Prince of Stone (Imperia)

by Gena Showalter

  Going without pleasure for all these centuries must have rotted my brain.

  “Very well,” he said, and nodded. “I will allow you to punish me. Take off your clothes.”

  “Take off my— How do Imperians such as yourself punish others?”

  “Orgasm denial.”

  Her mouth opened, snapped closed. Opened, closed. Goose bumps spread over her skin. “Everyone keeps their clothes on. In a few minutes, we’ll drive to my home and—”

  “This isn’t your home?” he asked, spreading his arms.

  “Nope. I work here. Anyway. There’s food at home, and a comfortable guest room with a private bathroom. However, before we go, we’re going over the rules.”

  Her lips were plump and red and when she spoke of intimate things, he wanted them wrapped around his shaft. “Do continue.”

  No nonsense, she held up a finger. “Number one. You might be a ‘give orders’ kind of guy, but I’m a ‘take your orders and shove them’ kind of girl. That isn’t productive. You will obey me in all ways, and never tell me what to do. This is not negotiable.”

  Oh, really? “Counteroffer. I’ll do whatever I please.”

  Katie shook her head, hardened her expression, and lifted a second finger. “Two. Gain permission before touching.”

  A rule he liked even less than the first. “Those are your edicts?”

  “There’s one more.” She extended another finger. “Three. Always wear clothes.”

  Jorlan crossed his arms over his chest. The warrior in him rebelled, for not even the great lord had dictated his actions to such a stunning degree.

  How did one deal with such a brazen female?

  The answer came to him in a flash, and he smirked.

  “Well?” she prompted, anchoring her hands to her hips.

  “I agree to your terms, katya.”

  “Then you can get the heck— What?”

  “I agree to your terms,” he repeated.

  “You do?” Relief and happiness pulsed from her, her features suddenly bright and radiant. “I mean, thank you.”

  Air hitched in his lungs, and his blood heated. He did his best to remain impenetrably guarded against her appeal. “I agree to your terms,” he repeated a second time, “with a few minor adjustments.”

  She narrowed her eyes to slits. “To make a counteroffer, you need leverage. You have no leverage, Jorlan.”

  “Do I not, then?” Since his nakedness had disconcerted her earlier, Jorlan unwound the cloth he’d secured to his waist, the material pooling on the floor.

  Her cheeks flamed. “Okay, so, you have some leverage.”

  “Number one. I will give you no unreasonable demands, as long as you do the same for me.”

  She humphed and lifted her chin. “I’m certain our definitions of unreasonable are vastly different, but do go on.”

  “Excellent point. I change my first adjustment. Neither one of us will issue any commands, then.” With purposeful strides, he closed the distance between them. “Number two…”

  She raised her hand as if warding him off, and he stopped a heartbeat away. Her body heat enveloped him, her intoxicating scent fogging his brain.

  Enjoying himself, he propped his arm on the wall and leaned closer. “I can touch you, but only if you touch me first, or beg for it.”

  She snorted. Then she raked her gaze over him and gulped. “I’ll maintain my distance,” she said, averting her gaze, “because there’s no way I’ll beg for anyone’s touch, much less yours.”

  Ignore the insult. Push your advantage. “Number three. Clothing is optional—for us both.”

  At first, she didn’t respond. Thick, oppressive silence reigned.

  Stubborn woman. “If my adjustments are not acceptable…” He purposely trailed off his voice, just as she’d done to him, letting her draw her own conclusion. “Break them. Earn that punishment. You know you want to. Or do you hope I’ll break yours?”

  A sigh of annoyance pushed past her lips, creating a sweet ripple of air that caressed his cheeks. “Who says I’ll deny you an orgasm? Maybe I prefer to cut off the appendage responsible for your behavior.”

  Meaning his shaft? “Please. You admire that particular appendage more than I do.”

  “I…you…gah! But fine. Whatever. Your rules aren’t terrible. No commands. No touching unless asked. Sometimes clothing optional. Happy now?”

  “Not nearly as happy as I’d like to be.” He reached out, intending to smooth a lock of her hair back, only to pause before contact. He had to seek permission. So, he waited.

