"Take off your clothes, Rhiannon."
Her eyes went wide. He softened his voice. "At least let me satisfy myself that way."
She took a quick breath and looked around the open beach. "Here?"
She was right. He might "be king and call the beach his own, but some things demanded privacy. Without a word, he picked her up and began to walk toward the cliffs. Beneath the ancient rocks, several large boulders formed a slight shelter. He stopped and put her down.
"I..." he paused, trying to find words for what he had to say. "I know you fear me. I will try not to push you."
The look of mute gratitude in Rhiannon's eyes sent a chill down his spine. Her fear of him was deep and terrible. He reminded himself it was also unfounded. For her sake as well as his own, he must break through the barrier between them. If he did not possess her, they would both go mad.
"I'm not going to hurt you, Rhiannon. I want to teach you the magic of your body. There is pleasure to be had between a man and a woman, wondrous pleasure. If you will let me, I will show you. But first, you must take off your clothes." Seeing her fear deepen, he added, "I won't do anything you don't want me to." He pulled Rhiannon to him, trying to soothe her. "I promise," he whispered into her hair. "For now, I only want to look at you. You are so lovely. I want to enjoy the sight of you. Please..."
He released her, and she began to undress slowly. First the cloak, then the wet gown. She paused at her shift, but only a moment, then she pulled it over her head and stood naked before him.
Maelgwn sucked in his breath. She was even more beautiful than he had imagined. His eyes moved down her body slowly, lingeringly: pale skin warmed with only a scattering of freckles, delicately rounded breasts, the nipples rosy pink, upturned and inviting, her waist no wider than a handspan, then the triangle of deep red curls, like a bronze shield, guarding the mysterious passageway he could not stop thinking about. His eyes swept over her again, taking in the grace and perfection of her form. Everything about her was small but exquisite. He wanted to devour her.
"Turn around," his voice was harsh, faltering with desire.
After a second's hesitation she obeyed him. This view was beautiful too. The veil of hair swinging over the narrow back, the faint outline of her ribs barely visible through the translucent skin, the tiny waist, the achingly plush, rounded bottom. Maelgwn held his hands at his sides, scarcely trusting himself not to touch her.
"Rhiannon," he whispered. She turned around, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. He almost laughed. "Do not look so miserable. I like what I see. Indeed, I can scarce remember ever seeing any woman so beautiful, so irresistible..."
Rhiannon stared at her husband; the huskiness in his voice made her throat go dry. She could feel his need, guess his hunger. His eyes were dark, the pupils nearly swallowing the blue of the irises. Her heart pounded, and it took all her determination to keep from bolting across the beach.
"Lie down." Maelgwn spread his cloak upon the sand and gestured toward the makeshift bed. Trembling, Rhiannon moved to obey him. Her pulse thudded in her ears; her legs felt so weak it was a relief to sink down upon the cloak. Maelgwn joined her, settling himself beside her. His eyes moved over her like a caress, burning a pathway across her exposed skin. She could feel the heat of his body next to hers.
"Does this... are you frightened of me now?"
She shook her head, wishing she did not have to lie.
"You are my wife, Rhiannon. It is only natural that I take pleasure in the sight of your body."
"But I am too thin, too little for you." Her words of protest seemed to startle Maelgwn. He reached out, as if to touch her, his large, tanned hand moved to within inches of her breasts. She sucked her breath, and he pulled his hand away. She saw the clench of his jaw, a flash of frustration in his eyes. He appeared to struggle with himself, then he spoke:
"You are beautiful, Rhiannon. All of you. I like the way you are, so small and perfect." His face flushed with passion, and his voice fell lower. "I would like to see more. I would have you spread your legs for me."
Horrified, Rhiannon shook her head. Maelgwn's eyes met hers, hot and pleading. "If I cannot touch you, at least allow me to know you that way. Please."
She shivered, then slid her legs apart. She closed her eyes, feeling a wave of shame rush over her. No man had known her body except Llewenon, and he had used it, sating his lust with ruthless cruelty. The horror of the memory made her open her eyes.
