ROMULUS (The Innerworld Affairs Series, Book 1) (21 page)

In the last stall, in all their legendary splendor, were a male and female unicorn, not small as she had imagined they might be, but the size of the other stallions and mares housed with them. Snow-white, with long translucent manes and tails, and enormous aquamarine eyes, the unicorns stopped their play as Aster approached. She wondered if their hooves and spiraled horns were really gold. They glittered so brightly.

Rom came up behind her and handed her a couple of sugar cubes. The unicorns were nuzzling their hands before she had a chance to offer them the treat.

"You've made a good impression on Blizzard and Snowflake. They don't usually stop playing with each other long enough to pay attention to mere humans. If you like, we can take them for our ride."

"Rom, I'm in shock! I thought they were mythical. They're incredible. Please, let's take them."

Rom began saddling the mounts as he explained, "We never found out what happened to the unicorns in Outerworld after the Great Flood. There were plenty of guesses, of course. Some believe that something happened to one of the pair chosen, and the other would never have left alone. You see, unicorns mate for life, like our two. Unfortunately, they're even a bit rare here. Only a small number had been brought in from Outerworld originally, and a mare only gives birth twice in her lifetime, if that."

Aster's eyes were wide in disbelief. "You mean there really was a Noah and an ark?"

"Among others. Okay, they're all set. I just have to get my bag out of the car and we can go."

A few minutes later Aster and Romulus trotted the two unicorns into a wooded area not far from the stables.

"Do you come here often?" Aster asked.

"No, but we won't get lost. My mother and her sister were raised on the farm I grew up on. When Marya and her mate came here, they designed this one as an exact duplicate, including all my favorite hideouts."

The thinly wooded area became a jungle as they rode along a crooked, overgrown path. Suddenly Blizzard nudged his mate's hindquarters and Snowflake rushed headlong into the bushes. As quickly as the unicorns had changed pace, they came to a halt.

They were at the edge of a dark lagoon surrounded by tropical plants and trees. Wild orchids of every color dangled from branches and burst out of cracks in gigantic boulders. Brilliantly colored parrots, toucans and other exotic birds squawked at the intruders. A bush beside Aster rustled and out strutted a magnificent white peacock displaying its grandeur just for her.

So awestruck was she that she didn't realize Rom had dismounted until he touched her arm. Lifting her leg over the saddle and turning to face him, she placed her hands on his solid shoulders and let him help her down. His hands slid under her arms as he pulled her from her saddle.

"It's breathtaking, Rom," Aster said in a hushed voice when her feet touched the ground.

"So are you, Aster." There was no space between their lips when he spoke, yet his need to move even closer was overwhelming. The slightest increase in the pressure of her hands on his shoulders was enough to encourage him. Afraid of frightening his captive bird, his kiss was fleeting. But the captive became the captor as Aster pressed her lips to his, silently demanding more.

She welcomed the feel of his tongue against her own, rushing to reach the plateau she had discovered only once before. Rom's hands moved down her back until his palms covered her bottom. Aster felt his body's response and the old fear instantly crept over her.

He felt the change in her and forced himself to withdraw. Gently untangling her hands from behind his neck, he brought her fingertips to his lips for a tender kiss.

The confusion of desire and distress in her eyes made him wonder if he would ever be able to go through with this. The fever in his brain reminded him he had no choice. He had to have her, had to mate with her at least once, but she had to want him too. And he would
have
to be patient for that to happen.

"There's lots more," Rom said. "Take off your shoes and socks. We'll be walking through the water part of the way."

Aster was glad to have something to do with her hands as she took off her shoes. She left her footwear beside his. For once it was easier for her simply to follow orders.

Rom removed the bundle from Blizzard's saddle and the unicorns disappeared into the forest. With one arm circling Aster's waist, he led her around a large outcropping along the edge of the water. As they came to the other side, Aster heard the sound of rushing water. At the far end of the lagoon, a wall of water gushed off the rocks from high above. Dozens of rainbows danced in the spray from the falling water, captured by streaks of sunlight peeking between the dense overhead foliage.

Aster's concern over her failure was forgotten at once. She walked ahead of Rom toward the waterfall until she thought she could go no farther without getting soaked. The roar of the water was too loud to hear, so Rom directed her with his hands to go behind the falls. There she discovered an uphill ledge wide enough to walk on that led into a cave hidden by the sheet of cascading water.

The farther into the cave, the darker it grew and the more muffled the sound of the water. A few seconds later Aster could see light at the other end of the path they were on. There was no waterfall on this side but the ledge was much larger and about twenty feet above the lagoon.

"It's so magical. I don't think I'd have left home if I had these kinds of hiding places. May I help with anything?"

"Absolutely not, except maybe stand back a little so I can perform a little more magic."

Leaning back against the cave wall, Aster watched him unfold a small package into a sizable mat. It instantly puffed up with air to make a comfortable cushion. The rest of his bag of tricks turned out to be their picnic lunch. One sniff told her Sheila Feinstein had prepared the feast set before them.

