Kathryn Kramer (24 page)

Chapter Thirty-One

Nicholas fidgeted as he sat at the inn's large table.  He drummed his fingers nervously and tapped the toe of his boot against the floor.  Usually calm and composed he was a bundle of nerves and more than his dire predicament was on his mind. Ah, but it had felt so right to hold Alandra in his arms, to kiss her. Why had he let her go? It was the last thing on earth that he had wanted to do

He
imagined what might have been. His fingers would have wandered gently along her collarbone, moving to the softness of her breasts. He would have pushed her down upon the sweet-smelling grass and pulled her close against his sun-browned body, while kissing her with enough force to suck the breath from her. He would have stroked her naked breasts , then slid his hands lower, lifting up her skirts, touching her secret place, arousing her untried passion as he whispered words of love. He should have kissed and caressed her until she was too inflamed to plea for restraint. Then he would have been between her naked thighs and…..

Nicholas pressed his fingers to his eyes, trying to block out the unsettling image. 
He was lusting after  her, as he never had for any woman. And yet that desire was tempered by a much gentler emotion. The question was what to do about it.

He paced up and down, back and forth, trying to get her image out of his heart, his mind, but his walking about did him little good. He needed to cool down, needed the calm of the cool night air. Hurriedly, he flung open the inn’s back door and sought the solitude of the night. And yet surprisingly enough it wasn’t completely quiet. The shriek of a night bird suddenly unnerved him.

“A bird?  BiGod, no! It was a woman’s cry, he heard it distinctly. Someone was in trouble. Quickly, Nicholas headed in the direction of the sound.

Uselessly
, Alandra’s fists beat against the hostler’s back, but there was nothing she could do to push away his crushing weight.  She could feel him pressing his loins against her, and tensed as she glimpsed him fumbling with the fastenings of his trousers. The man was determined in his quest.

This can't be happening!
  I won't let it, her mind screamed.  She heard the sound of cloth tearing as her garments were ripped and  tugged away from her body. "No!"  Her outcry was shrill.  "Let me go!"  No man would force her against her will.  Stiffening her spine, Alandra fought with every ounce of her  strength.  She went half-mad, fighting to escape--kicking and lashing out with her fists.

Nicholas bounded through the trees, like a wild animal. “Let her go!”

Alandra had never heard a more welcome sound than Christopher's voice. After aiming a kick at the hostler’s shin she uttered a sigh of relief and rolled away from him. 

"Sir
, you are interrupting a matter that is none of your business," the hostler sneered.

"Alandra is my business!"

Though the man was very strong, Nicholas came upon him in a fury, lifting him up by his doublet to meet him eye to eye. "You bastard.  I ought to....."  He smiled slightly as he saw that the man’s face was criss-crossed by scratch marks.  "But it looks as if Alandra has already marked you."

"I have never seen such a hellcat!  The pleasure
was not worth the price!"  The man's look was vibrant with hostility as he turned his head towards Alandra.  "You are welcome to her." 

             
"She is not yours to give."  Nicholas trembled with rage as the realization of what had almost happened swept over him.  He raised his fist in challenge.

"I will not fight you."

Nicholas thrust the hostler from him in disgust.  "Good, for by my faith you are not worth fighting with."  His eyes were gentle as they touched on Alandra.  "Did he hurt you?”

Alandra knew what he meant.  "I am unharmed.  All that is bruised and battered is my dignity."  She covered her breasts with the remnants of her torn and tattered bodice.

"Good.  For had he done so I would have had to kill him!"  As if to add menace to his threat he touched his sword.  "As for you, you bastard, get out of here now, before I change my mind and skewer your liver on the tip of my sword."

Without a ba
ckward glance at Alandra, the hostler ran in the direction away from the inn.

"Alandra.  Oh, Alandra!" She l
ooked so young, so vulnerable.   In three quick strides Nicholas was at her side, gathering her into his embrace.  "Are you all right?"

