Neither of them moved for several seconds. Finally, Galdren pulled his hand from her grip and turned her to face him. He searched her eyes for several seconds, and she saw his widen slightly before he whispered, “You mean that?”
Her only response was to nod. Thankfully, that was all he needed. When he leaned in again, his kiss was more insistent than it had ever been. Avila was more than happy to match his enthusiasm. However, when she tried to wrap her arms around him again, he sat back enough to capture them both and gently pinned them to the bed next to her head. Her breath caught when she looked up and saw how intently he was looking down at her. She was so distracted by the fire in his eyes that she nearly missed that he had started speaking.
“If this is what you want, then let me guide you. I don’t want to hurt you.”
Avila hadn’t forgotten everything she had learned, but she had also not thought about it in conjunction with herself. Her apprehension was returning, but they had come too far. She didn’t want to stop. She finally nodded, and his eyes flashed before he leaned in for a quick kiss.
His breath was hot on her ear when he whispered, “I promise to make you forget the pain.”
She shivered as he immediately moved to place a series of hot kisses down her neck and collarbone. He let go of her, but she didn’t move to grab him again. Not that she could have. He had already started to undo the laces on the front of her gown, and he placed a kiss for each inch of flesh that was exposed.
While he made her breathless with kisses that continued down the middle of her chest, one hand had moved to her thighs. He gently bunched the cloth up until her legs were exposed, and she gasped at the feel of his fingers as they brushed against the inside of her thigh.
Instead of moving on right away, he gently moved her legs, so he could kneel directly over her. One hand slid up to her hip while he leaned closer to kiss her again. Avila could feel herself start to shake, but even she wasn’t sure if it was nervous anticipation or pleasure. The two feelings were so intertwined that she could no longer differentiate. That didn’t mean she wanted Galdren to stop.
By the time he started to pull the gown up and over her head, she was too enthralled with what he was doing to be embarrassed when he looked down at her. That feeling wasn’t helped when she saw his eyes. They looked reverent before he lowered his head to start running kisses down her chest again. This time, he paused to cover one dusky nipple. She tried to stifle the moan the sensation caused.
When Galdren noticed, he leaned up to whisper once again. “Don’t hide anything from me. Let me hear you.”
Avila couldn’t have held in her moan again if she had wanted to when his thumb ran under the edge of her panties at the same moment he spoke. Galdren smirked down at her when he repeated the motion. She barely heard him speak again. “Just like that. Don’t hold back.”
There was no way she could have responded. When his lips went back to her chest, one hand had dipped below her panties. The first touch was tentative, as though he was waiting to see if she would push him away. She was too far gone to even consider it, no matter how foreign the sensation was. She could think of nothing but Galdren.
When he was confident that she was not anxious, he paused long enough to slip the last barrier down her legs while also sliding out of his pants. Avila watched with wide eyes as he leaned over her once again. He held himself away from her and kissed her gently, as though he was trying to reassure her. She was nervous, but the heat of his body radiating toward her was calming, and any fear she had of what was to come was washed away in the flood of desire she felt. Her arms went around his neck, and she pulled herself up until she felt his hot skin against hers.
Neither of them could hold back a moan at the contact. The fact that Galdren seemed to be losing himself as well made Avila feel sexy and wanted. It all fed into her desire for him. He didn’t stop kissing her as his hand slid down her stomach. When she felt him touch her most intimate area, her gasp was low. She grabbed his arms to steady herself. She felt something tightening, a feeling building that she didn’t understand. It was almost overwhelming, but Galdren did not stop, even after her fingernails started making half-moon marks.
When the tension finally broke, Avila wanted to scream, but her breath was caught for several seconds before an unintelligible sound escaped. She felt like the world had suddenly sent her spinning, and the only thing that kept her from falling was her grip on her lover. She couldn’t feel anything but his hands on her.
It took several moments before she was able to breathe normally. She opened her eyes to see Galdren hovering over her. Despite the cloud of euphoria she was in, the stark desire in him was enough to send a fresh wave of want through her.
He leaned in and kissed her once more before he whispered against her lips, “I love you. Trust me.”
Instead of answering verbally, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. When he lowered himself to rest against her, the feel of him was nearly more than she could handle, but she didn’t try to move. Instead, she relaxed and kissed him again.
He shifted above her as his kiss deepened. One of his hands brushed against the side of her breast, which had her arching into his touch. When she did, he eased forward. The sudden sense of fullness had Avila stilling, and the pain that followed ripped through the last of the euphoria she had been feeling. Still, she did not pull away.
As the worst of the pain passed, Avila looked up to see Galdren tensed. She could tell he was waiting to see if she was all right and let out a long breath before she shakily reached up and cupped his face. Her kiss was gentle, but it was enough of a reassurance for him to start moving again.
Avila buried her face against his chest to hide her expression. The pain was harsh at first, but she knew it would pass. She was surprised when he leaned back and pulled one of her legs up slightly. The action made her self-conscious, but not for long. The new position gave him enough room for one of his hands to go back to the sensitive spot right above where he was moving slowly in her.
