by CJ England
She nodded and absently pushed back the sleeves of the shirt she was wearing.
“Here, allow me.” He walked over and carefully rolled back each sleeve. Inhaling the fragrance of his own soap on her sweet body made his cock twitch and he wanted to groan. “This way you won’t be constantly pushing it up.”
“Thanks,” she murmured shyly. “I…I like your tattoo.” She brushed her fingers over it. “A phoenix…right?”
He nodded, covering her hand with his own. “I felt it was appropriate. It helps me remember what is really important.”
She frowned at that cryptic comment, then bit her lip and looked up from under her lashes at him. “I used your extra toothbrush.”
He nodded. “Good. That’s what it’s there for.”
Stiffening, she pulled away. “Yes. You probably have a drawer full of them.”
Milcham couldn’t help but grin. Pulling her back into his arms he lifted her chin with his finger. “I will not insult your intelligence by telling you no other woman has been with me in this trailer.” When she huffed, he wrapped his arms tighter. “But I can say no other woman has ever spent the night with me. Ever.”
She went very still. “Really?”
“Really.”
“And is that what I’m doing?”
He cradled her face in his two strong hands. “Yes. Not only because you have no place to go.” He kissed her again, “but, because I want you here…with me.”
She chewed her lip and he groaned again. “Assai…I will not ask you to do anything you aren’t ready for. This has been a long night for you.”
Aithne cocked her head. “You’d sleep on the couch?”
He grinned sexily, and ran a thumb over her full bottom lip. “No. I have a perfectly fine bed and I’ll sleep great holding you in my arms.” He gave her a squeeze. “Only holding you…if that’s what you want.”
She grinned back up at him. “I’ll think about it.”
Laughing, he bent to brush her lips with his. “You do that, Assai.”
Distracted…she pulled back. “What is that you keep calling me?”
“Assai…it means…precious.” He bent and kissed her again more lingeringly. “And you are…precious to me.”
Reaching up, she grasped both his wrists. “I am?”
“I walked through fire for you, Aithne. Do you still doubt that I care?”
His words made her heart melt. “I know you care. It’s just…we didn’t start out so well and I’ve never really been in a…relationship before.”
Now it was his turn to pull away. “Never? A woman who looks as you do?”
Sighing, she relaxed into his arms. “I had a protective older brother and a set of extenuating circumstances. Maybe I’ll tell you about them someday.”
The feel of her body molded against his made him forget what they were talking about. He didn’t care about the past. All he was concerned about was the present. Spearing his fingers through her still damp hair, he slanted his lips over hers and kissed her. All the fear and need and emotion he’d been feeling welled up out of him and into her.
Fireworks. Heat and light and color again filled both their minds. The kiss was a thing of beauty and they had barely begun. Milcham speared his tongue into her mouth, forgetting his promise he wouldn’t push her. He needed her. Needed to know what they had shared before was no fluke. It had been an indescribable pleasure. Would tonight be the same?
Before he could take the next step to find out, there was a hard knock at the door. They both sprang apart and then grinned at each other. Threading his fingers through hers, Milcham walked to the door.
“I’m not dressed,” she protested.
“You are as dressed as you need to be,” he argued. He wanted whoever was at the door to see her. It was primitive, but he wanted all to see her in his shirt. He would make his claim clear.
She huffed again, but followed him. He opened the door to Alexander and Jarrod both. Their eyes swept past him and straight to her.
“You okay, Aithne?” Jarrod asked roughly.
She smiled. “Fine, thanks to you all.”
Alexander was staring at her temple. “Your cut…it’s gone.”
“My…cut?”
Milcham glared at Alexander over her head. “I thought your forehead was cut, but it looked much worse than it was. You weren’t really injured.”
Too late, Alexander remembered about the healing properties of a Phoenix ’s tears. Now he understood what Milcham meant by he would take care of her. “Ummm, must have been all that soot.”
