by Autumn Dawn
“You already have.” Gem smiled and slipped her shoes off. It was a warm day and she enjoyed the feel of the cool tile under her bare feet. Her ivory and burgundy dress felt silky against her calves, heightening the sensuality of the moment. It was the first time they’d been alone with guaranteed privacy and the blessing of all concerned. It felt odd.
“Someone left a present on the bed,” Blue commented. “Wonder what it could be?”
Gem took the hint and went over to examine the package. It was wrapped in gold foil, and she raised an eyebrow at the card on top. “It’s a joint gift from Zsak, Jaq, the staff and my sisters.” She hesitated, eyeing the two-foot by three-foot package. “This could be interesting.”
Blue sat on the bed, clearly amused. “Let’s find out.”
“You know what this is,” she accused.
“I might have heard a rumor. Go on,” he urged. “I’m dying of curiosity.”
She opened the box and peered inside. She couldn’t help a laugh as she held up a pair of fuzzy purple handcuffs. “The tag says they’re to keep you in line.”
Blue smirked. “Inevitable cop humor. Must be from Zsak. He was never very original.”
She raised a brow, both at his comment and at the next item. “Chocolate body paint and honey?”
He grinned. “How sweet.”
She rolled her eyes. “Someone has too much time on their hands.” She stared quizzically at the next item, a stack of embroidered handkerchiefs. “At least someone put in something practical.”
Blue smothered a grin and placed the kerchiefs on the nightstand. He doubted she had a clue yet, but she would later. He could almost picture her blush.
Suddenly, he was tired of looking at naughty gifts. He had his wife, a bed and a quiet room. Though he’d admired her dress the moment he saw it, suddenly he was dying to slip it off.
She glanced up and stilled. A tint of color kissed her cheeks. There was shyness there, but no fear. She was ready, too.
He placed the box on the floor. At her questioning look, he murmured, “I don’t really think we need these, do we? I’m not in the mood for toys.”
Her lashes dipped as she glanced down self-consciously, but she came into his arms easily enough. In spite of his earlier teasing, his kiss was gentle, reassuring. He showed her a tenderness he’d rarely shown another woman. Making love had never mattered so much, and he wanted to do this right.
She seemed to approve of his technique. With every soft caress, she snuggled closer, wordlessly demanding a little more. He kept his touch light, relaxed yet passionate.
Soon she was the aggressor, pushing him over on the bed to kiss him deeply. It was awkward with her arm in a sling, but she was determined. As long as they were careful, the pain meds would prevent her injury from interfering with their pleasure.
She didn’t seem to notice his busy hands sliding the silk ever higher up her legs. He lightly stroked the insides of her thighs. She stilled, then dropped her head to his shoulder with a little moan. Utterly limp, it was obvious she’d become too dazed with passion to do anything other than enjoy.
He smiled against her mouth as he rolled her onto her back. She blinked, momentarily startled, then relaxed under his kiss. Her eyes were glazed, slumberous with pleasure as his mouth toyed with her ears and then drifted down her neck. She was a little shy about her breasts and tried to cover what he bared, but her concerns melted away as he sucked the screening fingers into his mouth one by one, laving her exposed breasts as he went. When she was utterly boneless, he guided her hand to his shoulder and had his way, teaching her the many pleasures of a man’s mouth on her nipples, the fiery chill of a silken tongue.
She conceded his expertise with a soft moan, turning her head restlessly. It must have been a further torment with her bound arm, which, though it remained unable to pain her, forced her to remain as still as possible. A soft nip of his teeth caused her to arch upward, thrusting her chest toward Blue’s mouth. He rewarded her with a quick kiss to one nipple, then buried his face between her breasts and licked his way down her belly. She liked that well enough, twisting beneath his gentle onslaught. She stiffened, though, as he approached his goal. Her hand tried to cover that, too.
He paused, then settled between her thighs. His hands idly stroked her hips as he gazed up at her. She looked tensely back.
“Put a couple of pillows behind your head,” he instructed.
“Why?” she asked.
