Chapter Twenty-five

Desires Fulfilled

Pricilla could hear Erik's steps closing in on her. Her mind warred with itself. Part of her wanted to let him catch her while her prideful side demanded she keep him at bay. Excitement rather than fear had her heart tripping away inside her chest. She had almost made it to the open door when Pricilla felt Erik's hand grab her shoulder. She felt certain the feeling passing through her was relief at not having made her escape.

Erik stopped her in her tracks spinning her around to face him. When he had her turned toward him Erik placed his other hand on Pricilla's other shoulder holding her still with a firm but gentle touch. Neither seemed willing to break the tense silence. Pricilla felt her lips tngle as her eyes dropped t Erik's parted lips.

Dear God how she wanted him to kiss her. In her mind she already felt his tender caress. She could feel herself melting under his touch. Much more and she'd be a puddle at his feet. She must fight this urge welling up in her to throw herself into his arms. For her pride's sake she must force him to earn any concession she gave him.

"You will listen to me. I have let this nonsense go on far too long. I will have my wife back or we end this today." Erik had not meant to add that last part as he doubted he could ever let her go. He would not lose her to foolishness, neither his nor hers. It did not help when he saw her lower lip begin to tremble. If he made her cry that would be the end of his masterful aproach. She'd have him clinging to the hem of her skirt, well if she had one he would.

Pricilla's heart dropped to her feet when she heard Erik's threat. She didn't wish to leave him. To do so would kill her. For some reason she had let herself believe they would go on as they had until…well until she could accept his infidelity or they died, whichever came first.

"I…I have no wish to speak of your…your…I will not be played for a fool." Pricilla firmed her lips in resolution hoping she could keep to her words. Erik's hands on her shoulders seemed to burn not painfully but in the way which caused those strange tingles in her. She could feel every part of her responding to his mere touch and the sound of his voice.

"You are my wife and I will enjoy all that implies. I have done nothing I need feel forever ashamed of or earn your coldness unceasingly displayed toward me."

"You have done nothing? After going to that…that…harlot day after day, staying there until all hours you say you have done nothing to earn my scorn? Well what if I told you that…that while you were trotting about after the skirts of…of that woman I myself found someone to keep me company?" Pricilla did not know what insanity had those words leaving her mouth. If he asked for a name she would be stumped for a reply.

Only for an instant did Erik envision Pricilla with some faceless man. Before his rage could overwhelm him, Erik saw her challenge for what it was, a woman trying to save her pride. Perhaps he should use this untruth to further his own cause.

Erik forced his face to show anger instead of the anticipatory gleam of sexual tension now churning within him.

"Woman, I should then have need to take you to task and as your husband remove any thought of this other man from your mind. When I am finished with you my dear Pricilla, no other man will tempt you by word or a handsome face. You will see only me." Erik had perhaps overstated things in his excitement. Could he live up to this paragon of prowess he claimed to be?

Erik knew for certain he had not left Pricilla with any satisfaction the time he had forced himself into her bed. Their recent encounter though pleasant for her had not brought about that near death Erik knew she should feel just as he did. Not wanting to make a poor display Erik sifted through everything he had ever heard or read about how to give a woman that which would bring about her climax.

All the things his mind showed him he felt far to erotic for Pricilla. He may well shock her if he suggested such things. The state of his arousal would not enable him to hold off from reaching his own climatic end before Pricilla could reach her own plateau of pleasure. In the first days of their newly rekindled intimacy Erik had not wanted to shock the shy innocent woman Pricilla had been with any lechorous suggestions he may have had.

Erik began to move forward thereby forcing Pricilla backward into the empty stall behind her. When they were both inside the stall Erik gave her a gentle push backward so she fell into the pile of hay behind her. At any time she could have scrambled away from him but she simply lay there as she fell.

Erik dropped down to his knees then leaned his body down so that he lay across Pricilla preventing her from moving away. She could have told him he had no need to worry. She had no intention of going anywhere. For pride's sake she had to protest even if she did so weakly.

"Erik stop this. What…what if someone comes along? This is…is quite inappropriate." Erik could not help but notice she did not say that she did not want what he wanted. Her only concern was being discovered by some passerby. Erik knew that everyone had other concerns today that would keep them in town or visiting for several hours today. They would be alone as soon as everyone had left.

