A Lady's Charade (Medieval Romance Novel) (31 page)

She washed her hair three times and scrubbed her entire body at least four times. She smelled her hair and the skin on her arms, breathing in the fresh rose scent deeply.
Oh, how long has it been? The things we take for granted.
Sure, she’d had a few luxurious baths, but mostly she’d had a cold rubbing down with a wash basin. In France, she’d bathed every evening. After rinsing completely, Chloe grabbed her chemise and washed it with the scented soap as well.

When she came out from the pool, her chemise soaked and smelling fresh, clung to her curves. She was aware of how revealing her chemise was at the moment, but somehow she didn’t care.

Alexander looked at her out of the corner of his eye, his lids lowering. She had seen that look before. It came across his face when they kissed, their passions growing until they were both out of breath. Suddenly she oozed confidence, feeling like a new woman. Her lip curled up in a seductive smile and she wiggled her finger at him to join her. He nearly leapt from his prone position and didn’t waste time to undress to his braies and jump into the spring with her.

Swimming up to her, he put his hands through her hair.

“You smell like a bed of roses,” he whispered as he buried his face in her hair, smelling deeply.

The tingling sensation that only Alexander could elicit began to grow through her body. Her nipples pebbled, and not from the cold. Between her legs grew slick with need. She trembled, hoping, praying he would ease her suffering. He hadn’t touched her since the last time they’d taken a swim, except to kiss her every now and then.

He pulled away from her and their gazes locked. Suddenly his lips were on hers, and he kissed her hungrily—his mouth slanting over hers again and again. She wrapped her arms around his neck and eagerly returned his kisses. He made her feel so good inside. Her desire heightened and she rubbed wantonly against him. Her belly grew warm, frissons of pleasure stroking her within, making her feel as though the very core of her were pulsing.

She pulled him closer, her hips leaning into his. The swell of his length poked and prodded on her belly. Their wet underclothes left little to the imagination. His hands on her waist rubbed her skin, and then one hand moved up to cup her breast lightly. His thumb ran gently over her nipple, which promptly perked up at his touch, the feeling raw and sensual as he stroked against her nipple. She sucked in her breath and let out a low moan into his mouth, kissing him more fiercely. Alexander growled low in his throat returning her kiss just as deeply. He pulled her against him tighter, his hands reaching down to grip her buttocks. She moved against him restlessly, not sure what she wanted, but knowing that this seemed to be making her feel very,
very
good.

Feeling bold, she ran her hands down his arms, massaging the muscles that fairly bulged beneath his skin. He certainly was a strong man. She ran her hands along his chest, letting her thumbs rub gently on his nipples as he had done to her. At her boldness he gripped her buttocks harder and lifted her up against him. She smiled into his mouth at how she could make him react.

Continuing her search she ran her hands down the sides of him and slowly edged toward the front. At this he stopped her.

“No, we mustn’t.” His voice was husky as he pulled his lips from hers and gazed into her eyes.

Chloe’s eyes were teasing, seductive and yet so innocent. Alexander couldn’t help kissing her again fully and deeply. Slanting his mouth over hers again and again until they were panting so hard, he knew he must stop or he never would. And then his vow would be broken. What was a man to do? His cock was rock hard and threatened to burst at any moment. He was so filled with need and desire, he would lose control if he touched her a moment longer. He gently parted their bodies and pulled her from the spring to the blanket.

His ego flared as her eyes roved over his form taking in his underclothes clinging to him, revealing every part of his body. Her eyes wide, settled on his cock. He wouldn’t have thought it possible, but he grew even harder.

Chloe swallowed hard, her mouth suddenly dry. Alexander was fully aroused and the part of him that had felt so nice against her was large and swollen. The sheer size of it was a little daunting. Chloe slowly let her gaze rise to his face and she sucked in her breath at the intensity with which he looked at her. His eyes spoke of things that made her blush all over.

Without thinking, she went to him, keeping her gaze locked on his as she ran her hands up and down his arms. She timidly reached up and kissed him lightly on the chin, then each of his cheeks, and then his mouth.

