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Leif was trailing kisses over my jaw to my collarbone, pausing there to suck gently before continuing lower. Everywhere his lips passed burned to life, and all I could do was cling to him and try to find breath. We lay on soft moss, something I hadn’t noticed until now, but it was as fine as the most elegant linens in the royal chambers, and Leif laid me back on it and rose over me, his smile going straight to my core “Leif, I’m a little scared.”
He bent close and kissed my lips again, slowly this time, nibbling gently until I opened to admit his seeking tongue. I wrapped my arms around his neck and moaned against his mouth. His hands were doing wicked things, exploring my breasts, tweaking the nipples and rubbing his palms over them, awakening desires deep within me.
Two fingers slipped between my legs and rubbed the wetness there before slipping inside and working in and out, driving me higher by the moment. His kisses went on while he rose over me and parted my legs then lay between them.
When the head of his cock butted my opening, I tightened, suddenly afraid he might be too big. What if I couldn’t take him? If he wouldn’t fit? But all the while worries tried to creep up, other thoughts were pushing them aside. What if I grew to care for him? He’d come to be my mate, but what if he changed his mind at some point? Who would hold him to it?
And as he slid inside, just a little bit, I recognized what I was giving him. I’d never have another first time, but I never wanted it to be with anyone else. No, we wouldn’t mate today, but soon. It would have to be soon to fulfill the contract, but I wanted it on my terms—on our terms. No matter how radical that might seem to those who had signed the contracts for our futures, at least with this betrothed, I could see a possibility of a future.
Then he pulled back and thrust forward, tearing me. I cried out, but he smothered my shouts with more kisses before I could scare the bird and, worse, attract a palace guard. Or a gamekeeper. The pain faded as quickly as it came, and Leif moved again, slowly at first, murmuring to me so low, I didn’t think I’d have known what he was saying even if I had no hearing loss.
Yet it was so comforting, so welcome, and once I got past that initial shock, I locked my feet behind him and held on for the ride. I was melting from the inside out, singed by his masterful touch both inside and out. And the orgasm, something I’d heard about from the maids gossiping when they didn’t notice me nearby, was coming on like a freight train until it tore through me. Then Leif, who had tried to stop me from making noise, was making plenty. His roar sent the birds fluttering from the trees.
We lay together afterward, limbs tangled, on the banks of the stream, near the castle. Warm, limp, and satisfied.
But not mated.
Not yet.
An hour or more later we woke when a cloud covered the sun and darkened our bower. We silently stood, linked hands and returned to where we’d left our clothes. But instead of scattered over the ground, they were folded neatly and laid over the branch of a tree. When the guard let us in the gate, we saw Hors raking the pathways.
His smile was sweet, his face friendly, but he studied me with intensity before turning away. This man had admired my mother and I thought his loyalty might be transferring to me. I was luckier than I could have ever imagined. Leif on my arm, the kind gardener holding out a flower to me, and my kingdom awaiting my action.
I’d had a break, a pretty wonderful one, but it was back to business as usual now. Whatever was best for the kingdom.
Chapter Twenty-Four
“Your Majesty,” one of the maids said after getting my attention with her hand on my shoulder, alerting me that I had a visitor. I was in my office, or what I called my office. It was where I opened letters and wrote letters. It was simply a desk in a room but the windows were open and had the best view of the pack lands by far. A cool breeze blew from the east and made me come to life when my spirits were low.
“Yes?” I said. I had just finished a letter that almost had me in tears. It was from a farmer who was glad he would finally make a living off of his crops rather than give everything over to the kingdom like Bors had him doing. This way he could actually support his family instead of just barely scraping by.
Bors was an animal. I was glad that he was gone for good.
“A visitor, Your Majesty. Arne of the Northern Woods.”
Arne. Wait, the Arne?
Apparently, I didn’t respond fast enough because the woman cleared her throat. I watched as her throat moved. “Your Majesty, your betrothed.”
That got my full attention. Neither Leif or Gunnar were in the room or anywhere near. I would be able to scent them.
“My what?”
The air was suddenly sucked from the room. The scent of evergreen trees and freshly cut grass infiltrated my senses, taking me back to another day and another time.
Arne.
“My betrothed, huh?” I asked, standing with my arms crossed over my breasts. “Left some information out the other day, did we?”
He chuckled and my wolf could feel the happiness between us. “Your Majesty, I simply wanted to get to know you more without the pretenses and for you to get to know me. I’m sorry I didn’t divulge who I was.”
“It’s okay. I actually like that I knew you before I was aware that we were betrothed. Why don’t I see you at court or around here at all?”
He looked around as though he’d never been in the castle. Maybe he hadn’t. “I prefer the outside, the freedom, the fresh air. I was actually hoping you would want to take a break and have a ride with me. Truth be told, I’d hoped to keep my secret for a little longer but fate had other plans, it seems.”
It was hard to read all of the words he said especially since my temperature was rising by the second, just with him near. But I certainly got the gist.
“I would love to ride with you.” My courage rose inside my chest. “But first, there’s something I’ve been wanting to do.”
He smiled and looked around as though said activity were laying on the chair or hanging from the ceiling. “And what is that?”
“This.”
I closed the distance between us and had to get on my tiptoes to make the connection. The kiss was soft and quick, but his lips melded against mine. It was perfect and even though it was just a peck, it gave me expectations of more.
“That was unexpected,” He said, smiling and blushing like we were teenagers. “But you’re very welcome to do that as many times as you like, Janis.”
