Brocade Series 02 - Giselle (31 page)

She reached up to undo some of the pins in her hair, knowing
Isabelle would raise her eyebrows at Giselle’s actions in the morning.
They’d spent a lot of time curling, pinning, and arranging the
duchesse’s
hair to look elegant tonight. Giselle should have felt
grateful, instead of being so horribly lonely.

There was a sound in Etienne’ s chamber
. Giselle turned to it
for a moment, but it wasn’t repeated. She could check again, but
both times she had, the bolt was still in place, and he slept heavily.

Moonlight threaded through the mist,
while the trees
bordering the vineyard cast a long enough shadow to reach the
gardens below. It was beautiful, cold and austere, as if awaiting the
warmth daylight would bring.

Giselle shivered
. She should’ve wrapped a dressing gown
about herself before venturing out onto the balcony, especially since
she wore one of her sheer nightgowns again. Louisa smiled when
Giselle had told Isabelle to leave the stockings in place. It seemed
silly, now. Perhaps she had wanted to feel feminine and beautiful in the immensity of her own bed. It was a wasted effort. The only thing
the bed looked was large and lonely.

How
could she face an entire lifetime of this?

Giselle
knew now what emotion made each breath shallow and quick-paced
as she studied the view. It was a
desperate sort of longing. She longed for Navarre’s kisses and ached
for his touch. With almost savage hands, she ripped the lace at her throat and yanked her ribbons free. This was an unbearable emotion,
and it would always be so.

She had the nightgown opened almost to her breasts before her
fumbling made it impossible to continue. The night blurred, and she
clenched at her stomach. It burned as she forced the sobs back, and even that didn’t work.

Giselle stifled the deep whimpers and folded in half as she did
so. If this was a foretaste of her nights, she’d rather die.

“It’s too cold out here, Giselle, my love.”

Navarre’s whisper? Here?

“Why do you weep
? I’ve come, and I find you not in the warm
bed awaiting me, but shivering with cold on the balcony. Giselle?
Darling?”

Hard arms lifted her against him
. Navarre’s arms. He was here! He’d come!

Giselle
pressed into him, shuddering while he held her. He moved them back
into the chamber…placed her on the bed. Navarre had
come to her!

“You must let me go to shut the window,
love.”

“Non
!
Please don’t make me!”

Giselle peppered his face with
kisses, her hands pulling the dark cape from his head.

“Very well.”

He chuckled, and reached for the tie at his neck
that she was attempting to undo. His motion shoved her fingers
aside.

“Non,
Navarre, don’t leave me.” Her whisper was frantic.

“
Leave you? Oh, no. Not tonight.
”

He lunged onto the bed beside her, filling the mattress so
that it looked normal-size. Giselle wiped hastily at the moisture on
her cheeks.

“
I adore it when you look at me. Did you know that?”

She would
’ve answered, but he bent his head to her neck,
and she could no longer think to speak. Giselle squealed at the touch
of his lips against her skin, and she gripped his hair in hands that
seemed to belong to someone else. Hot breath touched her throat and
slithered over her shoulder. She caught her breath.

“So sweet
. So feminine,” he whispered. “Sometimes, I find it
difficult to believe you exist beyond my dreams.
Dieu!
I cannot
believe I am here, and I actually have you. Here. Right now. In my arms.”

“Oh, Navarre. I love
you. I need you. I love you. I do.”

Giselle kissed his hair, forehead, and nose
. She needed to feel his lips against hers.
She was almost insane with the desire to feel his kiss.

Mon Dieu
!

She couldn’t contain the sounds of ecstasy that
flooded her when he gave her what she wanted, seizing her mouth with his.
The roughness of it ignited her.
Giselle hooked a leg around his waist, pushing up and into him. His clothing rubbed and teased her, tormenting the barely
covered flesh of her thighs. Giselle heard her nightgown rip
, and then Navarre’s chuckling echoed through
her breast.

