He took hold of Echo's warm, soft hand, rubbing his forehead against it, willing her to wake, praying to the gods she would come to before the curse forced him out. He heard being forced hurt like a bitch, that the curse tore at the skin, pulling the cursed away piece by piece. Jace was ready to live with that if it meant Echo would be all right. He couldn't leave the fleece with her, and he couldn't not leave the fleece with her. "Come on, little nymph, open those bright green eyes for me." Her pulse quickened, but nothing else changed. Jace sighed and closed his eyes against her skin, willing with all his energy, as he had done for nearly two days straight, for her to get better, to wake, to yell at him for taking over her area, anything as long as it was a sign she would recover. By the gods, he'd grown attached while caring for her. Had he ever spent so much time making sure a female was okay?
"Jace?" Her soft whisper met his ears, and Jace's head popped up so fast his neck hurt.
"Thank the gods!" Jace pulled Echo into his arms and held onto her, squeezing, relief filling every inch of his heart. How had he come to care about this woman so fast? Three days, that was as long as he'd known her, and it was the first time any female had breached his desire for just sex. Jace had gave her water, keeping her hydrated. He didn't know anyone in town to work medical stuff like an IV, but he could help her swallow with by pulling on a little magic and rubbing at her throat. Her body wanted to respond, she just hadn’t opened her eyes. It had been a chore, but he kept her nourished. He'd petted her hair, talked to her, and slept beside her. How had she squeezed her way inside his heart without having lifted a single finger?
"Breathe...I...need to breathe." Echo lightly pushed at Jace.
He let go. "Sorry. I..." Jace wasn't sure what to say. "I'm glad you’re okay." He sat back in the chair and ran his fingers through his messy hair. He hadn't showered, wanting to make sure she would see him if she woke. His shoulders slumped, the relief she would live settling over him, removing the heavy burden of death. He took a deep breath, willing the sting from his eyes. Ram shifters didn’t cry.
She scanned her bedroom, a confused expression working its way along her graceful features, scrunching her eyebrows. "Where's Fahd? What happened?" She graced Jace with those bright green eyes.
"He's gone. You won't ever have to worry about him again." Jace smiled, hoping his information would leave her with relief.
"My tree!" She looked down, and the golden fleece had scrunched up back to its normal size, but still lay atop her.
"The fleece healed you. But I couldn't save your tree. I thought you were a goner. I don't know how you are alive without the tree, but I'm pleased to see you better." Jace pulled the fleece off her and curled it up, setting it beside the bed. "You've been out for two days."
"All I remember was eating insects, making Fahd very angry, and then pain, lots of pain. I couldn't save anything no matter how hard I tried." Tears filled her eyes, one escaped down her cheek, and Jace wiped it away with his finger.
"He's gone. I promise you." Jace wanted her pain to go away. He hated seeing her cry, hated how the daylight reflected the salty tears in her eyes, the tremble of that damn bottom lip. With the weight of her health lifted from his shoulders, he again felt the need for release. A yearning to have her wrapped around him. He hardened. "The best part." Jace smirked. "I can leave you in peace now."
Echo's lips turned up into a small smile and she let out a giggle. She sniffled and said, "You know I wasn't always bound to a tree."
"No?" Surprise wound its way around Jace. Weren't nymphs locked to the lands and waters?
Echo shook her head. "I am the black sheep of the nymphs. My darker hair and thicker thighs make me less than appealing to them. To escape their taunting hurtful remarks, I came here. The land was pleading for a guardian of its own, and I gave my promise to keep it safe in exchange for magic to help guard it and keep me hidden from other nymphs. But tied to a tree meant I was tied to that tree's life as well."
Jace eyed Echo, amused that she had somehow taken her life into her own hands and made something new for herself despite what other nymphs did. "I knew you were different somehow, and not just in your looks." Her hair, even messy as it was, framed her face. She was beautiful in the sunlight.
Echo looked down at her hands, fiddling with her finger nails. "I've never been like them. They use and abuse humans. I've never had a desire to harm a human or keep them... I have only done what I had to in order to keep my trees safe. I always let them go before any harm came to them."
