"I'm sure you'd like to discuss it with Meredith," Early said.
Griffin nodded. "Yes, I would. I'd like to discuss it with Merrie. To be honest, I think I would like to discuss it with her right now." He dropped the scraper in the bucket, then rubbed his palms on his thighs. "I'll be back in a few hours."
Early grinned. "You just take all the time you want, you hear? A lady shouldn't be rushed."
Griffin blinked in confusion, then nodded. "Thanks, Early. I appreciate your understanding."
With that, he turned and started for home. The trip back took only half the time that the trip to the harbor had, since Griffin was jogging most of the way. When he reached the cottage, he threw open the door and strode inside.
"Merrie?" The sound of his voice echoed throughout the house. "Merrie, where are you?"
"Merrie!" Ben squawked. "Merrie-girl!"
She emerged from the bathroom, a towel in her hand, her short hair damp and her rosy face looking as fresh and pretty as a dew-soaked flower. "What are you shouting about? Why aren't you at work?"
He crossed the room and grabbed her by the hand, then drew her toward the couch. "I have come to apologize," he said.
She watched him warily. A slow smile curled the corners of her mouth and she sighed. "Griffin, you don't owe me an apology. I'm the one who should apologize, for keeping all this from you. I just didn't know how to tell you, and I knew you would blame me."
"And I did," he said. "For that, I am truly sorry." He grabbed her other hand and wove his fingers through hers.
"I never meant for this to happen, Griffin, and I swear if I could change it, I would."
"I know."
"But I am not going to say I'm disappointed," she continued. "I refuse to say that. I'm happy you're here, especially if it will save your life."
"And I am happy to be here, too."
"You are?" Her eyes were wide with surprise.
"Yes. And I believe it is time to face the reality of this situation. I don't think I'm going to be able to get back, Merrie."
She bit her bottom lip and nodded. "I know."
"And if I was brought here to save my life, then I'd best get on with living it," he continued. "And to that end, I have made plans for us. Early Jackson has offered me a business opportunity. I will be able to provide a living for you. We can stay here on the island and make a good life for ourselves."
"You've decided this?"
"Yes. Of course, I am interested in hearing your opinion in this matter, but I know this is the right course to take."
She nodded. "I see."
"And I will say again that I believe we should get married. It seems the only logical step. We cannot continue to live together outside of wedlock. It would not be proper. Now, you may have your say in the matter, if you like… but it will not change my mind."
Merrie stared at him, openmouthed, her gaze clouded with disbelief. In that very instant, he knew he had said something wrong again. He just wasn't sure what the hell it was.
She jumped to her feet, then with a frustrated growl, she threw the damp towel in his face. "Go to work, Griffin. Because if you stay in this house one more minute, I swear, I will personally drop-kick you back to 1718 myself!"
With that, she turned and stormed into her bedroom, slamming the door behind her so loudly the house shook. Griffin stared after her, then sank back against the cushions and covered his eyes with his hands.
Maybe it would take more than one conversation with Early Jackson for Griffin to understand a twentieth-century woman.
At first, she couldn't sleep. All that had passed between them in the daylight hours now seemed to conspire to rob her of rest. Meredith tossed and turned, punching at the pillow and cursing Griffin's overbearing soul. She wanted to forget the man and his chauvinistic ideas! But even after she finally drifted off, thoughts of him still haunted her mind.
He came to her in a hazy dream, a dream she'd had so many times in the past, a dream that had left her without fulfillment, without release. But this time, it was different, for he was no longer a vague image that would evaporate upon waking, but a flesh-and-blood man, her fantasy come alive.
She felt the bed sink beneath his weight, the heat of his body near hers, and heard the sound of his soft even breathing. He gently placed his hand over her mouth and Meredith's eyes met the intense blue gaze above her as the pale moonlight streamed though the window to gleam on his tanned face.
