A Forbidden Temptation [The Shields 4]

by Donna Grant

  She was on fire for him, but he had just started his assault on her. Both hands cupped her breasts as he placed a kiss on the top of each one. Then, he took a nipple between his thumb and forefinger and began to drive her insane with desire.

  Her body was ablaze, and her sex throbbed. She needed more of Val but didn't understand how.

  When his head dipped down and his hot, wet tongue laved her nipples, she cried out, wanting more, but was also fearful of the strong feelings within her.

  Just when she didn't think she could take anymore, his teeth grazed her nipple, and she bucked beneath him. The contact of her hips meeting his torso sent a shiver of pleasure through her. She repeated the motion and found her desire growing rapidly.

  "Not yet,” Val said and took hold of her hips.

  Before she could reply he took her lips in a fierce kiss while his hands roamed over her body. She wrapped her legs around his waist and felt his rod press against her sex. She moaned when the tip of him ran over a sensitive spot.

  Val chuckled. “Ah, so you've found your pearl,” he said huskily as he kissed her neck. “Shall we explore it more?"

  She tried to answer him, really she did, but her voice refused to work as his fingers moved toward her sex. Her blood pounded through her veins and her heart raced as she waited to feel him.

  The first touch was feather light and left her crying out for more. He didn't disappoint her. He shifted so that he had better access to her, then opened her legs farther. The feel of the warm water against her was new and exciting as it touched her heated flesh.

  She whimpered as his fingers ran over her curls and along the sides of her sex, tempting her, teasing her ... but never touching.

  "Please,” she begged.

  His eyes crinkled in the corners and the fire popped, but still he didn't touch her. The more he teased, the hotter she became, until she was mindless with it.

  When his finger finally dipped inside of her, she gasped and stiffened, and when he moved his finger in and out of her, she closed her eyes and gave herself up to the sensual sensations.

  She had thought when he finally did touch her, it would ease the ache inside of her, but she had been wrong. Instead, it only intensified the ache until she thought of nothing else.

  Then his thumb ran over the spot he had called her pearl. Her body shook with need and pumped against his hand at the contact. He twirled his thumb around her pearl, bringing her to new heights as he continued to delve inside of her with his finger.

  She felt him move another finger inside of her and knew he was stretching her. Though she hadn't been around men, she had seen couples that had gone into the woods together. She knew exactly what Val was going to do to her ... and she couldn't wait.

  Suddenly, his hand was gone and she felt the tip of his rod against her. She opened her eyes and saw him watching her.

  "This is your last chance to leave,” he said thickly.

  "I'm not leaving.” To prove her point, she moved her hips against his rod.

  He closed his eyes and groaned. When he opened them, they were dark with desire. “When I put my rod in you, it's going to hurt, but just for a moment."

  "Hurt?” She didn't know why it would hurt. The women she saw seemed to enjoy it greatly.

  "It's your first time, Nicole. I must pierce your maidenhead."

  "Oh,” she said and lowered her eyes. There was so much she didn't know, and she hated to appear foolish in front of Val.

  His finger lifted her chin until she gazed into his eyes. “It's a privilege for a man to be a woman's first, which is why it is very important that you are sure you want me to take you."

  "I've never been more sure of anything,” she said honestly.

  He nodded and then kissed her. Her body had cooled during their talk, but Val's hand returned to her pearl, quickly bringing her back to the point of no return.

  This time, when he moved his hands and she felt the tip of him against her again, she smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. He sat back and settled her over him. He took a nipple into his mouth as he guided the head of his rod into her.

  Nicole sighed as she felt his fullness fill her. It was unlike anything she had ever experienced, and she knew she was lucky to have Val showing her what it meant to be loved by a man, for he wasn't just any man, he was special.

  Inch by agonizing inch he filled her until he suddenly stopped. With one arm wrapped around her waist, he moved his other hand between them and took her pearl between his thumb and forefinger. He began to move her pearl between his fingers as she bucked against him. The pleasure was so intense she could only close her eyes and feel it engulfed her.

