She had gone into this relationship out of necessity, but she would stay because she loved him. It was in her eyes, as well as in her unique aroma. Her lips were the only part of her holding back. She hadn’t spoken the words. Yet.
Their wedding day was drawing near, and as it approached, Jerden felt certain it was the right move. He loved Sara with all his heart and wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. That was a given, but he also looked forward to seeing his old friends. He hadn’t seen Onca in months. How he would laugh. “The hottest hunk in the galaxy has finally been caught,” he would say.
Onca had vowed that he would never fall into that trap himself. He was happy being the sole Zetithian in the Palace, though after Audrey’s death, he’d limited himself only to those species whose scent aroused him naturally. That was where they’d gone wrong, he said. They’d catered to too many whims, fucked too many women they should never have fucked. Strange that a rascal like Onca would have such scruples.
Still, he was probably correct—yet another strike against them in the book of right and wrong. Had they ignored Audrey’s suggestion, she might still be alive.
Don’t start that again.
Jerden knew he should heed that warning, lest he risk returning to the depths of depression—a place he never cared to visit again. He would much rather focus on the future—the new places he and Sara could go together. They would travel to the moon and stars, whether they ever left
this
place again or not.
“It’s very sweet of you to pull up all those weeds,” she said. “I’m sure Danuban would thank you if he could.” She looked up at him and smiled as though she understood his concern. “You miss riding him, don’t you?”
A few short weeks ago, that would’ve been the problem. True, he liked to ride the stallion, but he’d ridden some of Sara’s other horses in the interim, and though the bond between them wasn’t nearly as strong, the lines of communication were quite clear. Odd that he should instinctively know how to get a horse to do exactly what he wanted them to when he’d never even
seen
a horse before Danuban arrived at his home. Sara’s skill as a trainer had come about through hard work and dedication, and she admitted to being rather envious. Jerden couldn’t blame her for that. His own ability was more akin to falling off a log.
“Yes, but that isn’t what I was thinking about.” And neither was she—that is, if her body wasn’t lying to him. Somehow he doubted that it
could
lie to him. Perhaps at one time it might have, but no longer.
She probably didn’t even think she looked enticing at the moment. There was a smudge on her cheek where a horse had kissed her, and her short curls were wind-tossed and unruly. She wore no jewelry, no adornment—only a plain white shirt and buff breeches with her tall black boots. Still, she could have been decked out in emeralds that matched her eyes and a gown worthy of a fairy princess and he couldn’t have wanted her more.
Letting his gaze roam over her face, he drank in a vision he never wanted to forget. “I was thinking about
you
.”
Her cheeks blushed, reminding him of her roses. Even now, after a day’s work, their scent still lingered on her skin, reminding him of how she had smelled when she’d stepped out of the shower the night before. The air had been filled with the heady aromas of Sara and rose-scented soap, rising from her damp, flushed skin. He’d wrapped her in a towel and carried her to the bed, making love to her until her eyes grew hazy, then drifting closed as she sank into slumber.
Draping an arm around her shoulders, he pulled her close. “I want to make love to you in the rose garden sometime.” He smiled. Purring was automatic now. He couldn’t imagine holding her like that and
not
purring. “I can see you now, lying on your back in the grass, the moon shining down on your face, the roses blooming all around us, and the scent of your desire filling my head.”
She leaned against his shoulder. “Sounds lovely.”
***
Sara had never thought of her rose garden as anything but a place of peace and beauty—a meditative spot in which to linger when her mind was troubled. Having sex there had never occurred to her, and the underlying current of disquiet regarding Danuban’s illness now drew her to Jerden, rather than her roses. He had become her new source of solace, and if it weren’t for worrying about the stallion, she would have been at total peace with the world.
Security in the barn had never been an issue before. But now, she thought of installing a surveillance system—something she could never have afforded until Jerden came along. She’d like to have proof of her suspicions, but she suspected that the actual poisoning attempt had taken place several months previously. With the stallion running loose, free access to the addictive plant would mean his eventual death, which meant that his escape from the spaceport might also have been deliberate. A confined horse would require a more direct approach. She shuddered at the thought of the stealth required for such an act.
