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"It’s not as if you haven’t seen me before," Jared said, charmed by the shyness

"That was different," Liaon his bare feet

Jared took another breath

and heard the druht to call the men to the dance

His nostrils flared His blood heated Tension flowed out of hilance at the hearth The wood that had been readied to take the evening chill out of the rooan to burn

A flick of his hand closed the curtains Only the young fire lit the roo all the sharp lines until there were no lines, until the walls seeo on forever

Another flick of his hand vanished all the furniture except the bed and the small tables on either side of it

Lia yelped when she landed on the floor "Jared, what--"

He walked toward her Her eyes widened

"Can you hear the drums, Lia?" he asked softly

"Can you hear them? Like the land’s heartbeat Or the heartbeat of the Shalador people" He held out his hands "Let me show you the Fire Dance"

He lifted her up and pulled her against him Her heart beat a staccato rhyth but hold her, letting his eyes wander over her face

When she stopped trying to push hi for a kiss

She arched back to escape his lips He sainst his

Since she wouldn’t give hi

He licked her jaw

Her hands clamped on his waist

"Do you hear them, Lia?" he asked as he licked the corner of herbeating" Her voice had gone husky

"The drums" Jared brushed his lips over hers

Her eyes were dark s?"

"Yes," he whispered into her ear "Listen to her Follow her The Fire Dance lies at the end of her voice"

He covered her mouth with his and let theht

Stepping back, he drew her into the center of the room

Lia plucked at the sweater "It’s warested quietly as he slowly circled her, his feet auto the set pattern of steps

Lia tossed the sweater aside She puffed out her cheeks "Maybe we should open a "

"Maybe you should take off the shirt" His fingertips brushed down her arm as he moved past her "The Fire’s supposed to be hot"

She reached for the first button Her hand froze Her eyes locked on the golden chest that glistened froave her a feathery kiss while he used Craft to undo all the buttons His hands brushed the shirt aside, brushed it over her shoulders, brushed it down her back

She made breathy little sounds

"Watch me" He stepped back into his circle "Watch the Dance"

"Aren’t--" Lia puffed out her cheeks again "Aren’t you supposed to be naked when you do that?"

He vanished the trousers

She gulped and tried to stare at her feet, but he’d already drawn her in too deeply She raised her head and watched him dance, watched the muscles flex, watched him smile as he moved his hips, watched the shadows for to the druh to brush against her, stepping back to widen the circle

She pivoted in the center of the circle, her eyes following hi his an to fade, Jared wrapped an arm around Lia’s waist and whirled her around the roo her face in his hands, he kissed her long and deep

"Let me show you the rest of the Fire Dance," he said hoarsely

She didn’t answer But the look in her eyes was answer enough

He undressed her slowly, coaxed her into the bed, and stretched out beside her

She shifted a little tocock

He shifted with her

"It’ll be all right," he said as his hand glided down her arht"