Once Upon a Romance 02 - As The Last Petal Falls (28 page)

“Fain, I can’t stay here.”

“I know, Belle; you can’t live out in the wilderness forever.”

“It’s not that. I am my father’s heir. I have obligations and responsibilities of my own. This trip was always meant to be a short one. A little rebellion, a little adventure. I never meant to run away from my duty permanently.” Her heart was breaking. Her father had always spoken about the sacrifice required of a ruler, but she had never really understood. Not until now. Not until she had something she couldn’t bear to lose.

He gave her a sad smile. “I understand.”

They reined up at the edge of a cliff. The stream they had been following tumbled down the cliffside in a turbulent waterfall. In the cold winter air, the fall had frozen, leaving the foaming waters still and sparkling in the sunlight. Vivienne stared in wonder as she slid from Idiot’s back and moved closer.

“It’s beautiful.”

“I thought you’d like it.”

Fain dismounted and moved up behind her, wrapping her in his arms. They stood together, looking out over the frozen waterfall, and a tear rolled down Vivi’s cheek. Fain reached his gloved hand to wipe it away before it could freeze.

“I’m sorry it has to be this way.”

All of a sudden, Vivienne felt her sadness give way. She shook her head, on fire with a new determination.

“No.”

“No?”

“No, I do not accept this.”

“Belle, I—”

“Don’t you say a word, Fain MacTíre.” She turned in his arms to face him. “I am the most stubborn and willful woman born to my house in seven generations. And my great-great-great-great-great-grandmother led the kitchen women in an armed revolt against a band of usurping thugs. I
will
find a way for us to be together. I simply refuse to have it any other way.”

“You don’t under—”

“I said
not a word
.” She reached up and took his face in both her hands and searched his eyes. “Unless you don’t want me to be with you. Is that it?”

“No, of course I want—”

“Then it’s settled.” She paused, and cocked her head inquiringly. “Well? I’m waiting.”

“I thought you didn’t want me to talk.”

Vivi smoldered up at him. “I don’t.”

Fain threw his head back and laughed. As the sound came echoing back across the frozen water, he leaned down and grazed his mouth across hers. “I shall leave it in your capable hands.” He placed a kiss lightly on each cheek. “Of course, I wouldn’t be disappointed if you turned out to be a milkmaid.” Blowing gently in her ear, he murmured, “Or a shepherdess.” He nibbled a line down her neck, and Vivienne shivered as he whispered, “Or a goose girl.”

“Fain,” her voice was breathy and unsteady, “please—”

“Please, what, little farmer-ess?”

“
Stop talking.
”

Fain chuckled, and then applied his lips to the space just behind her right ear. Vivienne heard a gasp, and vaguely realized it had come from herself. She turned her head and found his mouth with her own, feeling the fiery warmth it engendered spread all the way to her icy fingertips. She let her hands sink into his unruly mane of hair, down his neck, and out the broad line of his shoulders. His hands slid beneath her wrap and ran up her back, pulling her firmly against his chest. All the while, their lips and tongues moved together, creating an island of heat in the middle of the frozen forest.

Vivienne leaned into him, tangling her fingers in his woolen scarf, pulling his head closer, sealing their mouths together. She ran her hands along his chest, eager to touch more of him, wanting to feel his warm skin against her own, but the layers of leather and fur that surrounded him thwarted her. She growled in frustration and Fain let loose a swift bark of laughter, abruptly silenced when she yanked his face back to her own and kissed him with such frantic intensity that he groaned and crushed her to his chest.

Sweeping her up in his arms, he turned and made his way back to his mount while Vivienne did her best to drive him utterly mad. She had just taken his bottom lip between her teeth and was slowly licking it when he set her down and pulled back slightly.

“Belle, there’s nothing but frozen surfaces for miles around.”

“I’m sure you’ll figure something out.” Vivi was not going to be distracted.

“You are maddening. Wait a moment.”

He pulled the lap robes off both horses and strode back to the point overlooking the waterfall, where a fallen log created a natural depression in the snow. He threw one blanket down, lining the hollow, and then sat and pulled Vivienne down with him, bringing the other blankets up to encase them completely. Vivienne felt their little pocket of air warming rapidly and smiled at him in delight.