Maelgwn watched her. His dramatic blue eyes fixed upon her face. A slight smile curled his mouth. "You are beautiful there too, Rhiannon. Like a flower, a sweet flower."
She stared at him. A strange ache was building inside her. This man had not mauled her nor used her as if she had no feelings. He watched her with tenderness and something akin to worship. It thrilled her to know that he wanted her. It was as if he shared part of his power with her.
Maelgwn abruptly turned away and leaned against a nearby rock. She sensed the tension in his body. He trembled, and his hands clenched in frustration. Her heart went out to him. It was unfair to deny him. If he would not let her relieve him as she had before, she must find some other way to satisfy him.
"Maelgwn." Her voice came out frail and shaking. "If you want to touch me... it is all right. Only tell me... tell me you will not hurt me."
His eyes were so grateful, so warm. She moved toward him and allowed him to pull her to sit between his legs. Her back rested against his chest, and he held her tightly, crushing her breasts with his arms. "Ah, Rhiannon," he sighed, his mouth nuzzling against her hair. "Do you know what I see when I look at you?"
She shook her head as he continued in his soothing musical voice. "I see skin as cool as the sea, as fair as moonlight. But I also see hair as bright as the sun, as brilliant as a flame. I have known your coolness, Rhiannon. Now I wish to know the fire of you." He stroked her hair softly. "It is a wonder it does not burn my fingers, your hair is so vivid and rich. And here..." His hand slid down her body, pausing at the juncture of her thighs. She held herself very still as he caressed the coarse curls.
"Here it is even redder, even hotter. Do you know what I think, Rhiannon? I think there is heat and fire there, there in the darkness between your legs. Let me touch you there... let me feel the flame."
His voice was a raspy whisper, shivering across her skin. It seemed to ignite something within her, a kind of heat, a hungering ache. She slid her legs apart, fearing and welcoming him.
His fingers were gentle, almost reverent. She could feel him coaxing her to relax, to trust him. The heat grew; the rest of her body felt fevered and tingling.
"I can make you wet with desire for me. I will be patient. I will take my time. I will take as long as I need to make you want me."
It was like drowning, or what she imagined drowning to be like. Her breath would not come fast enough. She was dizzy and weak, but it felt pleasurable. Her will dissolved, her body felt boneless and weightless, melting into the strength and warmth of Maelgwn's chest and shoulders, vibrating to the warm, coaxing, seductive sound of his voice.
"You are beautiful, Rhiannon. A lovely pink flower sweet with nectar." His stroking ceased its teasing rhythm and grew more intense. Maelgwn eased her thighs further apart and slowly urged a finger into her aching center. Rhiannon shivered convulsively.
"Feel how good it feels," he murmured. "It will feel even better when I am inside you."
The pressure of his finger increased, making her tense, but still she did not want him to stop. A strange weakness filled her. She needed him, needed him to keep touching her.
"You are wet," he whispered. "I have made the flower spill its sweet nectar. I cannot pleasure you more... except by coming inside you. Will you let me, Rhiannon?"
She did not answer. She was too enthralled by the sound of his voice and the throbbing energy building within her. She felt sad and frustrated when he slid away from her and stood to undress. Without his touch to entice and distract her, the fe
ar returned. She closed her eyes, afraid to watch him, afraid to think about what he would do next.
He returned to kneel beside her, so close she could almost taste the salty, earthy scent of him. His hands moved over her body. His fingers explored her breasts, then glided over her hips, reaching around to caress her buttocks. The feverish heat returned as his hands stroked and squeezed, shaping her flesh into patterns of pleasure. Rhiannon's hips arched upward, her thighs opened slightly. Still, she stiffened as Maelgwn covered her. She could feel his shaft hard against her thigh, like a weapon. Then it moved away, and she felt the soft tickle of his hair upon her belly. Startled, she opened her eyes. Maelgwn was leaning over her breasts. She watched as he took one of her nipples in his mouth and suckled.
A strange energy flowed through her, half pleasure, half subtle, exquisite pain. The pain faded as she grew used to his rough, hungry mouth. She gasped in wonder and closed her eyes. Her hips pressed against his body. The fever inside her burned deep, shooting along her legs. She could not help moving, her body urgent against Maelgwn's. He held her down gently, his mouth working upon her breast as if he suckled sublime delight from her body. He switched to the other side, and Rhiannon moaned, thinking she would burst apart from the bliss of it.
