by Tina Gayle
Stihl tugged her closer. “Meaning what?”
“If our relationship is going to work at all, I need to take things slower. I have to agree for you to touch me, and it has to stop when I say.” Marohka stepped back a little. “I’ll try to give you a warning.”
“So you want me to follow your rules?”
“Yes.”
“Then why don’t I let you touch me.” Stihl lifted her hands. After kissing each finger, he laid her hands on his chest. “Now you can go at your own pace.”
The hard muscles under his shirt caressed Marohka’s palms. His strength, so firm and unyielding, fascinated her senses. With him guiding her hands over his chest, she absorbed his rich, woodsy scent.
She allowed her hands to travel along his shoulders until they touched the back of his neck. His silky soft hair teased her fingertips. Pausing, she gazed into his sexy brown eyes and caught the gleam of desire stirring in their depths. Did she have the strength to resist?
Stihl smiled. “What if I won’t play by your rules?”
“Then, I’ll make you pay.”
A slight spark flashed in the depths of his eyes, revealing his advantage and his dismissal of her threat. He lowered his head. “Really?”
“Stihl,” Marohka whispered, and her eyelids grew heavy. He drew closer. “You’ve been warned.”
* * * *
Itons later, alone in the lily, Stihl remembered Marohka’s threat. He’d just begun to discover her lips when she pulled away. Desire demanded he draw her closer, but her hands in his hair jerked him back.
He rubbed his head and smiled. She’d punish him if he broke her rules. But the added threat excited him. His woman was one enticing lady. Soft as a kitten purring against his chest one minute, her claws bared the next. A dangerous combination he found strangely appealing.
Most women were more than willing to give him whatever he wanted. A little attention and a few trinkets, he received what he desired. Maybe, his gift to Marohka would soften her up.
He dug through his pocket and placed the items on the counter. Then once he’d hung his discarded pants on the cleaning unit’s hangers, he pushed the button to start the machine.
After putting on his formal black pants, he slipped on the sleeveless black satin shirt. After tucking in his shirt, he shoved her gift back in his pocket, slid on his jacket, and checked his reflection in the mirror. The jacket sleeves rolled up on his forearms. The lining matched the material of his shirt. The all-black outfit displayed the current style. He grinned.
Man, I look good.
After strolling into the closet to find his shoes, he walked into the bedroom to see Marohka leaning back on the bed on her elbows. The thin fabric of her skirt couldn’t conceal the long length of her legs, which lay crossed.
With her head thrown back, her short hair dripped down her back like a sea-maiden from one of his wet dreams. The smooth curve of her neck led to the creamy white skin of her shoulders. Her breasts thrusting forward demanded his attention. He wanted to hold them in his hands, lick them, and taste their silky flavor.
Her gaze caught his, and she rolled to her feet. “Are you ready?”
“Not quite.” Stihl walked forward. “Give me your hand.”
Marohka studied him a moment, then complied. He held her hand while he drew the gift from his pocket.
“I thought this would go nicely with your dress.”
Gift case in hand, she questioned. “What is it?”
Stihl didn’t answer. She lifted the lid and saw the contents nestled within. A gold chain lay on a bed of purple silk. An emerald pendant surrounded by diamonds.
“Oh, my, it’s beautiful.” She closed the lid and quickly shoved the box back. Her face turned a pretty shade of pink. “It’s way too expensive. I could lose it.”
Smiling, he took the box, released the necklace from its supports, and threw the case on the bed. “Then I’ll get you another one. Turn around. I’ll put it on for you.”
She studied the delicate necklace in his hands, her desire to refuse written on her face. “Please, Marohka, don’t argue.”
“But . . .” She turned. “I don’t know what to say. No one has ever given me such an incredible present.”
He slipped it around her neck and connected the latch. The gift flustered her, which surprised him. He’d figured she’d throw his present back, not politely refuse it. After she turned, he read the excitement dancing across her face. A large smile graced her lips. Her cheeks held a rosy glow. If for no other reason than to see the stars in her eyes, the gift warranted the price. Since they’d met, he’d not seen her so happy.
“Mind if I examine the necklace in the mirror?” she asked with enthusiasm. “I want to see how it looks with the dress.”
“Beautiful.” Unable to resist her innocent appeal, he bent and kissed her cheek. “Go ahead, we have time.”
* * * *
“Stihl, I must say the children enjoyed their visit to your ranch. They’ve been talking about all the different animals now for weeks.” Lady Lisha sipped her wine.
In their private dining area, Marohka glanced around at the elaborate cloth hangings. She barely listened to the exchange of the pleasantries of the other people at the table. The pictures displayed elegant ladies and gentlemen dancing at a fancy society ball. The large table suspended from the ceiling by a black twisted rope sat in the middle of the space. Red strips of material interwoven in the cord ran over the table. White flower petals added accents to the table. Blown glasses of crimson and gold graced each place setting.
