Author's Note: Some sexual content is in this chapter, but I believe it is still suitable for this site this time around.
Another month's passing found Nicolette riding a beautiful stallion over the hills of Prince Noel's land. Noel had given her her own horse, which she sadly named Jacob. Noel had been the kindest of hosts, giving Nic anything that she needed and being the most noble of gentlemen with her. He rode alongside her on his horse, Misty, a packed basket tied to her saddle.
"Almost there," Noel called out. "Are you doing all right?"
"I'm fine," Nic said, smiling – yes, smiling. "This is wonderful."
After ten more minutes of riding, they reached the spot that Noel had picked out. He dismounted Misty first, then helped Nic to the ground. Elegantly, he spread out a blue wool blanket and took their lunch out of the basket.
Nic sat down, focusing on the breathtaking view surrounding her. Tyrine was a rather large island, compared to many in the Caribbean, and it was very easy to forget where you were unless you looked far out into the distance and saw the light blue line of the ocean. Perched on this hilltop, she could also see Noel's castle…which she still had a hard time believing that she was living in. No, she hadn't forgotten about Jake. She spent many sleepless nights crying over the loss of her love, but she never had to do so alone if she didn't wish to. Noel had been the epitome of that "rock" on which one could lean on.
Over the past weeks, Nicolette learned much about the prince – most interestingly that he ruled over nothing here. His parents were still monarchs of a very tiny country in Europe and his older brother was slated to take the throne once they stepped down. Noel had expressed great interest in leaving the cold, harsh winters that his homeland offered him, so his parents graciously commissioned that a home be built for him in the warm, tropical climate of the Caribbean. He was a lucky, albeit lonely, man.
Noel had never managed to find anyone who could hold his interest intellectually, and just when he thought he had managed to, the person's façade melted and they were once again a commoner ogling someone with a "title" which honestly meant nothing. He longed for a lover – no, a wife; a family. He made trips into town often and, now and then, bedded a pretty face, but nothing ever came of it and he never brought them back home with him.
While fate, it seemed, had been cruel to Nic, it had been a moment of fortune for Prince Noel. A beautiful, intelligent woman was all but dropped into his lap, and he had the luxury of playing her white knight to the fullest extent. He longed for so much more, but understood the loss she had suffered and would make no play to move in on her shattered heart. They possessed all of the time in the world and if Nic continued to stay on at the castle, then, in time, Noel knew the family he longed for could be theirs.
Back to the situation at hand…
Noel had finished setting out the lunch that Henrietta had put together for them and smiled at the beauty before him. "You've no idea how wonderful it is to see a smile on your face, Nicolette."
The girl blushed. "I've told you at least a dozen times that Nic is fine, Noel."
"Yes, I know, but your name has such a beautiful sound to it." He arched an eyebrow. "Does it bother you that I call you by your full name?"
A deeper scarlet washed over her face. "No. Of course not."
Noel smiled and handed her a fresh strawberry. "You're a very good rider."
"My family had horses. I started to ride just after I learned how to walk."
"Me too." The prince positioned himself so that he was on his side, propping himself up with an elbow. "You haven't been graced with the easiest of lives." This certainly wasn't a question. He knew of the fate of Nic's family as well as her recent loss. The pain from both was visible in her eyes in spite of the smile on her face.
"I suppose not." She looked down into her lap; the sun was causing the red dye in her skirt to shimmer. She felt Noel move closer, but didn't look up. She then felt his finger under her chin, gently tilting her face to meet his eyes.
"I do hope that I've been able to…" He paused, unsure of what the proper wording should be. He gave up, choosing, "…help you. Have I?"
Nic gazed deeply into the green gems before her and a wave of emotion rolled through her body. "You saved my life and took me into your home." Her voice was a whisper. "You let me stay with you knowing full well that I had been living a life of piracy…You stayed up with me on nights when I couldn't bear to sleep…" Noel wiped away a tear that had escaped her eye. "You've been nothing less than wonderful to me. I don't believe there is any way I can repay you."
