Page 72 of Katherine the Vixen

He bent down and kissed her stomach. His heart started to beat faster at the idea of seeing it swollen with his babe one day.

“Mm. If you want children, you will have to start bedding me, you know. Properly, I mean.”

Siaspar smiled to himself. He had refused to make love to Katherine until he was free of his wife. In the last two weeks, he had pleasured her in every way he knew how, and had even allowed her to pleasure him until he burst in explosive release. But he had not wanted to join with her until everything was official, precisely so that he did not make her with child until he was certain they could be legitimate and he could be a father to them.

He’d known that once he’d plunged inside her heat he would never be able to withdraw in time.

“If you want to be bedded properly, cariad, that can be arranged,” he said, his voice thick with desire. “Sooner than you think. That is why I’m here. Because we’ve waited long enough.”

“We have.”

Her eyes had caught ablaze, a sign of desire he knew only too well and which fanned his in turn. Not that it had needed any encouragement. That fortnight had been the longest of his life.

“Then take me to the pallet, my love.”

Siaspar didn’t hesitate.

Before she could blink, Katherine found herself lying under a hard, masculine body. Her arms were stretched above her head and both her wrists were imprisoned in a strong hold. Her insides convulsed in anticipation. At last, this was it, Siaspar was about to make love to her.

In the last two weeks, she had discovered untold delights, some very wicked indeed, but she had been denied what she craved the most. To become one with the man she was going to marry, the man who was right now kissing her as if he wanted to swallow her whole.

“Undress me,” she breathed.

“Yes, cariad. I need to see you.” He always wanted to see as much of her as he could when he touched her, as if to make up for their first two nights together. His hand went to her stocking as he spoke. “Yes, I will undress you. And myself. There will be nothing between us when I make you mine in truth.”

Despite their eagerness, it took longer than Katherine would have wanted for them to be naked. But finally, they were.

“I want you. Now.”

She parted her legs to welcome Siaspar, cradling his erect shaft against her throbbing entrance. A gleam flashed in his eyes. He’d understood what she was doing, showing her that, this time, this joining was her decision, that she was coming to him willingly, not because she was obeying someone else’s orders. And she’d made it clear that this time she would not suffer any delays, accept no caresses, however delicious.

She wanted him inside her.

Today, nothing else would do.

He lifted himself above her, ready to plunge in, but at the last moment, seemed to hesitate. Katherine placed a hand on his cheek.

“What is it?” What was he worried about? Did he think she was not ready yet? No need. Though he had barely touched her, she could feel how slick she was. Surely he could feel it too?

“I would understand if you preferred to wait until we were actually married. I don’t want you to think I⁠—”

“Siaspar,” she purred, loving him for this thoughtfulness. “Do I look like someone who is having scruples right now?” She nudged her hips upward, providing him with the answer. “I want you. I don’t think anything or anyone could stop me, not even you. So I will give you no choice.”

He smiled when she echoed what he had told her in the meadow the day they had declared their love to one another.

“I have never bedded Lady Malpas,” he said suddenly.

“I know.” She smiled. Did he think she would be jealous? “I, of all people, should know that you lay with me instead. So lie with me again. Please. I’m dying to feel you inside of me. Dying for you to make me come.”

This bold declaration put paid to his last hesitations. He slid inside her and they both moaned at the same time at the marvelous sensation. They had truly been made one for the other.

“Jesus, you feel so good,” Siaspar said between clenched teeth. “How did I ever get so lucky as to find you?”

But he had not found her, of course. She had been sent to him in a cruel bargain. Which only made the connection they shared even more incredible. It could so easily have ended up in disaster.

“I think I’m the lucky one.”

Katherine wrapped her legs around Siaspar’s loins and his rhythm instantly increased. The tremors she remembered from their second night together started to build inside her, stronger now that she was allowing herself to welcome the sensations. Soon the wave became unstoppable.