Since the buggy had already been made ready for Antoinette and Meg's picnic with Mac. They were picking him up in twn and dropping off Loretta at the Reverend's house. The maid had gone to visit a friend. Both stable hands were out mending fences. He and Pricilla had no worries about being caught by anyone. Although Erik briefly considered the fear of someone coming along might add a bit of spice to things.

Pricilla had not struggled at all once Erik had lain across her. He felt too wonderful to deny herself this small token of what she wished to experience. She felt her face heat with the pictures her mind conjured for her perusal. She did not know exactly when she had become such a naughty minded person.

Erik tenderly ran his finger along Pricilla's jaw marveling that anyone could have such soft skin. Her heightened color along with the darkening of her eyes proved to Erik she was not as immune to him as she would have him believe. He knew for damn sure he could never again be aroundher and not want her.

"Do you trust me Pricilla? Would you place yourself in my hands? You do know that I would never do anything to harm you intentionally, tell me you trust me." Erik unintentionally used the mesmerizing quality he could instill in his voice. He had used it on Christine and others to bend them to his will.

Erik had no need of any theatrics to win Pricilla's capitulation. As soon as he had touched her with tenderness she had been his for the taking. Despite everything she still loved him. If that made her a fool then she would gladly shout to the world that she, Pricilla Jane Dante laid claim to the title to the world's biggest fool. She had every reason to distrust Erik and no reason to trust him but she did.

"Yes Erik I do trust you." Pricilla could not resist placing her hand on his face. He had shaved but she could still feel little prickles of whiskers against the palm of her hand. Erik had a very heavy beard that needed to be shaved twice a day. Pricilla rather liked the scruffy beard Erik wore at the end of every day.

Erik looked deeply into her eyes gleaning the validity of her words. With this reassurance Erik dropped his head kissing Pricilla not gently but roughly, demanding a like response. The kiss ignited a fire in both of them that blazed quickly into an inferno.

Their breaths mingled as they began a frenzy of taste and touch. Only the harsh rasp of their breathing and the rustle of clothing could be heard at first. Soon groans of want permeated the air. Frantically they began to tear at one another's clothing. Nothing about the removal of these obstacles to the flesh beneath had anything of finesse about it.

Trousers were pulled off inside out after boots and been struggled with to remove. They were then tossed carelessly aside. Pricilla lost all restraint as did Erik. Nothing short of the end of the world could stop them from attaining mutual gratification. Modesty had flown out the window at Erik's first tug at her trouser waistband. Pricilla became just as eager and aggressive as Erik.

Mouths and hands eagerly explored newly bared territory. Erik had wanted to bring Pricilla pleasure first as he knew that once within her warmth he would have no control to stem the inevitable tide. He was too far gone for restraint. Once all barriers had been moved Erik nudged Pricilla's legs apart to accommodate him. Muttering repeatedly that he was sorry Erik entered Pricilla with one powerful thrust of his hips. He tried to force himself to be still but his body demanded he move seeking to end the sweet torture. He had been so completely trusting of Pricilla's affections he had removed the one and only barrier he never removed freely for anyone. With careless disregard Erik tore the cloth mask from his face. He wanted to glory in Pricilla's kisses over every inch she cared to pay homage.

Erik kissed Pricilla with a passion he never had before. Mixed within the passion were various other emotions. Love, tenderness, caring, respect, so many new emotions that Erik had not felt for anyone else in a long time if ever. He had loved Christine but it had not felt the same as he did now. Knowing his feelings were returned made all the difference. Erik felt that Pricilla could give him no greater gift than her love. She asked nothing of him in return other than his love.

Nearing his moment Erik's thrusts came faster and harder. Pricilla encouraged him with words of praise and declared her love for him numerous times. She kissed him everywhere delighting in the freedom. Just as Pricilla reached some unknown peak Erik thrust one last time then collapsed down to the side of her partially draping his body over hers.

Knowing he had left her once again without any satisfaction Erik railed at his inability to control his own body's lustful tendencies. He felt it time to implement some of those things he had heard and read about that brought a woman to her own pleasure.

"Oh God Pricilla I am so sorry. Once again I have failed you. I am…" At this point Pricilla placed her finger over Erik's lips to quiet his self castigation.

"Erik it doesn't matter. You give me more pleasure in a simple touch than I imagine others feel in intimate moments. We have time Erik. We will learn together. It is not your fault God made men the way they are. Don't imagine you are the only male to…to…well to believe themselves to be the only male with a deficiency. It is not really even a deficit, it a natural thing." Pricilla buried her face in his chest as waves of embarrassment flooded her face. She would persevere for Erik's sack even if she went up in flames.

