Gem of Gravane (The Northern Knights) Read online

  She nodded, licking her lips and her eyes went wide. “Aye. But we…we were clothed.”

  Aric leaned down and kissed her open mouth. He kissed her over and over until she was moaning and her tongue danced with his.

  He could feel the tension leaving her body as her hot tongue searched inside his mouth. The woman in the garden was almost back.

  She wrapped her soft arms around his neck. He groaned as her breasts brushed against his chest and took pleasure in feeling the shiver run through her as her hard nipples grazed his chest. He shivered too and waited until he felt her relax completely against him. He slid his hands up and down her sides over and over, massaging her ribs, the undersides of those full breasts until she was nearly driving him mad with need by doing what she had in the garden. She tugged and sucked his bottom lip into her mouth. He pressed into her, his hardness between them lying against the soft curve of her belly.

  Danielle did not want him to stop. His mouth was so hot and she loved the feel of his lip in her mouth. She rubbed against him. That liquid fire was back between her thighs. He was bent over her and she ran her fingers through his hair all the while moaning as his fingers neared her breasts. When they hardened more beneath his palms, she could not stop the sigh that escaped her into his mouth.

  So lost in his thorough kissing and touch, Danielle did not notice when he lifted her off her feet into his arms and carried her to the raised bed covered in coverlets. Nor did she utter a sound when he rose up slightly and pulled her shift over her head.

  Aric watched her and saw the unchecked passion, so open with her emotions laid bare in those unique depths. Her nostrils flared with her heavy panting, her ruby lips were darker and swollen from his ravaging kisses. He had to see her, all of her.

  Danielle’s fervor engulfed her. She protested as his body heat left hers.

  “Shhh. Let me look at you.” Aric said huskily as he pulled away from her. Danielle blushed and moved her hands up to cover her breasts but he stopped her, taking her hands in his. She tried to pull away.

  “I need to look at you.” Aric insisted.

  Danielle groaned. A look of surprise crossed his face when she tried to twist and throw him off. Seeing that her efforts were futile, she gave up. Now he would know. Now he would see and kiss her no more. The deep ache tore through her and she waited.

  Nothing happened.

  Tears trickled out of the corners of her closed lids down into her hair. She lay stiff as a board.

  Aric released her hands and took his fill of her. She was beautiful. Each and every curve tight, full…yea, fuller than most he’d taken to bed, but her voluptuous frame intoxicated him.

  Her bountiful breasts called to him and her ribs were visible as she breathed hard. Dropping his gaze to her belly, his eyes swept over a waist drawn to perfection to the slight little curve that made it just right for him, then over her navel, to the thick patch of hair between her shapely thighs. Animal like lust shot through him and he prayed for patience.

  His eyes barely lingered on her knees. The left one was fine. The right was misshapen, puckered with pink scarred skin around the knee cap. He reached down and covered the bump with his palm. He felt the flinch ripple through her beneath his touch. No other scars marred this perfection and even if it had, Aric knew he’d desire her no less. He was so hot and hard for her.

  Danielle knew he would leave now. He had freed her hands. The room was so quiet and all she could hear was her labored breath roaring in her ears.

  “Look at me, milady.” His voice soft, yet firm was not quite a question. Danielle knew it was a command. She opened her eyes and he was looking right at her. One hand wiped away a tear, the other; he took her hand again in his. When she saw where he intended to put it, she cried out.

  “No, don’t. Please. Is it not enough that you have seen me? Must you be so cruel as to make me feel what I already know is there?” Her words ended on a sob as he laid her fisted hand on her breast with his hand over it.

  “Tell me, milady. What or whom has made you so ashamed of such a body? Open your hand. Open it.” She obeyed and opened it slowly. Aric was torn with the hurt that caused her body to tremble so. “Tell me, why you are ashamed of this?”

  Danielle felt heat rise in her chest and she shook her head no. Thomas had told her often enough that men did not desire women built as she. She was too big and too soft. “I know such a body as mine is not as desirable as most men wo-would like… pre-prefer their wives to have.”