"There is no need for repayment, Nicolette," Noel said, his eyes still locked with hers. "However, I feel it only fair to tell you that you've captured my heart and taken my soul as yours." The girl's eyes widened slightly and her lower lip trembled, tears threatening. "I promise to be your friend, always, but if you ever find that your heart is mended enough to be loved again, please, I beg of you, let me be the one to do so."
"You?" She found herself truly shocked that Noel had felt this way about her.
"I'm sorry, Nicolette. Perhaps none of that was proper for me to say, but I felt that I may have burst if I hadn't. I've fallen in love with you and I hope that, someday, you may fall in love with me as well."
"I…" It had been nearly two months since her life was forever changed. Was that enough time to mourn? Enough time to move on? Both Nic's head and heart were torn, but in the end decided that, yes, it was. Noel's kindness had won her over long before his confession, but she clung to her love for Jake. As far as she knew, he was gone now, and she longed for her heart to feel full again…and now it did. "…I already have."
A smile brighter than the sun above them appeared on Noel's face. "He will always be in your heart, and I will never try to push him out of it. I promise." He leaned forward and gently claimed the lips that had been haunting his dreams. He had thought that Nic would be shy or hesitant, but he found that she was eager, perhaps even relieved. His arms wrapped around her small frame and the kiss deepened, he could feel her face warming. When he felt her arms mimic his, he forced himself to pull away. "Could you be happy with me?"
Her answer was sure. "Yes."
He placed his lips next to her ear and whispered, "You shall want for nothing." He felt her shiver under his breath, then felt her eyelashes on his neck. She was poised to let her lips caress his skin, but was obviously nervous about doing so. He encouraged her, "Take what you want…what you need." He closed his eyes in bliss as she did as she wanted, her mouth gently toying with his flesh. He would deny her nothing, but he would not put any pressure on her either…everything was to move at the pace she wished for.
Her emotions on a high, she felt her body aching in a way that it hadn't for so long. She had had a dream or two about her body uniting with Jake's, but woke up to find no trace of desire left over – that part of her physical and mental self was awake now. Noel, she was convinced, could make her feel the way all women wish to feel…and she understood, with a clear mind, that she was in desperate need of that.
Noel, please, make love to me! Her mind shouted the words, begging her mouth to say them, but she couldn't force them out. She pressed her mouth to his, her tongue beginning to explore, while her fingers worked at the buttons on the prince's shirt. Soon his chest, which had comforted her weary head so many nights, was warming with the sun. She kissed the perfect skin there, the need in her continuing to mount. If she couldn't say what she needed to say, she could surely show him.
His pants were crumpled on the blanket soon after and Prince Noel Harstone was basking in sun, the breeze being as curious about him as the woman he was undressing. His lips never left her as he undid the laces of her corset. When her dress fell open, he eagerly tasted her flesh, suckled at a breast, drew invisible patterns on her skin… Her body, not any words, let him know when she was ready. The warmth that enveloped him made colors flash behind his closed lids. His rhythm was deliberately slow, both not to hurt her, and to draw out the exquisite pleasure of their union. Much to his surprise, Nicolette coaxed him onto his back, taking control of everything surrounding them. She needed a quicker pace, she needed to find her release before everything inside her could tell her to stop…it never did. She climaxed silently, her mind truly letting Jake Delmone go.
She bent down so that her body was flat against her new lover's, and Noel was aware that she was crying. He held her there for what could have been a minute or an hour – finally, she spoke. "Make love to me…"
"Wasn't I?" he asked, sweetly.
Nic smiled through her tears. "Yes…but I couldn't find my voice earlier."
Noel wanted to say so much then, but chose to smile back at her and coyly say, "Well, now that you've found it, my dear, perhaps you care to use it?" He rolled her onto her back and began moving his hips in a circular motion that triggered quite the response from her. Nic's satisfied moans filled the air around them and her legs wrapped around his waist. The feeling of being so close to someone that he found stimulating in so many ways was enough to send Noel careening over the edge. His release set off another in Nic and they lay exhausted, still connected to one another. Noel kissed his love before moving to her side. Once there, he moved her hair and lavished light kisses along the back of her neck. "Stay with me tonight," he whispered. "…every night…" Still nude, the couple drifted off to sleep.
