Emerald Knight

by Michelle M. Pillow

  His hands found the ties at her shoulders, loosening them with deft precision. The overtunic slid to the floor at her feet. Just as efficiently, his fingers discovered the laces at the back of her chemise and tugged them apart. The material slid from her slender frame, unveiling her naked body to him. Ginevra felt a slight blush color her cheeks as he tore his mouth away to look shamelessly at her. His dark eyes bore gloriously into her, puncturing her soul with their designed pleasure and disconcerting promises. And still, she didn’t understand.

  The gentle curves of her body were outlined by the soft firelight coming from outside the tent walls. She watched him carefully for his approval. When his eyes fell upon her skin with heated fascination, her stomach began to warm and churn with an unusual response. The sensation kept growing. His gaze powerfully claimed every inch of her skin until she burned with the need to feel him pressed against her naked flesh.

  “Now you,” she panted in excitement.

  Wolfe had no qualms about throwing his over and undertunic from his chest in one mighty pull. He did so quickly before hauling her back into his passionate embrace. Ginevra gasped as she felt the folds of his bared chest along the length of her naked torso. His smaller nipples pressed into her breasts, teasing the sensitive peaks until they were hard. Instantly, she became moist, the slit between her thighs heating.

  She ran her fingers over the contours of his chest in a gentle sweep, before trailing over his arms to find the waistband of his breeches. Wolfe groaned and ground himself against her. Ginevra felt her legs weaken at the movement. Her hands slid to his muscular hips urging him to her.

  Panting lightly, her eyes closed. She pulled him as she walked backward to the fur covered bed. Sitting on the edge, she scooted back, tugging him along with her. Wolfe climbed over her willingly as she fell completely to the stuffed straw mattress. He lowered his head to kiss her breasts.

  Her legs parted naturally to allow for his weight. As the hot length of his arousal fitted next to her to gently stroke her sex through the binds of his clothes, she gasped in amazement. Her limbs began to sing with the heat of his body, the aroused smell of his bronzed flesh as he caressed her.

  Wolfe was pleased by her uninhibited passion as she trailed her hands over his back to firmly grasp his butt. Pulling his hips more firmly against her, she parted her legs wider.

  “Please,” she begged. She didn’t understand what she was asking from him, only that she needed for him to give it to her. The years of frustration and hurt built behind the wall in her chest, pushing at it until it began to crumple. Her body needed fulfillment--a fulfillment it couldn’t name.

  Wolfe chucked against her only to groan as her hips wantonly thrust into him. His shaft pulsed hotly against the tightness of his breeches. He wanted to slow, but couldn’t. Unable to deny his body the silken depths of her core, he freed himself by roughly pushing his breeches around his hips. His fingers sought her moist slit, testing her readiness. Feeling her cream flowing over his hand, he couldn’t help but dip his finger inside her.

  Ginevra gasped in shock, never thinking he’d touch her there, never thinking her body would approve of it. Her eyes grew round as he slipped a finger deeply inside. She arched her back at the intimate caress, feeling the tightness of it and unsure if it was pleasure or pain the sensation caused. Then his finger moved within her to rub the sweet spot within her channel, and his thumb pressed along the sensitive nub hidden in her folds.

  Panting for air, Ginevra bucked against the agonizing torture of his expert fingers. Her thighs rubbed along his waist, pushing the breeches further down his hips. Carefully, she moved in the primitive rhythm that his body sought to teach.

  Wolfe growled at the motion. Withdrawing his finger from her tight passage, he lowered his mouth to kiss her delicate ear. His lips distracted her from his purpose as he lightly bit the tender lobe.

  Ginevra gasped at the agreeable irritation. At the same instant the small jolt hit her ear, his shaft glided boldly into her. She squeezed her legs against his hips, unsure if she wanted to stop him or urge him deeper.

  Wolfe paused along the boundary protecting her maidenhead. Her tight body expanded to accommodate his larger size. He could feel her innocence burning for him to claim it.

  Biting and licking her ear again in a tender caress, he jabbed fully within her. Ginevra bucked up off the bed, trying to pull away. Her eyes widened in fear as the full length of him filled her. It left an aching trail deep inside her.