Jace softened as she glanced up at him, sadness deep in her gaze. She must have been lonelier than he thought. His first impression had been of strength and determination, but this gentler side made him want to wrap her up in his arms and not let go. To protect her from hurtful words and the world. But the curse would never allow it.
"You saved me."
"I did." He had no qualms about taking credit where credit was due.
"How can I ever repay you?" She put her hand out toward him.
Jace took her soft palm into his and laced his fingers through hers. "Well, there once was a door in your living room, and you were torturing me with your soft moans before we were so rudely interrupted..." His erection stiffened so hard his balls ached.
Please let her say yes.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Echo's face heated as she pictured herself rubbing against him, rocking over his gods-forsaken knee on the verge of an orgasm she had denied herself for a very long time. They didn't seem to have much in common, except two things, a fierce loyalty to what they were protecting and lustful thoughts about each other. Just the touch of his strong hand on hers was enough to spread want betwixt her thighs.
She should feel achy, sore, after the beating she took from Fahd. But the fleece must have healed everything, including her binding to the land or tree, because she only felt a warmth invading her core, softening her to this ram shifter who saved her life. She pushed thoughts of Fahd, her trees, and even what was to come into the back of her mind, focusing on the heat coming from Jace. She gave him a smile. "Rudely interrupted? Torturing you? I wasn't the one with my knee betwixt your legs trying to make you orgasm. I wasn't the one holding you in place, and you sure as Hades wasn't the one on the verge of coming when we were so rudely interrupted."
"Is that a yes, little nymph?" His dark hooded eyes were hopeful. Was he holding his breath?
"I could use a good release. After all my orgasm had been denied..."
Jace swooped her up out of bed and headed for the bathroom down the hall. It was then Echo looked down; she was still wearing the same bloodied and soiled clothes from the cave. Jace pushed open the bathroom door, set her on her feet, and ripped the ruined pieces of cloth from her flesh, bra, panties, and all.
"By the gods, little nymph. You are astonishing." Jace stared at her in a sort of wonder she hadn't seen on a man’s face before. She liked it. It made her feel erotic, womanly, desired.
"And you have far too many clothes on, shifter." Echo pulled at his T-shirt. He smiled and let her move it up his hard chest, revealing a dark dusting of hair with a happy trail meandering under the button on his jeans. Once the shirt was off, she undid his jeans.
"You. Water," Jace bit out as if words were escaping his mouth. His voice was guttural, and a wave of pleasure danced through Echo.
She pushed the shower curtain aside and bent over to start the water. A groan came from behind her. Warm hands slid over her ass, and gooseflesh rose along her skin at his tentative touch. "Hands off. We aren't clean."
"Pure. Torture." Jace grunted out the words but removed his hands as Echo turned the faucet until the water warmed.
Once it was hot enough, she pulled the shower lever and then stepped into the steaming water. The wetness felt divine falling into her hair and down her spine. Jace was soon to follow, his broad shoulders blocking most of the water. Her heart quickened as she reached around him for her soap and scrubby. Her nipples hardened as they slid over
Jace's rough skin. A zing of pleasure crashed over her at the touch. Her body was on high alert, waiting for his warmth, waiting to see what he would do next.
"Hand me that." Jace grabbed the soap and scrubby from her. He squeezed the bottle and lathered. First, he quickly washed himself. Suds ran down his six-pack abs and over his jutting erection. When her gaze favored it, his cock jumped, as if begging her to touch him. He was thick and long, with veins pulsing between white suds.
"Let me help." She caressed his shaft, rubbing both hands over his thickness. She ached for him, her core clenching in need, wanting to be filled. He inhaled a sharp breath as her palm slid over the tip, pre-cum mixing with soap. She thoroughly moved her hands over the throbbing member, exhilarated and so turned on by how much more he hardened with her tentative caresses.
"If you don't stop, little nymph, I'm going to take you before you get cleaned up."
