The Fae Ring (11 page)

Then…getting sucked here.

Overwhelming.

Nothing, not the magic, not her family, was taking what
she
wanted into consideration.

“What
do
I want?”

And what does Xander want?

He’d kissed her, she’d kissed him. She liked how it’d felt to be up against his chest, in his arms. Janet was definitely fond of the way he made her melt when his mouth moved over hers.

Xander had been so accepting of this whole thing.

From the start.

Could he feel anything for her that wasn’t some sort of magical obligation?

The ring on her left hand pulsed a dark purple. Janet stared. Confusion, desire, fears—about everything, Xander, her feelings, worry about getting home—it all stomped around her mind, making her shake in the warm water.

Knowing the ways of a man and a woman was one thing.

Experiencing it for the first time…was different than she’d imagined…or fantasized.

Intense.

But…better, right?

Nay. With magic involved, it was
worse
. Doubts thickened, threatening to overtake her.

Did either of them really have a choice?

It’s too much.

Her head spun. Her chest ached, her heart was pounding so hard.

“Janet, what’s wrong?”

His voice made her jump. It bounced around the large cavern, making it sound as if Xander had shouted. Water sloshed against the sides of the pool and he sought her, probably by sound alone.

When his beautiful eyes rested on her, Janet blushed to her toes, despite the water concealing her. Her fated husband was too far away to see her nudity, but it didn’t matter. Her neck, cheeks, even her ears burned.

“N-n-n-othin’,” she called, averting her gaze as Xander approached. She wanted to cover herself, but her limbs refused to move. Besides, it wasn’t like he’d be able to see her. Because of the natural eddies, the whirling water was hazy. So, even as he stood beside her, she was protected from his view.

Protected?

Xander was supposed to be her husband.

Should he not see her as naked as the day she was born?

He said nothing, but she
felt
him as if they were touching. If she reached out, Janet could brush her hand against his ankle, or his leg.

She still couldn’t look at him.

“Are you well?”

Janet nodded. “Aye.” She forced her face up. Met his gaze.

Color spread across Xander’s high cheekbones. His powerful chest heaved as if he’d come in from a long run. Or a hard flight, as it were.

Desire pulsed across the mating bond, zinging to him and back. It crackled in the air, and awareness shot down Janet’s spine. Her body tightened and melted at the same time, and it had little to do with the water.

She throbbed all over.

For him.

“Lass…” The word was a croak, and her insides trembled in response.

She sucked in a breath. “Join me.”

Silence descended as her offer shocked them both.

Janet hadn’t planned on saying the words aloud. She studied the surface of the flowing water. He was certainly going to think she was too forward now. Xander probably didn’t want a
wanton
wife.

Embarrassment made her dizzy, threatened to swallow her whole. It was at odds with the passion in the air; palpable, heady, and holding her attention more than her inexperience or request.

The mating bond must be influencing her thoughts, her words.

He said nothing, but she heard the rustling of his linen tunic, the creak of his leather belt, even the scabbard of his sword thudding softly as he lowered it to the rocky floor.

Her heart threatened to exit her chest when he stepped into the water. His wings reflected off the surface of the water, but Janet kept her gaze down, despite the desire to look at his bare form. She’d seen his naked chest. Touched it. Been up against it. She wanted more. Wanted all of Xander.

“Lass.” His whisper was thick.

The mating bond was once against visible, glowing brightly beneath the surface of the water as he lowered himself next to her.

They reached for each other at the same time, but the kiss he placed on her lips was tender, gentle.

Not enough.

Xander pulled her into his arms.

They both shuddered from the full body contact.

Janet studied the iridescent wing in her line of sight, wanting to reach out, caress it. See if it was as smooth as it appeared, but she didn’t have the courage. She closed her eyes against his shoulder, wiggling closer.

He caressed her neck, then her shoulder blades, making large circles down her back. His hand moved onto skin below the surface of the water. Xander groaned as he followed the curve of her bottom, but then he pulled his hand away.

