Chapter Nine
Passion Burns
Having heard Erik grumble something Trinity told him she was going on down to the dining room to see about getting them something to eat. She did not wait for his reply.
Leaving the room she quickly made her way down the stairs. She jumped down the last two. Something she had not done since she was a child. Ladies did not jump down steps. Ladies did not jump period. Trinity had lost the privilege of many things she enjoyed when her father had deemed it time she acted more like a woman instead of a tomboy with her brothers.
The dining room was full. Most of the occupants were men. Strapping young men. Any other time Trinity would have been perusing their manly offerings. Her mind was on a certain manly body just overhead stepping into his trousers that would cover his very tight behind and pleasantly firm flesh between his legs. His mind on her attributes insured his manhood was ready and willing to explore her womanly warmth once more.
"Trinity darlin'. Where's Erik? Let me show you to a table," Zachary said while leading her further into the dining room.
After only a few steps Michael rose and yelled to Trinity, "Trinity. Here. I have this table for the three of us."
"You met our blacksmith have ya'? If you know of any single females send them on to us. We have a shortage of women ya' know. We ain't rich folk but we get by. Stick together we do. Help each other out in hard times."
As Trinity sat down in the chair Michael pulled out for her she replied, "Very commendable. During the war in our own country I volunteered in a hospital. We women met once a week and made quilts and cooked meals for families that had lost their menfolk. Such a sad time."
"Dang if France ain't in some war or another all the time. Whispers coming from Paris are not good. I would stay out of that city for a spell. Gendarmes came through here the other day. Didn't speak to us much but said to stay in our area for a while. They say Paris is ready to split apart. Trouble brewing for sure."
"Zachary let's leave this discussion for another time. Let her eat her dinner without worrying about whether she's in danger from some skirmish or other." Michael was of the opinion women were the weaker sex. They should not have to worry about anything other than to cook for dinner or which dress would please her man.
Trinity could disabuse him of the notion she was anything like a weak woman. She could shoot the heart of a deer at ten yards. Not that she ever would. She could also field dress, cut, then cook up the finest deer steak that would make your mouth water. The one culinary feat she would admit to. Anything else she would rather plead ignorance to. If her father had thought she could cook she would have been taking the place of the highly paid cook at her home. No thank you very much. Long ago Trinity had willfully buried any skills she had in the kitchen. Her theory being out of mind out of capability. A twist on an old adage but fitting for her attitude.
She was an excellent horse woman. Not ladylike but she could compete with any man. She never rode side saddle. Her brothers had allowed her to roll around on the ground with them wrestling until her father decided she should become a lady. They taught her how to throw a pretty hard punch. She knew how to render a man unable to function for a short time with a blow to a vulnerable area.
Zachary left with their orders for beef stew and fresh bread. The apple pie sounded heavenly. Zachary said his daughter Mary cooked all the food for the inn and her family. He was proud and rightly so.
Michael and Trinity were discussing the attractions that would be at the fair when Erik came to the dining room. Their was no other chair to sit in. Erik wondered if Michael had done this on purpose or if it were simply an oversight. He'd be damned if he sat at another table while Michael made a fool of himself making cow eyes at Trinity.
Erik reached behind him and took a chair from that table. He eyed Michael with a challenge in his own. He set the chair as close to Trinity as he could and still allow the both of them room to eat.
Erik was silent throughout the meal. Michael made no effort to include him in the conversation. Trinity was warm and friendly. In Erik's opinion overly friendly. With each glass of wine his tolerance of the man waned. She dept touching Michael's hand or arm to make some point. Erik began to picture him with his Punjab wrapped around the man's neck. That brought a smile to his lips.
Just as the smile spread across his face Trinity glanced in his direction. Thinking the smile was for her she smiled warmly back. Her hand under the table moved to his thigh. Erik stiffened in response. The damn woman was going to make him come undone in front of everyone if she kept that up.
That delicate hand running up and down his thigh had his breath freezing in his lungs then when he began breathing his breath was quick and harsh. He could feel his face flushing. Hopefully they would think it was due to the wine he had drank.
Needing that beverage now he gulped down the entire contents of his glass. Realizing if he continued to imbibe in this manner he would need assistance walking up those stairs. Erik refused Michael's offer of a refill. The thought flitted across his mind that the damn man was deliberately trying to intoxicate him.