Echo released his shaft, giggling, pleased with herself. She wanted him to want her as much as she yearned for him. He reached out with her scrubby firmly grasped in his palm. There was a helm tattoo along his wrist. It wasn’t hugely noticeable but indented his skin, more like a carving than a tattoo which generally had the pushed-out impression on skin. She wondered why he had gotten it. The ram she understood.
He moved the sponge over her shoulders, then slowly under each breast. His other hand, full of soap, caressed a nipple, causing her to gasp. Then he moved to the other, and her head fell back as pleasure coiled in her nether regions.
"Spread your legs for me." His voice came out strained.
Echo leaned against the shower wall and spread her thighs for him. His hand cupped her mound, and she immediately rocked into him, the soap and her own desire making him slick. Each time her clit came in contact with his rough palm, her body quivered, back arching, begging for more. The scrubby slid and scratched along her thighs, her senses all heightened at every touch as she rocked against him. Her clit pulsed, needing more pressure. She was edging into that beautiful bliss she craved so much. Just a few more seconds and she would fall over the edge.
Jace moved his hands, and Echo's eyes flew open.
"Tit for tat...remember? Turn around." His finger circled, indicating he wanted to see her backside.
Echo scrunched her nose and sent a glare his way. "You are pure evil." But she turned so her ass faced him. Echo wiggled her hips, hoping to taunt him.
He laughed and ran the sponge along each cheek. He slowly moved it up her lower back and his hardness slid along her ass. Echo moaned, wishing it would just slip inside her and alleviate the ache. He pushed against her as his hand glided to her shoulders, washing over her neck. Then his warmth was gone. Echo turned to look over her shoulder. He was fondling himself watching her. If he was going to play with himself... "Tit for tat, right, shifter?" Echo dipped her fingers between her legs, bending over so he could watch her. He would have a great view of her ass in the air and fingers between her legs, caressing her slit.
Jace grabbed her hips and slid her with him under the water. "Where's your damn shampoo?" he growled at her.
Echo's heart skipped. She reached up behind the faucet and grabbed a two-in-one bottle. Her hair was naturally smooth and in excellent condition. Nothing like human hair, but humans did have great products for cleaning. She squeezed some of the thick liquid into her hand and lathered it up, pushing it into the strands of her long hair. With her arms busy, Jace took advantage and bent down, slipping one of her nipples between his wonderful lips. The man knew how to tease. She moaned, and her hands stopped moving. She let her head fall back partly under the water as he suckled.
"Finish cleaning your hair so I can take you." He said the words around her nipple, which made the peak harden even more at the touch of his breath.
She rinsed faster than she had ever rinsed before. Jace slid up beside her, rinsing them the rest of the way. He turned the faucets off, slid the curtain over, and scooped Echo up into his arms.
"I think you like picking me up." Echo liked it too. How often had a man actually carried her this way? She couldn't recall a single time until she’d met Jace. He padded down the hall; they dripped the entire way to her bed before he tossed her onto the mattress. Echo giggled. "What are you waiting for?" Echo spread her legs for him.
A groan came before Jace crawled up on the bed. Need had her clenching for him, ready for his cock to fill her entirely and give her something she had been craving for far longer than she’d realized. He pulled her down toward his knees, spreading her legs even farther apart. Her hips undulated. His dark, hooded eyes seemed to devour the sight he saw betwixt her thighs. The tip of his cock pressed against her slit, hot and thick as it slowly moved into her. Echo pushed herself down on him as best as she could with him holding her legs apart. Pure torture as he filled her so slowly, stretching her, and need clenched around him, her body responding to having been filled, until he was so deep inside her, completely immersed in her.
"Jace..." Her head moved side to side as he eased himself back out. A finger slid over her clit, flicking it. That beautiful, torturous, wonderful edge was just out of reach. She needed to come so badly. She rocked her hips against him, whimpering as he continued his slow penetration.
"Does my little nymph like this?" He flicked her clit.
Echo spasmed. "Yes. Again."
Jace obeyed as he slammed himself inside her, filling her to the brink. Stars surrounded her vision as her body erupted into the most intense orgasm she had ever felt, clenching around him, sucking him into her deeper as his finger continued to flick her through shudder after exquisite shudder. Dear gods, she was already on the brink of another orgasm when he started pounding into her.