“Did you have something to tell me?”
Jarrod was staring at Aithne’s naked legs, so Alexander answered him. “Wanted you to know what we found at the tent.” His eyes flicked to Aithne. “Sorry, sweetie. It’s a total loss.”
Aithne’s eyes filled with tears. “Oh my, God.”
Milcham put his arm around her and held her close. “You’re alive. That’s what counts.”
“I know,” she sniffed. “But there were things that couldn’t be replaced. A portrait of my brother and his wife and…my tarot cards. I put them in my purse when the fire broke out, but I must have lost it.”
“Purse?” Jarrod snapped to attention. “You mean this?” He pulled Aithne’s oversized bag from behind his back.
She gave a squeal of gladness. “You found it!” She gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you!”
Jarrod shrugged. “It was around your neck when the boss carried you out. It must have come off when we were working on you.”
“I have to see if everything is there.” She flashed a smile at them. “Excuse me.” Whirling around, she carried the bag to the bed to examine it.
The three men watched her indulgently. Then Milcham turned around. “What else did you find out? Did she leave her hotplate on?”
Jarrod swore under his breath as Alexander shook his head. “No, it wasn’t Aithne’s fault, Milcham.” He looked at the taller man with fury building in his quiet eyes. “It was arson. Someone doused the side of her tent in gasoline.”
—
After Jarrod and Alexander left, Milcham sat down beside Aithne. She was packing up her purse and smiling broadly. One look at her told him he wouldn’t be telling her about the arson. She’d already been through too much that night.
She glanced up at him. “All my things are here. The miniature of Aidan and Dawn, my cards…even my wallet.” She sighed. “Now I can get money to replace my clothes.”
Milcham grinned. “Don’t do it on my account.” He flicked a long finger at her lapel. “I like you in my shirts!”
When she blushed, he laughed and pulled her against him. “Course, I like you out of them too! Remember, I’ve seen you naked.”
Her emerald eyes widened. “I beg your pardon.”
He nodded. “That night after those thugs attacked you in the woods? I got the vision you sent me.”
She pulled slowly away. “Vision?”
Milcham reached out and wrapped a strand of hair around his finger. “If you wanted to punish me for what I said in the field…you succeeded.”
Aithne stared up at him. “Milcham. I don’t know what you’re talking about. I can’t give anyone visions. My gifting is to read the cards, that’s all.”
He started to laugh, but then stopped. She was serious. “You didn’t send me a vision?”
“No.”
He frowned and thought of the overwhelming lust that had overtaken him. “I don’t understand. It seemed so real.”
“Tell me about it.”
Slowly, he smiled. “You sure you want to know?”
The look on his face made her insides warm. “I think I do.”
“All right then.” He leaned back and played with the top button on her shirt. “It was of you…and you were naked.”
Aithne’s heart beat faster. “I was?”
“Not at first. You started out with a nightgown on.”
“And then what?”
<
br /> “Then you took it off.”
“Were you with me?” Aithne thought of all the dreams she’d had of Milcham.
“No,” he replied surprising her. Taking advantage of her distraction, he flicked open the top button, giving him a full view of the swell of her breasts. “You were alone. You were touching yourself.”
“What?”
He laughed and ran a long finger down the shadow of her breasts. “Yep. You were all alone and standing in front of a mirror.” He opened the next button. “You were playing with your breasts, rolling your nipples between your fingers.” Gently, he put his own action to the words, making Aithne gasp. His hot hands covered the soft globes, making her nipples peak into his palms. They both groaned at the feeling.
“In front of a mirror?” That seemed familiar, but Aithne had trouble thinking through the pleasure of what Milcham was doing.
“Umm hmm,” he murmured as he undid the rest of the buttons, spreading the shirt open so he could see her properly. “Yes…this is exactly what I saw.” He cupped her breasts in his hands. “I wanted to be the one touching you.” He licked his lips. “Tasting you.”
