19. Chapter 19

Seeing Conrad didn' t make my heart flip as I had expected, but I blamed it on Nathan's absence and the growing worry that his mission had failed. That he had been taken prisoner by the Chrymphten.

"Conrad," I waved and he hastened down the pier to help me from the boat to the dock.

"He's fine," Conrad assured me, as always knowing what I needed to hear right away. "He's waiting at the palace for you and… Vissigroth Myles."

He squeezed my hand, "Are you alright?"

Where my stomach had usually fluttered—or what I had thought of as a flutter before, because that had been nothing compared to its reaction to Myles—there was nothing. Instead all I felt was his warm, clammy hands, which made me want to rub mine on my dress.

Damn Myles , I fumed. It was true though, what I had thought of as excitement stealing a kiss with Conrad here or there was nothing compared to the moment just a few minutes ago when Myles had ran his knuckles over my bare flesh. That had weakened my knees. The flutter in my stomach had bordered on making me nauseous with anticipation. Never in my life had I been this nervous before as when we had locked eyes at that moment. I was sure I would have fainted had he kissed me.

My initial attraction to him had grown with every day, every hour, we spent together, resulting in last night's sleeplessness. Damn him ! How could he have slept so peacefully next to me when my entire body had burned with desire for him.

It was hard to admit, especially now of all times. We needed to go talk to Nathan and there was Conrad. My Conrad.

"A word?" Myles didn't wait for an answer, he pulled me toward the small shed that used to be my workshop. The dress I had left there a week ago still hung forgotten in a corner. The finest dress I had ever worn, paling in comparison to the one I was wearing now. One of the many Myles had given me.

"So that is Conrad?" Myles asked, picking up a tool and eyeing it as if it were the most fascinating object he had ever seen.

"Yes," I said, "that is Conrad."

Myles pivoted so quickly, I stumbled back. Blinking I watched him stalk toward me like a predator, with a grim expression on his face. He had dropped the tool, but he didn't need one, he was strong enough to twist my neck without even elevating his breath or heartrate.

I took a step back and then another, until my back was literally to the wall.

Myles lifted one hand, placed it lazily right against the wall next to my head, while his other moved underneath my chin, coaxing my head up to look into the abyss of his dark eyes. They seemed to swirl hypnotizingly and I realized that I had stopped breathing, I wasn't even sure my heart was still beating.

I was caught like a rabbit in the face of a dragon.

"Hmm, I wonder, has this Conrad kissed you yet?" His head moved closer, so close our noses nearly touched.

A shudder moved through me, I knew I should have pushed him away, especially after he kept invoking Conrad's name, but the gods help me I couldn't, my entire being was focused on his lips, so close and the deep desire inside me for him to finally kiss me.

I opened my lips, closed my eyes, fully submitting myself to his will. Whatever he wanted, I would have given it to him right then and there.

His kiss at first was nothing but the brush of a feather against my lips. My entire body began to tremble and it was only because I was leaned against the wall, that I kept on my feet.

When his lips pressed firmer against mine, I sighed deeply, because it was everything and so much more than I had imagined.

His tongue entered my mouth like an invading conqueror, sending shivers of lust through me that made my tits burn and my clit pulse.

His body kept his distance from mine, he was still leaned against the wall with one arm, while his other rested underneath my chin, before it slowly, oh so freaking slowly, trailed down my throat, whispering against my clavicle bones, and finally, just the tips of his fingers, feathering over the swell of my breasts .

With a moan, I pressed myself into his hand, moved my arms up, to cross around his thick neck. A deep chuckle of triumph moved through him, but I didn't care, all I could think about was this burning sensation he created inside me, and the ache creeping up my pussy drenched already in its own juices just from the kiss, his slight touch and the anticipation he rose in me.

This ache in me was growing, reached a nearly painful level as his fingers teased the swell of my tits and his tongue danced around mine.

He broke the kiss, leaving me trembling and breathing hard. It took me a moment to realize that he was leaning back, staring at my face. I blinked until I could focus on his expression, which wasn't only smug, but arrogant.

"So, does Conrad make you feel like this?"

My arms dropped from his neck and I stared at him in disbelief for ruining this moment. For making me remember my fiancé, for bringing to mind that I had just kissed somebody else.

His black eyes shone with desire, his hand reached to caress my face and his smirk deepened. "Let me know when you're done playing with untrained youths and are ready for a male to quench your desires Lady Niara."

With those words he turned and swaggered out of the shed.

My fury exploded. How dare he?

I picked up the first object I found, a part of an anchor and threw it against his back. Unfortunately my aim isn't great at the best of times and I was blinded by fury, so it pounced against the wall next to Myles instead of hitting his back or head.

He didn't even falter as he kept on marching out of the shed, chuckling all the while.