Page 43 of Morning Dove

She lowered her arm and reached between them, taking his length into her hand. He was much larger than Walter, and for a moment, she wondered if it would be painful. The thought flitted away when he made a sound in the back of his throat, his eyes falling shut as she stroked him from root to tip.

His hold on her was almost crushing. When she shifted her hips and he slid between her folds, his eyes opened.

Morning Dove released him and waited. He moved, his length sliding down to her entrance, and it was all the sign she needed. She used her leg around his hip to bring them closer and when he slipped inside, his jaw clenched moments before he took her mouth in a harsh kiss.

Ben grabbed her, lifting her enough to thrust inside her. The intrusion was hard and forceful, and her body quivered with the intensity of it.

He broke the kiss, his hips bucking into her, every stroke causing her flesh to burn despite being surrounded by water. His hands gripped her bottom, holding her tight against him before he lifted her other leg, wrapping it around his waist.

The angle change was enough to feel all of him, but the current in the water made him unsteady. He carried her to the bank, laying her down in the grass, and kissed her, driving back inside of her with a push of his hips. Morning Dove hung on to him, her legs clamped tight around him and the friction between them with every hard thrust caught her breath. The ache between her legs grew until she was moving with him, clinging to him as she rocked her hips until a frenzied need made her gasp his name, as it felt like her skin was all of a sudden too tight.

He gripped her hips, slamming into her as he buried his face against her neck, the slick heat of his tongue lapping at her skin, and one more forceful push of his hips sent tingles shooting down her back as sparks flared through her body. She screamed with its intensity, her body bowing as Ben’s movements became hurried, his hold on her getting tighter until he clenched and yelled, his body bucking erratically before stilling.

Morning Dove stared at the purple and pink twilight sky, watching the clouds drift by as she panted for breath. Little zaps of pleasure rode her limbs, and she’d never felt so—complete.

So—undone.

Is this the way it was supposed to feel? Did being with a man you went to freely always cause this—euphoria? Or was it just because it was Ben?

Her body still tingled, more so when Ben kissed a trail to her breast, kissing and licking her nipples before sucking them into his mouth. Sparks of need caused an ache to throb between her legs, and she wanted to feel that mind-numbing release again. She laughed, wondering what he would say if she demanded he take her once more.

Ben lifted his head to look at her. “I know I did something wrong if you’re laughing.”

His words only made her laugh harder. She ran her fingers through his hair before pulling his head down so she could kiss him, tasting him in a way she would always remember. They were both breathless when she pulled away. “I laugh because I feel so good. Because it is the first time I have not been ill after…” She inhaled a breath and smiled at his confused look. “I have never enjoyed being with…” She cut the sentence off, refusing to say Walter’s name.

Not once in all the years she had been with Walter had she ever found completion. She had laid motionless as he rutted on top of her and counted the seconds until he was through, shame filling her until she felt dirty and unclean, but not today. Today she wanted to do it every hour on the hour. “For the first time in my life, it was pleasurable.”

He grinned. “Well, that’s good to know.”

Ben gave her another soft, lingering kiss before lifting his head. His eyes drank in every inch of her face before he stood. She got her first good look at him then, his body bathed in the dying sunlight. A crisp wind blew in from the south and ruffled his hair and his skin gleamed from sweat and river water. He took her breath as she stared up at him, and she hoped today meant their relationship had changed into something more than just friendship.

He reached down, extending his arm to help her up, then walked with her back into the river. “I don't know what happened to the soap.” He grinned before turning to face her. “I guess we’ll have to scrub off extra long to make sure we’re good and clean.”

She had no idea how long they stayed in the water, both of them running their hands over the other, “cleaning” all the dirty parts he felt needed more attention and her face burned from embarrassment when he lowered his head and whispered into her ear all the things he had been dreaming of doing to her for weeks. Of all the places he wanted to taste. Her body tingled in anticipation as images of them doing all the wicked things he suggested filled her mind’s eye.

The sun was low in the sky when they made their way out of the water and dressed. The breeze blowing through the trees was enough to cause a shiver to race up her spine. Ben threw a few fat branches on the fire and she sat down close, hoping it would warm her suddenly chilled body.

“I hope you like your rabbit well done.”

She smiled when he turned the rabbit. It was burnt on one side, but as happy as she was at the moment, she would eat that burnt rabbit and love every bite of it.

Chapter Thirteen

He couldn’t stop touching her. Ben sat beside Morning Dove, facing her, their hips touching. He had his arm slung over her legs, his weight braced on his hand where it laid on the grass, and he didn’t think it was possible to get any closer.

She was drying her hair on one of his spare shirts, and the light from the fire made her skin glow. As long as he’d known her, he’d never seen the look that was in her eyes now. Morning Dove, even when she smiled, always looked troubled, as if the weight of the world sat on her shoulders. That look wasn't there now and he couldn’t help the pinch in his chest thinking he might be the reason it was gone.

He grabbed one of the dried strands of her hair, rubbing it between his fingers. It felt like silk against his hand. It fell to her waist, and he knew it shined in the sun like a blue-black waterfall down her back and he liked it best like this, loose and flowing around her shoulders.

“You are staring at me.”

“I can’t help it. It’s not every day I get to sit this close to a pretty lady.”

She smiled at the small compliment and leaned forward, brushing her lips against his mouth.

He’d lost count of the kisses they’d shared. Ever since they made it back to their camp from the river, she’d been more open to him. More at ease speaking to him and touching him. Kissing him. He never wanted her to stop, which was why he was sitting so close to her now.

She lowered the shirt she was drying her hair with and stared up the river, back toward Silver Falls. Her mouth curved down into a frown, and that haunted look filled her eyes again.

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