Curse be damned.
Suddenly, he rolled her over. Ariel bit her lip as he fumbled with his breeches. Expectation flooded her heart and set it pounding even as heat crept up her face.
He pulled his breeches from him and she feasted on the sight of his bare body. Never had she seen anything so glorious.
Hesitant and somewhat afraid, she reached to gently touch him. She traced the trail of curls that tapered away from his belly. He drew a sharp breath and she smiled at her power over him.
Valteri closed his eyes, savoring her questing touch. Never before had a woman been so bold, so eager for him. What was it about his precious Arel that made her reach out when others refused?
But would she leave him?
Fear tore through him and he vowed to never let her go. So what if he died on the morrow? At least he would die having known happiness. No matter how brief. And if he had to die, then nothing would please him more than to draw his last breath while staring into her eyes.
Her hand cupped him and he gasped. Unable to stand any more, he pulled her hand away.
She looked up into his eyes and he shivered at the innocence, the love that shone so brightly. Would she still have that look when the sun broke them apart?
If there was a God, then he prayed that he died before he did anything to make her look at him with hatred.
Never let me break her heart.
As if sensing his thoughts, she ran her hand over the scar on his chest. She fingered his brand and a frown darted across her brow. “I can assure you that the ones who did this are damned for giving such pain to an innocent child. No one preys on the innocent without it exacting a foul price.”
Taking her hand, he brought it to his lips and nibbled her fingertips. Fire danced in her belly, tingling her body. “For your gentle touch, milady, I would gladly suffer through it all again.”
Warmth flooded her body and she pulled him against her chest. She held him tight, wishing she could have stopped the torture he’d received.
All of a sudden, he covered her with his body and her thoughts scattered. Ariel trembled against the pitching fire coursing through her veins.
He kissed her deeply, separating her legs with his knees. Her head swam from the pressure of his lips, the taste of his mouth, and she reached up to hold him close. He braced his arms on either side of her, cradling her head in his hands. Warmth flooded her at the tenderness of his touch.
And then he slid inside her. Ariel tensed at the sudden fullness. His hips resting against hers, Valteri began to nibble the flesh behind her ears.
Chills and unbelievable pleasure spread through her, tightening her stomach, her loins. She threw her head back with a throaty moan. Never had she felt anything like the quivering pleasure pulsing through her. She gripped his shoulders, raising her hips to draw him deeper inside.
This was what she wanted. This feeling of belonging and of being needed.
At her invitation, he began to slowly rock his hips. Ariel bit her lip at the strange dance. With each gentle stroke, her body burned more.
Valteri closed his eyes against the elation bursting inside him. Not even his dreams could compare to the reality of what he experienced. Her swollen breasts rubbed against him, urging him faster. She ran her hands down his spine and over his buttocks, and he trembled from the force of her touch.
If he died right now, he knew he’d have no regrets over his damnation. The feel of her beneath him was well worth the price of hell, and then some.
Ariel quivered as he buried his face in her neck. His breath echoed in her ears and his soft moans delighted her. This was her husband and she vowed to fight for him.
For eternity if she had to.
As he moved against her hips, a strange pulsing warmth grew. She arched her hips, pulling him in deeper, marveling at the bittersweet pleasure. He moved faster and the throbbing grew until she feared she would die from it. Then, just as she could stand no more, her body burst.
Ariel moaned, her entire body shaking. Never, never had she experienced anything similar. Her heart pounding, she wondered if she had died. Surely that alone could explain the falling sensation.
But then Valteri’s arms tightened about her and he, too, convulsed. He groaned softly then collapsed against her, holding her so tightly that she almost cried out in pain.
“Am I still alive?”
He laughed in her ear. His hold loosening, he leaned up and kissed her gently on her lips. “Aye, love. The curse has yet to find us.”
Though his tone was light, she found no humor in his words. But even so, she couldn’t bring herself to dampen the wonderment of what they’d done by castigating him. “Is it always like that?”
