A Thousand Years (Soulmates Book 1) (7 page)

             
Taking that jump was terrifying. Was she ready to give the rest of her life to him at twenty-one? There was no changing her mind once she agreed. She could tell him no, then change her mind later, but that’s not what Eadric deserved.

             
“How can you want me after you’ve had Deirdre? I’m nothing like her, Eadric. I’m a dumpy, brown dwarf. Not a leggy, thin blonde goddess.” Eadric swung his legs out over the floor and reached out, catching her by one of her belt loops and pulling her over the bed to stand between his legs.

             
“You could have three legs, green skin, and be two feet tall, and I would feel the exact same way about you, Anabell. I fell in love with you the moment I saw you with your hair pulled back, wearing that yellow dress and a pair of roller skates, as you rolled down the street, yelling and laughing with your friends. I love you more when I saw you fall, dust yourself back off, and stand up to keep skating with a fractured elbow and a scraped knee. You’re strong and resilient. That’s what I love.” Anabell couldn’t keep the tears from forming in her eyes.

             
Anabell remembered that day like it had just happened. It was the summer after her eighteenth birthday and one of the hottest ones they had in a while. A bunch of her friends swung by her house with the intentions of getting her out of her bedroom and into something fun.

             
All she had wanted to do was wallow in self-pity and sorrow over her bad breakup.

             
That's where her friends came in.

             
Dylanne was tired of seeing her cry and mope for months on end, so she ambushed Anabell at her house with six of their friends and eight pairs of rented roller skates and helmets. Dylanne even dove into her closet to pick out a cute outfit for Anabell to wear.

             
Anabell was clumsy at best, a danger to her friends at worst, on the skates. A friend on each side, holding her hands, was the only thing that kept her on her feet. Once they thought she was maintaining her balance properly, they let her go without warning.

             
She made it about ten feet before she started going too fast, falling forward, and landed hard on her knees and elbows on the asphalt. She knew there was something wrong with her elbow, but she had her friends help her up and she kept going. It was the first time since the breakup that she realized that she could pick herself up and go on with her life.

             
They skated until it was dark and the streetlights kicked on. And by the end of that day, Anabell could skate – just not very well.

             
She had no idea that he had been watching her that long – or at all. She never even felt a strange presence that day. After seeing Eadric’s need to protect her, she knew that it must have taken him a lot of willpower to keep himself in the shadows when she was hurt. There was no denying he loved her. His faith in her moved her beyond words.

             
Maybe she needed to fall again – and this time, trust that he would be there to catch her.

8

              Not trusting her voice, Anabell grabbed Eadric's hands and helped him to his feet. He gave her a questioning look that she dismissed with the shaking of her head. She walked him out of the room and across the small piece of hall into the master bedroom.

             
Eadric turned around, walking backwards into the center of the room. Using their still joined hands, he tugged Anabell forward and wrapped his arm around her hips to pull her in close.  

             
“Are you sure, Anabell? It’s all or nothing.” She draped her arms around his neck and drew his head down to hers, forehead to forehead.

             
“Then I’m all in, Eadric. You’re right. I can’t half do this – I want all of you.”

             
For the first time since he brought her to the castle, Eadric took a good look at her. Loose curls tumbled down her shoulders like a waterfall, the darkness of her hair emphasizing the lightness of her skin. Her dark red bra was overflowing with the milky white flesh, teasing him.

             
The dark jeans were already unbuttoned and begging for him to tear them off her body. The tiny gap there let him know that her panties matched her bra. He could only imagine the lush curve of her backside in the silky material.

             
She was absolutely gorgeous.

             
Anabell traced the thick rope of muscles on the back of his neck as she worked her fingers down to his back to find the thick braid there. His hair was softer than she thought it would be.               Undoing the strip of leather he used to keep it tied, she carefully unwound his hair until she was all the way to the nape of his neck and it fell around his face and shoulders like a shimmery curtain of gold.

             
His bright blue eyes stared into hers as she grabbed a small handful his hair and used it to bring his lips to hers. His kiss was heaven on earth.

