Whistle Down the Wind (Mystic Moon) (28 page)

Griffin
finally pulled his lips from hers, but he continued to hold her within his
embrace. Catlin put her head against his chest, content enough to purr like a kitten.

Griffin
gazed down at her, the love evident in his eyes. “This is our home, Catlin, in
a new and exciting world.” He shifted for a moment, turning her so she could
see the great hall before them and the winding cage newel staircase rising to
the floors above.  “We will be wed in this hall, and our children shall fill
the chambers above.” He kissed her hair. “And if there be need, we can add more
rooms to house our big, prosperous family!”

Catlin
scanned the huge timbers of the ceiling and admired the brick fireplace at one
end of the room, large enough for her to stand in, until she finally let her
gaze wander up the staircase. Calm warmth suffused her as she remembered her
mother’s prophetic words.

In the new
land there is opportunity and hope.

For the
first time in a very long while, Catlin Glyndwr felt like she was home.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Catlin
stretched across the feather-bed, enveloped in a sense of peace and
contentment. A small breeze teased her naked breasts, and she smiled at the
wave of pleasure that rolled through her. She felt wild, wicked, and wanton.

Griffin
stood across the room, still garbed in his breeches. He’d removed his linen
shirt, and she admired the way his body glowed in the light of the late
afternoon sunlight. He resembled a statue of a Greek God, the taut muscles of
his arms sculpted as if from marble. He sipped claret while giving her an
appraising grin.

“You are a
demanding woman,
cariad
, and I can only hope now that I’ve introduced
you to the pleasures of the flesh, I can continue to satisfy your ravenous
appetite.”

Catlin
raised one knee provocatively. “’Tis your own fault, Sir Griffin, for until I
became your pupil, I was an innocent maiden, unaware of the proper use for a
man’s tarse.” She threw one arm over her head, making her breasts jut forward
in a more appealing way. “Now I crave a good swive as much as a common jade.”

Griffin
laughed, set his goblet upon the table, and crossed the room. “Perhaps we
should expand upon your education a bit and try something different.”

A pulse of
white hot heat shot through her body. A new game? Her lover could be
unpredictable and creative. “You are always so imaginative, Griffin.”

He withdrew
several lengths of silk from the waistband of his breeches. “Tonight,
cariad
,
you will be my helpless slave and do all that I bid of you.”

Catlin
shivered at his words. She trusted Griffin implicitly. Yet, the idea of being
totally under his control excited and frightened her at the same time.

He wrapped
one wrist with the silk and fastened it securely to the bedstead. Within
moments he’d repeated the gesture with her other hand, then he fastened her
ankles in the same manner. Catlin was spread-eagled on the bed, unable to
escape.

Butterflies
fluttered in her stomach, and her skin prickled with goose bumps. Her nipples
ached for his touch, and between her legs, she could already feel the dampness
of her woman's honey.

Griffin
prowled around the bed. “What do you want,
cariad
?”

“To please
you,” she whispered in a husky voice. Though Griffin hadn’t yet touched her,
the play aroused her. She shivered with anticipation.

He opened
the carved wooden chest at the foot of the bed and removed several items. He
held a thick, bushy ostrich feather as he sat down beside her.

“Aren’t you
going to remove your breeches?”

“Not yet. I
want to drive you mad with wanting me before I make love to you.”

His words
sent a flutter through her blood, heating her with sensual warmth.

He traced
the feather across her lips, and she giggled. “You already drive me mad with
wanting you,” she said.

He drew the
feather lower and tickled each hard, pink

nipple. He
swirled the feather across the soft, round mounds of her breasts, delving into
the valley between them. Catlin moaned.

She twisted
on the bed, her body aching for his touch. A molten path at every point he
touched.

Griffin
leaned forward and suckled each pebble-hard nipple. She writhed at each stroke
of his tongue and yanked against the silken ties binding her to the bedstead.

“Loosen the
silks so I can touch you too.”

A devilish
grin spread across his face. “Not tonight. I warned you, love. I shall show no
mercy.”

