Queen of Jastain (16 page)

Her stomach churned at the memory of their kiss in the carriage. She steadied her voice and tried to sound casual. “Why would you ask that?”

Avant spun the horse around to face her. His voice lowered an octave. “That is not an answer, Abigail. Is there something you wish to tell me?” His face became unreadable.

Damn. She was busted. How did he know? He could see right through her diversion tactics, just like her dad, the only one she could never fool.

She sighed. “Not really, but I’m not going to lie either. He kissed me…and I kissed him back.”

An unmistakable jealousy flared in his eyes.

Her heart pounded. She panicked and blurted out, “Please let me explain…it was a case of mistaken identity.”

“And how is that possible?” The coolness in his voice chilled her.

You better tell him the truth, Abs.
“Petra looks exactly like Chad, my ex-boyfriend.” Abby projected an image of Chad into Avant’s mind. “I was drunk and got mixed-up. It’s so embarrassing. I know Petra feels strongly about me, and I like him but….” She wanted to say,
but I am so in love with you, I can’t see straight,
but stopped herself before that embarrassing tidbit fell out of her big mouth
.

Avant remained quiet for a moment, contemplating something. “Well, it is no concern of mine, other than I specifically told him not to engage you. For your part, that certainly explains your first meeting.”

He wheeled Spiritus around and started down the trail again. Abby cringed. The formality in his tone told her he’d shut down his emotions and thought less of her now. Why would he tell Petra to stay away? That seemed like a strange thing to tell someone. It wasn’t like there was anything going on between her and him, right?

They rode in silence.

Finally Avant broke the stalemate. “This Chad, he was your only lover?”

Abby smiled at the way he always said ‘
this Chad’
as if it left a bad taste in his mouth to say the name. “That’s kind of a personal question to ask a lady, isn’t it?”

He smirked. “I'll count that as a ‘no.’”

Abby rolled her eyes. He had her in a catch-22. If she didn’t speak up, she would seem like a slut. If she did, he won the answer to his nosy question. “Yes, he was the only one, and how did we get on the subject of my love life all of a sudden?”

Avant cocked his brow and smiled roguishly. “I didn't want to dominate all the interesting conversation.”

They reached the falls a half-hour later. This time, he guided her down a lower path that led to the side of the pool. He spread an old blanket on a patch of soft grass under a tree, and they sat and ate their lunch. The place was every bit as magical as it had been the first time, and the steady flow of the waterfall filled her with strength and life.

“I'm pleased you love the falls.” He studied her.

“I've never seen anything so beautiful.”

His face cleared of emotion, and he turned businesslike. “Abigail, I want to teach you how to put a wall up in your mind. It is the first step in learning how to control your power.”

“Okay, tell me what to do.”

“I think you have some idea since you hid your devious little plan from me last evening.” He pointedly inclined his head and raised a brow.

Biting her fingernail, she shrugged her shoulders and smiled sheepishly. “I wondered about that. You really were shocked, weren’t you?”

“You have no idea.” He shook his head.

Her mind was off in a sprint, reliving the moment of that kiss. Warm lips pressed against hers made her mouth tingled again. At the time, he’d seemed as affected by it as she’d been, but now she couldn’t tell.

His voice interrupted her. “The concept is the same. If you think something, it must be buried deep inside your mind. Practice compartmentalizing your thoughts then you can begin to differentiate between the different aspects of your Gift.” He reclined back against a tree trunk. “Think something about me but try keeping it from me.”

A fleeting image came to mind, and she stuffed it deep in the recesses. “Okay. I’ve got it. Can you see it?”

“No. It is hidden from me. What it is?”

“It’s your sword. The sapphires on the hilt are the color of your eyes.”

“Good. Now try to imagine it in action.”

He glossed over the flirtation and forced her to focus. The picture of Avant running to save her in the rain and pulling the weapon from its sheath filled the back of her mind. “Did you see that?”

“Only fleetingly. Show me the full memory now.”

She drew the memory to the forefront—the awful man, Avant’s rage, and the sword held threateningly in front of him. Her own fear rushed back. “I didn’t realize at the time that man was one of the king’s guard, but I realized he knew you.”