Then Maelgwn's mouth left her, and she opened her eyes to look at him. His lips were soft and wet. The fierce blue of his eyes seemed to have melted. He looked tender and very beautiful. She reached up to stroke his wind-burned skin, enjoying the pleasing harshness of it. His wild, wavy hair framed his face with darkness. She pulled him down to her, realizing she desired more of this wonder he had taught her. He kissed her, enveloping her mouth with wet, throbbing pressure. As his tongue penetrated her lips, she felt a moan vibrating in his chest. His body trembled and heaved, like a great river washing over her. His tongue entwined with hers. She clung to him, fearful and excited.
He broke away, and his eyes fixed upon her, glassy with passion. "Please, Rhiannon. Let me." His hand slid down her belly, easing closer and closer to the juncture of her thighs. "Relax," he whispered. "Think of the flame within you. I'm going to touch the flame and make it glow even brighter, even hotter. I'm going to make magic inside you."
She moved her legs apart, and his hand found the warm wetness between them, caressing her with light, rapid strokes. She closed her eyes and gave in to the feverish longing his touch evoked. The rhythm built and then ebbed, throbbing and tantalizing, bringing her to the brink of completion but never fully satisfying her need. She moaned and twisted her hips in search of the magic he had promised.
"Now," he murmured. "Now, I will touch you with something even better."
He covered her, easing his body lower, and she felt his hand guide his shaft against her flesh. She felt a shivering light ecstasy, then the comforting pressure she had longed for. The pressure increased, deepening, filling her. She tensed, but there was no way to get away. Maelgwn's body held her down.
Panic surged through her. He was too big, too overwhelming. She shifted her hips; the movement made Maelgwn groan. She went utterly still. He brought his mouth next to her ear, whispering her name and kissing her neck. She forgot her fear as she listened to his voice, as low and vibrant as the wind through the reeds. Then Maelgwn pressed himself deeper within her, and the terror returned. Would he consume her, steal away her very soul with his body?
"It's all right," he whispered. "See, it does not really hurt. Relax and feel how good it is to have me close to you. I want you, Rhiannon. I want you so badly!"
She felt his control snap. He cried out her name again, then his hands moved beneath her hips, holding her tightly as he began to move inside her. He was huge and powerful, and he rocked and urged within her until her body seemed on the verge of shattering. She reached for his strong shoulders and clutched them, bracing herself against the tumultuous rhythm that rampaged where their bodies were joined. He was part of her now, his body so close it became one with hers. The energy that was each of them swirled and mingled in a dark, hot void. She surrendered to the magic and held on.
Fierce, pounding rhythms, older than anything except the sea and the rocks around them. Life itself crushed into a moment. Dazzling, aching flesh and the sensation of falling... falling. She heard Maelgwn's cry of ecstasy and shared it briefly. Then it was over, and the world swam around them in light and sound as they became separate creatures again. Her cheeks were wet with tears, but she was happy. She lingered her fingers over her lover's damp, burning skin.
He raised himself from her, still panting for breath. His eyes were a distant misty blue. A passionate ache filled Rhiannon, more poignant than anything she had ever known. It choked her throat and filled her eyes with tears. It was incomparable what she had shared with this man, what he had given her. All Llewenon's talk of magic had not prepared her for this. The magic was beyond pleasure or pain; it was a gift from the gods, a glimpse of the light of the other side.
She knew Maelgwn felt it too, for he turned to watch her with dazed, wondering eyes, and when at last he spoke, his voice was stunned and tender.
"Ah, Rhiannon. Now that I have had you, I will only want more."
Chapter 10
"Have you told Rhiannon we leave tomorrow?" Balyn asked as he walked from the practice field beside Maelgwn.
"No, but she must expect it. The purpose of our marriage was to join Brigante forces with Cymry so I could win back Gwynedd."
"Even if she expects it, she may not be pleased to watch her new husband go to war, especially now he's begun to spend so much time in her bed."
