“But I like having you in my arms.”

That did it. She couldn’t take anymore. Not another second. This was all simply too much for one woman to take. With a feral snarl she swung her bound hands at his face. He roared in anger, but released her to cover his right eye. She took her chance and swam toward the shore. She’d just dragged herself out of the water when he came charging up behind her.

Talaith got as far as the line of trees before she felt his hands, still human thankfully, on her. They grabbed hold and yanked her back. She slid, hitting the ground, her knees scraping across rocky dirt. She tried to pull away again, but his firm hold merely tightened, then he flipped her over. She tried kicking him, but he pinned her down with his own body. As human, the man was simply enormous.

He grabbed her bound wrists and pushed them above her head, keeping her in place.

“Stop fighting me!”

“Not in this lifetime!”

He gave a short roar and Talaith froze. She closed her eyes, the dragonfear making a sudden and rather unpleasant return. Yet it didn’t last this time. Going as quickly as it came.

Once gone, she opened her eyes and looked at the dragon hovering over her in human form.

Oh, he’s absolutely perfect. Talaith blinked. Nice one, Talaith. Any other frightening thoughts about the dragon’s perfect body before he has you for dinner?

Yet she simply couldn’t help herself. He truly was perfect. His long silver hair framed a ruggedly sculpted face. A hard, square jaw with high cheekbones and a long nose that had clearly been broken before. He had a full bottom lip she could see herself spending hours sucking on and matched with his thinner top lip, she knew with all her heart it would feel absolutely wonderful having him kiss every inch of her. Add in those nothing-but-trouble violet eyes and Talaith felt herself slipping into a very dangerous place.

She fought for control. “Let me go!”

He stared down at her for several moments. Then he took his free hand and felt the not-even-swelling right side of his face, by his eye. “You hurt me.”

“Good.”

“Are you supposed to hurt the one who saves your life?”

She rolled her eyes. Am I actually having this conversation? “Probably not.” He raised one dark silver brow in question and she growled in annoyance. “You can’t be serious.”

“Of course I am.”

She glared at him, but said nothing.

“I’m waiting.”

Dammit. If she didn’t say anything, he’d keep her like this for ages. And having this fiend so close to her barely clothed body was making her extremely uncomfortable. Finally, she spit out, “I’m sorry if I hurt you.”

“That was…better. I suppose. And yet—”

“Yet what?”

He settled down against her and that was when Talaith realized he’d placed himself between her legs. The only thing between them at the moment was her very thin and worn nightdress.

“I don’t feel you really mean it.”

“What?”

“You say the words, but you don’t mean the words.”

“Really? Well I mean these…get the bloody hell off me!”

“Yes. Those I do feel you mean.”

“What do you want from me?” He looked down at her face and that’s when she felt his oh-so-human erection pulsating hot and powerful against her sex. “Oh, not in this lifetime, dragon!”

“Perhaps. And yet—” He sniffed the air. “It smells as if your body has other ideas.”

“What you smell is fear.”

“No. I know fear. It has a subtle difference, a little more tangy. What I smell at the moment, however, is anything but fear. No, m’lady. I smell lust.”

“You do not!”

He leaned in closer, his nose brushing against her jaw, her cheek, the side of her neck. He took another deep breath, letting it out on a groan.

“Sorry, little human. But I most certainly do.”

Talaith closed her eyes again. She got the feeling she could yell at this dragon until the end of time, and he would still do what he wanted with her. So, she put her pride away and gave one last ditch effort.

Softly, she asked, “Please. Please get off me.”

Instantly, the dragon’s expression changed from laughing amusement to deep concern. He moved away from her, releasing her wrists.

Fighting back tears she would never allow to come, Talaith awkwardly pulled herself to a comfortable sitting position. Her arms hugging her knees tight, her wrists still bound. That’s when the dragon finally removed the noose from her neck and the rope from her wrists.

“I should have taken these off sooner.”

Startled, she looked up to see him toss the rope away before grasping her wrists and gently massaging them. I guess I could pretend that’s an apology. Although from what she knew of dragons…not likely.

“And remind me to put something on your throat, or that rope burn will hurt something horrible come tomorrow, if not sometime tonight.” He tilted her head back with his forefinger under her chin, examining her wounded neck closely. “It still may scar, though.”

It amazed her exactly how beautiful this man was. From his extremely long body rippling with well-defined muscles under smooth tan skin to his excessively wide shoulders and back tapering into a narrow waist. All of it the definition of male perfection.

Talaith’s eyes traveled farther down. She couldn’t help herself. And once she saw it, his erection, she couldn’t tear her eyes away. She couldn’t even be bothered to study those massive thighs of his.