by Kit Tunstall
He nodded. “I believe the area comprised several cities back then, before he consolidated the region.”
“And your family has ruled since then?”
Tiernan nodded. “Yes. My grandfather, then my mother, and now me.”
A word came back to her from the times her mother had made her copy words from an old dictionary to augment her thin education at the village school. Nepotism. She wasn’t dumb enough to utter it though. Instead, she asked, “Why do we still have a lack of electricity?”
“Not enough resources or the manpower to harness them—plus, we lack the people who understand how power plants and manufacturing facilities work. I doubt you learned about it in your school days, but almost one hundred million people died just in the old United States in the few years after The End. Disease, starvation, and violence took their toll.”
She shook her head, unable to comprehend that many people at all, let alone imagining them dead. “Why do they call it The End?”
Tiernan shrugged. “I imagine it was originally something like the end of the world, or the end of the power, and was just shortened eventually.”
History had never been one of her passions, but she was reluctantly fascinated by what she was learning—in a horrified kind of way. “What happened next?”
“Slowly, governments formed again, and we ended up with several territories. My grandfather always dreamed of unifying them—with him at the head,” he added dryly. “It’s an impossible goal, at least for now. Most of the territories are struggling just to survive, same as us. Trade is about the only stable communication process between territories.”
She exhaled. “It must be hard to do what you do.”
He inclined his head. “It can be, which is why I appreciate an opportunity to relax.”
His tone had turned more intimate again, and she tensed, sensing the political discussion was over, and he was ready to progress to physical matters. A surge of panic hit her, and she pushed back from the table, stumbling over to the balcony across the room. She opened the door with a fumbling hand and stepped outside to breathe in the fragrant night air.
He followed. Of course he did. There was no way he was going to grant mercy and let her leave. She had to bite back hysteria. “The view is lovely.”
He made a noise in his throat that could have meant anything. She froze when he put his hands on her shoulders, pushing her hair back on one side. “I didn’t realize how many people live around here.” Not that she could see much of anything in detail, though the starlight gave good illumination. She was just desperate to fill the silence.
His lips teased her neck, making her gasp and tremble. He kissed her again before running his tongue down her skin. It took every bit of courage she had just to stand there as he touched her.
“You’re so tense.” He massaged her shoulders as he whispered near her ear. “Come back inside and relax.”
With a small whimper, she accepted the hand he extended and followed him back into the room. She was unsurprised when they walked through, not pausing at the table. He led her down a short hallway to another room, and her heart hammered in her ears when she saw the massive bed in the center.
The door closed with a click that sounded like doom in the quiet room. She couldn’t do this. How could he expect her to? As he stepped in front of her, lifting a hand to cup her cheek, she turned away from his touch. “Please.”
He frowned. “Please what?”
“Let me go, Commander Archer. Please. I can’t do this.”
Tiernan’s frown deepened. “You want to leave?”
Trembling, she nodded.
“But why?” He seemed genuinely astounded.
She looked down, unable to meet his eyes. “I’m scared. I don’t know you, and I’ve never…” Trailing off, she didn’t look up until he nudged her chin up with his fingers.
His gaze was gentle, his eyes full of compassion. “I won’t hurt you, Madison.”
She nodded, wanting to believe him, but not so sure. “Couldn’t you just let me go home?”
His brow wrinkled. “I could, but the truth is, I don’t want to. I want you, and I know I can make you want me too. You just need to calm down.”
Her breath left her with a harsh sound that could easily turn to a sob. Part of her wanted to rail at him, to demand why he thought he had the right to make her stay when she didn’t want to, but another part of her wanted to be right there. Curiosity and desire had ensnared her, and she had a feeling he was right. He could definitely make her want him if she could shut off her mind.
“I’m going to kiss you now.”
He didn’t wait for her assent as he tipped her chin higher and lowered his head. His lips were gentle against hers, coaxing a response she wanted to give. This gentle fluttering of his mouth against hers was nothing like the clumsy kiss a classmate had stolen from her when she was thirteen. Moving slowly, he deepened the kiss until she pressed against him, hand tangled in his now-dry curls.
His tongue swept inside her mouth, igniting a spark that seemed to burn all the way through her. With shy strokes, she returned his caresses, darting her tongue into his mouth and out again as courage waned.
After several minutes, he lifted his head and framed her face between his hands. “Do you know how beautiful you are?”
She blushed, shaking her head.
He smiled. “You don’t believe me?”
Madison shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve just never thought about it, I guess. Papa used to say he’d have to run off the boys with a fencepost.” She blinked, remembering how silly her father had sometimes been before her mother started getting sick. Blinking again to dismiss the moment of sadness, she put a hand on his chest, tentatively stroking it. The cotton was soft and smooth, not like the homespun she usually wore. As she toyed with one of the wooden buttons, he moved his hands from her face to her back.
