Dwyn remained completely still at first as the voices faded away. She’d barely dared breathe once her sisters had appearedbeneath them, but now that they were leaving, she realized she couldn’t move anyway. Her back was pressed tight to the chestof her savior, the arm around her waist like a band of steel under her breasts, holding her in place . . . And pushing herbreasts up out of her top again, she realized with dismay. There was more than a little nipple now on display in the oversmallgown, although Dwyn didn’t think that had been the man’s intent. She didn’t even think he probably realized what was happening.Did he?
Dwyn turned her head and tipped it so that she could glance back at him. Much to her relief, his head was turned, his eyespointed in the direction her sisters had taken as he waited to be sure they left. Just as she noted that though, he glanceddown toward her and then froze, the arm around her waist tightening briefly and sending her breasts farther out of her gownuntil the nipples were almost completely on display.
They both remained still for a moment. Dwyn was blushing fiercely and struggling to find something to say to ease her embarrassmentwhen he suddenly lowered his head and pressed his lips to hers. Dwyn stiffened in amazement as his mouth brushed over hersonce, then twice. When he nipped at her lower lip, drawing on it and tugging gently, she opened for him. The moment her lipsparted, he released the lower one and covered her mouth again with his. This time she felt his tongue slide out and Dwyn gaspedwith surprise as it snaked in to fill her mouth. That reaction melted away, replaced by a warm rush of excitement though,as his mouth slanted over hers, his tongue thrusting and exploring.
Dwyn found herself responding, or trying to. She hadn’t a clue what she was doing, and at first tried to keep her own tongueout of his way as her mouth moved under his, but he merely chased it. When his tongue rasped against her own, Dwyn moanedand stopped retreating to thrust back. Her hands came up to clasp his arm under her breasts, her nails digging into his skinas she kissed back with all that she was worth.
This time it was him who moaned, and for a moment the kiss became most demanding and hungry. It was as if he was trying todevour her, Dwyn thought faintly, and found she wasn’t at all alarmed at the prospect. Tearing one hand from his arm, shereached up to slide her fingers around his neck, her body straining and twisting in his hold to press closer, and then hesuddenly broke the kiss and lifted his head.
For a moment he just stared down at her, his heated gaze sliding over her flushed face and then down over her exposed breasts.Dwyn followed his gaze, noting that the circles of dusky rose flesh had contracted and darkened around the small buds thathad hardened and were now rising out of the center like flowers seeking the sun.
She’d just noted that when the man holding her abruptly shifted his hands, caught her by the waist and turned Dwyn to sether on her branch again. The moment her bottom landed on the hard wood, he grabbed the front of her gown and tugged it upto cover her properly. He didn’t let go of the cloth at once though, but froze, still holding the material, the backs of hisfingers warm against her nipples, which were responding most oddly to the unintentional touch.
Panting breathlessly, Dwyn stared at his dark hands against her pale flesh. But then he groaned, drawing her gaze up to seethat he’d closed his eyes and appeared to be in some distress.
“I— Are ye all right?” she asked shakily, her gaze shifting from his pained expression to his fingers still inside her topand back. “Did ye hurt yerself lifting me? I know I am heavy. Did ye—” She paused, her own eyes widening slightly when hissuddenly flashed open. He was looking at her like she was sweet meat and he hadn’t eaten in days, Dwyn thought faintly, andthen he abruptly removed his hands and was gone. She blinked at the empty branch in front of her, and then leaned forwardand looked down in time to see him land lightly on his feet on the hard-packed ground. He snatched up a sack that lay againstthe trunk and walked away.
Dwyn watched until he was out of sight and then sat back with a shaky sigh. Well, wasn’t that . . . She shook her head slightlyand reached up to press her fingers to her still-tingling lips. That had been . . .
“Oh, my,” Dwyn breathed. She’d just had her first kiss, and it had been quite wonderful. At least, she’d thought so. She didn’tthink his walking off like that was a good sign though, and wondered what it meant. Perhaps she shouldn’t have let him kissher. Not that she’d had much choice, she assured herself. It had been somewhat unexpected, and her precarious position inhis lap—
Oh, give over, her mind argued at once. She hadn’t wanted to stop him, not once his tongue was in her mouth. Then she’d wanted him to continueto kiss her, and still did, she acknowledged with a grimace. Truly, she wished he was still there, holding her in his lap,his mouth moving on hers, his arms around her. But she wished he’d done more. She wasn’t sure what exactly, but . . . Herhands rose and closed over her breasts almost protectively. They had tingled and hardened as he’d kissed her, and were oddlysensitive now, the brush of her palms over them even through the material of her gown making them tingle all the more.
Lowering her hands quickly, Dwyn turned to peer out over the land beyond the wall and tried not to think about the odd sensationsnow swirling through her body. Or who the man might be. And whether
