He lowered his head to come and speak with his mouth at her temple. “I don’t want you to beg me to fuck you. I want you toorderme to do it, because you can’t bear another moment of not feeling me moving inside you. I want you to make sure I give you exactly what you need, and how you need it. I want you to use me, I want you to?—”
“Fuck me, damn you! Now. I need?—”
The first thrust interrupted her. The second made her eyes roll to the back of her head. the third one catapulted her into glorious release. He’d teased, stroked and prepared her so well that it only took three strokes for her to erupt in pleasure, something she wouldn’t have thought possible.
Her face buried into the furs, Eahlswith convulsed around him, unable to stop the waves crashing through her. No! Too soon. She’d wanted this lovemaking to last hours, not mere moments. It had undoubtedly been folly to agree to another night with him, and she knew she would pay for it on the morrow. She’d at least wanted to enjoy it. Fortunately, Sven realized it. He never stopped moving, prolonging her ecstasy, showing her that it was not over yet.
“Worry not, lovely, we are far from done,” he said once she had finally stopped spasming. “Do you want more?”
“Yes. More.”
He chuckled at the relief in her voice and brought her to her hands and knees, raising her hips high into the air for him to plough. From then on his languid, sensual strokes became almost punishing, the rhythm frantic. Delirious with sensations, Eahlswith met him thrust for thrust. This was going to kill her. This was going to transform her. This was going to?—
“I’m afraid I’m not going to last much longer than you,” he said, his voice hoarse. “You feel too good around my cock. But we have all night. I’ll make sure you never forget the feel of me inside you.”
Oh, she already knew she would not.
Sven had fully anticipatedthat Eahlswith would behave as if they hadn’t indulged in the most decadent lovemaking of their lives as soon as she woke up. He was therefore not surprised when he found her already up and at the table, cutting cheese with her back to him. At least this time, because they were in her house, not his, she hadn’t been able to flee.
“Good morning,” he said, keeping the furs tight around his body. Not that he thought for a moment she would have forgotten he was naked. That was probably the reason why she was behaving as if she were alone in the room.
It hurt, undeniably.
After a night of delicious abandon, they had both fallen asleep, sated and content, in each other’s arms. And yet here she was now, refusing to even meet his gaze. Was that why she had only allowed him to take her from behind last night? Because she couldn’t bear to look at him? No, he was being silly. She had lain under him, then knelt in front of him and finally stretched on her side next to him because those positions had brought her immense pleasure. As it had him.
By the gods, he was already hard from waking up, he should not be thinking about how her sheath had welcomed him and squeezed him tighter than a fist every time she’d reached her peak. It would only make him do something he would regret.
“Are you hungry?” she asked, finally acknowledging his presence.
He was, but he thought it better to find some bread in town before he rode back to the village. She looked too ill at ease for him to enjoy this moment together.
“No. I have to go anyway, I know Torsten will be waiting for me,” he said at random, reaching for his braies. No one was waiting for him and the last thing he wanted to do was leave but it was probably for the best.
She nodded, looking relieved, and didn’t ask any questions, swapping the cheese for the loaf of bread instead. He’d been right; she couldn’t wait to see him go. He got dressed in silence, seething with disillusion. She’d said there was no man to worry about, that she was free to bed him. Which meant she was also free to be with him if she wanted to.
And yet she wanted him gone.
Why? Was she like all the others, who only wanted him for a few hot nights? Like Freydis, who had left for Denmark mere days after allowing him in her bed? Like the women from his village who’d known him all his life and for whom he held no interest outside the bedroom? Was he good for nothing other than physical pleasure? Were his tongue and his cock the only parts of him worthy of interest? He was seriously starting to wonder.
He grunted, looking down at his groin. At least Eahlswith’s coldness meant that his erection had vanished in a puff of smoke.
“When will I see you again?” he asked, fastening his belt. He hated sounding needy, but he had no choice. He could not bear the idea that it might be another six months before he saw her again and he could tell that was what would happen if he didn’t contrive a meeting himself.
“I don’t know.” She cut another slice of bread. How many did she intend to cut? He’d just told her he wouldn’t eat anything.
“Are you not planning on visiting the village soon?” he tried again a moment later. She had followed him outside, which surprised him. He had fully expected her to slam the door in his face as soon as he went to get Gulltoppr ready.
“I’m not sure. There is no reason to. Cwenthryth said she might?—”
“Cwenthryth,” he spat, unable to contain his bitterness any longer. Her friend was the only person she thought to come and see and she wasn’t even trying to pretend it wasn’t so. “There is another reason for you to come to the village, you know. Or have you forgotten I live there too?”
“No, but?—”
“So what you are saying is that you couldn’t possibly want to see me. That if I want to see you, I will have to ask my brother to father another child on his wife, because meeting the new babe is the only reason you want to come to the village?” he carried on, a bitter laugh escaping his lips. “It shouldn’t be too difficult to convince Steinar. He and his wife can’t seem to keep their hands off one another.”
Just like the two of them. Eahlswith would be aware of the irresistible attraction between them by now. And yet she persisted in fighting it, for no reason that he could discern.
“I haven’t bedded another woman since we spent the night together.”