  Her anguished whisper caused the tightness to deepen within his chest. “Oh, my sweetness, I beg to differ on that statement. A body such as yours pleases me very much. Look only at me.”

  She did.

  He squeezed his hand over her breast, causing Danielle to gasp. He rolled her hardened nipple between his fingers. Exquisite sensations exploded inside her. Her gaze did not leave his and something inside her slowly started to waken. When he did the same tantalizing move to the other breast, she squirmed under him.

  “A body like this is perfection to me and I am glad it belongs to you.” He slid their entwined hands down over her belly. “Knowing I will be the one to make it tremble with desire gives me immense pleasure.”

  Danielle tried to pull her hand free as he covered her mound. Heat pooled in her belly and seemed to center where their hands lay. A whimper escaped her and he let her hand go, but did not stop his caress. He slid two fingers into her folds and Danielle nearly came up off the bed as a jolt of pure bliss rocked through her limbs.

  Aric smiled as her hot moistness coated his fingers. It took everything in him to not thrust into her and relieve himself of the unbearable need that raged through him. But, nay, he was determined to give her more. She deserved more. Someone and he knew who, had made his beautiful wife repulsed of her womanly charms. But never again, he vowed. Never again.

  He leaned down and tenderly kissed her tears away before capturing her mouth again and laid his body fully on top of hers. He had to taste her, he could no longer wait. Shifting he lowered his head and took a taut nipple into his mouth.

  Danielle cupped his head in her hands, her fingers fisting in his long raven mane as he laved first one nipple to an aching intensity before doing the same to the other. She began to squirm beneath him with soft moans escaping her throat. She didn’t want the wonderful sensations to end and almost cried with the sweet joy of it.

  Aric wanted it to last, wanted to bask in pleasuring her for a longer time, but he knew he could not. Her supple flesh had him on the edge. She had unknowingly spread her legs while she wriggled beneath him and his pulsing shaft lay against her thigh. Aric reached down between them and found her swollen nub of pleasure between her soft folds. She arched into him with a loud cry. He stroked her softness as she panted and moved her hips against him.

  Danielle wanted to scream as his fingers worked their sweet magic and the intense pleasure built inside her. She was reaching, her body wanted something and she cried out. “Milord…Oh- please.”

  He gave her a wickedly delicious smile and kissed her.

  Danielle opened her mouth and screamed as her body exploded into a million beautiful and wondrous pieces. The pleasure so powerful, she swore that she stopped breathing. Aric’s kisses brought her back to him and she felt something big probing against her, entering her, stretching her.

  “Sweetness. Oh, you are so tight.” He paused as though in pain. Danielle reached up and cupped his handsome face. His gentle manner touched her even more and her heart bloomed. She leaned up and kissed him.

  It was all the urging Aric needed and he surged forth in one single thrust past her maidenhead and held himself still as her cry shattered the quiet in the room.

  “Are you well?”

  Worry laced his tone as his warm breath bathed her face. Danielle let out a deep breath. The pain had dulled to a throb and something else had taken its place. He felt heavy and thick inside her. Their bodies so deeply connected amazed her and she replied,
hesitantly hearing the uncertainty and wonder in her voice. “Yea. Yea, I believe so.”

  His passion filled gaze locked on hers. “Call me Aric. I want to hear you say it.” He pulled out and thrust into her again.

  Exquisite pleasure shook her and breathlessly, she whispered “Aric.”

  He growled and thrust slowly in and out of her tight sheath. He asked her to say it again and Danielle did, liking the sound of his name on her tongue. She felt emboldened and reaching up, pressed her hand to his cheek and demanded in turn. “Say my name, Aric. Say my name.”

  He thrust deep as his heated gaze held hers and he ground out. “Danielle. My sweet, Danielle, I cannot wait any longer.”

  Danielle smiled and kissed him again, not exactly sure what he meant, but she clung to his shoulders with all her might.

