Chapter 20

Terrowin’s body hovered over Kit like a shelter with most of his weight on the bed next to her. Only his protective arms and his broad chest rose above her. The longer Terrowin kissed her, the lower his hands seemed to explore until Kit realized he had her legs spread slightly and his fingers were poised between her legs.

The dull ache she’d noted earlier when she’d first seen his well-formed chest had turned into a throbbing pain, and as his fingers slowly began to wind their way along her outer edges, she longed to reach down and press them further inside. “You’re wet, my love,” he whispered in her ear, and she realized that wasn’t the half of it. His fingers slipped on her skin, sliding easily due to how badly she wanted him inside of her, and each time his fingers probed a bit deeper, she cried out a little more.

“Do you like that?” he asked, his teeth nipping at her ear. “Are you enjoying yourself, my sweet Katrinetta?”

“Yes,” she moaned. “I am.” She stopped herself short of asking him for more, of begging him to enter her, but if he didn’t do so soon, she wasn’t sure what she might do.

Terrowin laughed quietly and whispered in her ear, “There’s nothing I’d rather do than pleasure you, my beautiful Princess.” His breath was warm against her ear as his fingers slid inside of her, and Kit groaned as he began to stretch her, pressing into her, pulling back out, only to thrust deeper while his other hand caressed her nipple and his mouth continued to explore her neck.

As much as she enjoyed having his thick fingers inside of her, she knew she needed more. Her body came down to meet his hand each time he rocked further inside of her, and she slid her hand down to encircle his wrist, her legs spreading wider. She slipped her leg beneath his and her knee rubbed against his member, thick and hard, fighting the restriction of his trousers, and she knew that’s what she needed to make this ache inside of her subside.

Her touch, innocent as it was, did something to him, and he let out a small guttural roar, Kit opened her eyes to see his were closed. He seemed to like it when she touched him there, even if it was just her knee, and even if his trousers were still on, so she did it again, and once more, he responded with a deep growl.

No longer able to wait, Kit reached down and grabbed for his waistband, thinking she would tear his pants off of him if she must. “Be patient,” he said, though his resolve seemed to be waning, he scooted back away from her on the bed so that he was just out of her reach, and Kit was about to protest when his mouth left her neck and began to kiss a trail down the length of her body, between her breasts, across her stomach, and lower.

Her legs were still spread when his lips reached her apex. He kissed the insides of both of her thighs, a sensation that both tickled and sent a vibration throughout her body. He slowly withdrew his fingers from her, and Kit opened her mouth to protest, but the words choked in her throat as she realized his tongue had replaced his hand. As much as she enjoyed the way his fingers explored her, his tongue was thick and warm, and as he stroked up and down, she began to rub against him, her hands involuntarily tangling in his hair as she pulled him deeper into her.

Terrowin’s hands traced her inner thighs as Kit began to feel lightheaded. She arched her back and moaned with each swell of his tongue inside of her until she thought she couldn’t take it anymore, and her breathing became erratic. She was on the brink of something she couldn’t quite put into words when he pulled back and kissed her solidly just below her pubic bone, allowing her the opportunity to catch her breath.

So lost was she that she didn’t even realize what he was doing until he stretched out on the bed next to her, and Kit felt something hard against her outer thigh. She looked down to see he was completely undressed and had his member in his hand, the sheath and lubrication on. He was running his hand up and down the length of it, and all Kit could do was stare in wonder.

She’d never seen one before, except for in the medical books in the library. Terrowin looked nothing like those drawings, and as she stared at the girth of him, she began to wonder how he could possibly fit inside of her. He smiled down at her, his other hand propping up his head, and she took in some deep breaths to try to calm her racing heart.

“Would you like to touch it?” he asked, quietly, and Kit nodded, thinking not only would he enjoy that, but it might give her an idea of exactly how it might feel inside of her. The ache between her legs began to come back as she reached for it, and once she began to stroke him, Terrowin closed his eyes tightly again, as if he could hardly stand the pleasure himself.

It was hard and thick and manly, and Kit wanted it inside of her in every way. She leaned over and kissed his lips, and he opened his mouth for her. Kit plunged her tongue in and gently tugged on his member, hoping he’d climb on top of her and stop this burning once and for all.

Terrowin leaned into her, and she wiggled her leg beneath him. He shifted, sliding her over toward the center of the bed as he came up on his elbows so that she was straddled beneath him. His hips were wide, and she momentarily lamented not yet having had a look at his backside, but the thought of the powerful muscles she might find there had her yearning for him more than ever, and she rocked her lower body up in an attempt to meet him.

“Katrinetta, look at me,” Terrowin said in a gentle voice as he smoothed the hair back from her forehead.