In small increments, as though wanting to avoid scaring her, he unbuttoned her dress until it pooled at her waist. She peeked up at him through the veil of her lashes, as he seemed to drink in the sight of her pert breasts barely shielded by the thin silk of the slip.
It was so strange to stand like this in front of a virtual stranger, to know she had little choice about being here—but not really caring about her lack of options right then. Cleo’s words about embracing it as a new experience came back to her, crystallized and clarified in a way that hadn’t made sense before she was actually standing before the commander.
With another flick of his wrists, the green sheath fell to the floor, leaving her in just the slip, panties, and a pair of black heels. She had to resist the urge to cover herself as she trembled before him.
“Shh, don’t be afraid.” He smoothed hair off her face. “I promise you will enjoy tonight as much as me, Madison.”
She trembled again, this time with anticipation as the commander took a step back from her to unbutton his shirt. He stripped away the white material to reveal a perfectly sculpted chest and flat stomach. Hesitantly, she reached out to run her fingers over his abs, pleased by the way his breath hissed through his teeth in response. Emboldened by his reaction, she let her hand splay across his stomach, her fingertips flirting with the waistband of his pants. The thought of actually plunging her hand inside to feel his cock for herself made her giddy.
He endured her cautious exploration without moving until she lifted her hand away. As if a switch had flipped, he moved forward quickly, capturing her mouth for another kiss, this one more intense than the last. By the time their fused mouths parted, she could barely breathe and felt dizzy, with both desire and lack of oxygen.
“Are you still scared?” he asked, his fingers flirting with the straps of her slip before pushing one down her shoulder.
“Yes and no,” she whispered. “I’m scared to be feeling…this…whatever it is, but I’m not afraid of you anymore.”
He breathed deeply, what sounded like a sigh of relief. “Will it frighten you if I take off
your clothes?”
Eyes glued to his chest, she shook her head.
“And mine? Is that okay?”
Madison nodded, frozen as Tiernan moved away from her to take off his shoes and pants, returning to her only in a pair of modest beige briefs. She couldn’t help tensing a little when he pushed the straps completely off her shoulders and guided the scrap of silk down her curves. On instinct, she stepped out of the slip and her shoes when it pooled on the floor.
He held out a hand that she took with only a little tremble to betray her uncertainty. Feeling shy and excited all at once, she followed Tiernan to the bed, standing by it nervously as he sat down. He guided her to stand between his parted thighs, and she did so, unable to look away from the sight of his hand nearing her breast. She gasped with surprise and pleasure when he cupped the globe in his large hand, squeezing gently.
Soon, he held both her breasts in his hands, his thumbs moving lightly over her nipples. Madison threw back her head, spilling hair down her back, as he worshipped her body. When his mouth replaced one of his hands, she whimpered, fearing her reaction more than his actions for just a moment, until ecstasy took over. As he sucked her nipple, he kept a hand on her other breast, tugging the nipple tenderly in rhythm with the movements of his mouth.
His other hand splayed across her buttocks, and his skin was warm through the lace. Liquid heat gathered between her thighs, slipping downward as he rubbed her bottom in small circles. His thumb crept between her legs, seeking out the heat between her legs. Madison cried out with pleasure as he stroked the nub that she sometimes played with at night, long after everyone in the house was asleep.
His mouth left her breast, and he rested his chin between her breasts, looking up at her. “I’m going to take off your panties now. Do you want to lie down after I do so? I just want to look at you,” he stroked her slit again, “Here. And maybe taste you.”
She shuddered, unable to comprehend allowing a man to touch her so intimately. At the same time, she couldn’t imagine telling him no. Not because he was Commander Archer, leader of the Northwest Federation, but because she didn’t want to. She wanted to feel his mouth on her. She nodded, compelled to hold her breath as he eased off the sumptuous underwear. Afterward, he assisted her onto the bed, posing her so that she lay on her back with her legs splayed. Modesty demanded she shield her femininity, but when she tried to close her thighs, he stopped her, his hands on her thighs holding her in position.
“It’s okay. I won’t do anything you won’t like.”
Madison nodded, believing him. She might have ended up in this room because of circumstances beyond her control, but she really did believe Tiernan only wanted to pleasure her, not hurt her. When he moved his hands to get into a different position, she didn’t try to close her legs that time. Eyes closed, she held her breath as his mouth brushed against her stomach, his tongue circling around her belly button before moving lower.
She cried out when Tiernan reached his destination, his tongue gently probing her. He deepened his intimate kiss, making her squirm against his face as she sought the release she sometimes found alone. Each pass of his tongue over her clitoris sent spasms throughout her body, and she arched her hips. His name was a desperate cry on her lips as an explosion shot through her, one much more intense than the solitary orgasms she attained from time to time when a long day and lack of privacy hadn’t left her too exhausted or drained to masturbate.