  Heaviness and pressure filled her with each delightful thrust. She lost herself in the new sensations he was drawing from her.

  When he told her to wrap her legs around his waist, she did and cried out at the friction the new position caused. ‘Twas heaven. Tightening her legs around his strong back, she tried to return his thrusts, but it was too much and Danielle heard herself crying out her pleasure once more as she convulsed in wonderment around him.

  Aric groaned in satisfaction as he felt her find pleasure again. In two more thrusts, his release tore from him and into her womb leaving him breathless and caught up in a vortex of fulfillment like he’d never experienced before.

  Chapter 5

  Danielle stretched under the coverlets as morning light blazed through the window. A satisfied moan escaped her lips and she reached out for Aric but his side of the bed was empty. Disappointment came to her. None of his warmth clung to his pillow.

  Oh well, she sighed. Did she think that he would lay abed all day with her as he had last night?

  Nay, as beautiful as her wedding night had been, her new husband had not been a virgin. Danielle knew it and even felt a pang of jealousy that what they had shared was probably no different than what he’d probably shared with other women before her. He was an experienced lover. It was not as special for him as it had been for her of that she was sure.

  No matter, she would still keep that feeling to herself.

  The gentleness and the desire he’d shown for her last night had opened her eyes a little. She knew he could have taken her without a word or been cruel even, but he hadn’t and for that Danielle was grateful. He had called her sweetness many times throughout the night.

  Her heart swelled and she knew she was naïve in her way of thinking. But she did not care. She was floating and full of many new emotions as her thoughts returned to last night.

  Soreness between her thighs caused her to groan as she moved to get out of bed. Aric had done his husbandly duty three times in the long night and for her, each time had been better than the next. But, that was impossible she chided herself. ‘Twas just that she could not get enough of him and hoped they’d be sharing the wondrous experience again soon. The things he’d said and done to her during their lovemaking, she flushed with the memory feeling the fingers of want tingle her center.

  She walked across the room.

  How would he treat her this morning? she wondered. Could she face him? Yea, she smiled as she freshened up with the water from the basin that surely Edie had seen to and brought in. He’d instilled some confidence in her last night even if he’d not meant all he’d said. But she wanted to believe he had.

  Dressed and ready to go below stairs, Danielle paused and checked herself again. She had on a bright gold colored gown with a matching belt tied at her waist. She felt alive, bold and just as she was sure Aric was no doubt seeing to the way of the manor, she had to see to some things she’d not had time to attend since he’d arrived.

  But see him first was her goal.

  She needed to see him. Needed to see his reaction to her outside their chamber.

  Danielle smiled, opened the door and stepped out into the hall.

  The soldier posted outside the chamber door bowed and trailed behind her down the steps and around the manor’s interior as she searched for Aric. With no signs of him inside, Danielle headed for the manor doors. Just as she approached, she heard voices and paused, turning towards the hall.

  She glimpsed Edie out of the corner of her eye coming from the kitchens, her arms full of fresh linens.

  “Edie.”

  “Morning Milady.” Edie gave her a big smile. “You may not be wanting to go in the hall just yet. Those two evil ones have not yet completed their morning meal.”

  Danielle knew she spoke of Thomas and Rose. Unease almost caused her shoulders to sag, but she straightened her back. She would not let those two ruin the euphoria she was feeling today. She’d not felt this way ever. Instead she turned her attention elsewhere.

  She gave her maid a smile. “Edie, thank you for leaving fresh water for me this morn.”

  “‘Twas not me, milady, ‘twas milord that carried it in himself. He didn’t want anyone to disturb you.” Edie said with a wink.

  “Oh.” Danielle said, knowing her cheeks burned. “Edie, have you seen him?”

  “Aye, milady. He and his man, Balwain and a few soldiers headed out just before the sun rose.”

  Disappointment rose in Danielle and she frowned. Oh well, what had she expected? Him to be waiting down in the hall ready to bless her with a smile and more kind words?