It was not long that the sensation sent shock waves through her again, and the pain was forgotten. When he leaned into her once more, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, and her legs went around his hips without conscious thought. All she could think was to get as close to him as possible while they started moving in sync.
The sound of his ragged breathing next to her ear only added to the pleasure that was coursing through her, and the same pressure from before started to build. Although she had a better idea of what to expect, that did not keep her from crying out as the sensation broke over her again.
Her grip on Galdren tightened as the world disappeared around her. All she could feel was him. All she could hear was his cries as he started trembling, and his voice soon joined hers as their pleasure twisted together. Avila had no idea how long it went on, but she relished in the feel of Galdren as he practically collapsed above her. She held him tightly as they both tried to catch their breath.
Several moments passed before he rolled to the side and took her with him. She nestled into his chest as her perception of the rest of the world finally started to return. Neither of them moved after that for some time.
Avila had almost started to doze when Galdren finally spoke. She could hear his voice reverberate under her ear. “Are you well?”
Avila could not hold back a chuckle. She pushed herself far enough up to look down with a grin. “Is that even the right question? Perhaps it would be better to ask if I have rejoined this planet. I’m certain I must have left it at one point.”
His smile joined hers as he brushed a damp strand of her hair behind an ear. The look of affection he gave her nearly took her breath away. “Good. I am glad.”
Her smile softened as she pushed herself far enough forward to brush her lips across his. “Galdren, I love you. Now and forever.”
He pulled her closer and deepened the kiss
. When he finally pulled back, she could see a shadow of the desire they had just shared, but his voice was soft. “As much as I would like to make love to you until dawn, I think we both need sleep.”
Avila sighed as she shifted so that she was lying against his side instead of on top of him. As much as she didn’t want to admit it, she was tired. All of her limbs were heavy, and her eyelids felt weighted. She covered a yawn as she laid her head on his chest. “I think I will have to concede.” She felt his chuckle and his arm as it wrapped around her, but those were the last things she noticed as she slipped into a satisfied and dreamless sleep.
42. Shattered Dreams
Galdren did not want to move. He could see the sun shining brightly through his eyelids and he knew it had to be far past when he usually would have been up, but he was far too comfortable. When he was conscious enough to realize it was because Avila was still pressed to his side, a smile spread across his face.
His arms tightened around her as memories of earlier that morning came back in a rush. He had to admit that if it wasn’t for the feel of her skin against his, he might have thought it a dream. However, he could feel her heart beating steadily by his side and her breath as it washed over his shoulder. Unfortunately, each of those sensations only worked to remind him of what had transpired. When he could feel his desire stirring once more, he gently disengaged from her and sat up.
She hardly moved when he pulled the cover back up. As he watched her, he realized she must have been exhausted. Their activities notwithstanding, she had likely not slept before she came to him. Not that he had slept much more.
He had been livid when he saw Lady Dunoire speaking to her, but his anger at the younger woman paled when he heard the exchange between Avila and the ambassador. Somehow, he hadn’t been shocked to find out that she was the last surviving member of the House of Treunmhor. He had seen several clues, but had ignored them all until he couldn’t anymore.
He still wished that she had never gotten her memories back. When she had pushed him away the night before, it hurt, but not because of the action itself. He wanted to help, and he had no idea how.
She was so desperate when she finally came to him that he had been frightened for her. He still had no idea what she was thinking. Not to mention the ultimatum. The thought that she might be forced to leave and never come back made his blood run cold. He didn’t want to think about never seeing her again. He refused to.
He felt guilt creep in as he watched her even breathing. He had not wanted to take advantage of her distress, no matter what she had said, but when he woke to feel her against him, conscious thought was hard to find. When he finally did come to his senses, they were both already entangled. At least he had no doubts that she had enjoyed herself. He made sure she did. Plus, despite his niggling worry, he doubted she was going to regret the decision.
With a sigh, he finally looked at the timeglass, only to see that it was nearly midmorning. He was shocked that his valet had not been in to wake him. He then frowned at the thought that the man might have come and gone again when he saw he was not alone in bed. He did not like the idea of anyone else seeing her in this state, but he was also worried that it could cause more problems that she absolutely did not need on top of everything else. Still, what was done was done. With another sigh, he stood to get cleaned and dressed.
Less than half an hour later, he was standing next to his bed once more. He had things to do, but he was still hesitant to leave her, and he did not want to wake her. He knew she needed sleep. Especially since it seemed like she had slept without nightmares for the first time in a long time.
Still, he could not put off the conversations he needed to have with both his parents. Instead, he penned her a quick note before picking up her clothes, folding them, and placing them on the table next to the bed. He then put the letter on top of them before he bent and gently kissed her forehead. He was both pleased and worried when she didn’t stir even after he covered her once more. At least she was resting well.
He only hesitated for a few seconds before he turned to leave. He knew where his mother would be at this hour, and he had several things to speak to her about. He doubted he could change his father’s mind by himself, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t try. His face hardened as he walked out and closed the door softly behind himself.