“Yes, they’ve ask for a dog everyday since then.” Lord Kaleva picked up his glass of wine.
“I’m glad they had a good time. You’ll have to come back out for another visit,” Stihl said in a welcoming tone.
“Maybe if your dog has a litter we can get one of the puppies?” Lady Lisha asked with a smile.
Stihl stiffened beside Marohka.
“I’m afraid Dusty won’t be having any more puppies.” Stihl clenched his hand around his dinnerware. “She swallowed something she shouldn’t have.”
Lady Lisha started to say more. But before she spoke, her husband laid his hand over hers. A silent warning issued.
Lord Kaleva changed the subject. “Marohka, Stihl tells me you’re in the mining business. Are you helping him with the package he’s doing for Trisar?”
Stihl had mentioned working on a mining project, but he’d neglected to mention the name of the site. Although it wasn’t hard to guess why he deleted the point, considering her father handled the main contract for Trisar.
Not free to worry about the new information, she shoved the problem to the back of her mind. “No, Stihl doesn’t need my help.”
Stihl lifted her hand and kissed it before releasing her. “I enjoy her other talents.”
Lord Kaleva chuckled. “I bet you do.” The waiter poured more wine into his glass.
“You know, Stihl.” Lady Lisha shifted in her seat. “Women are capable of multitasking. I worked with Kaleva before we married and still work with him now.”
Shocked, Marohka stared. She’d never met a woman who’d continued to work after she’d taken a mate. “Do you have children?”
“Yes, three.” Lady Lisha smiled.
Seeking Lord Kaleva’s reaction, Marohka turned. “And you don’t mind her working?”
Lord Kaleva smiled at his wife. “Actually, I enjoy it. This way we spend time together both at home and at work. It keeps us in touch with what the other is doing.”
“The children have their studies and are happy with their own activities,” Lady Lisha offered in way of an explanation.
Shaking her head, Marohka wondered about continuing to work.
“Marohka is an accomplished mineralogist.” Stihl captured her hand again. “I’d hate for her to lose her unique talents, but she has to work in some remote sites. I wouldn’t want her to be on her own.”
“But, I . . .” Marohka started.
“We’ll explore our options later.” He squeezed her hand. “Tomorrow, we are traveling out of town so I can present my proposal to the Trisar owner.”
He turned to the other two. “And, Lady Lisha, I’m always singing your praises. Ask Lord Kaleva. I tell him all the time that, if it weren’t for you, he wouldn’t be where he is today.”
“Yes, Stihl is a very observant man.” Lord Kaleva leaned back while the waiter served his dinner. “He knows all the right buttons to push.”
If asked later what they talked about for the rest of the evening, Marohka couldn’t have said, her mind busy contemplating other things. With them traveling to the Trisar Mine the next day, some of her problems were solved. But a number of new problems occurred to her.
The way Stihl treated Lady Lisha surprised Marohka. He laughed and teased them both. The easy way they talked to each other helped her to relax. Usually, when she dined with friends, the women held one conversation while the men another. She had no experience conversing with men. Even though she worked with men, they weren’t friendly. Nor did they tease her. Every exchange centered on strictly business, nothing more.
Before they parted, Marohka turned to the older couple. “It’s been very nice meeting you.”
“Yes, and we’ll see you later at the opera,” Lady Lisha said while her husband helped her with her coat. “I want to run home and check on the children first. Otherwise, we could’ve shared a car.”
“Yes, we hoped to arrive before the opening act,” Lord Kaleva added.
“Then we’ll see you later.” Stihl guided Marohka to another IPT car.
Marhoka stepped into the two-seater and settled onto the blue plush double chair. Stihl scanned their note-cards and entered their destination then settled on the bench.
Unable to stop herself, she asked the question plaguing her all evening. “Were you serious when you said you’d let me keep working?”
“I haven’t asked you to quit, have I?” He slipped his arm along the back of her seat, and the car air-sped along the wire.
“But I just assumed I’d have to. Are you telling me I don’t?”
“Like I said, I don’t want you heading off to some remote place by yourself.” His fingers played with the curls at the back of her head.
“You mean like the site we’re heading to tomorrow.”
He caressed the length of her neck. She shivered. “I’m guessing it’s the Trisar camp.”
“Yes.” His hand slid over her shoulder, and he drew her closer. “Giulio is selling off some of his shares.”
To keep from landing in his lap, Marohka laid her hand on his chest. “I know. Is that why you chose me, so I could help you with your deal?”
“No, the Trisar Mine has nothing to do with us.”
Marohka peered into his dark brown eyes. The rough texture of his thick coat toyed with the sensitive skin of her palm, but the padding cushioned the beat of his heart. She missed the steady rhythm. “Then why me?”