Well fuck you Mr. Michael whoever you are. I will not succumb to your wicked games. I am a master of wicked games.
Erik raised his arm slipping it behind Trinity to come to rest on the back of her chair. His fingers stroked her neck. At first it was just the tips of his fingers then his whole hand massaged the back of her neck. She began to squirm. Was his hand causing delicious currents of desire to travel through her body as her hand on his thigh did for him? He hoped so.
His hand wanted to travel further into territory off limits while in public. Trinity had other ideas. Her hand found the thick hard bulge in the front of his trousers. An involuntary pulsing caused his manhood to jerk in reaction to her touch. At the last moment Erik had the good sense to change the groan into a cough.
"Are you alright Erik? I may call you Erik? Trinity did not give your last name. Do you need some water?"
Michael could provide nothing Erik needed. What he needed was Trinity. Underneath him with his manhood buried deep in her warmth.
When he answered his voice sounded as if he had swallowed gravel, "No thank you. I'll be fine. I just swallowed incorrectly."
After a short few minutes of further conversation Erik wanted nothing more than to drag or carry Trinity to their room and lay her out on the bed. His hands itched to remove her clothes to find all that soft skin and warmth underneath.
His mind was vividly reliving the last time he had been sheathed inside her wet warm womanly canal. He barely restrained himself from grabbing Trinity hoisting her over his shoulder.
His musings were rudely interrupted by Michael who asked if they would care to throw some darts. Women were not normally encouraged in this type of pursuit Michael explained but he had heard American women were more adventurous.
Trinity clapped her hands in enthusiasm. Erik considered how far he could throw Michael across the room. His estimation pleased him greatly.
Not long into the game the men began to suspect Trinity had played her share of the game of darts. The little vixen won all but one game. Erik had a suspicion she had deliberately lost the game to Michael to sooth his wounded male ego. She had no such inclination against Erik apparently.
Erik had conceded defeat after only two games. He had no wish to lose his manhood to any woman again. Christine had completely unmanned him. Twice with Trinity was sufficient. More would be degrading. Besides he had other games he would rather pursue.
Michael was a glutton for punishment. He continued to play after Erik had announced he was tired and going up to bed. His hopes of Trinity joining him were smashed when Michael begged for a chance to win a game. If he expected to best Trinity hell would freeze before that happened unless she took mercy on him and gave him the rest of the games.She was too damn good. Erik was wise enough to know when to give in. The incident with Christine had at least taught him something.
Erik considered his Punjab around Michael's neck again. He reluctantly gave up that notion as Trinity had no wish to travel with a murderer. Well she was already but he had killed people she did not know. In his mind that made a difference.
Erik lingered hoping Trinity would come with him. His hopes were dashed even further when Zachary's sons came in challenging her after hearing how good she was. A woman could not possibly be better at anything than a man. That was all it took. Erik knew by the look on her face she would not be giving any concessions to any man foolish enough to challenge her or declare within her hearing that women were less capable at anything than men. The men had unknowingly had war declared upon them when they faced her in front of the crowd. The battleground was the dart board. The weapons were the tiny darts. Darts that with each bullseye brought the men down a peg or two.
Erik had been in bed for over two hours. He had drifted into a reluctant sleep. He hoped to be awakened by Trinity to finish what had been started at the table.
He thought he was in the middle of a wonderful dream when he felt arms wrap around him from behind. The hands connected to those arms ran over him unbuttoning his shirt as they went. He had not removed his clothing just in case she was not willing to have him touch her again. Erik took nothng for granted when it came to intimacy. It was too new for him to be confident that he would be welcomed. Her earlier actions had made him think she was willing. He did not wish to presume anything only to have her refuse him.
Her lips on his shoulder were soft and warm. Those lips followed her hands down as she removed his shirt. He willingly removed his arms from the sleeves. His inclination was to turn and face her. Push her to the mattress making love to her until they both were drained. His good sense told him to let her lead the way.
"Turn around Erik." Erik rolled over. He was a puppet. She was the puppet master.
In the dim light shining into the room from the moonlight he could see her bared breasts. His fingers twitched in anticipation. They remembered how soft and pliable she was. How her nipples had puckered at his touch. His tongue had teased them into tight little pebbles.
Trinity kissed her way down his body. She was determined she would see all of him tonight. Every blessed inch. Even if was again in shadowed light. Her lips were stopped at the waist of his trousers. Her mouth continued down. She pressed her lips to the taught fabric. The bulging flesh underneath jerked in response.