"Do not speak, Merrie," he warned, his words soft and seductive and warm on her cheek. "For I'm still not certain that I should be here. One false word might steer me from my purpose this night."
He watched her for a long moment, indecision carved on his handsome features, then withdrew his hand. Slowly, she reached up and traced the lines of worry on his forehead with her fingertips, as if the simple gesture might erase any doubt he still had.
All their arguments suddenly faded and all their differences disappeared. In that instant, she knew that she loved this man, this proud and arrogant pirate, this man who held honor so dear. And she could no longer fight her feelings for him.
It didn't matter why he'd been brought here, whether she was saving his life, or he was saving hers. All she knew was that they belonged together, now and forever, in this bed and in this time.
Silently, she let her fingers drift along the planes and angles of his perfect face, exploring his striking cheek-bones, his strong jaw, his sculpted lips, as if she were touching him for the first time. Weaving her fingers through his long hair, she drew his mouth down to hers.
A groan rumbled in the back of his throat as his lips covered hers, and he abandoned himself to their kiss. There would be no going back now, she thought. She had waited for Griffin her entire life. They would love each other in the deepest way possible, the consequences be damned.
His tongue gently probed her mouth and she opened to his ever-deepening kiss, the taste of him like a drug to her senses, numbing and addictive, and devastating in its power over her. This was like no kiss they had shared before, so filled with the promise of the passion yet to come.
She waited for a flood of trepidation to overwhelm her, for all her fears and insecurities to push to the surface as they had the other times. But she felt so right in his arms, like a sensual, self-aware woman, not a nervous, fumbling neophyte.
He pulled her beneath him and settled himself along the length of her body, his weight trapping her against his body, the evidence of his desire pressed against her belly, outlined by the tight denim.
Griffin pushed up and braced his hands on either side of her head, a self-deprecating grin twisting his lips. "It has been a long while since I've been with a woman."
She felt her face flame. "Almost three hundred years," she murmured, running her hand down the front of his T-shirt to the waistband of his jeans. "That is a very long time."
Through his T-shirt, she felt the hard muscles and the warm flesh of his torso. Suddenly, she wanted to rid him of all his clothes. She tugged at the hem of the shirt, pulling it up until it bunched beneath his arms, then ran her nails down along his spine.
He drew a sharp breath and held it, then groaned in pleasure. "I am not certain of how things go between a man and a woman in this century, so we will proceed…"
He brushed a kiss across her lips. "Slowly."
"Slowly," Meredith repeated, her confidence bolstered.
"Slowly," he repeated, nuzzling her ear.
He rolled off of her, then sat back on his heels, his gaze never leaving hers. With a grin, he pulled his T-shirt over his head and threw it to the floor. In the moonlight, he looked as if he'd been carved from solid marble. She reached out and allowed her hand to drift along the tight muscles of his abdomen.
He took her hand and drew her up in front of him, then pulled her body against his, kissing her long and hard, cupping her backside in his hands, molding her hips to his.
Suddenly, desperately, she wanted to feel her skin warm against his. Wh
at wickedness possessed her, she didn't know, but she pushed against his chest, then grabbed the bottom of her nightshirt. In one easy movement, she yanked it up over her head, unashamed of what she revealed.
But while her arms were still stretched above her, Griffin's mouth drifted to her breasts. "So beautiful," he murmured, teasing at her nipple with his lips.
Meredith shivered, then tossed the nightshirt over her shoulder. "When you first met me, you thought I was a boy."
He glanced up at her and shot her a seductive grin. "I was suffering from a blow to the head. I am very clear of mind at present."
"Then make love to me, Griffin," she murmured, her fingers twisted in his long hair. "I want to show, you that I'm a woman, your woman."
With that, they began a slow and easy love play, teasing and touching, whispering soft words of encouragement as they explored each other's bodies. Before long, her panties and his jeans ended up on the floor next to the bed, and they were twisted together, naked, with nothing standing between them.
