Page 60 of Knight of the Sword

“Good.” He gave her a slow, sultry grin as he kicked off his boots. Scooting her over, he lay down beside her and put his hands behind his head. “Do what you will.”

She ran her hand over his groin, feeling the hardness of his manhood beneath the denim of his jeans. Maybe she wasn’t quite ready for that, just yet. She felt a little silly since she’d never seduced a man before. What did they like? Hesitantly, she stretched alongside him, lying halfway across his chest. Tentatively, she nibbled his ear, placing small butterfly kisses along his neck and heard him make a small growl, but he didn’t move. Emboldened, she kissed his lips. They were incredible warm and soft. She kissed him again and he returned the kiss in kind, letting her set the pace.

It was intoxicating, kissing in this slow, leisurely way. Sophie crawled closer,

Her breasts pressed against him as she tugged on his lower lip. He caught hers, sucking on it gently, then giving her another lazy kiss, but not touching her in any other way.

Suddenly, she wanted to taste him, feel his tongue inside her mouth. She touched the tip of her tongue to his lips. He licked hers slowly, sensually, in return, his hands still behind his head. With a small mewl, she parted her lips, drawing him inside. His body stiffened momentarily and then he was exploring her mouth, his tongue playing with hers, alternating with deep, soulful kisses.

Her breasts swelled and the cotton material of her gown chafed at her pebbled nipples. She wanted to feel them against his skin. With a small cry she suddenly sat up, slipping the gown over her head and then pressed down on him, rubbing against him in delicious friction. Michael growled again, moving in harmonious discord with her, helping her feel the sensation of naked flesh on naked flesh.

Sophie slipped down the length of him, her breasts grazing his washboard belly. Her hand found his zipper and undid his pants. Michael lifted his hips, allowing her to slide them off. His manhood immediately sprang free, erect as a trained soldier. He was cleanly shaven there, and the sight of his big, thick shaft and heavy sac made her think of the statue of some Roman god. For a moment, she merely gazed at it, wondering if all that would actually fit into her. It had been so long…

Sophie reached out a tentative hand to touch him and watched in fascination as his erection jerked and grew even bigger. She began to stroke him. Lord, he felt like satin-covered steel. She gave him a shy glance and heat washed over her at the hungry look of desire in his dark eyes. Wantonness overcame her and she knelt down to run her tongue around his sensitive crown. Muscles in his belly clenched and he groaned. Wickedly, she licked off the small drop that had formed on his tip.

“By the Goddess, Sophie! I can’t take much more of this,” Michael grunted, his hands now clenched in fists over his head. “Ask me to take you.”

She gave him another lick. “I am asking—”

He didn’t let her finish. Sophie found herself suddenly on her back, Michael draped partly across her as he lavished attention on her breasts, kneading one as he took the other in his mouth, laving the nipple, suckling softly, then drawing deep before turning his attention to the other. Sophie arched her back and he pressed her breasts together, his tongue moving from one tip to the other, making her moan with desire. One hand slid down, caressing her body, finding its way between her slick wet folds to tease her pulsating little bud, moving away just before she came, then returning to torture her some more. She writhed under his skillful fingers, pushing against him, wanting more.

Michael spread her legs and mounted her, pressing the smooth round tip of his cock against her core. “Ask me once more to do this, Sophie.”

God, she could hardly think straight, let alone talk. “I want you inside me,” she gasped. “Now. Please, Michael. Take me.”

Michael slid into her slowly, giving her time to accommodate his size, filling her completely. He began to thrust, slowly at first, withdrawing almost completely, making her wrap her legs around his thighs to keep him anchored. He chuckled and teased her some more, alternating between easy thrusts and long, hard, deep ones. She thrashed under him, her body weeping, flowing freely.

He leaned down, taking her mouth with his, thrusting his tongue inside, mimicking the motions his shaft was making. Pinned to the bed by his body, all Sophie could do was enjoy the feel of his penis driving hard into her now. Her every nerve fiber was attuned to him, humming like a finely tuned harp. The crescendo was building…her body began to shudder as her thighs clenched and her toes curled. With one final deep thrust from him, she shattered and felt his hot seed spurt into her.

They lay panting, silent, their sweat-soaked bodies slippery against each other. Michael began to withdraw, but Sophie held him tight.

“I like feeling you inside me,” she whispered, “but let’s leave this sword in its sheath a little while longer.”

Michael grinned and began to kiss her again and there was nothing slow or easy about it.

Chapter Seventeen

The helicopter set down on the roof pad of a luxury hotel not far from the Vieux Carré. The valet who met them to show them to their suite didn’t even look askance at the large animal carrier the pilot unloaded. Thankfully, Pendragon had decided to cooperate and remained quiet, probably due to that second gallon of ice cream Michael had bought him.

“This certainly beats the places we’ve been staying,” Sophie said after the valet left. She picked up a polished apple from the fruit bowl on the ornate dining table and bit into it. “I hope this isn’t another five dollars added to our tab.”

“It probably is,” Michael said as he helped himself to one too, “but Smith made the arrangements. I say we enjoy it.” He put one arm around Sophie’s waist and drew her close, nuzzling her neck. “We can check out the bedroom too.”

Last night had surpassed even his wildest expectations and he’d had centuries of wild expectations fulfilled. Making love to Sophie had been surreal, something more than just a physical joining of their bodies, although he certainly had no room to complain about that aspect—Sophie had been as spontaneous, passionate, and adventurous as any woman he’d ever had. But there was something more. Every time they climaxed he’d been inside her head too. Not just reading her thoughts—her thoughts were his and his were hers as though they were one identity. Two parts made whole.

He had found his soul’s mate and he’d never believed that such a person existed.

“Did I mention that I love you?” he murmured as he trailed kisses down her neck.

Sophie tilted her head to expose more skin to him. “I don’t think more than twenty times or so.” She sighed contentedly. “I don’t think I ever knew what real love felt like.”

“Excuse me,” Pendragon said with a thump of his tail. “It’s not polite to make me watch.”

Michael gave the dragon an irritated look as Sophie reluctantly pulled away, but she just grinned at him. “We’ve got most of the day to search. Where do we go first?”

“The most logical place would be the Veterans Memorial Hall on Camp Street,” Michael said. “It boasts the second largest collection of Confederate military artifacts in the country. There is also the World War II museum on Magazine. We could go to Fort Pike close to Chalmette. The Union forces broke through the Confederate defenses there.” Michael pulled her close again. “I have a feeling the Sword is here. We’ll find it.” He nuzzled her neck again, his hands caressing her back.

Excuse me,” Pendragon said again and stalked over to the bar with its small refrigerator. “Do you think they have—”