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She raised up on her knees and pushed against his cock She was panting now He watched her and brought his thuasped and arched her back, but his cock slid to one side Frantically, she reached between theainst hiers She iainst his cock She rubbed the head of his penis against her clitoris, biting her lips, striving, struggling toward that goal

Then he leaned forward and sucked a nipple into his hot, hu, she shattered in space Her cheue, and he sucked hard on her nipple She watched hih slitted eyes, her head thrown back in pleasure Vale She was shuddering against hi to return

His hands were soothing now instead of hard, running up and down her back She quivered in his ar to subside, even as her need to have hient He shifted and wrapped his hands about her waist, lifting her without any show of effort His cock was suddenly lower, at her entrance She lifted her head, and her eyes ainst her, into her, stretching her passage,her shudder with renewed pleasure She tilted her pelvis and bore down, taking his entire length, seating herself firmly on his penis Female to male Wife to husband

Their eyes were still locked, and she wondered what he thought--if he was surprised or pleased or displeased Or perhaps he didn’t have any such coher Sanyed,ent thoughts at all His wide , and his eyes were narrowed A bead of sweat ran down his jaw Perhaps he didn’t need to think Perhaps he only felt

And so would she She leaned forward and licked the bead of sweat, tasting salt and man--her man now She took his face between her hands and bit his lower lip He grunted, tightening his hands and lifting her, sliding his cock froain

She wanted to laugh, wanted to sing She was flying and free--finally free-- love to the ht her down, and he pulled his lip fro beneath her, surging up like a wave, roughly pushing his flesh into her as if he wanted to rabbed his broad shoulders and hung on Her legs ide, her breasts jiggling, and herAnd all the while, his cock plundered her Leaping Dehtened at once He shook his head, his teeth clenched, his body rigid, and she felt the hot wash of his seed into her body He jerked once Again Then exhaled as if all the air was leaving his body at once

She trailed kisses down his face and over his jaatching hi Gradually his muscles loosened His hands fell froainst the chair back And still she kissed hiht, soft kisses Vale Vale Vale She couldn’t say aloud what her heart sang, but she could worship him with her mouth His body was hot, his chest damp beneath her palms She could sht in a way it never had been before All the various pieces of her life--her world--were in their correct places, all aligned in harmony At peace

She could stay here forever

But he shifted beneath her and withdrew his flesh fro her and carrying her to the bed He lay her down and bent over her to kiss her gently on the lips Then he turned away and left the roo door

He never even saw the arms she held out to him

Chapter Ten

On the day that the trials were to begin, hundreds, perhaps thousands, of hopeful men stood outside the castle walls A tall platfor to stand on so that all the suitors could hear And fro explained as to happen There would be three trials in all, in order that the hly tested The first test was to find and bring back a ring of bronze This ring lay at the bottoiant serpent

--from LAUGHING JACK

Melisande awoke to a solitary bed Suchlikewas curled in a tight Vlisball at the foot of her bed She lay for a h her eht had been wonderful--or at least she had thought so Had Jasper left afterward because he was repulsed by her boldness? Or because it was simply a physical act for him and therefore he felt no need to stay and lay with her? Wasn’t that what she wanted in the first place? To share with Vale the physical part ofher unnaturally intense emotions? Melisande blew out a frustrated breath She didn’t know anymore what she wanted, it seemed

At the foot of the bed, Mouse uncurled himself and stretched, rued her hand

"And what do you think, Sir Mouse?" Melisande inquired as she stroked his soft ears "Has he quite tamed you?"

Mouse shook himself all over, then jumped from the bed and trotted to the door Heat the ith a paw

Melisande sighed and flung back the covers "Very well, then I suppose I won’t answerfor Suchlike, and while she waited for the maid, she washed with the pitcher of rather chilly water on the dresser Then, with thedown the stairs with Mouse She handed over the dog’s care to Sprat beforeherself to see Vale

But the breakfast room was empty Melisande hovered on the threshold for aThe table had been cleared and cleaned, of course, but a few leftover cruone She bit her lip Why hadn’t he waited?

"Shall I bring some chocolate, my lady?" Sprat asked from behind her He’d returned with Mouse

"Yes, please," shethe footht ’round instead, will you?"

Sprat looked confused "Yes, my lady"

"And tell Suchlike to meet me in the hall"

The footman bowed and left the room Melisande went to the sideboard where a selection of buns and meats were already laid out She wrapped several buns in a cloth and headed to the hall, Mouse at her heels