“I love you, Alexander,” she said against his mouth, running her tongue timidly against the crease between his lips. Her lips trembled slightly as she said, “Make love to me.”

He drew in a quick breath and put his hands through her hair, pulling her head in closer and deepening their kiss. He parted her lips with his tongue and thrust it inside, imitating the ancient ritual of love making.

She pressed against him sighing into his mouth. He ripped his mouth from hers and made soft wet kisses down her throat, flicking her skin with his tongue.

“Mmm…” she moaned. Yes! This was what she wanted, him to take her, his lips on her everywhere.

Warmth spread through her limbs making her hot and she was no longer aware of her wet clothes, only the hot, velvet tongue that lapped at her flesh and made her think wicked things.

She thought she would nearly jump out of her skin as his mouth settled on her nipple, flicking back and forth before suckling it through her chemise. She arched her back and at the same time thrust her hips against him. His hard erection pressed the apex of her thighs with a delicious spark. Their clothes—they were in the way. She wanted to feel the heat of his flesh on hers. Wanted him to sink inside her. She pulled her chemise from her body and tossed it on the ground.

“Chloe, you don’t know what you do to me,” he said hoarsely. He pulled away to gaze into her eyes.

“If it’s anything like what you do to me…I don’t want you to stop.” Her voice was just as hoarse, her breaths coming in pants.

With one swipe, he threw everything off the blanket. His smile was wicked, and Chloe laughed, lightening flashing through her limbs. They would end the torment, here and now. Finally, he’d claim her as his. He scooped her into his arms and gently laid her on the blanket. Coming down beside her, he rested his head in his palm and his other hand made circles on her belly.

“Chloe, I want you so badly, I want all of you. I love you.” He looked at her seriously, his eyes still full of passion and desire, and love. “I want to make love to you, but we need to wait until we are man and wife. For now, I will show you how I can love you in other ways.”

“I love you too, more than anyone I have ever known.” She reached up and stroked his cheek, a small shy smile on her lips. A small part of her was disappointed that he wouldn’t take her fully, but the other part that was already caught up in the haze of sensations whipping through her from his touch wanted what he was about to give her.

Alexander leaned down and kissed her gently and softly, sucking her bottom lip into his mouth. His hand lazily caressed her arm up and down, and then came to rest at her waist, his thumb circling her navel, as his mouth tenderly placed soft wet kisses on her neck and shoulders, he pealed her chemise off and tossed it aside.

He was taking his time with her, making love to her with the soft pads of his fingers and the light feathery touch of his mouth on her skin.

The gentle torture of his touch drive Chloe to the brink of ecstasy. Her arms clutched at him, desperate for more. He rolled on top of her, the weight of his body sending white hot waves of pleasure through her. She was no longer the shy innocent girl, but a tigress.

He slowly moved against her. Sparks of lightning flashed each time he glided forward, his hard member rubbing against the sensitive spot that dripped wet with wanting.

Chloe clung to him, as he imitated the act of making love. She could only imagine what it would feel like to actually make love if this was the way she felt from him simply massaging her with his body.

His head moved lower as his tongue made lazy circles down her throat to the tops of her breasts. His body kept its rhythmic motion as his mouth moved to nuzzle the valley between her breasts, his tongue deliberately agonizing her with its seductive movements. Licking, sucking, flicking, nipping at everything but the pink tip that begged to be loved.

She cried out when he finally pulled her nipple into his mouth, slowly sucking it in and out, his tongue teasing her. She felt the pleasure and pressure within her building, as his mouth made love to her breasts and his body pushed against her. Moving her legs up, she wrapped them around his body, begging for more.

Alexander groaned at her motions, and tried to push her legs back down, but she kept them tight around his waist. He broke her hold and his head moved lower still, his gaze never leaving hers, sharp, steel eyes against bright blue.