  Helpless against his need for her, Wolfe moved his hips in a frenzied motion. Her face blurred in his vision until all his body could recognize was its own fight for barbaric fulfillment. Rising up on his hands, he thrust powerfully into her only to withdraw and do it again. His hand lifted her by the back of her knee to keep her from escaping him. The position allowed him to go deeper inside her core, and he growled in primal gratification.

  With each powerful thrust, her breasts bobbed underneath his vision. He stared at the perfect mounds with their hardened peaks. He licked his lips in pleasure, wanting to take them in his mouth. He fought his release, not wanting the sweet torment to end. It had been too long since his senses had been heightened past the point of control.

  Ginevra watched his impassioned face in awe as his body claimed hers. Her mother’s words echoed in her head, telling her that noblewomen couldn’t enjoy a man’s attentions. Had her mother been right? Was she just not capable of feeling his pleasure? Slowly, the burning pain subsided to leave behind fragile warmth, pleasure built, creating a tension so sweet she wanted to cry. His mouth gaped open for breath, making his face contort into a look of anguish and pain.

  Wolfe growled, a low animalistic vibration that thundered past the tent. A maid passing the tent giggled at the sound, but was ignored by those within. He tensed, his body going completely rigid, as he felt his body explode into her softness. She was so new to him, so perfect. With a heavy sigh of contentment, he collapsed atop her, panting hotly against her flesh.

  Ginevra touched his broad shoulders in uncertainty, as his breathing returned to normal. Raising himself out of her, he fell contentedly to the side. Ginevra gasped in awe of his powerful form and the thick member that still nestled between his legs. She couldn’t believe he molded the serpent-like shaft completely inside her smaller body. But the pain inside of her attested to the truth of it.

  Wolfe leisurely kicked off his boots as he turned to look at her. Seeing her hesitant face, he froze. A small sense of dread assaulted him when he realized how rough he’d been with her.

  At the attention, Ginevra blushed and quickly scrambled underneath the covers. Wolfe sighed at her shyness as he sat up to completely pull off his breeches. Then, crawling naked under the covers, he pulled her into his arms. Gently, he stroked the hair out of her face. He kissed her forehead.

  Her wide green eyes sought his, clamoring silently for approval. All she got was a tenderly soft kiss that made her toes curl. As his arm settled around her waist, he lay next to her silken body on the bed. His fingers possessively held onto her, kneading the muscles of her stomach, making escape impossible.

  “It will be better for you next time, Gin. I promise,” he whispered with a hint of manly satisfaction. He ignored the guilt of his actions. He would make it up to her. He would be the gentleman she needed him to be. His promise to Robert broke into his head, reminding him that he was not to treat Ginevra like a whore. Wolfe agreed. She was his wife. He would treat her with gentleness and respect. It was his duty to protect her, even if it was from his own baser needs and indecent whims.

  Wolfe felt her squirm against him. His hand stiffened, holding her firmly into his embrace. Peeking from underneath his lids, he saw her closed eyes and tentative smile before he fell into a contented sleep.

  Eilric glared at the side of the tent, careful to keep his shadow from falling onto the thick canvas. In front he saw the king’s guards chuckling under their breaths as Wolfe’s contented moans drifted from inside.
He heard a growl from within and froze, knowing the man was finding his release within the body of his wife.

  Eilric frowned. He could hear the monster’s satisfaction well enough, but the sweet Ginevra made no such sounds. From her there was only silence.

  Ducking back into the shadows as a serving wench happened by, he glared at the buxom woman waiting for her to leave. The maid giggled under her hand and paused to glance at the tent before hurrying past. Eilric watched her go before turning his full attention back to the fornicating couple. Hearing silence, he drew silently closer to listen to what was spoken inside. His ears strained but detected nothing.

  Cursing under his breath, his hands gripped tightly at his side in search of his dagger. His arms twitched, wanting nothing more than to slaughter Lord Wolfe in his sleep. But he stopped, thinking of the gentlewoman who was next to him. The last several years Eilric’s life had been set on revenge. Never had he thought there was room for aught else. That was until he laid eyes on sweet Ginevra.

