Captivated: 3 (Mating Ritual) Read Free Page B

your window,” he said.
    Oh, that damned beladora tree. She’d always thought it provided way too easy access into the house, but crime in this town was practically nonexistent and trees were as rare as precious diamonds, so no one even considered removing it or cutting the branches back.
    “Why?” she asked.
    “I wanted to speak with you,” he said, “but after today I began to doubt I’d ever get the opportunity without your fiancée standing about.”
    Her anxious fingers clutched the sheet covering her body. What was she doing? She should scream, should order him to leave at the very least. But for some reason…she couldn’t do it. Not yet.
    “What did you want to speak with me about?” she forced herself to say with anger in her tone.
    “I wanted to continue our conversation from earlier.”
    Cindra blinked at him. “What do you mean?”
    “About our mate.”
    Her heart let out a strange thump. Moistening her suddenly dry lips, she whispered, “Why would you need to speak with me about that?”
    A mysterious smile lit his face. “Do you really not know, beloved? Can’t you guess? Can’t you feel it?”
    Sudden suspicion set off a tremor through her body. No, he couldn’t be suggesting what she thought he was. It wasn’t possible.
    “What?” she asked.
    He gave her a look, as if he didn’t believe she could truly be so obtuse. His beautiful hand reached toward her, slow and steady, as if he was giving her a chance to object. She sucked in breath…and waited.
    When his fingers combed through her loose hair before tugging it behind her ear, she fought the urge to let out a primitive moan. Just the touch of his hand on her hair practically electrified her entire body.
    “It’s you, Cindra,” he murmured.
    “Um…what?” She couldn’t think with him so near.
    Bannor let out a low chuckle. “You’re the one, Cindra. Our mate. We came here for you. ”
    His words finally penetrated her mind and her startled gaze locked with his. She shook her head in automatic denial. “No, I…I’m not. I couldn’t possibly be.”
    “You are,” he said in a tone that brooked no argument. “And I know you feel it too.”
    “No.” It couldn’t be true. “I…I’m engaged. I love Adamon.”
    His breath hissed out as he drew his hand back as if he’d been stung. His gaze went dark and hard. “Does Adamon make you feel the way you feel around us?”
    Oh gods, how did he know? Could he sense her desire for him?
    “I…” She shook her head again. “I…”
    “Does he?” he repeated, his voice hard.
    When she didn’t respond, just stared at him in mute silence, he did something she would never have expected. He reached his hand out and closed it over her breast, right over the cotton fabric of her nightgown. She let out a low screech, but to her pure and utter mortification, rather than draw away, she found her traitorous body arching into his touch. Wordlessly begging for more.
    “Does it feel like this when he touches your breast, Cindra?”
    His silver eyes glittered at her, practically daring her to deny what she felt.
    “He…” He’s never touched my breast before.
    But she didn’t say it. Couldn’t say anything, even when he drew closer, his head bending slowly toward hers. Before she could take a fortifying breath, his lips closed over hers, full and firm and astoundingly erotic.
    Heavens… Adamon had certainly never kissed her like this . She was powerless to fight it, powerless to do anything but lean into him, allowing his tongue to plunder her mouth and his hand to knead her breast.
    Gods, his tongue . It was longer than hers and slick and smooth as honey.
    When he tore his mouth from hers, she found herself uttering, “Please.” But even she didn’t know what she was begging for. Him to stop…or to continue.
    He must have taken her whispered word as an invitation, because he scooted her down along the bed, his body sliding along with hers, until she was once again fully