by Gayle Eden
Birds sang and leaves rustled, but their breaths were sultry and thick. He backed her to a clear place, just under an oak; moss carpeted below. Rane urged her down. Spread kneed in front of her, her legs between his, he massaged the mounds, then gently grazed the nipples with his thumbs while her neck arched, her head pressed against the bark of the tree.
He leaned and kissed her; brows, cheeks, her lips, and then he dragged his tongue down her dewy neck and licked, laved, and tasted her, while his head swam at the faint pleasured sounds she made.
When he suckled up the front of her throat, her hands switched to plow through his hair and hold there with a hungry and helpless hold.
Still massaging her breasts, now rolling the nipples, he took his time, lips slightly parted with kisses on her face and jaw again, breathing passionate in her ear before he was nibbling, and suckling at her neck again.
“Rane…Rane...” she moaned on a whisper.
He moved his hands to her back, tugged her, and let his weight carry them back so that she lay upon him. High enough, that he could hold her breasts and lick the nipples, then suckle them.
Her palms above his head, she moaned with each new sensation and each scorching and moist brush of tongue and lips. He eased her down, kissed her erotically, tongues, breath, and teeth and scraping lips.
Her legs between his were slightly bent. His muscled thighs flexing against her before she elevated on her palms to catch her breath—dazed, intoxicated, with passion. His own heavy lids could not shield his thirst. He reached to release the pens holding her hair so that it slid around her shoulders.
Rane husked, “Will it frighten you if I remove my shirt? I want to feel you against me.”
“No.” Audra sat up on her knees.
He raised and worked off his shirt.
Audra became breathless eyeing his broad shouldered sinew and toasted honey skin. His hand brushed over his right nipple as he caught her gaze. “You see, I am feeling the same thing you feel. My heart is slamming hard enough to break my ribs.” He smiled tense. “I haven’t been this excited since… well, never.”
She laughed breathless, the tension so tight between them that her body and skin alive and ultra-sensitive. Audra reached out and rubbed the pad of her finger around those disks, watching the muscle jump under them as she rubbed across the tip.
Before Rane knew she would, she leaned in and placed her palms aside his hips, ducking her head to tentatively taste them. The salt and male tang brought a delighted moan from her.
His own hands slightly braced behind him, tawny eyes watched her pink tongue and lips at his nipple, while, the cool silk of her hair brushed his chest and her breath stirred the damp places. So painfully hard and aroused, having waited for this, these moments, not prepared for this much, this soon—he was shivering.
“Are you all right.” She noticed his tremble and raised her head to look at him.
“Just... aroused.” He nodded, wetting his sensual lips before kissing her.
Audra leaned back, hearing his groan as her breasts moved gently with that resettling. For a time, they simply caressed each other, sitting that way, lips, cheeks, collarbone, and breasts. Lightly stroking, teasing, plucking gently, or rubbing with their fingertips.
He set up, to kiss her, pulling her to him, smoothing a hand over her generous backside before whispering in her ear, “Sit astride me.”
She adjusted and then did so, their kisses hungrier, rougher, while their chests rubbed and nipples scraped pleasantly. Audra had long since felt the burn and contractions in her sex. The heat of it was brushing his own which was not masked in the snug trousers.
His palms at her backside nudged her occasionally tighter against him. As the kisses conveyed, and tongues being sucked and breathing became tumultuous and choppy, things were getting beyond the point of control.
He tore his mouth from hers; huffing, gasping against her throat, “Give me a moment, love.”
She was little better. He trembled. She ached, from her sex to her nipples.
Audra shifted to the side, away from him then lay back; hand on her stomach, breathing, and heartbeat loud in her ears.
He reclined. They gazed up at the sky though leaves and branches, each fogged by a miasma of hungers.
“Audra?” Rane rasped finally, in a tone strained with effort.
“Yes,” she whispered, rolling her head to look at him where he lay with one knee bent a hand on his stomach, the other arm across his eyes.
