The Quelling Tide (The Gifted Realm Book 7)

by Jillian Neal

  Shaking his head, Rainer felt his heart and then his soul fill with the fact that his father loved him no matter what, and was in fact proud of him and had to some degree lived Rainer’s deep regret, and then gone on to become Crown Governor and even joke about the photo of his mother.

  “He loved you so much, Rainer.” Emily pled.

  Nodding, he waged a futile war against tears of his own.

  “And you know what, you are here to tell me you love me and that I’m beautiful, and to feel me deep in your soul, and you keep shutting me out.”

  “I’m so sorry.” He refolded the letters, knowing that he’d been given one of his most treasured possessions. He set them aside and pulled Emily tightly into his embrace.

  “And I’m totally telling all of my brothers that you touched me first.” She declared as they both began laughing through their tears.

  Having convinced Rainer to take her to bed in their brand new home, Emily emerged from the bathroom wearing a delicate, white-lace nightie. It barely skimmed her backside and was completely see through.

  Rainer felt his breath seize in his lungs as he took in the innocent white lace that obscured nothing at all.

  Shaking his head and unable to take his eyes off of her, a deep guttural groan reverberated from his lungs. “You’re not gonna make this endlessly punishing myself thing easy are you?”

  “You didn’t do anything wrong.” She vowed in a heated whisper. Her face held no traces of make-up. She’d cried too hard that morning to ever apply any. But her cheeks held a healthy rosy glow from their hours in the sun. Tiny adorable freckles dotted her cheeks, shoulders, and nose. She was perfect. Her long, thick, auburn mane hung over her shoulders slightly tousled from their day. Her skin was a light golden brown glowing pink where she was flushed for him. Her nipples were already puckered and dark under the tiny lace design of the gown.

  She wound her arms around his neck. Rainer moaned as he let his hands slip up the hem of the tiny nightgown. He needed to feel her flesh in his hands, needed to cling to his saving-grace.

  “You wanna touch it? Apparently, I’m sweet and soft.”

  A genuine laugh echoed from his lungs. “Oh, I know, baby. Nothing could ever feel as good as you do.” Against his best efforts to continue his self-torture, the relentless terror he’d felt for the entire day ebbed away in the healing power of her.

  “I want you.” Her whispered plea made his heart race as his trousers restrict uncomfortably.

  “God, baby, I don’t deserve you.”

  “I don’t think that’s true, Rainer. Now kiss me.”

  Feeling her intoxicating energy begin to move through him as she slipped her hands up the back of his shirt, Rainer groaned his defeat.

  Tracing his hands up over the lace, he leaned and devoured her mouth. He wanted her. He wanted her desperately. Adding to the intensity of his kiss, he wanted to consume her. She was his, and no one else’s. His need to claim her took stronghold.

  “No one knows we live here.” She whispered furtively. “No one even knows that we’re in D.C. No one will ever see any of that ever again.” She soothed his debilitating pain.

  “And you know what,” she continued as he kissed down her neck and grasped her backside. He kneaded it firmly, plying her flesh, feeling her meld into his touch.

  “There is so much more to this, to us, than what was in those pictures, Rainer, because they didn’t show how much you love me. How you always know the perfect spot to kiss, and lick, and touch, or the way you always take my breath away when I feel you inside of me.”

  He groaned from desire to hear her breath catch and the quaking moans that he elicited.

  “No one will ever know those things except for the two of us.” She slowly popped the snap on his jeans and lowered his zipper. She dropped to her knees in front of him, and he groaned in dire anticipation.

  “No one knows that you like it when I do this.”

  He felt the heat of her breath as she slipped her tongue deliciously around his ridge. His body shuddered from the overwhelming sensation.

  She drew him in, and a growl thundered from his chest.

  Working her way back up she kissed along his cut lines and then pulled off his shirt. She flicked her tongue over his nipples making him pant.

  She was astounding. When he’d felt hopeless, she’d restored him. When he felt the harrowing grief of the loss of intimacy, she’d supplied more without end.

