Part 27 (1/2)
”I thought about it... a great deal, and I came to this conclusion. I knew I was going to have to sleep in the same bed furs with you... naked... because that was what I agreed to.”
”Of course. The honor-bound soldier would never do anything so feminine as change her mind. Thank G.o.d!”
She glowered at him and continued, ”But I also knew that I had fallen under your erotic spell.”
”I have no magic powers. If I did, I would have wielded them long ago. Like back in Northumbria when you first kidnapped me.”
”No man has ever wanted me the way that you appear to.”
I do.I do.”Your Nors.e.m.e.n must be blind.”
”This is my view of the situation. I can always find a man to couple with me...”
A wave of intense jealousy overcame him.
”... but I may never have the opportunity again to mate with a man who makes me feel so... so...
desirable.”
He started to reach for her, then stopped himself. There were still obstacles to overcome. ”Plus, the women of Stoneheim are all abuzz over the advice you gave to Arnora.” ”Arnora?” He frowned. ”Oh, the young woman with eight children.” She nodded. ”You told her of a method to prevent conception. You said a woman issafe three days afore her monthly flux and eight days after.” ”Safeis not the correct word.” He shook his head vehemently. ”The cycle technique is not infallible. Mystepmother Rain was a famous physician... in fact, she was a bit barmy at times... claimed to have come from a future time when women practiced many forms of birth control... men, too. The one thing she emphasized was that it was not perfect.”
Tyra waved a hand airily. ”My monthly flux is due two days hence. Therefore, I am in that safe zone.”
”Tyra, Tyra, Tyra. Are you listening to me? What happens if it does not work? What happens if you
become pregnant?”
”This is the way I figure it. We make love tonight, and only tonight... during a time of presumed safety.
We should be on board s.h.i.+p, on the return trip to Northumbria, when my monthly time comes. If the flux
fails to occur, you will know, and we will deal with it then.”
”You do not agree to give up rights to a child you carry?”
”I do not.” She sighed and seemed to decide on a different tactic. ”Of course, there is another solution. I
could bed with Gunter and Egil tomorrow night. Then if I do increase, no one will know who the father is.”
”Absolutely not.”
She held his gaze, waiting. Then her face reddened and she reached down for her tunic. ”It appears I made a mistake coming here. I will depart.”
”Nay!” he practically shouted. ”Do not go.”
She halted, and tilted her head in question.
He walked around the table and took her hand, leading her to the alcove bed. ”One night?”
”One night only,” she agreed.
”The deed will be done, then. We will make love,” he said, lowering her to the mattress and following
her down. ”And d.a.m.n the consequences.”
”I want it all,” she said.
Too aroused to wait, Adam was adjusting himself atop her, about to spread her thighs and thrust inside.
He paused but a second before replying, ”Of course you shall have it all,” and took her hand in his to wrap it around the prodigious width of his full-blown arousal.
”Notthat ,” she said with a giggle against his neck.
Tyra had had no idea that she could giggle! And who knew that a giggle could have the effect of cold water on a man's hot staff? He sat back on his haunches, straddling her legs. ”What all are you referring to?” ”All the different ways of pleasuring that you told me about. The sight-pleasuring...” ”I think you and I have had more than enough of sight-pleasuring for one night. If I look at you any more, my eyes might pop out.” She smiled. ”I like when you look at me. Your scrutiny is like a caress. See? Even now, when you gaze upon my b.r.e.a.s.t.s, the fine hairs stand out all over my body.” ”For the love of G.o.d, Tyra! Are you trying to torture me?” ”Am I torturing you?” ”Yea. Sweet torture.” ”Aaah,” she said, pleased with herself. Then she continued her explanation, ”I want the other types of pleasuring, too. Kiss-pleasuring. Tongue-pleasuring. Finger-pleasuring. Talk-pleasuring. All of it. I have much to cram into one night.”
He pondered what she'd said; then a wicked grin split his face. ”Whatever you want, wench.” Lifting himself off her, he stood and went over to the hearth where he stoked the fire higher-to give him more light, she presumed. Then he set a half dozen already-lit candles about the bed, also for light, she presumed. Finally he grabbed a large harem-style pillow from Ras.h.i.+d's pallet and brought it to her. Arranging her on the bed so that she half reclined against the pillow, he then dragged a chair to the side of the bed, where he sat down with his feet crossed at the ankles and propped on the edge of the bed frame.
Thus casually sitting, he began telling her a story. ”There was a desert sultan renowned for his s.e.xual prowess, and his ability to satisfy all the houris in his harem.”
”Is this a true story?”
”Absolutely true,” he said, but there was a decided twinkle in his eyes.
”Abn Fadin-that was his name-told me once that a man's greatest pleasure came from seeing his woman's pleasure. And the way that a woman gained the most pleasure was when she knew her own body.”
Abn Adam is more like it, she thought. ”I know my own body. What kind of soldier would I be if I didnot know my body's strengths and weaknesses?” ”Not that kind of knowing, sweetling.”
Oooh, I like it when he calls me by that endearment.
”Push your hair behind your ears. Now close your eyes and examine each of your ears by tracing the whorls with a forefinger. Lightly, lightly. Push the finger in, too. Do you feel how sensitive they are? Now imagine how the same thing would feel if done by a man's teeth and tongue. It will be wet there, and he must blow you dry.”
The oddest thing happened then. She was touching her ears, but she felt the sensation down lower in her body. Much lower. ”Does everyone know about this phenomenon?”
”Only me and Abn Fadin.” She could tell he was lying by the mirth in his voice. ”Now keep your eyes closed. Examine your lips now. Trace them with your finger. Lick them. Stick out your tongue as far as it will go, then slide it back in, out again, in again. Set a rhythm. Holy h.e.l.l!”
”Why did you curse? Am I doing it wrong?”