THE VIKING AND THE COURTESAN

by Shehanne Moore

  “You’ll have to tell me, sweeting. You see, I don’t know.”

  What a liar. And his mouth nuzzling hers? It was a lie she didn’t mind him telling though when he was as close as this and the warmth from his body made her own tingle with anticipation.

  “Don’t worry I will.”

  She edged onto her knees and pressed her mouth to his. She had to. If she paused to think about this, she might stop and this was the risk she had to take. No ground shifting. No thought of anything else. Just his hands clasping her face, her fingers tightening in his silky soft hair. She’d noticed it before of course, but how was it she’d never noticed before just quite how fine it was?

  As for his mouth widening on hers as if he wanted to eat her, that was delicious as he was. A heady concoction that drew her closer and burst tiny bubbles of pleasure in her blood. Her lips trembled and as he increased the pressure, she tightened her fingertips in his hair. In that instant she couldn’t remember wanting him more. Stop herself now? That would be like holding back the tide. Even before he let go of her face and wrapped his arm around her waist, she’d no damned intention.

  “Are you sure? Do we take the consequences?”

  Just when she thought she’d surely die, he broke the kiss to ask.

  She would. And when she came to herself later, it would be here. With him. Whatever storms lay ahead. She felt it in her bones. There would be no more shifts.. This was now. As to why she felt that way, that was still to be discovered but she believed it was because of the journey they’d already made.

  That was when the three words fell from her lips.“I love you.” She pressed her mouth to his. “Now let me be with you forever.”