His tongue slowed, but didn’t stop, and the tremors built again, until she was flying apart at the seams. Tiernan brought her to a third climax before he lifted his head, her juices shining on his face.
Inexplicably shy, she looked away from his inquiring gaze. “I…” She cleared her throat.
“Yes?” He seemed amused by her speechlessness.
“I had no idea.”
Tiernan chuckled. “I’m pleased to be the first to give you this experience.” He rolled over, pulling her closer to his side. “To tell you the truth, I’ve never had a virgin lover before, so I’m just as nervous as you.”
“I doubt that,” she said with a touch of tartness. She shifted, feeling his erection against her thigh. Unable to meet his gaze, she slipped her hand between their bodies to seek out the hard flesh. With tentative motions, she explored the length through his underwear.
He breathed raggedly, enduring her exploration for a moment before he rolled away to take off his last garment. Then Tiernan lay on his back beside her, his gaze challenging her to come to him.
With trepidation, she eyed the cock standing proudly in the air. Madison gulped, eyes widening at the size. Cleo hadn’t exaggerated when she’d said the man was blessed. She found herself wishing he were a little less gifted as she moved closer, reaching out to touch the glistening head.
His cock jumped, seeming to follow her hand as she moved it away slightly. She couldn’t help giggling.
“You find something to mock, woman?” he growled, but with a teasing glint in his eyes.
Madison shook her head. No, there was nothing funny about imagining taking his flesh inside her. She frowned. “I don’t think it will fit.”
Tiernan laughed. “It will.” With that assurance, he moved quickly, lifting her into his arms and settling her on his stomach. His cock pressed against her buttocks, and she followed the instinct to rub against his belly.
“You’re certainly wet enough,” he said in a thick voice. The cords in his neck were visible, as though it took a huge expenditure of will to hold himself in check. Knowing he was close to losing control bolstered her own sense of power, and she leaned back more, allowing his cock to slip between her thighs, the head poised to enter her.
Her courage ended there, and she hesitated. “Will it hurt, Tiernan?”
He bit his lip before answering. “I don’t know. I hope not, but maybe.”
She squeezed her eyes shut, nodded, and took a fortifying breath. “Okay, I’m ready.”
“No, not yet.” He reached between their bodies, his hand slipping between her slick folds. He played with her clit until she writhed against him, desperate for release. Then he pushed a finger inside her opening, slowly easing through the resistance he encountered. As she arched against him, he put a second finger in her. She winced at the initial burning/stretching sensation, but it faded when he circled her clitoris with his thumb.
She bore down against him, wanting, no needing, more…something. His fingers weren’t enough. Only his cock would satisfy her, she intuited. “I’m ready,” she said through gritted teeth.
“Almost.” He sounded equally strained, but made no move to penetrate her as his fingers continued working their magic. In what seemed like seconds, but could have been hours, another release rushed through her. As her pussy tightened with climax, he withdrew his fingers. She rode the wave of orgasm as he slid her down a bit, adjusting the position.
She reached the pinnacle as he entered her, moving carefully to sink inside her sheath a bit at a time. It hurt. For a second, she almost screamed, but then the pain got mixed up with the pleasure from her orgasm, and she was driven to thrust against him, letting her body’s natural instincts take over.
“Oh, god, Madison.” Tiernan held her hips in a vise-like grip as he pistoned in and out of her. He was huge inside her, filling her to the point where she didn’t think she could handle him, but she persisted. Matching his pace, the pain soon diminished, and she was lost in pleasure again. They came at the same time, and she dug her fingers into his chest to anchor herself as she cried out his name.
He filled her with his satisfaction, but still didn’t release her as his cock began softening inside her. All Tiernan did was roll over so they were both on their sides, still fused together. He pressed a kiss to her moist forehead, put his arm around her, and was soon breathing deeply, indicating he was asleep.
It took Madison a bit longer to come down from the exhilaration of sexual bliss. Eventually, her heart stopped pounding, and her body stopped spasming. It wa
s odd to have him still inside her, but not unpleasant. She was strangely reluctant to pull away from him, so she snuggled closer. After all, Cleo had advised her to spend the night with Tiernan, so there was no need to tear herself from his arms and rush out.
As her eyes closed, she had a glimmer of understanding about what Cleo had meant when she’d said a lot of the girls chosen to be his temporary companions were disappointed with just one night. How could any other man ever measure up to Tiernan Archer? Staying with him was impossible—he wouldn’t want her anyway—but she could appreciate the girls’ reluctance for their magical night to come to an end. As sleep claimed her, she found herself dreading the arrival of morning. He would be gone, and she would go back to her regular life, making the attempt to forget this night. At least it had been special, even without the tender emotions she’d always expected to have for her lover. If she ever had the nerve to confide in her mom, she imagined Elaine would be pleased for her.
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