Maelgwn gave Balyn a quick glance. "Is it so obvious?"
"I should think so. A few days ago you were glowering and snarling around the fortress like a wet wildcat; now you appear as mellow and contented as one of Gwenaseth's pet kittens. It's not hard to guess you've overcome your problems with Rhiannon."
Maelgwn shrugged. "There's much less tension between us these days."
"Lludd's balls! Don't be coy, Maelgwn," Balyn chortled. "There's no shame in admitting you enjoy your wife. She's a lovely young woman, and it's been a long time since you've had anything so fine to warm your bed. I would think you were in your dotage if you didn't lose a little sleep making the most of these few nights you have before we leave."
Maelgwn opened his mouth to protest, then closed it. His passion for Rhiannon surprised him, but there was nothing shameful in it. He had once felt this way about Aurora. But he had loved Aurora, he reminded himself. He could hardly say he loved Rhiannon. He did not even know her.
He allowed himself a small smile. "Now that Rhiannon has overcome her fear, we get along exceptionally well."
"Did you find out the reason for her odd behavior?"
Maelgwn's face darkened with a frown. "Gwenaseth had some thoughts on the matter, but I'm not certain I agree with her. Perhaps it was no more than simple shyness. Rhiannon's still as skittish as a wild creature if you catch her unawares."
A wild creature, Maelgwn mused as he took leave of Balyn and walked across the courtyard. The image would not leave his thoughts. For all that she had finally let him explore her body—every delicious inch of it—Rhiannon's mind remained as much a mystery to him as a hind's.
He headed briskly for the weaving room, knowing he would be likely to find his wife there. She looked up when he entered; her face colored prettily, and a slight smile turned up the corners of her mouth. Like him, it seemed she had only to see him to be reminded of the pleasure their bodies shared. She put down her sewing and came to greet him. Maelgwn ignored the other women in the room and pulled her into an embrace.
"Do I embarrass you?" Maelgwn asked as they left the weaving room. "Would you rather I didn't kiss you in front of others?"
"Oh, no, my lord. I mean... you may do whatever you wish."
"That is not what I asked, Rhiannon. I inquired as to your feelings."
Rhiannon took a deep breath. What could she tell Maelgwn? It still astounded her to see a warrior, a k
ing, showing warmth and affection to a woman before others. "Your kindness pleases me, although I suspect that some of the women look askance at your familiarity."
"There will always be those who are jealous of you, Rhiannon. You must not let them cause you distress." Maelgwn pulled her close, snuggling her against his chest. "If you like me to touch you, I will continue doing so. We have little time left. I leave tomorrow for war."
Rhiannon tensed. Despite its inevitability, she still dreaded Maelgwn's leaving. They barely knew each other, had only begun to build a sense of trust between them. Now he was leaving.
"Don't look so sad." Maelgwn smiled teasingly. "Although I admit it warms my heart to know my wife regrets my departure, I don't want you to worry. With any luck, I will return long before the leaves fall."
"You'll be gone the summer then?"
"A couple of months at most. I know the Brigantes will be anxious to return north. And I..." He leaned over to whisper in her ear. "I will be anxious to return to my wife."
A hot thrill filled her at the sound of Maelgwn's seductive, compelling voice. She could scarce believe this passion that moved between them, this impatient, dizzying hunger that forced them to seek out the bedchamber in broad daylight and kept them sleepless long into the night. Maelgwn had taught her so much in a few short days. She had gone from fearing his touch to reveling in it.
"Let us say good-bye now, Rhiannon. I will sleep alone tonight. I must rise early, and I don't want to wake you."
Rhiannon looked toward the sprawling wooden building that housed their bedchamber. Maelgwn nodded. "I fancy seeing you naked by daylight one more time ere I go."
They walked together without speaking. Rhiannon felt her breath quicken with every step, and the ache inside her deepen. She remembered the incredible things Maelgwn had already done to her. The feel of his mouth nuzzling her most sensitive, intimate parts. The shock and wonder of his shaft entering her. The satisfying but almost painful sensation that filled her as he teased her nipples with his fingers and suckled her greedily.
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