Claimed on the Frontier (11 page)

I nodded, my ability to speak gone.

A finger under my chin, his voice was both stern and gentle when he spoke. “Enough now, little one.”

Little one.
Something in me warmed to that, and I swallowed against the lump in my throat. I felt our age difference then. He seemed so much older and wiser, more patient and knowledgeable than I. It seemed that trusting him was the best decision to make. I’d trusted him at the most precarious of moments in the past weeks, and he’d proven himself time and time again. I started as he gently spun me around, and I felt him begin to unfasten the buttons that secured my dress. I closed my eyes. He was my husband, now. It was proper.

The minutes ticked by as he slowly unbuttoned my dress and pulled it over my head, laying it across the foot of the bed. He continued removing my layers of clothing until I stood in front of him wearing naught but my thin chemise, which he lifted and pulled straight over my head. Next came the drawstring to my undergarments. And then I was bare to him.

His thumbs circled my breasts, and I gasped at the sudden sensation that lit my insides to fire. Heat pulsed between my legs and I felt my nipples harden. He smiled softly to himself. He released my breasts and tugged me down so that I sat upon his lap.

“From now on, you’ll do my bidding,” he said, his lips at my ears. “Won’t you?”

His hand gently kneaded my breast. I swallowed and nodded. “Yes, sir.”

“And you do know that if you disobey, I’ll punish you. Don’t you?”

I closed my eyes. “Yes, sir. I know, sir.”

His mouth traveled the length of my arm, down my shoulder to my breast. He kissed me again, and his tongue flicked out. I gasped at the sudden sensation. He spoke again in a low whisper.

“But tonight, on the night you vowed yourself to me, I’m feelin’ merciful,” he said. “Tonight we start anew. Tonight, Pearl, you belong to me.”

Each touch of his hand, or whisper from his mouth, sent pleasant sensations through me, even as I trembled with anticipation and apprehension. His hand smoothed my skin, over and over again.

“You’re beautiful,” he murmured. “And you’re mine. But if you’re mine, you
will
mind me. Won’t you, little one?”

“Yes, sir,” I whispered.

“You’ll not lift heavy things I can lift for you, and you’ll not give way to temper when you’re angry. You’ll do as you’re told and trust me to lead you,” he said. “Won’t you, darlin’?”

I
wanted
to obey him then. Not for fear of punishment. No. I wanted to please him.

Slowly, he trailed a finger down my thigh and circled a thumb on my leg. My insides melted and I pulsed with desire for him. I gasped, nearly leaping off his lap as one finger stroked between my slit. It was a strange sensation and completely new to me. His finger moved easily, in and out, and I squirmed.

“Relax, darlin’,” he crooned. It seemed
little one
and
darlin
’
all at once would fill my heart to bursting. Now that I anticipated his touch, the feeling was welcome. He stroked me, and one touch made me feel full and eager for more, then an upward stroke set my senses on fire. I whimpered, eager for more.

“My girl likes my being in control,” he murmured, and I wasn’t sure if he was speaking to himself or to me. He continued to stroke. “Don’t you, Pearl?”

There was only one response. “Oh, yes, sir. Please, sir.”

“Please what, my girl?”

“Whatever you want,” I choked out, nearly sobbing. The desire to fulfill his need along with my own was all-consuming.

“Such a very good girl,” he murmured. And then I was up and he laid me on my back on the bed. He was still fully clothed. He knelt above me and his eyes looked different now, feverish, insistent, though still kind. He unbuttoned his shirt, and at the first sight of his bare chest, I gasped. He was lean and muscular, but it was the intimacy of seeing him bare-chested that sent tremors through my thighs.

The darkness, and my arousal, made me brave.

“Please, may I touch you?”

“I’d be disappointed if you didn’t,” he said in a husky whisper, as his shirt fell to the floor and he leaned his body down upon mine, not so heavy it was unbearable, but close enough that I felt the warmth and heat of him from head to toe. My hands roamed his body, and I sighed as I felt the heat of his skin, the hardness of his muscles, and the coarse hair on his chest. As my fingers gently traced the edges of his muscles, his mouth met mine with a moan. The contrast of his soft, warm mouth and prickly whiskers was intoxicating. I opened my mouth, unsure of what to do, but secure in the knowledge that I didn’t have to know. I would let him lead. With his warm mouth upon mine, one of his hands grazed my breast. I couldn’t believe how it made me feel. One touch, one caress, and my insides were on fire, the intensity of my need for him growing incrementally with every brush of his fingers.

