Part 71 (1/2)

And listened.

And as he did, he memorized it all. Every wet, sleek inch of her he could feel gliding on his c.o.c.k, her thighs pressed to his hips, her hair tumbling over her shoulders, her b.r.e.a.s.t.s moving against the satin, her gaze on him heating with each stroke, her soft gasps each time she filled herself with him.

”Faster, dove,” he encouraged.

”Yes,” she breathed, moving faster on him as he watched.

And he watched as she raised her arms, her hands moving behind her neck, lifting up her hair as if its touch, the sway of it against her skin was too much.

His Madeleine.

Sheer beauty.

”Keep your hair up, Maddie,” he groaned.

”Yes, baby,” she whimpered, moving faster, her soft gasps coming quicker, deeper. ”Lo, I need your thumb,” she begged and he immediately gave it to her.

When he pressed in and rolled, he watched her back arch.

”G.o.d,” she moaned.

”Take me, Maddie,” he ordered, now bucking his hips, watching her take him, her b.r.e.a.s.t.s nearly spilling out of the satin.

She dropped her arms to arch back further, riding him now as he took her, her fingers curling around his thighs.

”That's it, poppy,” he rumbled, his one hand holding her steady, his other thumb circling deeper. ”Take me.”

”Lo.”

He bucked harder.

”G.o.d! Lo!” she exclaimed, her s.e.x convulsing around his shaft with her climax, her cries short and low but sharp.

”Keep taking me,” he grunted, driving his hips up into her beautiful bucking body.

”Yes, Lo, yes. Forever, baby. I'll take you forever,” she gasped, still climaxing, and he exploded.

He pressed his head into the mattress. The muscles of his neck straining, he moved his thumb so that he could clamp both his hands on her hips to hold her tight to his c.o.c.k. Thus, he shot his seed inside her on a grunt followed by a low rumbling groan that shook through him. And, at her whimper, he knew it shook through her.

He was barely recovered before he ordered brusquely. ”Come here.”

Instantly, she dropped forward, her weight landing on him, her hot, wet s.e.x still enveloping him. When she got close, she shoved her face in his neck.

Apollo wrapped his arms around her and turned his head so he had her ear.

”This is us. That was us. We're here my poppy. We're alive. We're together, my dove.”

He felt her body still on his for a brief moment before she pressed it into his, pus.h.i.+ng her face deeper into his neck.

”They will not take you from me,” he vowed and she slid her hand up his chest to curl her fingers around his neck and held on tight.

He memorized that too, everything, burning all that was Madeleine at that moment into his brain before he slowly sat up, taking her with him, reveling in the noise that was part surprise, part pleasure that glided up her throat.

He found his feet, holding her to him. She wrapped her legs around him and he moved through the room. He stopped by the pitcher of water left for them. He lifted her gently, sliding her off his c.o.c.k and setting her on her feet. Holding her in his arm, carefully, he cleaned her as she leaned against him.

”Stay close, dove,” he murmured as he let her go.

She did as asked and he disrobed, dropping his boots and clothes to the floor where they stood. He then moved his attention to her, unhooking the stays at her back and dropping her bustier to the floor.

Apollo then lifted her and carried her to the bed. Bending low, he threw back the covers, still holding her close. He placed her in the bed, joining her there the minute her back hit the mattress, covering her. He pulled the bedclothes over them and s.h.i.+fted his weight into a forearm.

He then looked down at her to see her gazing up at him. Her eyes warm and sleepy.

And trusting.

His chest warmed as he lifted a hand and brushed a lock of hair from her face.

”I will ask one thing more of you before I let you sleep,” he whispered.

She slid her arms around him as she replied, ”Anything, Lo.”

”I wish you to listen to me.”

She nodded, her head moving on the pillow, her eyes never leaving his. ”Of course, honey.”

He cupped her cheek and dipped his face close before he began, ”At first, we missed it.”

He watched her blink in confusion but he went on.

”The time she carried elan, like with Christophe, was uneventful.”

When understanding dawned, Apollo felt Maddie's body tighten under his but he continued.

”The birth, however, was complicated. Christophe slid easily into this world. elan gave Ilsa more difficulty.”

”Apollo-” she whispered and he pressed the pads of his finger in.

”Listen,” he whispered back.

She closed her mouth and nodded again.

”Looking back, due to the birth, we both missed it. Even she, a physician. We thought her body was taking its time recovering from bringing elan into this world. The extreme fatigue. The constant lethargy. Though, even if we caught it, there was nothing to be done.”

”All right,” Maddie whispered when he didn't go on.

”And then it happened fast,” he told her softly. ”She just started wasting away.”

She closed her eyes.

Apollo slid his hand to her neck and she opened them again.