In the Beginning... (36 page)

It took only a matter of
seconds for him to have the sliding glass doors of their suite
open. He stepped into the bedchamber he’d had for centuries—since
the Dardaptoan people had settled in the Colorado area long before
the American country was founded. The furnishings may have changed
through the years, but the bed he slept in had not. Oh, mattresses
had been replaced as they’d worn, but the frame on which they had
set remained the same. One he had hand-carved in the
15
^th
century. One he had designed especially for the woman he had
hoped to share it with.

Her. Jocelyn Taniss…Jareth.
His
Rajni
.

He lowered his female to the
bed, reverently, gently. Then stood beside her, staring down for
several long moments. The green
vestis
and
pardus
she wore, tied with the white
sash of royalty claimed her for who she was. His
Rajni
. For
always.

Jocelyn.

Yes?
Her nerves were easily heard in her simple answer, easily seen
as he watched her for a moment.

T’is right.
What we are about to do. T’is right. I promise you
that.
I know.

She raised up onto her knees, and kept her
eyes trained on his. Josey knew what she was doing, knew what she
wanted. She grabbed the bottom of her tunic and pulled the material
over her head. She threw it to the floor behind him.

Her bra was the same green
as her tunic. His House color. She knew he liked it. Her pants
followed the same path as her tunic. His eyes focused on her
underwear and she saw him swallow.
Like
what you see?

Very much so. I want to taste, too.

Go ahead. There’s nothing
stopping you.
She laughed, goading him
deliberately.
What’s taking you so
long?

Just vast appreciation for a sight I’ve
waited my whole life to see. There is no need to rush, you
know.

True. But you’re moving at a
snail’s pace. Come here.
She boldly held at
a hand and wiggled her fingers at him. She saw his laugh in his
throat. His hand captured hers and he jerked her off the bed and
into his arms.

Though his move was a bit
rough, he’d taken care to ensure she didn’t land on the still
healing stitches in her abdomen. Always careful with her.
Protective. She pulled at his tunic, the same green that she’d
worn. Green for his family. Tied with white, his rank. Hers now,
too. She unknotted the scarf.
Take this
off.

His fingers obeyed.
All of it?

She nodded.
All of it.

He started to toss the scarf in his hand to
the floor, then a considering look entered his hot gold eyes. The
scarf landed on the pillows behind her. He bent and grabbed her
identical scarf from the floor and flung it beside the other.

What are you doing?
Josey eyed the scarves, a thought tickling her
mind.

Those are for later.
There are many things I am going to do to you,
woman. You’ll enjoy being tied up more this time than you did the
first.

Is this a predilection I
should be afraid of? You like tying up women?
Josey grabbed one scarf and ran the silk through her fingers,
shooting him a sultry look.
Come
here.

You are not tying me up, woman. I like to be
the one in control.

You are definitely a control
freak. But maybe I don’t want to be tied up, either.
She tossed the scarf aside and grabbed his tunic.
She reeled him to her and tugged at the material.
Off!

For once, he obeyed. The green material hit
the floor and his chest, with all its strange tattoos, was exposed.
Josey traced the largest of the marks with one hand. He had no
chest hair, and it wasn’t because he shaved it. He was just
naturally that way. His muscles where both hard and soft—the skin
covering the muscles was silky and smooth. He was a remarkably
beautiful man. Dark, sensual. He burned her just by looking at her.
She brushed a finger over his nipple and the little nub of skin
puckered.

Was he that sensitive to
her? Heady thought. She pursed her lips and blew against the little
nub. He shivered beneath her hands. She licked him, her arms
slipping around her waist to pull him closer.
Please hurry. I don’t want to wait.

His hands stilled from where
they had been running up her spine.
Jocelyn, tell me. Why do you want this? Because you want to
forget for a while, or because you believe me when I say this is
right?

Josey stared at him. She
wound her arms around his neck and brought him closer.
Neither. I’m doing this because
I
think it’s right.
Because I
want
to
be with my mate. No other reason.

His eyes heated. His arms
tightened.
In that case, hang
on.

Josey locked her arms around
his neck, her own laugh escaping when the world suddenly dipped
with both of them. Her back rested against the pillows, and he
loomed over her. She sank her hands into the dark hair that she
loved and pulled his mouth to hers.
Kiss
me. Now.

Yes, ma’am.
His lips pressed against hers and she returned the
kiss as enthusiastically as she could. He always tasted like coffee
and heat. Spice. She darted her tongue across his bottom lip. She
loved kissing him.

Cormac shook. Had he ever
wanted a woman more than he wanted her in that very moment? He
couldn’t remember. And he doubted he had. His
Rajni
wanted him and no other. Nothing
like that fact to make a strong man feel weak. He embraced the
weakness. He deepened the kiss, as he pulled the clip holding her
blonde hair free. Blonde waves fell around him and he buried one
hand in the mass. He held her head still while he continued to kiss
her.

Her legs moved restlessly and he used his
free hand to grasp one hip. He put her knees into the position he
wanted, and shifted his weight so that she could feel him pressed
against the silk of her underwear.

He’d forgotten to take off
his pants and he cursed himself. He pulled back for a
moment.
Hang on, female. My pardus. I need
to take them off!

Yes, you do. Hurry.

