Gem of Gravane (The Northern Knights) (20 page)

When she leaned up to plant a
tender kiss against his lips, his release took him by surprise. Aric groaned
feeling as if he’d died and gone to heaven as she rose up and down on his hard
shaft. His shattering release lasted for what seemed forever until he was
drained.

He sagged against her, one arm
supporting her and the other supporting his weight against the tree. Never
had he needed to be a part of someone as he needed in that moment he saw her
riding across the ridge towards him.  Her blue gown, only added to the
alluring warmth that came from her. The sight had aroused him beyond
anything he’d ever imagined and he was glad to feel and know she had been as
hot for him as he’d been for her.  The change in her today did not go
unnoticed by him. Her shyness had all but banished because of her jealousy and
her ardor, and in the way she’d responded to his fierce lovemaking confirmed
it.

“Forgive me, Danielle. Are you
alright?”  He asked as he lowered her legs, mindful of her knee.  She
went limp and he caught her, almost angry with himself for not being more
careful, but then she surprised him again when she spoke.  

“Yea. I fear that I would not
have been had you not touched me, Aric.” Danielle clamped her hand over
her mouth. Had she said that out loud? Yea, for his wide infectious grin
told her thus.

They shared a laugh. 

He pulled her close once more
before mounting Thunder.

He said little on the short ride
back to the manor. Along the way Balwain seemed to appear out of nowhere
and the look he gave her caused Danielle to avert her gaze for she suddenly
felt flush. 

Surely the man did not know what
she and her husband had just done. She avoided looking at him even when
Aric helped her dismount when they reached the stables.  Harvey came out
to attend the horses. Danielle said nothing even though she wondered where
he’d been earlier. Her husband and Balwain barely glanced at the stable
master. 
Aric turned to her.  “Are you truly well?”

Danielle looked up at him. Her
cheeks warming. “Yea. Yea, I am fine.” 

He was looking at her with an odd expression
on his face. Then he simple said. “Good. Come, I need first discuss a
few things with Balwain. Then we shall talk more on that other matter,
orders and while we’re at it, a discussion on cursing is in order.”  His
heated gaze told Danielle he was not just talking about the talk of the
villagers and her blasphemous mouth. 

Danielle could barely sit still and
finish her meal as Aric spoke at length with Balwain as she sat beside him at
the lord’s table. She pushed away her half of the trencher and watched
Aric’s eyes move to it, then her. She turned away and looked over the
hall. She wished he would hurry. She was ready to burst sitting
there, aching for his attention.

Aric had to fight the smile that
was trying to force its way through.  His wife had no patience.  He
knew she wanted him and he was reveling in the pleasure he was deriving from
knowing that fact.  He could feel the heat coming from her as she sat
there.  She did not know that he could feel her squirming next to him. Just
as she did not know how stimulated he was by her passion.  He’d just
tasted her back there in the woods and now he wanted her again.  This time
he wanted to take it slow. He wanted to enjoy every inch of her naked and
luscious curves.  He cleared his throat and squirmed himself as he gave
his attention back to Balwain.

After what seemed another long
hour, Danielle breathed a sigh of relief when Aric finally made ready for their
leave to retire.  Pulling her arm through his, he patted her
hand. Danielle slid her arm free and took his hand in hers instead,
tightening her hold and waited for his reaction.  He didn’t look down at
her as they left the hall, nor did he remove his hand from hers.

When they reached their chamber,
the two guards were posted there. She smiled at the one that had followed
her earlier. The young soldier blushed. Her husband dismissed them.

Danielle watched Aric as he removed
his scabbard and sword to undress. 

Aric glanced at her, savoring the
sight of her face flushed with passion and taking his slow sweet time to
undress. Her face glowed and she was looking at him as a lion did its
prey.  He grew to full erection and turned his back to her.

Danielle felt herself growing
annoyed. He was taking way too long.  She had undressed swiftly and
wore nothing. Now he had his back to her. “Aric? Do you need help?”

He was quiet. She approached
him and saw his shoulders shaking. Concern marred her face, as she reached
a hand out to him. “Aric?”

