Shalin’s hands dug into Ailean’s hair and held his head in place, her back lifting from the ground as another wave cut through her, ferociously stronger than the first, her screams turning to pitiful cries.
After several moments, her grip on him weakened, and Shalin dropped back to the ground. Before she even had a chance to get her breath, Ailean was there, on top of her, his hands now in her hair, his lips against her neck.
“Shalin…I’m sorry…I can’t…”
Shalin knew what he needed. It was what she needed. She opened herself to him and said, “Don’t wait, Ailean. Please.”
He didn’t. He entered her with one brutally hard thrust. Shalin gasped seconds before his mouth covered hers and he drove into her again and again, giving her the rough ride he’d promised. She didn’t care. She loved every second of it, holding him tight as he took her.
His lips moved from her mouth and down her jaw to her neck. She felt his teeth press against the skin and then he bit down, sending her flying over the edge again as he climaxed with her, his body pinning her to the ground as he emptied himself inside her.
Ailean couldn’t move. Wouldn’t. Why should he when he’d never been so comfortable before in his life?
Cool hands stroked his back, his hair; her soft voice sighed in his ear.
“Are you all right?”
Ailean laughed in surprise. No one had ever asked him that before. “I’m fine.” He lifted up a bit so he could look into her face. “And you?”
She tried to hide her smile but she snorted, which started her laughing with him.
“I’m doing quite well, thank you,” she finally managed.
“Good.” He kissed her neck and felt the first drops of rain on his back. “Damn.”
She ran her hand down his cheek. “We better get in. I got ill once while human—” her eyes rolled, “—took me days to recover.”
Ailean chuckled. “Well, we can’t have that, now, can we?”
Slowly, he pulled out of her, both of them groaning when he did. Unfortunately, once Ailean was out, all he wanted to do was get back in. Steeling his resolve, Ailean stood on shaky legs and reached down to help Shalin to her feet. She gripped his forearms and he sensed her legs were as shaky as his.
Making sure she could stand without him, Ailean then grabbed Shalin’s dress and carefully pulled it over her head. “Will you be all right to ride?”
“Of course. Nightmare takes very good care of me.”
Ailean grunted, suddenly feeling jealous over a bloody horse.
“He should still have a saddle,” he said while pulling her arms through the armholes of the dress.
“I’ll not put a saddle on him, Ailean.”
“But, Shalin—”
“Is he mine or not?”
Ailean raised an eyebrow. “I certainly don’t want him,” he informed her before pulling on his clothes.
“Then he’s mine to manage as I see fit.”
“‘Then he’s mine to manage as I see fit,’” he mimicked back to her in a high-pitched voice that had her slapping at his shoulders in a pitiful attempt at an assault.
Laughing, Ailean grabbed her around the waist and pulled her close again. “You have quite the temper, don’t you?”
“Don’t sound so mocking. I do have quite the temper. Few, though, make me angry enough to show it.”
“I’ll have to work on that. I’d like to see you truly angry.”
Shalin’s face fell and she looked a little…terrified. “No, Ailean. No you wouldn’t.”
Before he could ask her more questions, the skies opened up and rain poured down on them. Quickly setting the dragoness aside, Ailean pulled on the rest of his clothes and boots.
While he did, he watched Shalin merely crook her finger to get Nightmare to trot over to her side. Without any further prompting, he lowered himself so Shalin could mount him easily.
“Meet you back at the castle?” she asked, using Nightmare’s hair for reins.
“We’ll be right behind you.” He whistled for Dragon’s Gold. “Stay on the path and head straight home, Shalin. I don’t desire searching for you in this downpour.” Ailean placed his hand on her thigh. “Oiy.”
“Yes?”
“No kiss?”
Leaning down a bit, she kissed him and Ailean felt no cold blowing in from the storm. He only felt warmth and desire, his hands reaching for her automatically.
“No, no,” she laughed. “We have to go.” Shalin sat up straight, her hand stroking his cheek. “Thank you for today.”
He grinned at her, completely unaware that his clothes were already soaked through. “And are you leaving this afternoon?”
Shalin looked up at the sky. “In this storm? Of course—”
“Then we’re not done. We can thank each other another day. For now…”
“For now…what?”
“For now we’ll need to find a way to avoid my family’s involvement. Unless you’re hoping what we do every day turns into a nightly topic of discussion at dinner.”
“Gods no!”
“Between us then?”
She surprised him by looking impossibly relieved and he didn’t understand the bit of resentment that caused. Usually he adored the ones who wanted to keep their involvement between the two of them rather than spreading so many rumors it turned into another edition of those damn books.
“Yes. Between us.”
“Then ride and I’ll see you back at the castle.”
Smiling, she pushed her soaking golden hair off her face and said to Nightmare, “Go.”
And to Ailean’s shock, the beast did just as she’d asked.
What power did this female possess over wild animals?
“Well, she has no control over me, Dragon’s Gold.” When the horse snorted at him, he glared until she looked away.
8
A meal had never been so delightful for Shalin. Especially with so many others around. But none of Ailean’s kin bothered to note or question the two of them putting their horses up together or quickly going off their separate ways. Instead