And then he trailed kisses down my neck. I moaned. It felt so nice, and though I knew not what I needed, I knew that my need was intensifying. He kissed his way down to my navel. Not an hour earlier, the thought of being bared to him was scary to me. Now, it was freeing.

His eyes roamed my body like a man possessed, and I could tell that he was pleased with what he saw.

“So lovely,” he murmured, his index finger tracing a path from my breast to my stomach, my hips involuntarily rising as he dipped lower and lower. “Gorgeous,” he breathed. His large hands spanned my waist, and at his touch and praise, I felt like my body, wholly pure and unadulterated, was an offering to him. In short time, he was as bared to me as I to him.

“You’re my wife, now, Pearl,” he said in a throaty whisper, his mouth coming to my cheek and kissing me tenderly. “As God is my witness, I’ll do well by you. But I can’t wait any longer.”

“Please don’t,” I begged. I didn’t know what would happen. I didn’t know what it would feel like.

“Open your legs, darlin’,” he whispered. How could someone so formidable be so gentle? I obediently opened my legs. His head fell to my neck, his whiskers sending shivers along my spine as his chin hit my collarbone, gently, but in a way that was abandoned.

His voice tickled my naked skin. “I will be as gentle as I can,” he promised.

I nodded, my pulse spiking as I stopped breathing.

And then he entered me. He was at once hard and soft, and I was full, but not full enough. I tightened against him, which made him groan.

“Good girl,” he said softly. His hips rose and fell as he thrust. It hurt, but in a way that felt so nice, I could only ask for more.

“Please,” I panted. “Please don’t stop.” I needed him to push, and push harder. I needed him to claim me, possess every inch of my being in a way no man had ever possessed me. I needed to be
his
and I knew in my heart of hearts that giving way to the slow, steady, agonizingly blissful tempo he was building was what I needed, down to every fiber of my being. In and out he thrust, his lips on mine possessive and more passionate. We were building a crescendo, to what, I did not know, but I knew we could not stop, not yet.

“So beautiful,” he murmured. His hands went to my wrists and the grip was strong. A quick pulse of fear rent me as he pinned my wrists up high above my head, vise-like and unmovable, but the second I was divested of the freedom to move, my arousal heightened and the thrust between my legs intensified.

“Oh, dear
God
,”
I muttered. Instantly I wished to take back my words, but he merely chuckled.

“This is the only place I’ll ever allow you to curse unpunished.” And now the word
unpunished
caused the same welling of desire. I moaned.

“You like that,” he whispered, still chuckling, still thrusting.

“Yes, sir, I like all of you,” I panted. Again and again he thrust.

“I’m not hurting you?”

“It’s a bearable hurt,” I said. “What would be unbearable would be if you stopped.”

He laughed with abandon, then quieted, his hips moving against mine. My need was building, and I didn’t know what would happen, but I knew that he had to continue. Again and again he thrust, and then I toppled over the edge. Every nerve sizzling, heat rising in my cheeks as my hips jerked and he groaned, a husky release of his own that mingled with mine, until his hips slowed and he rested his head upon my chest. I closed my eyes.

Warmth and peace followed the ecstasy I’d felt. I wanted him in me, in that intimate claiming that made me feel at once his, unified in a way nothing else had ever done. I didn’t know the moment could be made more perfect.

I was wrong.

Aaron lifted his face and his eyes met mine. I smiled softly at him, running one small finger along the edge of his damp forehead, down to his whiskery beard and landing on his full lips. He kissed my fingertip. So sweet.

When my finger was no longer on his lips, he smiled at me. “I love you, Pearl,” he whispered.

Until Aaron, I did not know what love was.

I didn’t know how to be a wife, most especially the wife for Aaron. I feared I’d never be the obedient, submissive wife he longed for. But I knew in that moment that somehow, I’d pleased him. And I also knew that I would give anything to please him again. I knew that he made me feel safe. I knew that I admired his fortitude and moral conviction. I knew that there was nowhere I felt more at peace than in his presence. I knew not what ‘love’ was, but if there was ever a word for what I felt for Aaron, it would have to do.

