Dragon Heir [Book 1] [Watty Award Winner 2012]

Chapter 19

Chapter 19

 Copyright © Gem Higa 2011

Rather than reacting normally and releasing her grip on the barbarian leader’s arm, she held on even tighter as she planted both feet to the ground. Leiv’s hands squeezed to the point her knuckles paled under the strength. A regular man would have stood no chance, but the barbarian leader was something else entirely, his strength easily comparable to that of her fathers.

Her reaction bemused him as he cocked his head to the side, a smile lifting the corners of his lips, so feint that it could hardly pass as one. Leiv decided to make a bold move and assume he was all brawn and no brain. Without completely processing the notion, she dropped her entire weight with a pair of strong hands still clutched to his arm. The plan was to pull him with her as she fell so an opportunity would open up and retaliation could be made.

Unfortunately, nothing happened the way she had predicted. Desmond somehow calculated her moves before they even happened, moving as though his brain could read her own. Instead of toppling over, he purposely let his whole body fall to the ground, fluidly following her momentum. As soon as Leiv’s back was flat on the forest floor, Desmond straddled her as he pinned her arms above her head. The move was so swift that it took a few seconds to regain her composure.

It felt like a boulder had pressed itself on top of her. The muscles that were holding her down were as taut as a restrung bow. A few strands of his hair cascaded down his square jaw line, framing his face. Even with the moon high above them, there was not enough light to see the hues of his irises.

His aroma filled her with familiarity. It reminded her of long runs in the forests: the warm musk of the earth as the sun beat down from above, leaves moistening with dew during the early mornings, and the pine trees emanating their rosemary fragrance. The mage was clearly a child of nature, much closer to his wild side rather than of a mage’s calculated demeanor. Every move reminded Leiv of the animals in the wild that defended their territory with a savage grace.

The way he leaned in and brought his head closer to her face, moving it down to the neck’s base and inhaling the scent made her fidget under his strong chest. The curious gaze he held only intensified under her glare as she forced herself not to panic. Those ten seconds felt like a century had passed and only now had she come up for air.

Then, she saw an opportunity for a small dose of revenge. Leiv stopped wiggling under his weight and instead allowed her head to move closer to his, letting her hot breath caress his cheeks as she pulled her hand from his grasp and snaked it towards his hips. His whole body stilled under the applied pressure to his sides. 

His leather trousers were cool and smooth in the breezy night. Though the heat emanating from underneath gave his feelings away rather easily.  It brought a rush through her own veins that she pushed away and focused on the task at hand. Now was not the time to let her mind wander and her body to choke up.

Running her hand up his leg, she finally reached the curves of his stomach. Mentally taking a deep breath, she slipped her hands underneath the sleeveless leather vest he had on. Desmond took a sharp breath, and cheekily smiled down at her. The muscles underneath his clothing were exceptionally built. With each movement of her hands, his muscles would involuntarily flex. Everything was rock hard. She had no doubt all the years out in the wild had done a number to his body.