Chapter 19

She hesitated. “I’m just using you, my lord. My back—it hurts and I cannot stand the pain. I was touching you as a way to feel better. I’m sorry. I should not have done that without your permission.”

“And did it work?” He licked her mouth again, his hands threading through her long hair and she moaned and opened her mouth.

Instead of kissing her, he took her lower lip into his mouth and sucked gently. She dug her hands into his sides as he tugged her head back and kissed her throat. He licked his way down to the hollow of her throat and across to her collarbone. He nipped lightly at it and she jerked again.

“Well, did it?” he asked again.

“Aye,” she moaned.

“Then why did you stop?”

She gasped as he reached between them, arching away from his chest so he could more easily cup her breast.

“Because I’m just using you. It’s not right, my lord.”

“Tristan,” he demanded as he tugged on her nipple, rolling it between his thumb and forefinger.<