Lifting her head she took his face in her hands so that she could kiss him before she continued, "Erik…men…men and women are different in how…well our physical differences are such that men can…can…" Pricilla ground to a halt unable to face Erik as his mouth grew wide in a amused grin.

"Men can what Pricilla? Please do not stop now I am fascinated. Please continue to enlighten me." Erik felt as he had never felt in a woman's presence before. He felt confident, in control in a good way, comfortable as he never had before, he felt power over her without feeling the need to overpower her.

Erik's teasing tone gave Pricilla the push she needed to say what she wanted to say. "Men can gain their pleasure with little effort while a woman needs her fires stoked by more than just kisses. We…I…well I am not sure of all of it as Charlotte and I were far too embarrassed to read the whole article but I think I got the gist of it. Women have certain…places…uh places that when touched stimulate certain areas…Oh Erik will you not stop me from digging this whole any deeper?"

"So, if I am to understand you correctly a man only has to search out these mysteriously secret places to give his lover what she desires?" Pricilla had at this point closed her eyes. She could not look into his face again after speaking so plainly about a subject not meant to be discussed in the light of day.

Erik bent and covered her nipple with his mouth rasping his tongue over the peak. "Is this one of those secret places Pricilla?"

"Oh…oh my. Oh…yes I…I think so." Erik made it nearly impossible for her to think let alone form coherent sentences.

Moving down her stomach Erik continued to ask if this place or that could be one of those places that gave a woman pleasure. Pricilla began to squirm as such intense sensations coursed through her. A blaze had been set afire in her lower belly that raged out of control when Erik at last favored her with a caress guaranteed to send her up like an erupting volcano. She protested weakly while every instinct curbed her words from becoming any earnest protestations.

She could not stem the loud cries and moans coming from deep within her by Erik's exploration of her intimate regions. Any vague notions what it would feel like paled when Erik brought her over the peak to descend into a sensual pool so powerful Pricilla stopped breathing for a moment. She had not expected she would have to die to gain this release from her sensual tension. She felt it a fair exchange to die for this one perfect moment with Erik as her lover.

Erik heard her cries as she reached completion. His name had been on her lips at her moment of climax. It had been praises for his prowess she had declared on the rise to that highest point just before plunging into a sensual bliss. He had been the one to initiate her into what pleasures could be found with only the lightest of touches.

They did not speak as words were unnecessary. Later they would have time to say all that needed to be spoken out loud. Now was for silent demonstrations of what they felt. Pricilla grew bold and wanton after Erik's demonstration of what sensual delights the body could have with only a little exploration.

Erik felt his arousal gaining momentum with every caress from Pricilla's ever increasingly bold caresses. Taking advantage of her lips so close to his own Erik bent to Pricilla's waiting lips. He captured her surprised gasp with his own mouth. Once the spark had been lit they did not stop until the flame consumed them both. This time Erik made certain that before he took his own pleasure Pricilla reached her own. If her loud cries were any indication he had done very well.

Erik briefly hoped that no one had returned early to hear Pricilla's lustful outpourings or his own for that matter. He knew they still had much to discuss but thought that so much of what had needed to be said would only reinforce what they already knew, they loved one another completely. Erik felt as if they had exchanged bits of their souls when they had come together.

Drowsily Erik searched with his hand trying to find a few stray items of clothing with which he might cover them. Grabbing whatever lay close at hand Erik covered them as best he could. In his present euphoric state he did not care who came upon them. To preserve Pricilla's modesty he made the effort to find cover. Pricilla and Erik fell asleep entwined in one another's arms haphazardly covered in articles of clothing.

An hour later Nick came into the stable in search of more fencing nails. Walking by the first stall he stopped just past it uncertain if his eyes had indeed seen what he thought they had. Taking a couple of steps back he looked to the side then quickly forward again. After a moment a pleased grin spread across his mouth. He wanted to shout out a hallelujah but could not least he wake the sleeping couple perhaps undoing any progress they had made.

Stealthily he went to collect the nails. Once he had all he needed Nick left out of the stable by the front entrance. He'd need to walk the long way around but hell and damnation if it wasn't worth every step to see those too idiots together as they should always have been. He couldn't wait to inform his brother. He whistled all the way back to the far corner of the pasture a new jauntiness in his step. Wasn't love just grand?