Page 68 of The Oracle's Journey

He sighed and continued until I could feel the cool air caress my back all the way down to my hips. My heart pounded furiously as I slid the gown down my shoulders a little. His fingers slipped under the fabric there, pushing it farther down, baring my shoulders completely so he could kiss them, one at a time. It was my turn to shudder as my skin tightened under the warm touch of his lips and breath.

“I like that,” I whispered.

“Yeah?” he asked and did it again. “Like that?”

“Mmhmm,” I hummed.

“Would you like me to show you more?” He brushed the knuckles of one hand up my spine, sending a delightful thrill all the way down to my toes.

“Yes, please,” I said, without hesitation and turned to face him. “Kiss me first.”

His eyes looked down at me with heavy lids, his lips turned up in a smoldering smile. “Anything you want, goddess.”

He leaned down to kiss me, not like the few chaste kisses we’d stolen in the days leading up to the wedding, or even the ceremonial kiss. This was a kiss that revealed hunger, and need, and claiming. He slid his tongue across my bottom lip, and I opened my mouth to him. I thought that having his tongue in my mouth would be off putting, but oh, I was mistaken! It stole my breath and started a pulse of excitement low in my belly. I melted into him, wrapping my arms around his neck and wound my fingers in his hair. Nicolas’ arms wrapped around and pulled me closer, and a wicked groan escaped his lips as we broke the kiss. I could feel his heart drumming against my chest, even through the bodice of the gown that was still separating us.

“Let’s get the rest of that dress off,” he said breathlessly. “The things I want to show you … well, they work better without clothes.”

I giggled at his loss for words, shimmied out of the gown, and let it fall to the floor. Nicolas’ gaze raked over my naked body. He wasn’t doing anything wrong, and I knew that, but I’d never been naked before a man. I felt so vulnerable it was all I could do to keep from snatching up a fur to hide behind.

But then he spoke. “Emmelina, you don’t have to fear me.” His voice cracked and his throat bobbed, his own vulnerability bubbling to the surface. My eyes welled up and I closed the little bit of space between us to kiss him. Things always felt more right with him when we were closer. His calloused hands roved over my back and sides and hips while our tongues met again, his fingers trailing heat wherever they touched.

I loved his hands on my skin.

Nicolas rested them on my hips and guided me to the bed. I sat down. Then he knelt on the floor in front of me. He buried his face in my modest breasts, his heavy breaths tickling over my skin as his hands wrapped around them, thumbs flicking over the peaked nipples. I gasped, and he looked up at my face again, to make sure it pleased me.

I smiled and said, “Do that again.”

He did and then wrapped his lips around one nipple. I let out a shuddering gasp and wove my fingers into his hair, encouraging him to keep going. He licked and sucked and teased each peak with care while I sighed happily and pressed into his touches.

Eventually he started working his way down my belly, to kiss my navel the way I had kissed his. I understood why he’d reacted so strongly. Each caress of his lips stoked the pulsing heat low in my belly. He kept working his way lower, and lower. I moved to stop him before he could kiss between my thighs.

“Nicolas,” I said, urging him to come back up with one hand on his jaw.

“Emmelina,” he said, looking up at me from my lap, “do you trust me?” I nodded but it was such an intimate place for his face to be. “I want to give you something wonderful, love. You have my word this won’t hurt you.” He caressed my outer thigh with a thumb. His eyes were so soft and sincere, pleading.

He has experience. He loves me. He’d never intentionally hurt me.

“Yes, I trust you,” I nodded.

“Lay back,” he urged with a gentle smile. So, I scoot back onto the bed and reclined into the furs, trying to relax. He followed and lay on his stomach between my thighs. I flinched when I felt his breath against my delicate skin and gasped when his tongue flicked over the sensitive pearl between my legs. I twitched and moaned as he worked over it with his lips and tongue. It was so much all at once. Overwhelming and marvelous in its intensity when his mouth sealed around my throbbing pearl, the tip of his tongue circling gently. I moaned and slapped a hand over my mouth, so surprised by my reaction. But it served to encourage him. He suckled my pearl for a moment before increasing the pressure of his tongue, using broader strokes. My breath shuddered out of me in gasps and whimpers. I felt the tension building beneath every caress. I couldn’t think, couldn’t understand what he was doing anymore as he brought me to the precipice of bliss.

Nicolas’ arms wrapped over where my thighs met hips. He pulled me hard against his mouth while ecstasy burst within me—left me gasping for air. I trembled and pulsed against his lips, digging my fingers into the furs.

Nicolas’ grasp on my hips relaxed as I shuddered one last time. His somewhat smug grin rose over my trembling belly as I looked down at him.

“That was … that was amazing,” I said, hardly able to move. Never in my life had I felt so relaxed and excited at the same time.

“You’ve never experienced one on your own?” he asked, his voice husky.

“Yes,” I admitted, a little embarrassed, “but nowhere near that.” My breath hitched when he lapped at me again.

“Would you care for another?” he asked.

“Perhaps later,” I said with a shaky laugh. “It’s too sensitive right now.”

“As you wish,” he said and crawled up next to me, shucking out of his trousers. Which startled me until I realized he still had his underclothes on. “Care to resume the little game we were playing earlier?”

It struck me that he was cheating at that game since I hadn’t asked him to take his trousers off, but I didn’t care at that point. That climax had chased away some of my apprehension. So much that my boldness got the better of me. My hand skimmed lightly over the bulge in his underwear, catching Nicolas off guard.

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