“Do you trust me to… pleasure you?”
“Yes.” She could see his body almost relax at that.
His teeth scraped his lip. Rane sat up, his eyes deep jasper as she sat up also and their gazes locked.
“Will it frighten you if I release, too?”
She saw the intense necessity if his prime male body needing to. Audra pulled off her boots and got to her feet, walking weak kneed to him, watching his face as she reached her hand over and laid it at the hardness of his groin.
He covered it.
She uttered, “I’ll stroke you, my lion.”
With nostrils flared, Rane wet his lips before moving her hand aside. As she was on her knees at his side, he rasped, “We’ll have to pull our trousers down.”
She raised and began to unlatch hers sweeping them over her creamy bottom, but laughing shakily at his whispered “God in heaven.”
She turned more to face him, her knees wide enough so that everything—the creamy thighs and glistening light brown curls, were in his view. “You haven’t finished unlatching your,” she reminded as he stared fixed there.
Dragging his head up, his gaze too, he whispered, “You’re beautiful everywhere. My God, Audra—I have never seen a woman whose every inch is—”
She bit her lip, and reached to undo the latches for him.
Rane, suddenly reminded he was fully erect, leaned back and watched her face, careful—ready, if she showed the least fright when they exposed first the light red hair and then were skimming the trousers over his firm backside.
“Oh, my,” she whispered as if awed. She touched the silken head before looking at him and declaring, “It’s so—lovely.”
He choked out laugh before closing his eyes and muttering, “Thank you, God.”
“You thought I would fear it?”
His eyes opened. “Yes. I was terrified of that.” He sucked in a breath when she held it in her palm and then murmured, “Let me adjust.”
Her hand moved from him and Rane turned more facing her, but aside. He delayed her touching him again to reach out and delicately stroke the skin across her hips, then down from her navel, back up her thighs. He watched her as he softly parted those lips and curls with a gliding finger.
She blinked, trembled, but she watched him too, whispering rushed at one point, “I’m so afraid... I’m damaged, that I…”
He felt her swollen bud and the slick honey of her arousal. “You’re perfectly fine. Wonderful, in fact.” He rubbed around the entry and back to the nub, “Do you feel intense there?”
“Yes.”
“That’s the spot for your release.” He waited until she raised her head to look at him. He smiled sexily, tense. “Your honey is flowing, and the bud is plump and begging for attention.” Rubbing that spot, he murmured, “When it gets intense and builds, just sink into it. Climaxing is... like an implosion of exquisite light, sexual, and erotic, wonderful.”
She reached to touch him. “Like this.” She lightly stroked up and down his cock.
“Slowly.” He grimaced. “I don’t want to come before you do.”
As he stroked her there, Audra grew more and more aroused, hotter in skin and tighter with erotic pleasure. Touching his sex added to her own and when he leaned up, they kissed. he suckled her nipples and she started feeling that squeeze inside and widened her legs further.
Rane moved her hand from him and husked in her ear, “I’m going to touch you inside.” he eased his finger into her sex.
When she started subtly moving her hips, he thrust steadily, his breathing more excited than hers watching her go all sensual and abandoned.
She clutched at him. he nudged her back, and came to lean half over her and shoved her trousers down.
Urgently Rane husked, “Yes, yes, find it.” His finger thrusting increased, his thumb gliding across her clit and circling it. Her half sobs, half moans, burned him with bliss. Eyes glazed, and hips lifting more, she was completely in the grip of her pleasure.
He slid down and fit his shoulders between her knees, and eased two fingers snug into her. Rane suckled the nub.
Her cries and whispers of pleasure—-ultimately her climax showered over him. Rane laved and kissed her there, tasting all of her secrets before he arose, and kissed her lips, lifting to admire the dreamy glitter in her hazel eyes as she was lazy floating of feminine erotic bliss.
