Chapter 13

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

T he opportunity Ingrid had been waiting for arrived that very evening.

As she entered the hut, cradling a log for the fire, she collided with Caedmon, who was on his way out. They fell into each other's arms and she dropped the log, which narrowly missed their feet. For a moment, they froze, then instead of releasing her, Caedmon licked his lips. It was not a conscious gesture but everything within her surged.

This was it, the opening she needed. She might not have found the courage to throw herself into his arms but she was here already so she would not let the chance pass. There might not be another.

"Careful," he murmured against her temple.

Careful. Yes. Always, she had to be careful, and do what was expected of her. But she wanted to throw caution to the wind for once.

"What if I didn't want to be careful?" she breathed, grinding herself against him. "What if I just wanted to follow my instinct? What if I didn't want to be wary of men anymore?"

Her hand slipped between their two bodies and snaked to the bulge at the front of his braies. She had to act before she could lose her nerve, because she certainly wasn't scared of this man. Her whole body felt on fire.

"What are you doing?" Caedmon asked in a strangled voice.

She gave a tentative stroke through the fabric, wrenching another groan out of him. He was already hard, as if desire had flooded him as soon as their bodies had touched. The realization that he wanted her, despite his talk of caution, inflamed her. Surely he wouldn't refuse her if she made her wishes clear? Surely he wouldn't deny her what she craved? What they both craved? He was a man, after all.

"Make love to me, Saxon," she purred.

The hold around her tightened and he let out a growl. "I don't think you?—"

"I do. I've wanted you for days." If she were honest she would add that she'd wanted him ever since he'd asked her to ride him so crudely. Her senses had been brought back to life that day. Then she'd gotten to know him better and her mind had been seduced by his generosity and his thoughtfulness, his love for his grandmother. And then they had kissed and her heart had started to beat differently. "Please don't make me beg."

Beg.

That one word sent fire to Caedmon's loins. He wouldn't make Ingrid beg for attention, not when he was already hard, and he had been desperate for her for days. He wouldn't refuse her, not after the fiery kiss they'd shared that afternoon. This woman had done what she could to save him from trouble, she had won over his grandmother, she had made him happy. Over the last few weeks she had come to mean so much to him.

"Are you sure?" Even though his conscience forced him to ask, he hoped with all his might she was not about to change her mind.

She did not.

"Yes. I want you. I need you."

It was more than he could bear. When she reached out to her bodice to tug at the laces, he didn't try to stop her. He watched, entranced, as she let the dress fall to the floor in a heap of folds. The shift was next. Because it was a warm day, she wasn't wearing any stockings, and because she did not hesitate, soon, she was standing naked in front of him. All he could do was stare, awed, at the beauty revealed to him. The skin, so pale and creamy, the curls at the apex of her thighs, woven in pure gold, the nipples, of the most delicate pink, everything about her was arousing as hell.

"I've never seen a woman like you," he said, his mouth dry. So beautiful, so desirable, so confident.

"Well, I've never seen a naked Saxon," she retorted, "so you had better start undressing."

"It won't be anything you haven't seen before," he rasped. Even if, admittedly, he doubted any man had been harder, he was not certain his body would please her as much as hers pleased him. In fact, he was sure he would compare unfavorably with Norsemen, who tended to be taller, and more muscular.

Ingrid let out a low chuckle. "I doubt that. You are different from the men I am used to. It both intrigues and arouses me. I can't wait to see a male member nestled in dark curls. I'm thinking it can only be more masculine, more enticing than framed with blond hairs."

Caedmon gave a shiver. No woman had been so bold as to admit to being aroused or talk about his cock whilst looking at him in the eye. She wanted to see it? Well, she would.

He was unashamedly erect but he saw no fear in her eyes when he bared himself, only desire. Thank God she hadn't lied when she'd claimed to be unafraid and aroused.

"Lie down on the pallet." Her voice sounded different. All the air seemed to have left her lungs.

Caedmon was only too happy to comply. In that moment, she could have asked him to crawl on all fours or rub his body all over with coal and he would have done it in a heartbeat.

"Come lie with me," he growled, feeling on the edge of madness. He needed her close, needed to feel her skin.

She knelt next to him and said the most erotic thing anyone had ever told him. "Please let me touch you."

"Yes. Touch me."

Ingrid was beside herself with need. The sight of Caedmon's glorious body naked on her pallet was almost too much to handle. He was magnificent. Even the pink scar on his stomach was beautiful, because it was a reminder of what he had done, risking his life so that she and the other women could be safe. She wanted to kiss it, kiss him everywhere.

