Page 33 of Promises Made at Midnight
His tongue dipped between the seam of her lips that curled around his seeking tongue. He tasted of the wine he had sipped when he deepened their kiss. It was a claiming, a possession in the sweetest sense of the word as he all but devoured any sense that the world hadn’t just righted itself with this first act of love.
When he broke off their kiss, his sweet warm breath lingered just above her swollen lips. A small breathless whisper escaped her.
“Ulrick…”
“You are mine,” he growled out.
“As you are mine. Today, tomorrow, and for all eternity,” she vowed.
She watched him as his eyes glazed over with a need only she could fulfill. Stepping back from him, she continued to observe his every move while she pulled the linen gown from her body, letting it pool in a puddle of fabric at her feet. It seemed an eternity that she waited for his reaction, until she saw his appreciation in the depth of those mesmerizing eyes.
“By God, you have been sent from the angels above,” he said in a voice dripping with the sound of a man struggling to keep his hands to himself.
She went to him in all her naked glory. Reaching for his tunic, she pulled the fabric from his body and tossed it onto his vacant chair. Her eyes gleamed when she inspected that carved muscular chest now exposed for her viewing pleasure. Fingertips reached out to trace his hot skin even while a part of her ached for him to be inside her. She could hear his uneven breathing and rejoiced knowing she was the cause. Her womanly pride soared, knowing he was just as affected as she was considering the next steps they were about to take together.
“You’re so beautiful, just as I remember you at that fountain in my own time. Then you were carved from white marble. But now… now I can physically touch you to my heart’s content.”
“A man is generally not considered beautiful, my lady. Such words are used to describe women,” he said, caressing her arms to send shockwaves over her entire body.
“You’ve always been beautiful to me,” she answered honestly. “From the first moment I saw you at the fair in my own time, I was completely smitten.”
“Aye… the fountain you spoke of. Mayhap you will tell me more about your time,” he said bringing her closer into his embrace. “Your modern marvels… your home…”
“Later…”
Ulrick quickly scooped her up and carried her to his bed and laid her down. His hands roamed the entire length of her body until she was a quivering mess. He seemed to sense her need and began removing his boots, hose, and that crazy underwear called braies. When he, too, was as naked as she was, she could barely breathe. His manhood had blossomed into a thick, swollen masterpiece, growing even more during her inspection. He took her breath completely away, her fierce warrior standing before her with desire shining in his blue-grey eyes. True, neither had spoken the wordsI love youas yet, but hopefully their love would build from this moment on.
She scooted across the bed to make room for him, and he lowered his towering frame next to hers. Minutes quickly evaporated like the morning dew once the sun reached the ground. Time had no meaning as they touched, kissed and explored until Bridgette could no longer stand the exquisite torture that left her wanting Ulrick to fill her completely.
She must have voiced her thoughts aloud for Ulrick moved atop her. Thrusting his hips, he sank into the cleft between her thighs causing her womanly center to tingle and pulsate with pleasure. He set the pace known to lovers throughout time. Slow at first, still exploring what she liked while her hands moved from his broad shoulders to lightly tease her way down his back until she gently squeezed his buttocks. She heard him moan her name in pleasure and Bridgette forgot everything else while she matched Ulrick’s rhythm. And then she felt it… that building pressure when you know that a small piece of you is about to die and be reborn. White hot lightening flashed before her eyes when she arched her back as waves of ecstasy pulsed through her entire body.
“Ulrick!” The sound of his name as it burst through her lips echoed in the room until she felt his release timed with her own. Her heart briefly stumbled before falling back into place and, when they both lay there exhausted, Ulrick rolled over onto his back and pulled her into his side. Their breathing, once labored, began to settle once more.
Completely content now they had claimed one another, Bridgette briefly dozed off until she felt Ulrick’s hands upon her body once more. With a light laugh, she pulled his head down to receive her kiss. The hours melted away as they began to make love again until they finally found sleep close to the morning’s dawn.
CHAPTER22
For nigh unto a fortnight, Ulrick and Bridgette found solace in each other’s arms whilst in the comfort of his bedchamber. Before the sun would rise, Ulrick would gently awaken the lovely lady from her slumber to ensure she returned to her own room. He would not wish for his liege lord to know what they had been doing behind his back.God’s Blood!Lord Dristan would seek retribution upon the field of honor were he to learn of such a betrayal of trust. And yet… Ulrick would gladly pay whatever the price necessary to have Bridgette with him each and every night.
Aye… she had unconsciously become so important to him that he had no notion to ever let her go. Once Ulrick had acknowledged their connection, ’twas if God himself had blessed their union and yet he was still reluctant to say the words that would bind him to the lady for all time.Why?He had asked himself that question a thousand times and mayhap ’twas because he was deceiving Lord Dristan, hiding the truth he had made Bridgette his in every way. He would need to rectify this soon. His honor and the code of chivalry he lived his life by was at stake and his actions had the bitter taste of duplicity.
His gaze went toward the side of his bed where Bridgette had but recently slumbered. He had been reluctant to wake her, for she appeared like an angel with her hand resting upon her cheek on the pillow. But he had had no choice, and with a sleepy yawn, she bid him good-bye and left. The emptiness of his bedchamber and in his heart made him rise to start his day despite the sun only just beginning to make an appearance on the distant horizon.
He threw another log into the hearth until a roaring blaze at last warmed the bedchamber. But hearing the ringing gong had Ulrick quickly dressing. The tower bell sounding out was the call to arms and could only mean one thing. Dristan’s lands were under attack. Now where was his squire to assist with his chainmail?
A knock sounded at his door, and he gave the call to enter. His eyes widened in surprise for he did not expect Bridgette to be entering dressed in hose and tunic.
He went to her, giving her arms a slight shake although all he really wished to do was kiss her lips. “Whatever were you thinking returning to my bedchamber? You cannot be found here, Bridgette,” he scowled with a frown, only for her to raise her fingertips to caress his brow and the lines that marked his anger.
“I am here because you needed me,” she answered looking around his room and seeing his chainmail already laid out upon his bed. “I’m assuming you are needed on some part of Dristan’s lands. I saw there is a fire burning in the distance along with a storm brewing off the horizon.” Bridgette went to the window to open the shuttler and Ulrick could hear for himself the chaos occurring in the lower bailey below.
“My squire will see to dressing me,” he huffed.
“But the lad isn’t here yet.” She turned from the window and went to lift his gear. “Well? Are you going to let me help you or not?”
“You are most stubborn.”
She gave a light laugh despite the hostile situation of where he was about to go. “I would have guessed you already figured that out by now.”