Audra skimmed her hands up his back, laving the tang of his kiss from her lips and husking, “Come inside, my love. Let me hold you deeply.”
Shuddering, he moved between her legs, his sex gliding by inches into her, tight, wet, sex—killing him, in a glorious way.
“Audra,” he panted near her ear. “Tell me if I hurt you.”
“You won’t.” She glided her hands to his buttocks. “It feels full and new—but beyond wonderful.”
He began to move in her, and rose on his elbows, to watch her face.
She arched her hips to meet those careful thrusts huskily scolding, “That’s not how you want to do it.”
“This time it has to be,” he groaned and shuddered, “I was ready to come when you touched me—nearly exploded with the first inch inside you.”
Audra kissed him. “Next time—we’ll know, and you won’t worry that I’ll be afraid.”
“Oh—God. Yes.” He sank deep and spilled inside her with his face against her hair. “Next time—I’ll have you in a bed too.”
Laughing, she held him while he relaxed against her.
Sometime later, they left the woods hand in hand.
Rane asked her softly, “Will you marry me, Audra?”
“Yes. Of course.” She over at him.
He released a held breath and eyed her face. “Can we do it soon? I have a license and ring.”
“Since when?”
“Since Paris. Since I—fell in love with you.”
She stopped and turned to face him, still holding his hand. “I love you, too, Rane.”
He jerked her to him and kissed her until her head spun. When he was done Rane muttered, “Can we just make love for the first month?”
“Mmm. It may take that long for you to teach me everything.”
“Longer.” He laughed and pulled her to his side. They walked on. “I have a feeling you’re going to inspire all sorts of new fantasies daily.”
“I’ll keep a list of mine and we’ll work through them.”
“Christ, yes.” He murmured, “Ask me, beg me, and show me—whatever you need, I’m ready.”
She smiled feeling all women, and yet giddy, intoxicated. Before they parted for him to meet with Trevon, and her to bathe and change, she held his hands, looking him over from head to toe, a bit awed by the combination he was. Certainly, by the fact she absolutely knew he really did love her. That he had before their first kiss.
“We’re going to be very happy together.”
He smiled. “I’d bet my life on it.”
She tilted her head. “I’m not broken, Rane. I am flawed in many ways, but I know you are a man who has taken risks, known danger and pain too. I will be woman enough for you.”
His smile faded and his eyes shone. “I’ll do everything in my power to be deserving of you, love.” He pulled her to him, kissed her passionately, and long then raised his head and when their lashes parted husked, “You are all that I dreamed of, before I even knew my heart held such things. I know we will make love and spend many passionate hours learning even more of each other and ourselves.”
“I could not dream of more, either.” She stepped back and added before turning to go inside, “I could not even fathom it, until you.”
Chapter 9
Alina put the final changes on Audra’s hair, nestling tiny white flowers among the ribbons before standing back to eye the bride. She loved the ivory silk wedding gown done in the medieval style. It perfectly suited Audra’s curves.
“You look beautiful.” She met her sister’s reflection in the mirror.
Audra grinned. “I feel it.” She turned, holding up the hem and stepping into the backless pumps while asking, “Did we get everything sent to Rane’s estate house?”
“Yes. Nothing left for him to take with him, but you.” Alina grinned too.
“He won’t have to coax too hard.” Audra chuckled. “Since I’ve discovered the delights of lovemaking, I don’t know which of us has the greater urges to do more of it.”
“That is a good thing, to be lovers as well as friends.”
Before they proceeded to the parlor where the groom awaited her sister asked, “You and Rotherham—?”
“Not since the wounds. But we have… closeness. There’s a new intimacy in his eyes.”
They went below and Alina stepped aside to her husband, as they were serving as witness. She admired viscounts’ wine and white wardrobe—and his love filled look at Audra when his eyes touched her sister.
The ceremony was more beautiful than her and Rotherham’s hasty wedding, and it was obvious the couple was in love. Once the rings and kiss were done, they did the signing, and then toasted with champagne.
