Tristan's Loins (16 page)

She looked him over with a dreamy look.
Tristan was as beautiful to look upon as she had always imagined.
He was utterly perfect from head to toe, and she felt some pride in
having created him. Not so bad for an amateur! The man seemed
unaware of his looks too, which she was relieved of. He was
attractive enough to model. She paused as she sat up and thought of
Burke. He seemed to have been moderately successful at print work
in Detroit. Maggie might have a list on contacts for her. Tristan
might have skills with a sword and the ambition to use it in his
time, but in her world, he had to use other weapons for survival.
She knew he would not be content to be her live-in kept man
forever. He was far too ambitious for that. While the idea of
others looking at him made her feel jealous, she knew he could get
a modeling contract quicker than Burke.

She was suddenly excited about the future and
lay back down, lazily tracing the pattern of hair upon his chest
with her finger until his big hand stopped her, one blue eye
opening lazily.

"You’re insatiable, woman," he drawled as he
drew her close, his big hands sliding under the comforter to pull
her closer and slide over her appreciatively. "Can you not lie
still?"

"Do you complain?"

"Nay, I do not." He cupped her breasts and
caressed them boldly. "I cannot keep my hands from you,
Selene."

Selene leaned up and brought her lips to his,
her hand seeking his rigid length with an eagerness that made him
growl under her lips. She was too aroused now to hold back, rolling
on top of him and taking him inside of her, moving upon him with
slow sensual movements that enflamed him. He arched under her,
staring up at her with passion-darkened eyes.

Tristan did not seem to mind her taking
control in bed. He urged her to take her own pleasure, his hands
coaxing her until she cried out and shuddered against his chest. He
held her close when he found his own release, holding her to him
fiercely as he erupted within her, her name on his lips.

Selene dragged herself from his arms to make
a bowl of ice cream. She returned to the bed to feed it to him. He
was making delighted noises as she fed it to him, his eyes filled
with pleasure. He took the spoon from her and fed her, his blue
eyes filled with naughtiness as he brought a spoonful to her
nipple, rubbing it with the ice cream until it tautened and grew
rigid. She gasped as it got too cold for her to stand and his mouth
lowered to warm it up with slow, sensual strokes of his tongue. He
warmed to the task and soon the rest of the ice cream was smeared
across her shivering form, his golden head bent to lick it away,
chewing upon the chocolate pieces and smearing them across her
abdomen. Her ragged gasps were muffled under her hand as she
writhed under the carnal feeling of being licked from head to
toe.

When Tristan took her, he was close to
brutal, plowing so deeply within her, she screamed and clawed his
back. Daisy barked from the living room in agitation, reminding her
they had neighbors who no doubt knew she had a dog and a lover now.
She did not care, her heels digging into the backs of his powerful
thighs as he brought her to a violent orgasm, making her splinter
into a thousand fragments of molten fire, her insensible words lost
under his burning lips.

Selene felt like she had no strength to move
as he held her against his chest. She felt so deliciously aware of
every pore of her skin right now. He stroked her hair and kissed
her naked shoulders, making her feel like she had been worshipped
for the first time in her life. Tears filled her eyes to think of
losing him. She closed her eyes and pressed closer to him, burying
her face into his chest.

Tristan lifted her chin and stared down at
her in concern. "What is wrong, Selene? Did I hurt you?"

"No, this is just so perfect," she said as a
tear streamed down her cheek. He wiped it away tenderly. "I can't
think of losing you should this magic disappear tomorrow. I'm
afraid, Tristan."

He frowned and pushed her hair out of her
eyes. "Selene, I think I was made to love you. I cannot think of
anything else I wish to do."

"What of your birthright?" she teased him,
knowing until a week ago he wanted the earldom of Montfort
back.

"When I learned none of it was real, I no
longer wanted it." Tristan stretched out and his hands found hers.
"I wanted the voice I heard, and then the woman I saw. I want only
you now, Selene. If I must sit back and play the girl, so be it.
I’ll do what I must to stay with you."

"Tristan, I feel so responsible for all that
has happened to you."