  Then she felt herself moving toward something, her ache becoming more and more intense, and, just when she thought she might reach the pinnacle, Val pushed through her maidenhead.

  Nicole's eyes flew open as she gasped in pain. Val held her against him as he rubbed his hands along her back.

  "The worst of it is over,” he murmured. “And the best is yet to come."

  "I was just about to experience the ‘best’ part,” she grumbled.

  His chest rumbled beneath her ears. “I know."

  "You didn't let me on purpose?” she asked and sat up to look at him. When she moved, she felt him inside of her. All the pain she had felt but a moment ago vanished as a new sensation rocked deep inside of her. She opened her mouth in shock.

  "Exactly,” Val said and took her by the hips. “Now, I will show you what it means to be loved by a man."

  Nicole took hold of his shoulders as he rocked her hips back and forth. It wasn't long before he removed his hands to play with her breasts again, and Nicole got to experiment with being in control.

  Her ache inside of her doubled as Val plucked and suckled her breasts. She dropped her head back and moved her hips faster, her need driving her on.

  With a hiss Val lifted his head from her breasts and brought her head to his for a kiss. He moved his hand between them and found her pearl again.

  He barely touched her when her world shattered and she finally reached the pinnacle. She cried out as her body convulsed around him, and only vaguely did she feel Val pump into her one last time and then growl his own release.

  * * * *

  Val gently toweled Nicole off then pulled her after him as he moved to his pallet. With a little nudge she sat, and he followed her down. His body, already hard and wanting her again, wouldn't be denied.

  He leaned toward her and kissed her forehead, her nose, and then her lips. With his fingertips, he skimmed her arms up to her shoulders, then slowly pushed her back until she lay staring up at him.

  She gave him a warm smile, her violet eyes watching him curiously. He sat back on his heels and looked over her body. She had full breasts that were incredibly sensitive, as he had already discovered, a narrow waist and gently flared hips. A patch of black curls hid her sex from him, and though he hadn't seen it yet, he had felt the most intimate part of her. His eyes drifted lower to her long, lean legs, perfect for wrapping around his waist and driving him deeper into her.

  He licked his lips and rested his hands on either side of her face as he poised above her.

  "I want you,” he said.

  She gave him a knowing smile and ran her hands over his arms to his shoulders. “I see that,” she said and glanced down at his throbbing rod.

  "I don't know what you've done to me, but I cannot get enough of you."

  "Good,” she whispered and pulled him down atop her. “Because I cannot get enough of you, either."

  Val ran his lips over hers, tasting her, learning her. He hadn't lied. Something had happened between them when he had made love to her, something that had never happened to him before. A sense of peace had settled around him, but he wasn't fool enough to expect it to last.

  He pushed such thoughts from his mind and concentrated on Nicole's body. Only a few times had he taken a virgin, and he had never been fulfilled. Until tonight. Nicole was pa
ssionate and strong and beautiful. Everything he had ever wanted in a woman.

  After pausing to look deep into her stunning violet eyes, he slowly kissed his way down her neck to her shoulders and then her breasts. He loved that her breasts were so sensitive. The least little touch or kiss could set her on fire.

  He ran a finger along the underside of her breasts and saw her nipples harden before his eyes, then leaned down to take a nipple in his mouth. He ran his tongue over the nipple before he suckled her.

  She moaned and gripped his shoulders as she pushed her hips against him. He moved to the other breast and repeated the process, watching as her body came alive before him.

  Her skin was flushed and glowed red in the firelight as her moans echoed around them. He kissed between her breasts and down her stomach to her hips. As his mouth moved from one hip to the next, he settled himself between her legs.

  He looked up as he moved his arms to her sex and saw her eyes widen.

  "Val?"

  "Trust me, Nicole,” he whispered just before he parted her lips and gazed at her sex.