He just gazed at her until she complied, allowing him to help her. “Good, now I’ll walk you through this.”
Her eyes widened at his words and she tried to squirm away. He easily held her still until her thrashing stopped, then met her eyes. “We’re going through this together. I want you to see what I do, to know I’m only going to give you pleasure.”
“It…it seems so…wrong,” she whispered.
He smiled against her soft inner thigh, knowing she could feel his mouth curve. “It brings me pleasure. It will bring you great pleasure.” He met her eyes and said softly, “I like the taste, honey.”
She shivered at his endearment. Her head fell back, and her eyes closed.
He smiled and reached up to tweak her nipple. Her eyes popped back open. “Watch, darlin’,” he commanded. “I want you to acknowledge what I’m doing. I want you to give up your fear.”
He gently parted her, then leaned forward and gave her most sensitive petal a little lap. She flinched, but not in pain. Her breath caught.
He kissed her, then spread her farther with his fingers and placed a soft, deliberate kiss there, too. She exhaled with a shaky little hiss. He inserted his tongue slowly inside and took a deliberate taste of pure woman. She collapsed on the bed, her eyes closed with the intensity of this new pleasure, but he didn’t mind that she wasn’t watching now that he’d gotten what he wanted. Her legs had fallen open to him; her fear had faded. This was what he had intended.
Yes, this first time he wanted her boneless under him. He didn’t want her thrashing and tense, not even in passion. Not yet. For now, he wanted her soft and open, drenchingly wet to ease his way. He didn’t want to hurt her.
Patiently, he coaxed her with his mouth, soothing when she got too intense, encouraging her soft pants and helpless little hip thrusts. When she’d tossed the pillows aside and was thrusting insistently against his mouth, he moved up and slipped inside her. She was breached before she realized his intent.
Gem gasped as she felt him slide inside. Her eyes wide, she stiffened at the feel of the huge thing inside her. Her legs wouldn’t close; Blue was wedged too deep. It hurt—but not as much as she’d feared or heard. There was something else there with the burning: a deep need to move.
She and Blue got rid of the pillows.
He rocked her with his body and she sucked in air. His tongue teasing along her neck made her quiver. By the time his mouth dropped to her breasts, she was squirming under him, wordlessly begging him to move.
He took her nipple in his mouth and gave a tiny thrust. She tightened her legs on him and held on tight. He growled his pleasure and began a slow, easy rhythm that made her hotter than exploding rocket fuel. Her nails scored his back, though she tried not to hurt him. The pleasure built and built…
A scream tore from her throat as climax hit hard and fast. She was unprepared for the intensity, or for his matching shout. It hurt when he lost control and pounded into her, but she was unable and unwilling to stop. Having him there, in her, with her…There was nothing finer in the world.
Finally he came to a shuddering stop. He supported his weight but wouldn’t move off her. “Do you mind, baby? I don’t want to give this up.”
Mind? Was he crazy? “Stay,” she said, and it took an effort.
He smiled against her neck. “Not too bad, was I?”
She grunted.
His smile grew, and that wasn’t all. He hummed in satisfaction as he moved in her.
Her eyes opened in surprise. “Now?”
; “Apparently.” He nibbled on her breasts and took the nipples in his mouth the way she liked. Any protests she might have had raised died unspoken, though she did wince.
He paused.
“No.” She shivered under him and took a firm grip of his butt. He didn’t seem capable of argument.
Some hours later, Gem opened her eyes and hummed sleepily. Who’d known naked skin felt so good against satin? Better yet was the warmth of the man against her back. He’d shown her the pleasure of many new sensations that afternoon. Thanks to him, she’d discovered the feel of leashed power as a man moved over her, the patience a man could share. Seeing that side of him had been a gift in itself. Who’d believe her if she told him how tender Blue could be? Lovemaking could be such a revelation.
Her husband’s arm draped over her stomach, pulled her back into a gentle hug. “Good morning…or whatever time it is. Sleep well?”
She made a sound of agreement and rolled onto her back, only to wince. It wasn’t just the tenderness inside her sex; some of the muscles they’d worked had never been used before.