Catlin
twisted her bottom against the coverlet, her skin hot and her brow beaded with
perspiration. Her fingernails bit into her palms as she fought to maintain
control.  Each tiny sensation he evoked made her delirious with passion.
Griffin brought the feather lower and swept it across the tiny bump of her
belly. He traced the outline of her Venus mound and parted the thick, dark
curls guarding her womanhood with one finger.

Catlin
moaned and closed her eyes, savoring each touch of the feather as it created a
trail of heat down her body.

Griffin
flicked the feather across the small, sensitive bud at the top of the slit
between her legs.

Catlin’s
bottom rose from the bed, her muscles contracting and aching from the strain of
pulling against the bindings still holding her captive.

Griffin's
hands gently kneaded the flesh of her upper thighs and his mouth moved closer
to the place that now ached with need. She wanted him, nay- she needed him.
Every movement only ignited her passion more.

“Please,”
she begged.

He set the
feather aside and grinned. “I am most happy to oblige you, my little
diafol
.”

Catlin
smiled at the playful endearment. “Little Devil indeed, if you loosen my. . . ”

Her words
were lost as a new explosion of sensation rocked through her body. He’d
replaced the feather with his tongue, and now as it swirled and eddied about
her sensitive nub, waves of pleasure rolled through her body. He inserted
several fingers into her molten hot depths, and her muscles clenched against
him.

“Please
stop, you’re driving me mad,” she whispered.

“You cannot
object to anything,
cariad
, because you are totally under my control.”
He slathered his tongue against her again, and she trembled.

“Trust me,”
he said.

The
ministrations of his tongue and finger incited her passion higher and higher.
She writhed against him, even more eager for each gentle swoop of his tongue
and each plunge of his finger. He sucked and licked her until she bucked
against him. When she thought she’d topple over the abyss and dissolve into a
pool of intense gratification, he pulled away.

He removed
his breeches, his tarse thick and hard as it pointed at her, the member almost
demanding she pay attention to its majesty.

“Come here,”
she begged. “I want to feel you deep inside of me.”

He grinned.
Climbing back upon the bedstead, he loosened the bonds securing her ankles and
lifted her legs and placed them on his shoulders, a move that shocked her.

The tip of
his tarse nudged against her opening and teased her with its closeness.

“Now,” she
cried, tugging against the bindings to no avail. He ignored her plea.

Griffin
leaned down to touch his lips to hers, his throbbing, hard tarse still poised
to enter her.

“I promised
to satisfy you in all things, Catlin.” He rubbed against her now aching
womanhood. “You must trust me, for I can introduce you to greater pleasures
then you can even imagine. But only if you truly place your confidence in me.”

Catlin knew
he was testing her. Could she actually trust this man with her body and give
over all control to him?

She
shuddered. If she didn’t demonstrate her complete and utter confidence in him,
it could tear them apart forever.

She relaxed
against him, and then lifted her bottom in invitation.

“I want
you,” she said, her voice husky with desire, “and if you tell me you shall
never hurt me, I believe you.”

His dark
eyes shimmered with flares of silver light. He leaned forward to gently touch
her face.

“Thank you,
love.” He swiftly tilted his hips to thrust into her. With one quick plunge, he
was deep inside her sheath.

She gasped
as shivers of delight rippled through her. As his movements repeated the quick
thrust, pull rhythm that was pushing her to the edge of her pleasure, she
fought against the bindings still holding her captive.

“Harder,”
she whispered,

He complied,
and Catlin dissolved into a shuddering wave of fulfillment. When her eyes
slammed shut, small, fluttering bits of light scattered on the backs of her
eyelids. She was swept away on a sea of pleasure.

“So tight,”
Griffin moaned.

Griffin’s
strokes grew longer, harder, and Catlin lifted herself again to welcome him
deeper inside of her body. With a few more intense thrusts, his breathing
caught and she knew he was close to exploding in pleasure.

Griffin
drove into her once more, then moaned and his hot seed burst into her slick
sheath. His heartbeat marched in a swift tempo that matched her own.

