She caught his hand and drew it to her heart. “Then I must be glad that Bastien scrambled your mind enough for you to speak up! But to return to the previous subject, what Gwyn said is very simple. A strongly gifted woman will not conceive unless she wills it.”
“I’m having trouble believing this,” he admitted.
“Think of Gwyn. She bore three children, with two years between each of us, but remember how she almost died when Caitlin was born?”
He shuddered. “None of us ever forgot that! You saved her life.”
“With the help of every gifted person in the household, if you recall.” Her brows drew together. “Now that I think of it, that healing was a very powerful example of what can be possible when gifted people share their abilities to reach a common goal. Like the stealth you wield, it’s a powerful technique and we should explore it further. But the point I wanted to make was that after she almost died, she was never with child again because she feared for her health, so she told her body not to conceive.”
“It’s still difficult to believe.”
“If we can’t believe Gwyn, whom can we believe?” Tam said reasonably. “And if you don’t quite believe her, trust me when I say that there will be no unwanted consequences from whatever we do tonight!”
“You’re very convincing,” he admitted.
“I want to have this time with you now because when we reach London, we’ll have to tell Gwyn and Rhys about us,” she said, knowing it was impossible to predict what would happen after that.
“So we shouldn’t waste this opportunity.” He released his breath in a long sigh. “I surrender, my dearest love.”
“Then it’s time we removed the rest of our clothing because I really want to be skin to skin with you,” she said mischievously.
“An excellent goal.” He sat up and pulled off his shirt, revealing his broad, powerful chest with its artistic dusting of dark hair. By the time he’d shed the rest of his garments, Tamsyn had untangled her shift from around her waist and tossed it away. Now she lay on her side waiting for him, her eyes warm with welcome.
Cade stretched out beside her and leaned forward into a kiss. She drank him in, amazed how a simple kiss could make every cell in her body thrum with desire. He began stroking along her side, bringing warmth wherever he touched.
A little shyly, she stroked him in return, her hand drifting down until she could clasp him and feel the fierce pulse of his desire. He sucked in his breath at her touch. “You’re like a spark to tinder, Tam!”
“Then let us enjoy the fire together,” she breathed. It took very little mutual caressing to return both of them to eager readiness.
When the time felt right, Cade rolled up and positioned himself above her, saying apologetically, “This first time will certainly be uncomfortable and quite possibly painful. Let me know if you want me to stop.”
“Virginity is something I want over, so I swear I won’t want to stop,” Tam said, smiling as she opened her arms to him. “Come to me, my beautiful man!”
Exercising all his control, he slid into her gradually. She felt herself expanding, at first startled by the sensation of fullness and then welcoming it. His soft words and commanding movements were rousing the madness again. When they were fully joined, they were both very still for long moments, the only sound their mutual rough breathing.
She cautiously moved her hips against him once, then again when he caught his breath. Enjoying the sense of power, she rocked into him with delight.
His control shattered and he surged into her with all his love and gifts of power, sweeping them both into spiraling madness. It was beyond anything she’d ever imagined, a joining of mind and body that ravished all her senses as the whole world turned golden.
Her culmination triggered his release and together they shared joy unbounded. After, as she lay warm and protected in Cade’s arms, she looked forward to a future where they would continue to explore and discover new depths of loving as long as they both should live. There would be challenges ahead, but by God, together they would meet and overcome them!
Aloud she said, “I’m glad that we’ve had this time together before we reach London and reveal our love to the rest of the family.”
He sighed. “Yes, we must tell them. Who knows what will happen next. Trouble, I think.”
“I feel that things will work out for us,” she said slowly, “but that may just be my native optimism. Or should that be naïve optimism?”
Cade chuckled. “We’re both supposed to be powerfully gifted, but we’re just as confused about the future as anyone else!”
“Think how dull life would be if we always knew what would happen!” She snuggled closer to him. “You have become the most glorious surprise ever, my darling Cade. Sleep well. . . .”
CHAPTER33
Cade slept very well with Tamsyn in his arms, and it was near dawn when he woke. After a few moments of savoring the pure bliss of being with her, he reluctantly swung from the bed before bending to kiss her temple, saying softly, “Thank you, my darling girl.”
She made an agreeable humming sound but didn’t quite wake up. Smiling, he pulled on his clothes and silently left the room. He tried not to wonder when, if ever, they would have another such night of privacy and passion.
The inn was quiet and he hoped he could return to his bed without waking his brother, but as he entered the room, Bran shifted in his bed by the window and muttered, “Your stealth energy works very well.”
