Page 143 of Forbidden

“Aye.”

His fingers closed on the taut peak of Amber’s breast. A delicate convulsion shivered through her, forerunner of the ecstasy to come. When his hands caressed both nipples into hardness, her back arched and her breath tore. The sweet heat of her passion flowed between their joined bodies.

“Yes,” Duncan whispered. “Let me feel your pleasure.”

Without warning, ecstasy ravished Amber, setting her to shivering and crying. He thrust into her, fusing their bodies together with the searing pulses of his own release.

Feeling Duncan’s ecstasy increased Amber’s, driving her even higher. He rocked his hips against her until she called his name and came completely undone once more.

Then he held her against his chest until both of them could breathe evenly again. Only then did he move, reversing positions until he lay between her legs. He kissed her slowly, deeply.

“Each time you please me more,” Duncan said.

“And you please me more. ’Tis almost frightening.”

“Why?”

“If I enjoyed you any more,” Amber whispered, “I would die.”

“And I would bring you back to life.”

“’Tis impossible.”

“Nay. ’Tis inevitable.”

“We can’t,” she whispered, understanding what he intended. “Can we?”

“We must. We will. Watch me as I watched you. Learn how much I cherish you.”

Slowly Duncan slid down Amber’s body, turning his face from side to side, caressing her with his lips and his words.

“Take me to the place where there are no shadows, only fire,” he said. “Give me the flower that blooms more beautifully each time.”

Amber had no defenses against Duncan’s aching need. Nor did he. It was a passion more complex than any he had ever felt. It was an emotion whose name he did not know, for he had never guessed such a feeling existed.

It was thirst in the midst of sweet water, need in the midst of plenty, hunger in the midst of a feast.

He could not get close enough to her.

Tears filled Amber’s eyes and overflowed onto her cheeks. Never had she thought to be cherished so sweetly, tiny kisses and secret tastes, his breath warm against her breasts, her navel, her thighs.

Then Duncan’s mouth discovered her, tasted her, circled the bud that was the burning center of her passion. The unexpected caress was like lightning transfixing her, startling a cry from the back of her throat.

“Precious Amber,” Duncan said, shivering with a torrent of desire. “I swear I can feel your passion like lightning transfixing you.”

Delicately he caught her tender bud between his teeth. She cried out his name with each slow movement of his tongue. Then she could speak no more for she had no breath, she was splintering, crying, dying, consumed by an ecstasy that had no beginning and no end.

In the midst of fire he came to her, and they burned together in a place where there were no shades of darkness, only fire.

AMBERlooked out upon the great hall. There were still many serfs, freeholders, and villeins standing about. Only a few of them had expressions that suggested they were still waiting for their seneschal’s attention.

“Are you finished, my lord?” Amber asked.

She had left Duncan long enough to translate a particularly difficult fragment of a manuscript so that Cassandra would have it when she returned from the north. But as soon as the translation was done, she had sought out Duncan.

When Amber wasn’t with him, she felt uneasy, as though he would somehow be taken from her without warning.

“Come sit beside me,” Duncan said, holding out his hand. “I’ll be finished soon.”