Chapter 11

The kiss consumed him. Destroyed him. He'd never felt anything more powerful, not even the day before when they'd kissed in the stream. He hadn't told her his secret then. That she knew, and still welcomed his touch with such unbounded love, humbled him beyond belief.

He pulled away just long enough to murmur, "Inside, sweeting. Not here in the dust." Not for her first time, their only time.

She blushed, sent him a shy grin.

"Inside, then. Quickly, my love." She took his hand and tugged, fairly running to the cottage. "I put clean sheets on the bed, while you and Huw tended the horses this morning."

He ran alongside her like a lad. He might be sixteen again when she looked at him with such open desire in her eyes. Following her to the bedchamber, he closed the curtain behind him.

Selene stood in the center of the chamber, her lower lip caught between her teeth. She looked up at him, and smiled so brilliantly he could have sworn the sun itself had joined them in the room.

"I love you, Rhodri." Then she untied the laces that held her gown at the shoulders, and let it fall.

The kirtle she wore today was silk rather than linen. It was the palest pink in color, and so sheer he could see the darker tone of her nipples and the nest of black curls between her legs. He didn't know how long he stood there, just staring.

"Rhodri?" Her head tilted to the side. "Is something wrong?"

"No!" He sat down on the trunk to remove his boots. "No. I've simply never seen anything more beautiful."

"What a pretty thing to say." She stepped forward and offered him her hand as he stood, but he ignored it for just long enough to pull his tunic over his head. Then he stood before her and took both of her hands in his.

"'Tis the simple truth. You are lovely." The points of her nipples were pushing against the silk of her shift, and Rhodri couldn't resist the temptation to touch. He released her hand and let his fingers rest on the side of her breast. When she drew in a breath and allowed her lashes to flutter shut, he slid his hand to gently graze the straining peak.

"Oh!" Her tiny, broken cry was the sweetest music he'd ever heard. He flexed his hand, cupping the heavy mound, and she leaned into him, rubbing against his touch.

"Selene!" He bent down and claimed her lips, which opened eagerly for his, her free hand clutching at his waist. That small contact was not nearly enough, and he released her breast to crush her to him, engulfing her in his arms as their lips and tongues danced and dueled.

Soon the barrier of their clothing was too much to withstand. She must have felt the same; her tiny hands were tugging at the drawstring of his braes, pushing them out of the way. When they fell down around his ankles, he stepped out and kicked them aside. Returning the favor, he gathered up the folds of her kirtle, then gently disengaged her lips so he could step back and lift the silken garment over her head.

His breath caught at the sight of her. Milky white skin gleamed in the early twilight that spilled through the small window. Her full, soft breasts were crowned with dusky rose nipples, taut little berries begging for his lips. Her tiny waist curved into womanly hips, and her woman's curls were damp and glistening.

Rhodri backed up to the bed and held out his hand. There was no shyness or hesitation in the way she moved into his embrace, enfolding him in her arms as she followed him onto the soft down tick. She dropped enthusiastic kisses on his face and shoulders, and rubbed her breasts against his chest.

Rhodri couldn't wait another instant to taste her. He levered himself up on one elbow beside her and bent low, pressing a soft kiss on her taut nipple. She gave a mewling cry of pleasure, so he licked, then took the ripe peak into his mouth, suckling gently.

She cried out, her hips bucking against the mattress. He slid one hand across her smooth belly to fondle the damp curls between her legs. She opened instantly, lifting her hips to meet his touch, and his fingers slipped between her plump, heated flesh.

"Does this please you, sweeting?" He blew gently on her nipple, wet from his kiss.

"Oh yes, Rhodri. So much! Please show me more!" He found the tiny nub at her core and stroked, reveling in her cry as her hands fisted in the bed linen. He leaned further and found her other breast, treating it to the same tender attention as its mate.

"Let go, sweeting. Fly with the pleasure." He sucked hard on her breast, and bore down with his hand. Moments later she keened her satisfaction so loudly they could probably hear her in London. Rhodri stroked and kissed her gently as she stilled, trying to ignore the pounding ache in his own loins. He could probably joust with his shaft right now, and unhorse an opponent. But he didn't expect anything of his love, would take whatever consideration she offered of her own volition.

"I need you, Rhodri." She turned her face to his chest, gently nipped his shoulder. "That was wonderful, but I do not wish to die a maid. Please, my love, make me yours in truth."

"I cannot! You must understand - " There was nothing he wanted more in the world, and nothing more impossible.

"Please! You can withdraw if you must, but I need to feel you inside of me, to become one flesh, if only this once."

She was temptation personified, and it was beyond his power to resist. In one swift move, he came over her and parted her wet folds with his hand before guiding his rock-hard root inside. Then he took her mouth with his just as he flexed his hips, and with one sharp thrust, buried himself inside her heat.

It was like coming home.

He groaned aloud as he held himself still, allowing her pain to subside, and her body to stretch. When she hummed and wiggled her hips, he pushed up on his elbows to gaze down at her.

"Does it hurt?"

"No. Not anymore." She wrapped her arms around his back and dug in her tiny nails as he started to move.

He knew he had to pull out. As he thrust a little faster and a little harder each time, he felt his release begin to build. With all of his heart he wanted nothing more than to flood her womb with his seed, to bind her to him in every manner dreamt of by man. He was just barely sane enough to register the impending eruption. He pushed back, intending to withdraw.

"No!" She screamed the denial and gripped him tight, her legs coming up to encircle his waist, her ankles locked along his spine. He tried to fight, God help him, he did. But his body and her frantic tears won the battle. With an anguished cry of his own, he gave into the pleasure, and poured himself into her, over and over again.

Finally, spent, he collapsed in her arms, with just enough strength left to fall aside instead of crushing her. Selene kept her death grip on him, and buried her face in his neck.