by Lily Thomas
Pulling the large warhorse to a stop, Daerrin dismounted from behind her.
“May I?” Daerrin motioned to help her down.
“Yes, you may.” Roxanne allowed.
Daerrin placed his strong hands around her waist, and ever so slowly he brought her to his armored chest and let her slide slowly down.
The fur dress was thin, and her nipples brushed past his metal armor, and they harden in response. Her mouth popped open in startled surprise.
Her mind left her as the area between her thighs moistened and ached for more from Daerrin. She wanted nothing more than to rub her nipples against his hard armor so that more shivers would flow through her.
Her hands came up to grasp his shoulders, as her feet touched the ground. Craning her neck up, she watched Daerrin’s head descend, and before she knew what was happening his lips covered hers.
She returned his kiss and loved it when his fingers worked their way into her hair to caress her scalp as he deepened the kiss even more.
There was no possible way she could think adequately while so close to Daerrin. His very presence was intoxicating, and she adored his exploring kisses.
His masculine scent drifted around her and forced the scent of other men and horses from her mind. The only thing that existed to her was Daerrin, his superior kisses, and his hot masculine scent.
She felt even more heat pool between her legs, as a moan formed on her lips.
Daerrin broke off the kiss, and Roxanne felt disappointment soar through her until her mind rushed back to her. Glancing around Roxanne made sure that their passionate moment hadn’t been caught by anyone around them.
Thankfully, it appeared as though their moment had gone unnoticed thanks to the dense fog.
She didn’t need any of the fire giants knowing about her moment of weakness. Shaking her head, she put some much-needed distance between them.
What had just happened?!
Looking up she caught Daerrin with a deep frown marring his face as he scrubbed a hand through his black hair.
“Don’t ever touch me like that again!” Roxanne barked under her breath.
Daerrin’s crimson eyes rose up to glare over at her. “Don’t pretend you didn’t enjoy it. If I continued, I’m sure you would’ve stripped for me in front of all the men.”
Stomping over to his horse he grabbed the tent and started to set it up nearby.
“You overwhelmed me was all.” Roxanne huffed needing to defend her actions. “I wasn’t prepared to be attacked like that.” Roxanne brushed some stray hair away from her face roughly.
“Attacked?” Daerrin scoffed.
“What else would you call that?” Roxanne flipped her braid behind her shoulders and tried to stare him down with her icy green eyes.
“A passionate embrace from two people who are experiencing sexual tension is not an attack.”
Roxanne’s jaw opened and closed as she searched for words, but she came up with nothing. What he said might be true, but it didn’t make her feel any better. She desired a fire giant. Her father would die at that very knowledge.
Plopping down on a nearby log Roxanne watched him set up the tent. It wasn’t like she was about to help him, not that she would even know where to start. She had never set up a tent before, and she wasn’t about to begin.
Roxanne planned on going back to her soft and comfortable life in no time. Learning to put up a tent would just be useless.
She caught him glancing at her a few times, and she knew he was thinking about the kiss they’d just shared. For some reason, she was also having trouble forgetting their kiss.
There had been a sizzle, and he wasn’t a half bad kisser. He was better than any other man she’d kissed, and there had been quite a few. She wasn’t like most noble women. She wasn’t about to wait until she got married to know the marriage bed. To marry her, a man had to first impress her in the bedchamber, and so far, no man had blown her mind.
She’d been infuriated when Daerrin kissed her, but she was more frustrated at her body’s reaction to him.
Shaking her head to loosen the thoughts from her mind she glanced around the camp. The fog shrouded some of the camp from view and swirled among feet and heads in other areas.
It gave the fire giants an almost mystical appearance, as they worked in and among the fog tendrils.
Shivers ran up and down her arms causing goose bumps to raise the fine hairs on her skin. The fire giant warriors didn’t need any help with being intimidating, but the fog did a great job in aiding their fearsome image.
From where she hailed from on the low plains, there wasn’t much fog, and when it did come, it never got this thick and threatening.
“Cold?”
Jumping Roxanne found Daerrin standing next to her, having already finished with the tent.
“No. Why?”
He nodded his chin down at her arms. “You looked like you might be.”
Brushing her hands up and down her arms vigorously she shook her head. “It has nothing to do with the cold and everything to do with the fog that is surrounding us.” She confessed.
“Uncommon where you come from?”
“I’ve just never experienced such a thick and consuming fog before. It seems to have swallowed almost everything around us.”
“It’s nothing to be scared of.”
“I never said I was scared.” Roxanne jumped to her feet, as she folded her arms in front of her chest. “I only said I wasn’t used to it. Sometimes I think you don’t even bother to listen to what I’m saying.”
Daerrin raised an eyebrow. “Wait for me inside the tent.”
Roxanne opened her mouth, but Daerrin placed a finger against her lips to stop her from speaking.
“No arguments, Roxanne. I know you’re tired since you fell asleep on the horse. Some rest will do you good, and it will allow me to get some things done around camp.”
“Fine, but I will want to eat something when you’re done.”