  She remained silent, no doubt testing him.

  With a muttered curse, he dropped his hand to his side.

  She looked both relieved and disappointed, but only for a moment. Seconds later, she blanked her expression. After bending down to grab the sheet from the floor, she thrust the material at him. “This situation warrants clothing. Since you know nothing of my planet’s customs, you’ll just have to take me at my word.”

  “Ah. I understand now,” he said, accepting the offering and covering his lower body once again.

  She jolted as if he’d pushed her. “What do you understand?”

  “You require me to wear clothes because you cannot control your desires when you see me unclothed.”

  “That’s not—” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “Never mind. Doesn’t matter. I just thank the good Lord we only have to put up with each other until tomorrow morning.”

  More amused than irritated, he said, “Are you usually this surly with a guest?”

  She rocked a hand back and forth. “It’s fifty-fifty.”

  He liked her honesty.

  “Are you usually this much of a chauvinistic pig?” she asked then, and he decided he wasn’t such a fan, after all.

  But, he owed her honesty right back, so… “Aye. But this chauvinistic pig is nice enough to offer the perfect solution to your surly-not surly problem. Beg me to bed you, and I will ensure you are too sated to bicker with me.”

  She waved her fingers in front of his face. “Trust me, I can ensure all my myself that I’m too sated to bicker. You are not needed.”

  If he hadn’t been as hard as steel already, her comment would have pushed him over the edge. “How intriguing. Mayhap I should watch you sate yourself. For educational purposes, of course. After all, every male should know how to tame a shrew.” He deadpanned the insult, even as he thrilled; no doubt the remark had revved her up.

  “Men!” She tossed up her arms, and he tried not to grin. “Every guy I’ve ever known has had a one-track mind, and you are no exception. What a shocker.” She turned on her heel and headed toward the door, calling, “Come on. I’m too tired to deal with you tonight. It’s time to go home.”

  Home. Aye. He was keen to see where and how a female like Katie lived. There, he would seduce Katie from her bad temper. She would fall in love, thus breaking the curse completely. Then, first thing tomorrow, he would speak with the psychic and buy a vortex. Then he would say goodbye to Katie and her strange world.

  His chest tightened, and he frowned. A part of him didn’t want to say goodbye to Katie?

  Doesn’t matter. Jorlan would do whatever proved necessary to reclaim his life and his title. Finally, he would dish his vengeance.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  I’M IN SO MUCH trouble.

  Katie settled inside her truck, but didn’t start the ignition. Clutching the steering wheel so tightly that color leached from her knuckles, she contemplated the pros and cons of proceeding. Well, she tried to contemplate, but Jorlan occupied the passenger seat, and his nearness made mincemeat out of her ability to concentrate.

  The guy possessed the best seduction-arsenal of all time, and she had no defenses. First, he lured you in with his powerful physique and electric gaze. Then he took things up a notch with his smoky voice, sending shivers of delight coursing through your body. Then he sealed the deal when he strode with the gait of a hunter and the grace of a panther. />
  Bottom line? Everything about him screamed, I need to be inside you.

  Her resolve to resist wavered. What if her continued refusal merely postponed the inevitable? Honestly, the thought of getting naked with him appealed more than the thought of swimming in a giant vat of melted Hershey’s Kisses, the best candy on the planet. Orgasm denial…tongue-lashings…

  Yes, please, and thank you. Already she was breathless, achy and…desperate?

  While his “you will do this” and “you will do that” attitude did irritate the crap out of her, that irritation did nothing to blunt her attraction to him.

  Why, why, why did she respond to him in a way she’d never responded to another? Yes, he was wickedly carnal. Yes, he was unabashedly male. Yes, he was the first guy to make her feel so wonderfully feminine. But, what seemed a lifetime ago, she’d told herself that outward appearance meant nothing.

  Had she changed her mind? No way, no how!

  So. Maybe he produced pheromones or hormones or chemicals, something that blended with his sandalwood scent to create maximum arousal in everyone around him? Every time she inhaled, she got lost in a sensual fog and never wanted to be found.