"You made me, Selene." He stared down at her
with adoration in his burning gaze. "I cannot help but love you.
Tell me you feel the same."

"I do love you and can't help to. You have no
idea how much, but I don't trust this enchantment or whatever it
is," she whispered and laid her head upon his chest, easing next to
him for comfort. "I expect to wake and find you gone. I do not care
to think of it."

Tristan held her tightly; his expression
telling her he feared the same. "We cannot know what tomorrow will
bring, my love. Let us live for today and do not think of it.
Whatever time we have, I do not want to squander it on silly talk.
I would get in the shower now. I feel sticky in places that should
not be sticky."

Selene giggled and got up. She grabbed his
hand and tugged him off the bed, pulling him into the bathroom with
her. They washed each other with slow thoroughness until Tristan
was once again pushing her up against the wall of the shower. She
closed her eyes in ecstasy as he imprinted his mark upon her,
holding her legs up as he made her his once more, his hands pinning
hers to the wall as he brought her to the heights of passion.
Selene clutched his shoulders to her, her eyes flying wide as a
tumult of dazzling sensations coursed through her. Her hands slid
through his long, wet locks, her lips at his ear. "I love you,
Tristan."

The words seemed to make him work even more
furiously to bring them both to a slow, shaking climax. She was
grateful he held her up. Tristan stared down at her with love
shining in his eyes as he urged her knees up higher, driving harder
within her. He closed his eyes, his handsome features filled with
hunger.

Their mouths fused and slanted against one
another as the water sprayed over them. He finally reared back and
a low growl escaped his lips. "I love you, Selene," he whispered
hoarsely as he finally went still within her, breathing raggedly
and shaking. He was unsteady as he lowered her legs. He stared down
at her with a gentle look in his eyes, touching her cheek. "I’ll
love you no matter where our story ends. This I mean. I make no
rash promises like your new world weaklings, Selene. You of all
should know I do not give my heart easily. It is yours, for
always."

She was shocked at his heartfelt disclosure,
overwhelmed at the depth of his feelings. "Tristan, you must
promise me, if this magic ends and you’re sent back to the world
within my book, you will make the best of it. Tell me you will do
this, or I’ll not be able to bear it."

"You act like I’m already gone. If that
should happen, I promise you I’ll allow you to write my destiny.
Does that please you?"

"It relieves me of the guilt I have felt
since you came alive in my computer and shouted at me for
destroying your life."

"I think my life began the moment I walked
through that portal, Selene. It is what I want now." He brought her
hand to his lips. "Do not worry so much."

Selene thought of his words later, while he
slept at her side and she tossed and turned with worry and
anxiousness, waking to see if he still lay beside her in the wee
hours of morning. At six in the morning, she woke before her alarm.
She walked Daisy and returned to call into work the second time in
eight years. She dialed Kyle Pritchard's extension. He was the
assistant principal of Grand Blanc Elementary and handled employee
matters. He would be the one to handle the paperwork involved in
her leave of absence. She used her mother's illness and personal
problems as her reasoning for taking the next eight weeks off, into
the summer months when she would be off anyway.

Selene felt little guilt as she hung up. Kyle
knew how dedicated she had been. She was one of the few teachers he
did not have to worry would show up on Monday. Kyle would cut her a
lot of slack for that reason.

Tristan needed her more than her students
did. He had much to learn to survive in the modern world. Thoughts
of him had haunted her for months, ever since she began writing
about him. She felt a twinge of guilt when she thought of Axel.

Axel would be hurt if he knew she had thrown
herself into a relationship with a man she created in her book. She
had hesitated to have dinner with him. How did one explain such
feelings or the circumstances? Tristan was a force of nature and
she could not resist being swept away by him. For however long it
lasted and whatever the cost, she could not help the direction her
heart took.

Darcy was calling her cell phone by noon.
Axel was calling as well. Selene knew they had heard she went on
personal leave. She knew she could not avoid the explanations they
would all want. She knew Darcy and Maggie were at lunch. Darcy
answered on the first ring.