  “Take me to bed.” Desperate need perforated her plea.

  Eyes flashing with voracious hunger, Rainer pulled off everything he was still wearing and eased the lace up over her curves. “You are so beautiful. I just can’t stand that other people saw you. You’re mine,” he demanded futilely.

  She led him to their new bed. “All yours, and you’re the only person that knows where my birthmark is.”

  Feeling a slight chuckle escape him, he leaned and kissed just behind her right ear where she had a small red mark in the shape of a slightly misshapen heart that had been there her entire life.

  Heat crept seductively up from her breasts and settled in her cheeks as she went on. “No one knows that I have dimples on my butt that I hate, or which side of my lip I bite when I’m nervous. No one makes me laugh the way you do, or smile just because they came into the room. No one makes me feel like the most beautiful girl in the whole world. No one but you.”

  As Rainer let her tidings wash over him in a soothing balm, she crawled in the bed, took his hand, and guided him with her. “I need you.”

  He let his hand glide from her neck over her breasts. His fingertips teased over her abdomen and then traced her delicate mound swollen ripe for him.

  Shutting out everything else, Rainer sought only to soothe their pain. “I need to touch you, sweetheart. Spread your legs for me.”

  His graveled commands had her writhing. She did as she was told. He dipped his fingers gently between her folds feeling the wet heat begin to prepare her for him.

  He reveled in his knowledge of her. No one else would ever know the sweet hidden away spots that drove her wild at his touch, or the way she felt as she clenched tightly around his hand and then around his cock. The heady spasms that quaked through her body when he brought her. The way she tasted. The delicious moans she made for him. The way she called out his name when he brought her. That was all his, and no one could ever have that.

  He worked her over with his hand adding to the friction and the force as she began to grind against him. “Yes!” Her body arched as she pulled him deeper.

  “Let it go for me, baby. Give it to me,” he commanded.

  With another fervent stroke he pushed her over as she moaned his name and spilled out into his hand.

  He sealed her off immediately as her energy unfurled in potent arcs. He covered her with his body and pushed his shield over them both as he slid his throbbing cock against her clit.

  She moaned and bucked underneath him.

  “Please,” she begged in desperation. “Please, I want you inside of me.” She trembled underneath him. His need far too great to draw it out. His longing to own her, to bury himself inside of her, to drown out the world that was simply more than he could handle had him pushing inside of her. He formed her around his throbbing length and made her all his own.

  “Yes,” spilled from her lips as she arched her back taking him deeper.

  He pumped her full, filling her, feeling the tight hot perfection open for him and then nurse away everything that had gone wrong.

  She was his. Made for him alone. He felt the depth of their energy spinning and casting in ecstasy as he made them one.

  Her moans were unending. She clenched tightly around him as she swelled with each fervent thrust.

  “Come on, baby. Just give it to me. They’re all mine.” He urged as she writhed under him.

  Her breath caught and she grasped the sheets under her and clung to them as he pushed her over.

  Her orgasm drove his, and he buri
ed himself deeply inside of her drowning the tedium of the world in the mix of their releases.

  Of Intimate Importance

  Sun drenched the bedroom, and Rainer gazed sweetly at Emily sound asleep on his chest. He didn’t want to awaken her. He was thankful that she was sleeping so peacefully after everything they’d been through the day before, but he missed her. He wanted to talk to her, have coffee with her, and listen to her laugh at his stupid jokes. He wanted to flirt with her and watch her grin and roll her eyes. He wanted their life back.

  Knowing that he couldn’t undo what the Realm had seen in the papers the day before, he tried to think of what his father’s advice would be if he’d been there to give any.

  Life’s not fair, Rainer. And, If you can’t change it, what can you learn from it? echoed in his mind, two of his dad’s favorite quotes.

  He let his thoughts drift to what was supposed to be in the paper today and wondered how he might go about getting one or two without letting anyone know where he and Emily had moved and alerting the press to the fact that they hadn’t flown to an undisclosed location to continue their honeymoon.

