hadn’t known a man could feel so good.
His maleness was erotic, exotic. Exciting. Her blood rushed though her veins with a heat that made her feel more alive than she’d felt since she’d first taken to the skies in flight.
“You’re awfully quiet.” The rough texture of his words was almost as exciting as his muscles straining over her. “Am I too heavy?”
Too heavy? He was perfect.
She swallowed hard. “How much longer…”
“Until we’re done unscrewing? Now, there’s a question I haven’t been asked before.” She could hear the grin in his wry tone and was grateful when he changed the subject. “How’d you get stuck in here, anyway?”
Every time he turned the screwdriver, his pecs tensed against her breasts and his erection pressed hot against her thigh.
She tried to distract herself by talking. “I thought I heard a bird trapped in here.”
She expected him to tell her she was silly, but he paused in his handiwork. “So you’re the adventurous type?”
Was she? She had no idea. From the moment she’d been born, her destiny had been set. The Elders had trained her as High Priestess. It was her duty to perform religious ceremonies, to bless babies, to mediate high-level disputes. But she’d wanted to connect with people, so she’d insisted on becoming a healer, too. That was the reason she worked on the Avalon Project, hoping to find the Holy Grail and cure her world of all illness. Was that the same as adventurous?
He popped out the last screw, and she tugged her hand free. Her fingers landed in his thick, soft hair. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be. I’m not.”
“You might be really sorry—once we get out of here.”
“Why’s that?” He began to wriggle down her body. “Are you married?”
“I’m never getting married.” The High Priestess wasn’t allowed to wed. Even if it wasn’t forbidden, who would want a woman who had the strength to kill her own mate?
“You have seven big protective brothers who’ll want to beat me up?” he teased.
“There’s just me and my two sisters.” She couldn’t keep the wistfulness from her tone.
“No husband. No brothers. And you don’t want to marry. Honey, you’re ideal,” he said, his tone soft and husky. Finally, he jumped down, and she found herself missing his warmth. Then his strong hands slid up her legs.
“I can get out… by myself.” She tried to wriggle away but couldn’t, of course, with the duct restricting her movements. “Is anyone else out there?”
“No one. It’s past midnight.”
“Thank the Goddess.” His large hands almost spanned her waist. He lifted her from the conduit and set her down on her feet. Her skirts dropped to the floor, and she smoothed them while avoiding his gaze.
As the ceremonial robes swished around her legs, her customary decorum returned. “Thank you. You saved my life. But I won’t tell anyone, so please don’t worry…” She raised her head and met his eyes.
“I’m not worried.” Cocking his head to the side, he’d spoken as if he found the idea absurd. He smiled as if he was seeing Cael the woman, not the High Priestess, and it charged her with intense awareness. Of him.
In the dim light she recognized him. Lucan Roarke. The new archeologist on the team had dark hair, compelling blue eyes, and a sculpted jaw. And he wore glasses. Obviously he needed a new prescription, since he didn’t seem to recognize her.
“If anyone learns that you touched me, the State will execute you.”
“Really?”
“The only exemptions are during my healing duties or for blessings bestowed in religious ceremonies.”
She expected him to back away, tremble, even grovel as others in his position would have. Automatically, she braced for the normal blast of fear, but instead he leaned toward her, wfontBhis voice seductive. “Lady Cael”—obviously he
did
recognize her—“I wouldn’t mind if more than my fate was in your hands.”
L UCAN HAD SCREWED
His maleness was erotic, exotic. Exciting. Her blood rushed though her veins with a heat that made her feel more alive than she’d felt since she’d first taken to the skies in flight.
“You’re awfully quiet.” The rough texture of his words was almost as exciting as his muscles straining over her. “Am I too heavy?”
Too heavy? He was perfect.
She swallowed hard. “How much longer…”
“Until we’re done unscrewing? Now, there’s a question I haven’t been asked before.” She could hear the grin in his wry tone and was grateful when he changed the subject. “How’d you get stuck in here, anyway?”
Every time he turned the screwdriver, his pecs tensed against her breasts and his erection pressed hot against her thigh.
She tried to distract herself by talking. “I thought I heard a bird trapped in here.”
She expected him to tell her she was silly, but he paused in his handiwork. “So you’re the adventurous type?”
Was she? She had no idea. From the moment she’d been born, her destiny had been set. The Elders had trained her as High Priestess. It was her duty to perform religious ceremonies, to bless babies, to mediate high-level disputes. But she’d wanted to connect with people, so she’d insisted on becoming a healer, too. That was the reason she worked on the Avalon Project, hoping to find the Holy Grail and cure her world of all illness. Was that the same as adventurous?
He popped out the last screw, and she tugged her hand free. Her fingers landed in his thick, soft hair. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be. I’m not.”
“You might be really sorry—once we get out of here.”
“Why’s that?” He began to wriggle down her body. “Are you married?”
“I’m never getting married.” The High Priestess wasn’t allowed to wed. Even if it wasn’t forbidden, who would want a woman who had the strength to kill her own mate?
“You have seven big protective brothers who’ll want to beat me up?” he teased.
“There’s just me and my two sisters.” She couldn’t keep the wistfulness from her tone.
“No husband. No brothers. And you don’t want to marry. Honey, you’re ideal,” he said, his tone soft and husky. Finally, he jumped down, and she found herself missing his warmth. Then his strong hands slid up her legs.
“I can get out… by myself.” She tried to wriggle away but couldn’t, of course, with the duct restricting her movements. “Is anyone else out there?”
“No one. It’s past midnight.”
“Thank the Goddess.” His large hands almost spanned her waist. He lifted her from the conduit and set her down on her feet. Her skirts dropped to the floor, and she smoothed them while avoiding his gaze.
As the ceremonial robes swished around her legs, her customary decorum returned. “Thank you. You saved my life. But I won’t tell anyone, so please don’t worry…” She raised her head and met his eyes.
“I’m not worried.” Cocking his head to the side, he’d spoken as if he found the idea absurd. He smiled as if he was seeing Cael the woman, not the High Priestess, and it charged her with intense awareness. Of him.
In the dim light she recognized him. Lucan Roarke. The new archeologist on the team had dark hair, compelling blue eyes, and a sculpted jaw. And he wore glasses. Obviously he needed a new prescription, since he didn’t seem to recognize her.
“If anyone learns that you touched me, the State will execute you.”
“Really?”
“The only exemptions are during my healing duties or for blessings bestowed in religious ceremonies.”
She expected him to back away, tremble, even grovel as others in his position would have. Automatically, she braced for the normal blast of fear, but instead he leaned toward her, wfontBhis voice seductive. “Lady Cael”—obviously he
did
recognize her—“I wouldn’t mind if more than my fate was in your hands.”
L UCAN HAD SCREWED
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