He smiled and gently combed his fingers through her hair. “Sorry about that. A hot bath will help. Why don’t I get it started?”
He rolled out of bed and sauntered toward the bath, unconcerned with his nakedness. She discreetly peeked even as she drew the covers over her own chest. Nakedness was still foreign to her.
Hunger was an old friend, though, and she finally slipped out of bed, using his discarded shirt as a covering. She was standing at the table, one hand holding his shirt closed and the other popping berries into her mouth. He leaned a hand against the low dresser and grinned. “Now that’s a view.”
She flushed and glanced away from all that bare skin. “I was hungry.”
He sauntered closer and wrapped her in a hug. “Let’s take these with us, then. You can feed me while I show you how much fun soap can be. Afterward, we can order room service.” He picked up the bowl and coaxed her into the bathroom and out of his shirt.
Room service didn’t come until much, much later.
They enjoyed a leisurely meal while watching the sun set through the open window. He’d thrown on some pants, but wouldn’t let her wear anything other than his shirt. A warm breeze teased the curtains, bringing the scent of flowers. It was a perfect evening.
“I think I’m going to have to plant lots of flowers on the farm,” Blue said thoughtfully. “And we’ll definitely need a room with big windows.”
She glanced at him with mild surprise. “You want to live there?”
“At least part of the time. You might like to get away from your sisters, and I might like to steal you away from the business sometimes.”
“Hm. I hadn’t thought about it.” Didn’t want to, if the truth were known. There was enough going on for the moment.
“Think about it later,” he advised. “We can go over plans together when we want. I’d like time to daydream with you first.”
She smiled. “That’s different. I’m used to having time limits imposed on me. Everyone wants things decided yesterday.”
He grinned and hooked his foot around her ankle playfully. “You want a time limit? Take a couple of years, for all I care. It’s not as if we’ll be homeless in the meantime.”
She closed her eyes in blissful pleasure. His foot was stroking her calf. “I’m tempted to move in here permanently.”
“Might be a good idea. Your sisters won’t appreciate our keeping them up at night. You’re a noisy novice,” he said with a wink.
“Novice? Are you looking for a black eye?” she demanded. “It didn’t seem that complicated to me.”
He smirked, just to tease her. “You can’t claim experience until you’ve done it with handcuffs—twice.”
“Twice?” she choked. Sarcasm was difficult to pull off when wearing a blush.
For an answer, he leaned forward, a definite glint in his eye. “First, I would close the curtains…or maybe not. This is my daydream, after all. After that, I’d take you to the bed…”
His words conjured up a fantasy, and it was as erotic as performing the act. Gem squirmed as her mind took her into his dream. His tale had them headed for the bed.
The first time involved a strip search. When he was satisfied she wasn’t hiding anything, he cuffed her hands behind her back and bent her over the bed.
The second time had her on her back with her hands cuffed to the headboard. He really took his time then.
The third time—yes, there was a third time; he was very inventive—had her on top with her hands cuffed behind her. Since he’d toyed with her for a good half hour beforehand, there was a long pause before she was allowed full penetration, and she was desperate for it. She made little whimpering sounds and tried not to thrash as he slowly lowered her onto him. Wet and slick, she was able to ignore any tightness of her body. He’d made her so crazy by then, she would have bit him if he’d suggested they stop.
Blue cupped her hips in his hands and guided her onto him. With her hands behind her back, her breasts thrust forward, she was helpless to prevent his teasing tweaks. With a wild cry she threw herself down and kissed him desperately until he grabbed her hips and finished them with a few wild thrusts.
Gem drew a trembling breath at the culmination of his story, frustrated that they hadn’t yet acted out any of his words. She was aching in the place he’d so thoroughly described. When his fingers came exploring in truth, there was plenty of dampness there. Blue smiled and closed the curtains, then had her climb onto his lap.
She was ready to concede she wouldn’t be able to walk to the kitchens for a long while yet to come.
