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An Excerpt From: Autumn
Pleasures: The Union
© Copyright Anya Bast, 2004.
All Rights Reserved,
Ellora's Cave, Inc.
He
moved so fast she had no time to back away, and swept her up into his arms.
"You limped over to my room on injured feet because you're so
impatient you cannot wait until tomorrow to settle things between us."
She
tried to focus on what he was saying. She really did. But the proximity of
all that hard male muscle against her drove away most cognitive function.
"Uh—what did you say?"
He
chuckled and set her on his bed. "You fascinate me. You're proud and
strong, yet fragile and feminine all at the same time. Roll over on your
stomach now and allow me to massage your back."
She
gaped at him for a moment in shock, and then frowned. "No."
"I
won't do anything you don't want me to do. You have my word."
She gaped again. He wouldn't do anything
she didn't want him to do?
"We
can talk about the union as I work your muscles," he said.
She
shook her head. "I'd rather talk without you touching me."
"I
won't talk unless I'm touching you."
She
sighed. "Oh, fine!" It wasn't like she couldn't resist him.
She
rolled over on her stomach. The dark blue covering on his bed was soft and
cool against her flushed cheek. He set his hands to her shoulders and began
to rub with strong yet gentle pressure. He seemed to know exactly how to
loosen up her knotted muscles. She stifled a groan of pleasure. Concentrate
on business, she chided herself.
"You
and my father expect this match to ease the tension between Nordan and Sudhra, I
suppose." Her voice sounded breathy. She cleared her throat and
concentrated on hardening it. "It will not work."
He
moved down and massaged her upper back. Her nipples peaked under the
pressure of his hands on her flesh. Warmth spread out from where he touched
her, enveloping her body in comforting pleasure. Arousal tingled in dark,
secret places that had never known such sensation. She'd feared he'd have
this power over her. It was frightening, yet at the same time she'd thought
she'd die if it ceased.
"We
believe it will aid the relations. Symbolically, as you and I join, so will
Sudhra and Nordan. Nordan is making a great sacrifice in this, as are
you," he said.
"I
understand that. You are also making a great personal sacrifice," she
said softly. "I know well it is not within the boundaries of your
culture to link your life with another's in this way."
He
moved to her lower back and this time she couldn't stop the sigh of
pleasure that escaped her. She felt so warm, so relaxed. So incredibly
safe. Suddenly, she realized that not only did she owe her life to this
man; she trusted her life to this man's hands. His fingers brushed
her buttocks and a fissure of pleasure shot through her.
"It's
not so much of a hardship, my lady," he said. His voice sounded
rougher than it had before.
She
stifled a snort of laughter. He lied and flattered to lure her into the
arrangement, petted her ego as surely as he petted her body. She sighed in
resignation. "I will marry you if you believe it will help our
nation's relations. It was what I was born and bred to do, after all. But I
will do so only on one condition."
His
fingers trailed over her buttocks to her upper thigh. She inhaled sharply
and lost her train of thought as he massaged the muscles there until her
body felt like butter melting on warm bread. She let out a long sigh.
"What
is that?" His already low, gruff voice had dropped impossibly lower.
What that a sign of his own arousal?
She
fought to regain her reasoning ability. "No—uh—no intimacy between us.
The marriage will be but a shell of the true thing, a façade. My people
will believe me willingly allied with you and that's all that counts…ah!"
He'd
nipped her buttock!
She
pulled away from him and scrambled to sit up. Shocked, she stared at him.
His hair had fallen into his face, his cock strained rigid against his trews and he had a dark, dangerous look in his eyes.
Here
was the pagan barbarian she'd expected. Her breath came faster.
"That
is an unacceptable arrangement," he growled at her.
Scowling,
she shook her head. "But why? You will retain your freedom to rut like
a stag in mating season with whomever you wish, or whatever it is
you do here in Nordan." And I will retain
my ability to be my own person and not relinquish my very being to you.
He
crawled toward her on his hands and knees. She tried to scoot away, but he
reached out quick as a snake, and grabbed her calf well above her wounds.
He pulled her beneath him and her nightgown rode up dangerously high on her
thighs. Anaisse was so surprised she didn't even
make a noise.
He
put his hands on either side of her head and straddled her hips. "I
want to rut with you, Anaisse,"
he said slowly. "I have wanted you since the first time I saw you. I
want to spread your sweet thighs right now and lick and suck on your clit
until I feel you shatter in climax beneath me. Then, when you are aroused,
relaxed and pliable, I want to free my cock, slide into you and thrust
until I feel the muscles of your passage convulse around it during your
second peak. I want to hear your cries and moans of ecstasy. I want to
taste the inside of your mouth with my tongue and feel your soft breasts
beneath my palms."
His
gaze flicked down to her pebbled nipples that strained against the thin
material of her nightdress. "Tell me you do not also want me. Tell me
that if I put my hand between your thighs right now you wouldn't be wet for
me."
"I—I'm
not," she stammered. "I wouldn't be."
He
cocked a dark brow and shifted to her side. She was paralyzed as he placed
a gentle hand to the inside of her knee. "That was a challenge issued
if I ever heard one, and I don't turn down challenges, my lady."
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