But these touches were building that urgency anew, like nothing had been satisfied the last time. I arched up to meet him as his mouth slipped slowly over my nipples, his tongue rolling over them, his teeth grazing until I was shivering with anticipation.
“William, I need you now.”
He didn’t budge, continuing his quest to drive me crazy with his tongue and teeth.
“Wil—”
“I’ve been dreaming of this since the moment I first laid eyes on you almost two years ago. I’m not going to rush it.”
My spine relaxed on the bed and I sighed. He was right. We had all night. And I’d resolved to leave this in his hands—his capable, talented, maddening hands. So despite the fact that I was aching to have him again, I closed my eyes and let him on his course.
“Beautiful, beautiful Jenna,” he whispered against the sensitive skin of my belly. It quivered under his warm breath. I licked my lips and swallowed. Everything inside me was throbbing with renewed need.
He ran those working hands from my knees up my thighs, first the outside then along the sensitive inside, before resting at the center of my need for him. His fingers slipped into my wetness, rubbing against my sensitive clit, and everything tightened inside me. In minutes, overwhelming waves of pleasure washed over me. I was shocked with how quickly it had happened.
I lay back, awash and glowing, when he pressed a light touch to my mouth with his warm lips. With slow, deliberate movements, he settled himself between my legs, his chest lying over mine. And in the dim, bluish light under the full Beltane moon, our bodies joined together once again.
As it was our second time, it took William longer to get where he had already taken me in minutes. Therefore, I began to climb that mountain with him again, feeling remarkably spoiled. I ran my hands down his hard chest, smoothing over his nipples, sliding to his back, clasping my legs around him when I needed him to slow down.
But he was having none of that. He pushed through my hold, gently pulling my legs away from his hips, his breath bathing my neck with ragged puffs. I came again just as he pushed in deep and let loose a hoarse moan, my name on his lips.
He surged inside me and, despite his earlier protest, I clamped my legs around him again, pulling him tight against me. He released his breath, resting his sweaty forehead to mine. He careful smoothed back of my hair.
And then…“I love you,” he whispered.
Tears sprang to my eyes. Those words I’d never thought I’d hear again brought such joy rushing into my heart that it ached. Soon those tears were streaming down my temples as he rolled to the side, watching me carefully.
“Oh no,” he breathed, wiping them away with his hand. “Why are you sad?”
I shook my head and sniffed. “Not sad, Wil. Happy. Very, very happy.”
He frowned. Tears of happiness obviously confused him, but I didn’t want to explain so I kissed him to stave off the inevitable questions.
Eventually, we drifted off to sleep. The last thing I said to him was that he needed his rest so he’d be ready to kick ass in the morning. And we slept peacefully, wrapped in each other’s arms all night, too exhausted to even move.
When I woke up, bright early morning light slanted into the tent, and William was gone. I felt for him first, before even wading through the layers of sleep. When I came up empty, I contemplated how natural it had been for me to reach for him. Like I’d been doing it every morning for months.
And that weird echoing ache when I found him gone—that wasn’t lost on me, either. It was scary and thrilling at the same time. I rolled over and buried my face in his pillow, inhaling his scent.
For the first time since I was a teen—a child, really—I’d told a man that I loved him. And I’d meant it. I swallowed in a thickening throat, suddenly terrified of the ramifications of that admission. I was changing my plans to be with William, but it wasn’t just about being with him.
I was starting a future, setting down roots. Trusting myself to find happiness again instead of running away from the possibility of it.
I hurriedly got dressed and wove between tents toward the campsite I was supposed to be sharing with the girls. I tried not to focus on the possibility of clan members seeing me in the same dress I’d worn last night, only minimally laced to avoid indecent exposure.
It was my own medieval reenactment of the infamous walk of shame. But I didn’t give a crap who saw me. I was too buzzed by this high. What a night…
The girls practically pounced when I got back. “Ohhh, hmm, well look at that. Her Majesty has just-fucked hair. Her royal dress is rumpled and looks like it’s falling off, doesn’t it? Ann, what do you think Queen Jenna was doing last night?” Fiona, Caitlyn’s BFF said.