He kissed her belly, his tongue circling her navel, and then lower still. Kissing the inside of her thighs, he nipped lightly at the sensitive skin there. Oh, Lord, the decadent feelings his mouth elicited made her body thrum with pleasure.

He stared at her a brief moment. Would he do it again? She nearly fainted from the memory of his mouth on her most secret place. Before she could think more about it, his mouth came down on the very place that fluttered and wept from his ministrations. Chloe cried out her arms reaching for his shoulders where her fingers pressed into his hard muscles. Oh, what heaven…

His mouth moved back and forth, sucking, his tongue flicking up and down, in and out, the feelings of burning and fire spread through her. Her legs shook from sheer pleasure, and when she thought it couldn’t get any better than it was, her body exploded.

“Alexander!” she cried out, her hips coming off the ground, her hands grasping his head to the very heat of her.

When the waves of pleasure subsided, she opened her eyes, not realizing they’d been clenched tightly. She stared at Alexander in awe of what he did to her, his eyes cloudy with passion.

She sat up and kissed him, her tongue flicking around his lips, and sneaking its way inside. She heard him growl low in his throat, and somehow knew that he still sought the explosions she had felt. She slowly trailed her lips from his, placing seductive kisses from his cheek to his neck.

“Can I kiss you like you kissed me?” she breathed into his ear.

He moaned into her ear. “Yes. God, yes,” he said and lay back against the blanket as she pushed him gently down.

She was nervous, but followed his lead, kissing him gently on his shoulders, her hands running up and down the sides of his chest, as she slowly placed kisses down the length of his chest, not leaving out each of his nipples, that stood as erect as her own still did.

After laving at each of his taut nipples she slowly kissed her way down his belly, circling his navel as he had done to her. His sharp intakes of breath and soft moans let her know he liked what she was doing. With one hand gripping the blanket, his other came to grip the back of her hair gently. Her confidence spiked, and she grew bolder. Moving lower she met the top of his braies and slowly peeled them down the length of his muscular legs. She kissed his calves and then his thighs, massaging the sinewy muscle as she went, until she reached his swollen member. She licked from base to tip and then kissed the top before wrapping her lips around the head. She sucked lightly and then moved down and up, instinctively knowing what to do. His moans increased and his hips moved with her mouth. She knew he was feeling the fire of pleasure from the velvety movements of her tongue.

She worked his length with her hand, her mouth meeting each stroke. With her other hand she timidly stroked his sac.

“Oh, God, Chloe…”

His moans spurred her on, and she sucked harder, faster, moaning against his thick length as it moved in and out of her mouth. She took him deeper, letting the soft tip touch the back of her throat.

His legs shook just as hers had. His grip on her hair grew tighter, his hips pumped with more vigor. Then he cried out, his body stiffening. He quickly pulled out of her mouth, moved her onto her back and pressed himself into her stomach. He kissed her hard on the mouth as warm fluid drenched her belly.

“And you, my lord, are an amazing, handsome man.” She trailed her fingers along his chest as he slowly caressed her hip. “I never knew lovemaking could be like this. Did I please you?”

“Oh, aye, you pleased me. Did I please you?” He nuzzled against her neck.

She sucked in her breath at the feel of his mouth on her skin again. She couldn’t believe that she could feel the fire start again so soon.

“I am more than pleased, Alexander,” she whispered.

They lay for a few more moments contemplating each other, lounging on the wool blanket that now smelled musky from their love play.

“So, my lord, you know much about me, but I know nothing of you. Tell me, have you always lived in Hardwyck?” Chloe asked, her fingers swirling in the curly mat of hair on his chest. He stayed her fingers with his hand gently, flattening them to his chest.

“No, I have not always lived here. When I first was knighted, my father gave me this holding to rule. It was one of his many. Should I become earl I will have many more lands and holdings than I do now, and Hardwyck may not be where I reside permanently. I too, may have to give it to a loyal knight.”

“Why wouldn’t you want to stay here?”

“It is not centrally located to all of the lands I would be in charge of, whereas now it is. We would not be able to travel easily to each if we were to stay here.”