             
Eadric slid his hands down her hips and cupped her ass in his hands and lifted her up until she wrapped her legs around his back, holding onto his shoulders to keep herself balanced. All without breaking the kiss.

             
Keeping one hand on her ass, Eadric moved his hand up her back. With one quick motion, he unhooked the bra and dropped it to the floor beside them. He couldn't help but moan at the feeling of her supple breasts pressing against his chest.

             
Her nipples puckered from a mixture of cold air and blindingly-hot desire.

             
Eadric carried her to the bed and tossed her lightly into the center of the mattress.

             
She landed with a little squeal - that went right to his cock. There was no time for her to reclaim her bearings because he grabbed the bottom of her pants legs and gave them a swift jerk - tugging them off her body and making her bounce a little on the sheet.

             
He was rewarded with another squeal and the welcoming sight of the tiny scraps of fabric covering her downy curls. Those were definitely going to have to go. Soon.

             
Pushing herself up on her elbows, Anabell shook her head at Eadric. She didn’t need to read his thoughts to know what he was thinking.

             
"Your turn," she said, pointing at the jeans he was still wearing. She wasn’t losing any more clothes until he was at least as naked as she was.

             
Eadric unbuttoned his pants slowly, savoring the look of pure desire on Anabell's face as she watched him.

             
Sliding them down his hips, he heard her gasp at the well-cut sex lines that disappeared into his pants – he was going commando. She held her breath as inch by glorious inch of him was revealed - the dense blonde hair that started just below his navel, the sexy, defined muscles, and, finally, his uncut, rock-hard cock. Her breath came out in a heady moan.              

             
Just the sight of him had her practically dripping.

             
He stalked to the edge of the bed, his predatory eyes already devouring her. He couldn't wait any longer.

             
In a flash, her panties were gone and replaced by Eadric's hand, cupping her most intimate place.

             
His thumb gently separated her damp folds as he took control of her mouth with his, searching for the tender bundle of nerves he knew were hiding there. He hungrily swallowed her moan when his fingertips found it, and she cried out.

             
Eadric kissed a hot trail down her chin to her neck and up around to nibble on her ear.

             
"I can't promise that I will be gentle, but I can promise that next time, I will spend the entire night getting to know every part of you, until you're completely sated and I've committed your entire body to memory,” he whispered into her ear.

             
Anabell smiled a wicked smile, sinking both of her hands into his hair, and turned to look at him.

             
“I wouldn’t ask for anything different.”

             
Eadric growled low in his throat and nudged her thighs apart with his knee so he could slide a finger into her hot channel, knocking the smile off her face as she gasped and let go of his hair to dig her nails into his back, holding on tight. He groaned at the exquisite pain.

             
His slow rhythm as he pumped his finger in and out of her was driving her crazy. It felt so good, but she needed more - harder. Faster. It had been too long, and it had never been that good. She couldn't handle his teasing much longer.

             
Rocking her hips, Anabell tried to speed him up, but he just went slower, using his other hand to pin her hips the bed.

             
Just when she thought she couldn't take anymore, he slid another finger into her.

             
The way her warmth wrapped around his fingers had his cock ready to bust. He didn't know how much longer he could hold out. He was going to find out, though. He needed to see to her pleasure first.

             
Her quivering body and breathy moans told him that she was riding along the edge of orgasm – a few more strokes and he would have her there. He needed to see her face as she came for him.

             
“Eadric,” she moaned, arching her back and writhing against the sheets. His name sounded like heaven on her tongue. She wasn’t going to last much longer – her nails bit into his back harder.

             
Anabell was ready to explode.

             
Then he let his thumb reclaim the sweet bundle of nerves, sending her right over the edge and into the crashing waves of orgasm.

             
“Stop, please. I can’t,” she cried.

             
She bucked against his hand, trying to get him to stop touching her. It was too sensitive, too soon, too much. Her body just couldn’t take it, but he continued stroking her, trying to push her to a second orgasm, until she was finally in control enough to pull away from him.

             
Anabell climbed up in the bed, letting her head fall on the plush pillows and closed her eyes, letting the final tremors wash through her.