  It had been a bitter twist of fate that she belonged to the man he’d sworn to kill. He’d seen the way she paled at the very mention of the monster’s name. He couldn’t blame her.

  “Soon Ginevra,” he whispered through his blinding hatred, as he backed away from the tent.

  Soon the day will come when I’ll free the world of him. And you, my sweet innocent, will belong to me.

  Chapter Eight

  Wolfe smiled and blew lightly against Ginevra’s skin, watching it bubble with gooseflesh as she nuzzled closer to his warmth. She swatted at her neck and moaned softly in protest of the sensation.

  Wolfe did it again, grimacing slightly, as her leg wedged up against his inner thighs. He pulled the coverlet off her naked body to look at her. Slowly, he tested the smoothness of her creamy flesh with a bold brush of his hand. By all that was holy, she was beautiful, her body entwined with his. With a slight moan she nestled closer to his heat.

  A veil fell over his features, as he watched her eyes open. It was the first time in his life that he’d spent the entire night with a woman, sleeping with one anyway. Usually he banished them from his bed after they’d met their pleasure, or he left. His wife’s emerald eyes looked around in confusion, before settling on his face. As the dreamlike cloud cleared from her expression, she blushed and turned to hide her face.

  Reaching behind her, Ginevra searched for the coverlet to hide her nakedness. Wolfe moved his foot to lie on the fur so she couldn’t pull it over them without completely sitting up and exposing herself. Ginevra shivered. To Wolfe’s surprise and dismay, she found an edge and gave it a hard jerk, lifting the fur over her.

  He slid his arm about her naked waist so she was unable to pull away from him. She didn’t try. Burying her head in his chest so she could delicately yawn, she closed her eyes. She snuggled deeper into the side of his body.

  “Did I hurt you?” he asked softly, stirring her hair with his words. He’d noticed, with no small amount of manly satisfaction, that a light tinting of blood smudged her creamy thigh.

  “Not really,” she whispered. “I’m just a little sore. I’m sure it will pass.”

  Wolfe grinned at her candid honesty. He pulled back to study her face. She glanced impishly up at him before lowering her lashes.

  Her hand lightly skimmed over the flesh of his hip. Wolfe froze. It moved over him in a gentle caress to brazenly brush along his buttocks. Unbidden, his muscles tensed and he felt his loins grow heavy with desire. He woke up wanting to possess her again, but thought it best to give her time to heal.

  “Are you always this hot?” she asked before placing a tentative kiss on his chest. Wolfe groaned softly in response, his body stirring restlessly against her as his hands roamed over her ethereal form. Closing his eyes as her fingers tapered across his flat stomach, he tensed. Silently, he urged her gentle explorations lower. Her hand hesitated, moving to glide back up.

  “Touch me,” he murmured hoarsely.

  Ginevra glanced down at the source of his tremendous fire. It moved and pulsed before her eyes as she ran the tip of her nail along the smooth end. A low guttural sound reverberated in Wolfe’s chest. His stomach tensed and his hand gripped firmly on her hip. She smiled as he panted ragged breaths.

  “Touch me,” he growled more insistently, unashamed, when she didn’t stop her teasing caresses along the head of his shaft. His hips thrust up in search of her fingers. She kept her hand back, amazed at how she could control the large man with only the lightest of movements.

  Seeing the sweat on his brow as he tightly closed his lids, she licked her lips relishing the power she had over her gladiator of a husband. Again she kissed the center of his chest. Wolfe let loose a throaty groan as he fell helplessly to his back.

  Seeing the approving movements of his body, she rubbed herself against him. His legs parted slightly as her thigh pressed over him to hold him down. When he tried to touch her, she pushed his hands away.

  The new position afforded her a perfect view of his thick member. She shook her head, still amazed that he had fit the entirety of it inside her. At the thought, her body ached for him to do it again. It was a strange reaction, considering the pain his penetration had caused. Unable to stop her hand from exploring, she finally gripped him in her palm. She was rewarded with a moan of arousal from his panting lips.

