by Vivian Arend
Herself.
Her cries of pleasure grew louder, and still he didn’t stop. He released her wrists, growling as he spoke. “Keep them there.”
She clutched her fingers together and clung to the sheets, wanting to obey, fighting the dire need to hold him tight.
He reached down and lifted her hips into the air and thrust even harder, and she called out his name, waves pulsing through her as her orgasm rocked her. Matt slowed, sweat trickling down his brow, his eyes glittering as he let his gaze roam over her. A series of aftershocks shook her as he lowered her to the mattress, his hard length still buried within her sheath. His body shook as if he fought for control before he withdrew without reaching his own climax.
She struggled to catch her breath. That had been the most unusual and wild lovemaking session yet, except for the fertility ritual she’d witnessed. Even thinking the words brought the images back, and when she felt a touch between her ass cheeks, she tensed.
Matt stared at her. “Even here, Laurin. I want this to belong to me as well. I want every part of you to know my touch and feel my possession.” He pressed in a circle against her, wetness on his finger. She shuddered and would have closed her eyes, but he shook his head. “Watch my face. Witness how much this means to me.”
He slid a digit in, opening the tight muscle, and she struggled to relax. Matt worked his finger in and out slowly, the sensation strange, but not unwelcome. The rest of her still buzzed from her climax, and when he leaned over and touched his tongue to her clit, her head nearly hit the ceiling.
“Too much. No, no more. I can’t…”
“You can. Accept the pleasure I give you. Take me—into your body, and your heart.”
She was going to die from an overdose of ecstasy. One touch led to another. He licked her intimately, adding to the fire building in her core. The sight of his head buried between her legs, dark hair against her light limbs, combined with what he was doing, drove her crazy. He wouldn’t stop, not until she fisted a handful of his hair in an attempt to pull him away long enough to smooth out her breath.
He moved like lightning, grabbing a tie-down strap from where it usually secured the cupboard doors. The firm black material was looped around her wrists in an instant, his fingers slipping along her wrist.
“Matt, what are you doing?” Each word took extraordinary effort to say, desire wrapping her in a tight cocoon of need and want she feared might never get answered.
He paused after slowly tugging on her wrists as he looped the free end of the strap through a wall bracket. Matt swallowed hard, rasping out the words. “Tell me again. Tell me to take you. That you’re mine, any way I want.”
She wiggled, brushing his naked body with hers the best she could, and his eyelids fluttered, face tightening. On the other side of the door, Kallen still sat, unless he’d escaped to the deck of the ship. He would have heard every one of her cries, could probably imagine what they were doing, and the thought didn’t embarrass her, but made her hot. Heat poured from Matt, his hunger for her clear. But over his desire, the powerful need for her to surrender to him was obvious.
Did she want this? She tugged on the straps securing her wrists, and the flash of desire in her core nearly tipped her over the edge into another orgasm.
“Anything. Everything. I’m yours.”
Relief filled his eyes briefly before being washed away with lust. Something cool and wet touched her. His finger pressed into her ass again, easier this time. Smooth and slick. Somewhere he’d found lubricant, and when the stretching touch on her back passage grew she gasped.
Flat on her back she could see his every move. He adjusted her position, pressed her limbs higher, knees wide to the side. With her arms trapped overhead, there was nothing she could do but comply and allow him control.
And watch. Examine every nuance of expression that flitted over his face. Every word that escaped his lips fell clearly on her ears. Words of love and desire, and possessiveness. She shivered and he caught her gaze with his own.
“You’re mine.”
The tip of his cock touched her body. Pressure increased and she consciously relaxed, drawing strength from the look of love in his eyes. Heat, pain, something between the two streaked through as he opened her. It was strange and wonderful, and she couldn’t remain silent another second. She called out his name, her voice echoing against the walls of the small room. There was nowhere on the ship that wouldn’t have heard her, and she was glad.
