Shelaughed and threaded her fingers through his slowly growing hair. When hecurled his tongue around the hardened tip of her breast, she purred herpleasure and arched into his caress. Her passion swept over her with a dizzyingspeed and strength. Eada wondered if the excitement of the night had helped tofire her blood. She cupped his head in her hands as he lathed and suckled herbreasts, stirring her desire until she found it hard to remain still.
Whenhis kisses slid lower, she murmured her regret as he moved out of her reach. Hetouched a kiss to the inside of her thigh and she opened to him without shynessor hesitation. A hoarse cry of delight escaped her as he gave her the mostintimate of kisses. She surrendered completely to the pleasure he stirredwithin her, arching to the strokes of his tongue. He cupped her backside in hishands and took full advantage of her openness. Eada could feel her body cryingout for release but she fought it. The feelings racing through her body were soexquisite she wanted to savor them for as long as possible.
Whenher body broke the restraints she had imposed upon it, she cried out for Drogoto join her, but he held her close, praising the sweetness of her body. Eadahad barely begun to recover from the blinding pleasure that had torn throughher body when Drogo restirred her passion. This time when she called to him hejoined her, uniting his body with hers even as she shuddered with the power ofher release. As she sank into the mists of desire's highest reward, she heardhim call her name and felt him bury himself deep within her.
Eadaslowly opened her eyes as Drogo finished gently bathing her. She watched himwalk to the bucket of water, and hastily rinse himself off—and decided that hewas a beautiful man. When he returned to their bed and pulled her into hisarms, she curled herself around him.
Shewaited for embarrassment and shame to taint the warmth still heating her blood,but it did not come. Eada realized that she no longer worried if something theydid was a sin. Her modesty was not completely dead, for she always coveredherself when the passion faded and doubted that she would stop blushing whenDrogo made love to her in the light of day as he sometimes was inclined to do;but she knew she was now free of the shyness that had often restricted theirlovemaking. That change within herself pleased her, and she smiled against hischest as she smoothed her hand over his stomach.
"Dowe continue to march on the morrow?" she asked, toying with the dark curlsbelow his navel.
"Yes.As the sun rises. I must ride to the fore of the army with William again."
"Heobviously wants your sword skills near at hand."
"Iwould like to think so."
"Ifit is so then your reward when he is crowned should be very good."
"Thatwould also please me. At times my greed for such gain shames me, but it doesnot cure me. After a moment or two of self-chastisement, the greedreturns."
"Itis not greed. You merely seek a better life than being a hired sword. No onecan fault you for that."
Shetouched a kiss to his, chest, suddenly wanting to divert him from talk ofrewards and what would happen when they reached London and William was declaredking. She wondered if he had even thought about what would happen to her, butshe did not really want to know. If he had not, that would hurt her as much asthe lack of love-words did. The safest thing was to avoid all talk of thefuture.
"Iwould have thought you would be very tired," he said in an increasinglyhusky voice as she began to cover his chest with soft kisses and light, teasingstrokes of her tongue.
"Ithink riding to battle has left me with very hot blood," she drawled andsmiled when he shuddered beneath the kisses with which she covered his hardstomach.
"Youhad nothing to do with the battle except to show us where it would be."
"Doyou mean to talk me out of my boldness?"
Whenshe slid her hand down to stroke his hardening manhood, he groaned and shookhis head. "No. That would be madness."
Eadalaughed against his stomach, slowly praising every inch of his strong body withher mouth, kissing her way down one strong leg and up the other. The way hetrembled and shifted beneath her gave her a heady sense of power that fired herblood. His hoarse cry of delight when she finally turned her attentions to hismanhood inspired her.
Drogostruggled to keep control of his passion when he felt her warm lips againsthim. The fact that they had already made love helped him. It was a momentbefore he realized that Eada was trying to help him linger in that place wherehe could enjoy her attentions yet not have to end them because of the demandsof his body. That she had learned his body so well only added to his pleasure.
Heslowly sat up, threading his fingers through her hair. His breathing was almostpainfully hard and fast as he watched her love him. He caressed every inch ofher he could reach as she pleasured him, struggling to control the pace oftheir lovemaking with as much skill as she was revealing. The way she kept himon the sharp edge of passion's abyss astounded and pleased him. Drogo had neverexperienced anything as sweet or as beautiful.
Finally,when he could wait no longer to bury himself in her warmth, he lifted her inhis arms. They both shuddered as she eased their bodies together. Drogo heldher by the hips and moved her slowly, still trying to prolong the sweetness oftheir desire. He took the hard tip of her breast deep in his mouth and felt hershudder against him and knew they could wait no longer to satisfy the demandsof their bodies. For one brief heady moment, their movements grew fierce, andthen she cried out, clutching him as she tried to pull him closer, pressingherself down. He held her tightly as his own release ripped through his body,leaving him gasping and shaken.
Drogolooked down at the woman in his arms. She had fallen asleep even as he hadcleaned them off. His body still tingled from the delights they had shared andhe felt pleasurably weary, yet sleep was proving elusive.
Tryas he might, he could not stop the thoughts that crowded into his mind. Soonthey would be in London. The end of their journey was but days away. All thedecisions he had tried to avoid would be there waiting for him. It was probablypast time that he gave his future some thought.
Onething he was sure of was that he did not want to lose Eada, but he feared hemight not be given any choice in the matter. He wanted her so badly that heknew he would willingly shame them both just to hold her at his side. He alsoknew that she would fight such shame, that her pride would not allow her to beno more than his leman.
Drogofeared that the choices he would have to make would be painful. He needed Eadaand he needed lands. Common sense told him that he would not be able to haveboth.
"Williamwas right all those days ago in Pevensey," he murmured as he touched akiss to her hair. "He said I had captured myself a troublesome bundle.But, troublesome as you are, I pray that I can keep you."
Twenty-one
"Thisis madness," muttered May as she followed Eada into the deserted village.
Eadacautiously entered the little cottage and, after assuring herself that therewas no one inside, turned her attention to the constantly complaining May."We need supplies. On the morrow we will reach London, and I am sure thatthere will be very little for us there."