  The man had more important things to attend to. Danielle said nothing for a moment. She felt herself nodding as she turned away. The soldier stood in the shadows, but she knew he was there. Why he trailed after her, she did not know nor care at the moment.

  Just then, Balwain and her husband came striding from the opposite side of the hall. Her heart skipped a beat. They had returned.

  At first it seemed as though they would walk right past her without acknowledgement. But, then Balwain looked at her and nodded. Aric, on the other hand, barely nodded. His fierce gaze pinned her for a moment where she stood and it took her breath away.

  His tone was gruff when he spoke. “Milady.”

  Danielle’s bubble of euphoria burst. The two large men continued on past them into the hall. Milady? Where was his concern for her well-being this morning? His angry and distant expression stung and Danielle knew it was her pride that suffered. She blinked back the tears that sprung quickly to her eyes. She was not going to let the soldier that stood gawking at her see how much her husband’s words or lack of them had hurt her.

  “Edie, I need to speak with you straight away.” Danielle said. A spark of anger shot through her and turning to the soldier, she told him. “Without you!”

  She was so mad she didn’t even bother to see if Edie followed her out of the manor. Danielle’s limp, more pronounced as it always was when she was either upset or angry, did not hamper her swift steps. Edie quickened her pace to catch up to her lady as they walked around to the gardens.

  Aric emptied the last of the warm ale from his cup as he sat at the lord's table in the hall with Balwain. They had just finished their lengthy conversation of business in regards to Gravane manor from the current steward and Aric’s seneschal before they had come upon his wife in the foyer.

  The old man, half a decade past death had surprised them both with his knowledge of the manor and the daily going-ons. Aric’s fierce visage almost softened when he’d seen the accuracy of the books and to hear that they were actually maintained by Danielle. Balwain had smiled when he had not.

  A separate book had been made up for Thomas and his greed by Danielle. Aric had tucked that bit of gleaned information aside and had barely been able to reign in his fury when he saw the differences in the numbers of what the peacock believed he was pilfering from Gravane and getting away with. That same fury which had caused him to glare at her just moments ago. He’d seen the stricken look on her face, but he could not address it now.

  “Milady keeps surprising us with her talents, milord.” Balwain’s deep v
oice of praise cut into his thoughts.

  “Aye.” Aric rolled his stiff shoulders. “’Twould seem that she does and then some, Balwain.” He tried to keep his thoughts centered, but they kept wandering off to images of Danielle and last eve. Annoyance filled him over the distraction.

  A young knight entered the hall just then. Aric waved him forward and gave him permission to speak.

  “A messenger has arrived from Egway, milord.” The young knight blurted.

  “Send him in.” Aric looked to Balwain and both men stood as the messenger was brought in. The messenger was covered from head to toe in dirt and dust. He obviously had ridden hard and fast, Aric deduced.

  His warrior instinct took over and he took the missive reading over it quickly and said to the messenger. “Tell Roger, in a sennight.”

  Then he dismissed the man.

  Crushing the missive in his fist, he turned to Balwain and said his tone a bit loud. “It appears that we will not be sending Thomas and his sister away today after all. Come, Balwain, we need to make changes to our plan. Walk with me.”

  The two warriors quit the hall.

  Thomas appeared from an alcove on the other side of the raised dais near the lord's table and watched the two giants walk out the manor doors. Dressed in his usual bright patterns, anxiety and anger riding his tall, thin frame, he stared murder after their receding forms.

  “Think you he knew we were aware of his presence, milord?” Balwain asked Aric as they walked at a brisk pace along the stream behind the manor.

  Aric had known that his wife’s cousin was in the alcove, for his offensive and unpleasant odor had filled his nose and Thomas’s heavy breathing, surely could have been heard from any room in the manor. The man disgusted him. The missive the sentry had brought him had carried a simple message from Roger that he wished to marry a maiden he’d fallen for at Egway.

  “Nay. That man is too stupid and too full of himself to think otherwise. He is a sorry lot.”