As the Last Petal Falls

by Jessica Woodard

  “Both.” His reply came with a swift inhalation as she scraped her teeth over his rough skin. Vivienne pulled back and gave a small laugh of triumph, which quickly changed to a gasp of her own, as Fain slid his cold hands beneath her woolen blouse and up the slowly warming flesh until he reached her breasts. “You might also try this.” He ran a thumb over each peaked nipple, causing tremors to run through her body and pulling a moan from her lips. He continued making small circles while Vivi writhed on his lap. “It tends to get a positive reaction.”

  “Does it?” Bending down, she mimicked his motions, using her tongue instead of her hands. His fingers tightened on her skin abruptly. “I see. What else can you show me?”

  Dropping his hands to her hips, Fain positioned her directly over the bulge straining against his woolen pants. Vivienne gasped as the pressure sent trembling waves surging through her body. His hands guided her hips into a gentle rocking motion, and for a few moments Vivi was lost in sensation. Each forward motion brought a fresh ripple of pleasure; then, as she rolled back again, she became aware of an emptiness she had never felt, and a yearning to fill it.

  It was dark beneath the blanket, and as Vivienne sat back she could barely see Fain. Instead, she focused on where their bodies connected. His hands, urging her on. His hips, clamped tightly between her own thighs. The flesh on his wrists, warm beneath her fingers, a solid point to which she held, desperately, as her body moved closer and closer to something unknown. The few layers of fabric still separating them were driving her mad, keeping her from feeling him fully, keeping her from her goal. With a growl of frustration, she ripped at the waistband of her skirt, yanking free the buttons and falling off Fain so she could shimmy free of both riding skirt and pantaloons. Her eager motions moved the blanket enough to allow a thin stream of cold air into the warm hollow, and it curled along Vivi’s exposed skin, shocking her. Her woolen stockings and blouse were all that were left of her riding outfit, and she shivered as gooseflesh rose on her thighs.

  Fain misinterpreted the cause of her shudder. “Belle, you don’t have to—”

  “Stop right there. Fain MacTíre, are you getting cold feet on me?”

  “Only in the most literal sense.”

  “Then don’t be foolish.” She lay across his chest and gave him a long, lingering kiss. In no time their little nest was warm once again, and Vivienne’s heart was pounding fiercely. “Do you know,” she said conversationally, “I had three different governesses who taught me comportment lessons?” Between phrases she lay kisses in a straight line starting at the base of his neck and heading south. “I learned the intricate courtesies of four different cultures and the basic rules for many, many others.” When she got to his navel, she stopped and nibbled at the small, neat depression, eliciting a groan from Fain. “Do you know what they all have in common?”

  “I couldn’t fathom.” The words came breathlessly.

  Before she answered, her teeth continued down, reaching the waistband of his pants. “In every society, all across the many kingdoms,” she ran her tongue along the band, “it is considered impolite to be inappropriately dressed.” Propping her chin up on one fist, she batted her eyelashes at him. “You, Master MacTíre, are violating that most basic of courtesies,” she purred. “Let me help you with that.”

  Her hands worked to unlace his pants as he surged forward and caught up her jaw, kissing her deeply. The cold air rushed in, but neither paid any attention, too caught up in their fervent embrace. Their mouths moved frantically together as her fingers yanked free the final strap and shoved his pants down past his hips, then she threw her weight against him, knocking him back onto the ground. In one smooth motion she drew his pants off his legs and then grabbed the blanket and enveloped them once more in the warm darkness.

  Their hands roamed freely. Vivienne flattened her palms against his chest and let them trace the contours of his muscles, tangling her fingers in the soft down that grew there, drawing her nails lightly against his skin. The hard length of him was trapped between their bodies, and she rocked gently, hearing his breath come ragged at her motions. His hands drifted down her spine, caressed her waist, and moved on to the silky skin of her bottom. His fingers found the crease where her legs met its smooth cur ve, and followed it inwards. When the tip of his middle finger brushed the wet heat found there, Vivi clutched convulsively, digging her fingers into his shoulders.