His eyes clouded.

They sat silently for a long while. Pain reflected in his face, and all she wanted was to ease his hurt. “I know what you need. This is something friends do for each other where I come from.”

She knelt behind him and placed her hands on broad shoulders that rippled at her touch. The wall of muscles crunched as she applied pressure. He groaned, but she wasn’t sure if it was in pleasure or pain. Maybe both. Jesus, he was tense. “Are you smuggling rocks under here?”

He laughed and his shoulders released some of his tension.

Kneading his tight flesh, she worked the stressed tissue. Eventually, his muscles relaxed and gave way. His grunts and groans gave way to yawns. He lay on his stomach and fell asleep.

Leaving him to snooze, she waded into the shallow waters of the pool, allowing the chill to soothe her feet. Dancing the night before had made them sore and they hadn't fully recovered from her mountain trek in sandals. This place was a balm washing over her.

Out of nowhere a vision infiltrated her mind…of him leaning in and tenderly kissing her. The same slow sensuous kiss as before, her soft lips kissed him back and her silky hair slid through his hand. When he pulled away, her teal green eyes shone with love and her own voice spoke: “I love you.” He kissed her again with so much passion that the thought made her lightheaded.

The vision left as quickly as it came, and she sucked in a breath. She splashed her face. The more she thought about that vision, the stranger it seemed.
Oh my God.
It hadn’t been her vision; it was his. His mind unguarded in sleep had allowed her access. She darted her gaze to him. How often did he dream of kissing her?

Still feeling the remnants of a hangover, Abby lay down next to Avant on the blanket and took a nap. Well, she tried. Lying next to his big, warm body put all kinds of ideas in her head, but eventually the soothing crash of the falls and the mild breeze lulled her to sleep. When she woke, he was sitting next to her watching intently.

“There is something I want to show you.” His mouth set in a half-smile. The excitement in his eyes warmed her. He was itching to reveal whatever it was.

She stretched and stared at him, still amazed that the Implanting gave her so much insight into him. “What is it?”

“A secret cave, but you'll have to trust me to get to it.” His eyes danced, and he flashed a boyish smile.

There was no way she could resist him. “Where is this cave?” She narrowed her gaze in suspicion, remembering how far he’d pushed her the day they’d met. “You aren’t going to make me hike a mile up a cliff, are you?”

He chuckled and gestured toward the falls. “It’s behind the falls at the backside of the pool. I’ve already got dinner set up over there with a campfire. Come. It'll be an experience.”

He didn't need the wheedling tone. He could have convinced her with just a smile. Whatever his reasoning for showing her the discovery, it was clearly important to him. She searched her mind and found vague memories from him of a cave behind the falls.

She raised a skeptical eyebrow. “How do you expect me to get over there without getting soaking wet?”

“You’ll have to take your clothes off.” He grinned devilishly.

Her heart skipped a beat, but she put on her best poker face. “You do this to all the girls, don’t you? Pretend to be honorable, then you get them out here alone so you can take their clothes off.”

“You're the first. I've wanted to share this place with someone, but…never have.” Avant searched her face. “Do you trust me?”

It was that question again. The one the Seppitent asked, and the answer was the same. “Yes. I trust you. Remind me what I have to do.”

“Remove your outer clothing.”

She frowned.

He laughed. “I’ll place them in the saddlebags where you can retrieve them later. Swim to the rock behind the falls. Beneath it, on the right side, is a short tunnel.”

Was it such a good idea to take her clothes off? She would be in her undergarments. God only knew, her hot pink bikini was significantly more revealing than Jastainian underwear, and she'd never thought twice about going out in public wearing it.

Without further debate, she shucked off her clothes while Avant turned his back then waded out in the freezing water. “Brrr. Crap, it's cold.” She darted a glare back at him. Had he planned this from the beginning of the day or was it spontaneous? She had to admit the mystery was enticing.

When she got past the fall of water, she could see the opening down by her knees, and the memory of it came to her.

