A Viking For The Viscountess Read Free Page A

she’d regret giving herself to another man. Her bare breasts rested against his chest, and the tight buds of her nipples aroused him. Odin’s blood, she smelled good.
    In his jealousy, he wanted to show her what she’d spurned, that he was a man who would pleasure her in a way she would never forget. He lowered his mouth to the curve of her throat, kissing her. Then he filled his palms with her breasts and set to work on seducing the woman he’d yearned for.

    Juliana tried to open her eyes, but dizziness and darkness clung to her senses. Her skin was warm. So very warm. Against her body, she felt the heat of a man’s skin.
    Had William come back? Or was this a dream? She thought about screaming, but his hands were stroking her bare back. It felt so good to be in safe, strong arms.
    Yes, it was most definitely a dream. Ships didn’t break free of knotted ropes, and land didn’t disappear within seconds. She snuggled deeper into the man’s arms and imagined that he was someone who adored her. Somehow she was safe within her own bed. The dreams of icy seawater and drowning were gone, and in their place was a fantasy she’d conjured in her mind.
    The gentle touches moved from her spine to cup her breast. Against his palm, her nipples tightened, and she couldn’t suppress the catch of her breath. The dream had become erotic, and she allowed her imagination to pull her into a deeper pleasure.
    You will forget everything about him when I have finished with you, came the man’s voice in a half-remembered language.
    His words startled her. Was her dream man speaking of William? Juliana rather hoped so. She wanted to forget about her husband’s demanding nature and the way he’d visited her bed, expecting her to scream his name or some other nonsense. What was there to scream about?
    Her imagination settled back, enjoying the skilled hands that caressed her breasts, drawing out an echo of sensation between her legs. She had never felt this way before, with arousing liquid desires that raced through her skin. She reached out, not knowing what was happening to her, but her phantom lover bent to her throat, his mouth kissing her pulse point while his hands threaded through her damp hair.
    A warning resounded in her mind, something about the cool water. Something she should remember…
    But she didn’t want to wake up from this dream. She wanted to see where it would lead and what her lover would do to her.
    His mouth closed over her breast, wet and demanding. She arched hard, the exquisite pleasure tormenting her. He explored her flesh as if he wanted to taste every inch of her.
    And God help her, she wanted him to. It had been six years since her husband had visited her bed, but William’s touches had been rough, never arousing like this. She kept her eyes closed, afraid this dream would vanish in the morning light, and all of it would end.
    Juliana held his head to her breast as he suckled and teased, his other hand reaching over to caress her breast’s twin. Between her thighs, she grew wet, and was startled that it had happened so easily. On the nights William had come to her bed, she’d lain naked beneath the coverlet, struggling to feel something.
    She’d even touched herself a time or two before his visit, hoping to arouse herself. Anything that would make the lovemaking more comfortable and prevent her husband from criticizing her. But this dream was breaking past her meager knowledge of sex, leading her into so much more.
    Again, a part of her grew fearful. As if she had to awaken, right now.
    The fur beneath her had grown so hot, perspiration beaded upon her skin. She struggled to pull off the outer coverlet, and felt instead the length of a male body. Conjured from her imagination, this man was firm, with taut muscles. Juliana traced his chest, her hands exploring by touch. Her lover was powerful, with broad shoulders that tapered down to a lean waist.
    My, but her imagination had selected an excellent