He turned and Danielle felt her
mouth fall open. She could not help herself from smiling at his contained
laughter.  “What might I ask is so funny?” She stood straight with her
hands on her naked hips.

Aric tried to speak around his
laugh. “Danielle. You have got to learn to be patient. You were
moving the table with your squirming and nearly pulled free the
cloth. ‘Twas bad enough all in the hall watched us. ‘Twould have been hard
to explain.”

Danielle tilted her head and slid
her hand down his belly to right above his bulge. His laughter stopped. 
He looked so handsome standing so rigidly in front of her. ‘Twas her turn to
laugh. “I seem to lack patience when it comes to you. Was I so horrible
and obvious?” She asked as he pulled her close. His words when they came
sounded painful.

“Nay, only to me. I jest about
the others.”  

Aric kissed her cheek and set her
away and quickly freed himself of the rest of his clothing.  He was so
pleased that she stood there proudly in front of him naked, even though she
trembled.  He was not sure if she trembled out of any lingering shyness or
from her passion for him.  Either way, he was pleased and hungry for her.

Taking her by the hand he pulled
her down onto his lap as he sat on the edge of the bed. He wanted their
talk over and done with as quickly as possible so he could get on to more
pleasant things to share.

They spoke on her behaving like a
baroness and his orders. When she did not argue, he did not question it for the
look in her eyes drove him wild.

“You will promise me to work on
being more patient, Danielle.” 

She nodded and he was not so sure
that she was listening for her eyes were on his mouth now. He grinned,
continuing.  “Will you join me on my ride to Egway and Gent?”  He
wished he’d not spoken of it from the immediate stiffening of her back.

 “I-I am not sure. But if
that is what you wish.”

“It is.”  Aric said.  He
smoothed his hands down over her back, and then dipped one hand between her
thighs. “I will never leave your side while we are there. Trust in me,
Danielle.”  He took her mouth just as his fingers slid inside
her. She melted and shuddered against him.

“Aric.” Danielle
breathed as he freed her lips.

“Aye, Danielle.”  He kissed
her throat as he laid her back on the bed, his fingers still moving between her
thighs.  “There is much more to discuss, but I need to be inside you
now. I promise to go slower after, but I need to have you now.”

She cupped his face as he covered
her body with his.  “Who needs to learn patience now, Aric?”

Her laugh turned to a moan when he
surged into her, filling her and causing heat to flood her sheath. 

“I will be
patient in a moment. Now give me what I seek and let me hear you scream.” He
growled with a grin as his deft fingers slid between them and touched her
swollen heat. Danielle screamed against him as the first wave took her.  From
far away she heard his laugh as he thrust deliciously into her again and again.

Chapter 22

Danielle waited
patiently, staring at Aric’s back as she stood in the woods whilst he spoke to
his men with Balwain at his side. The sun did not shine down on Gravane
today. Another storm was brewing, the dark clouds above their heads said
as much.  It would bring the mist she no longer needed.  She would
always be protected now and that protector stood right there in front of her.
 He’d made it clear last night he’d been well aware of her activity. 
Danielle smiled now.  For now she knew what that niggling sensation had
been at the back of her neck the last few times.  It had been him
following behind her. The man moved like a ghost. 

Aric had indeed won over her home,
its men, the village and now, with the tears burning behind her lids, even
her.  He’d done so easily and that had happened that first night in the
garden.  Only she’d not know it then. 

Carried by the ill winds kicking
up, Aric’s booming voice brought Danielle back from her musings and she moved
closer from her hiding place behind the thicket of bushes.  Looking down
to make sure she stepped on nothing to give her presence away, she braved
another step.  His words came more clearly, but it mattered not for she
was too focused on drinking in the sight of him.  His hair tied back at
his nape with a strip of leather, lay flat against his strong neck.  His
cloak billowed out around him as he stood there in front of the fleet of
soldiers in that intimidating war stance.  Something crept up her spine,
but she ignored it. 

Danielle wiped a wisp of hair from
her face, peering with longing at Aric. Fierce warrior and ready to do
battle.  But he was not off to battle, just preparing the men for their trip
to visit the other holdings. 