             
“That wasn’t nice,” Eadric said with a playful growl in his voice, following her to the head of the bed. “I wasn’t finished.”

             
Eadric ran his hand up her inner thigh, grazing the curls at the juncture of her thighs. She nearly jumped when he let his finger dip into her slick heat again. His throaty laugh rubbed her already buzzing nerve endings, making her groan. She needed him - needed him inside her, filling her. The teasing had gone far enough.

             
"Please," Anabell said, looking over at him with pleading eyes. Eadric shook his head with a mischievous look in his eyes.

             
If he wasn't taking no for an answer, neither was she.

             
Anabell found his hip and ran her fingers down the groove of the muscles there until her she touched what she was looking for, wrapping her fingers around him.

             
He nearly came in her hand just from a touch. She only got in a few strokes before he pried her hand off and moved on top of her, pinning both of her arms to the bed.

             
“Are you trying to kill me, woman?”

             
“You started it.” Anabell gave him the best pout she could manage without laughing. Instead of looking sad, though, all she succeeded in doing was looking drop dead gorgeous. Eadric couldn’t help steal a kiss from those pouty lips.

             
“And I’m going to finish it.”

             
“Promise?”

             
Eadric’s face went serious as touched his forehead to hers, looking deep into her hazel eyes.

             
“Yes. And I never break a promise.” Lowering his hips, the thick tip of him brushed her leg, making her bite her lip. He was poised, his length pressing against her still tender folds. One thrust, and there was no going back – for either of them. She would be his for the rest of eternity.

             
He looked at her face again and felt a wave of relief course over him at the desire written plainly on her beautiful features.

             
Eadric was about to pass the point of no return when Anabell stopped him, placing her hand on his arm.

             
“What about contraception?” she asked. In love or not, she was still only twenty-one. She wasn’t sure if she wanted kids at all, she definitely wasn’t ready for them any time soon – that was something they needed to talk about later.

             
Eadric furrowed his brow.

             
“I can’t get you pregnant, Anabell,” Eadric finally said, sadness seeping into his voice. “It’s one of the things I gave up to have you back in my arms.”  Anabell felt her heart drop into her stomach when she saw the pain in his eyes.

             
Wiggling one of her hands loose, Anabell cupped his cheek in her hand and gave him a sweet smile.

             
“That’s okay. Just make love to me, Eadric.”

              Still erect, Eadric didn’t have to be asked twice. He had waited for that moment for a very long time.

             
He slowly parted her, savoring the velvet heat as he sank himself into her tightness. Her walls gripped him hard, trying to pull him in deeper and deeper. He didn't want to rush it until he was fully immersed in her.

             
Eadric watched Anabell's face as he took her, wanting to see the hunger in her eyes. The soft curve of her mouth as she leaned her head back to moan, the flutter of her eyelids as her eyes threatened to close,  the tension in her neck as she dug her fingers into the sheet to hold on tight.

             
“Eadric.” His name had never sounded better.

             
Anabell wanted more. No, she needed more. He felt too good, too right. As much as she wanted to make love, it wasn’t the night for slow. Her body and her soul had to have more than that.

             
“More,” she whispered – begged.

             
Teasing her, Eadric lifted his hips until only the tip of him was still inside her. He held like that for a moment, watching Anabell buck underneath him, trying to draw him back in vain.

             
He thrust back into her hard, making her cry out in a mix of shock and sheer pleasure as he filled her.

             
Eadric tried to go slow again. His mind urged his body to take it easy, but it wasn't listening.

             
He always imagined their first time would be a long, arduous night of touching, tasting, exploring, and taking everything they had to give each other. His body had a mind of its own. And listening to her beg for it only fueled the fire. He was going to take her hard and fast and leave her screaming his name.

             
Anabell had no real warning as he picked up the pace, suddenly slamming his cock into her with a renewed fervor. Each stroke hitting the right spot and forcing her closer and closer to the impending orgasm. It wasn't a slow build-up. Eadric transported her there in what felt like an instant. She could feel his cock swelling inside her, telling her that he was as lost in the moment as she was.

             
No cool, calm control. Just raw, unbridled, intense passion. This was the real Eadric.