*
It was almost dark when Kelvan alighted on the ledge outside the suite where Belora waited for them. She beamed when Gareth walked in. He felt more than a bit ragged beside his dragon partner, but she didn’t seem to notice.
“Did you have a good day?” He wrapped her in his arms and kissed her.
“Wonderful, actually. The others are so friendly, and the dragons! They are just amazing. I think I could live here forever and never become bored.”
Belora’s smiling face enchanted him as she pulled away from him to fold the last of the linens. He’d told her to relax and enjoy her time here while he trained, but she’d insisted on pitching in when they had discussed it that morning. He admired her spirit and her giving heart, but he also wanted to pamper her. After seeing her house in the forest, he knew she hadn’t led an easy life.
He wanted to make her life easier. He wanted to spoil her and shower her with love, attention, and all the material things she had never had before, but he knew her innate goodness wouldn’t let her rest idle while others worked, and now he was glad of it. Working alongside the other women today had been a good thing, he realized, because it showed her how her life could be if she chose to stay with him in the Border Lair. He grabbed her by the waist and twirled her around, unable to contain the joy he felt at her unguarded words.
“Gareth! Put me down!”
He did, but then knelt at her feet, smiling up at her. “You have no idea the joy that fills me to hear you speak of my home in such a way.”
“You must know how special this place is.”
“I do. But even more special, is you, Belora, my beloved.”
“Why are you kneeling?” She tried to tug his arms up, but he would not budge.
“It’s tradition for a knight to humble himself before the woman he chooses when he asks the most important question he will ever ask of her.”
She gasped. “What question is that?”
He tugged both of her soft hands into his and stared up into her eyes. “I love you, Belora. Will you be my wife?”
She gaped at him. She seemed hardly able to speak, but the smile that spread across her soft lips was answer in itself. “Yes, Gareth. I love you too!”
He drew her into his arms and kissed her hard, hugging her tight and lifting her off the ground with his eagerness. He moved her to the bedroom and lay her down on the soft furs, kissing every inch of her body as he undressed her. He made short work of his own clothing and soon they were skin to skin. The way it should always be, he thought.
He rose above her and took her legs in his hands, caressing them before placing one on either side of his body. He knew what he wanted and couldn’t wait. He tested her readiness with one hand before smiling in deep satisfaction. She was wet and more than ready.
“Take me, beloved. Squeeze me with your beautiful body and bring me pleasure like I’ve never known.”
He entered her slowly, careful lest he hurt her, but once seated he groaned in bliss. His eyes squeezed shut for a moment as he savored the feeling of her warm body around him. When he opened his eyes and looked down into hers, he saw the tears there and stilled in panic.
“Did I hurt you?” He moved to lever himself off of her, but she surprised him by wrapping her legs around his waist and holding on tight.
“You could never hurt me, Gareth.” Her whispered voice was full of wonder and her watery eyes shone with happiness. He began to relax and settled back onto her though he was curious about her reaction. “I’m just a little overwhelmed, I guess, by the beauty of this—of you. I love you so much.”
The glow of her words pierced his heart. “As I love you, Belora. Never doubt that.”
“I want to stay with you forever.”
He began to move inside her, unable to hold back any longer.
“I want you too, Belora. For always and ever.” He moved more urgently then, his mind blocking out the reality that she still didn’t know all that would be expected of her as his mate, but he would deal with that later. It was enough for now to know that she wanted him and would accept him as her mate. The rest would come later.
He pounded home, again and again, bringing her to repeated peaks. She climaxed almost continuously under him while he steadily increased his pace, altering his position slightly to reach deeper or differently each time she came down from a yet higher peak. He played her body, manipulating her senses to bring her the most pleasure he knew how to give. When she finally sobbed at the highest climax yet, he knew he could hold out no longer.
With a harsh groan, he increased yet again, bringing her to the final, mind-blowing climax in which he joined her. He came for what seemed like hours, deep within the woman he loved. Potent and powerful, his climax wrung him out from deep within his soul while Belora shattered and shook with her own orgasm around him.
It went on for a blissfully long time and when it was over, he was completely drained. He had only enough energy to roll off her, pull the covers up over them both and tuck her into his arms securely before falling into the deepest, most peaceful sleep he’d known in years.
All was right with the world. Belora loved him and wanted to be with him. Life could hardly get better than this.