Daerrin nodded his head, as he ushered her into the awaiting tent.
Looking around the tent, Roxanne found yet another fur was being used as a bed. When was she going to use a real bed with some actual sheets and pillows? It seemed dreams would have to do.
She already had a crick in her neck from last night. One of her hands came up to rub the area between her neck and shoulder.
If they only had furs to use, then she’d have to settle for it. Sleep was sleep, even if it wasn’t the greatest. At least now she wouldn’t be tempted to sleep the whole day away.
Settling down under the fur Roxanne grumped a little more and after worrying about her father sleep overtook her.
“Wake up, Roxanne.”
Roxanne cracked open her eyes to find Daerrin standing above her in the dark. “How long was I asleep?”
From where she laid on the ground, his height was even more impressive. He had to be the ideal specimen of a fire giant man.
“If you want anything to eat, then I suggest you rouse yourself and follow me.” Daerrin left the tent before waiting for her to answer him, but she could see his feet underneath the tent flap.
Again he was sweet to her by giving her some private time to get herself ready, even though she needed none. And this was all coming after she had been so rude to him earlier. They’d both been to blame for the kiss.
With one last stretch to loosen her muscles, Roxanne slipped out from under the covers and strode out of the tent. With just a fur dress to her name, there wasn’t much she had to get ready.
She was greeted by the darkness of night, but the fog had dispersed a bit since she’d last seen it.
“Are you ready?” Daerrin glanced at her, his eyes landing on her disheveled hair.
If she had a brush she would redo the braid, but he hadn’t supplied her with one, so this was what he got. “Yes.”
Daerrin led the way through the camp and brought her to one of the many campfires.
“How much longer do we have on
this trip?” Roxanne had enough of the traveling. She was used to living in a castle or traveling in a carriage. All of this horseback riding was wearing on her nerves.
“We should be at the fire giant castle in no time.”
That hadn’t helped her. She’d been hoping to know how much time she had left before she had to make an escape attempt. Any attempt would be a lot easier before she got to the fire giant castle. There would be more eyes to watch her movements at a castle.
“And there is no way I can convince you to let me go?” Roxanne had to ask him because if there was a chance, she might be willing to take it.
“Here you are.” Daerrin handed her a piece of fresh meat from the campfire. “And no, there is nothing you can do that will convince me to let you go. Your father has only suffered for a couple of days. My family has been dead for weeks.”
Roxanne felt herself deflate a little as she took the meat from him, but she needed some real answers to her questions, not vague murmurs. “How many days are there until we reach the castle?”
Sighing Daerrin finally gave in. “Let’s see.” He took a second as he thought about how many days were left on their journey. “Probably three more days, if there are no delays.”
Roxanne couldn’t believe it. So few days?
It was time for her to make her escape, with or without a plan in place. It was imperative she get home. The comforts of her old life were calling her back. She’d much rather face a court full of nasty rumors, than life at a fire giant castle.
How could she escape though? She racked her brain for ideas.
If there was something to distract Daerrin’s attention, she might be able to slip away. She had to figure out how to make her own distraction because she couldn’t rely on fate to create a diversion for her when fate had so far been unreliable.
Her mind was so focused on devising a plan that she barely had time to appreciate the meat she was eating. Once she was done, she flicked the bone away and wiped her mouth on the back of her hand.
She focused in on the dancing flames. Maybe she could set fire to some of the camp and let the fire giants deal with that while she snuck away. But if she got caught Daerrin would be more than just displeased with her. She had to do something that wouldn’t get her killed if he caught her.
“If you’re ready to head back to the tent, you can walk since it isn’t far away.” Daerrin pointed over his shoulder at one of the tents.
“I think I will.”
His eyes narrowed a bit as he watched her. “Not nervous?”
“Like you pointed out, it isn’t far to walk.” Roxanne stood. “If I need you, you should be able to hear me call out.”
Now that she’d been fed there was no reason to be near Daerrin after they had such a heated moment earlier. The campfire light made a slightly romantic scene, and Roxanne didn’t need him getting any ideas.
Or maybe it was her who didn’t want to get any ideas. In the firelight, he called to a part of her soul. Those chiseled features, that black hair that she wanted to run her hands through and those piercing blood red eyes of his.
Roxanne shook herself. Those were some dangerous thoughts.
She froze. Or maybe she did want him to get some ideas. Staring down at the top of his head she contemplated the idea of using her body as the distraction that she would need to make an escape.
The thought of him between her legs was more appealing than she liked.
“Something wrong?”
“What?” Roxanne asked as she shook herself out of her disturbing yet very appealing thoughts.
“You were staring at me. Not that I would blame you, many females find me captivating.” He sent her a grin, which was much too charming for his own good.
“Keep dreaming.” Roxanne swiveled on her heel and left him to sit by the fire alone. But he might not have to dream for long if she decided to go through with the plan she’d concocted.
Roxanne doubted he could resist her body if she was naked and ready for him when he came to the tent. She was sure he would jump at the chance to bed her.