The hoarse groan torn from Erik's throat was a pleasant surprise. His response made her bolder.
"Trinity I can not...If you do not stop...on God yes. Do not stop. Please."
To Trinity it sounded as if Erik were on the verge of death or in great pain. Not the words but the tone was of someone being tortured. Someone who was in terrible pain. His face was contorted. His eyes were closed. His chest was heaving in an unnatural rhythm.
Just hearing how excited he was gave her pleasure. Wanting to please him she shoved his trousers to his knees. She had overheard her brothers talk about certain things when they thought she was out of hearing. They discussed what they wanted women to do to them.
She ran her hands over his thighs. Teasing his inner thighs with her hands she kissed a path to the top until she came to the place she had until now avoided looking at. In fact she had her eyes closed.
Slowly she opened her eyes. In the dim light she could not see him clearly. She saw his shadowy form. It was enough. She gulped at the sight before her. It was so big. So...hard. With each pulse beat it moved slightly. Little droplets of moisture dripped from the small opening. How had all of that fit into her?
She chewed her bottom lip. Could she do this? Did she want to do this? A restless movement of Erik's body made her decision for her. She placed her lips on his throbbing flesh.
Erik's deep groan pleased her. She slid her tongue over him. His hands wrapped around her head. He flexed his fingers in her hair. In his passion he pulled slightly. When she moved her mouth downward he lost control.
"Oh fuck. Trinity...I am sorry. I can not wait. Suck harder. Faster. Oh God yes. Faster."
In his passionate response Erik left any claim he had to gentlemanly behavior. The words seemed to be ripped from his throat. His mind felt on fire as his body pulsed with need. Urgently his body sought to find its moment of relief.
His words had her becoming so wet and hot between her thighs her fingers dug into the flesh of his thighs as he bucked up as she lowered her mouth on him. A few thrusts into her warm mouth had him ready to explode as his muscles tightened. She felt the warm rush shoot into her mouth. Not knowing what else to do she swallowed. As she continued to suck until he no longer raised his hips and she felt his muscles relax.
Erik waited for his breathing to return to normal before he sat up. He took Trinity by the hand. He pulled her up then pushed her gently down on her back. He wasted no time touching her as he wanted. His lips found her little pebbles. He flicked his tongue over the puckered nubs. Trinity arched her back. Her hands grabbed his head curling her fingers in his hair. Her hips writhed in need of his possession. She remembered the wonderful things he had made her feel. She wanted that again.
His lips left her breasts travelling down over her chest to her abdomen. When his hand parted her folds Erik slid his finger over her nub. Her groaning response brought his lips to her wet center.
When his tongue touched her she almost left the bed. Her eyes squeezed shut tightly in pleasure. Heat shot throughout her body centering between her thighs then radiating outward. Her stomach quivered.
The second stroke of his tongue drove her beyond anything she had ever felt before.
"Oh God Erik. Please do something. That feels so good. I need something. Oh God. Please. Your fingers. Harder. More. Erik please don't stop. Don't stop."
Her pleas were the sweetest music he had ever heard. She was begging for him. Saying his name. Begging him for release. Erik the monster. The beast. The Phantom. The Opera Ghost. For her he was Erik the man. The man she wanted. The one she craved. Erik had never in his life felt more a man than when he heard her call for him alone.
In that moment she could have asked him to cut off his arm. He would have. Gladly. Whatever she would have wanted he would have granted. She had already given him the greatest gift a woman can give a man. She had given him her virginity. Her innocence. Someone the world deemed less than worthy to dwell in their society had been given a woman's chastity. Trinity found him worthy of being a man and more.
When her last cry of completion left her lips Erik made love to her in the most tender and loving way a man can love a woman. This was not hurried. He made love to her as a man would to a woman he cared deeply for. Erik had no idea but with that tender loving he had committed his heart and soul to Trinity. They were as one. He craved for her just as she did for him. They were two souls combined to live as one on into eternity.
Erik would not know this for some time to come. He would know things were different but not why. This was all new territory for him. Trinity was was savior. His light in the darkness. His anchor in a world that had rejected him. She was his heaven just as he was hers.
Trinity knew in that moment she loved him. Knew she would die for him. Give up everything to be with him. She knew he was not ready to leave his ghosts behind. Not just yet. Soon. But not yet
