Keeper of the Stone (8 page)

She nodded reluctantly.  “Do you intend to keep them?”  He watched the flare of annoyance at his gentle reminder flash across his gentle bride’s face a moment before she swallowed nervously and took a hesitant step forward.  Nathan remained where he was by the door.  It was important to both of them she come to him willingly.

He considered himself a patient man.  His little wife seemed intent on putting that conclusion to the test with each tiny, tentative step she took towards him.  It seemed as though it took her an hour just to cross the width of the room separating them.  With each cautious step his body’s needs rode him harder, reminding him of his long abstinence.  The campaign into Saxony was an intense one, with little opportunity for dalliance.  He’d gone long months without the comfort of a woman’s soft flesh beneath him, surrounding him. The thought he would soon have this beautiful woman’s tender flesh and untried body beneath him was like the burn of a lash spurring him on, testing his hard-won self-control to its very limits.  Sweat broke out on his forehead and beaded on his skin.  But it wasn’t the heat from the fire in the hearth eliciting such a response from his body; it was the heat of the fire burning in his loins.

When after a seemingly endless trek across the room, his bride was finally close enough he could see the outline of her erect nipples through the transparent gown and robe, she abruptly stopped her forward progress.  Her eyes were filled with both tears and terror at the unbridled lust he was unable to conceal in his own.  Nathan raised his gaze back from his perusal of her perfect silhouette almost bare to his lustful gaze beneath the transparent gown, and returned his eyes to her face. 

“Closer.” He commanded softly. She took another tiny, barely discernible step towards him.  Her vivid green eyes were like saucers in her white face, filled with both terror of him and the unknown awaiting her this night.  She trembled noticeably. Her hands were wrapped around her waist as if in anticipation of some blow and clenched the sheer robe in a death grip.  The fabric was so delicate he was surprised the garment was still intact and hadn’t already shredded in her hands. He reached out and lifted her chin with hand so she was forced to meet his intent gaze.

“Closer.” She bit her lip and took another tiny step forward.  He breathed in her womanly fragrance and was forced to restrain the urge to sweep her off her feet, lay her on his bed and force her innocence in one fierce thrust.  He drew an unsteady breath, clamping down on his manly inclination though the effort cost him.  Just drawing breath into his lungs was a painful alternative to his body’s insistent urging. His voice was therefore less than gentle when he demanded, “Take off your robe.”

Tears filled her eyes until they became emerald pools, shimmering in her stark face.  His bride shook her head, denying him. He could tell the small act of defiance cost her for her trembling was more pronounced now.  No doubt in anticipation of his retaliation.  Nathan therefore adopted a gentler tone. “Did you not promise to obey me?”

The shimmering tears spilled from her eyes and slid slowly down her cheeks as she loosened her tight grip on the thin robe and reached up to untie the ribbons holding it in place. She could not bring herself to meet his intent glance as she shrugged out of the robe and let it fall in an iridescent pool at her feet. When he was unable to control his sharp intake of breath at the sight of her perfection revealed through the thin layer of the gauzy material of her night gown, she flinched as if he struck her.  The garment was masterfully designed to entice a man to succumb to his lustful thoughts and concealed little from his avid gaze. 

His bride was perfectly formed, a gift for him from his maker and his king.  A thin waist rose above gently curved hips. Long slender leg tantalized his imagination and he shuddered to think of them wrapped demandingly around him.  He could not deny the urge to reach out and cup one full perfect breast through the thin material of the gown. Heat and softness filled his hand and spilled over.  His bride gasped at his boldness but she remained still beneath his questing hand, even when he brushed his thumb across one erect nipple.  She was panting now, her breasts rising and falling rapidly in fear.

Nathan let his hand linger while at the same time he wrapped his other arm around her tiny waist and pulled her towards him. His bride recoiled instinctively from the feel of his rock hard erection pressed intimately against her soft middle.  Struggling for control he pulled her gently, but inexorably back against him.  His own ragged breathing matched his wife’s as he bent his head and buried his face in her silken curls, trying to summon the iron discipline that governed his life until this moment. He suspected he was fighting a losing battle.  The hand cupping her breast was shaking with the urge to tear the thin gown off of her warm body and get his hands on her bare skin.  He reluctantly removed his hand from her breast and used it to gently lift her face so she would meet his gaze.

