“The only people who know you’re a Valkyrie can be trusted if they do see the dedication, but also, I don’t think they’re likely to read it.”
“I’m not really a Valkyrie.”
“Yes, you are. You were then. You were today.” He kissed her softly, then said, “My publisher had to hold the final proof for after I got back from a deployment last fall. Last December, my plan was to go skiing in Aspen, then do the final read-through. It was cutting it close with the printing schedule, but I could hardly be expected to do the final proof while on an aircraft carrier. A few days after I turned it in, I emailed you and got the reply that said your boyfriend didn’t like my reaching out to you. It was a kick in the gut for about thirty seconds, but then…I figured you were struggling because of what happened. I even considered that it might not be from you. Your dad wasn’t subtle in the hospital. Plus, Freya had never mentioned a boyfriend—I checked in with her often to hear how you were doing.
“I wanted to send you a message, even if it was one you’d never see. I’d dedicated my first book to my sister, and didn’t really have anyone to dedicate the second one to, so there was no dedication in the final proof. I thought about the moment when you said, ‘Today, and today only, I’m a Valkyrie.’ And I knew what I wanted to say. I sent a hurried message to my agent, insisting the publisher add a dedication page. It hadn’t gone to print yet, so it was no problem. I mean, I’m sure they griped, but they did it.”
She kissed him again. “I’ve never had a book dedicated to me before.”
His smile was a sexy smolder. “And I’ve never dedicated a book to a woman I wanted to woo before.”
She laughed at his word choice. “Woo? I don’t think that’s something Reece Foresman would say.”
“That’s because my main character isn’t so much interested in wooing as he is in fucking.”
“Is there sex on the page? I haven’t gotten that far.”
He drew a line across his lips, as he’d done this morning in the bookstore. “No spoilers from me.”
She laughed, then stepped back. She wanted him, but at the same time, her brain was spinning. And she was so tired. “You should shower.” Then she grinned. “I think I’m going to read for a bit, then go to sleep.”
She found her copy of the mass-market paperback of Reece Foresman’s first novel and crawled into bed. As he’d described, the book was dedicated to his sister, using her first name only.
For Maggie. Best little sister in the world. Sorry about leaving all those Legos on the floor.
She smiled and looked at the cover again, tracing the R and F in the author name. The initials were clearly deliberate. If it didn’t require getting out of bed, she’d grab her laptop and look up his website. See if there were more clues to his identity hidden in the author bio. Probably not. With the exception of naming her and using the word Valkyrie, it appeared he’d been exceedingly careful.
She held the book, but found her mind was racing too much to focus and read. She wanted Rand to read it to her. To hear his voice as he shared his art with her. Maybe someday, she’d show him her paintings. She was nothing like her mother, but she liked to dabble and had never shared her work with anyone. Not even her family.
She was staring at the book, not really thinking about anything, when Rand stepped into the room wearing nothing but a white towel around his hips. “Sorry. I left my bag in here. I just need to grab some clothes.”
Water drops dappled the most perfect chest she’d ever seen. Thick shoulders. Cut pecs and delts. An abdomen to die for and that perfect V groove. She sucked in a breath as she stared. Without thinking, she was on her feet, moving toward him.
His body was a magnet, and she was helpless iron.
Rand froze as Kira moved toward him, her eyes hot with desire. She met his gaze and smiled, the twist of her lips and the spark in her eyes now showing mischief.
She took a final step, bringing her directly in front of him and raised her right hand, stopping millimeters from his bare left pec. “May I? Artwork this perfect needs to be touched to be fully appreciated.”
As if he’d say no. But he did have a caveat. “Anything you do to me, I get to do to you.”
“I guess that’s fair.”
She lowered her hand, and he felt a ripple of disappointment. Maybe he should have let her play without rules. But then she bent her head and licked his nipple.
Heat shot through his body. He groaned. “I mean it. Anything you do, I do back.”
She smiled. “I’m counting on it.” She licked him again, the tip of her tongue teasing his nipple, then she blew on the damp peak. Finally, she placed a hand on his chest and explored his pecs, her palm pressing down while her fingers lightly touched each contour. She thumbed his nipple, then licked him again, this time tasting the light hair over his sternum.
“If only I had strawberry ice cream.”
He laughed. Damn, he’d kill for a pint right now.
Her other hand joined the fun, and he groaned again as she explored his skin. He was going to do the same thing to her.
Rules were rules.
He would cup her perfect breasts and suck on her nipples, tease her in all the magnificent ways she teased him.
Her hand dipped lower, tracing his abs. She made a soft humming sound, then paused and looked up at him.
He smiled. “Is it my turn now?”
She shook her head. “Not yet.” She looked into his eyes and bit her bottom lip as she traced the top of the towel where it was held in place by tension and a tucked down corner. With a flick of her fingers, the towel fell, revealing his heavy erection that surged up as she lightly traced him from tip to base with her index finger.
His groan had turned into a harsh sound as he held himself in check. He would not thrust into her exploring hand, no matter how much he wanted to. “We should probably stop here.”
“You want me to stop?”
“No.”
“What if I do this?” Her hand slid down the shaft and wrapped around the base of his hard prick. Her warm palm was tight and smooth as she stroked his heavy length. He couldn’t help it and rocked his hips in a motion as old as time. His breathing had gone rapid and shallow. “Kira.” Her name was a warning. She might break his control.
“Do you want to put this inside me, Rand?” She stroked him as she said the words.
“Desperately.”
