Page 68 of The Champion

He felt so deep inside for her that his body actually ached. He didn’t know what it was about her, but she touched something in him. Some alien part he’d never known before.

Right now, he needed a physical connection to her. Needed to feel her wrapped around him as he lost himself to the softness of her woman’s body.

Rowena was nervous and even a little scared as Stryder reached to loosen the stays on her gown. This moment was irreversible. Once she let him inside her body, there was no way back.

She would be forever changed. She would know things about the world and, most especially, about the man in her arms that she had never known before.

But then she already knew things about Stryder no one else did.

She moaned as he buried his lips against her throat and teased her skin with his tongue, his teeth. Though her friends had described the physical act, they had never mentioned the overwhelming chills she felt now. The way her body was on fire from his touch. The uncertain fear that made her breathless and weak, even while her desire and curiosity consumed her.

Stryder moved away from her and pulled his surcoat over his head.

Rowena reached up and ran her hand over his sculpted shoulders. They were hard and filled with strength. And the way they rippled when he moved...

It was more than she could stand.

He lay himself down between her spread thighs. The material of her gown trapped her legs while he loosened her undertunic.

“Are you afraid of me, Rowena?” His breath tickled the skin of her cheek.

“I’m not afraid of you, Stryder.” It was herself that scared her. These reeling feelings that made her tender toward him.

He smiled those dimples down at her, before brushing her top aside and bearing her right breast. Heat stung her cheeks as he dipped his head down and took her taut peak into his mouth.

Hissing in pleasure, she cupped his head to her and held him there while he tasted her. She felt every flick of his tongue deep inside her body, all the way to her stomach that contracted with each nibble.

Stryder growled at the taste of Rowena. Her hands were buried deep in his hair. The velvet of her gown caressed his skin, but was nowhere near as soft as her pale, tender skin.

Suddenly, he hated the gown that kept her body from him. Kissing her nipple, he moved back enough so that he could pull her gown lower on her body.

His breath caught at the sight of her upper body bare.

She was scared. He knew that. Could sense it, and yet, she didn’t say anything as he slid her gown, lower and lower, until he finally could see the part of her he wanted most.

Rowena was mortified to be lying naked before him. She’d dressed so quickly, she hadn’t even thought to put on stockings or shoes.

She was completely bare to him. He pulled her up to sit and kissed her lightly on the lips.

“You are beautiful,” he whispered. “Definitely worth a few milksop words of dribble.”

She was aghast at him. “Should I be flattered by that?”

But the devilish, teasing air about him told her that no harm was intended. He was only teasing her.

She watched quietly while Stryder disrobed. There was something odd about lying naked with him in his cell. But, at least there were windows on the door. The only one was set high in the wall far over their heads. No one could see them.

And they spoke low enough so that no one could hear them either.

“Have you ever touched a man, Rowena?”

She shook her head.

He took her hand into his and kissed her open palm, then moved it slowly toward his erection. She bit her lip in expectation before he placed her hand on him.

He closed his eyes and hissed in pleasure as she gently explored his rigid shaft. It was so strangely soft and yet rock hard. She couldn’t imagine what it would be like to take that into her.

But soon, she would know...