She'd never felt such immense desire before, such overwhelming need. Every touch seemed so perfect, so filled with emotion. This was what passion was supposed to be like between a man and a woman. Not the awkward fumbling and frantic groping and nervous apprehension that she'd experienced in the past, but a tantalizing give-and-take, a hunger that seemed to grow by each second until she knew there had to be something more.
She needed to feel him not just around her and above her, but inside her. Hesitantly, she reached for him, touching him as she'd never touched a man before. He was like smooth silk and warm steel. With fleeting fingers, she ran her hand along the length of his shaft. He moaned softly and murmured her name. Then, as if to return the pleasure she gave him, he touched her in a way so intimate, she instinctively drew away.
"Don't be frightened of me, Merrie," he said. "Let me take you to a perfect place."
She relaxed and closed her eyes, surrendering to his gentle caress. Slowly, a delicious warmth seeped though her limbs, pricking at the tips of her fingers and toes. But gradually, the warmth turned to need. Her breath quickened and her every thought focused on the touch of his hand on her body. The tension built deep in her core until she moved against him, aching with need.
"Please," she whispered. "Please, Griffin. I want you."
Then his warm fingers were gone. In an instant, he was above her, the touch of his hand now replaced by his probing shaft. He drew her knees up along his hips and slowly entered her.
She winced as he met the proof of her virginity and she bit her lip, ready to face his surprise, his confusion, maybe even his disdain.
He frowned. "This cannot be so," he murmured.
"You are my first, Griffin," Merrie said, averting her gaze, a soft blush coloring her cheeks. "I've waited for you my whole life."
The confusion in his eyes gradually turned to understanding, then longing. He moved above her. "It may hurt, Merrie," he murmured. "But I vow, it will be the first and last time our lovemaking causes you pain."
She nodded. "I need you, Griffin."
He held her face in his hands and gazed deeply into her eyes. "And I need you, Merrie, my love." He moved against her and with one smooth thrust, took her.
For a long moment, he didn't move again, allowing her to adjust to the feel of him buried deep inside her. But then, as if he knew when the time was right, he pressed into her, slowly at first, then with a powerful rhythm.
Her senses reeled with every thrust and release, a pulse of tension quickening at her core. She whispered his name, again and again, a silent plea to bring her release. Higher and higher they climbed, rocking against each other until she felt as if she'd lost all touch with reality.
Suddenly, she was there… and in an instant, gone, tumbling over the edge, crying out at the same moment he did, their hearts and their souls merging into one. And in that glorious, shattering moment, she knew she belonged entirely to this man, this Griffin Rourke. She always had.
8
Meredith sighed in contentment, fighting the pull of wakefulness and sinking back into the hazy world of sleep. The fantasy had become real, and oh so perfect. Her pirate had come to her in the middle of the night, taking her with unbridled passion and fierce possession. And she had given herself to him, body and soul, heart and mind, until, in an exquisite instant, they'd become one.
Nestling into the warmth of his embrace, she pressed her forehead against the silky black hair on his chest, then drew a deep breath through her nose. The smell of their lovemaking still lingered on his skin. She listened to the strong, even sound of his breathing for a long time, then slowly opened her eyes.
She smiled and sighed softly. It hadn't been a dream. Griffin was here, in her bed, his naked body lying beside hers, his long legs twisted around hers. And for the first time in her life, she felt complete, as if she had found her place as a woman. She had waited all her life for this man, knowing he was out there, somewhere. And across time and distance, against all odds, they had found each other.
She drew her foot up along his leg and let her sleepy gaze drift up his chest to his face. Softened by sleep, his perfect features looked boyishly vulnerable, not at all like the intense and powerful man who had made love to her. Would she ever truly know him? Or would he always keep a part of himself, that part that belonged to the past, from her?