  “Belle?”

  “Don’t stop.”

  At her whispered response he touched her again, at first tracing the delicate folds, and then gliding one finger right down the center of her cleft. She shuddered on top of him, reveling in the new sensation. He continued his motions, dipping his fingers deeper each time they swept over her opening. It was maddening. Finally, Vivienne rocked against his hand, and two fingers slid inside her. Fain stopped, but Vivi pushed back, forcing his fingers deeper; then she whimpered in frustration.

  “It’s not enough.”

  “Sit back.”

  She straighten up, and gave a little cry of disappointment when his hand fell away. Before she could ask what he was doing, though, he touched her again, reaching between their bodies from the front. His long fingers parted her inner flesh and sent off small tremors as they plunged inside her. She gasped, and he paused.

  “Am I hurting you?” The concern was clear in his voice.

  Vivienne let out a low, sultry laugh and twisted her hips, swirling herself on his hand. “Far from it. I know many a maid who claimed discomfort her first time, but I’ve spent so many hours on horseback—” she broke off as his fingers found a sensitive spot and flicked gently across it. “Do that again.”

  “What if I do this?” His fingers repeated the same light touch while his thumb brushed up through her folds to find the small, throbbing bud nestled there. Vivi heard a moan leave her mouth as Fain made small circles with his thumb. She ground into his hand, searching for more pressure, for a greater feeling of fullness. From beneath her, Fain made a self-satisfied sound.

  “Feeling... pleased with yourself?” She gasped.

  “A bit.”

  “Well, that will never do.” Her hands, which had been balancing on his stomach, spilled down the taut planes of his body until they closed over his phallus. “I’d much prefer you were pleased with me.”

  Her fingers wrapped fully around the shaft and began long, stroking motions, matching the rhythm of the hand inside her. “You know, my maids have all been quite loquacious.” She sped up, sliding her hand faster over the fascinatingly smooth surface, and Fain lost his rhythm, his hands moving to anchor on her thighs. “They’ve spent years giving me advice on how to make a man putty in my hands.” Her thumb ran across the sensitive spot at the base, and circled there. “It’s gratifying to be able to finally put it into practice.”

  Now Fain was the breathless one. “It’s gratifying... for me... too.”

  “There’s one thing I’ve always been curious about, though.”

  “What’s that?”

  Vivienne settled down between his legs, sliding her body through his hands.

  “If this is as effective as they say.” Bending over, she ran her tongue up the full length of his shaft. When she reached the tip, she paused a brief moment, then circled the head before finally taking him fully into her mouth. Fain moaned, and his thighs, already hard beneath her hands, turned to rock. Vivi tasted a hint of salt, and then he pulled her up his chest once more.

  “Belle, it’s been a long time... If you’re any more effective, we’ll be done.”

  She pulled a face. “You are ruining my fun, Master MacTíre.”

  “Not all your fun.” He flattened his hands on her shoulder blades and ran them down either side of her spine until they cupped her round bottom. Shifting against her, he put indirect pressure on that small, sensitive bud, and Vivienne smiled down at him in the darkness, even as her pulse beat faster.

  “True, not all my fun.”

  She kissed him, partin
g her lips in invitation. Their tongues met, first in her mouth, then in his. While they licked, nipped, and caressed one another, Vivi rocked on top of him. She felt desire mounting inside of her, boiling up, trying to overflow. Finally she pulled away, rising to her knees above him, taking great, heaving breaths of the cold air that came streaming in as the blanket fell away.

  Cold sunlight struck the frozen spires of the waterfall, casting small rainbows on the winter snow. Vivienne was grateful for the cold air on her steaming skin, though it did nothing to cool the fire in her blood. She had a different plan to cure that.

  “Fain?” She cocked a teasing smile down at him.

  “Aye?”

  “Don’t worry, I’ll do my best not to hurt you.”