The person she needed was Tisana, the Mordrial/human witch who could actually understand the thoughts of animals. True, the evidence probably wouldn’t stand up in a court of law, but Sara would know her suspicions were correct—that is, if there was any direct evidence, which she was beginning to doubt. If what she suspected was true, there had to be minions involved—something Danuban wouldn’t know anything about. The prime instigator would have been nowhere near the horse, thus protecting himself from suspicion.
However, there was only one person Sara could think of who didn’t want Danuban around, for
any
reason. Would marrying Jerden eliminate the threat or not? She wasn’t sure. The motive was murky—there didn’t seem to be a valid reason for anything so drastic. Still, it was the best lead she had.
“What are
you
thinking about?” Jerden asked. “Somehow I don’t think it was sex in the rose garden.”
“No, it wasn’t. Sorry.” Looping an arm around his waist, she gave him a squeeze. “I’m still worried about Danuban. What Lowinski said about him being deliberately poisoned has me bugged.”
“You said you knew who might be responsible. I’ll take a stab at it and say it’s Nate, but I’m not sure why.”
“Me, either.” She frowned. “He was against my getting that horse from the moment I mentioned it to him. I know he wanted me to use his stallion, but I don’t understand why it should matter that much to him. Stud fees are a source of income, but not
that
much—after all, I only have four Andalusian mares—and a scheme like this hardly seems worth the trouble.”
There was something she wasn’t seeing here—a significant part of the puzzle that eluded her. She had every intention of letting Nate know she suspected him, short of coming right out and making an accusation. It would take careful wording, but it could be done.
“Still want to invite him to the wedding?”
Sara snorted a laugh. “Yes, if for no other reason than to prove to him that we are, indeed, married and that I’m not available anymore. I don’t know where he ever got the idea that I might be interested in him in the first place.” She paused, giving her head a rueful shake. “Maybe he’s just cocky enough to think that
any
woman would want him.”
Jerden chuckled. “But you aren’t just ‘any woman,’ are you?”
“No, not when it took the hottest hunk in the galaxy to make me see the light.” She gazed up at him. He was so solid, so strong, so kind, so handsome. Was
this
the right time?
She swallowed hard, thinking this was perhaps the most difficult task she’d ever faced. And yet, as her eyes met his, the words came easily. “And to make me fall in love with him.”
His smile displayed nothing but genuine pleasure and affection—nothing cocky about it at all. “I was beginning to think you’d never say that.” A kiss followed, unsurpassed in its sweetness.
Tears stung her eyes, filling her lids before coursing down her cheeks. “I love you, Jerden. I never thought I’d say it, but I do.” She ought to have known from the first moment she laid eyes on him. She hadn’t, of course. Something that stunningly beautiful could never belong to her—not unless it walked on four legs. Danuban was similar in that respect—the epitome of his breed, one that took your breath whether you fancied horses or not. She’d stopped looking at men that way years ago.
And yet, here she was with Jerden—in love and about to be married. The impossibility of it rocked her soul. Touching his face, she threaded her fingers in his hair, proving to herself once again that he was real. How many times would she have to do that before she believed it?
The full moon was already peeking above the eastern horizon, and, as it traded places with the sun, the shadows deepened and the light from his eyes grew brighter. Even in darkness, Jerden was beautiful. Not merely handsome or attractive, but beautiful—with a beauty that went far beyond his appearance, reaching to the depths of his soul. Her hand slid through his hair to cup his neck, pulling him down again. This time, she kissed him.
I
love
you
, her mind whispered.
So
very, very much…
His lips slanted over hers, setting her heart racing as heat rushed to her core. She couldn’t get enough of him. Never, ever. Her arms couldn’t hold him tightly enough; her lips couldn’t kiss him deeply enough. She could never show him how she felt.
