Chapter 19

Kit entered the bedroom from the antechamber to see that the lantern by the bed was lit, though she was the only one in the room. She had a look around and found everything as it was the last time she’d been here except that next to the lamp there was a sheath and the lubrication Mikali had supplied her with, as if someone had come along to prepare the room for her. She wondered who might’ve done so, unless her cousins did it out of hopefulness. The linens on the bed were turned down as well.

Kit hardly had a chance to stand there and quake before she heard a rapping on the outside door. Her breath caught in her throat, and the idea that she was not ready filled her head. But the sound of footsteps let her know it was too late, that she was no longer alone, and she slowly turned around, telling herself to be calm, that it would be all right.

Terrowin stood in the doorway wearing only a thin white tunic and a pair of brown trousers, no shoes, no jerkin, no chainmail or other accoutrement associated with his station. His blond locks fell down over each shoulders, and even from across the room she could smell his musky scent. He was a man in every sense of the word.

Her stomach tightened and a tingling sensation began to spread between her legs. For a fleeting second, her mind flittered to Eli, but she knew she had to push thoughts of him away. He was never hers, and she would never be his. But Terrowin was here now, and he could teach her things she’d never imagined, take her to places she’d never been. Most of all, he could extinguish the flickering fear within her and quench her thirst for knowledge.

“My Princess,” he said, taking a few light steps in her direction, closing the door behind him. “You are radiant in the soft lamp light.”

“Thank you,” Kit replied, wondering just how well he could see her. She almost wished she’d extinguished the light in the brief moments she had before he entered so that only the moonlight streaming in the window next to the bed would illuminate her. The idea of having his eyes on her naked body made her shudder a bit. But then, she wanted to see him, every inch of his muscular frame, so somehow she’d have to work around having his eyes on her.

He moved closer so that he was standing directly in front of her and gently reached up and stroked her cheek. At the touch of his rough hand on her skin, gooseflesh broke out all across her body, and Kit let out a soft sigh. His hand lingered on her jaw for a moment before sliding down to her neck, and with each subtle movement, Kit felt herself floating a little more.

Her hands went to his chest, more to steady herself at first than to see what he felt like, but once her palms came into contact with the solid wall of muscle, she let out a small gasp, and with an expert movement, Terrowin brought his mouth down on hers.

Kit’s lips parted as his tongue dove into her mouth. Any hesitation she felt was extinguished as he guided her to open, and a hunger began to build from deep within her. He tasted of strong liquor, a sweetness she hadn’t expected, and the feel of his tongue as it intertwined with hers had her breaths coming in short, raspy gasps.

Terrowin pulled back, but Kit wasn’t ready to let him go. Her hands were on either side of his face, her fingertips tangling with his short beard, and she pulled him to her, pressing her lips tightly against his. A low rumble from his throat alerted her he found her amusing, which was enough to bring her to her senses, and she released his mouth, though she did not move far from his sensual lips.

“You taste like strawberries, Princess.” His breath was warm against her neck.

“Please, you must call me by my name when we’re in here.” His hands were at her waist, caressing, moving lower with each stroke, and she found herself shifting in his arms so that she was nearer to him.

“Very well, then, Katrinetta.” He smiled down at her, and a familiarity she’d never felt with a man except… it didn’t matter. Terrowin seemed like someone she’d known for a very long time, and she felt wanted, needed, and safe in his powerful arms.

His lips traced a line down her neck, his tongue darting out from time to time to leave her breathless, wanting more, and a nip from his teeth against her earlobe had her knees weakening. Kit began to moan, a sound she didn’t recognize coming out of her own throat, but she enjoyed it just the same.

“That’s right, my love, take it all in. Let the enjoyment spread throughout your body.” His hand slipped beneath her robe to her breast, kneading it through the thin fabric of her shift, and when he let go of her to untie the obstruction, she longed for his hand to return to her. His thumb encircled her nipple, which hardened instantly. Kit gripped his neck and pulled him closer, needing to feel more of him.

Once again, Terrowin stopped, leaving her neck cold without his warm breath there. His hands moved back to her waist, and he looked her in the eye. “It’s time for you to undress, Katrinetta.”

She slipped her arms out of her robe immediately, but when it came to the shift, she hesitated. Part of her wanted his hands, his mouth, on her so badly, she was ready to rip the thin fabric in two. The rest of her contemplated standing nude before a man she hardly knew. “Perhaps I can keep my shift on.”

Terrowin’s dark eyes danced in the dim light, and without answering her, he grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled it up over his head. Kit gasped as her hand came up to cover her mouth. His chest glistened, the thick muscles bulging as he moved to toss his shirt across the room. Her eyes trailed down his body as she took in rippling abdominal muscles, and an ache between her legs had her biting her bottom lip.

He was an arm’s reach away from her now but didn’t move any closer as he reached out and slid the top of her shift down so that both of her breasts were exposed over the lacy top. Kit didn’t have time to think about the fact that he was the first man to ever lay eyes on her as his hands slipped down to expertly cup them. The feel of his touch on her skin made her nipples harden again, and when he brought his palms up to lightly circle each peak, she cried out again, stepping into his hands and reaching up with both of hers to pull him closer. Her eyes were closed tightly, but she thought she heard a small chuckle from him again. She didn’t care if he found her reaction amusing; at the moment, all she could think about was Terrowin’s hands on her body.

Keeping one hand on her right breast, he bent down and took her left nipple in his mouth. His smooth tongue on her skin had her panting, and Kit began to think her knees might cave in on her. His musky scent filled her lungs as she drew in short, uneven breaths. His teeth grazed her flesh, and then he began to suck. She held tightly to the back of his head, and his free hand slid her shift down, her hips wiggling of their own accord in order to free her from its binding.

Before she realized what was happening, he scooped her up, his hand on her bare backside, and laid her tenderly on the bed. His lips were on her again, and Kit’s hands wandered over the strong muscles of his back. It seemed his hands and tongue were everywhere, and every kiss, each lick sent her quaking, though the feel of his mouth on her nipples sent shivers of pleasure down her spine unlike anything else she’d ever experienced.