Chapter 14

Aedan kissed her neck, moving slowly to the pulse which was beating wildly against her skin. It seemed he knew just which areas to kiss, to nibble and suck. Unable to help herself she leaned into his touch, encouraging him without words. His teeth closed on her lobe and he nipped, causing a frisson of sensation that shot straight to her nipples, making her body arch into him and pressing her sensitive breasts against his hard chest.

He pulled back and his hands gently framed her face; the change in pace threw her off balance since she wanted his mouth back on her neck. But then she lifted her head and was lost in the depths of his deep blue eyes as his fingers slowly caressed her cheek, mesmerising her with his touch. His eyes lingered on her face, taking in every detail, eventually stopping at her lips where his thumb traced the soft outline of their sensuous bow shape. He then bent his head, slowly building the anticipation, making her ache for his touch.

She let out a soft moan of pleasure as his lips finally pressed against hers. She parted, eagerly allowing his tongue access. He kept the pace slow, a seductive slide of tongues, a lazy exploration. Reaching up, she clasped her hands around his neck, curling her fingers into the softness of the hair resting at his nape. His hold tightened and the kiss deepened, a hint of need now evident in the tangling of their tongues.

Pulling apart, and feeling a little breathless, Aedan pressed his forehead to Emma's. "Back at the tent, you seemed nervous, so I need to ask; do you want this to happen?" His voice was husky, but it didn't hide the concern that he felt.
She leaned back a little, meeting his eyes with a slightly glazed look that did wonders for his ego. "You make me feel things I've never felt before, and yes, it made me a little scared to take the next step."
The words rushed out of her in one long breath, enhancing the fact that she was still feeling some trepidation. Aedan took a moment to think over her words, then the dots connected and he understood her apprehension. "Emma, have you ever slept with a man before?"
A rosy hue covered her skin as she shook her head. "No." The word was nothing more than a whisper on the breeze.

His desire kicked up a notch at the quiet admission, although it wouldn't have changed his feelings if the answer had been otherwise, considering how hard he'd fallen for her. However, there was no denying that it pleased him immensely to know he would be her first, and if he had anything to say about it, he would be her last. His lips found hers again and this time he ravished her mouth, leaving her feeling branded with the heat of his passion.

He took his time undressing her, his hands stroking over skin as smooth as satin. She felt alive as each touch sensitised her body, relaxing and arousing her simultaneously. His knuckles brushed against the curve of one generous breast, and his fingers whispered against her collarbone. Then down, along the sternum, briefly pressing against the other breast before gliding over her stomach, teasing the navel, the soft belly. As she focused on his hand moving ever lower, a desperate need built within her, like a furnace being stoked. His fingers slid tantalisingly along the line of her pubic bone until they rested on her hip, stroking in a soothing circular motion. As she stood naked before him, Aedan stepped back and looked upon her with obvious appreciation.

Taking a deep breath, Emma gathered her courage and closed the distance, needing to touch and explore his hard body. She pressed up against him, gathered the hem of his loose cotton shirt and lifted it, allowing him to complete the action when it became obvious she wouldn't be able to reach high enough to get it over his head. A sharp intake of breath escaped her as she took in the magnificence of his upper body. The muscle definition tempted her to tease with tongue and lips, to trace every dip and ridge of his torso and arms. For the moment she restrained herself and instead let her hand trail along the fine layer of hair covering his chest, circling the small nipples. Feeling curious, she ran a finger around one flat, brown disc and was rewarded with a tightening of his muscles and a low groan. Her fingers moved further down and found the slim line of hair that continued past the waistband.

She raised her eyes, giving him a mischievous look from beneath her lashes. Holding his gaze, she slowly covered his cock, which pressed insistently against the seam of his trousers, drawing a strangled moan from Aedan. The feel of him hardening against her touch heightened her arousal and emboldened her to explore further. With her slim fingers, she traced the curve of his testicles which sat snugly within the confines of the leather pants, and his hips flexed involuntarily, pushing his aching erection into her hand.