***
Jace barely controlled himself. Her body, spread completely open to him, blossomed like the most alluring flower he'd ever witnessed. He'd never seen a more beautiful sight then when she clenched around him. Her orgasm had her legs shaking, a light pink blush cascading over her sweat-slicked body. Her breasts bounced as Jace slammed into her harder, wanting to feel her come for him again. Now that he had watched her shatter, he wanted to concentrate on feeling every part of her. She arched. Those beautiful tits, puckered with sensitive nipples, were begging for attention, as if actually calling to him. How could he possibly resist such an alluring sight? Her neck was completely bared to him. He leaned over her, moving her hips up to go even deeper inside. His hands grabbed nothing but thigh as he pulled her harder. Her legs wrapped around him, making it easier to fuck her.
When she had spread her legs for him earlier and that plump, swollen opening of hers was exposed, he thought he would never last. He was sure once he penetrated her, all hope would be lost, but somehow, he'd managed to hold out. The slow pace teased the hell out of him. By the gods, he was glad she wasn't built like other nymphs. Pushing into a plump round ass was better than skinny, bony women. Why human females thought they needed to be skinnier and skinnier he would never understand. Not Echo though, she had just the right amount of curve.
"Jace...I'm going to come again if you keep doing that."
He throbbed deep inside her, reacting to her words. His cock was ready, demanding more from her. He wanted everything she had. "Then I shall never stop..." He moved at an even pace, in and out, thrusting, torturing both of them. He took each nipple into his grip and pinched them lightly at the same time. He loved the sharp inhale of breath, the high arch of her back as he moved in and out of her. "Tell me you will come, Echo..."
He felt her body tense. Just the sign he was looking for as his balls ached so much it was killing him. But he needed her to say the words, so he kept rolling her pink points in his fingers.
"By the gods, I'm going to come," she gasped, and he loved watching her lips part.
"Come for me, little nymph."
He pulled on those beautiful peaks with his fingertips and slammed himself into her over and over again until he felt her sheath tighten so hard on him it wrenched his own orgas
m from him. He nearly hollered as his seed spilled into her, wave after wave, his heart slamming against his chest as she clenched and clenched again, milking everything from him before he lay atop her, both of their chests rising and falling at a quickened, heavy pace. Both spent.
Jace nuzzled her and stole a kiss from her plush lips. His tongue darting and exploring as her chest rose and fell at the still, rapid pace. He pulled back and said, "That was amazing. Thank you."
Echo wiggled against him. "The pleasure was all mine, I assure you." She sighed, a happy sigh, the kind of sigh a content cat might make after being curled up in the sun or stroked. His insides burst with pride because he gave her that.
"You have no idea how much I enjoyed you," Jace said staring down into her bright eyes. He ran his thumb along her cheek and she closed her eyes with the touch.
"I'm sure I can imagine." She smiled and looked up at him. "What will you do with the fleece now? Hide it yet again?"
Jace's brows came together. Why did she care so much what he did with the fleece? "I daresay it's none of your business, little nymph." He tried to keep his tone light, not wanting to ruin the moment. His hopes fell as she sat straight up, making her breasts swing in front of him. He stiffened at the sight.
"None of my business." A frown formed along her lips. "You know it doesn't belong to you, right? Just because some random person or god made you the guardian doesn't make the fleece yours." Her voice rose. She crossed her arms in front of her chest, blocking his view.
Jace relaxed back into a pillow and looked at the ceiling. Why was she starting a fight over this? He was content to lie with her and just be, maybe head for another round inside her. This was why men fell asleep after sex. "It is mine just as much as anyone's. And because I was appointed guardian, then yes, it is all of my business and none of yours. It doesn't belong to you. You have no claim to the golden fleece, Echo. Why must you cause a fight? Weren't we having a good time? Can't we go back to it?"
Ram Wild: A Zodiac Shifters Paranormal Romance (Aries Cursed Book 2) Page 6