Try as he might to make her feel as though she was below his notice, neither of them could deny the kiss they’d shared earlier. Those sparks had been real on both sides.
After entering the tent, Roxanne took a steadying breath, and then shrugged out of her fur dress. She’d made her decision. She would wait for Daerrin to come into the tent, and then she would make sure to tire him out.
Roxanne had to mentally prepare herself. This wouldn’t work if she couldn’t control her gag reflex. Just the thought of a fire giant taking her had her… gagging?
Then why was the area between her legs already getting wet in anticipation of what was to come? Were her mind and body really on different sides when it came to Daerrin?
Just as long as her body understood this was a one-time situation, whether or not it was good.
Daerrin kicked his legs out towards the fire and threw his hands behind his head as he watched Roxanne leave the campfire for their tent. The sway of her hips had him drooling. He could imagine cupping those fine orbs and massaging them until she pleaded him for more.
They’d both been affected by the kiss they shared. Her body had melted against him, and again he found himself wishing he hadn’t been wearing armor so he could have felt her body against his.
Daerrin glared across the fire where a couple of warriors were drinking and having a merry good time. He wished he could relax and enjoy the company around him, but images of Roxanne kept floating through his mind and clouding his thoughts.
The memory of her naked body wouldn’t stop pestering him, and his cock was rock hard. All he wanted to do was kiss down her neck and compel her to beg him to make her come.
Deciding he’d wasted enough time sitting around the fire, he jumped up and sauntered over to his tent. His cock bothered him the whole way there, but there was nothing he could do about it until they reached the castle and he enjoyed a couple of fire giant females.
As he stepped inside the tent and looked up, his steps faltered.
Groaning he felt his cock grow even harder, if that was even possible, as his eyes went from bare feet to bare legs. His eyes took in her triangular patch of blazing red hair and then raised to glance at her uncovered breasts. They were large and full, and the crimson nipples were hard, begging him to suck them into his mouth.
She had the luck of the draw. Her breasts were well rounded, yet they weren’t sagging. He could imagine those breasts wrapped around his cock as he thrust back and forth, and then came all over her face.
Daerrin couldn’t clear his mind of those thoughts once he had them in there. Those breasts of hers were meant to be suckled, to be played with, and to please both of them beyond measure.
His sanity left him, and he didn’t even think about questioning why she would be in front of him naked.
“Like what you see?” She asked in a silky voice dripping with desire. She rocked her hips ever so slightly.
“Roxanne, you don’t need to do this.” He licked his suddenly dry lips. Maybe he had it all wrong, and she hadn’t expected him to walk in on her. Maybe she’d only been trying to change… or something. Oh god, he sure hoped not.
“Do what?” She cocked a hip, which sent her breasts jiggling.
Gulping, Daerrin tried to keep his sanity, as his cock strained impatiently in his breeches. “I will keep you safe without you offering your body to me.” Though he hoped she would offer him her body. His cock ached with his need to take her and bring them both to climax.
Roxanne shook her head, causing her loose fiery curls to swing over her breasts, playing pick-a-boo with him. “That isn’t the reason I’ve been waiting for you.”
That was all he needed to hear from her mouth. If she wanted him, then she had him.
With a growl, he leaped across the space separating them and reached for her. He dragged her roughly into his arms his mouth falling onto hers hungrily.
It wa
s a searing kiss, almost burning with its consuming need. Roxanne would give this fire giant credit, he knew how to use his lips, and hopefully, he would be just as skilled at wielding his hard cock, which was grinding into her abdomen.
The length of his cock was hard not to notice since she easily felt it through his pants. She knew it would fill her completely, maybe even more than she could take. Excitement spiked through her and a little fear. What if he was bigger than she could handle?
Slowly, his tongue made its way to the crease of her lips distracting her from her worrisome thoughts, and she opened her mouth eagerly. Their tongues danced together until hers retreated allowing him to explore her mouth. The tip of his tongue caressed her teeth, and then met her tongue further in her mouth.
Breaking away from her lips Daerrin kissed his way from the corner of her mouth down her cheek, and then to her neck. She felt her skin heat, as even more wetness built between her legs.
Laughing Roxanne pushed his head away, as he continued to kiss the sensitive skin of her neck. “Stop Daerrin. It’s tickling me.”
“Sorry.” But the moment her hand stopped guarding her neck, he went right back to kissing her.
“Daerrin!”
“Mmmm?”
“Stop it! I’m serious.” Her voice lacked conviction as she giggled uncontrollably.
“Fine.”
His mouth abandoned her neck to continue kissing her on her lips gently. Then his hands roamed up and down her naked body, exploring her curves. He caressed her breasts, brought them into his hands, and gave them a gentle squeeze.
“I love your breasts.” He whispered to her.
Bending down on one knee Daerrin brought one of her large breasts to his lips, and he sucked her tight nipple into his mouth.
Roxanne’s mouth popped open as sensations flew through her. Her hands fell onto his shoulders, and she clutched at them while waves passed through her body. A moan slipped from her, as his tongue circled her nipple and then he lightly nipped it with his teeth.
