Page 68 of The Stallion & The Tigress
The captain of the king’s guard moved with acoiled, sinewy purpose that put Aleksi in mind of a snake waitingto strike, and Aleksi had the impression that Brawn would be asquick and deadly.He recalled Sahar’s warning about her uncle Brawnbeing the man he should watch out for, and though Aleksi stood ahead taller and outweighed Brawn by two stone at least, the lastthing he wanted to do was take him on.From what Aleksi hadobserved, the man watched everything and missed nothing, and whenhe spoke, his words were terse and to the point, traits Aleksiadmired.He dipped his head in greeting.“‘Morning,” he said.
Brawn stopped and sized up Aleksi.“‘Morning,” Brawn replied.“Thanks for bringing back Sahar, and forwounding the Wolf.”He grinned, cold and deadly.“It’ll be my honorto finish the cur.”
Aleksi avoided Sahar throughout the day’sjourney and into the night, and the next, chancing no more than afew furtive glances her way when no one else was looking, orspeaking a few hasty words to her in passing each time they made orbroke camp.With her father or one of the guards always nearby andwatching closely, Aleksi didn’t dare do more, and she didn’t seeminclined to want more.In truth, she acted warier of him than ever,and looked ready to jump out of her skin the night they camped atthe same spot by the river where she had first stood proud andnaked before him.Where they had embraced skin to skin and kissedwith a hunger and a passion that had been only a taste of thecarnal feast to come.A feast Aleksi hungered to partake ofagain.
He sat across the fire from her and tore offa strip of stringy jerky and chewed, all the while his mouthwatering for the honeyed taste of her tender flesh.He could stillsee her standing in the river, her long, lithe limbs glisteningunder the morning sun, the curve of her breasts and hips calling toeverything male in him.The challenge in her eyes, unabashed andunafraid.By the gods, she was still calling to him, and his cursedcock, aching for the wet, caressing heat of her, was answering.
He stood and turned his back to the fire andeveryone sitting around it and headed for the stream, which was amistake.Tactile memories of standing knee deep in the water chestto breast with her washed over him, heating his blood and forginghis hard cock into tempered steel.He groaned and shook his headand shoulders, pawing at the shoreline as he debated whether towalk into the river fully clothed or fall face first into thefreezing water.
Behind him a quiet rustling of fallen leavestold of someone approaching, someone who moved with the stealthygrace of a cat.
“Go back, Sahar,” he said, turning sidewaysso the tent pole in his breeches was visible to her.“Go back toyour father.”
“No.”
He turned and faced her.“What do you want?”He imbued the words with all the bitterness he had felt, and thoughshe flinched at his vitriol, she stood her ground.He splayed hishands and gentled his voice, his cock pointing straight at the onlywoman he wanted with every fiber of his being.“What is it you wantof me?”
She didn’t answer him, not with words, buther expression told him exactly what she wanted.He closed thedistance between them and took her mouth with his, backing her upagainst a tree without breaking stride or their kiss.He ran hishands up under her tunic, cupping her heavy breasts and thumbingher peaked nipples as he plundered her mouth with his tongue.Sheslid her hands from his shoulders to the front of his breeches,deftly untying his stays and freeing his straining cock as shenipped at his demanding lips.
He untied her breeches and cupped her mound.He slid a finger around her folds, dipping in and out of her hot,wet center, spreading her sweet nectar and rubbing the bud thatwould bring her to climax as she brought him to his with therhythmic strokes of her strong, capable hands.
He caught her cry of release with his kiss,as she did his, and when it was over, almost as soon as it’dstarted, they each tied the other’s breeches, still catching theirbreath and neither saying a word, even when she turned and walkedaway.
CHAPTER 15
Return
They rode through the palace gates in themiddle of the night quietly and without fanfare, the guards givinghushed salutes to the king.Yet, lights shone behind everyshuttered window of the second floor of the royal household.Saharknew they would be waiting for her and her father’s return, but shedidn’t think they were the reason half the household seemed to beawake at midnight.
As they rode up to the palace steps, stableboys still rubbing the sleep from their faces came running up totake their horses, Ratter and Arman right behind them.
“What a night it be, what a night it be,”Ratter chortled as Sahar slid down off of Lasair and handed him thereins.“Our princess and king be comin’ back, and our new prince orprincess comin’ into this world.”
“Rima is having her baby?”
Ratter touched the side of his nose with agnarled finger.“The women ‘ave been in ‘er bed chamber sincesunset,” he said.“An’ yer brother ‘as been pacing the hallsoutside it jest about as long.”
Sahar laid a hand over her belly withoutthought, an action that did not go unnoticed by Ratter.Swiping ather flushed cheeks, she turned and ran up the steps into herhome.
Home.But for how long?If she was with childand she married Aleksi she didn’t think she was long for this cityshe’d known her whole life.
She looked down at her belly, concave fromten and eight days of camp rations and scavenging, as if the weeone that might be growing in her womb could give her theanswer.
“Come daughter.”Sahar practically jumped outof her skin at her father’s hand on her shoulder.“Let’s find yourmother.”
She followed him up the stairs to the livingquarters, and when they turned the corner into the hall, she brokeinto a run at the sight of her brother and Munir pacing the flooroutside of Asim’s and Rima’s chambers.
“Sahar.”Her brother met her halfway,wrapping her up in his arms and swinging her in a circle.“It’s sogood to see you.”
“It’s good to be seen.”
He set her back on her feet in time for Munirto give her a hearty, one armed hug, his other still in asling.
“Welcome home.”He stepped back and eyed herfrom head to toe.“Are you well?”
She knew what he was asking, what everymember of her family and half the city would be asking.Had theWolf or his curs violated her?
“I’m well,” she assured him, and her brotherblew his breath out in a huge sigh of relief.