She wanted Kallen to know that here, now, Matt was loving her so completely she could no longer restrain herself. The sensation of Matt filling her body grew in pleasure as he worked his way in. One slight rock after another, each one touching her in new places, not just in her body, but her soul. She’d given to Matt before. Offered her body, but this—far more intimate, far more complete.
And the pleasure? “Oh my God, how can this feel so good?”
His groin met her ass and she shuddered. He leaned forward and suddenly her hands were free.
His eyes—incredible. The light in them dazzled her. “We belong together. In all ways. At all times.”
He dragged his hips back slowly. A series of ecstatic shocks spread through her lower limbs. It wasn’t just where they connected that felt the pleasure. Inside her sex, over her breasts. Her entire body was a part of the lovemaking and she needed completion. Needed to have him truly take her. Laurin planted her feet on the mattress, and the next time he pressed in, she moved as well, increasing the pace and the hardness of the thrust.
“Matt…more. Harder.” It wasn’t enough. She was in danger of igniting into a pyre, the lingering embers of passion heating her everywhere. She cupped her breasts, pinched her nipples. Anything to make the moment she craved arrive.
Matt’s grasp on her hips increased, his fingers squeezing the soft flesh as he raised her slightly and drove in. Her breath whooshed out, each plunge into her body priming her closer to the breaking point.
Then he leaned over her, one hand resting on the bed, his cock still buried deep. He slipped his other hand between them and touched her clit, and that was all it took for the sky to meet her. She was flying, her entire body a part of the experience. Pulsing around his shaft, his continued drags as she clutched him serving only to draw out her pleasure beyond what she thought possible. His thumb rubbed her clit, her orgasm washed through her core, making her blood pound, her hands shake, her vision blur.
Matt froze, his groin tight to her skin, his shaft buried deep. Their eyes met and he came, the ecstasy on his face setting off another series of tremors in her body. Heat, pressure. His possession of her complete and oh-so-welcome. His arm where it pressed into the mattress beside her body shook, and she reached up and hauled him down, skin to skin. Like a flash fire, sparks exploded as their bodies connected. She shivered with how good it felt to belong so completely, to have been commanded by him for her own pleasure.
She felt cherished as he wiped her clean. Felt treasured held in his embrace as they cuddled together on the mattress. Their breathing still erratic, still shaken by the extreme satisfaction of their lovemaking.
She closed her eyes and soaked in the experience.
When he tugged her shoulder, rolling her to the side, she went willingly. Oh God, his eyes—his eyes glowed like a lightning storm over the water. He touched his lips to her forehead. Held them there. Spoke against her skin so quietly she had to strain to hear.
“I love you, Laurin.”
The words blessed her ears and stirred something deep, deep within her heart. “I love you too.”
Chapter Five
Somehow a small portion of hell had broken free from the depths of the earth and risen to surround his ship.
Matt sat at the prow of the Stormchild staring at the coastline as he tried to decide the proper tack to take. Below him on his bed, his heart slumbered. He’d well and truly worn Laurin out, and she hadn’t moved when he’d reluctantly crawled away from her warmth. The soft protest th
at rose from deep in her throat had made his body react, but he had to deal with his uncertainties before the next stage happened or he’d go mad.
He was fairly certain they could heal the air shifter. Kallen’s curse, now that Matt had identified it, was one that he should be able to wipe clean. Laurin’s ability to enhance his strengths meant a cure was possible. As long as the three of them had sex together.
And not just any sex. Wild, passion-filled, off-the-charts sex linked with magic.
Above him, the sky shifted colors as sunlight reflected off the mountains and hit the drifting clouds. Out toward the west there was a warm haze rising from the ocean, but over the mainland and Interior Mountains clouds gathered, clinging to the peaks. Matt would have given anything to simply sit on the deck and stare at the amazing beauty surrounding him with Laurin at his side.
