to let loose another barrage of insults, but his mouth stopped her. Pinned beneath him, with his hands easily holding her wrists, she was no match for him when he kissed her. Before she could even think, he sucked her tongue into his mouth and used his to stroke it. A mad, sensuous clash erupted as she fought to push him away and he used subtle strength to hold her in place. The ease with which he restrained her was frustrating. And his kiss… Moder Freya… she’d never experienced anything like it.
All thoughts of cold flew right out of her head. Heat, delicious and consuming, flashed though her, starting where his cock pressed against her and seared her to her fingertips and toes. Burning, she surrendered to the kiss and melted into the feather bed. His grip on her wrists loosened, but he didn’t release her even as his kiss gentled. Now straining to get closer, she writhed beneath him, her hardened nipples pressing against his hard chest through the silk.
Intent on the kiss and the feel of his body against hers, she didn’t pay attention when he slid her hands to the corners of the bed, spreading them wide. All she wanted was his hands on her body, his lips covering her skin. Cold clicks took her by surprise. Something both soft and hard replaced his hands around her wrists. With a squeal of protest she tried to pull her hands away and found them trapped, the rattle of metal grating to her ears.
Lips on her earlobe stole the heat of her protest.
“Gunnar,” she moaned as a wave of fire rolled down her body, directly through her nipples to deep in her center. “What did you do?”
“Just playing,” he murmured, his tongue hot against the skin of her neck just above the high neck of her shirt.
She pulled against the restraints as he kissed a spot right behind her ear. Oh, she’d never felt that before and turned her head to let him reach it better. Funny, instead of feeling cold, now she felt hot. She’d never felt this hot on this planet.
“Don’t fight it, baby,” he told her.
As long as he kept his lips on her body she wouldn’t argue.
“Why?”
“I’ve heard it’s fun this way.”
“But…”
“Shhh. I won’t hurt you. I promise.”