Page 71 of Emma & Edmund

"I know we have done just about everything out of order as we possibly can, but my words have been true for a while now. Emma, I know how ridiculous this is-"

Whatever he was to say, the world may never know.

A pitcher of warm delight poured into her gut, spreading the fire of wonder through her body, and Emma wrapped her fingers around his broad face and brought them together once more. She felt his breath hitch and while she did not possess the skill to engulf him in her as Edmund did, she hoped the gentle press of her lips against his would do.

A gust of wind whipped through the garden, rustling the trees and bushes, sending the whisps of Emma's hair fluttering just as she experimentally deepened the kiss, turning her head and pressing her tongue against his pillowy lips.

The coil just beyond her navel was given new fuel as a groan ripped from Edmund, his ever-encasing arms holding her even tighter to his chest.

Never did Emma know what those three words would do to her. Never did she think she would be so swept up, so enamored by the speaker of such wonderful words that all else would melt away. All that mattered were those lips, those arms, and the fire that coursed through her.

All that mattered was Emma and Edmund.

"Emma," Edmund whispered against her lips as the need to breathe parted them, "you'll be the death of me, you wonderful creature."

Another rustle sounded close by, startling Emma out of her trance, if even for a moment.

"We cannot stay like this, Edmund." Even as she said it, there was truly little part of her that wanted to leave his embrace. Not when she could clearly remember the euphoria brought on her the last time he held her so close, so desperately.

"You are out of your mind if you think I'm letting you go now."

"No," she admonished, catching his eyes, the yearning within them clear as day, "I don't mean to leave you. Take me to the cottage. Now. Immediately."

A devilish grin broke out over Edmund's face. "Whatever my lady desires."

In one quick swoop, Edmund repositioned Emma as easily as if she were just a parcel, throwing her legs over one arm as he kept her cradled to his chest with the other. His wide, fast steps left the music and laughter and party behind as quickly as they could.

The world she had known, the world Edmund had longed to enter, faded behind them. Replacing it was the embrace of the woods and the sounds of lips against lips, against skin, against hair – whatever could be reached.

With arms rewrapped around his thick neck, Emma delighted as Edmund rained down a series of kisses, some sweet and short, while others forced them to stop on the path, too wrapped up in the sensation of each other's touch to continue.

When they weren't paused, Edmund plowed along the path at such a tempo, he was nearly running. His urgency was reflected in Emma's need, ever growing with each touch.

She wanted his hands on her bare skin, wanted his lips latched on her sensitive flesh. She wanted to experience it all, beyond the hazy memory of a dream, and she wanted it all with him. There was no one else that could drive her to such a reckless frenzy. Even the air around her smelled better when they were together, the temperature a bit warmer.

Now, it was almost scalding.

Yet, despite her desperation, the need for air overcame her once more, breaking their continuous embrace with a gasp. As she sucked in a breath, Edmund looked down on her, cast in the moonlight streaming from the trees above. For a moment, she couldn't help but think that this otherworldly man of the forest had been placed here just for her. That the dark desire in his eyes, the restraint in his touch, the need that sparked between them was all for her.

"The cottage...are we almost there?" She croaked, his flexing fingers tightening at her question.

"Yes," he promised, continuing on the path. His low, rough voice sent a fresh wave of desire through her. "But not the cottage. Somewhere else."

"What? Why?" The embrace of the bed, the privacy of four walls sounded so heavenly in the moment, where else could he possibly have in mind?

"You deserve more." Came his cryptic answer, eyes trained on the darkened path ahead. With a glance away from his face, Emma saw that the forest had enclosed around them so tightly, if Edmund hadn't held her so skillfully, her toes and hair would catch on trunks and branches. Further ahead, it seemed as if the path disappeared altogether.

While it seemed so to her, Edmund was undeterred, huge steps trekking through the ever-growing void around them as if he knew exactly where to go.

Although Emma had little chance to care about that fact as she was once again repositioned with ease. Not stopping his strides for a moment, Edmund cradled her even closer to his body, holding her steady with a bulbous arm, his hand finding new purchase. A hot palm cupped the round of her behind, fingers flexing through her skirts.

"I want to rip the very cloth from your body," Edmund growled in her ear, forcing Emma to hold back a groan of desire. “I want to see your delicious skin shutter through the tatters.”

"Yet it remains."

"I must be patient, to do so now would ruin everything."

Oh, how much she hated the silk and cotton at that moment.

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