I blinked at him in horror before I looked down again, noticing that my dark nipples were clearly obvious under the flimsy white garment.
“Don’t worry.” He laughed. “Nothing there to see, Baby Girl.”
He leaned back to close the door but I slapped it and pushed through the crack.
“Don’t do that!”
“What?” He took a step back. Lifting his hands.
“Stop always taunting me.”
“I don’t always taunt you.” He began strolling back toward his bed.
I was on his heels. “More often than not!”
He shrugged. “Archer is just as bad as me but you’re fawning all over him.”
“Archer is kind to me to. He brings me berries and sometimes holds my hand.”
“Oh, impressive.” He rounded to mutter down at me. “He’s clearly a seducer of maids...”
Goading me so far, that even my hair felt like it was on fire. My skin burning in furious rage. I curled my hands into fists that itched to strike him.
“He’s not s
I turned to a puddle. My head dropped forward on my shoulders. My jaw hung. To say I was gaping, did not fully cover my expression of shock. “For the Eternus alliance?” I managed to expostulate. Unable to think of a single other logical reason. He gave a cold laugh. “I don’t want to be King.” He pointed out. “You know that.” It was true. I’d heard he and my brother, Roger discussing exactly that on many occasions. Roger usually told him that he’d like it when he became it, but no man was excited for it. Jackson had argued that he liked being free to run outside and to chase the animals, hunt and work with the weapons. He didn’t want to sit in a throne and make boring decisions. “They’re only boring if you’re not smart.” Archer would point out. Which caused the anticipated angry response from Jackson. Ending in them rolling in a scuffle in the dirt. Laughing between whacking each other. I returned to the
“I’m not a troll.” I defended. Annoyed by his newest antagonistic comment. “You rather look like one when you’re mad.” “Why are you always so mean!” I did stomp that time. “To get your attention.” He shrugged. “And to get that reaction. You look positively adorable when you’re mad.” I grabbed the nearest candlestick from a stand by the door and hurled it over my head in his direction. He palmed it away and it clattered against the wall. “Uh-oh, Fiere. Better run. Daddy won’t give you a choice if he catches you sneaking from my chamber in the dead of night.” That’s probably very, very true. I winced. “He won’t give you one either!” “I’ve already made it clear I’d welcome that. And,” he added ominously. “trapping you in it, if need be.” “That’s not gentlemanly.” “You keep accusing me of that as if one day I will be.” “You’re not!” “Nope.” “Jacks!” “Better run, Fiere
“You talking about dishonoring me, Jackson?” “Only until the ceremony can be arranged. No dishonor between a man and a woman when good intentions are planned.” He said huskily. “It’s when others get involved and in the middle that it becomes dishonoring.” “Ah.” I tapped my lip. “I get it now.” I flicked his nose and gave a feminine giggle in my throat. “Get what, Fiere?” He called after me. When I didn’t respond he called. “I don’t think you do...” But I did. At least, I thought so. He’s promising me a gown and a mark for me to hop in his sheets. Ha! Now I was sure that my brother wasn’t part of this ploy. This is all Jackson. How many women has this worked on? I was sure there were a number. I’ll not be one of them. *** But later that day he caught me by the stables. Closing the corral gate before I could get out of the horse pen. Calling acro
I felt his hands sliding down my belly and caressing along the outsides of my legs. Digging in slightly at the supple flesh along my hips. He kissed along the inside of my leg. His lips brushing sensually from the inside of my knee and further up. Further. Further. Until I could feel his hot breath brushing along my most intimate parts. Making me want to clench my legs together, but his shoulders were there. Keeping me from it. I blew a long breath as I felt the texture of his tongue trailing up along the crease alongside my lips. Then drawing back down. He moved to the otherside and did the same. My breath caught. His tongue darted out and licked along my slit. Brushing the small nub along the top that made me arch toward him. Offering him more. “Mmm.” He rumbled against me. “You’re sweet.” I shuddered in pleasure at his words. His hands smoothed along the outside of my hips and up to overlap al
I sunk my teeth into his chest as I released. Unleashing those walls and letting warmth move over me and rip into my being with renewed vigor. Teaching me something I wouldn’t soon forget. But that had all been before. This was now. When I threw myself against him this time, it was with the same vigor I had back then. Wrapping my arms around his neck and scooping the back of his head to pull him down to me as I always did then. Feeling his arms wrap around my bare lower back and catch me tighter against him.Lost in the memories from so long ago. And just wanting to feel what I had back then, one more time... He kissed me with just as much hunger as I did him. His lips roving mine as if set on memorizing every inch of me. I pulled away from him. Eyeing him as if he’d betrayed me. When in reality, it was my own body betraying me. It was I that had elicited this instance. My hands were already resting on the familiar contour
He gave me a weak half smile that was bordering on sad. He trailed his fingertips over my forehead. Moving some hair aside. As he did, I felt strange currents coming from his finger pads and into my skin. Zinging me with strange tingling. I gasped as I was suddenly ripped back to those times, we were young. He was walking across the training field. His eyes landing on me talking with Roger. Watching how the sunlight moved through my coppery strands as a stray wind moved through them. He was thinking that I should’ve had my hair plaited like the other maids, but he was glad I was nothing like them. His eyes wandered to my flashing smile, and he smiled reflexively. Thinking I was beautiful. Then time fast forwarded dizzyingly, and he was training with Archer when he heard me screeching. Both he and Archer dropped their blades, but Archer had no prayer of keeping up as Jackson ran headlong down to the creek. Emerging from behind a tree a
“If I ever let you go, fully out of my sight, and you got hurt, I’d never forgive myself.” He murmured. Making me recall what I’d just asked him. Why won’t you just let me go? “But it’s okay to take me and turn me over to your king?” He was quiet. “Stop trying to fight with me, Fiere.” “Or, what?” “Or, I’ll make you feel all the things I feel when I’m inside you.” My eyes widened in horror. I didn’t want to know. I shook my head adamantly. Going deathly still. He laughed coldly. “Nice try. That’s not going to work either.” “What?” “Playing dead. I’ll not have a woman who’s not melting when I touch her.” “A woman?” “You know well, I mean you.” He caught my shoulder and twisted me over him as he rolled. Bringing me atop him. Before I could take the opportunity to leap up and bolt, he was guiding me back down over him. Grunting at the sheer sensation of being swallowed into
I put that blessed dress back on and laid back on that bed. Finished puzzling over what Gray had said, I vowed to banish everything he’d said or shown me from my mind. At least for now. Without any intention of doing so, I’d dozed off. Letting myself sink into that comfortable mattress. I enjoyed the feel of fabric wrapping my body, the dress, and was lulled into pleasant rest. At least until I felt a tight grip on my forearm. Shaking me so hard my teeth rattled. For one paralyzing moment, I thought I was back in that horrible night. With the boy shaking me awake to tell me everyone was dead. I popped open my eyes and glimpsed the familiar face. “Ssh.” He put a finger to his lips. “Just Old John Thomas for you, Mum.” “What are you doing here?” I sat up urgently. My eyes skidding to the doorway. “If he catches you here, he’ll kill you!” “He’s not as sly as he thinks, Mum.” Old John Thoma