She tugged at the laces of his trousers, then, using both hands, she loosened the flaps so that his trousers rested low on his hips, and provided her with some room to play. Aedan watched her every move, his eyes glittering with need, the pupils enlarged with desire. He expected her hand to slide down and grip his cock, or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that's what he hoped she was going to do. Instead, her fingers splayed along his hip bones, moving over them with teasing strokes before tracing the enticing V shape of muscles that framed his groin. Her wandering hands moved upwards and for a moment she rested there, just feeling the heat and restrained force of this attractive and powerful man beneath her hands.

She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his sternum, tasting his skin with a flick of her tongue. Her taste buds flared as his flavour filled her senses. She was reminded of walking through a forest on a rainy day, tasting that same wild and carefree scent, only this was mixed with his own unique male muskiness. Damn, she could just stand there all day tasting and breathing in his addictive fragrance. She moved her hands to his back, enjoying the feel of strong muscles bunching together before relaxing again. Her fingers dipped below the waistband, smoothing over the curves of his firm buttocks, tracing along the side of each cheek and appreciating the tightening of his muscles when he flexed. She smoothed a finger along the seam of his ass, teasing, but testing too.

She felt his chest vibrate with a dangerous growl, and her arousal coated her inner thighs. "Angel, you're playing with fire."
Her lips tilted upwards in a wicked smile. "I thought it was getting a bit hot." As she spoke, she slipped her hand down the front of his trousers, feeling the head of his cock poking above his cotton briefs. Running her thumb across the slit, she immediately felt the slickness of his pre-cum. A shudder ran the length of his body as he exhaled sharply.

She moved one hand up his chest until her fingers played over his firm jawline. The movement brought his focus back to her face, and knowing she had his attention, she slowly lifted her thumb and licked his essence off her skin. His nostrils flared and quick as a tiger pouncing on its meal, his hand cupped her skull and brought her in for a long, hard, breath-taking kiss. As it ended, he covered her hand that still cupped his cock and moved it away. He saw the flash of insecurity in her eyes, a concern as to whether she had done something wrong. He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "If you'd kept stroking me with those clever fingers of yours, it would have been over too quickly. I want to take my time with you. I want to taste every inch of your skin and feel your body tremble beneath me."

He kept a hold of her hand and led her to the edge of the lake, letting go only long enough to pull off his trousers and underwear. Bloody hell! She'd thought the upper body was amazing, but seeing him completely naked made her knees weaken and her heart hammer against her ribcage. Now she could see the long legs, strong thighs and, oh damn, a very nice sized cock.

"You still with me, Angel?"
She nodded, feeling a little dazed and unable to pull her eyes away from his erection. Was this what it was like for men when their eyes were stuck on a pair of boobs? However as soon as that thought entered her head, she glanced away, feeling a little ashamed of herself. She felt Aedan's lips press against her hand. "It's all right to look."
Blushing, she tried to explain. "It's not that so much. I just didn't want you to think I was only interested in your... erm... I mean that I was..." She clamped her mouth shut, knowing that she was only digging a deeper hole with each word she spoke.

"Oh my sweet angel, you really are perfect." His eyes were alight with laughter, as he drew her close. "We got to this point, without you ever seeing... that." His eyes looked down and back up, and she chuckled at his effort to avoid embarrassing her further. What the hell was wrong with her? It's not like she'd never seen a cock before and she'd never had a problem saying the word, but he seemed to have the ability to reduce her to the mindset of a giggling schoolgirl.

"When we've spoken, you've always managed to keep your eyes above my waist, I can't say I've always had the same success when looking at you, but that's neither here nor there." Realising what he'd admitted, he cleared his throat and quickly continued talking. "What I'm trying to say, in a rather roundabout way, is that I know there is more between us than just a physical attraction."
She stood on her toes and brushed his lips in a brief kiss. "Thank you."

He smiled and they stepped into the cool water, which drew a sigh of happiness from Emma. "Oh, that feels so good." She wiggled her toes in the soft earth, enjoying the feel of the water washing over her sore feet.