“And here I thought we would freeze.” He started to reply, but she kissed him again, coaxing his tongue to do something more useful than talking. Her hands busily unwrapped his layers until she could push them from his shoulders in one swift move. Fain struggled a moment to free himself, and then helped her with her own wrap. He moved to take her in his arms, but she pushed him flat on his back and sprawled on top of him, tenting the blanket above her shoulders.

“The thing about stubborn and willful women, Master MacTíre, is that we like to be in charge.”

“Even when you’re trying something new?”

“
Especially
when we’re trying something new.” She tugged on his linen shirt until the tails came free from his waistband. “But we enjoy skillfully delivered instruction.” She unlaced the collar with nimble fingers, and then dipped her face down to flick her tongue across the hollow at the base of his throat. “For instance, do you prefer
this
, “ she took one more taste of his neck, then moved on to one of the barely visible scars that ran across his chest and began placing wet kisses all along it, “or
this
?”

“Both.” His reply came with a swift inhalation as she scraped her teeth over his rough skin. Vivienne pulled back and gave a small laugh of triumph, which quickly changed to a gasp of her own, as Fain slid his cold hands beneath her woolen blouse and up the slowly warming flesh until he reached her breasts. “You might also try this.” He ran a thumb over each peaked nipple, causing tremors to run through her body and pulling a moan from her lips. He continued making small circles while Vivi writhed on his lap. “It tends to get a positive reaction.”

“Does it?” Bending down, she mimicked his motions, using her tongue instead of her hands. His fingers tightened on her skin abruptly. “I see. What else can you show me?”

Dropping his hands to her hips, Fain positioned her directly over the bulge straining against his woolen pants. Vivienne gasped as the pressure sent trembling waves surging through her body. His hands guided her hips into a gentle rocking motion, and for a few moments Vivi was lost in sensation. Each forward motion brought a fresh ripple of pleasure; then, as she rolled back again, she became aware of an emptiness she had never felt, and a yearning to fill it.

It was dark beneath the blanket, and as Vivienne sat back she could barely see Fain. Instead, she focused on where their bodies connected. His hands, urging her on. His hips, clamped tightly between her own thighs. The flesh on his wrists, warm beneath her fingers, a solid point to which she held, desperately, as her body moved closer and closer to something unknown. The few layers of fabric still separating them were driving her mad, keeping her from feeling him fully, keeping her from her goal. With a growl of frustration, she ripped at the waistband of her skirt, yanking free the buttons and falling off Fain so she could shimmy free of both riding skirt and pantaloons. Her eager motions moved the blanket enough to allow a thin stream of cold air into the warm hollow, and it curled along Vivi’s exposed skin, shocking her. Her woolen stockings and blouse were all that were left of her riding outfit, and she shivered as gooseflesh rose on her thighs.

Fain misinterpreted the cause of her shudder. “Belle, you don’t have to—”

“Stop right there. Fain MacTíre, are you getting cold feet on me?”

“Only in the most literal sense.”

“Then don’t be foolish.” She lay across his chest and gave him a long, lingering kiss. In no time their little nest was warm once again, and Vivienne’s heart was pounding fiercely. “Do you know,” she said conversationally, “I had three different governesses who taught me comportment lessons?” Between phrases she lay kisses in a straight line starting at the base of his neck and heading south. “I learned the intricate courtesies of four different cultures and the basic rules for many, many others.” When she got to his navel, she stopped and nibbled at the small, neat depression, eliciting a groan from Fain. “Do you know what they all have in common?”

“I couldn’t fathom.” The words came breathlessly.

Before she answered, her teeth continued down, reaching the waistband of his pants. “In every society, all across the many kingdoms,” she ran her tongue along the band, “it is considered impolite to be inappropriately dressed.” Propping her chin up on one fist, she batted her eyelashes at him. “You, Master MacTíre, are violating that most basic of courtesies,” she purred. “Let me help you with that.”

Her hands worked to unlace his pants as he surged forward and caught up her jaw, kissing her deeply. The cold air rushed in, but neither paid any attention, too caught up in their fervent embrace. Their mouths moved frantically together as her fingers yanked free the final strap and shoved his pants down past his hips, then she threw her weight against him, knocking him back onto the ground. In one smooth motion she drew his pants off his legs and then grabbed the blanket and enveloped them once more in the warm darkness.

