“Shhh.”He leaned forward and she felt rather than heard his hush.An exhalation of breath that caressed her ear.
She pushed against his chest to look up at him.“You need to leave before you’re discovered.”
A slow smile spread across his face.“There is no need to be frightened for me.”
His hand moved to her hip, soothing her.He murmured soft, disjointed phrases, his mouth so close to her cheek each movement of his lips brushed against her heated skin.She didn’t know when the movements of Christien’s lips went from speaking platitudes to gentle, delicate kisses.They skimmed her jaw, her cheek, even the tip of her nose.She swallowed, trying to quell the butterflies in her stomach and the sudden trembling in her legs that had nothing to do with fear and everything to do with the man practically wrapped around her.
He kissed her forehead and her lips.She squeezed her eyes closed, waiting for the pressure of his lips to bruise, for his teeth to bite.But the pain never came.Instead an entirely different sensation filled her.She’d never experienced any of this before.Never felt this inexplicable need her body was reaching for.
He cradled her against his muscular body.Her breasts tingled and she nearly whimpered with an almost uncontrollable desire to rub them against him.
Behind them her husband grunted as he ploughed into the other woman, but Christien’s light caresses and soft kisses became more important.
She raised her head and pressed her lips against his, not knowing precisely what to do, only knowing she needed more.He sighed, his breath sweet against her skin, and kissed her back.Christien’s kisses were so much better than the painful kisses of her husband.Christien used his mouth and his tongue to excite, to invite, to cherish.Her husband used his to punish, to hurt and to dominate.She much preferred Christien’s way.
When his tongue flicked out she didn’t press her lips together or struggle in panic as she’d done in the past.She opened her mouth wider and let him inside.He tasted of mead and mint leaves.His tongue caressed her, bold yet tender.She’d listened to the servants talk of such needs but never believed they truly enjoyed the act.Now she understood what they’d been speaking of.
She didn’t know how long they stood there, stealing kisses while her husband stood so near.She lost all sense of time, knew only the warm liquid pooling between her legs and the clenching of her stomach.
Eventually—too soon—Christien pulled away.Breathing heavily, he lowered his forehead until it rested against hers.
“What you do to me,chérie.Never have I felt this way.”
His words, mirroring her thoughts, brought tears to her eyes and she valiantly battled them back.They were alone in the garden.Her husband had finished his sport and the two left without Madelaine even knowing it.’Twas foolish to lose herself like this when danger was so near.Her distraction could have easily cost Christien his life.
All the warmth and tenderness evaporated.She slid from beneath his strong embrace and grabbed his hand.
“You must go now, before he returns for me.”
“Madelaine—”
She pushed at his chest with all her might.“Go,”she whispered.
He looked at her long and hard, his silver eyes nearly glinting in the light of the moon.Her heart leapt in fear, pounded with urgency.When her husband didn’t find her inside, he would come looking and he would be angry.
“Please,” she implored.If anything happened to Christien, she would never forgive herself.
He touched her cheek, a tender expression crossing his face and darkening his eyes.“Do you fear more for me than yourself?”
She nodded mutely.Too scared to speak.
“Ah, my lady.”He closed his eyes as if in pain and when he opened them, sadness had lodged there.Sadness and regret.“I will go, but know you are always in my thoughts and what is between us is not finished.”
He pulled her close and kissed her quickly before he disappeared into the shadows.
Present Day
Lainie’s friend, Erica, leaned over the small outdoor café table, her fork in her hand and her eyes wide with happiness.“Peter and I decided to try to get pregnant.”
Lainie smiled.“Oh, Erica, how exciting.I’m happy for you.”
Erica sat back, still beaming.“I’ve wanted to for a long time but Peter never thought we were ready financially.I mean, who ever thinks they’re financially stable enough to have kids?”
On Tuesday morning, when Erica called Lainie and asked her to lunch, Lainie jumped at the opportunity.She liked the tiny, bubbly woman who worked in marketing and Lainie desperately needed friends in this new city.Erica’s effervescent personality was exactly what Lainie needed to take her mind off the past weekend.
She hadn’t seen nor talked to Christien since Sunday morning when he escorted her back to her apartment.She needed space and time to think about the bizarre circumstances.
She’d been afraid to tell him of the dreams, afraid he would think she was going insane.But the dream in the garden was too much.The woman’s terror had been overwhelming and insidious, burrowing inside her until it became her own terror.She’d never been so afraid and it was worse because it wasn’therfear.
