Chapter Twenty-Eight

R eynard swallowed hard as he watched Elysande raise her leg to test the water before she slid her luscious, naked body into the tub. Knowing that she waited for him to join him made the tingling sensations in his own body grip like a vise. He had never ached for a woman this much in his life. Mentally he tried to calculate when the last time was he had taken one. Far too long, but that was not the reason for this intense hunger. None of the women from his past meant anything to him. They were frivolous encounters to satisfy his basic needs with the exception of Johanna.

He let the memory of a woman he had loved slip aside. She no longer had a place among the living. There was only one lady he wished to ever take to his bed again and she beckoned to him with a crook of her finger like a breath of fresh air. He would not let her wait any longer.

His boots thudded on the wooden floor beneath his feet as each one was removed. Reynard watched Elysande carefully whilst she took a sip of her wine. She appeared so confident whilst watching him begin to remove his hose, but he knew 'twas just a fa?ade when her hand shook returning the chalice to the table. When his braies came next and he stood before her in nothing but what God had granted him, her eyes widened. Reynard held back a smile. She may look the seductress but there was no doubt Elysande was a maiden just as she claimed.

A virgin… once again, his mind slipped into his past. He had never taken a woman who was not already experienced. He would tread slowly for he did not wish for her first encounter with him to be anything but pleasant after the initial act of claiming her maidenhead.

He went to the opposite side of the tub and lowered himself into the warm water that sloshed over the rim. A light laugh came from the lady who moved her legs aside to give him more room.

"As husband and wife, they must have known we would bathe together," she said taking a small chunk of cheese and pressing the tidbit to his mouth. He took her offering even going so far as to take hold of her hand and suck on the ends of her fingertips. He felt her tremble whilst his lips let go and she then took advantage of the moment to trace his mouth.

By Saint Michael's wings… she was so beautiful and clearly she had no idea what she was doing to him. He would be lucky if he did not release himself before they even made it to the bed.

"I will have to give them a few extra coins to thank them for thinking of such a luxury," Reynard said as he also took up a piece of cheese between his finger and thumb and offered the tasty morsel to the lady.

Her eyes sparkled in delight and she proceeded to copy his actions from but a moment ago. They continued to eat their meal in silence and Reynard began to wonder if she had changed her mind. But while she did not advance their congress, nor did she withdraw. The intimacy of the tub tempted him to take her here and now. Their bodies were already so close she might as well have been on his lap as their legs had become intertwined at their close proximity. He had already been uncomfortable with her riding in his lap for hours. There was only so much one man could take.

Or so he thought… apparently he was in store for so much more when she took the bar of soap and a linen cloth and began to clean her skin. His eyes glazed with need as he was able to watch her curvaceous body or at least what he was allowed to witness above the waterline. But he knew what awaited him soon for he had already seen for himself those perky full breasts, her smooth creamy white skin, and her legs that would wrap around his body perfectly once they were joined as one.

Once she was clean, she tossed him a wicked smile and bent forward. His hungry eyes peered at her in the light of the hearth whilst her own seemed to be glazed in need. She reached out and ran the soapy cloth over his shoulders and arms, over the top of his chest. But she hesitated when she took a glance downward. His eyes silently urged her on and every muscle in his body tensed in anticipation of her touch. He thought he could handle it but he was so wrong.

The moment her delicate hands wrapped around his manhood, he was forced to strain to hold himself in check. How could such an innocent exploration become his undoing? But the pleasure was overwhelming as she ran her fingertips up and down his shaft until he could stand her tender, tentative ministration no further. He took hold of her hand even though such an action about killed him.

"If you do not stop, I will unman myself here and now, my lady," he explained through clenched teeth.

"Does it hurt?" she said appearing worried that she was causing him some sort of injury.

"Hurt?" he said in a strained tone. "God's blood, nay."

"Hmmm," she murmured before she tilted her head to gaze upon him. "I do not wish you to be in pain, Reynard."

"Far from it."

She raised herself on her knees before coming to some decision. The next thing he knew he had his hands full of the woman as she settled herself directly in his lap. The fit was tight given the confines of the tub but she managed to sit there as though she had done this a hundred times.

She bent forward and kissed his lips. "Make me yours in every way, Reynard. Here. Now."

He would not question her demands. He took hold of her bottom to raise her up until his manhood was at the entrance to her core. "I am sorry this will hurt," he said before plunging past the barrier that proved her innocence.

She cried out, wrapping her arms around his neck, and he waited to move until he could see from her expression that the pain had subsided and she had grown accustomed to his size. She at last took hold of his face and began to kiss him, stealing his breath away as only Elysande could.

Reynard became lost in their play as they began to move in unison in a rhythm known to lovers throughout the ages. But he soon felt the restrictions of their bath and halted their lovemaking. She tossed him a frown before he told her to stand. He followed her as they exited the tub. Before she could lift a foot over the rim, he lifted her up in his arms, carrying her to their bed and not caring that water dripped from their wet bodies. He laid her on top of the coverlets and gazed upon her perfections.

Aye… she was perfect in every way in his mind's eye and he devoured the sight of every inch of her exposed silky skin. She held out her arms to him and he settled himself once more between her legs, taking her own and wrapping them around his waist. Together they moved as though they had been made for one another. Two souls that became one the higher they flew toward the heavens. And when Elysande reached her release calling out his name, he shattered alongside her filling her with his seed. Their breaths were ragged until they both slowed to normal. He rolled over not wanting to crush her with his weight and she settled into his side. Her head lay on his chest and she ran her fingertips over the muscles of his stomach.

He kissed the top of her head. "Next time, we shall start in the bed and 'twill be a perfect coupling."

She gave a contented sigh. "I do not know how our lovemaking could be any more perfect that what we just did."

"We have a lifetime together to find out," he said whilst she continued her play.

"We could find out now," she declared playfully. She raised her head to gaze upon him whilst her hand reached lower.

"You tempt me but this is new to you and I do not wish you to be in any more pain than I already caused you this eve," he murmured, taking hold of her hand that continued to reach toward his manhood.

"Let me be the judge of that," she said with a laugh. "I am most certain there is more to learn with this lovemaking business and you are just the man to teach me."

A growl left him as he quickly turned so she was once more beneath him. "I am the only man who will teach you."

"Then teach me, my love."

He could not refuse such a tempting offer. "As my lady commands…"

Reynard resumed his exploration of his lovely lady and undertook to teach her what he enjoyed far into the night. With the breaking of the dawn, they would both be sleepy eyed but quite well satisfied when they began to ride the remainder of the way to Oxford.