Her thoughts pulled forth what he’d
done to her last night and she flushed hotly. Straightening her back and
with a smile on her face, she turned away and headed back toward the river and
the manor. 

Aric was glad Danielle had turned
and left.  As he continued to instruct his fleet on their planned route to
Egway and Gent, her presence so close had him speed through and hasten his
speech to the end.  She disturbed his concentration.  The wind had
carried her scent to him along with the sound of broken twigs that she surely
thought she’d not made a sound as she hid watching him. He’d known she was
there within seconds.

A half smile came to his lips as he
dismissed the troops. Turning, his eyes fell upon the bush that had hidden
her. She was probably close to the river now. No matter, he’d still catch
her. 

“I’ll be along shortly, Balwain.”
Aric’s light tone caused his second to look at him in question and Aric
continued. “’Tis alright, Balwain. I have to see to a little rabbit that
was in the underbrush.”

A smile split Balwain’s face and he
clasped a hand on Aric’s shoulder before turning away.

Within moments Danielle’s scent had
Aric behind her just as she broke into the clearing and reached the stream’s
bank. She walked to a large stone before sitting down on it with relief. 

Aric paused in the thicket of woods
to take in the sight of her for a moment. 

She limped badly today. The sign of
rain always seemed to cause it, make it more noticeable than the hurt and pain
he’d caused her. He didn’t flinch over the revelation. He’d noticed
the difference each time. Danielle was brave.  

He watched as she turned her face
up to the darkening sky, her lips pursed as though she were trying to kiss the
clouds. Her fingers reached into her hair and she unraveled the thick
braid. Aric caught his breath when those lush waves enveloped her
body. Her lavender gown hugged all of her. His loins stirred and he
moved closer, stealthily.

Danielle let out a sigh as the wind
picked up and caressed her face and hair. Her thoughts were on Aric’s
loving last night. His hands on her skin. She shivered from the
memory of it and hugged herself, then let out a shriek.  She jumped up and
spun around to face him.  

“Aric!”  She breathed, her
chest heaving. His beautiful smile caused her heart to skip a beat.

“I did not mean to frighten
you.” He pulled her against his chest and pressed his lips to her neck,
kissing the fast pulse that beat there. Danielle clutched his cloak. 
 

Aric pulled back, his eyes almost
as dark as the clouds, mesmerized by her. “You are beautiful, Danielle.”
 He was pleased to see her blush over the praise. “The rain will be here
soon. I can smell it. We should get back to the manor before it
starts.”

Danielle heard him and was watching
his mouth. He had known she was there. She should have known. It
was very hard to sneak up on this man. She smiled and reaching her hand up
to place it at the back of his neck, she brought his head down to her.

She kissed him.

The heat of the kiss engulfed them
both and Aric molded her body to his taking over the sweet offering and delved
deeply into her moist hot mouth.  His hands were all over her and Danielle
melted against him as her legs buckled. 

He swung her up into his arms and
continued to stroke her tongue with his as his one hand stroked her breast,
pinching her nipples through her gown.  By the time he set her back on the
stone, Danielle was trembling with need. 

When he pulled his mouth away from
hers, he knelt at her feet and his hands slid up and under her
gown. Danielle shivered when he reached her knees.  His warm hands
felt so good over her skin.  She felt moisture between her thighs.  “Aric.” 
She reached down for him.  His eyes met hers.  His smile was driving
her crazy. 

“Danielle.” He cupped her
scarred knee and bent his head to plant a hot kiss there. She jumped under
his caress. “Sweet Danielle, tell me what caused it.”  

His sensual massage was driving her
insane as he continued to kiss her there with his tongue licking the
scar.  Danielle’s leg ached as did her center with pleasure and
want.  She did not wish to talk right now; she wanted to escape in
the distraction of his expert mouth and tongue from the painful memory. 

“Tell me.”

His warm breath against her skin
caused a shiver to rock through her.  She reached for him again with her
hands in his hair, pulling it free of the leather strip. But he did not
move.