Even newlyweds couldn’t make love forever, so they ventured outside the next day. Not that Gem did any work. Even if the inn had been beset by several serious financial concerns, she would have been useless to help. Her new husband occupied her every thought, her every moment. Her marriage so far felt like being trapped in one eternal, wondrous daydream. Every time their eyes met, sparks would fly.
Life was very, very good.
Chapter Twenty-two
Sometime on the third day, Gem got restless. Unused to so much inactivity—or at least activity of an entirely pleasant sort—she started to involve herself again in business. She chose little things, of course, activities she could drop on a whim—or at the crook of Blue’s finger. One had to have priorities, after all.
Xera had waited a bit to announce her pending departure. “The ship leaves next week,” she informed her sisters over breakfast. “It seems like I’ve waited forever.”
Gem felt a bit of sadness, but it was tempered by Blue’s presence. With him there, change didn’t feel so bad. “I’m happy for you. Is there anything special you’d like to do over the next few days? It might be a while until you get back home.”
Xera didn’t answer right away. They all knew it would be difficult to do anything in public. Though the media were less persistent than before, scandalmongering reporters still dogged their steps. Not only did she have to deal with those Polaris inhabitants who shunned her, but also some merchants felt free to ban her from their premises. Serving women with reputations was bad business, they claimed.
After a moment of thought, Xera suggested, “Why don’t we find Brandy and ask her for suggestions? We could have a family night, maybe even a party with just us and a few staff.” Staff were a safe bet, for any who’d had problems with the scandal had already quit.
“We could invite Match, Zsak and Azor,” Gem suggested.
“You think Azor would come?” Xera seemed skeptical.
Gem shrugged and glanced sheepishly at Blue. “He’s growing on me. Maybe I pity him. Believe it or not, he seems kind of lonely.”
Blue choked on his drink. When he could speak, he warned her, “Don’t ever tell him that! I don’t think his ego could take it.”
Xera slid back her chair. “We’ll worry about him later. Are you coming to find Brandy, Blue?”
H
e shook his head. “I want to check on the experimental plants I started in the garden. I’m trying the new ‘black gold’ technique. You know, the one where they use granulated charcoal to boost plant growth? It’s supposed to be far superior to compost or organic fertilizer. It could be a huge help on the farm. It wouldn’t hurt to boost your yields here, either.”
Xera’s eyes were already glazing over. “Great,” she interrupted. “Good luck with that. Gem?”
Gem grinned and kissed Blue’s scratchy cheek. He hadn’t shaved that day. “You know I like to hear about it, hon. Why don’t you find us when you’re done? You can fill me in.”
He whispered something in her ear that caused her to blush. She pushed at his shoulder playfully and joined her sister.
“Who knew you’d end up marrying a farmer?” Xera teased. “I swear I’ll barf if I have to hear anything more about crop yields and soil fertility.”
Gem smirked. “Just as well—he’s my farm boy, and boy, can he sling hay.”
Xera made an amused yet exasperated face. “Roll in the hay, more like. We’ve barely seen you two in days.”
Gem lifted a shoulder, a satisfied expression on her face. “Marriage agrees with me.”
“Huh.” Xera admitted, “You do seem happy.”
Gem’s face glowed. “I’m so glad I married him, sis! I’m sure we’ll have our share of arguments, but we’re both willing to do what it takes to keep this marriage strong. He’s a good man.”
“Good to know. Now, where’s our sister?”
Gem and Xera looked in their apartment first; then they headed to the obvious next place, the brewery.
“Think we’ll find Match there, too?” Xera asked. “I swear, I’d suspect them of having an affair if she weren’t still so banged up. You’ll have to have a word with her about a chaperone—especially now.” Her tone was matter of fact, but her face betrayed her solemnity. This was no small matter. That she was asking Gem to do the talking showed that she’d feel hypocritical bringing it up. Her indiscretion had hurt both her sisters, and it still stung.
“Sure. Maybe.” Gem wasn’t about to fuel any of her sister’s self-recrimination. Fortunately, they’d reached the door to the brewery, which made a good distraction. She held it open. “After you.”
