Part 35 (1/2)

”I bet,” Talia said dryly. She slid her hand from his and stepped farther into the room. If the front room had been pure s.e.x, this room was downright p.o.r.nography. ”Well, the queen accomplished one thing,” she said, looking over the sea of silk and pillows that only someone who thought about s.e.x twenty-four hours a day might describe as a bed.

”And that is?”

His voice was disturbingly close, right behind her left ear. But he didn't touch her. In some ways, that was even more torturous. ”She's taken my mind off my worries.”

Archer chuckled and the husky sound sent ripples of pleasure over her skin. ”There is only one thing you're supposed to do in this room. And it's not worrying.”

Talia slid out of his way and circled the ma.s.sive bed to look at the various lounges that encircled the large room. Each one was structured in an...unusual shape. ”What in G.o.d's name are you supposed to do on these?” She looked up to find Archer's grin so broad it made his cleft almost slice his chin in half. ”Never mind,” she said firmly. ”I don't want to know. And I don't want to know how you know, either. s.e.x can't have changed that much in a couple hundred years, and if by some miracle it has, I don't think I want to know about that either.”

Archer shrugged and moved off to examine some of the lounges. ”If you say so.” Talia made a face at his back, but then the painting on the wall just beyond the lounge in front of her caught her eye. The same pair of lovers that starred in the painting in the hallway were performing an encore. On a piece of furniture much like the one positioned in front of her. ”So,” she murmured. ”That's how you use that.”

She ignored Archer's low laugh. But that didn't stop her from moving on to the next lounge and the next painting. ”Wow.” And on to the next one. ”Jesus.” And the next one. ”Dear G.o.d, how does she do that?” By the last one her knees were decidedly weak and her panties unabashedly soaked.

Archer cleared his throat, making her start. She quickly turned around and attempted a self-deprecating smile. ”I've heard of circuit training, but these two-” She gestured toward the walls in general, then gave up any pretense of being cool about this, and closed her eyes and covered her face with her hands.

The next thing she felt was Archer's fingers prying her hands free, then lifting her chin. ”Look at me.”

She did, warily.

”When they bring dinner, I'll have them move us.

It was the last thing she'd expected from him.”The queen has had her little joke and I can honestly say I appreciate her sense of humor,” he went on. ”But you have enough to deal with, without-”

Talia shut him up with a kiss. When she finally let him up for air, she was already unb.u.t.toning his s.h.i.+rt. ”Dinner can wait.”

Chapter 18.

Archer's muscles bunched in his shoulders as Talia arched beneath him. The silk draped across the bed felt slick against his skin... and looked d.a.m.n erotic against hers. Her hips slid easily up to his and he leaned down to take her mouth again as he pushed deep into her. ”Talia,” he groaned. ”Dear G.o.d.”

”I know,” she whispered, then moaned as he moved harder and faster. She grabbed his shoulders and hung on, moving with his every thrust. ”Devin.

Please.”

”I will, Tali. I will.” And he did. And that was the way it went, for hours.

Their bodies communicated with very little need for words.Finally, their bodies still twitching from their most recent release, Talia slid off Archer and the divan, down onto the carpet, her face serene, sated... and smug. She stretched, smiling even as she winced.

Archer slid onto the thick carpet beside her. ”Too rough?” He pulled her limp body to his, draping her lazily across his chest and legs, unwilling to be even an inch away from her without touching her.

Her head lolled toward his, her eyes luminous. ”No. I just discovered some

muscles I didn't know I had.””Maybe we need... what did you call it? Circuit training? Maybe we need to train more often.” The suggestion alone made her shudder with pleasure against him. He grinned and pulled her closer.

She kissed his chin. ”Most definitely.” Then she leaned down and pressed her

lips to his heart.

Archer felt his eyes burn and there was absolutely no reason for it. Except his heart felt as if it were going to explode and that sweet little kiss she'd just delivered might have been the one to push it over the edge. She gave herself to him so generously, so completely, he wanted to please her as fully in return.

”Are you hungry?” he managed.

She tipped her chin onto his chest and looked at him, the most wicked grin on her face. ”Ravenous.”

Archer had to laugh.

She smacked his chest, but laughed along with him as she pushed herself upright. ”Where are my clothes?”

Archer rolled to his knees just behind her. He reached past her and yanked a silk drape off one of the lounges. ”Here, use this.”

”I believe we already have,” she said dryly.

”My, we are the wicked ones, aren't we?” He pulled another swath of silk off the lounge, then tugged her unwillingly to her feet and wrapped it around her.

”I'd as soon keep you nude, but I imagine dinner has long since been delivered to the next room and I have no idea if the guard is within, or without.”

Talia's cheeks reddened. ”You really think they were out there? The whole time?”

Archer laughed again. ”What happened to my wicked vixen?”