Once Upon a Romance 02 - As The Last Petal Falls (29 page)

Cold sunlight struck the frozen spires of the waterfall, casting small rainbows on the winter snow. Vivienne was grateful for the cold air on her steaming skin, though it did nothing to cool the fire in her blood. She had a different plan to cure that.

“Fain?” She cocked a teasing smile down at him.

“Aye?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll do my best not to hurt you.”

He laughed, but fell silent when she used one hand to guide the tip of his phallus inside her. Staring into his eyes, she lowered herself, inch by careful inch, until he was buried fully inside her, filling her, setting her nerves ablaze. She took small, careful breaths through her parted lips, growing used to the feeling of fullness, and then she began to move.

Slowly, languorously, she drew back, releasing him from her body. His hands were resting on her hips, and she pulled them free so she could lace her fingers with his. She sank back down, drawing him inside her again, and both let out a groan when their bodies were fully merged once more. His arms came up to make a sturdy frame, and Vivienne used it to work her body up and down, rising and falling along his rigid shaft. Their breaths came faster in the icy air, harsh, ragged sounds that echoed in the snowy forest. Vivi lost her rhythm, and Fain reached up to catch her in his arms.

“With your permission?”

“Yessssss…” The word hissed between her teeth, and Fain rolled them both, putting her back to the ground. Vivi felt the warm blanket twist beneath her as Fain drove into her body, going even deeper, touching her womb. She cried out at the new sensation, urging him on. She clutched at his shoulders, trying to draw her body up, to be closer to him, and he dropped his head down, resting his forehead against hers, while his body plunged into her over and over. Even with her blood pounding in her ears, she heard him whisper.

“I love you, Belle.”

She had thought that nothing could distract her from the sensations of her body, but she had been wrong. Emotion flooded through her, and she clasped his face in shaking hands, drawing him down for a kiss. Tears stood in her eyes, and her reply came in a trembling voice. “And I love you, Fain.”

He balanced on one hand and used the other to reach between them, touching her with rapid, fluttering strokes, sending her soaring over the edge. Pleasure exploded through her body, stealing her other senses, leaving her aware of nothing but that ecstasy rippling out from the point where the two of them were one. Dimly she was aware that Fain seemed caught likewise, shuddering above her, and she held him close with all her strength, wanting to keep them in that timeless moment.

Endless heartbeats later, Vivi took a deep breath and smiled up at Fain. His face was tender as he bent down to brush a kiss lightly across each of her eyes, then he settled beside her, turning them both so she was wrapped in his arms. As the cold air nipped at her side, she squealed and awkwardly grabbed the blanket with her toes, dragging it upwards until Fain’s longer arms could reach down to straighten and tuck it snugly around their bodies. Vivienne lay her cheek on Fain’s shoulder and sighed contentedly, resting in that perfect moment.

Fain reined up in front of the stables and slipped from the saddle. Before he could offer Belle a hand, she too dropped to the ground, then she turned and gave him a pert wink, as though she knew she had forestalled him.

“Just for that, you get to groom her yourself.”

“As if I’d let
you
groom her, MacTíre. You can’t possibly braid her tail properly.”

“Didn’t I tell you that Bianca liked to have her hair braided after it was brushed?”

“In that case I should have called you this morning. I was sorely in need of a hairdresser.”

He stepped towards her. “If you plan on summoning me to your chamber, Belle, you should have something other than hairdressing in mind.” He heard her breath catch as her eyes widened; then they took on a sparkle.

“In that case, Master MacTíre, I find myself in urgent need of your services. Alas, I have this horse to groom…”

“Notter!” he called without ever taking his eyes from hers, “Come see to Belle’s horse!”

“The lad’s taking a nap, MacTíre. Best stay here and groom it yourself.”

Fain froze inside at the new voice. Not yet. He wasn’t ready yet.

“Fain? Who is that man?” Belle was looking past him towards the stable door. Fain stared down at her, mute.

“Since my friend seems to be at a loss for words, I’ll introduce myself. My name is Baines. It’s a pleasure to meet you, your Highness. “

Fain felt like his heart had stopped. He’d known she must have noble blood, but he’d never expected…

“You’re the Princess?”