Their hands roamed freely. Vivienne flattened her palms against his chest and let them trace the contours of his muscles, tangling her fingers in the soft down that grew there, drawing her nails lightly against his skin. The hard length of him was trapped between their bodies, and she rocked gently, hearing his breath come ragged at her motions. His hands drifted down her spine, caressed her waist, and moved on to the silky skin of her bottom. His fingers found the crease where her legs met its smooth cur ve, and followed it inwards. When the tip of his middle finger brushed the wet heat found there, Vivi clutched convulsively, digging her fingers into his shoulders.

“Belle?”

“Don’t stop.”

At her whispered response he touched her again, at first tracing the delicate folds, and then gliding one finger right down the center of her cleft. She shuddered on top of him, reveling in the new sensation. He continued his motions, dipping his fingers deeper each time they swept over her opening. It was maddening. Finally, Vivienne rocked against his hand, and two fingers slid inside her. Fain stopped, but Vivi pushed back, forcing his fingers deeper; then she whimpered in frustration.

“It’s not enough.”

“Sit back.”

She straighten up, and gave a little cry of disappointment when his hand fell away. Before she could ask what he was doing, though, he touched her again, reaching between their bodies from the front. His long fingers parted her inner flesh and sent off small tremors as they plunged inside her. She gasped, and he paused.

“Am I hurting you?” The concern was clear in his voice.

Vivienne let out a low, sultry laugh and twisted her hips, swirling herself on his hand. “Far from it. I know many a maid who claimed discomfort her first time, but I’ve spent so many hours on horseback—” she broke off as his fingers found a sensitive spot and flicked gently across it. “Do that again.”

“What if I do this?” His fingers repeated the same light touch while his thumb brushed up through her folds to find the small, throbbing bud nestled there. Vivi heard a moan leave her mouth as Fain made small circles with his thumb. She ground into his hand, searching for more pressure, for a greater feeling of fullness. From beneath her, Fain made a self-satisfied sound.

“Feeling… pleased with yourself?” She gasped.

“A bit.”

“Well, that will never do.” Her hands, which had been balancing on his stomach, spilled down the taut planes of his body until they closed over his phallus. “I’d much prefer you were pleased with me.”

Her fingers wrapped fully around the shaft and began long, stroking motions, matching the rhythm of the hand inside her. “You know, my maids have all been quite loquacious.” She sped up, sliding her hand faster over the fascinatingly smooth surface, and Fain lost his rhythm, his hands moving to anchor on her thighs. “They’ve spent years giving me advice on how to make a man putty in my hands.” Her thumb ran across the sensitive spot at the base, and circled there. “It’s gratifying to be able to finally put it into practice.”

Now Fain was the breathless one. “It’s gratifying… for me… too.”

“There’s one thing I’ve always been curious about, though.”

“What’s that?”

Vivienne settled down between his legs, sliding her body through his hands.

“If
this
is as effective as they say.” Bending over, she ran her tongue up the full length of his shaft. When she reached the tip, she paused a brief moment, then circled the head before finally taking him fully into her mouth. Fain moaned, and his thighs, already hard beneath her hands, turned to rock. Vivi tasted a hint of salt, and then he pulled her up his chest once more.

“Belle, it’s been a long time… If you’re any more effective, we’ll be done.”

She pulled a face. “You are ruining my fun, Master MacTíre.”

“Not
all
your fun.” He flattened his hands on her shoulder blades and ran them down either side of her spine until they cupped her round bottom. Shifting against her, he put indirect pressure on that small, sensitive bud, and Vivienne smiled down at him in the darkness, even as her pulse beat faster.

“True, not
all
my fun.”

She kissed him, parting her lips in invitation. Their tongues met, first in her mouth, then in his. While they licked, nipped, and caressed one another, Vivi rocked on top of him. She felt desire mounting inside of her, boiling up, trying to overflow. Finally she pulled away, rising to her knees above him, taking great, heaving breaths of the cold air that came streaming in as the blanket fell away.