She realized her eyes were shut again, and she opened them to look up into his. He was smiling down at her in a way that let her know she was safe and cared for. He leaned down and softly pressed his lips to hers, and then there was pressure at her opening as he pushed himself inside of her.

He was large, and while she was wet and his fingers and mouth had done much to prepare her, it still ached a bit as he carefully slid inside. Mostly, she had the sensation of being full, and she remembered Avinia’s advice about the cave. He gave one more push, and then sighed quietly, and she thought that must mean all of him was in her now. Slowly, Terrowin pulled out a bit and then pushed back inside, and Kit began to moan in ecstasy.

Taking his time, he continued to move in and out of her, his hands caressing her as he did so. He kissed her softly on the neck, on the lips, on the breasts, and Kit rose and fell with him, keeping her eyes closed so that she could concentrate on how amazing Terrowin’s member felt inside of hers. The scent of him filled her with each breath, and she whispered his name, groaning as her body rippled in waves of pleasure.

Kit had no idea if it had been an hour or more, but eventually, he sped up, and she increased the rocking of her hips as well until he was so deep she didn’t know how much more she could take. Her head was spinning as he pounded inside of her. She felt like she was flying and falling at the same time and never wanted this feeling to end until she was completely out of breath and could no longer cry out.

Terrowin made a few low grunts, and then, his body spasmed on top of her, and something shifted. Kit realized immediately what had happened as she had paid attention to her cousin’s stories, and as Terrowin became still on top of her, she wrapped her knees around him, and ran her hand lovingly against the back of his head, bringing him down to rest on her chest.

He lay there for a long moment, nestled against her breasts, and she kissed the top of his head. She felt as if all of the secrets of the universe had been unlocked to her. It was no longer a mystery why it was called pleasuring, and if the point of the Choosing was to find someone who could make her feel like this, then, Kit was looking forward to that experience.

In the meantime, she felt a bond with this man now, and it didn’t matter to her whether she’d gone through a Proem or not. The two experiences were not comparable. Terrowin had given her so much. How she could be expected to pretend it wasn’t meaningful was beyond her. While she was certain this was not love, it was something--something important, and she would carry it with her for the rest of her existence.

He stirred on top of her, and she let him go. By now, he no longer filled her, and he slipped out easily. He came to lay beside her again, gazing down at her idly.

Aware that she was naked, Kit felt slightly embarrassed, but he smiled and took her in. She fought the urge to place her arm over her breasts. “Thank you for that honor, my Princess,” he said quietly. “You have been an excellent student.”

Kit couldn’t help but let out a small giggle. “Thank you, my guardsman. You have been an excellent teacher.”

He ran his hand across her cheek and down her jaw. “Should you ever require another lesson, I would be most grateful for the opportunity to pleasure you again anytime.”

She could only nod in response, not sure what else to say but thinking she would be daft not to want to share her chambers with this man again. He leaned down and kissed her lips once more, tenderly this time, and then slipped off the other side of the bed.

As Terrowin walked around the end of the mahogany four-poster, she watched his backside in awe. He bent to pick up his trousers, and the muscles flexed and rippled, Kit placed her hand on her midsection, hoping the burning between her legs didn’t start again as she was otherwise exhausted. Touching her own flesh, she remembered she was nude and reached down for the blankets at the end of the bed and pulled them over herself. She kept her eyes glued to Terrowin while he continued to dress.

Once he had his clothing back on, he came over and sat on the edge of the bed. “Would you like to return to your other chambers, or shall you sleep here tonight, my Princess?”

The formality had returned with the end of their pleasuring, but there was still a gentleness in his voice she was certain would always be there whenever they spoke from now on. “I think I shall stay here,” she said, fighting a yawn. “I’m beyond tired.”

“Very good. I shall let the guards at the door know. Would you like your shift?”

“Yes, please,” she decided, and he rose, retrieving it from the floor and handing it to her. Kit set the garment next to her on the bed, deciding she’d put it on after he left.

Terrowin leaned over again and kissed her lips with a light, sweet touch, and Kit smoothed back his blond tresses. “Have a good night, my Princess,” he said as he pulled away.

“You as well.” They exchanged another smile, and then he walked to the door, pausing in the doorway to look back at her fondly, before he closed the door behind him.

She waited until she heard the antechamber door close and then let out a deep sigh. A smile lit her face, and she imagined it would be a long while before she could remove it. Eventually, she pulled her shift back on and extinguished the lamp. Though her body was tired, as she settled down in the sheets, she could still detect Terrowin’s masculine scent on the linens, and it took her a while longer to fall asleep than she’d imagined. She only hoped her dreams would be half as good as her reality.