  Deciding she liked to be in control, she again pushed his hands away as he tried to touch her. Wolfe moaned, leaning to feel her again. After he tried insistently a few more times, she let go of him and pushed his hands up out of her way. Grinning sheepishly, he folded his hands behind his head and obeyed.

  Taking him lightly in hand, Ginevra placed kisses over his taut flesh, first finding his neck, then his chest to lightly graze over his nipples. When his hips pushed his manhood fully into her hand to stimulate a stroke, she smiled in understanding. Slowly, she moved her hand in a long caress over his arousal. Wolfe grunted in manly appreciation. Ginevra chuckled mischievously.

  His breath became haggard as she quickened her movements. Her body stirred restlessly next to his, enjoying the feel of power over her brave knight. Her nipples peaked as they rubbed against his side. Maneuvering so that she leaned over him, she let her breasts graze his stomach. Wolfe’s hips moved faster. She could see the tensing in his arms as he gripped his hands beneath his head.

  Letting her hot breath fall excitedly against his firm stomach, she lightly kissed him near his navel. Wolfe groaned. Keeping up the movements of her hands, she tested him by kissing a little lower. His answering moan was louder. Shyly, she did it again and again he approved.

  Then, growing empowered, she lightly kissed the top of his shaft with her parted lips. Her tongue flicked out to taste him, curious about the scalding limb. Wolfe almost lunged off the bed with a jolt of satisfaction. His hips pressed up, following her soft lips with shaft. Ginevra gasped as he slipped himself deeper into her mouth. Beads of sweat surfaced on his hard body. His stomach strained, tortured because he couldn’t put his hands on her. She continued to caress and stroke and lick and tease, until finally he exploded with a primal yell of gratification.

  Ginevra gasped in surprise and confusion. She watched him in awe as she withdrew her hand from him. Moisture sprung from his fiery tip to spread over her palm. She waited quietly until his chest evened with slowing breaths and his eyes fluttered open to gaze at her mystically in wonder.

  “Did I hurt you?” she questioned timidly. “You said I could touch you any way I wanted.”

  “Nay,” came his throaty response. He was amazed with the naturalness in which she responded to him and couldn’t have been more pleased. A wave of sudden suspicion crossed over his eyes, until he saw the insecure way she was looking at him.

  Coming to lay next to him, she laid on his arm next to his shoulder. “Then you are pleased with me?”

  “Greatly,” he admitted. “You can touch me like that whenever you like. I will never stop you.”

  Ginevra frowne
d as a mischievous light entered his turbulent gaze. Her heart fluttered at the intensity of his stare. Glancing at her hand, she asked, “So it was supposed to leak like that?”

  “Oh, yea,” Wolfe chuckled, nodding his head as he moved up on his arms. His eyes stalked her like a ravaging beast. “It was.”

  “Oh,” she gasped as his body rolled over to pin her down. He was too large to fight off, not that she wanted to try.

  “And now, wife,” Wolfe swore, “it’s your turn to be pleased.”

  His hands explored the entire length of her form until she melted under his touch. He took his time, worshipping her body with his mouth, his hands, his virile form. And when he branded every crevice of her flesh, he felt his body charged and ready for her.

  Ginevra cried out in passionate confusion and was sure she could stand no more. Her head tossed around on the mangled fur coverlet, seeking an end to the bittersweet torment. Then, he entered her with a controlled thrust of his hips so that she felt every inch of him as he slid deep inside the well of her body. With precise motion, he caressed her deeply, moving slow and sure in small strokes.

  Ginevra’s fingers reached up to wind around his neck. Wolfe leaned down to tenderly kiss her pulse beating at her throat. His hips continued their slow, tormenting thrusts. Ginevra stared at him through the narrowing of her lashes. As she watched the pure emotion on his face, he sent shivers over her soul. Then her eyes drifted shut as the pleasure became more than she could take.

  Finally, when the tension built to the point of ecstasy, she screamed her release into the empty tent so that her pleasure was heard all over the encampment. Wolfe felt himself empty once more inside her womb. His legs trembled with the draining force of her need until he too lay sated next to her on the bed.