by C. J. Pinard
“I don’t have anything to wear while we swim,” she said, batting her eyelashes at Zackary.
He had already disrobed down to his pants. She stared at his bare, tanned torso, trying not to pant at how beautiful and perfect his muscular chest, arms, and stomach were.
He grinned wickedly at her. “Well, it looks like you may just have to go in nude, Mariselle. You wouldn’t want to get your beautiful dress all wet, or your corset. It might shrink after it dries. And surely, that thing is tight enough.”
Biting back a smile, Mariselle replied with a faux sigh. “I suppose you’re right.” She reached for the tie on the front of her blue gown and lifted her chin. “Turn around. Your Majesty.”
Chuckling, he did as he was asked. He quickly relieved himself of his pants, and Mariselle caught a quick glimpse of his very muscular and taut backside before he ran into the water and dove in.
Rapidly disrobing, Mariselle covered her breasts with her hands and slunk to the water’s edge, where Zackary was treading water, his back to her. His blond hair was wet and she watched as he spit a stream of water from his mouth, like a fountain.
Once chest-deep in the water, she waded toward him. She pressed her naked backside to him, but he quickly turned around and faced her. She looked beyond him at the rushing waterfall and again admired its beauty.
Zackary reached around and grabbed her by the waist, pushing her soft, pale body into his. She instinctively wrapped her legs around his hips, and could immediately feel his erection against her center. She resisted the urge to moan at the feeling, and then briefly wondered what sex in the water would feel like.
“Can I touch the waterfall?” she asked Zackary, his lips mere inches from hers.
“You can touch anything you want,” he murmured as he stared at her mouth. Then, flicking his eyes to hers, he said, “Come on.”
Resisting the urge to reach under the water and grip his hard length, she waded in the water until they reached the waterfall.
“What’s behind it?” she shouted, the sound of the rushing water drowning out everything.
He glanced at her, then to the waterfall. “I don’t know. I’ve never been this close. Let’s find out!” He dove under the water and swam toward the rushing water. As he slithered his way through it, he felt the whoosh of the water on his back, but as soon as his head hit the surface, he looked around and found himself between a rock and a soft place—literally. A hedge of mountainous rock was at his back, and a wall of water was in front of him. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Mariselle swim through it, and then pop her head up from the water, landing directly in front of him.
“Oh, my God! That was so amazing! This place is so refreshing… and breathtaking!”
Amused by her excitement, but even more aroused by her nakedness, he grabbed her around the waist. Her red hair was soaking wet and pushed back from her forehead. He stared down into her glittering eyes, her eyelashes wet and long from the water.
She, again, instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist and then looped her arms around his neck. He looked absolutely gorgeous wet, with water beading on his face. His blond locks dripped lazily onto his forehead, and she reached up and pushed them back with a pale hand.
“I was going to ask if you liked the waterfall, but I think I have my answer,” he said quietly, a smile dancing on his perfect lips.
“Thank you for bringing me here,” she replied, barely able to catch her breath as she stared at the handsome Rothhaven. “I will never forget it.”
He looked down at her, then ran his hand down her back, stroking it lower until he reached the deliciously fleshy globe of her ass. He squeezed a little, and within millimeters of her lips, he whispered, “I’m going to make this trip unforgettable for you, sweet Mariselle.”
Before she could answer, he plunged his cock into her. She cried out and thrust her head back, the sensations of it all overwhelming her.
Zackary didn’t move, but stayed locked as one with her as he leaned down and kissed her. He couldn’t believe what a sweet treat she’d turned out to be. No, he could believe it—but, he knew if he began to move his hips and stroke in and out of her, that he would lose it too quickly.
Mariselle had gasped at the sudden intrusion. She couldn’t say it was unexpected, because she had wanted it just as much, but to feel his thick manhood locked inside her was nothing like she’d ever felt. As she slowly began to wave her hips back and forth, encouraging him to rub that sweet spot inside her, he grabbed both hips with his strong hands.