"Yes!  I fought him...."She snuggled against him
.

“You made a good show of bravery!”
He brushed the hair back from her face with an aching tenderness, then lifted a strand of hair that had tumbled over her breasts.

His touch was healing, his fingers strokes of velvet as he caressed her.
Alandra felt warm and protected.  "Christopher....."  There were so many things she wanted to say.

"Hush!"  His fingers were gentle as he touched her lips.  "Let me talk."  Nicholas took a long, deep breath.  "I love you, Alandra!"  There he had said it
again.  Something he had never said to a woman before.  But having revealed his feelings he felt lighter of heart, as if in admitting it to her, he had finally come to terms with the truth himself.   

"Oh, Christopher!"  Alandra had dreamed of hearing him say those words.  Now he had
, twice in one night.  All through her ordeal tears had burned her lids, but she had somehow managed to hold them at bay.  Now they filled her eyes.

"Alandra!  Love!"  Her tears unnerved him.  He couldn't stand to see her cry.  "Don't....!"  Reaching up he brushed at the moisture that trickled down her cheeks
, his eyes touching on her full breasts which he longed to reach out and fondle.

Slowly h
is mouth came down on hers, engulfing Alandra in the familiar sensations his lips always brought forth.  Pressing her body closer to his, she sought the passion of his embrace.  She craved his kisses with a warm sweet desire that fused their bodies together.

"Alandra!"  He spoke her name in a breathless whisper as he drew his mouth away.  He had tried to stay away from her.  BiGod, he had tried.  But
he was only flesh and blood, and he wanted her now with a fever that stirred his blood beyond all reason. Yet that fire was tempered with a gentleness, and he felt a warmth in his heart as well as his loins.   "I don't want to hurt you.  Never that."

"I know. I also know that we come from two different worlds and that someday you will have to leave me.  I am prepared for that, Christopher."  Even so
, the words hurt as she said them.  "But in the meantime we could share such happiness……"

"Alandra, I wish....."

Now it was her turn to silence him.  "There are things that are beyond our control.  You were born to walk amidst nobles, I to be among plainer folk.  I have accepted that.  What I can't accept is living my life without knowing what it is to be loved by you, in fact as well as words." 

"I have never wanted anything as much as I want you now, Alandra.  Never!" 

She could feel his growing desire, giving proof to his words.  "Then make love to me, Christopher.  I want you so.  Make me a woman."

How could he refuse when it was what he wanted too?

The  moon's soft light shone down upon them as Nicholas lowered her slowly to the ground. The night was warm with just a hint of a breeze.  Night birds serenaded the lovers. A perfect night for love.

There on
a soft bed of grass he cradled her in his arms, sheltered beneath the out flung branches of a two entwining trees.  They clung to each other, oblivious to anything but the sheer heady desire that consumed them. 

Nicholas
kissed her eyelids, the curve of her cheek and her mouth with all the pent up hunger he had tried to suppress for so long. His tongue gently traced the outline of her lips and slipped in between to stroke her tongue

He felt her tremble beneath him and opened his eyes, mesmerized by the potency of her gaze.  He found himself trembling too with a nervous
ness that was unusual for him. Anticipation, he supposed.  Eagerness.  Desire.  The thought that this achingly innocent woman had never had another man filled him with a wrenching tenderness.  He would make it beautiful for her, this much he vowed.              

Slowly, leisurely Nicholas stripped
the remnants of her garments away, like the petals of a flower.  His fingers lingered as they wandered down her stomach to explore the texture of her skin. 
Like velvet
, he thought.  "You are so beautiful."

She glowed under the praise of his deep, throaty whisper.  "Am I...?"  The compliment pleased her, made her more sure of herself in this quest to experience the unknown.

