Page 65 of The Herald's Heart
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With the moon waning and dawn a gray hint on the horizon, Talon roused Larkin. Together they clambered down from the rocks and slogged ashore. As she emerged from the sea, Talon stood frozen in wonder at the beauty of her water-sparkled body. Desire pierced him, and he grew hard despite the chill waves.
“Larkin?” Her name nearly strangled in his throat. “Are you sure you don’t prefer to wait until we get back to the keep?” Why was he giving her a chance to back out? What happened to his determination to claim her at every opportunity?
She walked the few steps back to him and took his hand. “I am certain. Now I see a nice dry spot sheltered by those boulders over there. They probably still hold heat from yesterday’s sun. We can have privacy and warmth. I will wait no longer.”
Talon swallowed and trailed behind her, watching the sway of her hips and the tantalizing cleft of her buttocks. He was much too warm already. “You do not have to do this.”
“But I want to. Please, you promised me.” She pulled him down to the sand and lay back.
He could no more resist her gentle pleading than he could cease to breathe on his own. But he would see to her comfort. He lifted her to her knees, then he lay down.
“What are you doing?”
“I’ll not take you where the sand can scrape your delicate skin, but I will give myself to you for the taking.”
“How?”
“Touch me as you wish I would touch you. The rest will come.”
“All right.” She stretched out along the length of his body. Her slender frame barely covered him from shoulder to shin, but his toes tingled with heat, and he swore the sea-spray would turn to steam if it touched him.
She ran her fingers up and down his arms and over his chest, then up his throat and to his mouth. She lingered there, testing the texture of his lips. The light caress tortured him so, he captured a finger between his teeth and suckled the tip. Her eyes widened as he demonstrated what he knew she wanted, what they both knew would be the ultimate conclusion of their play. Her cheeks flushed, and she ducked her head. Her lips grazed his nipple, and his body jerked. Blood rushed to his groin. He felt his erection pulse against her softness. “God in heaven, Larkin, you’ll kill me with such tenderness.”
“I pray it is so.” She smiled up at him.
He could feed on that smile for a hundred years and never go hungry. Yet a hunger for more grew in him with each passing moment. He was ravenous for her smiles, her laughter, and her passion. He threaded his fingers through her hair and lowered her mouth to his. He wanted it all, everything that Larkin had and more. He wished he could return the gift tenfold. How he could be more than he was, he did not know, but to please Larkin, he would find a way.
He slid one hand down, soothing slow lazy circles across her back until her buttocks filled his palm. He pressed her into him and heard her gasp of pleasure as his body stroked hers. She squirmed against him. Her tongue darted into his mouth and swept a sweet trail of desire and urgency. Her hands fluttered to his waist where she pressed and lifted herself upright so she sat astride his body. The brief press of her womanhood against his cock was the most pleasurable pain he’d ever felt. Her fingers trembled over the skin at his hips. In a trice, she wrapped her palm around him. He no longer felt the cold sea spray, only the gentle fire of her exploring grip.
He hauled in huge gasps of air. Surely he would die of pleasure. He could not allow it. Not until she was dying too. He placed his hand over hers. “Stop.”
She looked adorably hurt. “Do you not want me?”
“I want only one thing more.”
Her lower lip trembled. “What?”
“I want you to feel as I feel.”
“Wha ... what do you mean?”
“I want you to feel the same pleasure, the same passion. I want you to need me so much you feel you’ll die without my touch.”
“Oh.” She gave him that wide-eyed stare. “You mean I make you feel like that.”
He stroked his hand over her shoulders. Snaking one arm around her waist. “’Tis a poor explanation of what I feel for you. Let me show you.”
He brought his mouth close to her breast, then flicked his tongue across her nipple in a single quick stroke.
“Ah.” Her back arched, her breast thrusting in search of the unfinished caress. Before she could moan a protest, he fastened his lips around her other nipple and suckled with increasing force. The moan became a groan.
“Talon, please.”
“Please what?” He lifted his head and smiled at her, all the while running a hand over her thigh, to her hip, and back.
Her bottom squirmed, and she rose up, licking her mouth across his and raining kisses over his jaw to his ear. “I feel so ... so ...”