Janet lifted her head, meeting his violet eyes. “Why did you stop?”

“Your brother demanded I return you home, virtue intact.”

She frowned. “And who is my brother ta decide such things for me? Tis
my
body.
My
virtue.” Janet didn’t want to let irritation at Duncan ruin the energy between her and her fated husband, but it was already inching up from her gut.

How dare Duncan be a controlling barbarian?

“He cares about you.”

Janet shook her head. “He’s overbearin’ like always.”

Xander smirked, but didn’t comment.

“It migh’ be Alex’s place to marry me off, but my laird is no’ the brother of whom you speak.”

He threw his head back and laughed.

She stared at her winged warrior. Xander didn’t laugh nearly enough. His handsome face was loose, radiant. Nowhere was the normal seriousness he wore like a shroud. His violet eyes twinkled, and he carried a lightness she’d never seen.

Happiness?

Her stomach flipped and Janet couldn’t help the smile that curved her lips. Her irritation at her brother dissolved.

“You know your siblings well, my lady.”

Janet paused. Should she chide him for formality or revel at his level of respect for her?

They were naked in a pool together, and she was in the circle of his embrace. An honorific was odd, considering their place—and role—to each other. “My lady?” she whispered.

Xander cocked his head to the side, studying her.

It was her turn to smirk. “We’re…supposed to be mates as you say…married.”

“Aye.”

“So you can discard the
my lady.
”

“All right, lass.”

She didn’t like that any better. “Lass?” Her smirk slid into a grin. “Can you no’ say my name? You’ve only said it once—maybe twice—since we’ve arrived.”

“Janet.” Her name rolled off his tongue and she trembled against him.

Janet reached for him, resting her hand against his cheek. His skin was smooth, no stubble to graze her palm, since Fae didn’t have hair anywhere but atop their heads.

Desire surged through their bond—from both of them.

Xander’s eyes locked onto her face, and his lips parted.

She wanted him to kiss her, but he didn’t. Janet let her hand drop into the water, and broke their eye contact. “I-I-I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine.” He lifted her palm and traced his jaw with her fingertips, making his skin sheen with water droplets. Then Xander turned her hand over and kissed her knuckles. “You can touch me anywhere you’d like.”

She nodded, because she hadn’t a clue what to say to that. Janet wanted to burrow into him, kiss him, touch him as he’d just offered. She wanted to give him herself to him.

He gently cupped her face. “We belong to each other, Janie.”

“Janie?” She smiled. “Duncan and Alex called me tha’ as a lass.”

“I know,” he whispered.

Janet stared into his violet eyes. They were darker than normal, and her heart stuttered. She tilted her face up and Xander dipped his head down. She met his mouth with hers, opening for him immediately.

He tugged her against him; she slipped her arms around his neck and kissed him harder as his tongue danced with hers.

Someone moaned, but she wasn’t sure who.

Xander’s erection pressed against Janet’s thigh, but it didn’t shock or scare her. She burned for him, pulsing between her legs. He caressed the sides of her breasts and she leaned back as he spread kisses down her neck. She let her head fall back to allow him access, and he dragged his tongue along the edge of her jaw.

Janet cried out when his fingertips brushed her nipples. Then his large calloused hands were there, cupping and kneading her, making the already taut, oversensitive skin ache. He continued downward, dragging his hand across her belly beneath the water. Her muscles jumped as he went, quivering in anticipation of more.

She breathed his name when he touched her center. No one had ever put their fingers there, save herself during a bath.

Pleasure shot all over her body when he rubbed the tight bundle of nerves at the top of her sex. She gasped and made a grab for his wrist. “Wh-wha’ are you doin’?”

Xander kissed her in answer, nibbling her bottom lip. “Let me touch you, Janie. Let me love you.” He moved his fingers as he spoke, scattering her thoughts.

She couldn’t have told him no even if she’d wanted to. Which she
most
certainly
did not.

“Don’ stop,” she breathed.

