One Battle Lord's Fate

Chapter 2-2

Yulen leaned forward to kiss his wife the same way he had kissed her these past few months. It was meant to be just a gentle pressure on the lips. Simple. Sweet. Brief.

Except...

Atty kissed him back, reluctant to part when he began to move away from her. She followed him unconsciously, keeping their mouths barely touching as she breathed between his lips. When she finally opened her eyes, she saw him gazing curiously at her. “What?”

“Why did you do that?” he asked her. His soft voice sounded like velvet gravel.

“Do what?” She blinked, trying to comprehend what he was talking about. A smile came over her when she saw him lean toward her to kiss her again. She closed her eyes to accept it.

It was a deeper kiss, but not by much. He teased her mouth, brushing her lips with his as if he was tasting her. His mouth was warm. Soft. Men should not have such soft lips, she thought to herself, and she shivered at their touch.

Men should not have such soft lipsShe felt him pull back a second time. This time when she opened her eyes, there was a glittering in the depths of his blue-gray stare. It took her a long moment before she recognized it for what it was.

Raw passion. Barely held in check, but quickly growing and becoming hotter.

“Atrilan?” he murmured.

Her eyes widened a split-second before he claimed her mouth a third time. He leaned over her as he forcefully took total possession of her lips, bending her backwards and taking her down in one swift move until she was lying on her back on the green grass.

There was no mercy in his assault. Atty was caught up in the thunderstorm of feelings raining over them both. His mouth was starved for her response, thirsty for her answering desire. He was needing her after days and weeks and months of denial, and he passed that hunger to her.

There was a terrible void in their lives now, one that was far worse than the one they had made themselves suffer. An unnecessary celibacy they had obeyed during those few days when they had denied themselves any lovemaking on their trip to Wallis. When she had kept him at bay while she searched for a contraceptive. This was an emptiness made deeper and more vast because of necessity.

A necessity that was no longer an obstacle.

Atty whimpered as his tongue parted her lips, her teeth, and found her own. He dove into her, pressing hard as his mouth slanted over hers. He took her tongue and began to suckle it, and the bolt of pure heat that exploded within her had her grasping the front of his tunic with trembling hands. Involuntarily her body arched beneath his, and the contact between them was a hundred molten points of fire igniting them, searing them. Atty moaned as her hips lifted to rub along the huge ridge bulging at his groin.

Yulen jerked his head up. He was breathing heavily as he stared down at her, his hands clutching her arms. Atty stared back up at him. Her fingertips touched her bruised lips.

“What did you feel, Atrilan?” he growled throatily, softly. “Did you feel anything?”

Her breath hitched in her throat as she nodded. She couldn’t speak, couldn’t move, couldn’t do anything except reach for him and anchor her fingers in his red-gold hair. Her body frightened her, with its river of ice making her belly clench while her skin tingled with heat. She wanted more. She wanted him to kiss her again. Harder. And deeper.

She wanted him.

him.

* * *

* * *

He bowed his head as he fought for control. He could feel his erection thickened to the point of bursting. Staring between their bodies he could see her wondrously full breasts pressing against her tunic. The n*****s, blushed from nursing their son, pointed through the fabric. Further down, her fuller hips were raised, her long, extraordinary legs parted in invitation, the five small buttons fastening her pants...

Yulen shivered. His own pants were excruciatingly tight. “Atrilan, when do you go see Liam again?”

Her lower lip quivered as she tried to control her breathing. The air between fairly crackled with their restraint. Their bodies were like opposite poles on a magnet, pulsing with fire as they tried to connect. “N-next week. The eighth.”

“Damn!”

He pushed himself away from her and sat up. A quick glance over at their son assured him the baby was still asleep. Several deep breaths did little to cool his blood. Looking back at his wife, he watched as she sat up. Her face was pale, and she crossed her arms over her chest.

“I’m sorry, my love,” he apologized gently.

“Sorry for what?”

He chuckled, but without humor. “I should have waited until Liam released you before doing something like that.”

“Like what? Like kissing me? You haven’t kissed me like that in ages, Yul.”

“It’s not that I haven’t wanted to,” he confessed with a wry grin.

She shivered. “What are we going to do?” It was taking everything in her not to jump him and wrestle him to the soft grass.

Yulen groaned softly. “There’s not much we can do, my only love, except wait for Liam’s blessings.”

can “A whole week?”

week?“I...we can’t take the risk. If we make love before Liam believes it’s safe, we may do more harm to you. And then we’d be right back where we were, having to wait an ungodly long time again.”

They sat in silence, not touching as they waited for their bodies to calm enough to where they could find some sort of normalcy once more. Finally, it was Atty who asked, “You still want to go over to the practice field and get some sword play in?” She saw her husband nod. “Can I still come with you?”

This time he turned to give her one of those boyish grins that always managed to melt her heart. “Please.”

Getting to their feet, he carefully picked up their son and cradled him against his broad shoulder as Atty stuffed the book into her quiver, and grabbed her bow and the carrier. Together they descended the small hill in silence to where the soldiers were engaged in mock battle.