Ariana hardly knewherself. Who was this daring young hussy, kissing handsome warriors in castle gardens and not allowing them to take a gentlemanly leave?
The embarrassment and insecurities that had dogged her footsteps through her life had vanished, leaving her free and unabashed. She wanted to kiss Otto. Wanted to feel his lips on hers. His arms around her waist. His warm breath on the side of her face. More, she wanted more than that. In a rush of courage, she shifted her weight closer to him, reveling in the solidity of his broad chest.
His usually fierce eyes were gazing down at her, but they weren’t fierce anymore. Instead, they were hazy, almost unfocused. A smile played around his full lips. She reached up to feel the sharpness of his dark stubble.
“You do not wish for me to show restraint?” he echoed her words, his voice both throaty and playful. “My dear Ariana, do you know what you are saying?”
This was her chance to back away. To cast her eyes modestly down and apologize for her impropriety. But she had no intention of taking it. For the first time in her life, she felt feminine, desirable even. And it wasn’t just because of the elegant gown Otto had gifted to her—though that was no doubt responsible for the stir her arrival had caused in the great hall earlier. It was because of the way Otto spoke to her, like she wasan equal whose opinion was worth hearing. It was because of his smile, sometimes dangerous and sometimes kind, and mostly because of the fizzing sensation that his mere proximity sent skidding along her spine. Standing in Otto’s arms, Ariana didn’t feel awkward or overly tall. She wasn’t worried about saying the wrong thing or stumbling over his feet; or generally making a fool of herself in front of the Earl of Darkmoor, a man who could take his choice of women.
Instead, she had the most wonderful feeling that she was standing exactly where she was meant to be.
She nodded firmly, allowing her hands to run down his spine all the way to his waist. “I do.”
For a moment, he paused, and she wondered fleetingly if she had displeased him with her boldness. But then his lips crashed down upon hers and she wondered no more. All thoughts deserted her as she submitted to the wonderful sensation of kissing this mountain of strength. She gasped as his tongue met hers, moving closer into his arms and arching against him as he stroked a gentle line over her collarbone, settling his palm against the curve of her breast.
“Ariana,” he whispered, nibbling her neck and sending waves of pleasure rippling down her body. “If we go further, I shall not be able to stop.”
In answer she gripped his hand and pressed it more firmly against her breast. “I do not want you to stop,” she enunciated clearly.
Her words unleashed something inside him. He immediately picked her up, as if she weighed no more than a child, and carried her a few steps closer to the rose bushes, where they were more shielded from accidental onlookers.
“I am glad of it,” he grunted, laying her down gently in the soft grass. “I do not know how much longer I could have waited for you.”
He expertly unfastened the front of her bodice, and she gasped again as his warm hands made direct contact with her sensitive skin.
“You said I could take all the time I needed,” she reminded him breathlessly, winding her fingers into his tousled hair.
“Aye,” he agreed, lowering his head to kiss the flesh he had so recently exposed to the night air. “I will be more careful with my promises in future.”
Her whole body was tingling now with a mixture of excitement and longing. She wriggled in the long grass, not knowing how best to remedy the intense need growing inside her. “Otto,” she gasped, as his hand pressed beneath her skirts.
“Do you want me to stop?” he asked, his voice muffled by her breast.
“No,” she answered quickly. “No, never.”
His fingers stroked her thighs, gently pushing them apart. Ariana felt as though someone had lit a fire inside her. A fire that deepened as Otto finally found her curls. He shifted onto an elbow and kissed her lips as one finger slipped slowly inside her.
“Oh,” she gasped, rearing against him.
He quietened her by deepening their kiss, claiming her whole mouth as his hand caressed her. The pleasure he was inducing in her grew into a sharp point of need. She pulled helplessly at his tunic, wanting to feel the warmth of his skin and the beating of his heart.
He moved away and swiftly removed his clothing. Ariana had but seconds to admire how the pale moonlight illuminated the contours of his muscular body before his nimble fingers were gently divesting her of her gown. She bit down on her lip as the balmy evening air washed around her body, gasping out loud as Otto gripped the hem of her chemise and lifted it smoothly over her head.
He paused for a moment, his dark eyes raking over her body. But Ariana didn’t feel shame over her nakedness. She held herself still and unabashed, enjoying the way Otto’s attention feasted on her womanly figure. He reached out a hand and skimmed it over the curve of her breasts. The flame of desire pooled within her as Otto gathered himself.
“Are you ready?” he whispered.
In answer, she wrapped her fingers into his hair and pulled him down upon her, relishing the tingling she felt as his long, hard body made contact with her own softness. He kissed her again and she felt the first nudging of his desire between her thighs. He cupped her cheek as he gently pushed himself inside her, filling her up with his warmth. The brief stab of pain was quickly followed by wave upon wave of rhythmic pleasure as their bodies moved as one. She closed her eyes and surrendered to the wealth of sensations, her hips rocking beneath him, her hands roving over the hard ridges of his muscular back. Slowly her pleasure increased to a crescendo she couldn’t help crying out over. Her teeth fastened onto his shoulder as new sensations rippled through her, leaving her limp but replete. Through her haze, she was dimply aware of Otto thrusting more urgently inside her, then giving a low moan of release.
Gradually, she recovered her senses becoming aware once more of Otto’s weight upon her, the hard beating of his heart, an owl hooting far above their heads. His stubble rasped against her cheek, his breath was warm against her ear. She linked her fingers around his neck as her breathing slowed.
Otto propped himself onto an elbow and dropped a kiss onto her lips, before moving away from her onto his side. Immediately, she was cold and bereft, longing for the comfort of his warm skin, but then he reached for her and pulled her closer. She nestled her head onto his broad chest, enjoying the sensation of his hands smoothing her back.
“You are beautiful,” he said gruffly into the silence.
She could only respond honestly. “I am not.”
He brought a finger to her lips, pressing it gently against them. “What is this now? You tell me I am wrong?”
