Born of Ice

“What you did to me. I’ve never felt anything like it . . . It was incredible.”


It took Devyn a full minute to understand what she was saying. “You’ve never had an orgasm before?”

Her scowl matched his. “A woman can have an orgasm?”

Had it not been for the deep sincerity in her eyes, he would have thought she was kidding. He knew he wasn’t the first to make love to her, but . . . “You really didn’t know a woman could do that?”

She shook her head. “I knew men did. But no. I’ve never had one before.”

His heart broke for her. What kind of selfish bastards had she been with that they hadn’t even thought about her needs? Damn it. Had he known that, he’d have taken a lot more time with her.

In the end, he’d been as selfish as all the others who’d used her for nothing more than their own needs. I am such an asshole.

“How sheltered have you been?”

“I don’t understand the question.”

He winced as he realized how insensitive he’d been again. Without her mother and with what was obviously an all-male crew on her father’s ship, how would she know anything about female sexuality?

He knew firsthand the kind of morally questionable men poor freighters took on as employees. And that made him wonder if any of them had ever raped her.

Damn it. He was an idiot and he should have sobered up before he touched her.

Well, I’m sober now.

He leaned his forehead against hers and shook his head. “Why did you come to me?”

“I felt guilty.”

“For what?”

“For causing your condition and then interrupting your chance to . . . take care of it. Had you not gotten into a fight, you could have stayed until you found someone you wanted to sleep with.”

That left him all but speechless.

And insulted.

“You slept with me because you felt obligated?”

“Not entirely.” Heat exploded across her face an instant before anger darkened her gaze. “I’m not a whore!” She pushed him back, but he held her fast.

“Shh,” he said, keeping her against him to calm her down. “I’m not accusing you of being a whore.” Damn, what had her father and his crew done to her? “I just don’t want you to think that part of your duties on this ship is to take care of me when I’m horny. Ever.”

Alix calmed down as she saw the sincerity in his eyes. Why did he have to be so sweet and handsome?

Why do I have to betray the only decent man I’ve ever met?

It was so unfair.

“Okay,” she whispered. “I just know that men have needs and when you can’t get what you want, you take what’s available. I won’t bother you again.”

Devyn wrapped his arms around her, preventing her from retrieving her pants from the floor. “Alix . . . I had the chance on Nera to sleep with the most amazing redhead I’ve ever seen. She was all over me before I got drunk and believe me, she all but had me naked.”

Those words made her ache. “You are such an asshole to tell me that.” Then she frowned at his confession, not understanding it. “Why didn’t you sleep with her?”

“Because she wasn’t you.”

“I’m confused again.”

He took her hand into his and led it to his cock, which was already starting to harden again. “Like you said, you’re the one who did this to me. I didn’t want what was available, Alix. I wanted you.”

“Why?”

Devyn was aghast at the fact that she couldn’t accept the fact that he was attracted to her because she was hotter than hell. “You’re smart. Funny. Fearless, and you come without all the shit and drama most women carry. You don’t play head games. You don’t tell me you’re all right when you’re not. You’re competent, not whiny . . . and the gods know I’ve had it with whiny, incompetent women who can’t look after themselves.” He buried his hand in her hair. “And you have the most beautiful hair and eyes I’ve ever seen. Best of all you not only get my sarcasm, you dish it back.” He grinned at her. “I like a woman with sass.”

She moaned as he dipped his head down to kiss her again. His cock hardened even more while he trapped her hand between their bodies.

He pulled back to growl before he jerked his shirt off over his head. Taking her hand, he urged her up and pulled her into his bathroom. She froze as she saw how nice it was. Three times the size of hers, it had gold fixtures and black marble. Everything was so beautiful . . . It was like a dream.

He released her so that he could turn the shower on. While he adjusted the water, she removed her top and bra.

Her breath caught as she watched the play of muscles under his skin. He was absolutely gorgeous. With the exception of several severe scars, his body was perfect.

And when he turned around to smile at her, she shivered. He held his hand out toward her. “Care to join me?”

She took his hand and allowed him to pull her inside where the hot water slid sensually against her skin.