He was grateful the water under the waterfall was less than six feet deep, because he was able to stand on the rocky ground below in order to maintain control over her. When he felt her hips begin to buck, and her sweet, pouty mouth breathe out a groan, he had to try to think of something else. He was going to spill every last drop into her way too quickly if he didn’t.
Still, she continued to buck against his hips and the feeling of her tight walls milking him wasn’t anything he could distract himself from.
“Oh, Zack. Oh…” she moaned out, continuing her pelvic assault on him.
This was not what he had planned. This was not how he pictured the first time with Mariselle to be. He only brought her to the waterfall so she could see the beauty of it. To see the rarity of the West Haven, in hopes she’d come back frequently to visit. He thought—he hoped—he would be taking her sweet, tight body in his bedchamber later, their sweaty bodies writhing.
He knew he had to do something. He was about to blow his load. As he was about to withdraw from her, her walls tightened around his straining cock and she cried out, rolling her hips over and over as her pebbled nipples slid against his hard chest.
“Fuck me,” he murmured, watching her get off, her pallid breasts bobbing on the surface of the water.
He definitely wanted to watch that again.
He withdrew his painfully hard cock, sucked in a breath, and then shot under the water. There, he saw her flat stomach and creamy thighs standing on the rocks on the lake’s floor. At eye level now with her beautiful mound, he shoved a finger inside and the slickness he felt was so much different than the lake water around them. Her whole body quivered as he thrust his fingers in and out. Pushing to the surface of the water for air, he sucked in a lungful, and then grinned at Mariselle’s pained expression. He went back under, and with two fingers, spread her apart and began to lick at her sweet clit. It tasted delicious and he couldn’t get enough. She pushed her knees apart to allow him access and he grinned as he continued to slather his tongue all over her sweet spot, now two fingers shoved inside her tight walls. He wanted nothing more than to shove his cock back inside there and blow his load. But no, she had to come again. He would make sure of it.
Reluctantly, Zackary removed his tongue and fingers and came up for air. The expression of Mariselle’s face was indescribable, but sexy. He pulled her close to him, leaned down, and pressed his lips to hers. She kissed him back, their tongues mingling.
Mariselle didn’t realize her own taste could be so erotic, but it excited her even more. With a wicked grin, Zackary dove back under the water, spread her apart, and continued his oral assault on her most sensitive parts. With her legs spread, and two fingers blasting in and out of her, she quickly came, her legs shaking. Zackary could hear her shouts from under the water, as muffled as they may be.
Slowly extracting his fingers, he bobbed to the surface, a smile already on his lips.
“Oh, Zackary. Oh… that was… oh…” Mariselle had no words.
He grinned and pulled her into his arms once again. After leaning down and kissing her, and feeling her hard nipples against his chest he took one into his mouth at the same time her legs went around his waist again. He plunged into her once more, and growled. His thrusts were now fast and hurried. He couldn’t get enough of her. His cock fit snug and perfectly inside her, and with the way she was moaning, he knew she was going to come again.
With one arm wrapped a
round her shoulders, and the other hand on her breast, he twisted her pink nipple as he slammed in and out of her at a furious pace. Her silky walls milked him so quickly, he yelled out as he came, and she screamed his name at the same time. They both gripped each other tightly, their bodies locked under the waterfall as he spilled everything he had into her. Her entire body shook in his arms, and then eventually went limp.
“I… have… never…” She couldn’t finish her sentence.
He tried to laugh, but it came out as a squeak. “I know… and… the same.”
Both out of breath, they wouldn’t let go of one another. Zackary kissed Mariselle with a softness that made her even more pliable, and they stayed locked together, her legs around his hips, and his arms around her backside, until they knew they needed to get out of the water or else turn into human prunes.