Taking care not to disturb his sleep, Meredith slipped out of his careless embrace. She pushed herself up on her knees and studied him intently. Slowly, she pulled the sheet away from his waist, uncovering him to her eyes, determined to know his body as he seemed to know hers. He was flawless, and so beautiful. Reaching out, she ran her fingers down his chest, tracing the dark path of hair from his collarbone to his waist and below. Emboldened, she touched him there, softly stroking the essence of his manhood.
"Mmm. Would that I could wake up to that touch every day, Merrie-girl."
Snatching her hand away, she looked up in surprise to find him watching her through hooded eyes. "I-I didn't mean to wake you," she said, feeling a blush creep up her cheeks.
He reached out and took her hand, then kissed her palm. "Do not be frightened to touch me, Merrie. I want to feel your hands on me."
She had never felt such a deep and abiding trust in a man before. With Griffin, she sensed that anything she did would please him, from an innocent kiss to a carnal caress. This was the man she loved, the man she would spend her life with, and from him, she could hold nothing back.
With trembling fingers, she reached down and took him in her touch. He sucked in a sharp breath and closed his eyes, growing hard beneath her hand. As she stroked him, her confidence grew and she became acutely aware of the power she held over him. By just a simple caress, she could stir the embers of his passion until they flamed bright again.
"God, Merrie, what you do to me," he murmured, his eyes closed, his expression tense with tightly held longing.
Slowly, she lowered her head and kissed him, the heat of his erection branding her lips. He moaned and twisted his fingers through her hair, holding her still for a moment above his finely muscled stomach.
She knew of the things that could be between a man and woman, yet never thought she would want to try them herself. But now, it all seemed so natural. She wanted to love him in this way, too, to experience every facet of intimacy with him.
Gently, she ran her tongue along the ridge of his desire, then took him in her mouth. As she moved over him, she listened to the sounds he made deep in his throat, taking her cues from his reactions. And then, as her movements quickened, his breathing followed suit, and she knew he was close.
In one smooth movement, he pushed himself up and grabbed her around the waist, whispering her name in a soft, urgent voice. Drawing her body above his, he spread her knees to straddle his thighs. His hands pushed down on her hips until she impaled herself on him, slowly, exquisitely, sinking onto him until she felt the whole of him deep inside her.
"Oh,
my," she cried, breathless.
"Be still." His words were more a warning than a command. He held her there, keeping her from even the slightest movement. She shifted, trying to escape his iron hold. "Don't, Merrie," he breathed. When she stopped, he pressed his hand between them and gently touched her where they were so intimately joined.
Their gazes locked and she began to rock against him, drawing closer and closer to her peak. She felt herself slipping over the edge of the precipice and twisted above him, aching for more of his touch, allowing him a deeper thrust, knowing her release was near. And then, in the instant before it came, she felt her body tighten around him. She watched a myriad of reactions cross his face, pain, pleasure, surprise, but he refused to close his eyes and break their wordless connection.
He spoke her name once, and then again, the syllables borne on a desperate moan. She saw him tense, ready for his release and then, she let go, falling and falling, then swept aloft on a gentle draft of air, taking him with her in a soaring flight of sensual deliverance.
When they had both floated back to reality, he wrapped his arms around her and buried his face between her breasts, his breath still coming in hard gasps. She smoothed his hair with her fingers and smiled, content to stay as she was, joined with his body, touching his soul.
"No woman has ever done that to me," he murmured, his words hot against her skin. He drew back and looked up at her, a sheepish grin twisting the corners of his mouth. "'Twas…astonishing," he said. "Truly extraordinary."
"I'm glad I was your first," she replied, drawing her finger down his damp chest.
He took her face in his hands and kissed her, long and hard. "And I am glad I was your first, Merrie."
She grinned and turned her blushing face to the side. "I used to think I was silly for waiting as long as I did," Meredith admitted. "But now I know, I was waiting for you. Somehow, I knew you would come for me. First in my dreams, and now in real life. I think we were always meant for each other, Griffin."
"That is hard to dispute after the beauty we have shared together, love," he said.
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