  “How do you force this vehicle into motion?” He opened and closed the door, the hinges squeaking.

  “Keep trying it that way,” she muttered.

  What if she did it? What if she slept with Jorlan and sent him on his way tomorrow morning? Just wham, bam, thank you, sir, for the grand slam.

  And afterward? What would happen then? He walked away smug because he’d nailed a “shrew”?

  I’m a necessary burden, remember? No, I’m a momentary convenience. Never forget.

  Her first time would be with someone who admired and respected her. Dang it, she deserved hearts and candy, flowers and music. Words of praise and acceptance. Maybe a whispered, I have to have you. I can’t live without you. If I don’t get inside you soon I’ll die. Please. I’m begging you.

  Okay, so, maybe that was a bit extreme. But she knew, knew she wanted more than Jorlan would give her.

  Well. The cons won. Despite his “lose yourself in me” eyes and his to-die-for muscles, Jorlan would be nothing more than a boarder to Katie. A nonpaying boarder, at that.

  “Shut the door and buckle up. Please,” she added, recalling their bargain. “I’ll start the vehicle now.”

  He closed the passenger door with a final snap. She keyed the ignition and maneuvered onto the main road.

  “How do you travel on Imperia?” she asked.

  “Atop horned stags, like your world’s horses. This is my first time inside the belly of your enchanted transportation, so I know not of what you speak. Buckle up?”

  “Like this.” She redid her seat belt, and he followed her example.

  Frowning, he tried to scoot left and right, yet the belt hindered each motion. “I will not trap myself inside your transportation,” he barked, ripping himself free.

  This man. “The seat belt is there for your protection,” she explained, then fluttered her lashes the exact way that made her brothers crumble.

  Jorlan didn’t even blink.

  “If I come to an abrupt stop and you aren’t wearing it, you’ll fly into the windshield, crack your head and die.” A little extreme, she knew, but she could think of no other way to make him listen.

  His frown deepened, but at least he rebuckled.

  A horn blasted. Startled, she scanned the highway. Just a few spots ahead, a driver swerved from one side of the road to the other. She accelerated to pass him, entering a construction zone.

  The faster she drove, the more Jorlan relaxed his stiff posture. “’Tis exhilarating, this speed.” His chuckle wafted to her ears, warm, husky and ’tis, oh, so inviting.

  This man annoys me, she reminded herself.

  They lapsed into silence. Unfortunately, that silence worked against her. Instead of concentrating on the oncoming traffic and orange cones that lined the median, she focused on her insatiable curiosity about her guest. “How long were you imprisoned in the stone?”

  “Nine hundred spans, seventy-two days and twenty-four minutes.”

  Had he spent the entire time counting? “A span is…”

  “A year.”

  “Wow.” Mind boggled. “You were imprisoned for almost a thousand years.” He should be buying Depends, drinking Ensure and worrying about osteoporosis. “Are you…immortal?”

  “Yes and no. I am part sorcerer, so it is more difficult to kill me than, say, a normal human, but I can die.”

  “But that’s imposs—” Wrong! Nothing was impossible. Not anymore. Magic? Yep. Curses? Of course. A thousand-year-old alien warrior handsome enough to be a model, who would live forever? Why not?

  “Oftentimes the myths and legends of one world are the facts of another. Over the spans,” he said, “many people wandered through the garden. Some were vampires and some were werewolves, the boogeymen of my world.”

  Vampires and werewolves were real, too? Goodness gracious! “You said you’re only part sorcerer. What’s your other half?”

  “Mortal.”

  “How long will you live, if you are never injured?”

  The corner of his eye twitched. “That does not concern you.”

  Had she struck a nerve? “I can drive you back to the garden, if you’d like.” To make a point, she jerked the steering wheel to the left.

  Tone stilted, he said, “I am the second son of a great lord and a priestess. Two people who were never supposed to wed. My path is uncharted. Mayhap I will live forever. Mayhap not.” He paused. “Now it is your turn to answer a question for me.”

  “Okay. Shoot.”

  “Are you for or against falling in love?”