Jerden took the lead, gathering her in his arms and turning toward the house. She never broke the kiss, still savoring his flavor. The heat of his body surrounded her and kept her warm, kept her safe, and drove her mad with desire… He did all of those things simply by being who he was. Her one and only love.
His purr vibrated her chest. She could imagine nothing more stimulating or more soothing. Nothing. His skin was hot beneath her touch, rivaling the fire he ignited deep down inside her. She lost track of where they were until the fragrance told her. She smiled against his lips.
The
rose
garden.
He was wasting no time making his fantasy a reality. How many more did he have tucked away in his brain? Fantasies weren’t something Sara had ever indulged in. She would have to leave it to him to be creative.
The ground was still warm from the sun as he laid her down upon the grassy verge. A shadow crossed in front of the moon as Cria took up sentinel duty. One of the dogs—the little Yorkie, perhaps—scampered over to investigate but didn’t stay long after Cria hissed at him.
Jerden took his time, slowly pulling off Sara’s boots, unbuckling her belt, and letting his hands glide up beneath her shirt and then down to push off her breeches. The night air was still warm, but his hands were even hotter on her bare skin. Undressing him was much easier. He seldom wore his new clothes, preferring the loincloth. She didn’t mind. It suited him, and all she had to do was unfasten his belt, and it fell right off. The perfect apparel for a man like Jerden.
He crawled up over her and kissed her again, each kiss increasing the tension, driving her closer to the point of seizing him. Reaching out, he grasped the nearest blossom, pulling the petals off in his hand. He held them above her, letting them fall on her skin like raindrops.
She inhaled the fragrance. “The Don Juan. Good choice.”
Smiling, he picked a flower from the only other bush within reach—the McCartney. A deep, vivid pink in daylight, by night it appeared silvery, but there was no mistaking the intoxicating scent.
“I think this is my favorite.” He held it to his nose. “It smells like love.”
Sara had heard that particular variety described as seductive. She’d planted both it and the Don Juan near her bedroom window, never realizing the significance. Now she understood.
Jerden showered her with more petals, then plucked another blossom by the stem, dropping it on the ground next to her ear. She turned, sniffing the heady aroma. “It
does
smell like love.”
Like
him.
Not the same scent, perhaps, but it evoked the same feeling.
“So do you.” His lips brushed her neck, and then moved lower, scattering kisses among the petals as he went. Nudging her knees apart, he licked her clitoris, sending shock waves resonating throughout her body. “You
taste
like love, too.” With a low growl, he went back down on her, devouring her with his lips and tongue, not stopping until she rewarded his efforts with a climactic cry.
In the throes of her orgasm, she suddenly knew what she wanted. A fantasy of her very own… “Come here and let me suck you.”
Like a panther stalking its prey, he came closer, pressing the head of his dripping penis against her lips. She opened her mouth and he slid inside, fucking her mouth gently, thoroughly. It was good—nothing that triggered orgasms of that magnitude could be considered bad—but it wasn’t quite what she wanted.
She pushed him aside. “Turn around.”
He knelt over her, his knees positioned above her shoulders, straddling her head. His nuts dangled just above her eyes, and she arched her neck to capture them, sucking one into her mouth. “
Mmm
…”
Jerden was purring like crazy and groaning with each swipe of her tongue. She was in no position to bite his ass, or even smack it, but she could grab it. Digging in with her fingertips, she squeezed him hard as she switched to the other testicle. Holding on with one hand, she used the other on his cock. Grasping it firmly, she slid her hand from head to root, spreading his slick sauce down the shaft. She loved making him come—and since he could continue indefinitely, she could make him ejaculate as often as she liked. Pumping her fist up and down his dick, she kept on until his cock erupted, spraying a line of
snard
that ran from her breasts all the way down to her pussy, landing on her exposed clit.
The explosive climax that followed was muffled by having his scrotum against her mouth, but even so, it drew her body into a writhing ball of ecstasy, forcing her to release him. Jerden’s cry was unhindered, sounding like a lion’s roar as it echoed across the fields.