He loved her. Wanted her in his life. They had so many questions still to solve, and he had been looking forward to a lifetime of finding the answers. Heading to the mountains with her—all of it was important and still a part of his plans, but now…
High overhead the shadowy outline of an eagle blotted out the sun, bringing into focus exactly what was on his mind.
There was no way to deal with this situation without confirmation that Kallen was completely on his side.
The air shifter descended, shifting on the wing to land lightly in human form on the deck not two feet from Matt. Kallen’s wide grin and pleased body language said it all.
“Nice day for a flight. Did you see anyone else?” Matt asked.
Kallen shook his head as he reached for the shorts Matt had loaned him, pulling them on to cover his nudity.
There was no reason to make small talk. To the point, before Laurin woke. Matt wanted to make it clear what was, and wasn’t, going to happen.
“Kallen, I love her.” The man nodded slowly. “Among the People of the Sea, sex is often treated more casually. The idea of having two lovers or more in a bed isn’t unheard of. But it’s not what I had planned for us. For Laurin and my relationship.”
Kallen grabbed the pad of paper and wrote rapidly, passing over the notepad with a raised brow.
I do not intend to attempt to steal her from you. But I refuse to take a woman who does not desire me.
“She does desire you.” The air shifter frowned. Matt sighed, stomping off to the side. He picked up a loose rope from the deck. As he coiled it, he leaned back on the mast, watching Kallen carefully. This had to be a part of the whole. Curing Kallen—that was one part of the picture. Laurin’s doubts, and her desire to be there for her people needed to be considered as well. Allowing Laurin a chance to find exactly where she belonged—to the water or the air—was vitally important. “She also loves me. Your brother is an evil genius. He’s managed to come up with the only plan that ensures the maximum chance of you not getting healed.”
Kallen stared out over the water for a long time before turning to the paper.
Laurin is of my people, but she has never truly belonged there. When she disappeared, I was glad. I hoped she had found a new home. While I do not love her, I wish the best for her. There is nothing I can do to prove it beyond telling you—if it is right for Laurin to stay with you, I will honor that. If she desires to return to the mountains for good, then I will do whatever is needed to make that happen, including take her as a partner. I’m sorry if that angers you, but it’s the truth.
Another ache formed in Matt’s soul. “You know, this would be a lot easier if you were an asshole, Kallen. I’d simply tell you to get the hell out of here and never have to look at your ugly mug again.”
The air shifter grinned.
I find myself enjoying our time together, Shaman. Tell me, do you ever hunt?
Matt laid aside the coil of rope. “What are you thinking?”
Kallen wrote and then strode to the railing, leaving the paper behind for Matt to read.
An animal when hunted runs to safety. Finds the most attractive location. An animal being wooed by a mate reacts similarly—showing their preferences without even saying a word. Shall we hunt Laurin together? Let her reactions tell us what her desires are?
An uneasy peace settled over Matt. He didn’t want to like Kallen, but every step the man made reassured him more and more.
“You want us both to seduce her.” Kallen shrugged, but the heat in his eyes echoed the sensation Matt always felt when he thought about Laurin. “Remember, I love her, and it’s still her choice.”
Kallen bowed low. A formal, dignified motion that carried years of tradition and respect. He was truly a prince of his people, worthy of someone like Laurin. Matt stared toward the lower compartment of the ship. Only he wasn’t going to let her get away without a fight. Even if this battle would be fought on a far more sensual stage than the earlier one with Kallen’s brother.
Over one full day had passed since Kallen’s arrival and Laurin was ready to jump out of her skin. No matter where she turned, one or the other of the men seemed to be right where she was. Reaching into a cupboard, her arm brushed past a bare shoulder. Bending in the tiny galley to light the burner, her hip bumped into a groin, Matt’s arousal instant and noticeable. The weather had turned unseasonably warm, and all three of them wore only light clothing. Shorts and a tank top for her, nothing but shorts for the men. Kallen and Matt had worked around the ship and generally got in her way, no matter where she was.