“
I love you, Giselle.”

He lifted his head then, and she wasn’t
going to allow that sort of distance between them. She lunged up to him again, and he rolled,
pulling her to a straddling position atop him.
Sweet Mary!
This new position sent heat. And vibration. And she wanted more. Giselle worked at the lacing of his shirt, her hands shaking so violently, they didn’t cooperate
.

He wasn’t helping, either
. Heat from his palms seared her waist.
Giselle almost had a lace free when the touch of his hands moving up her
sides altered everything. Large fingers fit about her breasts, molding and rubbing, while she arched her back to get even more sensation. More friction. More…amazement. The lawn fabric of her
nightgown stretched beneath his fingers as he brought her nipples into sore darts that tormented. Shocked. Stunned. Almost frightened.

“Navarre?”

“Kiss me, Giselle.”

He pulled her
down, using her flesh to hold onto her, bringing her mouth to his, and giving her all sorts of sensation in all sorts of places. His thumbs toyed with her nipples, his tongue danced against hers, and his hips bucked into her most private area, each time sending thrills. Shivers. And nothing stopped her moans as they blended with the deep rumble of sound coming from his throat.

“Giselle…my love
. You must…let me shut…the window now.”

His whisper was gulped through kisses, shoved between breaths
.
And she wasn’t letting him go. Not now.

“
But I’m not cold.
”

He chuckled and rolled
, placing Giselle on her back again, beneath him. Her legs somehow wrapped about his thighs. His legs between hers. And his hips…oh! She was actually squirming with little lunges that connected. Teased. Tormented.

And then he lowered his head placing the tip of his nose against hers
.
His hair was unbound, or
perhaps it hadn’t been tied before. It hung from him, tickling
her neck.

“
I don’t fret the chill, l
ove. We’ll be making our own heat. But s
ound travels. And that…I do care about.
”

There were only four candles lit in the candelabra, and Giselle
watched them as he fussed with the draperies. There wasn’t much
light, but it was too bright, of a sudden. What happens is so loud, he worried? She had the covers about
herself before the light sputtered, moved by his presence.

“Giselle
? Turn around, darling.”

She shook her head and clutched the covers tighter to her
.
Two large hands grabbed her shoulders, pulling her toward his chest, placing her right against
his heat. And he was no longer wearing leather. Hard thighs molded to each side of her. Arms wrapped around her, and she swore the chest she was leaning against trembled.

“
I love you, Giselle,” he whispered. “I love how small and
feminine you are. I love your hair unbound like this, too.”

He bent forward to reach her ear.

“I can’t tell you how often I’ve dreamed of this…to see you, and hold
you. Now that I am, it’s unbearably sweet.”

He
set his head atop hers. Giselle’s eyes were wide
as he trailed his forefingers down her arms
. Goose bumps rose at the touch.

“You see
? You feel it, too, don’t you?”

He lifted one of her
hands to his mouth a
nd touched his tongue to her palm. Giselle
squealed
.

“Navarre, I
don’t—. You must….”

“
Oh. Never.”

He lifted her other hand to his lips
.
His legs tightened about her squirming, locking her in place.
Her cries turned into moans. She twisted. And his
bare
chest came into focus. She stopped moving and raised her eyes to his.

“Navarre?”

“
Oui?
”

She snatched her hands and reached for him, running fingers over his chest, shoulders, neck
. The slightly rough texture of his chin drew her, and then she touched his full lower lip. Giselle answered him in kind as his mouth curved into a smile.

“Your eyes darken when you touch me. Did you know that?”

She shook her head and licked her lips.

“Merde
!
What you do to me.”

He hissed the words in
seeming-agony as he gripped her to him, lifting her for another kiss.
Lips, raw with need, caught hers with bruising pressure. And
Giselle returned it.

He lifted his head
, breathed harsh and quickly for several moments and then looked down at her. And then smiled again.