"Very..."  He sought the indentation of her navel, then moved lower to tangle his fingers in the soft wisps of hair between her legs. Moving back, his eyes enjoyed what his hands had bared. "Do you have any idea how much I want you?"  He took her hand and pressed it to the firm flesh of his arousal.  Then he bent to kiss her again, his mouth keeping hers a willing captive for a long, long time.

Twining her hands around his neck
, she clutched him to her, pressing her body eagerly against his chest. Christopher, her Christopher.  She had spent so may nights dreaming that he would make love to her.  Alandra tried to speak, to tell him all that was in her heart, but all she could say was his name, a groan deep in her throat as his mouth and hands worked unspeakable magic.

Nicholas breathed deeply, savoring the spicy scent of her perfume.  The entici
ng fragrance invaded his nostrils, engulfing him. "So much wasted time," he murmured.  "But now I'll make up for it."  His head was bent low, his tongue curling around the tips of her breast, suckling gently.

Raising
up on his elbow, he looked down at her, and at that moment he knew he'd put his heart and soul in her hands.  Removing his doublet and shirt, he pressed their naked chests together, shivering at the vibrantly arousing sensation.  

"Alandra...."  Her name was like a prayer on his lips.

The warmth and heat of his mouth sent a sweet ache flaring through Alandra's whole body.  Growing bold, she allowed her hands to explore, delighting at the touch of the firm flesh that covered his ribs, the broad shoulders, the muscles of his arms, the lean length of his back.  He was so perfectly formed.  His masculine beauty hypnotized her, and for just a moment she was content to stare. Then with a soft sigh, her fingers curled in the thick springy hair on his chest.  Her fingers lightly circled in imitation of what he was doing to her.

His lips nuzzled against the side of her throat.  He uttered a moan as her hands moved over the smoothly corded muscles of his shoulders.  "Ah, how I love you to  touch me...."
he gasped as his breath was trapped somewhere between his throat and stomach.  He couldn't say any more.  The realization that she was finally to be his was a heady feeling that  nearly made him dizzy as he brought his lips to hers.  Such a potent kiss.  As if he had never kissed her before.

In fact Nicholas had the feeling that he was doing everything for the very first time as he made love to her.  She was the only woman he would ever love.  Burying his face in the silky soft strands of her hair
, he breathed in the fragrant scent of her hair once more and was lost to any other thought.

Closing her eyes, Alandra awaited another kiss, her mouth opening to him
. She loved the taste of him, the tender urgency of his mouth, as she enjoyed the seemingly endless passionate onslaught of his kisses. It was as if they were breathing one breath, living at that moment just for each other.

Desire writhed almost painfully within his loins.   He had never wanted anything or anyone as much as he did her at this moment.  It was like an unfulfi
lled dream just waiting to come true.

Nic
holas cupped her breasts.  Lightly, he stroked them until the peaks sprang to life under his touch, the once soft flesh now taunt and aching. His breath caught in his throat as his gray eyes savored her. 
No longer forbidden fruit
, he thought.  Now she was his.  Bending down he worshipped her with his mouth, his lips traveling from one to the other in tender fascination. His tongue curled around the taunt peaks, his teeth lightly grazing until she writhed beneath him.  He savored the expressions that chased across her face, the wanting and the passion for him that were so clearly revealed.

The night
air caressed Alandra's skin and the stars hovered about the sky like candles. 
My bridal chamber
, Alandra thought moving in sensuous fascination against him.  Her hands crept around Nicholas's neck, her fingers tangling and tousling the thick waves of his black hair as she breathed a husky sigh.  How wonderful it was to be loved!  She caught fire wherever he touched her, burning with an all-consuming need.

She shivered in his arms
, and fearing it was from the night air, he gathered her closer, covering her body even more tightly with his..

"I
want you so…..!" she whispered. 

"Landra!"  A shudder racked through
him as he pushed her away for just a moment. Quickly, he stripped off his own remaining clothes and Alandra took her turn to appraise him.  The image of broad, bronzed shoulders, wide chest, flat belly and well-formed legs would forever be branded in her mind.