She had slept in Matt’s arms, the door to the cabin wide open to let the light breezes float past. When she opened her eyes, Kallen was standing at the stove, lighting a flame under the kettle. His rigid body was all darkness and light, swaying in the shadows. Strong muscles curved over his abdomen, a trail of dark curls led down under the elastic of his shorts. Laurin watched from under half-lidded eyes, hiding from him, feeling his gaze roam over her naked body under the crumpled sheet.
Matt’s skin flamed against her back, his hand nestled possessively over her breast. He nuzzled her neck, and instantly she grew wet and ready.
And Kallen watched, eyes black as midnight filled with clearly written need.
She had the power to heal him, but she had to choose. Matt had made that clear. Yet she was torn between loving Matt and feeling guilty she felt desire for Kallen. Even as her lover touched her, stroking her nipple with his thumb, she wondered what it would be like to have Kallen join them. To thread her fingers through his dark hair and draw his lips down to hers. To taste him for the first time, run her tongue along his strong jaw. Drop her face against his neck and breathe in his scent. Pull his muscular body over hers and feel his length fill her sex.
She was going insane.
Out on the deck she fled, looking for privacy in a space that allowed none. Laurin lay on the deck and closed her eyes, her bikini an attempt at modesty when usually she would have lain in the nude.
The heat of the afternoon sun faded in comparison to the reaction in her body when she heard their footfalls approach. Two sets, walking slowly around her. Pausing at her head and feet.
She opened her eyes slowly, looking up into a stormy ocean of blue as Matt squatted at her head, leaning over. His dark hair fell across his forehead is a smooth wave.
“Do you want to go for a swim with us?”
Laurin sat up quickly. “With both of you?” She turned to stare at Kallen in shock. “You swim?”
He tilted his head politely.
“You’ve gotten good enough—and it’s a warm day. Come on, lazybones, time for a little exercise.” Matt reached down a hand to her, and she slipped her fingers into his, wondering why she tingled so hard all over.
Of course, the fact two virile men were staring intently at her nearly naked body had nothing to do with it. No, nor the fact she knew they both wanted to make love with her. Needed to make love with her.
Laurin stepped toward the ladder. She still hadn’t worked her way up to throwing herself over the side of the ship like Matt enjoyed. Only her movement was blocked by a rather larg
e, warm body. Her entire front made contact with Kallen’s chest, the heat of his bare skin searing hers. She retreated and found herself up against Matt’s solid frame, his hands catching her upper arms to steady her shaky body. Wet need bloomed between her legs, instant desire for her lover spreading like a flame over the water’s surface.
She leaned back into Matt’s support. Maybe if she hid in the forward berth… “Do I have to swim now? The water looks cold.”
One of his thighs slipped between hers as his arms surrounded her. A blanket of heat covered her, spilling from his torso. “We’ll keep you warm.”
We’ll? Oh my God. She looked forward into Kallen’s face and a shiver rolled down her spine at the expression she found there. Need, desire, admiration. She was so intent on finding a reason for the emotions she almost missed when he bent slightly, bowing before her.
Only a second later she realized he wasn’t being polite, but removing his borrowed shorts. The muscles of his upper body tapered in at the waist, the bold cuts of his abdomen clear and firm. She tried to keep her gaze from dropping lower, but there was no way to ignore his groin, the way his cock rose from his body, fully aroused.
She’d seen his naked torso when he arrived, but now…she couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t swallow. Couldn’t think.
The air that had been trapped in her lungs escaped as she realized not only was she staring, she was rubbing against Matt in the most provocative manner. Her hands pressed to his thighs as she leaned back, her own body on display for Kallen as she reveled in the heat of her lover’s body.
How could she look at one man while in another’s arms and want to touch? To taste?
Embarrassed, overwrought and excited, she twirled and buried her face in Matt’s neck. Laurin clung to him tightly, looking for a little balance in the midst of the shaking her heart had experienced.
