Princess in a Strange New Land by Linda Skye Page B

too hot.”
    “What?”
    “Yes,” she declared, beginning to tug uselessly at her dress. “This thing is too tight, and too hot, and— Oh! I just want it off!”
    Akna pulled at her stays, clumsily trying to shed the restrictive bodice. Huffing in frustration, she turned pleading, childlike eyes on John. She turned and presented him with her back.
    “Help me?”
    Her voice was small and much too endearing. With a sigh, John began to jerk methodically at the corset laces, loosening the bodice. Akna exhaled and shimmied out of the bodice and silk skirts, letting them pool on the floor at her feet. Then she shivered and wrapped her arms around her torso. She turned back to John, mild confusion writ on her beautiful face.
    “Now I am too cold.”
    John spared one longing look at his guest. She was dressed only in her undergarments, a simple cotton shift. Her curves and crevices were clearly visible through the translucent material, and he stifled another frustrated groan. With a long sigh, he forced himself to turn away and head for the low-burning fireplace. With an iron poker and a fresh log, he carefully stoked the flames into a gentle roar. The heat flared and spread through the room.
    “Much better.”
    John felt Akna approach him from behind, her breasts to his back and her arms encircling his waist. She clasped her hands and placed her lips at his ear.
    “But I’m still cold,” she whispered, her moist breath fanning over his ear. “Can’t you warm me some more?”
    John turned in her embrace, tucking a stray lock of dark hair behind her ear before cupping her smooth cheeks with both hands. He studied her hooded eyes, her long lashes and her pouting lips carefully. Her gaze, though sultry and willing, was still slightly unfocused. He brushed a thumb gently over her lips.
    “You are drunk, my lady,” he pronounced gently. “And you are not yourself. Perhaps you should sleep.”
    “But I don’t want to sleep,” Akna protested. “There is so little time, and I need to know…”
    She began to trace lazy circles over his jawbone with her fingertips.
    “Know what?”
    But Akna did not answer. Rising to her toes, she slowly drew the tip of her tongue over his chin and then tugged at his bottom lip with her teeth. His question forgotten, John’s heart began to thud quickly in his chest as Akna pulled him down into a slow kiss. His loins began to ache as she pulled his hands down to her hips and guided them over her most sensual curves.
    “Do
you
want to sleep?” she purred.
    “No,” he admitted with a groan. “But—”
    “Well, I definitely am not interested in sleep right now,” Akna told him with a seductive twist of her hips. “But I do want you to carry me over to your bed, throw me onto your—”
    Suddenly, John lifted her in his arms. He marched over to the bed and tossed her, giggling, onto the mattress. Looking down at her prone form with lustful eyes, he began to loosen his tie, tug at this jacket and shirt and unbutton his trousers. After shedding most of his clothing, he crawled over her on all fours, caging her with his muscular limbs.
    “Now what?” he asked, his voice a purr.
    Akna smiled playfully and tugged at the hem of her shift.
    “This thing,” she said, batting her eyes. “It offends me.”
    John sank lower and took the hem of her undergarment between his teeth. He began to tug the thin material upward, the stubble on his chin grazing her sensitive flesh and eliciting round after round of girlish giggles. When he had pushed the slip over her hips, John settled down at her side, wrapping one strong arm around her shoulders and pulling her body to his. His lips captured hers, and he engaged her in a passionate kiss as his other hand slid past her shift and up her bare skin. With a sudden jerk, he tore the shift from her body and began to nip and nibble at her heated flesh. Akna moaned and arched into him. He anchored her more tightly to himself and let his long fingers rove