You are very
impatient.
The
pardus
hit the floor, followed by his
underwear, then he was back on the mattress beside her. His hands
wrapped around her waist and he pulled her closer. She slipped her
arms around his neck.

I don’t like to wait when I
want something. You should take note.
She
wrapped her legs around his waist and arched her back. She pressed
against him, the only thing separating her flesh from his being the
small scrap of green silk.

He ripped the material so easily, and flung
it across the room. His hand was reverent when he touched her for
the first time. Soft brushes of his fingers first, then deeper.

She was ready for him. It didn’t take her
arching into his hand for him to feel that.

She was ready, completely. But by goddess, he
did not want to rush.

This was their first time together and he
wanted to savor it.

His fingers went to the
front fastener of her bra and he popped it open. Her breasts moved,
freed from the material. He pulled the green silk back and looked
his fill. She wasn’t overly abundant in the breast area, but what
she had was perfect. His hands covered her flesh and she arched her
back. He laughed.
You like that.

Yes.

I thought so.
He brushed his thumbs over both nipples and she
shivered. He did it again, then dropped his mouth to first the
right breast, then the left. He kissed each nipple, pulled one into
his mouth and suckling for several moments. She squirmed beneath
him, humming low in her throat. The sounds she made thrilled him.
She rarely made any noise, and knowing she was doing so in response
to what
he
was
doing to her heated him.

He released her nipple and
turned his attention to her other breast. This time he ignored the
tip and nipped the flesh surrounding it, until she was quivering
and begging.
Please, please,
please!

There is no rush, female. We have forever
together. We can do this every day if you wish it.

She nodded this time.
Just please, don’t make me wait
forever!

He laughed, then kissed her
again.
Hold on to me, tight. I want to feel
my female pressed against me.

For once his female did what
he’d told her. Cormac adjusted her legs around his waist, then
slipped his hand down between them.
Jocelyn. My Jocelyn.

Hmm. Kiss me again.

He did as ordered, kissing her as he joined
them together. Both paused for a moment. Her eyes looked into his.
He stared back. Nothing had ever felt so right. He began to move,
slowly at first. Then a little quicker. Her eyes had closed and her
arms tightened around him. Her ankles were locked around his waist.
He moved more quickly; she arched up each time to meet him.

Jocelyn, my love. My Rajni. You are
beautiful. Goddess, you are the most beautiful creature I have ever
seen, ever felt. Ever tasted. Love me!

Cormac! Don’t ever let go!

He silently vowed to her that very thing. He
would never let her go.

Twenty minutes later and his
heart rate had finally returned to normal. He had her snuggled into
his chest, the blanket wrapped around them both. Her fingers were
tracing the patterns of his tattoos. He combed through her hair
with fingers that still shook slightly.
Are
you ok? I didn’t hurt you, did I?

I’m fine. Better than fine, actually. You
didn’t hurt me. I’m a little sore, but it’s a good sore. You’re
definitely not a small man.

No, that I am not.
Cormac kissed her forehead, not the least bit
reluctant to show her the affection his mate deserved.
Any regrets?

No. I would not have been with you if I
didn’t want to. If I hadn’t made that choice.

Cormac relaxed the breath
he’d been holding.
So you are ready to
begin our life together?

She was silent for several
long moments. Then she brushed a kiss against his neck. Once.
Twice. Her teeth sank deep, the move surprising the hells out of
him. But he didn’t pull away. He let her feed, tucking her as
tightly to him as he could get her. She fed from him for several
long moments, then pulled back and stared at him.
Jocelyn?

You never answered my question.

Yes. I am ready…our life together starts
now!

Cormac yanked his woman over
him and kissed, tasting his own blood on her lips.
I love you, Rajni. Don’t you ever forget
it.

I love you, too. But Cormac?

He stilled. What?
Yes, my love?

Your attitude about being in charge of me?
You might as well rethink that.

He laughed.
Yes, ma’am! Anything else?

As a matter of fact, there is.

He frowned, thought for a
moment.
What?

You left the dog in the
garden. She wants in!
His woman extended
one hand in the direction of the glass garden doors. Cormac
followed her fingers.

Sure enough, a soaking wet Border collie sat
staring at them through the glass.

Through the curtains he hadn’t closed.

The damned dog, and whomever else might have
happened by, had probably gotten nine hells of a show. The dog let
out a bark and grinned a doggy grin.

Cormac laughed.

The dog and her mistress were his family now.
And he’d cherish them always.

We need to meet the Dahr. He wishes to
discuss what is to be done with your grandfather.

His words brought her back
to reality, but Josey knew he was right. She pushed Freedom off the
bed, brushing at the muddy prints the dog had left on the silk
blanket.
What are the options? He’s an evil
monster. Shouldn’t he face the consequences for what he’s
done?

She didn’t even want to think about exactly
what he had done to her, and to the countless other people who were
his victims. Why? What justification could he possibly have for his
actions?

Maybe she did need to see
him after all.
Hand me clean
clothes.

He pulled a set of white
clothes from her drawer, and a fresh scarf from a pile.
I’ll be ready when you are

.

Josey refused to let him lead her into the
conference room where her family waited. It had been just ninety
minutes since Mickey and Mal’s mates had come to her office to tell
Cormac about her grandfather.

Ninety minutes was not very long in the
grander scheme of things. But her choice had been made in that
ninety minutes.

No, he wouldn’t lead her into the room, she’d
enter by his side.