  Suddenly, his heart hammered to the tune of someone knocking on their front door.

  Debating chambering his pistol, Rainer eased away from Emily. She was exhausted and barely stirred as he pulled the covers back over her.

  He located a pair of jeans and shoved his pistol in the back before he closed the bedroom door. He edged to the windows beside the front door and felt the pent up air escape his lungs.

  Stowing the pistol in his holster hung in the hall closet, Rainer opened the door for Governor Haydenshire.

  “I’m sorry, son. I didn’t mean to wake you. I wanted to bring you these before I went to the office, and I figured you and Emily Anne might not want to be out and about today.”

  “Thanks.” Rainer took the large stack of newspapers from his father-in-law. He still couldn’t bring himself to look Governor Haydenshire in the eye.

  “Do you want some coffee or something, sir? Emily’s still asleep.” His voice was abashed and childlike.

  “Sure.” The Governor studied Rainer closely as he edged into the entryway.

  Rainer slid unpacked boxes, wedding presents, unwrapped but not unboxed, and packing blankets to the sides of the hallway so the Governor could get through to the kitchen.

  “We got like seventeen coffee makers. I think this is the one she wanted to keep.” Rainer lifted a box containing a duplicate coffee maker to the one Emily had given Dan and Fionna and began unpacking it.

  Chuckling, the Governor gave him a wry smile. “It’s all right, Rainer. I’d take you looking me in the eye and understanding that I’m not upset with you over coffee anytime.”

  With a defeated nod, Rainer raised his eyes to meet the Governor’s.

  “She is my baby girl, Rainer, and I know that’s a drum I’ve been beating for a long time, but you’re her husband, son. As much as I might not have really wanted to see photographic evidence of your honeymoon.” He chuckled as Rainer felt blood pool in his cheeks violently. “You and Emily did precisely what you’re supposed to do on your honeymoon. And as much as I will try desperately not to think about it, that is a large part of what makes a marriage strong, so I do sincerely hope that you and Emily make intimacy a vital part of your lives, Rainer.”

  Trying to be mature and to stop wishing that he could melt into his brand new hardwood kitchen floor, Rainer nodded.

  “Though I do not yet know who would have done this, I really don’t believe you could have been more studious or careful. I also believe that unless you and my baby girl had honeymooned in her loft in the barn that they were going to find you.”

  “Then that’s where we should have stayed.” Rainer huffed under his breath.

  Shaking his head, the Governor drew a steadying breath. “Rainer, Lillian has given birth eleven times. She’s been pregnant thirteen. All my doing. We may not have had to endure someone photographing our sex life and putting it in the papers, but we do have numerous examples of the fact that we have an extremely healthy physical relationship.

  “And people have talked for years. I usually just smile because I always assume that if you want to denounce another man’s wife and children, if you want to drag his marriage through the muddy pits of gossip, then perhaps you should spend a little more time working on your own.

  “That’s awfully crass, I know, but you’re talking to the guy who’s been accused on multiple occasions of not getting anything done in the Senate because I was too busy in my bedroom.

  “I’m telling you the truth, son.” The Governor urged vehemently. “Recently the Senate was working on purchasing new heat and bullet energy syncs for the vests and coats the Iodex officers wear.” He gestured his head to Rainer. “Obviously they’re extremely important, and several companies were vying for the business as the Senate contracts generally provide quite a bit of money do to the vast order size.”

  Rainer nodded his understanding.

  “It came down to two different companies that both make the latest, greatest heat sync. One company marginally outbid the other, and I called the CEO into my office to award him the contract and place the large order. He and his CFO arrived and they sat across from me and began telling me that they would have the syncs ready quickly because they would work their crews around the clock to fill the large order. Then the CEO began bragging about the fact that because of his dedication to his work that he and his wife hadn’t slept together in well over a year. He said this with a great deal of pride.” Governor Haydenshire shook his head.