Aithne’s head fell back as he bent and sucked the crown of her breast into his warm mouth. Moisture pooled between her legs. When he bit down gently, she cried out and grasped his long hair. He growled against her body. “That’s what you did then, too. You cried out as you pleasured yourself. I was so jealous. I wanted it to be me.”
Aithne arched against his seeking mouth. “You’re touching me now,” she gasped. “Please…don’t stop.”
“I don’t plan to,” he answered hoarsely. His head moved down again, and he licked at the other nipple. Fire shot right to its tip. His swirling tongue never stopped. It sucked and teased and caressed until she was crying out his name.
Suddenly, he released her throbbing breasts. He kissed down the valley between them to her flat stomach. His tongue swirled around the small indentation in her belly and then moved lower.
“Milcham,” she gasped as his mouth traced down over one thigh and up the other. His amber eyes glowed as he moved down over her curly mound. Without warning, he separated the soft folds and encircled her clit with his tongue.
She almost came up off the bed in her surprise, but his hand held both her hips so she couldn’t move. He stopped for a moment, using his hands to pull her forward to the edge of the bed. Then he knelt between her legs at the side of the bed. Gazing into her shocked eyes, he spread her folds with his thumbs, exposing her to the air. “My God,” he muttered hoarsely. “You are so beautiful.”
Her hands went to his head as he bent and licked at her wet opening. He ran his tongue up one side of her clit and down the other, making her whole body catch fire. He did that over and over again, until she was writhing against him. Then, suddenly, he blew on the throbbing flesh he’d teased.
She cried out his name. Desire curled in her stomach, as her nipples went hard and pointed with need. She let go of his hair and covered her own breasts, rolling the aching nipples between her fingers.
Milcham growled aloud when he saw it. His body went from aroused to painful in a matter of seconds. It was just like the vision, but this time, he was with her. She was so sexy…it hurt.
Ignoring the clamoring of his own body, he bent back to feast on her heated mound and pulsating clit. He licked and sucked, leaving the needy flesh to stab his tongue deep into her dripping quim. She was wet with her own juices, and Milcham almost exploded just by tasting her. She was sweet and spicy and delicious.
Her movements became stronger as she shifted back and forth against his seeking tongue. Wanting her to explode around him, he used his finger to squeeze and tickle her clit, while he buried his tongue inside of her, swirling and sucking for all he was worth.
She screamed as her climax hit her, pushing against him and almost falling off the side of the bed. He held her firmly with one hand as she clenched down on his tongue, filling his mouth with her juices.
He groaned against her, but refused to stop even as his own cock burned with need. He continued to suck on her extended clit until she screamed a second time and convulsed, falling backwards onto the bed.
Stripping out of his sweats and underwear, he kissed his way up her panting body. “I have wanted this for so long,” he growled in her ear as he lay down on top of her. “You alone can make me burn.”
Slowly, he slid into her waiting body. His thought was to make this time slow and gentle, but once he was inside her, all his plans went out the window. She was wet silk and heat, and it had been too long since they’d made love. Gathering her tightly against him, he thrust hard and deep, already feeling his release was imminent.
Aithne moaned at his first driving stab. Her legs went up to wrap around his narrow waist and her hands grasped at his shoulders. The movement brought him even closer to her.
God! He felt so good. He was big and hard and so hot, she wondered if he had a fever. He knew just how to move to stroke her nerve endings and it wasn’t long before that same rapturous pleasure coiled up in her again. Reaching down, she gave his sculptured butt a squeeze.
He shuddered beneath her hands and his thrusts became wilder. He ground himself against her, bringing her aching clit flush against his driving cock.
That was all it took. She felt herself unravel. The desire coiled within her released with a shower of heat and light. Her climax triggered his, and with a shout he pounded into her hard for several more seconds, before he went still, shuddering and throbbing inside her. Her hot channel milked him, pulling every bit of life from his body, before finally they both relaxed, collapsing into each other’s arms.
