“Aye, your bed is now my bed, my wife.” He touched his mouth to hers, his lips so achingly soft as he joined them together. Gently, playfully, he kissed her, licking her tongue and sucking her lower lip into his mouth. Desire swarmed her senses and her breasts swelled under his chest, her hard nipples scraping the silk of her gown. Deep need and raw sensation speared through her. Then he rubbed his body against hers, until his scent surrounded her and hers enveloped him.
“I cannae believe we’re kissing, that I can finally speak to you of all that’s happened between us.”
“I may not have my memories, but the emotions have remained. Holding you again, is like having the other half of my soul returned.” His breath whispered softly across her lips in a teasing caress she hungered for more of.
“Kiss me again, please. I need more.”
“Always.” He groaned, deep and throaty before capturing her mouth and offering her exactly what she’d asked for. His kiss, so sweetly seductive had her gasping for breath.
“We must still take care. I will lose control if there is too much intimacy.”
“I want to bite you, Arabel, to mark you and know I’ll retain this memory.”
“Aye, I need that too.” She swept her hair away from the side of her neck and offered herself up to him. “Should my heat flare, there is a pail of water under my side table.”
“I’ll be careful.”
“I know you will. I have faith and hope now as never afore.” She wrapped her legs around his hips and sighed with delight as his cock lengthened and poked into her belly. “I’m sorry we cannae join fully together as we did in the cavern. I cannae allow that deep of an intimacy when ’twill be too much for me to bear. My skill will rise without question should we take things too far.”
“We’ll test the whole combining of elements again and find a way to be together. I won’t rest until we’ve discovered a solution.” He nuzzled her neck, licked her skin and sucked it deep inside his mouth. “May I touch you wherever I please?”
Arching into his divine touch, she murmured, “Aye. I am yours to touch as you wish.”
“Well, I really like this subservient side of you, in case I haven’t told you so before.” He slid one hand inside her bodice and palmed her breast. He caressed her flesh then bit down and marked her. A fierce rumble vibrated against her skin, his bear so close to the surface, and an exquisite heat washed through her, pulsed down to her core and made her thoughts tumble into disarray.
“Once more,” he breathed as he brushed her hair clear of the other side of her neck. His mouth descended and she cupped the back of his head, held him against her and gasped as he marked her again.
“Oh goodness, so good.” Heat shimmered from her and rippled her red bed curtains. She focused, found her inner strength and held firm. “I cannae take any more intimacy, other than that.”
“Got it. Your limit after a little kissing is two bites. Although you need to get ready for a little nudity. My bear wishes to meet you since he too lost his memories as I did.” He lifted himself from her, his delicious weight gone from one breath to the next. Then he stood over her and shucked his tunic. His chest, so broad and heavily muscled, made her fingers itch to touch him.
“The first night we met, we swam together and you shifted in front of me. I like your bear.” She sat up. “I got to pet him.”
“He’s demanding to meet you, and he can’t wait any longer.” He unstrapped his sword belt, propped his weapon and daggers against the side table, kicked off his black boots and shoved his rawhide pants down his legs and off. Then he stepped back and made the Change in one swift and sizzling display. As the bright lights dispersed, his bear plodded toward her. He slapped his paws down on the bed either side of her and nudged her hands with his muzzle.
Transfixed, she looked into his golden eyes and sank her hands into his pelt and scratched between his ears. Black fur, so silky and soft, tickled her fingertips.
“Finlay?” Leaning forward, she brushed a kiss across his forehead.
“I’m here, my sweet.”
“Does it hurt to shift?”
“The Change is swift and any pain sears through for only a miniscule moment. It’s gone as quickly as it comes.” He made the Change again, fur retracting and muzzle shortening in a shimmer of bright lights until her man stood naked before her.
“’Tis best you dress and remove any temptation from my sight. You’ve more clothes in your traveling sack which is by my trunk.” She motioned toward the bag he’d placed in her chamber that first night. “You left it here.”
“I wondered where that had gotten to. I had to borrow more clothes from Kenneth.” He nabbed the bag and set it on the end of her bed, released the leather strap on the top and foraged inside. He donned a clean pair of black leather pants and a dark blue tunic with detailed embroidery along the collar, a tunic she’d made for Kenneth for his last birthday.