After some jesting, and a private talk between Rotherham and Rane, the couple climbed in the coach amid waves, and the staff showering them with flower petals, heading toward their new life of wedded bliss.
In her light champagne satin and darker dyed pumps, Audra glanced at her husband, who wore deep black. She jested, “We won’t see them for a month.”
His lips curved. “Um. I think not.”
His hand on the small of her back, they went inside, Rotherham leading her to the study, where they shared a coffee.
He took off the jacket and undid buttons on the black silk shirt before sitting half on his desk while she carried her cup around the room, eyeing his private library shelf.
She turned and sat on a chair arm facing him.
His eyes went over her, lingering before he announced, “I’ve ordered some minor alterations to your chambers.”
She arched her brow. “What sort?”
“I removed your bed.”
She laughed. “Wherever did you put me?”
“Where you belong, madam. In mine.”
He took a sip from his cup, watching her hand tremble setting her own down.
Alina stood and smoothed the gown over her hips, then walked slowly toward him, pausing a foot away. Her green eyes searched his face. “That’s…interesting.”
“It will be.” His lashes dipped.
Rotherham set the cup down and reached out to touch her flushed cheek.
Alina caught his hand and rubbed it across her lips before murmuring, “How long do you think it will be until it’s assembled?”
“Two hours at least.”
She bit her lip, letting his hand go.
He reached for it again, tugging her toward him.
“Whatever shall we do, until then?” she asked breathless, his arm around her, pulling her close to him.
“Turning in a bit early, are you?”
“It’s been a long morning. I could lie down for a bit. Or—” She raised her fingers to his lips. “I could lock your study door; take off this gown and…”
“Excellent suggestion.” Trevon kissed her softly and stood, setting her away before going to lock the door.
Alina went to the leather sofa, situated by the far wall and fireplace. She unhooked her gown. Letting it fall, she stood in the peach stockings, white garters, and her pumps. And, since he was walking toward her, removing his shirt, Ali
na sat down and provocatively parted her legs, inviting him between them.
When he was nude, she set reclined whispering, “Just let me look at you for a moment.”
Rotherham stood still under her eyes admiring his powerful and swarthy body and his fully flushed sex.
She raised them to his hooded eyes. “You are a dangerously potent Lord, Rotherham.”
When her hand skimmed between her legs, he murmured, “And you, Madam, are a wickedly teasing Countess.”
She smiled and pushed to her feet, reaching so her palm skimmed down his brawny arm. Alina she sank downward and laved her tongue across his sex.
After a tight curse, Trevon cupped her shoulders and raised her up. He husked after kissing her, “I think we can do this one together.”
He pulled her down, lying on his back on the Turkish carpet, and turning her opposite atop him.
“Mmm.” Alina looked over her shoulder as he brought her bottom down and fit his mouth on her. She turned back around, dipped her head, devouring him in the next half-hour—being devoured, climaxing with the delicious feel of his mouth there. His own release came but Trevon was not done. He lay her down under him and kissed, caressed her, until his body was tense with passion.
Rotherham lifted her, holding her weight with her arms and legs around him, as their bodies joined. He lifted and lowered her on his cock to the rhythm of their violent breathing. His powerful legs tightened with muscles and his hands were gripping her hips, holding her tightly down, himself deep, when he came.
Many hours later, Alina padded from the bath into Rotherham’s rooms.
She leaned against the wardrobe admiring him as he lay on the bed— sprawled on his stomach.
Raven hair mussed around his head, he lifted it and found her with his gaze. “I smelled your perfume.”
“Too much?”
“Come here, and we will see.”
She walked to the bed and took the hand he stretched out, not surprised when he got her close and he caressed between her legs.
“Perfect.”
She leaned over, kissing the scars on his back, laving them, while he touched her. When her teeth nibbled the upper part of his hard backside, he rolled over, grabbed her, and rolled her over him.