  Already she pulsed with need, and it drove his need higher. He wanted to drive into her right then, but held himself back by sheer will alone.

  He gave her a smile as he ran his finger along her sex, separating her folds and teasing her pearl.

  She moaned and closed her eyes as her hands fisted in the blankets. He dipped his head and ran his tongue where his finger had been. She cried out softly, bringing a smile to his lips.

  Val loved the taste of her. She was as exotic as he knew she would be. He ran his tongue over her again, this time stopping at her pearl and moving his tongue first slowly, then faster over the bud.

  It swelled and pouted for more. He settled his mouth over her pearl and used his tongue to tease her unmercifully. With a slight shift, he moved his hand and pushed a finger inside of her.

  She was so hot and wet, that he knew he couldn't take much more before he thrust inside of her. When he felt her body begin to stiffen, signaling she was about to peak, he moved over her and slid his rod into her tight sheath.

  He groaned with relief. When he was able to open his eyes, he looked down to find her watching him. With slow easy movements, he began to thrust in her. She easily met his movements and wrapped her legs around his waist.

  Sweat beaded his body as he gazed into her eyes. His climax was coming too soon, and he tried to slow to hold off until Nicole peaked, but she wouldn't let him. Just as the orgasm hit Val, he felt Nicole clench around him.

  With a growl, he spilled his seed inside of her. His body now completely sated, he pulled out of her and rolled to his side. He pushed tendrils of Nicole's hair from her face as she turned her head toward him.

  "Thank you,” she whispered just before she fell asleep.

  For a long time afterward Val watched her. He prayed he hadn't made a mistake in taking her.

  * * * *

  Gabriel left the pub and wrapped his cloak around himself as the bitter cold ate away at him. He looked to the mountain, wondering if Nicole had gotten Val to submit to her.

  He was worried about his friend. Val was always ready with a smile, eager for a fight, and good with women. Gabriel had already decided that if Nicole didn't get Val to succumb to her, he was going to seek Aimery's help. He had never done anything like it before, but something was obviously wrong with Val that was linked with his past.

  Gabriel sighed. There was no use worrying about Val now. He had something else he needed to do. He leaned against the pub and waited. The village was quiet as most people had retreated to their homes in the growing darkness.

  He found his gaze moving to the sky and wondered if the Gryphon would attack the village again. It would be so much easier to find the person who held the blue stone and destroy the stone, but the more Gabriel probed the villagers, the more he realized there might not be a blue stone to destroy-just as Val had said.

  The pub door opened and the barmaid stepped out. She threw him an inviting smile. “Are you sure you don't want to find me chamber?"

  "I would like nothing better than to see your chamber and you lying across your bed with nothing on. Then, I'd make slow, sweet love to you until you couldn't move."

  "Ah,” she sighed dreamily. “Wouldn't that be a better night than tromping up to the uninviting castle?"

  Gabriel nodded and held out his arm for her. “Shall we?"

  "If we must,” she said with a laugh.

  He had been pleasantly surprised when the little vixen had offered to take him up to the castle. Her sister was a servant at the castle and could get them inside. Gabriel wasn't about to pass up a chance like that.

  The trek to the castle was long and cold, but the barmaid kept the conversation going with talk of the village.

  "I've lived there me entire life,” she said. “I'm sure there are better places to live, but I'm happy here."

  "That's all that matters. I've seen many places, and I have to admit, Scotland is very beautiful."

  She beamed. “You know all the right things to say,” she teased.

  He laughed and shrugged. “Isn't that what we men are supposed to do?"

  "Aye, but most don't."

  "Then they obviously don't know the correct way to woo a beautiful woman."

  "Careful, my love, I might just throw you on the ground and have my way with you."

  Gabriel winked and patted her hand as they reached the castle. They walked around to the side and knocked on the door. It took a moment, but finally someone opened the door, her red hair escaping through the white cap on her head.