Chapter 22
After getting dressed quietly on the shore of the lake, Mariselle quickly wrung out her hair, and then braided it. Zackary helped her onto Violet, and they strode back in the direction of the stables. Night had fallen, and the moon shone down on them as trees cast shadows onto their faces.
They had been riding in silence for a long few minutes until Mariselle said, “Zackary?”
“Yes, love?” he replied, steering Violet around a long rock.
“I’ve never had… that was the first time… Your mouth…”
He laughed softly. “You’ve never had a man go down on you, sweetheart?” he asked, already knowing the answer.
“No,” she replied quietly. “And if that’s how it is underwater, I can’t imagine—”
“Oh, yeah, it’s much better flat your back. Trust me. In fact, I’ll show you later,” he replied, chuckling.
This excited her, and once again, she felt her body erupt into tingles. She couldn’t wait to try it again. Between that and how thick and hard Zackary had felt inside her, she knew she would probably never want to leave the West Haven.
After leaving the stables, and as much as Zackary wanted to take Mariselle back to his bedchamber, he knew he shouldn’t. He knew she needed to rest, not be kept up all night by him—because that was what would have happened. He had quickly learned that his addiction to and appetite for the insatiable redhead would never be quenched. He tried hard not to think about his two older brothers having taken her previously, or else he would surely go mad.
So after walking her to her bedchamber, and giving her a searing kiss goodnight, he had left, making his way down the halls and up the stairs to the turret where the king’s chambers were.
Ainsley sat in front of his door, her legs crossed as she played with the hem of her short nightdress. As soon as she heard the king approaching, she stood immediately and then bowed deeply. “Your Majesty.”
Zackary eyed her, raking her body from head to do with his gaze. The nightdress was thin, her bare breasts visible, her pert nipples poking the gauzy fabric. “What do you want?” he asked, rhetorically.
“Would you like some company tonight?” she asked, raking a finger down her neck and down to the dip between her breasts.
He felt annoyed. He felt like being the bad-boy dick prince he once had been. But, being as he was king now, he knew he had to rein in the attitude. So instead of telling her to scram—or worse, fucking her—he simply said, “No thank you, Ainsley. You can go back to your chambers now.”
With a pout on her plump lips, she frowned at the blond king. “It’s your loss,” she said as she flounced down the hall, flipping her auburn curls over her shoulder. Zackary could see her curvaceous ass bouncing underneath her nightdress, but he didn’t let it bother him. He closed the chamber door and stripped out of his clothes, wanting nothing more than to curl into bed and sleep off the crazy day he’d had.
Mariselle awoke with a start. The church bell in the town square was close enough to the castle to have been heard. She immediately knew it was Sunday, and she stretched.
With a smile on her face, she pushed back the bedclothes and sat on the edge of the bed. As she went to stand, she almost collapsed. “Owww,” she groaned. She sat back down and squeezed her thighs together, which caused more of an ache.
“Shawna!” she cried out, hoping the chambermaid could hear her from her room across the hall. Desperately needing to empty her bladder, she tried to stand again. She could barely walk. One step had her panting.
A quick rap on the door, followed by it opening, had Mariselle looking in that direction. Shawna, still in her nightdress, looked alarmed. “Milady, what’s wrong?”
Mariselle was somewhat embarrassed, but still needed help. “Can you assist me to the chamber pot?”
“Yes, of course.” Shawna hoisted one of Mariselle’s arms over her shoulder and walked her to the pot set inside the private area of her room. After helping her to sit, Shawna turned and went back into the room, fussing with the bedclothes so they were ready for Mariselle to crawl back into.
“I’m done,” Mariselle said.
Shawna helped her to her feet and then assisted in putting her back into bed. Once she was tucked in tight, Shawna sat on the edge and looked down at the pale redhead. “What happened, miss? If you don’t mind me askin’?”
“I’m not going to sugarcoat this, or fib. So are you ready to hear the brutal truth?”
Shawna bit back a smile, curiosity getting the better of her, and nodded.
