Gingerly she settled her tiny rounded bottom over his groin as flesh met flesh. He was embedded as deeply in her as he could go, and still it wasn’t enough.

His flesh felt alive. Like a thousand insects crawled just below the surface. He needed to move.

Sweat broke out on his forehead and on his upper lip. His breaths came ragged, harsh in the silence.

Smooth, silken flesh seduced his fingers as he caressed her slim back and stroked over her hips. He wanted to give her as much time as she needed to grow accustomed to being on top.

She gave a tentative rotation, and he groaned aloud.

She stopped instantly, concern flashing in her eyes.

“Nay, don’t stop, lass. God, please, don’t stop. ’Tis wondrous.”

Placing her hands on his chest, she levered up, his cock gliding through her damp heat. Then she sheathed him again, pushing downward until her bottom met his groin once more. Then she rotated in a tight circle, watching his face all the while.

“You are a temptress,” he said raggedly.

“Angel no more. Am I back to being a demon from hell?”

“Wicked angel. The very best kind.” He rose up and circled her in his arms, the action pushing her further onto his cock. “My angel.”

She cradled him against her and then tilted their heads and took him in a savage kiss. She took his breath away. Possessive. Like he belonged only to her. And in this moment he did. No other woman existed for him. He doubted one ever would.

He reached down to curl his fingers around her hips. He needed her. Needed to push deep. To demonstrate his possession again. He lifted and then drove deep, arching his hips. They both cried out.

Her hands flew frantically over his shoulders, seeking purchase. With a growl, his lips found her neck, nipping and biting at the delectable flesh.

She arched her back, plumping her breasts against his chest. The chords in her neck strained and bulged as he lifted and thrust over and over.

“ ’Twas I who was supposed to love you,” she said breathlessly.

“Oh aye, you were and you did. If you love me any harder, I’ll die from the effort.”

“Please,” she begged. “ ’Tis burning, Alaric. I can’t … I must …”

“Do what you must,” he urged.

She gripped his shoulders and began lifting herself out of his hands, pushing downward, harder and faster until she rode him as surely as he would his steed.

Unable to keep the position any longer, he lay back, hitting the mattress as she came down over him. He helped her, but she was a wild thing in his arms, her hips undulating as she took him over and over.

He’d never been so aroused by a woman. He’d never thought a woman so beautiful or giving. He’d never wanted a woman to be his as he wanted her.

His release boiled in his loins, rising like a tumultuous storm. Building, burning. Oh God, he wouldn’t last.

He slid his hand between their bodies, finding her slick heat. He stroked her pleasure spot and shuddered in ecstasy when she tightened spasmodically around him.

“I can’t last,” he cried hoarsely.

“Then let go,” she said, echoing his words from earlier. She leaned down and cupped his face in her hands. “I’ll be here to catch you, warrior.”

Her sweetness flooded his soul. With a strangled gasp, he let go and arched up. He barely managed to grasp her hips and tear himself from her sheath. He erupted in great liquid spurts as her hand cupped over him, holding him against her belly.

He continued to pulse against her flesh, his hands curled into tight balls at his sides. He twitched and thrust against her, unable to hold still as pleasure tore through his bones.

As he slowly lowered himself down to the bed once more, her grasp gentled and then she let go. She gazed curiously at his cock, now only partially erect and wiped her finger over a drop of liquid on the head.

She glanced back up at him before carefully sliding her finger into her mouth. Her tongue danced over the tip before letting it fall free, and he groaned all over again.

She lifted one delicate brow as his cock twitched and became instantly erect.

“I wondered at your taste,” she said huskily. “You liked me tasting you.” She cocked her head to the side in concentration. “Before, when you loved me with your mouth and tongue … is that something men like for women to do to them?”

“Oh aye,” he breathed. “Just imagining your sweet mouth around my shaft is more than I can bear.”

“Oh. ’Tis something I’ve never given thought to before.”

He chuckled. “I should hope not. Where would you have gotten such thoughts from?”

She smiled. “Only a few hours in your company and I find myself completely debauched. Surely other lasses don’t dwell on such things.”

“I don’t care what other lasses think about,” he murmured. “Just one particular lass, and I’m awfully glad she’s thinking what she is right now.”

“Is it too soon?” she asked hesitantly. “I mean for me to …”

“Let me clean myself. Then I’ll lie down so you’re comfortable.”

She reclined on her elbow and watched as he strode naked across the chamber to the pitcher and basin by the window. It was intensely arousing to watch him carefully clean the stickiness from his shaft. She glanced down at the smear on her belly and realized that she, too, needed cleaning.

She looked up, prepared to rise but Alaric had returned, a wet cloth in his hand. He reclined on the bed next to her and gently wiped away his semen from her belly.

His shaft distended stiffly from his groin, and he didn’t look comfortable. How could he be? It looked … painful. Swollen and thick.

Tentatively, she reached out to touch him. He jerked against her and made an odd sound in his throat.

“I’m not certain what to do. I don’t want to do it … wrong.”

Alaric smiled and cupped her cheek. “I guarantee you won’t do it wrong. Well, unless you use your teeth.”

She giggled and then trailed her hand over his abdomen and up to his chest. “Perchance, you could instruct me on the way of it.”

He kissed her, then nibbled at the corner of her mouth. “Aye, lass. I’ll show you the way of it, and then I’ll die a happy man inside your mouth.”

