His gaze and dominating pose made her tremble. Finally it became too much. She reached to pull him into her arms.

He ignored the gesture. Instead of coming to her, he unhitched his belt and cast it aside. He pulled off his surcotte and other garments until his naked body loomed above her, hard in the dancing light of the flames.

Firm fingers closed on her left leg. He bent it up from between his knees and angled it to his side. “Rest your foot here.” He bunched the fur mantle into a mound. “I do not want to hurt your ankle.”

She obeyed, but it left her spread and exposed. He moved the other leg, making the exciting vulnerability worse.

She reached for him again. This time he came to her, not fully against her, but braced on his arms so that a small span of air and space still separated their bodies.

“How do you like it, Nesta?” He spoke lowly as his mouth and teeth did wonderful things to her ear.

“If I said slow and careful, and full of pretty words, would it make a difference?”

He turned his attention to her breast. “I think not.” His tongue swirled on her nipple and her body stretched toward the titillating thrill. “I do not know many pretty words, and with the way that I have wanted you, I expect that it can only be hot and furious.”

She caressed down his back to his hips. “Then let it be so.” She slid her hands around his loins and closed her fingers on him.

He looked down between their bodies at what she was doing. When he turned his gaze back to her, his eyes blazed.

She took his head in her hands and brought his face to hers. She kissed him, taking control this time, using her tongue and teeth to let him know her own impatience.

The frayed cord snapped. She felt it in the body she caressed and knew it from the devouring kisses he pressed on her mouth and neck and breasts. He eased down on her, his hips nestled between her thighs. His body sealed itself to hers while their savage embrace and kisses both vented the desire and stoked it.

With her body she entreated him to come to her. She raised her hips as he entered her, and they impatiently slammed together in a desperate quest for union.

There was the briefest pause while she absorbed the delicious fullness, the permeating contentment, and the heady intimacy of his strength in her arms and body.