"Oh my God, we were so worried about you,
honey! Are you ok?"

"I'm fine, I just need time off, Darcy,"
Selene said quietly while Tristan was walking Daisy across the
street. "My Mom is sick too. My Dad needs help. I’ll keep in
touch."

"Are you going to Grosse Pointe for a
while?"

"Yeah, don't worry. I just feel like it's all
coming down on me right now," Selene said and meant it. "I think I
need it before I lose it completely."

"Axel is really worried, Selene. What do I
tell him? He cornered me this morning when Kyle announced you’re on
leave until fall."

"Don't worry, I'll call him and tell him the
same as you. I need to get away and I'll be in touch."

Darcy said Maggie was in class and she would
have their friend call her later. Selene hung up feeling guilty for
lying to her closest friends. She dialed her Father and at the
sound of his voice, she felt tears spring to her eyes for some
reason. She missed her parents so bad. It was time she quit lying
to them. He had to know she was divorced once and for all.

"Hey Dad, what's going on?"

"Sweetie, we miss you," her Dad said in
relief to hear her voice. "I told your Mother you would call us
when you could."

"Dad, I'm sorry, but I have been lying to you
for months," she said quietly and closed her eyes and counted to
ten as her Father digested her words.

"What's going on, Selene?" he said with worry
thick in his voice.

"Jim and I are divorced," she said softly and
her voice caught and broke. "I could not tell you because I knew
what you would say. He left me for his secretary seven months
ago."

"Honey, that's the best news I've heard in
ten years," he said with relief in his voice. "Come home, Selene,
we want to see you."

"I have a friend, Dad," she admitted, a smile
tugging at her lips as she watched Tristan walking Daisy across the
lot. "He is very important to me and I have to bring him with me. I
also want to keys to the cottage in Tawas for the summer, if it's
ok."

"That's fine, just come see us, Selene. Your
Mother is getting worse," he admitted gruffly. "I planned to call
you this week to ask you to come. Your ears must have been ringing.
You need to come now."

Selene hung up feeling her heart clench,
knowing her Mother was quite bad if her Father insisted she come
home. Guilt filled her to know how she avoided them the last six
months. She had talked to her Mother and Father regularly, but
avoided going home, knowing they would question why Jim never came
with her.

Selene had only managed to avoid them
learning the truth by transferring the home phone at the house to
her apartment. Jim did not care, for he hardly answered the
landline at the house. When they called her, they had no idea she
was on her own.

Tristan saw her expression and tensed as they
walked back up to the apartment. While she made coffee, he sat at
the bar with a questioning look.

"You’re sad. What it is it?"

"My Mother has cancer. She is dying,
Tristan." A tear slipped down her cheek. "She is getting worse. My
Dad asks me to come home. If she weren't really bad off, he would
not ask."

"Of course, you must go." Tristan did not bat
an eyelash. She loved him for that.

"I told my Father I'm bringing a guest,
Tristan. I want you to come with me," she said as tears filled her
gaze. "I would like very much for you to meet my parents."

Tristan was overwhelmed and nodded quickly.
"What do we do with Daisy?"

"We take her with us," Selene said and
smiled. "I have a special treat for you. My parents have a cottage
up north on the beach. We are spending the summer there."

"What about the move? Don't you have to find
another place to live?"

"My stuff can go into storage before we leave
for the cottage. That way, I need not come back until August."

"Selene, are you sure about this?" he asked
with a troubled look. "I would understand if you need to go
alone."

"No, I want you with me, Tristan. I can't do
this alone anymore."

Tristan came and took her into his arms,
seeing she was ready to burst into tears. She allowed him to
comfort her. He drew away and wiped at her tears.

"Do not cry, Selene," he begged and stared
down at her with a sad look. "What do we tell them? They will
question why you come without your lout of a husband."

"I told them the lout and I are divorced,"
she told him with a sad smile. "My Dad hated Jim. Trust me you’re
an improvement. Only, we cannot tell him where you came from. He
would throw us both in a loony bin if he knew."