He let out sharp intake of air, but he seemed to like it. “You steal my very breath, Katarina.” A smile overtook him, and he remained embedded within her as he took her toward the banks of the pond.
To her surprise, he sat down and leaned back, letting her remain straddled upon him. “This wasn’t quite what I’d intended,” he murmured. “I had only planned to swim with you.”
“I’ve been watching you all morning,” she answered. “And after last night, I needed to touch you.”
She inhaled as his hands palmed her breasts, stroking the tips. Awkwardly, she tried to rise against him, only to have him pull her back down. She kept him inside her, feeling the hard fullness of his body. “I don’t know what you want me to do,” she admitted.
“Ride me,” he commanded. “Like this.” He used his hands to lift her up and then guided her back again, plunging against her as she did. The motion evoked another quiver of longing, and she found her rhythm, moving against him as he caressed her.
She thrust upon him, over and over, and slowly, she felt the burgeoning sensation of desire rising. Beneath her, Eric’s expression was fierce, his concentration locked upon her. He appeared to be fighting for control, and she wasn’t certain he was enjoying this, from the rigid look on his face.
“Show me what I should do,” she asked quietly. And with that, he moved her to the ground upon her back. He started to withdraw, and she protested, “I didn’t mean for you to stop.”
“I won’t. But since this is your first time, I want to prepare you better.” He withdrew fully and commanded, “Don’t move.”
He used his thumb to stroke the hooded flesh above her womanhood. A sudden tingling took hold, and she arched, feeling the arousal deepening. He brought his manhood to rest at the edge of her entrance. But when she tried to push against him, wanting to take his shaft inside, he held her back.
“Not yet, Katarina.” He leaned over her, kissing her deeply while his hands moved upon her. His mouth licked a path down to her breasts as he stroked her in rhythm. She felt herself bowing against him, her hips arching, craving his invasion. His physical torment pushed her higher, making her tremble. She strained, wanting him so badly, until he slid in deep, and she gasped.
No longer did she fear this union. Instead of feeling dominated or conquered, it was a sharing of their bodies. She welcomed him, and as he gently entered and withdrew, he continued to arouse her with his thumb. He angled her hips upward, and she was caught up in his dark eyes.
Now that he was hers, she felt a stirring of emotion deep inside.I don’t want him to go.
It seemed a cruel trick of the gods to grant her heart’s desire and then snatch it away. She tried to shield her heart but feared it was impossible.
The tide of need swelled up inside her, and he held himself buried inside as she strained for her release. He rubbed her intimately, and she shuddered at the pleasure that rocked through her. She clenched his length as he kept up the rhythm, and urged him faster. At last, she broke apart, her body seizing at the fierce release.
He plunged deep, and she welcomed his invasion. She gripped his hair, meeting his hips with her own and was startled when she climaxed again, hot shivers racing through her body. Over and over, he thrust until his own fulfillment came upon him. He groaned, entering her a few more times before he collapsed atop her.
For a moment, they lay, flesh to flesh, with the grass beneath her and the sun overhead. Katarina had never imagined she could feel so close to someone, but with Eric, it felt right. Her heart continued to beat in a rapid tempo, while her body molded to his.
“Did I hurt you?” he asked, leaning down to steal another kiss.
She kissed him back and whispered, “No. I wanted this. I wanted to be with you.”
He ran his hands along the edges of her body, and she reacted out of instinct, pulling him closer.
“We should bathe,” he told her, “before we return.”
She knew it, and yet, she wished they could remain here, away from everyone else. But he withdrew from her body and helped her to stand, before bringing her into the pond. The water was cold, but she swam to remove some of the dirt and dust from her training. And then she settled back to watch her husband.
Eric took long strokes through the water, and she admired his naked body. She held no regrets at all, and it struck her that this was what lovemaking should be. She found herself wanting to learn more about this man, how to please him, and how to be closer to him.
Oda swam with them for a time before she jumped onto the embankment and shook the water from her fur. She sniffed at the ground, and then lay down in wait for them.
“We should go back,” she told Eric. It was growing late, and she decided it was time to get dressed and return to their longhouse.
“We will. But I am taking you to Dalla’s longhouse this night.” He strode out of the water and used his tunic to dry off, before donning his leggings and the damp clothing.
“Why? I thought you said there was nothing wrong at our dwelling.”
“Whether or not we saw anything, therewassomeone who came to our longhouse. And if it was Leif, I don’t want him finding you there alone at any time. It’s safer to stay with my uncle.”
She gave him no argument to that. After she dressed and Eric helped her back onto the horse, she said, “I do want to go back and retrieve our belongings first.”
Eric agreed. He guided their mount back toward the settlement with Oda following behind. “We will. But afterward, Valdr has asked us to dine with Dalla and him.”
“Is there any particular reason?” She wondered if this was about Eric claiming his place asjarl. It did seem that Valdr wanted his son to lead the tribe. And yet, she felt slightly nervous about it, knowing that the men did not completely trust his identity.
