Page 52 of A Spell of Heart & Havoc

We tapped our wooden cups together, and I followed her lead. The floral, slightly herbal elderflower flavor burst on my tongue, perfectly complemented by the lingering pear. I took another, larger taste, savoring it. Despite the stresses of this job, I’d certainly eaten and drunk better in the past week here than in the past several years.

I poured myself another small glass and downed that too. I could feel Dove watching me, and finally turned to her with a sigh.

“Can we talk about everything later? I know there’s a lot to discuss, and I promise we will. I just—I want to just enjoy this moment. Be here with you, instead of in the past or planning for the future. For a little while. Do you know what I mean?”

Dove nodded slowly, head tilting as she studied me. She reached out, gently tucking hair behind my ear before cupping my neck, stroking me with her thumb. I leaned into the touch, wanting her comfort. Needing it.

“Yes,” she murmured. “Yes, we can do that.”

I opened my mouth to thank her, and she surprised me, closing the space between us and pressing her lips to mine without hesitation. Groaning into her, I moved to my knees to get better leverage. My cup fell on the grass, and I plunged both hands around her face, under her hair, wanting nothing more than to be closer. Dove tasted of sweetness and heat, and I nibbled softly at her full lower lip until she gasped. I moved my kisses to under her chin, to the velvety skin of her neck, down to her collarbone.

Pulling back for a moment, she fumbled with my belt, letting out an adorably frustrated huff as her busy fingers worked to pull the buckle free. I didn’t help, enjoying the feel of her trying so desperately to get into my pants. But I did place gentle bites along her neck, pushing her riding jacket back to bare her round shoulders Finally, she succeeded with my belt. With a triumphant cry, Dove loosened the laces of my leather breeches and slipped one hand in, past my underwear.

Her lips found mine again as I felt the first touch of her soft fingers against my cunt. I let out a long sigh, rolling my forehead against hers. My stomach, already clenched in anticipation since that first swipe of frosting I saw her lick, tightened deliciously. Dove pulled back a little to see my face, checking. She stroked a finger into me, feeling how wet I already was, and her eyes gleamed.

“That feels—feels so good, Dove,” I whispered.

“I’ve wanted to do this for days,” she said, slowly pushing her fingers deeper into me, just a bit. “Wanted to feel you, hear what kind of sounds you’d make for me.”

She rubbed my clit lightly, and I groaned, spreading my legs wider on the blanket. Cupping the back of my neck with her other hand again, she tapped it once. Twice. I gasped low and pulled her closer, undoing the simple buttons at her waist. Dove’s looser pants opened easily for me, sliding down her hips to rest on her ass. I reached in greedily, suddenly needing to feel her too. When I touched her hot core, she shuddered.

“Maerryl… Mae…” Dove moaned, and my name on her tongue sent lightning straight down my body. Her fingers worked against me faster, harder, and I matched her pace, spreading her wetness over her own clit. I felt her tighten, her breath coming in shorter and shorter huffs. Fingers clutched the back of my neck, the firm grip comforting and somehow exhilarating all at once, and I heard myself groaning low into the pear-scented orchard air.

“My Mae,” Dove said again, and the lightning struck again as I felt myself hurtling over the edge, burning sharp and sparking. Dove stilled against me too for a moment before jerking, crying out fiercely. I held her to me as she came, lingering in the bliss of my own orgasm and gently—so, so gently—brushing my fingers over her clit to draw her tremors out.

With a whooshing sigh, she pulled back, wonder and heat in her eyes, before kissing me tenderly. Standing on shaky legs, she stepped out of her flowing pants, leaving just her underwear on—petal-pink silk with a dark splotch of wetness that I suddenly, desperately needed to nuzzle—and picked them up, tugging me to my feet. I stumbled but let her pull me over to one of the pear trees, let her push me back against its low curved branches. I’d let her do anything she wanted to me, at this point.

23

DOVE

I think I just had the best orgasm of my life. From a woman who was my sworn enemy only a handful of days ago. And with only her fingers on my cunt—we hadn’t even properly taken our clothes off, for fuck’s sake. In mere minutes, she had me breaking to pieces.

This won’t do. I’d intended to blow her away, to make her feel as undone as she’d made me that day by my fireplace. And while what just happened—feeling so close to her as we shared each other’s breath, coming practically together—was undoubtedly incredible, I wanted to have my way with her. I wanted to make her feel special and cared for. And I wanted her goddess-damned pants off.

After quickly arranging my own pants on the ground for a cushion, I kneeled and began to tug hers down.

“Why are these so—oof—so tight?! Impossible to get off. Do you know how frustratingly hot you look in them, slouching all around the manor?”

Mae laughed, finally giving in and helping me. “I think you just answered your own question there, sweet.”

My heart melted at the nickname, but I focused on shimmying the pants down her thighs as she tried to shuck off her boots.

“Hang on a sec, need to remove a few more weapons first. If you’re so intent on getting my leathers off me,” she said, pulling dagger after dagger from an astonishing array of hiding spots on her legs, the back of her waist, and her boots.

“I am.” I grinned. “But my goodness, do you wear all of these every day? It seems a bit excessive.”

“I may have tucked a couple extra in today, for the trip to the priory. Just to be safe.”

Awww. Never thought I’d find an affinity for dangerous weapons charming.

I’d mostly gone for quite femme, soft women like myself in the past, or the occasional polite and quiet gentleman. But Mae had a sweetness in her own way—she was far more thoughtful, kind, and empathetic than she’d likely ever admit. And, to be very honest, I must say that the whole snarkiness that had grated against me from the moment we were thrown together also… really worked for me. Sexy snarls and all that.

But she certainly wasn’t snarling now.

As I finally tugged the infuriating leather pants off her ankles, tossing them aside, she looked down at me with a dopey smile. “What’re you doing?” she said softly.

In answer, I leaned forward, tonguing her through the black fabric of her underwear. She hissed, gripping one of the pear tree’s branches. A couple fruits dropped around us, shaken off. Their sweet scent mingled with the rich musk of Maerryl, and I kissed both sides of her inner thighs. Slowly, I pulled her underwear down and looked up at her.