He traced the seam of her lips with his tongue, but it wasn’t enough. Janet fused their mouths, swallowing a groan from Xander. Deepening their kiss, he moved his hand in rhythm with his tongue, rocking his hips beneath hers.

She reclined into the side of the pool as Xander pressed closer, his chest hovering over her breasts, his nipples brushing hers. His arousal burned her hip, but he made no attempt to push inside her. He just kissed her again, teasing her core with clever fingers.

The water swirled around them, the steam making her already clouded mind even hazier.

Something was happening. An odd pressure was building that she didn’t understand. It didn’t hurt; it felt
good
but it wasn’t enough. Her sex ached, felt empty, despite the attention her Fae Warrior was paying to it. He probed her entrance, but didn’t plunge his finger inside.

She wanted to beg him, but hadn’t the strength to speak. Her hips rocked of their own accord and Xander kept kissing her as he rubbed her beneath the water. Janet writhed against him, moaning. Whimpering. Making sounds she’d never uttered in her life.

He nipped her earlobe and a tremor shot down her spine. “Let go, lass.”

She wanted to ask him what he meant, but his statement was a trigger. Her body knew the answer. Something snapped inside her.

Janet threw her head back as her muscles contracted and released on their own. She had no control. Pleasure made her scream his name, and she clutched at his powerful shoulders.

The pool was spinning, like her head, her thoughts. She crushed her eyes shut as Xander’s mouth descended to take hers again, but she was boneless and kissing him back took concentration she couldn’t muster.

He gathered her close, resting his forehead against hers. They were melded against the pool and each other, chest to breasts, panting in time.

“Gods, lass. You’re beautiful, Janie.”

She should be embarrassed, but she wasn’t. “Xander…”

Her fated husband smiled, and it was as gorgeous as he was. “Thank you for letting me show you pleasure.”

Janet wanted more, so much more, but she couldn’t find her voice to confess it.

“Let’s dry off and sleep,” he whispered, kissing her tenderly. His erection still seared her hip, as hard as the rocks beneath them and just as smooth.

She wanted to touch it, touch him. But she’d never… “What abou’ you?”

“Not tonight, Janie. I won’t take you tonight.”

Janet swallowed, once again losing her courage to disagree.

Does he not want me?

Or is he respecting my brother?

One answer hurt, the other irritated.

Xander caressed her cheek. His gaze was as soft as the touch; it pleased and caused pain at the time same.

Her chest burned. Tears stung her eyes and she refused to give in. Janet gently disengaged from him and couldn’t look at him as she exited the pool, wrapping herself in the blanket.

He said nothing as he dried and dressed, but her stomach dropped when he donned his trews, then his boots.

“Are you no’ sleepin’ wit’ me?” She tried not to choke on her words. Forced her eyes onto his so she couldn’t accuse herself of being a coward.

The mating bond pulsed. She could see it easier than before; it glowed an even brighter gold. Janet couldn’t sense his feelings, like he’d said they’d be able to eventually, but her own mind was full of chaos. She couldn’t order her thoughts. Her limbs were warm and sated, but her heart heavy.

Xander squared his broad shoulders. He was still aroused, but she tore her eyes away from that part of him. “I need to go outside and make sure we’re still safe. Then I’ll join you.”

She said nothing as she watched him exit the cavern.

Called herself a fool for feeling close to him, but she couldn’t regret letting him touch her.

That
had been perfect.

Janet swiped at the first tear that coursed down her cheek, but ignored the ones that followed it.

His head reeled, pulse thundering in his temples, in time with the pounding in his cock. Xander buried his hand in his short hair.

She’d been so sweet.

Why did you walk away?

He’d wanted nothing more than to take what she’d offered…take
her.
And despite his initiating the contact, Janet
had
offered herself to him. Even without words, her body had spoken volumes.

Xander could’ve had her.

Could be having her right now.

Hadn’t he been worried about the consequences of the mating bond? Getting sick if they didn’t consummate?

Janet had been spread before him. Rubbing her body into his, kissing him back with fervor that belied her innocence.

His mind spun—then and now. Xander had been swept away.