On Fire's Wings - Christie Golden [105]
Her response excited him even more. She opened her sweetness to him and pressed into him so they sat heart to heart. Kevla still wore his rhia, and he felt her breasts through the fabric that scratched his bare chest.
Kevla was lost in pleasure, lost in love for this man. He had always been such a profound presence in her life, and always, she had buried any feelings that were not acceptable. Now, she finally gave free rein to her passion.
We are one. We always have been. Why did it take this for us to dare to claim that?
Jashemi broke the kiss and she made a soft sound of protest. She fell silent in delight as he kissed her throat where the vein pulsed, flicking his tongue lightly over the vulnerable hollow at the base of her neck. She pulled him tighter, gripping his thick hair. She felt a tentative brush of his hands on her breasts through the rhia and suddenly ached for him to touch her.
The garment was a barrier to the contact she so urgently needed, and she moved away and struggled out of it. Kevla heard a gasp of breath and found Jashemi staring at her, full of awe at beholding what the rhia had hidden from him. She had been naked earlier, when he had ridden to her and helped her escape. She remembered the strength of his body as he clutched her briefly, saw the love in his eyes when she reached down from the sa’abah, refusing to abandon him as he had refused to abandon her. But then, survival had been the pressing need. Now, she offered herself to him, her nakedness her gift, her choice.
He lifted her eyes to hers and for a long moment neither moved, not touching, only their gazes locked together. Then Jashemi’s face flushed and he reached for her again. Kevla went joyfully into his arms, shuddering with pleasure as her nipples brushed his chest. She was dizzy as her senses were flooded and surrendered to the sensations. His kiss this time was fierce, but she responded with an intensity that matched his.
Jashemi had never imagined it could be like this; this pleasure so intense it was pain; this joy making his heart swell until he thought surely it must burst. The gentleness was gone and he knew he was being rough with her, but she seemed to want this as much as he.
Her hands moved down his chest, over his flat stomach. He tensed in anticipation. When her fingers lightly stroked him through the thin fabric of his breeches, he cried aloud in surprised delight.
She drew her hand back and asked, “Have I hurt you? I thought men enjoyed—”
“We do,” he gasped. “I do. You heard my pleasure, beloved, not my pain.”
Kevla looked unconvinced. By the Dragon, he could take her right now; could have taken her easily before she had even laid one of those exquisite fingers on him. He swallowed hard and asked gently, “Please…touch me again.”
She did, at first hesitantly and then with growing confidence, and he shuddered. His kurjah strained against the breeches and impatiently he sat up to remove them. He heard a slight intake of breath.
“There is nothing to fear, my love,” he said hoarsely. “But I will stop at a word.”
She looked at him then, with eyes that smoldered. “I want this,” she whispered. Tears filled her eyes. “Oh, Jashemi, I want you…I have wanted you for so long….”
Growling in the back of his throat he pulled her down on top of him. His freed kurjah pressed hard against the softness of her belly as their mouths met and the sensation was so intense he almost climaxed. He tensed, holding himself back, wanting to make this first joining exquisite and bring her as much pleasure as she was giving him.
He sat up, taking her with him, and kissed her between her breasts. She folded him close and laid her cheek on his hair. For a moment, they clung to one another, eager to continue exploring and discovering, loath to relinquish the sweetness of this moment.
Holding Kevla securely with one strong arm, Jashemi reached for the rhia