He rolled from the bed and stood at the edge. He held out his hand and when she took it, he pulled her to a sitting position. Then he arranged her legs so that her feet were planted on the floor and she was perched on the edge of the straw mattress.

She caught on immediately when she saw that his shaft was on perfect level with her mouth. He reached for her head, tangling his fingers in her hair as he positioned her just so.

“Open your mouth, lass. Let me inside.”

He dropped one hand from her head and grasped the base of his cock. Slowly he guided himself forward, past her parted lips and over her tongue.

The sensation startled her. He was incredibly hard, blunt and probing, and yet the skin was silky soft, the sensation intoxicating.

“Relax. Trust me and breathe through your nose.”

She hadn’t realized how tense she was until his words settled over her. Heeding his instruction, she willed herself to relax and she sucked in air through her nostrils.

He framed her head with his hands and held her firmly while he eased forward, deeper than before. His fingers trembled. It was the only sign of how affected he was by her attentions.

Never had she imagined such an explicit act. It seemed tawdry, a whore’s trick, something a lady would never contemplate, much less do. But it aroused Keeley. She wanted to please him—was desperate to please him. Her body did such odd things. Her breasts plumped and swelled. Her most feminine parts throbbed and pulsed, so much so that the slightest touch would send her spiraling out of control.

His taste was as masculine as his scent. Strong. A hint of wood and smoke. She inhaled deeply, wanting his taste and his scent embedded into her memory.

A tiny spurt of liquid seeped onto her tongue. For a moment she savored it and allowed it to lubricate the deeper thrusts. Then she tenderly slid her tongue over the tip, sipping until there was nothing left.

He rocked up on his toes, straining forward as his fingers tightened on the sides of her head.

“Let me deeper. Swallow. Aye, that’s it, Keeley. Just like that. Take me whole.”

She swallowed against him and sucked him deep. For a moment she struggled to breathe, but he adjusted the angle so she was more comfortable.

He was inside her. All she could taste, breathe, or see was him. His heavy sac rested against her chin and the rough hairs at his groin tickled her nose.

When he retreated, he breathed so raggedly that the tortured sound was loud in the room. For a long moment he stood there, panting, his cock still distended a mere inch from her mouth while she, too, gasped for breath.

“Turn around,” he ordered.

She blinked in confusion and looked behind her. She was on the bed. What did he mean?

“On your hands and knees. Face away from me,” he said.

Even as she went to do his bidding, he helped her get awkwardly on her knees as she turned to face the wall. He urged her backward, easing her knees along the soft mattress until her lower legs dangled in midair.

As soon as he was satisfied with her position, he slid his hands over the curve of her behind. It was an odd sensation being in such a position. Her mind conjured all sorts of naughty images, but she wasn’t sure such things were possible.

He squeezed and fondled the globes before moving lower to spread her folds. He ran his fingers through her wetness, sliding easily inside her. His entry shocked her and she bucked upward to meet the movement of his hand.

“I would take you like this, Keeley. Like a stallion covering a mare. Would you like that?”

She closed her eyes and let her chin fall to her chest as she sucked in deep, steadying breaths through her nose.

“Aye,” she whispered.

Her knees trembled and threatened to buckle underneath her. She braced her palms against the bed in an effort to keep from falling.

She felt extremely vulnerable in this position. She had no defense. He could take her as he liked, do anything he wanted, and there was naught she could do.

Again his hand smoothed over her backside, caressing and rubbing until she sighed with pleasure. Then his other hand grasped her hip and he held her in place.

The tip of his cock bumped against her entrance, moved away, and then back again before he finally plunged forward, burying himself in her damp heat.

She threw back her head and would have cried out if he suddenly hadn’t covered her mouth with his hand.

“Shh, lass. Easy now,” he soothed.

She let out a whimper as he pushed even deeper. It didn’t seem possible that she could take him so deep. She felt full to bursting, stretched so tight around him, it was almost painful.

“I’m going to ride you hard, Keeley.” The words came out as a near growl. His voice was hoarse and raspy as though he hung on to control by a mere thread. “Just lie still and take it. I’ll take care of you.”

She had no choice. Her head was bent to the mattress and her arms were splayed out, her fingers curled into the covers. Her knees were her only means of support as he drove into her again and again.

Images battered her mind. How must he look mounted over her? Her mouth went completely dry, and she closed her eyes as pleasure quaked over her body.

He was deep, so much deeper than he’d been the previous two times he’d taken her. She was much more sensitive now after having endured his possession twice already. His movements were part pain, but raw, edgy pleasure as well.

After a few moments, the cloud of pleasure dissipated and she became aware of the raw twinges with every one of his thrusts. He was too thick, too big, too deep this way.

He plunged deep, his hips slapping against her buttocks. She let out a soft cry and flinched away.

He froze and carefully withdrew, but even that elicited a tiny sound of pain.

“Keeley, what is it? Have I hurt you?”

He turned her around, sat on the bed, and pulled her into his arms. He kissed her brow and stroked her hair as he stared anxiously into her eyes.

She grimaced. “I’m a bit tender.”

He cursed softly, self-recrimination burning brightly in his eyes. “You were a virgin and yet I’ve used you like a woman well accustomed to matters of the flesh. ’Tis inexcusable. I wanted you so much that I paid no heed to your comfort.”