Kneeling next to him, she placed her open mouth on his chest, the chest she had fantasized about for days. At the same time she reached for his manhood and wrapped her fingers around it. By the gods, it was so soft, yet so hard and so hot, so compelling. She allowed her fingers to slide up and down the shaft slowly, learning the feel of him. Did the daring caress please him as much as it pleased her? She dearly hoped so.

"Ingrid, stop! You're going to kill me," he growled when she started to stroke him faster.

She released him and made a face. So much for pleasing him. In her inexperience, she was causing him pain. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you. I know I'm not?—"

Before she could finish her sentence, he rolled her under him. "You are. And you didn't hurt me, quite the opposite. If you carry on like this you'll unman me. I wouldn't exactly mind but I need this to last. I've wanted you for too long, and our kiss this afternoon did not help." He nuzzled at her neck. "So. Now that I've finally got you in my arms, tell me what do you want me to do to you?"

The unexpected question sent her wild with anticipation. He wanted to pleasure her , just like he'd said the day they had met. She had guessed he would be a generous lover, but to have it confirmed so unequivocally made her shiver.

"Touch me," she rasped, driven to the edge of madness by the feel of his naked body over her and the seductive tones in his voice.

"It will be my pleasure." He closed one hand over her breast and squeezed. The warmth of his palm spread like wildfire into her whole body. She moaned and allowed him to play with her nipple a moment. Then she wanted more.

"Kiss me."

He growled as if that was what he'd been dying to do and took her mouth. At the same time, he started to stroke her body slowly, grazing her skin with the tips of his fingers. Ingrid closed her eyes at the impossibly arousing sensation. She was naked under him, their bodies sharing their heat, hers smooth and soft, his hard and compact. It was perfect.

"And now?" he asked, his voice reduced to a low rumble.

"Kiss me again. Everywhere." She was dizzy with the need for more.

"Everywhere? Here first, then." He took her nipple in his mouth and teased a series of moans out of her with his slow suckling. "Now here." He lifted her foot and started licking her toes. The feeling was so amazing that Ingrid felt herself go liquid inside. She gave a little squeak when Caedmon's lips traveled to the back of her knee, raising her leg high in the air as he did. His fingers grazed along her inner thigh, soon followed by his mouth and then his tongue.

"Everywhere, you said?" he murmured darkly, his lips moving against her flesh.

Her whole body was pulsing by now, begging for release. She gave what sounded like a sob when she realized that she would come as soon as he kissed her intimately. She was too aroused to last very long.

"Yes, everywhere," she managed to answer and just as she'd thought, as soon as he put his mouth on her, everything disappeared. A few flicks of his tongue was all it took to make her lose her mind. A sharp cry reached her ears and it was only when she fell back onto the furs that she understood it had been her, shouting in pleasure.

"Well, you are one responsive woman," he whispered, laughter and desire in his voice. "I'm going to enjoy being deep inside you." The purr in her ear somehow prolonged her ecstasy.

"I thought I was supposed to tell you what I wanted," she teased.

"Don't you want me inside you?"

"Oh yes." Definitely. "But not yet." She smiled. She wanted this to last as well. "First I want to kiss you . Everywhere." She'd been dying to, she had promised herself to place her lips on every inch of his skin. This time she would not let him stop her. "Lie down," she ordered, pushing him flat onto his back.

"Mm, you like to give orders, don't you?"

"With you, I do."

She lay on top of him and kissed him deep, every inch of her touching him, their naked bodies writhing as their skins explored each other. In one corner of her mind she knew he was stronger and bigger than she was and could have overpowered her at any moment but, far from frightening her, the difference in size only excited her. She was in total control, guiding their lovemaking and dictating the pace. Unlike Ivar, he seemed happy to let her indulge her every whim, and take the time to explore his body before taking her.

It was deeply arousing.

Breaking the kiss, she moved on to his neck. Under her lips she felt the blood pulsing in the vein at his throat. It sent her wild and she nipped at it playfully.

"Calm down, Ingrid, I don't fancy facing your brother tomorrow covered in bites," he scolded with a husky laugh. "Or, at least, he should get to see that I saw to your pleasure as well. Come here." He drew her to him and mimicked the soft bite she'd given him on his neck.

"Oh." She shivered. If she'd provoked half the effect on him as he was doing on her she would die a proud woman. "Wait! This is too much!" she protested when he deepened the bite.

"You'd better get on with what you were doing then," he warned in a dark tone.