―
Avila rolled over with a yawn and a stretch. She felt surprisingly refreshed, though she was unexpectedly sore. She yawned once more before opening her eyes with a smile. She couldn’t remember any nightmares, and that meant it was an excellent morning.
Her thoughts came crashing to a halt when her eyes landed on the unfamiliar bedcurtains. She sat up and looked around before she looked down. A blush burst onto her cheeks as memories of the previous night came back. She looked around again and felt disappointment fill her that Galdren was already gone. Though, she knew she shouldn’t be surprised. He was a busy man.
In her second inspection, her eyes landed on the note and pile of clothes next to the bed. Her blush deepened, but she ignored it as she read the note. It wasn’t much, but it did explain that he hadn’t wanted to wake her and that he would see her later. It ended with an “I love you” that made her smile.
She felt odd putting her nightclothes back on, but she certainly wasn’t about to walk to her room with nothing on, even if it was through places that no one else should be in. Once she was dressed, she immediately headed back to her own quarters.
When she entered her room, she blushed at the sight of her made bed. That meant at least one person knew she had not slept in her own bed the previous night. She brushed the thought aside. It didn’t matter for more than one reason. She trusted the people that worked in these quarters. Plus, she did not regret her decision.
Unfortunately, thoughts about the court and their opinions brought everything else back. Things that she had been trying not to focus on. She sat on the side of her bed for several minutes as she fought to control her tears. Her reprieve was over, and now came the time for decisions. At least her time with Galdren had allowed her to achieve an objective enough distance that she was no longer overwhelmed. She still had an ache in her heart that refused to budge, but she could think clearly.
Despite knowing that Galdren would not like it, she realized she had questions that needed to be answered, and there was only one man that could answer them. With that thought, she rose to take a quick shower and get dressed.
It was a relatively short amount of time later that she opened the door to her quarters to see Lee and Jacob standing there. She squared her shoulders and prepared herself for the need to convince these two to go along with what she needed. Despite her worry, her voice was strong when she spoke. “I know it is out of this wing, but I need one of you to please escort me to King Rougir. If he is busy, I will wait for him, but it is imperative I speak with him.”
Both men bowed before Jacob stepped back. “Are you ready to leave now, ma’am?”
Avila stared. Despite not wanting to question her luck, she could not keep from asking, “Why did you agree so easily? I know you have been told not to take me out of this wing without Galdren or his approval.”
They both looked slightly uncomfortable, but Lee answered. “Yes, ma’am, that is true. However, we received orders this morning to take you directly to the king if you asked to see him.”
“Oh.” That was the best she could think of. Still, she didn’t have time to stand around. Several things the king had mentioned the night before needed clarification. Not the least of which was the mention of her guardians. She still wasn’t sure what her choice should be, but she needed to know all she could. She gave Jacob a nod, and he fell into step beside her so they could leave.
The closer they got to the king’s office, the more nervous Avila became. She was able to hide it, but thoughts that he would be unwilling to tell her anything kept invading. He had s
aid his only concession would be to verify her identity. Until or unless she chose to take up the mantle of her family’s responsibility, she was just another citizen under his rule. Would he even agree to speak with her if it wasn’t to hear her decision?
She certainly wasn’t planning on deciding yet. As guilty as it made her, she was still unsure of the path she should take. Yes, her people deserved better. They deserved their homes. However, she was just one person. If they had not managed to change the fate of their planet in over a decade, what could she possibly do? If she was honest with herself, the thought of trying to retake her throne terrified her. Even so, the guilt that kept pricking her was enough for her to realize she was unwilling to let her heritage go without question.
She was pulled from her thoughts when a gratingly familiar voice called out to her. “Princess, what a pleasure to see you this morning. After your abrupt departure last night, I was afraid we would not have the chance to speak again.”
Avila stopped in her tracks as the ambassador approached. His smile made her gut twist, and she had to resist the urge to smack it off his face. When he drew even with them, she noted that Jacob had shifted so he was partially standing between them without obstructing their conversation. It helped to calm her, and she managed to not lash out at the monster in front of her.
Her voice was still cold when she answered, “It is unfortunate. That I have to see you again, that is.”
His smile took on a condescending tilt, but he didn’t rise to her insult. Instead, he gave her a bow. “Things happened so quickly last night that I am afraid we have yet to be properly introduced. I am Shior Bana’ak, Ambassador for the Trogand Federation.”
Avila knew he had said that last part to goad her, and it worked. She bristled at the thought of the people that dared to claim they were a valid world government when they still stood precariously at the top of a mountain of bodies. She didn’t yell, but her voice was scathing as she said, “Do not posture on my behalf. I know what you really are and what those you serve stand for. It is not for the people you claim to rule. It is only for your greed. Talamh has long been the hub of galactic commerce, in and out of the Trading Alliance. Don’t think your motives are misunderstood. Had you any sense of duty, we would not be here.”
Shattered Dreams Page 40