“
Tres belle,
Giselle.”

“You’re…very beautiful, too…Navarre.” Giselle stammered the
words with shyness, but kept her gaze on him.

“Men aren’t beautiful, Giselle.”

He raised one eyebrow. She
watched the candlelight glisten off his eyelashes as he blinked.

“
Non?
Well, you are.”

She reached to touch hi
m again and watched his intake of breath.
He had a smattering of brown hair between his chest muscles,
and she rested her hand there, feeling his heart beat tap at
her palm. Her eyes widened as his nipples
tightened…right before her eyes! Oh, this was absolute
magic, pure and simple.

“
I love…you.”

Giselle choked on the last word
because a hard lump surged against her hip, making her start. He grinned, raised his hands, and started
pulling at her nightgown lacing
. The thighs about her tightened at the same time.

“Navarre?”

“
Oui?”

He
didn’t look up from where his fingers untied one ribbon after the other,
pulling them apart with a rhythm that somehow matched how her breath caught, edged out, and caught
again. Giselle watched his face. Then his fingers brushed against her
belly, spreading open the nightgown, and that time she jumped with the
contact.

“So sweet
. So feminine. So…beautiful. I find it difficult to believe you’re real…and that I’m here. Right now. With you.’”

His
words were as erratic as his breathing, and Giselle’s lip curved
. He raised his eyes to hers, then, and the smile died on her mouth.

“I’m real, Navarre.”

“So you say.” He raised one eyebrow.

“Do I look like a fantasy?”

“
Oh.
Oui.
How did you guess my thoughts?”

“Because they’re the same as mine.”
She blushed.

“You fantasize about me? That is…
uh. That’s…. Oh, Giselle! W
hat you do to me! You have no idea, either, do you?”

“No
. Yes. No. All I know is that…you’re going to make me
yours tonight.”

“Oh yes
. Totally. Completely. Forever.”

He slid
the nightgown off her shoulders. It felt strange…and yet exciting. Wicked. Sensual.
She held his gaze a moment longer
before he looked down. Giselle saw him catch his breath.

“
Oh.
Love
. You truly are too beautiful for words. I cannot! I will not—! We have all
night! I mustn’t rush it. I mustn’t—”

“Navarre?”

Her whisper stopped his words, and she watched him exhale. It looked erotic. How it felt was even more so
.

“
Oui
?”

“
I love you.”

He reached for her, and cupped his hands about her
. And then he lowered his head. And kissed a nipple. Giselle’s cry echoed about them as she gripped his hair
, her fingers clenching about silky strands. Waves of fire-laced spikes flashed from where he suckled. Crashed to her most private area, and then spread outward, sending more heat in waves.

“Navarre, help me
! I beg it of you!”

He chuckled at her torment, lifted his head
, and used it against her neck, pushing her onto her back. And settled between her thighs, partially covering her. From the waist down. He held up from her, delineating the muscles in his arms. His upper chest. His abdomen. And the candlelight was so bright! She saw…

Oh my
!

She glimpsed a leg and something else so foreign it startled and almost frightened
. Giselle’s eyes went wide. He was so large. So heated. So strong. Everywhere.

“You definitely have passion, my love
. Never doubt that. So much woman. Such beauty!
Merde!
I
can’t believe I am here!”

H
is lips met hers, branding her with more than words. And she helped him, running her
hands up his sides and back down again over and over in a palsied fashion. While he pumped his hips in little motions, sending sparks with every minute touch of that strange part of him. On her inner thigh. Higher. Her lower belly.

His groan deepened, and then
his arms
started shaking. He lifted his head, and huffed each breath toward the headboard.

“
Actually love…you are almost
too
much woman.”

“What?”

“I must be gentle. I must go slow. I’ve no experience in this, and—.
Oh my God! What stupidity made me say that?”