Belle stood there, biting her lip anxiously. “Yes.”

“Vivienne Bellicia Victoria, heir to the throne of Albion, and currently in the direct line of succession for the throne of Toldas?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, gods above.” He felt his legs go and sat down abruptly on a straw bale.

Belle rushed to his side and dropped to her knees. “Fain,” she pleaded, “don’t look like that. Please don’t. At first I didn’t know that I could trust you, and it only seemed prudent to lie. And today, when I tried to tell you, you said—”

“I know.”

“Fain!” She grabbed his face in both hands and turned him to face her. “This doesn’t change anything.”

He gently removed her hands. “It changes everything, your Highness.”

Belle looked as though he had struck her. She ran from the stables, and though it killed him, Fain watched her go.

“Do you want to hear it, or not?” Baines asked. Fain honestly didn’t know what he wanted, but there was no point putting it off.

“Tell me.”

“Albion is in an uproar over the missing Princess. Not only does your lady’s timeline match up exactly with the events, but there are miniature portraits of her circulating everywhere. I recognized her as soon as I saw her.” Baines flipped a small oval frame across the room, and Fain caught it. The miniature didn’t capture the sparkle in her eyes or the stubborn tilt of her chin, but there was no doubt it was Belle. “The entire kingdom is wondering what happened to her, since, as far as they know, she’s disappeared. When I finally left, there was some dignitary heading off into the mountains to find the lass.”

“A search party?”

“No, a diplomatic mission. They’re headed for Toldas. Likely bogged down in a camp somewhere in the mountains right now. Baggage trains don’t do well in the snow.”

Fain went back to pacing. Baines watched with an amused look on his face, and then finally spoke up.

“If you don’t mind my saying so, MacTíre, you look like a man whose heart is waging an almighty battle with his head.”

Fain gave him a dirty look. “Why do I get the feeling you find that funny?”

“Not me. I’d never think to be amused. ‘Oh no, Baines.’” He affected rumbling tones, mocking Fain. “‘I won’t fall prey to the batting lashes and lush lips of the pretty princess. You go right ahead and leave me; I have more sense than to lose my heart to a—’” Fain growled and Baines broke off, then sighed heavily. “So, what then? You love her, don’t you?”

Fain stared out the door where Belle had fled. “It doesn’t matter.”

“How can it not matter, man?”

“How could it
possibly
matter? She’s the princess of Albion. I wouldn’t be suitable for her even if—” He shook his head.

“I only saw a bit, but she looks more than passing fond of you, MacTíre. From what I heard in Albion, she’s also more than passing stubborn. I wouldn’t think the difference in rank would matter much to her.”

“Perhaps not.” Fain toyed with the miniature. “But her duty does. As mine does, to me. She thinks she’s going to find a way for me to leave here, but she doesn’t understand.”

“Have you explained?”

Fain shook his head. “Until now, I wasn’t sure that it was safe to tell her.”

“You’d risk your heart before you’d risk any of us.” It wasn’t a question. There were reasons the men followed Fain, and this was one of them. “Best tell her, MacTíre. She needs to know.”

Fain knocked on the door to Vivienne’s chamber. Her face was hopeful when she threw open the door, but he took a small step backwards and bowed.

“Your Highness, may I come in?”

She scowled at him. “Not if you’re going to behave like that.”

“Be fair, your Highness, I’m only behaving properly.”

“I have no intention of being fair. And stop calling me that.”

He cocked an eyebrow at her. “What?”

“Your
Highness
. Like we haven’t been together. Like you never said you loved me.”

“I don’t think I could call you Vivienne.” He seemed entranced by the wood grain pattern in the door.

“Then call me Belle. I don’t mind.” It was half pleading. “In fact, I think I’d miss it.”

“May I come in, Belle?”

She practically dragged him into the room and shut the door behind him.

“Please, Fain, just listen to me. It truly doesn’t matter who I am. I know you think it changes everything, but be reasonable! My father will understand—eventually, anyway—and—”

“Belle!” He cut her off. “It’s not because of you, or your father, or anything in Albion.”

Vivienne stopped. “What are you talking about?”