  She blinked at the odd subject change. “I’m not sure I understand your question. Do you want to know what I think about any man and any woman falling in love with each other?” Or us falling for each other?

  “Aye.”

  “I’m for it. Love is powerful. Wonderful. Necessary.” But it was also unobtainable for her. “Why do you want to know?”

  Instead of answering, he smiled with satisfaction and shifted to face the window. Though slight, the movement caused his sheet to part, revealing a portion of his thigh.

  Katie snapped her chin forward. Watch the road, slag. But it wasn’t long before her gaze returned to Jorlan, her mouth watering for a nibble of that golden flesh.

  She’d seen every inch of him, yes, but she hadn’t let herself stare. Now…

  He shifted in his seat, exposing more. More. Please, please, please. Yes! The sheet split the rest of the way, revealing the entire length of his leg.

  Am I drooling?

  “What are you thinking about?” he asked. “In seconds, your face flushed and your eyes turned ravenous.”

  Shi—crap! No cursing. She’d already used up today’s quarters. Anyway. Katie jerked her attention to where it belonged. “I’m not going to sleep with you, okay, so turn down the sizzle.”

  The second the words escaped her mouth, she wished she could snatch them back. She might as well have asked if he wanted to finger paint her naked body with chocolate ice cream and lick it off.

  A knowing, masculine chuckle filled the small cab. Thankfully, he didn’t reply—What could he say, really?—and the rest of the ride passed in silence.

  About ten minutes later, she parked in her garage. Her nerves kicked up. What would he think about her house? A one-story abode with two thousand square feet, brand-new everything and modern furnishings. A show piece she didn’t actually like, but used to lure new clients.

  Once inside, she whisked Jorlan to the guest bedroom, where she dug out a Dallas PD T-shirt and a pair of sweatpants that Gray had left behind.

  While Gray had always looked relaxed and cozy in the clothing, Jorlan looked eatable, his rock-solid build stretching the material to showcase his brawn. Seriously. He sent her hormones into overdrive. Had any other man ever looked so indecent in a pair of t
oo-tight sweatpants?

  Note to self: write Hanes a very stern letter about appropriate leisure wear.

  PS: burn the rest of Gray’s clothes. The garments are obscene!

  “What do you think?” Jorlan asked, spinning slowly.

  “You are—” glorious “—passable.” The understatement of the year, but she couldn’t let his ego grow.

  His shoulders rolled in true man-pout fashion.

  Do not laugh. Or melt. “What do the people of Imperia wear?”

  “More formal attire.”

  Meaning prom gear? Ick! Katie adored her comforts. “Come on. I’ll show you the rest of the house.” She ambled into the living room, her newly clothed alien not far behind, his gaze scalding her back.

  Heat percolated underneath the surface of her skin. She stopped, whipped around, ready to demand he glance away.

  She froze instead. The sparkle in his eyes…

  He planned to do something naughty, no doubt about it, and her heart leaped with excitement. Dang him! The man was too appealing for his own good, and he was standing way too close for her peace of mind.

  I want that orgasm he promised me.

  Okay. Clearly she needed space and some sort of brain enema.

  Chin up, shoulders back, she stepped away from him.

  He followed.

  Their gazes were locked, the space between them crackling with awareness. “Whatever thoughts are currently rolling through your mind, whatever your body desires, tell me, and I’ll do it. With me, nothing will be taboo.”

  Shivers plagued her, their bodies generating enough electricity to light the entire state of Texas. She peered at his hands. Blunt and callused, clean yet well worked. The hands of a warrior. Under the right circumstances, those hands were probably capable of extreme gentleness, even tenderness. Under other circumstances, those hands were definitely capable of extreme violence.

  “N-no thank you,” she managed to squeak out. She would never ask him for an orgasm.

  Fine! Never was a strong word. She probably wouldn’t ask him for an orgasm. No, that didn’t work, either. She might not ask him for an orgasm. Argh!

  Jorlan inclined his head, one dark eyebrow arched, his mouth curled in that knowing grin she’d begun to despise. “My poor katya. Your pride and stubbornness will not make you scream with pleasure or keep you warm at night.”