He bent his head and nibbled on the side of her neck. “I . . .”—a little nip—“loved the purple dress”—another nip—“you were wearing,” then a longer nibble behind her ear—“the night . . .”
She tried to pull away. “Don’t tease, Stihl. Why did you pick me? Plenty of other girls at the ball would’ve loved to have been your mate.” Marohka longed for the truth. “Why me?”
Stihl smiled and brushed a strand of strawberry-blonde hair away from her face. “In a way, I guess you’re right. While I was researching Trisar, I kept coming across your name. I discovered a bright, intelligent woman who was also single. Curious, I decided to check you out.”
“Check me out? What is that supposed to mean?”
“I found out where you lived, what type of work you did, and what gym you belong to. The gym offered the perfect place to watch you. So I arranged to observe your workout one afternoon.” Stihl held her close, and her arms grew tired from holding him at a distance. The space between them shortened.
“That’s how you knew how to beat me,” Marohka exclaimed. “You saw me practice with my coach.”
“No rule against it.”
His stare shifted to her lips.
“That’s not really fair. You should’ve . . .”
He covered her lips before she finished.
* * * *
The sweet flavor of her ignited a fire inside him. He wanted more and tugged her hands from his chest to guide them up around his neck. Lifting her on his lap, he fought the barrier of their jackets. The longing to touch her warm silky skin and explore all her hidden points of pleasure had him drawing pictures in his mind of her warm and naked beneath him, responding to his every caress.
He couldn’t fathom why she was so addictive. One of her kisses felt like a drop of water in a burning desert. It didn’t quench his thirst. He trailed his hand over her stomach and found the opening in her coat. A vision flickered in his head, her belly round with a child, his child. Surprise rushed through him, and he broke off the kiss. He stared at her for an iton. “You’ll make a beautiful mother.”
Her eyes widened. Confusion swam in their depths. “I don’t think so. I’m not the motherly type.”
The car stopped. The automatic door opened for them to exit. Stihl helped her from the car. Upon turning, he caught sight of the three-story waterfall flowing down the front of the building. Small streams danced through the stone plaza. Ribbons of flowers in red, yellow, and orange marked each path to the entrance. The soft romantic glow of rose moonstone reflected from under the water, lit the area with soft warmth. People milled around them, talking in small groups. Stihl stepped down one of the less populated paths on their way to the large glass doors.
After a few steps, Marohka stopped. He halted beside her and stared into her troubled eyes.
“You don’t know the first thing about me, Stihl. I’ve been around kids, and they don’t like me.”
“How do you know?” He drew her again into his arms. He couldn’t imagine a woman not wanting children.
Silent agony vibrated from her. He shifted closer, but she stood rigid in the circle of his arms. Her cheeks flushed from the cold, a frown marred her face.
“Well, they scream and cry and fight my very touch. I think that’s a pretty good indication they don’t like me.” Moisture sparkled in her eyes.
Uncertain if they were tears of regret or her inability of admitting to a weakness, he didn’t buy her explanation either way. “Marohka, children would love you. You’re a caring person.”
She shook her head. “How do you know?”
“Know what?”
“That I’m a caring person. We’ve only been together for a few zitons.”
“Well, you’ve been able to tolerate me.” Stihl contemplated how to continue. “You’ve decked me twice, and it’s always been in private so as not to injure my ego.” He hugged her close to keep her from backing away, then whispered, “Now, how much more caring could you be?”
“I could deck you here, if you want.” Her muscles relaxed. The teasing tone of her voice reassured him. His attempt at humor performed the needed magic.
“No, I’ll wait until we get home.”
Her laughter rumbled against his chest.
“And our baby wouldn’t dare cry.”
Marohka lifted her head. “Why not?”
Stihl stared at her and wrapped his arms tighter around her until his fingers grazed the underside of her breasts. “How could a baby cry with such beautiful breasts to feed from?”
Her eyes narrowed. Stihl acted quickly and covered her mouth with his to swallow her sharp retort. A battle of wills, a clash of tongues, every lunge matched with an answering parry. He seduced her mouth until she rested quietly in his arms. The soft moan, which escaped her lips, marked her surrender. He raised his head and stared at her full red lips. Her eyelids fluttered open. A mist of doubt clouded their depths.
“I know you want me, Marohka. Why do you keep fighting me?”
&n
bsp; She added distance between them at his question. “Stihl, I don’t even know you.”
“Time isn’t the issue.” Frustration rumbled through his stomach. Why was she holding him at bay?
“Maybe not, but I’m not willing to let this go any further.” She stepped out of his arms. “I can’t.”
Searching for a reason to hold her, he reluctantly released her and reminded himself that Lustralia traditions dictated Royal women wait until they found a mate before becoming involved with a man. Not surprising, Marohka distrusted the idea of him getting too close. She probably felt how much he needed her.