  He laughed, but fell silent when she used one hand to guide the tip of his phallus inside her. Staring into his eyes, she lowered herself, inch by careful inch, until he was buried fully inside her, filling her, setting her nerves ablaze. She took small, careful breaths through her parted lips, growing used to the feeling of fullness, and then she began to move.

  Slowly, languorously, she drew back, releasing him from her body. His hands were resting on her hips, and she pulled them free so she could lace her fingers with his. She sank back down, drawing him inside her again, and both let out a groan when their bodies were fully merged once more. His arms came up to make a sturdy frame, and Vivienne used it to work her body up and down, rising and falling along his rigid shaft. Their breaths came faster in the icy air, harsh, ragged sounds that echoed in the snowy forest. Vivi lost her rhythm, and Fain reached up to catch her in his arms.

  “With your permission?”

  “Yessssss...” The word hissed between her teeth, and Fain rolled them both, putting her back to the ground. Vivi felt the warm blanket twist beneath her as Fain drove into her body, going even deeper, touching her womb. She cried out at the new sensation, urging him on. She clutched at his shoulders, trying to draw her body up, to be closer to him, and he dropped his head down, resting his forehead against hers, while his body plunged into her over and over. Even with her blood pounding in her ears, she heard him whisper.

  “I love you, Belle.”

  She had thought that nothing could distract her from the sensations of her body, but she had been wrong. Emotion flooded through her, and she clasped his face in shaking hands, drawing him down for a kiss. Tears stood in her eyes, and her reply came in a trembling voice. “And I love you, Fain.”

  He balanced on one hand and used the other to reach between them, touching her with rapid, fluttering strokes, sending her soaring over the edge. Pleasure exploded through her body, stealing her other senses, leaving her aware of nothing but that ecstasy rippling out from the point where the two of them were one. Dimly she was aware that Fain seemed caught likewise, shuddering above her, and she held him close with all her strength, wanting to keep them in that timeless moment.

  Endless heartbeats later, Vivi took a deep breath and smiled up at Fain. His face was tender as he bent down to brush a kiss lightly across each of her eyes, then he settled beside her, turning them both so she was wrapped in his arms. As the cold air nipped at her side, she squealed and awkwardly grabbed the blanket with her toes, dragging it upwards until Fain’s longer arms could reach down to straighten and tuck it snugly around their bodies. Vivienne lay her cheek on Fain’s shoulder and sighed contentedly, resting in that perfect moment.

  Fain reined up in front of the stables and slipped from the saddle. Before he could offer Belle a hand, she too dropped to the ground, then she turned and gave him a pert wink, as though she knew she had forestalled him.

  “Just for that, you get to groom her yourself.”

  “As if I’d let you groom her, MacTíre. You can’t possibly braid her tail properly.”

  “Didn’t I tell you that Bianca liked to have her hair braided after it was brushed?”

  “In that case I should have called you this morning. I was sorely in need of a hairdresser.”

  He stepped towards her. “If you plan on summoning me to your chamber, Belle, you should have something other than hairdressing in mind.” He heard her breath catch as her eyes widened; then they took on a sparkle.

  “In that case, Master MacTíre, I find myself in urgent need of your services. Alas, I have this horse to groom...”

  “Notter!” he called without ever taking his eyes from hers, “Come see to Belle’s horse!”

  “The lad’s taking a nap, MacTíre. Best stay here and groom it yourself.”

  Fain froze inside at the new voice. Not yet. He wasn’t ready yet.

  “Fain? Who is that man?” Belle was looking past him towards the stable door. Fain stared down at her, mute.

  “Since my friend seems to be at a loss for words, I’ll introduce myself. My name is Baines. It’s a pleasure to meet you, your Highness. “

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Fain felt like his heart had stopped. He’d known she must have noble blood, but he’d never expected...

  “You’re the Princess?”

  Belle stood there, biting her lip anxiously. “Yes.”

  “Vivienne Bellicia Victoria, heir to the throne of Albion, and currently in the direct line of succession for the throne of Toldas?”

  “Yes.”