  “I gave the contract to the other company. Not being intimate with your wife in over a year is not okay, and it tells me that there are numerous problems with the marriage that need to be healed. He was obviously a man with his priorities so far out of whack that he somehow thought I would be pleased with his work ethic.

  “There’s a lot going on inside of that marriage, and there’s a reason he threw himself into his work. I have no idea what might be going on between he and his wife, but he needs to stop working, go home, and communicate with her until they figure out how to solve whatever has come between them.” He opened the copy of the Realm Times that he’d brought and slid the front page towards Rainer.

  “All I’m saying, son, is that people are always going to talk, but the more you’re happy with your decisions the less you need other people to be happy with them. No one makes my baby girl smile the way you do. She lights up when you walk in the room. She soothes when you hold her hand. She always has, so I’m gonna tell you like I told Dan a few days ago, try focusing on keeping her happy and doing things that build a firm foundation for this marriage. And, yes, that means being intimate on a regular basis with Emily.” He shuddered slightly, and Rainer felt a genuine chuckle escape him.

  “Worry less about what the Realm is chattering about because next week it will be something entirely different, and I certainly hope that you and Emily will be married for the rest of your lives.”

  Nodding his adamant agreement, Rainer pulled the paper towards him.

  “If I knew how to work this coffee maker, sir, I swear I’d make you some.”

  Governor Haydenshire laughed heartily. “Read the paper, son. I have to go to work.”

  “Oh, you’re not working at home today?” Rainer chided.

  Sporting the original version of the Haydenshire smirk, the Governor shook his head. “That’s what my lunch hour’s for, son. Now read.”

  Crown Governor Lawson was famous for many sayings. The paper began. “You’re more than the tally of your mistakes,” is probably one of his most well known. And although Joseph Lawson was certainly not a fan of the press, we’re hoping that he would extend the Realm Times this latitude when it comes to our egregious errors in terms of his son. Quite honestly, this reporter doubts very seriously that he would make us an allowance, but for what it’s worth we do owe Rainer and Emily Lawson a deep and heartfelt apology. Yes
, I said it, apology. Is this literary suicide? Perhaps, but it needs to be done. So, if tomorrow my job is writing my own epitaph, perhaps the Realm will pay off my debts. The Realm Times slogan for over a hundred years has been ‘Bringing You the News of the Realm’. Yesterday’s scandalous headlines weren’t news, and they weren’t anything that anyone in the Realm needed to see. Rainer Lawson and his new bride were intimate on their honeymoon certainly that isn’t shocking nor is it pertinent information. It just isn’t news that will it impact your life in substantial way. He said please, she said yes, he bought a ring, she wore a dress, he flew her off to an island, and we all know the rest. So, to Mr. and Mrs. Lawson, I do ask for your forgiveness on behalf of the Times because we should have let the rest stay on the island between Rainer and Emily.

  “Wow.” Rainer shook his head in disbelief.

  “Well, it’s a day late and several dollars short, but maybe we’re getting somewhere.” Governor Haydenshire shrugged.

  “Yeah, maybe.”

  The Governor stood. “It’s a new day Rainer, and you have a week off in your new house, so maybe spend the rest of your honeymoon making a home with my baby girl. If you play your cards right, just like your old man taught you, then you should find this home with my baby girl inside of it will be better than any island paradise you could ever have found.”

  “Thank you.” Rainer knew Governor Haydenshire was correct. He always was.

  Chuckling, he pulled Rainer into his embrace. “I love you, son. I always have.”

  Rainer nodded his acceptance of that.

  “Let her sleep. She gets cranky if you wake her up.” The Governor headed back to the front door and gestured up the stairs on he way.

  “Oh, I know, sir.”

  “Call if you need anything at all.”

  “Yes, sir. We will.” Rainer watched the man who’d raised both he and his wife give him his kind reassuring smile and then slip out the front door.

  Rainer eased back into bed. Emily immediately crawled back on his bare chest making him chuckle. “Hey there, baby.” He felt her smile against him.