“And I love you,” I whispered in return.

Chapter Seven
:
Lovers

I woke before the sun rose. I should say I was woken, actually, for my eyelids were still closed tight when I felt Aaron’s hands on me. First, I became aware of his touch on my hip, one hand spanning my waist. It felt immediately welcome and pleasant, and the twinge of arousal I’d felt the night before flared again at his touch. I slowly became aware of the fact that his warm body was pressed up against mine, and it was likely for this reason that I’d slept so well.

He’d placed me in bed so that my body was near the wall and his near the door. He didn’t tell me why, simply said, “You sleep on that side of the bed.”

I didn’t question. I knew it was for my protection, and I liked that. So I slept on the right side of the bed, as the door to our little home was on the left side of the bed. I slept as I normally did, wearing nothing but my chemise. I’d been so tired and sated the night before, I’d fallen to sleep easily, and having bared everything of mine to him, it felt reasonable that I would sleep next to him scantily clad. But when I felt his hand nestled against my hip, I began to wake up.

First, I became aware of the dull ache between my legs. It wasn’t altogether unpleasant. It was a nice reminder of our intimacy the night before. But it did smart, as I pressed my bottom up against him. He pressed harder against me from behind, and I wondered what he was planning. Aaron had seemed so self-possessed and under control. He was a man of self-discipline and strong moral conviction. Could it be not mere hours later he was prepared to bed me again?

It most certainly would seem that way, as the hand grasping my side began to move. First, he lowered his hand over the thin cotton chemise. I swallowed, keeping my eyes shut. I did not know how I was supposed to react. The touch was most welcome, and I enjoyed the feeling of being Aaron’s to touch and please as he saw fit. When my chemise was hiked up around my waist, his hands began to roam, quietly at first, then with more intensity.

“Are you sore, Pearl?” he asked. It was the first he’d spoken to me. His voice was husky from sleep, and seemed deeper in the stillness.

“Yes, sir,” I said. “A little, from the night before.”

He did not respond, merely continued to let his hand roam over my body, first down my thighs in a smooth caress, but then up over my hip and to my waist. He nestled his hand over my belly, warm and possessive, the pad of his thumb rough over my smooth skin. I realized I was breathing heavily and warmth had spread across my chest. As I focused on my breathing, not moving as I knew he wanted me to allow his exploration, his fingers went higher until his palm cupped my breast. I closed my eyes and sighed into the pillow. His finger gently, slowly traced over my hardened nipple. I gasped, surprised by the intensity of my arousal. He squeezed and then released my breast, once again roaming over my body.

“You’re beautiful,” he murmured. “Even more beautiful than I’d imagined.”

“You… imagined?” I panted.

“Since the very first moment I laid eyes on you.”

I found this interesting. It seemed being in control of himself and self-possessed still allowed for lustful thoughts.

“Did you?” I whispered, but it wasn’t a question that needed answering. His hand lowered now and dipped between my legs. He bared me and gave me a slow, torturous stroke. The intensity caused a near sob to rise in me. My hips raised as I pushed closer to him, silently begging him to continue. Underneath my body, I felt his second hand encircle me, and one hand fondled my breast while the other continued to stroke. The sensation was overwhelming. I panted, my eyes shut tight as he quickened his strokes between my legs, alternating fondling one breast and then the other. He was murmuring soft things to me but I could barely make them out in my hazy state, things like, “That’s my girl,” and “So beautiful. Just relax, darlin’.” I obeyed. It seemed like mere seconds later when again, similar to the night before but somehow in a more intense way, my hips ground against his hand and ecstasy flowed through my body, every inch of me consumed in heat and pleasure. I groaned his name out loud, not wanting him to stop whatever it was he was doing. Finally, I was spent, and I settled back down with a content sigh.

My need to be held by him surprised me, but it felt as if I needed nothing more at that moment. I rolled over and he lifted his arm. I nestled my cheek against his chest. He wore a thin white nightshirt. His arm encircled me and he drew me in, warm and tight against him. He smelled so nice, clean and masculine, and as I tucked my legs up against him and he held me, I felt so small against his strong, sturdy body. He was so handsome. I was so young and naive. And the things he was doing to my body both baffled and astounded me.