He finally
collapsed, taking pains to support his weight on his elbows so he wouldn’t
crush her. She could still feel his throbbing tarse inside of her.

Finally,
Griffin loosened the silk ties, releasing her from captivity. He kissed each
wrist gently.

“You were
most obliging,
cariad
, and I thank you for giving me so much pleasure.”

Catlin took
his face in her hands. “I was afraid, Griffin, and yet your promise to never
hurt me helped me overcome that fear.” She pulled him to her, eager to taste
his lips.

When he
stretched out next to her, the cool late afternoon air rustled the curtains at
the window. Catlin closed her eyes. She needed to be honest with Griffin, but
for now she enjoyed basking in the afterglow of their lovemaking.

They lay in
silence for a while, and a symphony of birdsong filled the air outside. She
marveled at the peace and tranquility surrounding her as she discovered a new
life in this raw, vibrant colony. Adventure filled each day. She loved walking
the land with Griffin, exploring the fields, woods and riverbank.

“I must
leave for a few days,
cariad
.”

His words
shocked her from her reverie.  “Leave? Why?”

He climbed
from the bed and snatched his breeches from the floor. “’Tis business I must
attend to, for being one of the wealthiest men in the colony comes with certain
expectations.”

His voice
still had a deep, smoky note left over from their lovemaking.  A dark purple
glow radiated around him, alerting Catlin he wasn't being totally honest about
the reason for his absence. Did his leaving have something to do with his
mission for King Charles?

While she
couldn’t tell him how she’d discovered his ruse, she could try to get him to
take her along. After all, a witch could be a convenient companion in times of
trouble.

She cleared
her throat. “I should be delighted to see more of this country, for I am ever
anxious to learn about the Virginia colony.”

Griffin
didn’t turn around. “I’ll need to travel quickly, so ’tis not a convenient time
to take you with me.”

His brusque
tone pricked her pride. “Was I such a loathsome burden then on our journey
across the ocean?”

Griffin
whirled to stare at her and frowned. “Of course you’ve not been a burden. But
this country is dangerous, and I would never wish to put your life at risk.” He
sat sit down next to her. “You are precious to me,
cariad
, and I cannot
bear the thought of something happening to you.”

Catlin
leaned forward and slid her fingers through the thick, curling locks of his
hair. “Of course nothing shall happen to me, for I have your love as the
greatest protection of all.” She sighed. “I would dearly love to travel with
you, but of course, if you deem it too dangerous I'll remain here and eagerly
await your return.”

Griffin
gently pulled her into his arms and across his lap. “The thought of you waiting
here shall certainly encourage me to return as quickly as possible.”

Her
conscience niggled at Catlin. She should tell him the truth. It was far beyond
the time when she should have been totally honest with him.

“I must
confess something to you, Griffin.” She tried to twist out of his arms, but he
held her fast, refusing to release her.

“Is it that
you worship and adore me?” An arrogant grin spread across his face.

“No,” she
said, and giggled as his grin turned into a scowl. “Oh, you proud, conceited
dunderhead, of course I love and adore you.” She paused to take a deep breath
“But this is truly important.”

Griffin put
his chin in one hand, dropped his mouth into a serious expression and sighed
deeply. She giggled.

“You must
listen carefully,” she said. “Probably there are some things you are not going
to like hearing.”

“Am I
flatulent in my sleep?”

Catlin
rolled her eyes. “Stop teasing and pay attention, please.”

She wished
he’d release her, because pacing and wringing her hands seemed more appropriate
than sitting propped upon his knee stark naked.

“I am
ashamed to confess that I’ve tricked you.” She held her breath and waited for
his reaction.

His gaze
moved from her face, down her body to her breasts, then lower. He shrugged.
“Your assets are quite visible at the moment, and therefore I find it hard to
believe you’ve hidden anything from me.”

Catlin
slapped him upon the shoulder. “I tricked you into bringing me with you on the
journey to Virginia.” She steeled herself for his angry reaction.