She heard his strong, reassuring voice in her head.
“Trust me. It is a short distance, and it opens into a lovely cave.”

“Here goes.”
She took a deep breath and dove underwater into the tunnel about three feet long.

Bursting out of the icy pool, she sucked in a breath as soon as her head cleared the surface. She wiped her eyes and panned her gaze around the large cavern sparkling with golden walls. Abby shivered as she climbed out, gaping in wonder.

On the banks, a palette of soft moss beckoned to be lounged upon, with dinner set for two. A flickering fire sat to the side, and the smoke filtered up through a hole in the top of the mountain like a chimney.

The cave was an amazing discovery, with veins of gold that glistened deep into the rock. Warm firelight danced with sparkling colors in every direction, and the rhythmic sound of the water set off a calming echo. Lilies and fresh earth perfumed the moist air, and toward the back near the glittering wall, a natural hot spring bubbled like a top-of-the-line Jacuzzi.

Scanning the scene in awe, she marveled, the seduction of the setting crashing into her core like the relentless falls. Her breath quickened, and her body thrummed with yearning.
Avant has to be the most romantic man in the universe
. And as far as she was concerned, if he wanted to make good on the village gossip, he was welcome.

He rose out of the water bare-chested. Her tongue stuck dry to the roof of her mouth. His muscles glistened in the firelight. Several deep scars smattered his chest and a fine line of dark hair trailed under the waist of his pants. Her breath adhered to her lungs like school glue on construction paper. Taking in air proved impractical. Her knees gave way, and she sat on a rock to keep from stumbling. Desire fought brutally with her mind as she pushed down erotic images warring with her good sense. Thank God she was learning how to hide those thoughts from him. Otherwise, her sex fantasies would’ve been plastered in his head too. Not that the thought was unappealing, but it was a little embarrassing.

He stepped onto the bank and pulled her to her feet. His face shone with excitement and delight laced his voice. “Abigail, I cannot tell you how much this means to me. I've always wanted to share this place with someone.” He pointed over her head. “Is this not an incredible structure of nature?” He stepped to the far wall and pulled her along. “Look over here. It is a natural hot spring! I suspect it to have healing properties. Would you like to get in?”

The secret places of his heart were known to her, but to have him openly share this touched her deeply. Before she knew what had happened, her heart hinged opened like a golden locket. An unstoppable desire flowed from the depths of her. She wanted him.
Right here. Right now.

Without a word, she took his hand and led him to the spring.

He climbed down into the bubbling water and lifted her in. Submerged to mid-chest, he sat on a rock that formed a natural bench. The heated bubbles tingled against her skin and stimulated the craving that coursed through strategic locations in her body. Liquid need pooled between her legs.

She stared into his unguarded eyes, and without hesitation climbed astride him, resting her knees on the rock at either side of his thighs. Tilting his head up, she lightly kissed his lips, running her fingers through his wet hair.
You feel like heaven
. She drew in the sweet flesh of his bottom lip. He softly growled. Waves of want washed over her.

Trailing his hands up her sides, under her arms, and around her back, he caused her body to throb.
Oh God.
She placed her lips flush with his and opened her mouth. His tongue needed no further invitation but slid inside, discovering the backside of her lips and the straight edge of her teeth. The ache between her legs became more intense. Moving their mouths in rhythm to the softly drumming current, they explored, teased and tasted in a sensual experience that Abby drank in like spiced wine.

He grasped her hips, and pulled them down, settling his erection at the juncture in between. Moaning into his mouth, she encouraged him on, grinding against him. Her heart sought that union with his, and her body searched for intimate release. His arousal pulsed. He wanted her just as much. She smiled against his lips. Her aching desire would be realized.

But in a sudden jolt, Avant released her hips, pressed his hands to her arms, and yanked himself away from her. He rose so fast, had he not held her shoulders, she would’ve been upended in the water.

They stood with chests heaving, only the strength of his arms holding them apart. Abby fought frantically against his grip, trying to reach him before he shut her out. Struggling to be back in his embrace, she seized his gaze, and silently pleaded in a communication of her heart that was deeper than telepathy. She opened herself, became vulnerable.