“King Zackary took me for a horseback ride, and then he showed me the most beautiful waterfall…” Mariselle told Shawna all the details, not leaving anything out. Halfway through her story, Serina had knocked on the door to make sure Mariselle was okay. She had heard her calling and was concerned. So Mariselle started over with her story. By the time she was done, both women were sitting on Mariselle’s bed, wide-eyed and smiling.
“Well, it’s no wonder you are so sore, miss,” Serina said, her bright eyes dancing with delight. “Horseback riding will take a toll on your lady parts.” She covered her mouth and giggled. “But then you went and had some fun in the water with the king. It’s a wonder you made it to your room last night on your own!”
All three women laughed in unison, knowing she was right.
“I think you need to rest up in bed today, Mariselle,” Shawna said. “Serina and I will wait on you hand and foot for whatever you shall need. And”—she took a conspiratorial look around—“let’s hope there’s a baby Rothhaven inside you, that way we can pamper you even more!”
Serina clapped her hands. “Oh yes, that would be so joyful. I long to hold a sweet little infant in my arms.”
Mariselle smiled at her two chambermaids. They had become friends to her, and nothing could have made her happier. That was all she had ever wanted—friends. And now, after her tryst with Zackary in the waterfall yesterday, she wondered if she hadn’t found another one to love, too.
Once the maids left, she pulled the covers over her and thought about him. His sexy smile. His rough hands. His deep voice. His love for horses.
But then her mind drifted to Alexander. He was so serious, yet kind and caring. He had been a fun and aggressive lover, and Mariselle had always wondered what was on his mind. He seemed to take ruling the kingdom of the North Haven very seriously, and she could remember how distraught he was when he found out Lord Henry had been abusing the staff. It seemed to have crushed him. He never struck Mariselle as the type who cared what others think, but she knew deep down he did. Her heart ached in her chest when she realized she missed Alexander. He had been so kind to her, and the look in his icy blue eyes that was in such contrast to the warmth they held. If she wasn’t pregnant by Zackary, maybe she could go back to the North Haven and live there again. She had felt such at home and knew Alexander would be happy to have her.
That brought her thoughts back around to Griffin. There was no way she could have controlled her attraction to him that night he had taken her innocence. And she hadn’t wanted to control it. She had wanted to give herself to him. He was the oldest Rothhaven, after all,
he deserved to take her. And she had wanted him to, so very much. Although, at the time, she had thought she’d be staying with him. She had been unsure about the marriage thing because he had currently been wed to Georgina… but, over the course of the past couple months, she’d learned Georgina had left him and moved back to Baristara. This had always been in the back of her mind. Why hadn’t Griffin sent for her to come back? Didn’t he want her? She remembered his conversation with Alexander that she had been privy to. It was understood she would go to the North Haven castle to stay with Alexander in the hopes an heir could be conceived. But when that didn’t happen, she’d been sent to her current location, the West Haven. And as she remembered back to earlier in the day, a smile formed on her lips. What a good decision it had been, too.
She dreaded the future at this point, however. If no pregnancy resulted from her time with Zackary, she just knew she’d be sent to the South Haven to meet Mathias, and she’d been forced into a month long trial with him.
It wasn’t fair.
What would her father think of how she’d been passed around like a fertile hen, trying to produce the most eggs? He would have a fit—that was what. And she should be having a fit, too. She’d already expressed to Alexander that she wasn’t a prized cow to be used for however the royals saw fit, and he had ensured her that wasn’t how they wanted her treated, either. But the other half of her knew that the curse the country had been put under was causing people to act like they normally didn’t act. Everyone was desperate, and she knew none of the Rothhaven boys liked having to share her. It didn’t make her feel any less icky, sometimes, though. She wondered why she, of all people, had been doubly cursed with both having to endure a horrid monthly visitor, and then the pressure to have a baby for one of them, when clearly pregnancy wasn’t in the cards. She was just menstruating for no good reason, apparently.