Taming the Queen of Beasts

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*****

AARYN

Every muscle in his body was taut, every inch of his skin prickling as he stalked toward the cave where Elreth stood, slightly shocked, but also delighted.

She'd pushed the cave door open and he followed her through, but he paid little attention to the surprisingly spacious cave—multiple sleeping platforms at the back, a fireplace carved out of the rock to make use of a natural chimney, and thick pads and squabs all over the floor so they could lounge wherever they wished, 

The only real furniture was a table, set back from the living around the fireplace, a few chairs, and a short bench and cupboard pushed up against the wall next to it.

Reth had warned him that the space was usually used by males and didn't have many of the comforts of home. He'd been concerned Elreth might be disappointed. But her eyes only lit at the largest of the sleeping platforms at the back of the cave where she threw her bag down. Then she turned, smiling, to scan the rest. 

"I can see why Dad never told us about this years ago," she giggled. "We would have been out here all the time. Could you imagine?"

Aaryn forced himself to focus on something other than the delicious curve of her waist. "I might still bring Robbe out here the next time he wants to go camping," he said finally.

Elreth snorted. "Not if I make you bring me instead."

Aaryn held her eyes as the delicious electricity crackled between them. "How are you feeling?" he asked carefully, aware that she was likely sore from their adventures the night before.

Elreth tipped her head. "A little sore," she said, then smiled. "Nothing that a swim wouldn't fix."

He tossed his bag down at the foot of the sleep platform where she'd dropped hers, then started on the buttons of his shirt. "Sounds like a plan."

Elreth's throat bobbed and she watched, fascinated, as he popped the first button, her eyes immediately dropping to the skin that was revealed under the triangle opening at the top of the shirt. 

Aaryn paused, and she frowned. Then he popped the next one and her eyes widened. 

Oh, he was going to enjoy this. 

Without a word, he dropped his hands and closed the space between them, pulling her against him so she could feel his arousal already pressing at his leathers. "You know my favorite part of a swim?" he asked in a low, husky voice.

Elreth shook her head, reaching for his buttons and popping the next one, sliding her hand inside against his skin and blowing out a breath.

Aaryn forced himself not to groan as he slowly, slowly slid her first button out of the little hole and let the fabric fall aside, revealing just a hint of her collarbones and chest. He swallowed hard. "My favorite part of a swim, is that moment when I've walked in until I'm up to my thighs. It's a little cold, so my skin is prickling, and I know it's not going to stop feeling cold until I'm completely under… so I take a breath and slip all the way in, letting the water ripple against me… all of me…" he rasped.

Elreth's mouth was open and her fingers beginning to shake on his buttons. She nodded, biting her lip. "That's… that's a really good part. But you know what I like better?" 

Aaryn liked this game. "What?"

She bit her lip harder and he almost grunted with the effort not to pull her plump, lower lip out from under the prison of her teeth. "I like it after that," she said, hushed. "When you've swum a little bit, then you're in shallow enough water to get to your feet and you stand up and all the water—" her breath caught as she popped the last button and began to tug his shirt out of his leathers. "—um, all the water comes up with you, but then it slides down your skin and makes you shiny. Little rivers of it flowing over your, um, your muscles and—"

With a groan, Aaryn took her mouth, sucking in hard when she fisted her hands in his hair and pulled him in.

He was still working on her shirt, but not for long. Soon she was helping him pull it out of her leathers and off, scrabbling at it to let it slump to the floor of the cave, then, without breaking the kiss, they both worked the buttons of their leathers, shoving the pants down, then coming together, sighing with pleasure as their skins met from knee to chest. 

Aaryn trailed his hands down her back to that lovely curve at the base of her spine, then let both hands slide down to cup her ass and pull her tight against him.

He'd intended to make their next coupling a lot slower, less frantic. He wanted to show her how it could be when they were calm and had time. But she seemed just as urgent as him, pulling at him, her fingers digging into his back, trying to bring him closer, always closer.

"Shit, El—"

"We can swim after!" she gasped, then slid her tongue against his.

Aaryn groaned and lifted her so they were hip to hip. She didn't miss a beat, wrapping her legs around his waist and arching into him, yearning, seeking the union she'd known for such a short time, but ached to repeat. Her warmest, softest skin found his and they both sighed for the promise of what was about to come.

As she rolled her hips, rubbing herself on him, he walked her the two steps to the sleeping platform, then leaned her back until she lay flat, her hair flowing out around her head like a halo, her arms still reaching for him, pulling him down with her.

She let him go to put her hands to the furs, about to scoot back so he could join her on the platform, but he caught her wrists and pulled back far enough to meet her eyes.

She blinked, staring at him, eyebrows up in a question.

"Let me show you something," he whispered. And when she nodded, he plundered her mouth with all the promises of what he was about to do.