  "What are ye doin’ here?” her sister asked in a low whisper.

  The barmaid nodded toward Gabriel. “I've brought someone who wants to see the castle."

  Her sister sighed then stepped away so they could enter. “If the laird finds out, I'll be out of a job."

  "He won't find out,” Gabriel assured her. “I'd like to ask you a few questions. Do you have a moment?"

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Val woke to feel soft curves against him and a full breast in his hand. Images of the night before flashed in his mind, and he opened his eyes to find Nicole curled against him.

  With a soft sigh, she rolled onto her back and turned her head towards him. “Good morn',” she said sleepily.

  "Good morn',” he replied.

  "I'm surprised you're still here."

  He frowned. “Where else would I be?"

  "I meant asleep with me."

  "I was just about to get up,” he said and slid out from the covers.

  He noticed that her eyes followed him as he moved to his clothes. There was no denying his wanting her again this morning as his rod stood thick and hard.

  She smiled and rolled onto her side. “You sure you want to stand guard so soon?"

  Val chuckled. “As much as I'd love to climb back under the covers with you, I must do my duty."

  "Thank you."

  Val fastened his pants and raised his gaze. “For what?"

  "For last night."

  "I'm the one that should be thanking you. You gifted me with something very precious."

  She smiled and Val pulled on his tunic and jerkin then reached for his boots. Once he was clothed, he fastened on his sword and daggers.

  "I expect Gabriel soon. I noticed that Aimery had the tub refilled with more water, so take another bath while you can."

  He turned away from her before he gave in to his desires and took her again. Already he regretted making love to her. He had to stay focused, and he couldn't do that when his rod was constantly begging to be buried in her tight sheath.

  As he approached the entrance the hairs on the back of his neck rose. As he passed his halberd, he palmed it and slowly walked to the entrance. And that's when he saw it.

  The Gryphon.

  The beast stood outside the entrance casually looking in as if it weren't there to kill them.

  "You know you cannot enter here,�
� Val said.

  The Gryphon flicked its tail. “Aye. And you know if you come outside I will kill you."

  "So we are at a stalemate."

  He could have sworn the Gryphon smiled, which was impossible with his beak. “In a manner,” the Gryphon said softly.

  Val immediately became wary. The Gryphon had a plan to draw them out. “Tell me. Why didn't you kill me the other day?"

  "I wanted you to suffer, to know that you and your weapons cannot kill me."

  "As with all the other creatures, we will find a way to kill you,” Val stated with more confidence than he felt.

  "Maybe. Maybe not. The evil one has something special planned for the wench. And he will not be denied."

  Val gripped his halberd tighter and shrugged. “He's been denied before."

  "True,” the creature said and shifted his forelegs. “However, you need this wench to complete the Chosen so my master cannot reign. He knew this and took certain ... precautions ... to make sure neither the Shields nor the Fae succeeded."

  "So you bound Nicole to this time. We've encountered obstacles before. We've succeeded without having to use underhanded tactics. Good always prevails over evil."

  The Gryphon snapped his beak closed. “I'm afraid this time evil will win. Prepare yourselves."

  And with that, the Gryphon flew away.

  Val took a deep breath and turned to lean against the cave wall.

  "What are we going to do?” Nicole asked as she walked toward him with a blanket wrapped around her.

  Val jerked upright. “I thought you were bathing."

  "I heard something and thought Gabriel might have returned."

  Val raked a hand through his hair. “I don't know what we're going to do. I pray Gabriel discovered something at the village."

  "And if he didn't?"

  He raised his gaze to her troubled one. “We'll think of something, Nicole. I wasn't lying when I said we had faced difficult situations before. Good has always won."

  "I trust you with my life, Val."

  He inwardly cringed. “Aimery wouldn't have sent us if we couldn't do the job.” He moved towards her and took her by the shoulders. “All will be well, Nicole. Go soak in the warm water Aimery brought for you."