She could feel his pounding heart against hers as it slowed, and smiling, she wrapped her arms around him. They were sprawled half on and half off the bed, their need for each other too great to move further up into proper position.
He rose up on his elbows and looked down at her. His face was possessive, with masculine satisfaction easily seen all over it. Bending, he kissed her, so gently, so tenderly…it brought tears to her eyes.
“I was going to take it slow. Finesse you, with my wonderful lovemaking skills,” he murmured. “But again…you destroyed me.”
Aithne planted a kiss on his smooth chin. “You don’t make it easy for a girl to go slow. I wanted you just as much.”
“Impossible,” he said as he pushed back her tangled hair. “I know how you make me feel.”
She giggled. “Are we going to argue about who wants the other the most?”
Milcham gave her a crooked grin. “I have much better ways to spend our time, than arguing. If I hadn’t been so stupid, we could have been together that first night. Instead I had to watch you pleasure yourself with a toy.”
She froze in his arms. “You saw a toy in your vision.”
“Yes.” Grinning, he nibbled the side of her jaw. “It looked just like a cock, very well endowed, I might add.”
“You’re bigger,” she said absently, her eyebrows drawn together in a frown.
He blinked. “I am?”
Aithne touched his face. “In this vision, I was first in front of the mirror and then I…ummm…finished up in the bed?”
He nodded.
“I didn’t send you a vision, Milcham, but what you’re describing to me did happen that night.”
“What?”
“I couldn’t sleep because I kept dreaming about…your kiss.” She blushed. “I was all hot and bothered, so I got up for a drink and…things just went on from there.”
“Are you saying what I saw…actually happened?”
“Yes. Somehow you were allowed to see it. Don’t you think that’s weird?”
He nodded again. “Very. I found your string of bells in the meadow after the fight and was holding them in my hand. That’s when I saw everything. But I don’t know why it would happen. I’d thought you put a spell on it, just to make me go crazy.”
“As angry as I was with you, I don�
�t have that ability.” She chewed her lips in concern. “But where did it come from? And how?”
Milcham snorted. “I don’t know. The vision made me so hot, I…I couldn’t control myself.” His own cheeks reddened. “I…took care of myself, standing outside my trailer. I couldn’t have stopped for anything. Thank God it was late, and there was no one around.”
Her body warmed at the thought of him pleasuring himself as he watched her do the same. The feel of him swelling inside of her told her it was having the same effect on him.
“Hold on,” he grunted. “I’m not going to make love to you a second time, hanging off the bed.” Wrapping a strong arm around her lower back, he eased them both up the bed, then lay her down gently on a fluffy pillow. “There. Now we can at least be comfortable.”
Aithne giggled, forgetting to worry about the confusing vision. “I was comfortable before.”
“Try being on top next time.”
She smiled seductively at him. “Okay…is that an order?” She trailed her hand down his side to his hip, and felt his flesh stir again. “It feels like you might be up for it.”
His eyes flared and with a strong move of his body, he rolled so that she lay over him. “I think I will be up for anything you want to toss at me.”
She sat up, slowly straddling him. He hardened within her body. “Be careful what you wish for. I never did tell you what job I had before I came here.”
He could imagine her as a dozen things. Model, singer, actress. It would be something to show off her beauty, he was sure. “What did you do?”
Taking her long nailed finger, she traced the intricate phoenix tattoo on his bare chest. He was completely hairless except for a fine line that went from his navel down to his groin. He swallowed. If he was lucky, she’d follow that line with her tongue someday soon.
“My brother and I ran a toy shop.”
“A toy shop?” The picture of the classic toy store FAO Schwarz came into his mind.
“Very special toys,” she grinned. She ran her nail over his flat nipple and a shiver ran through him. “Kind of like what you said you saw in your vision.”
Suddenly it clicked and his mouth dropped open. “You and your brother ran a SEX toy shop?”