“I won’t force you.” He promised at the stark terror he read in her eyes, though how in hell he was going to keep his vow he could not fathom.

Her expressions passed in swift succession across her face…surprise, relief, hope, and then fear again, as if she was afraid to trust his vow.

“You will give yourself to me willingly, wife.  I won’t force you.” He repeated his promise.  Ignoring the tears still spilling silently down her cheeks, he covered her mouth with his.  He tasted the salt of her tears as he prayed for patience to endure this slow torture.  Trying to rid her of her fears, he gently coaxed her response to his touch.  When she hesitantly leaned into his embrace and tentatively moved her lips beneath his, he altered his grip to pull on her chin to get her to open her mouth for him.  The moment she did his tongue swept inside, tasting her, filling her.  His bride was not ready for this new intimacy and tried to turn her face away.  He would not allow her retreat after it had taken him so long to gain so small a concession out of her.  He used his tongue to claim possession, sinking deep within the sweet crevice of her mouth again and again until she grew accustomed to his taste.

Rhiann could not begin to understand the storm of emotions her husband was unleashing within her.  She couldn’t catch her breath.  She kept trying to push him away to gain a little space to consider what was happening to her but it was like trying to move a mountain.  His arms were like iron bands around her, though his touch was incredibly gentle. It comforted her to know he was being so careful not to use his magnificent strength against her.  At the thought, she let down her defenses a bit and gave herself up to the new sensations coursing through her. She didn’t remember making the conscious decision to lift her arms to cling to him, but suddenly her hands were fisted in his thick light brown hair and she was kissing him back. 

He groaned his encouragement when her tongue tentatively brushed against his, then pulled his own back into his mouth beckoning her to follow.  Feeling bereft without him inside of her, she followed where he led. Her tongue slid along his bottom lip then slowly, hesitantly entered his mouth.  Nathan drew her in. 

It was strange this mingling of breaths but not as terrifying as when he stood silently staring at her, his eyes dark and intent, his stance tense, like an animal readying itself to pounce on its prey.  The arms around her were strong but tender, and his hand he wrapped in her hair to hold her head still caressed her gently.  He promised he would never hurt her that he wouldn’t force her, and perhaps she was beginning to believe him a little. 

She let her hands slide tentatively under the crisp white shirt he wore.  His instant reaction to her touch on his incredibly hot skin made her hesitate in her exploration.  “No Rhiann, that’s it, touch me,” he whispered harshly against her ear.

She continued sliding her hands up his hard, flat stomach until they rested in the heavy mat of hair she discovered on his chest.  She caught her fingers in the crisp curls and pulled gently.  He groaned in response.  All the while their mouths teased, pressed together, breaths mingled, tongues danced.  Her fingers continued their exploration until they found his nipples buried beneath the thick hair on his chest.  She brushed her thumb across one much as he had done to her own.  She felt him jerk against her and suddenly found herself swept up in his arms and being carried to the bed.

“I am going to lose my mind if I can’t touch you right this minute.  If you don’t want me to tear that gown off of you, take it off – now.”  Rhiann supposed she should be frightened by his harsh demand but part of her thrilled at the thought she could drive him to the brink of his control.  He set her on her feet at the edge of the bed, towering over her, his massive chest rising and falling as he watched her nervously pluck at the ties of her gown.  Nathan removed his own shirt before she even loosed the tie holding the scooped neckline in place. 

Rhiann couldn’t stop herself from stealing a glance at his naked chest and suddenly her fingers were all thumbs. Her breath caught in her throat at the sight of his muscular chest covered with golden curls.  Her eyes stole lower to where the golden hair formed a v and disappeared beneath the tight fit of his breeches where his maleness strained noticeably against them. She blushed and quickly dropped her gaze to her feet, her hands forgetting they were supposed to be working on the ties of her gown.  At the thought of her husband thrusting his huge maleness into her the fear returned a hundred fold.

