Just as she almost soared into the clouds with the intense pleasure he was giving her, he placed his hands on her waist and drew her down on her knees before him.
Pulling her to him, he kissed her with a feverish heat, his every nerve ending raw with the building passion. He removed her headband and tossed it aside, then twined his fingers through her hair and held her lips tightly against his. Back onto the cushion of the rabbit-fur cloak he urged her, soon spreading himself atop her.
Their bodies strained together hungrily as he sought entrance with his throbbing member. He sucked in a wild breath and eased his lips from hers as he thrust himself deeply into her and began his smooth, even strokes, her rhythm matching his as she lifted her hips to meet him.
Leonida could not keep her hands off him. Her heart thudded within her; she felt growing sensations that left her breathless. She smoothed her fingers over his back, and down to his buttocks, and then around so that she could get an occasional feel of his manhood.
When he stopped suddenly, she gazed up at him with a silent question, then followed his bidding when he urged her to move to her hands and knees. She shuddered with desire when he entered her again from this position, his hands reaching down and around, kneading and teasing her taut breasts.
A delicious tingling heat was spreading within Leonida as he molded her even closer to him from behind, making it so that he could fill her more deeply with the wondrous, continuing thrusts.
Just when she came close to the height of the languorous feelings that spilled through her when she reached the ultimate splendor, Sage withdrew from her.
Leonida turned again, to stretch out on her back, wondering why he had stopped.
And then she knew.
He straddled her so that she could give him the pleasure that he had denied her earlier. She leaned up on an elbow and loved him with her lips and mouth until she realized it was enough. She knew by the reactions of his body, and by the way he was moaning so pleasurably, it was time for them to find paradise together.
Sage moved over her and parted her legs with a knee. The fires of his passion became known quickly to Leonida as he plunged deep within her and his mouth closed hard upon hers. She placed her fingers on the nape of his neck, urging his lips closer. She wrapped her legs around his waist, locking them together at the ankles, riding him as his strokes sped deeper, deeper.
His steel arms enfolded her. She could feel his hunger. It matched hers. She was almost beyond coherent thought. The euphoria filling her was more than ever before, so wonderful, so beautiful. She was floating, floating.
Sage’s senses were reeling as he continued to move his lean, sinewy buttocks. He buried his face next to her neck when he felt the pleasure mounting. His fingers bit into her shoulders as licking flames swept through him, igniting the blaze that fired his passions. His whole body quivered when he felt release so close.
He kissed her again, this time softly, her lips parting as his tongue probed. Then everything seemed to explode within him, sending great splashes of warmth throughout him. The sensations seemed to be searing his heart, his very soul, matching Leonida’s own passion as she clung to him, her body shaking against his.
Afterward, Sage rolled onto his back beside her. His chest was heaving. His breath was coming in short gasps.
Leonida felt drugged with passion, her chest heaving from the aftermath of what seemed impossible, intense pleasure.
She turned to Sage and kissed him, her mouth soft and passionate against his. He lifted her atop him and urged her to lie down on him, reveling in the touch of her soft body and large breasts against his.
“I will never get enough of you,” he said huskily, his dark eyes hazy with passion. “My wife, you will desire your husband as much?”
“Always,” Leonida whispered.
Her breath was stolen when he put his hands on her waist and hurriedly placed her on the soft cloak again and rose over her. She closed her eyes in rapture as he entered her, overwhelming her again with his skillful, torrid ways of loving her.
Chapter 17
Where’er she speaks,
My ravished ear no other voice than hers can hear.
—GEORGE LYTTELTON
Leonida had not known the toll it had been taking on Pure Blossom to cook her daily meals and generously share them with Leonida, Sage, and Runner. Not until today.
Even though Pure Blossom had insisted on cooking the meals before, she had sent word that she could not prepare any meals today, that she was not feeling well enough.
Leonida was kneeling beside the fire in her hogan, feeling awkward as she stirred the large pot of stew that she was preparing for the evening meal. Sweat poured down her face in silver streamers, and her hair hung loose and damp across her shoulders. Even as well as she was, she felt the strength draining from her body as the heat from the fire combined with the heat beating down upon her from the sun-drenched domed roof of the hogan.
Guilt plagued her for having allowed Pure Blossom to prepare the meals. But she kept reminding herself that Pure Blossom had insisted. Sage and Leonida had allowed it only because they agreed that this made her feel happy and useful.
Resting the wooden spoon in the pot, Leonida put her hands on her aching back and rose slowly to her feet. Besides cooking, she was learning other ways of being a Navaho wife. She carried water from the creek daily, as well as gathered wood wherever she could find it. She had not allowed Runner to accompany her, always fearing the cliffs and the danger they posed to a small child who did not know the meaning of the word “danger.”
Fanning herself with her hand, Leonida moved away from the fire and went into the bedroom she and Sage shared. Her heart pounded even now at the remembrance of his lips and hands caressing her to heights of joyous bliss she had never thought possible. She wished that he were here now to rekindle their lovemaking of only a short while ago, before Runner awakened and came into their roo