Her mouth dropped
open, and then she was
kissing his jaw. His cheek. His nose. She was his first? Oh, for the joy! She knew exactly what the emotion was.
He was hers! No women like Desiree or Charmaine could ever
take that away from her, either.

“You
must stop that, Giselle. You must—”

His
words ended in a garbled noise as she pressed her lips to his throat. And the shudder
that ran his frame moved hers with it.

“Giselle
! So sweet. So fragile. Help me, love.”

The words were deep
. Guttural.

“
I don’t understand, Navarre.”

“
I know, sweet. I know.”

He
angled his head into the space above her
shoulder, using the position to balance himself
and free his arms. She was frightened, and her eyes filled with tears
at it.
She felt him tip his head sideways in
order to look at her.

“What is it,
darling?”

Giselle shook her head.

“I won’t harm you, little one. It would be like crushing a
flower. But…you’re so small, don’t you see?”

She refused to open her eyes just then
. The tear she tried to hide rolled out from under her eyelid.

“Don’t cry,
darling. Please? I can’t stand it.”

“
But I’m frightened, Navarre! And I don’t even know why.”

He kissed her
tear trail
.

“
I love you. I’ll try and be gentle.
It won’t be easy,
though. I’ve wanted you so much, and waited so long. That’s not
a good combination right now.”

His hands
wrapped about her hips and yanked her against him. S
he gasped as he lowered his lips to hers.
The strange lump of him slid along
her belly. Stabbed between her thighs. Back to her belly. Thighs. Back. Over and over in motions that matched his hips. She felt him lift her buttocks, parting her legs more, his muscles tight everywhere, and then there was nothing but complete and solid pain.

Giselle
screamed, but the sound was captured in the
caverns of his mouth.

He pulled
up from her and pushed up again, lifting his weight.
She hadn’t realized how crushing it was until it was
gone, along with his warmth. She couldn’t think. All such ability seemed stolen from her. Her apex was afire. He was branding her! Every twinge he made only added to it.

“You must help me, Giselle.
You’re too small.” He shoved again, and she cried loudly, and arched her neck, giving the sound room. “
Wrap your legs around me, darling! Push down.
Now!”

S
he tried to lunge away instead. He was too strong. Too big. And he was hurting her.

“No, Navarre
…no. Please, no. You must stop. Please?”

A sigh touched her cheek
. And then everything on him shook, including her. The mattress beneath them even shuddered with it. And then he lowered his weight back to her, pushing out her air.

“
I can’t do this, Giselle.”

The pain left, along with his pressure
. But instead of feeling relief, she felt bereft. Alone. Cold.

“Navarre?”

“I refuse to hurt you,
ma petit
.”

He tried to roll away, but she
tightened her legs
.

He sighed. “
Let go, Giselle.”

She shook her head.

“Y
ou’re too tight, and your fear makes it worse. You’re fighting. Not helping. Now, h
ave pity and let me rise.”

Despite
how she clung, he shoved away, reaching the side of the bed. He stood, and then he was walking away. Leaving her.

“
No, Navarre! Wait! Please? I won’t fight. I’ll….help.”

The last was whispered
. It was as if she unleashed a beast by the sound he made, as he swiveled and snarled at her.

“
I am a man, Giselle! Not a toy. You cannot beg me to stop, then tell me otherwise when I do. I cannot believe I managed to halt it now! I’m desperate, I tell you! Don’t you understand what you
do?”

“Please?” she asked.

She heard his heavy sigh, and then he was approaching. Giselle moved into the center of the bed as he crawled onto the mattress, lifted his torso, put his hands on his hips, and then tipped his head, as if studying her. She didn’t know if he was angry.
She’d never seen him angry…but she’d never seen anything like what he’d put on display, either. F
ar from frightening her, it was doing exciting things. Tantalizing things.

“This is what a man looks like, Giselle
. Yes,
I’m
big. And yes, you’re small. But it will fit. It has to be your maidenhood making it hurt
. It won’t always be so.
Do you understand?”