  “Oh, gods above.” He felt his legs go and sat down abruptly on a straw bale.

  Belle rushed to his side and dropped to her knees. “Fain,” she pleaded, “don’t look like that. Please don’t. At first I didn’t know that I could trust you, and it only seemed prudent to lie. And today, when I tried to tell you, you said—”

  “I know.”

  “Fain!” She grabbed his face in both hands and turned him to face her. “This doesn’t change anything.”

  He gently removed her hands. “It changes everything, your Highness.”

  Belle looked as though he had struck her. She ran from the stables, and though it killed him, Fain watched her go.

  “Do you want to hear it, or not?” Baines asked. Fain honestly didn’t know what he wanted, but there was no point putting it off.

  “Tell me.”

  “Albion is in an uproar over the missing Princess. Not only does your lady’s timeline match up exactly with the events, but there are miniature portraits of her circulating everywhere. I recognized her as soon as I saw her.” Baines flipped a small oval frame across the room, and Fain caught it. The miniature didn’t capture the sparkle in her eyes or the stubborn tilt of her chin, but there was no doubt it was Belle. “The entire kingdom is wondering what happened to her, since, as far as they know, she’s disappeared. When I finally left, there was some dignitary heading off into the mountains to find the lass.”

  “A search party?”

  “No, a diplomatic mission. They’re headed for Toldas. Likely bogged down in a camp somewhere in the mountains right now. Baggage trains don’t do well in the snow.”

  Fain went back to pacing. Baines watched with an amused look on his face, and then finally spoke up.

  “If you don’t mind my saying so, MacTíre, you look like a man whose heart is waging an almighty battle with his head.”

  Fain gave him a dirty look. “Why do I get the feeling you find that funny?”

  “Not me. I’d never think to be amused. ‘Oh no, Baines.’” He affected rumbling tones, mocking Fain. “‘I won’t fall prey to the batting lashes and lush lips of the pretty princess. You go right ahead and leave me; I have more sense than to lose my heart to a—’” Fain growled and Baines broke off, then sighed heavily. “So, what then? You love her, don’t you?”

  Fain stared out the door where Belle had fled. “It doesn’t matter.”

  “How can it not matter, man?”

  “How could it possibly matter? She’s the princess of Albion. I wouldn’t be suitable for her even if—” He shook his head.

  “I only saw a bit, but she looks more than passing fond of you, MacTíre. From what I heard in Albion, she’s also more than pa
ssing stubborn. I wouldn’t think the difference in rank would matter much to her.”

  “Perhaps not.” Fain toyed with the miniature. “But her duty does. As mine does, to me. She thinks she’s going to find a way for me to leave here, but she doesn’t understand.”

  “Have you explained?”

  Fain shook his head. “Until now, I wasn’t sure that it was safe to tell her.”

  “You’d risk your heart before you’d risk any of us.” It wasn’t a question. There were reasons the men followed Fain, and this was one of them. “Best tell her, MacTíre. She needs to know.”

  Fain knocked on the door to Vivienne’s chamber. Her face was hopeful when she threw open the door, but he took a small step backwards and bowed.

  “Your Highness, may I come in?”

  She scowled at him. “Not if you’re going to behave like that.”

  “Be fair, your Highness, I’m only behaving properly.”

  “I have no intention of being fair. And stop calling me that.”

  He cocked an eyebrow at her. “What?”

  “Your Highness. Like we haven’t been together. Like you never said you loved me.”

  “I don’t think I could call you Vivienne.” He seemed entranced by the wood grain pattern in the door.

  “Then call me Belle. I don’t mind.” It was half pleading. “In fact, I think I’d miss it.”

  “May I come in, Belle?”

  She practically dragged him into the room and shut the door behind him.

  “Please, Fain, just listen to me. It truly doesn’t matter who I am. I know you think it changes everything, but be reasonable! My father will understand—eventually, anyway—and—”

  “Belle!” He cut her off. “It’s not because of you, or your father, or anything in Albion.”