The Bewitching Twin(45)
She grinned. She had really enjoyed copulating with him, or had they made love? She liked to think it was love; she hoped someday they would love.
It had to be her own inadequacies that prevented her from accepting that love was possible without it being demanding. Hadn’t Rogan’s considerate nature proven that?
As much as she wanted to return home, she was glad that it would be at least two weeks before they left the village. It would give her time to come to terms with her own misgivings. When she stood before Tarr and Fiona, she wanted to speak from her heart and tell them how much Rogan meant to her.
She wanted no doubts in her marriage. It was important they remain truthful with each other, for without truth, there could not be trust, and that she wanted from him. If not, how could she be certain he would ever mean what he claimed?
Aliss smiled as she watched him whip off his shirt.
“It is hot,” he said, tossing the shirt to the blanket.
Her hands went to the ties of her blouse. “My feelings exactly. A dip in the river?”
Rogan laughed, his hands already freeing his plaid. “And here I thought I would need to convince you.”
Aliss shed her blouse, slipped out of her skirt, kicked off her sandals, and ran to the river. “I’ll beat you.”
Her laughter slowed her down and she was not surprised when Rogan rushed up behind her, scooped her up, kicking and giggling, and in they went together.
They came up sputtering and laughing and hugging each other.
“The cool water feels so good,” she said, holding his shoulders as they bobbed along with the easy flow of the river.
He stared at her and after a few moments, she grew uneasy.
“Is something wrong?”
He shook his head. “No, I am just amazed with the remarkable woman I wed.”
Aliss felt his forehead. “Are you sure you do not have a fever?”
He laughed. “I have a perpetual fever for you.”
She slid her hands around his neck and pressed her breasts to his chest. “I think I have the cure for that.”
“I warn you,” he said, tugging her closer to him. “This is a recurring fever.”
“With me having the cure, what does it matter?”
“You will forever tend me?” he asked with a whispered kiss.
“I will always make certain to tend your fever.”
“I think my fever is quite high right now.”
Her hand moved beneath the water to grasp hold of him. “Higher than I have ever felt it.”
“We must do something immediately.”
“Here?” Aliss asked, uncertain.
“A perfect spot,” he insisted. “It is cool and the water offers privacy.”
Suddenly a rapid current caught their feet, tearing them apart.
Aliss nearly panicked when she could not right herself and struggled to gain control.
She was grabbed around the waist and drawn up out of the water so quickly her breath caught.
“Breathe!”
His shout frightened her and it took several moments before she was breathing normally.
“We drifted too far from shore, where the current is sometimes unpredictable,” Rogan explained while her breathing calmed.
She looked past his shoulder to see that he was moving them closer to the river’s edge. She held tightly to him.
She rested her cheek to his. “I feared for you.”
“Never fear that,” he whispered in her ear. “Know that I will never let nature, beast, or man take you from me. You are mine forever and always.”
Her breath caught and held. Was he about to claim his love for her? His strong declaration certainly seemed a prelude to declaring his love. She waited, her breath suspended.
He cupped her face in his large hands and kissed her lips ever so gently. “The reason I married you—” He stopped and kissed her again.
She welcomed his kiss but ached to hear his words.
“I love you. God help me, I love you.”
Her heart felt near to bursting. “Then God help us both for I love you.”
He rested his forehead to hers with a shake of his head.
“Do not worry, all will turn out well,” she comforted, and reached out for his lips.
Their lips locked firmly together, chasing away doubt and fear and enflaming their passion. Before she knew it, she hungered for him like a woman who has just discovered she loved and was loved.
Her soft sighs soon turned to gentle whimpers as his fingers teased, touched, and tempted her beyond reason.
“I want you,” she heard herself beg.
“And I you,” he said, nibbling down her neck to take larger, more playful bites along her shoulders.
His hands went to her waist and he lifted her over him, easing them together in a perfect fit.
Her eyes rounded in delight when Rogan set the tempo to their joining, and with her hands grasping his arms, she threw back her head and reveled in the pure pleasure he created for them.