Nathan could see the fresh panic building in his bride’s face and thought to give her something else to worry about.  He brushed her fumbling fingers aside and tore the gown off of her with one firm sweep of his hand.  At the same moment her glorious breasts spilled out of the torn gown, she lifted outraged eyes to his face.  “The queen gave me this gown!”

Nathan laughed at her indignant response and reached a gentle hand that shook slightly from the force of his need to explore her naked skin and cupped one full breast in his hand.  He thought he was prepared for how soft she would be, how her unblemished skin would feel against his own calloused palm.  He closed his eyes against this new sweet torture he inflicted on himself and let his other hand drift down her stomach until his fingers were caught in the golden curls shielding her virginity from him. 

Shocked at his boldness Rhiann tried to push his hand away.  He smiled at her shyness and slid one finger beneath the curls and sought out the damp cleft they hid.  His wife’s attempts to get him to stop became more frantic as she pushed against his probing hand. He dropped his head and buried his face in her hair.  He couldn’t wait much longer.  Feeling her body’s response to his touch made his control slip another notch. 

Realizing she lacked the strength to push his hand away, Rhiann sought to free herself from his bold touch.  She sank backwards on the bed and quickly scooted to the other side, intent on escape. Nathan caught her before she could emerge from the other side and came down heavily on top of her.  She raised her hands to fight him off but he easily captured them and pulled them above her head.  Nathan was fascinated by the way her breasts were heaving from her futile attempts to struggle against his restraining grip.  His tongue slid along her parted lips capturing the taste of her rapid breaths.

He couldn’t resist the urge to kiss her again, to coax her warm response to his touch from her parted lips.  He let his weight sink more heavily against her lower body so she was aware of his maleness rubbing against the opening he would soon breech.  His mouth covered hers and battled with her resistance, forcing hers open when she tried to fight him.  His tongue sank deep, branding her, making her accept his possession. 

In and out, in and out he stoked the fires in her until she whimpered in the back of her throat and kissed him back. He lifted his head and let his mouth slide along the slender column of her throat, down her chest, until he circled one straining nipple with his tongue. She gasped in astonishment.  He smiled and drew the peak into his mouth and sucked gently.

“Oh God,” Her stunned whisper was all the encouragement he needed.  He released the hands he held over her head and let one of his own come between her legs to search out her damp curls again.  This time when his finger slid beneath the curls and played with the dampened skin beneath she didn’t push him away but lifted her hips in a silent demand for more.

When his fingers separated her and one plunged boldly inside that secret place, Rhiann couldn’t stop the moan of pleasure that erupted from her lips.  His mouth teased her breasts until they felt heavy and strained for more of his touch.  His hand was sliding in and out of her in some secret rhythm until Rhiann was bucking against his searching hand.  When his thumb pressed against one special spot she screamed in amazement.  “Nathan, Nathan, please.” 

She didn’t know what she pleaded with him for, only guessed he knew the answer to the questions her body was so insistently asking.  She felt as though she were racing towards some unknown destination, her body strained in anticipation and only Nathan could take her there.

His hand moved more forcefully, he slipped another finger inside spreading her at the same time his thumb found that special spot again.  Rhiann arched forcefully off the bed and tried to lift her hips against his probing hand.  She cried out again, this time not in shock but in need.  She needed him to keep touching her.  She needed him to bring an end to this rising force within her or she thought she might go mad.

Nathan watched the tension build in his wife’s innocent body, knew Rhiann had never known passion by the astonishment she greeted each new sensation with. He understood she didn’t even know what she begged him for, but he wouldn’t let her find fulfillment until he was buried deep within her young flesh. She was writhing beneath him, her head moving back and forth, her whispered pleas not to stop urging him to take her higher and higher. “Nathan!” he smiled at the demand in her voice and bent down and captured her lips for a long, drugging kiss.  She eagerly kissed him back.