Nothing would please her more.

Carrying on with her exploration, she trailed kisses along his silky soft shoulder, moved on to the muscly bicep adorned with a thick vein, then licked the crook of his elbow, humming in delight all the while. He tasted and felt just as good as she'd imagined he would, warm and spicy, the intoxicating scent making her want more.

When she moved lower down to stroke his taut stomach she couldn't help a gasp at the strength of his erection.

"Don't sound so shocked. What did you expect? Surely you know full well what you're doing to me?"

In truth, she hadn't dared to hope she affected him to that extent. She looked again at the smooth length she coveted and smiled. "Now. Kisses everywhere, didn't we say?"

A grunt answered her.

Closing her eyes, she placed her lips on him.

Under her palm, she felt Caedmon's stomach muscles tense up. She opened her eyes just long enough to see him throw his head back in pleasure. Desire flared up between her legs at the sight. She was making him mad with longing, just as he had done to her earlier. The thought was dizzying, arousing beyond belief. Over and over again she welcomed him into her mouth, savouring the silky smoothness gliding over her tongue and the feeling of power she had over him.

"Ingrid, by God, give me a chance." He stilled her head and lifted her up, settling her over his hardness. "Enough, or I won't make it further," he warned, running his thumb over her bottom lip. "That was too good but I need to be inside you. I'll be in charge now, whether you like it or not."

She met his gaze squarely. "I might like it. It depends on what you have in mind."

"I think you know. Would you prefer to be on top?" he asked, stroking her hair in an unexpectedly tender gesture.

Ingrid nodded. How had he guessed she would prefer to be in control, at least at first, while her mind caught up with what her body was telling her, that this was a man she knew and wanted taking her, a man she had chosen, a man who would not hurt her?

"Yes." She was already panting with need, her insides throbbing at the thought of feeling him enter her.

"Fine by me," he growled. "Ride me until you come. Then I'll take over. But don't worry, I won't spill inside you."

With those words, Caedmon lifted her to position her over his waiting hardness. Then he slid inside her in one smooth stroke, making her catch her breath at the perfect fit between them. It was as if their bodies recognized that they were made for each other. After a moment of awe she started moving slowly, her fingers digging into his flesh, holding on to him. He filled her again and again, groaning when she started grinding her hips more urgently, riding them to the very edge of reason.

She came in a hot rush of mind blowing pleasure, while they clung to each other, Ingrid weaving her fingers into his silky chest hair, Caedmon circling her waist in an iron grip, holding her close until her body had stopped spasming.

Then, as promised, he flipped her over and reached his own release. At the last moment he withdrew and lay on top of her, trapping his manhood between their two bodies. He moaned her name as he emptied himself in scalding spurts.

For a long moment they lay side by side, catching their breaths. Then his voice, languid with satisfaction, reached her ear.

"I think you may have lied about your lack of ability at fishing."

Ingrid gasped. The wretched man! "You knew!"

"I suspected, it's not the same. And then your not so subtle comments confirmed it." He laughed, then stroked her cheek. "I hope I didn't frighten you too much, making such crude advances to you?"

"No. But…I think you took me for someone else."

He tensed, as if he didn't remember that part. "How do you know?"

"You wanted us to do things…We have never done before."

Had never done at the time, she amended privately. Now, of course, she could not make the same claim. They had explored each other's body thoroughly.

"I'm sorry," he sighed. "I did think you were Mildred."

"Oh." After he'd told her about his misadventure in London, she had wondered if that was who he'd thought she was that night. Now she had an inkling of how the selfish woman might have ensnared him. The thought of them in bed together, doing everything they had just done, made her insides wither.

"She knew the only hold she had on me was in bed so she made the most of it. I have often wondered what her lover thought of the fact that she bedded me to ensure his subsistence." He shook his head. "But as determined as she was, she never gave me half as much pleasure as you did."

"Oh," Ingrid said again, feeling herself relax. He was right. Without some sort of feelings, sex was just a mechanical act. What she had felt in Ivar's arms, before his betrayal, had never compared. It had been pleasant, nothing more. But then again, she had not felt for him half of what she felt for Caedmon.

He drew her against his flank and she surrendered to the warmth of his embrace.

"You never wear any jewelry, do you?" he asked, a lazy finger tracing a path between her shoulders. The caress made her shiver. And then she smiled. Of course, a goldsmith would notice something like that.

"No. No one has ever given me any."

"Mm." Ingrid wasn't sure what that meant but before she could ask anything, he placed a swift kiss over her lips.

"Sleep now."