He brought her through sheer determination and incredible stamina to another climax, then another, exhausting her to the point of dizziness. His physical strength and willpower sustained his erection and its uncompromising authority over her. The only respite he gave her was to stretch her legs from time to
time; otherwise, he commandeered her body with soft instructions.
He shifted his hands from her wrists, allowing her to cling onto his shoulders, but only so he could clamp his hands around her buttocks, or hold her ankles above her head or cup her breasts. He reminded her of his strength and the power of his body, the very first thing that had persuaded her to submit unconditionally. If their first night together had resulted in the loss of her virginity, this passionate coupling was to confirm what she had come to suspect for weeks—she was in love with him.
He shuddered; she recognised the movement, but his cock was still inside her.
“Matthew,” she said, alarmed. “Are you sure as I am?”
“Yes,” he said in the midst of his climax.
The liquid heat seared and filled her belly. Too late. What was done could not be undone. He had abandoned his usual cautious nature to savour her melting quim.
Finished, he stilled and carefully extracted himself. “I’ll bathe you,” he said, as if nothing of consequence had happened.
She caught his arm. “What does this mean?”
“From now on, I’ll give you my all, my every heartbeat, and you’ll know that what we have is real. It’s a risk worth taking.”
“And my husband? What if...” It would be disastrous to return to him pregnant.
He drew the covers over her cooling body. “Sleep. Don’t trouble yourself with him, he’s had his chance. We still have time to make memories that’ll last for eternity, lass.”
Chapter Nine
Matthew wandered down to the river, taking his time. Barnaby ran back and forth, chasing the flies and bees with his darting tongue. He paused under the shade of a tree. The summer had lingered for a few more days, resurgent and hot. Tomorrow he and Dara would part company. Dara had chosen their final day together to bathe in the pool. It was his last opportunity to catch her down there by the river.
He removed a piece of string from his pocket and tied Barnaby to a bush. “Stay down, boy.”
The dog was obedient and dropped onto his belly. Matthew patted his head.
He watched her from a distance, not wishing to disturb her until he was ready. She was already naked, having had half an hour’s head start on him. Up to her waist in the cool water, she was inching in cautiously. He smiled at her whoops, the way she waved her hands around in attempt to stave off the cold. When the water lapped at her breasts, she pressed her lips together and ducked down, sinking beneath the surface. She came back up a second later and gasped for breath.
She could not swim. He wasn’t worried. The pool went no deeper than her nipples and the current was gentle. Folding his arms across his chest, he admired her pale skin and straight back. With her head tipped back, her hair floated on the surface of the water in a fan. Slowly, she dipped again and combed her fingers through her wet hair. She massaged her scalp and closed her eyes. However cold she might feel, for those moments alone she was content to enjoy the fresh water and allow it to cleanse her.
While she was oblivious to the world around, Matthew moved. He walked quietly to the riverbank, removing items of his clothing as he went. By the time he was level with her, he was naked. The ripples of water he formed upon his entry brought her back to her senses. She smiled in greeting, waiting for him to wade over to her. With a few yards to go, he plunged under the water and swam toward her, breaking the surface in front of her.
She giggled. He had a good grip of her waist and lifted her out of the water, tossing her back. She squawked and flayed about with her arms. Rising onto her feet, she glared at him with eyes filled with mirth. Her response to his strike was to splash water at him. For a while, they played as children might, and he laughed. For three weeks, he had found plenty of reasons to laugh. It was as if a great burden had fallen from his shoulders. Marie was not forgotten, but it was time to let her go. Time to look to the future and finally carry out his plans.
As for Dara, he could not command her to stay. It was too great a risk. She had to accept her fate. Their short time together was a blessing and they would celebrate it for one more day.
Abruptly, she pulled a face.
“What?” he asked.
“Something moved by my leg. Eek, it slithers.”
He grinned. “Probably a fish. Or an eel.”
She squealed and flapped her arms around. “Get me out, out!”
He scooped her up and carried her over his shoulder, up the bank and onto the dry grass. There he spread out his jacket and she lay down, her arms stretched above her head and her eyes half-closed.
He covered her body with his, just as he always imagined when he planned his riverside seduction, instructed her with the firmness of his upright cock against her thighs, and she obediently parted her legs. When he entered, she sighed and grasped at the blades of grass. They moved as one, Matthew rocking gently, stroking her insides, Dara mirroring his actions with her hips, occasionally lifting her bottom up to meet his downward thrust.
There was no rush. The haste of the early days was gone, so was the fear of planting his seed. He focused entirely on the one point of entry, massaging it with his steely rod, and kept her on the cusp of an orgasm. He still liked to tease, to hold her still with arms pinned or legs held in his grasp. In same manner he let her suck his cock while he smoked his pipe in the evenings, he exuded the dominant part while she accepted her role as subordinate. Throughout the last three weeks, they had focused on activities that were both filled with calm pleasures and fiery passions.
He stilled, allowing himself the delight of emptying himself in one fluid spurt. She moaned, joining him, teasing out the orgasm with clenches of her pussy until he was fully spent. He rolled onto his back, taking her with him and she dozed for a while, curled up on his firm belly.