Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 137958 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 690(@200wpm)___ 552(@250wpm)___ 460(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 137958 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 690(@200wpm)___ 552(@250wpm)___ 460(@300wpm)
“Oh, by the gods,” I breathed, raking my nails through his hair against his scalp, holding the gloriousness of what he was doing to me, “Oh gods, Mars. Don’t stop. Please, don’t stop.”
But then, it happened.
I dug my heels into his back as I fought the greatness of the sensations that seemed both awesome and threatening.
“Please. You need to…” I began, but before I could complete that with stop, it overtook me.
Engulfed me.
I bucked under him as fire consumed me, my body, my sex, my vision, my mind. I was writhing in an inferno of pleasure and ecstasy.
No.
Not consumed.
I was feeding from the flames.
I did not know such existed. I did not know this was something to be had.
What I knew then was that I adored it with every part of me, now that I’d had it.
Vaguely, when I started simply drifting in their heat, I felt Mars lapping at me gently.
This before he moved up my body, kissing my belly. My midriff. My chest. The base of my throat.
And then his weight was on me, warming, heavy, but not overwhelming, and his beard tickled my neck as his mouth moved there.
Should I be embarrassed about what just happened?
If I should, at that moment, I did not have it in me.
Mars kissed below my ear where his hoop at the lobe pierced me.
And his voice was lovely and gruff when he said, “I think we’ll stop there for tonight.”
I was glad of this because I was not certain I could move.
I was wrong.
When he ordered, “Put your arms around me, Silence,” I did as told. And when he continued, “Wrap your legs around mine,” I did that too.
He was wise.
This was better.
So much better.
His mouth moved on my neck, his fingers coasted on my bare hip, and I could tell he was holding some of his weight in his other forearm. I knew that because, with the way he was touching me, the way he wanted me wrapped around him, if he could use that hand to touch me more, he would do it.
I felt little under him.
Tiny.
But knowing how much he enjoyed the feel of me, I also felt precious.
“No,” he whispered to my throat on his way around to the other side of my neck. “It does not matter if the clans and tribes like you.”
He lifted his head and I gazed up at his handsome face dazedly.
“Because I like you,” he finished.
“I like you too,” I mumbled.
He grinned. “You demonstrated that.”
“I’m afraid I’m brazen,” I admitted.
His big body moved on mine for a time before his chuckle was audible.
“I’m not afraid, piccolina. This makes me happy.”
“Well, it would,” I muttered.
He just smiled down at me affectionately.
I kept muttering for I had the ability to do no more. “Your weight feels nice.”
“This is good, you’ll be feeling it a great deal.”
I shivered.
His smile got bigger.
“And you are very warm,” I told him.
“This is all well for you, my Silence. Our days are hot, our nights are cold.”
“I’ve noticed that.”
“Silence?”
“Yes?”
He took his hand from my hip so he could use his thumb to brush across my cheekbone.
And then he said, “Thank you.”
That was what he said.
I felt like I would cry.
His head came toward mine, but when I thought he’d kiss me (and it must be said, I very much wanted him to kiss me), he slid his bristly cheek down my smooth one and continued in my ear, “Your trust means much to me. I treasure it. More than any chest of gold or pouch of jewels. Your pleasure, so freely offered, means much to me too, and I treasure it as well. Not as much as your trust, but it’s important you know it means a great deal to me.”
Yes, I definitely could cry.
“Mars,” I whispered.
“We will choose wisely when we bring others to our bed.”
I blinked at the dark overhang.
“But at first, for a time, I will only have you before I take another. And you will only have me before I allow another to have you.”
Others?
To have him?
And me?
Oh gods.
The Firenz way of marriage.
No.
“Now,” he stated, lifted his head, touched his mouth to mine, then angled up, taking me with him, “it is time to get you to your own bed before I get further ideas.”
He pulled me off his bed, toward where he tossed my gown.
And I moved with him.
Automatically.
He snatched up my panties and handed them to me.
I suddenly felt entirely exposed and quickly bent to step into them.
When I straightened after smoothing them over my hips, I saw he was wrestling with the “acres” of material of my gown.
“Mars, um…the others,” I began.
He turned to me with the skirts of my gown bunched in a way he could pull it over my head.
Which was what he did, forcing me to struggle my arms through the dress to get to the top opening.