"Good heavens, don't tell me you're hooked on deli food after one sandwich."

"No, but I had no idea what else you might like, so Sheila fixed this up and said some of it should be familiar to me."

After clearing away their repast, Rom stretched out on his back. "You know, I actually forgot how relaxing this place can be. I hadn't thought about it in years... until I imagined seeing you here."

"Thank you, Rom, for bringing me and, well, for everything, I guess. Today has been absolutely wonderful. I'm just sorry about, you know, before."

He sat up and took hold of her hands. "Aster, I wouldn't have kissed you earlier except I was sure you wanted it as much as I did."

"I did! That's why I'm sorry. I want you to kiss me and I shouldn't. Not when I—"

Rom touched a finger to her lips. He couldn't bear to let her end her sentence. "I know about your bad experience. I don't care about anything that happened to you before, except how it upsets you. You've got to put it behind you."

She felt she owed him an explanation, and if he was going to reject her, she would rather get it over with while her heart was still intact. She found the courage to talk to him about her past, finally revealing her belief that she would never be a good sexual partner for any man.

Rom was astounded that she could be so naive. "Frigid? I've only kissed you twice but neither time was your response anything I would describe as cold. I don't know how it was with anyone else—"

"Oh, I never had any response like that before, believe me. I just couldn't stand it if I disappointed you too." Aster turned her back to him to hide her embarrassment.

"I think that should be my problem, not yours." He had to keep from laughing out loud at the idea that she could ever disappoint him. Gently, he put his arms around her, pulling her back against his chest and resting his cheek on her head. "I know that wasn't easy for you to tell me but you're wrong." He held her like that for a minute and felt her relax. "Will you let me kiss you again?"

A hundred butterflies took flight in her stomach. She swallowed hard and nodded.

"Come lie down next to me." When she stiffly got into position, he almost gave up. She looked like a child awaiting a deserved punishment. He brushed strands of silver hair away from her face. "Now I want you to close your eyes and relax. If I do anything you don't like, just tell me to stop. Okay?"

Aster nodded. She would risk anything for another of his delicious kisses and this time she would not need to feel guilty about enjoying it. He had been given fair warning. She gave herself up to the tingling sensations caused by his fingers roaming up and down her arms and over her face and throat. When his lips touched hers, she quickly wrapped her arms around him and tried to deepen the kiss but Rom pulled away.

"Not yet. Don't try so hard. In fact, I want you to try to do nothing. Understood?"

She managed a small nod and concentrated on relaxing again. This time when he kissed her mouth, he lingered. His tongue traced her lips and she opened them.

"Do you like that?"

"Mm-hmm."

He left a trail of tiny, hot kisses along her throat and whispered in her ear. "And that? Does that feel nice?"

"Mmmm."

He returned his mouth to hers and nibbled on her lips. His palm brushed over her breast before resting on her arm. Even through her clothing, he felt the response he wanted. When her arms tightened around him now, Rom shifted her to her side and inconspicuously inserted his knee between hers. Tenderly, he cupped her full breast, rubbing his thumb back and forth over the tip.

Without thinking about what her body was doing, she straddled his leg. As his hand continued to lightly arouse her flesh, stroking her bare arm and thigh and her concealed breasts and hip, she noticed the ache building again.

Slowly, he pressed his knee upward and his hand grasped her bottom, encouraging her to move against his muscled thigh.

Aster moaned softly and pressed forward on her own. The more she moved, the greater the need to rub against him became. The hand on her bottom urged her to increase the pace of her grinding. Her kisses became more frantic and her hand searched his face and hair, moving down his back and holding him as he held her. A moment later a tremendous shiver ran through her body and a small whimper escaped her throat.

Romulus rolled with her onto her back. His erection pushed against her sensitive core and absorbed her aftershocks.

Aster's eyes flew open to meet his. Propped on his elbows above her, he gave her a lecherous grin. "Cold, huh? Lady, I never even got you out of your clothes."

"My heavens, Rom. I didn't even realize what I was doing. I didn't think, I mean, I never... and you didn't..."

"I know. It's all right. We have the whole afternoon," he promised and lowered his mouth to hers again.

Soon enough he felt her arch against him. Now awakened to her own passionate nature, she would find it easier to seek her satisfaction. He moved away from her and raised her to her feet in front of him. Bestowing sweet kisses, he peeled away her clothes then stepped back to remove his own. He noticed she avoided looking at him and he decided to put off a lesson on male anatomy for a later time.

Aster stood frozen. She wanted to grab her clothes and run away. Her tormented mind told her that was what she should do. But her trembling body wanted to stay where it was, being touched and coming alive in ways she had not thought possible. She was at his mercy and enjoying every minute of it.

"Aster, look at me," Rom said softly in the deep rumble that vibrated through her being. "You're beautiful, every inch of you. Don't be afraid. It can only get better."

Aster was certain he could see the blush covering her entire body but she didn't turn her gaze away from his. She felt hypnotized by those hazel-brown orbs.

He kept her eyes linked to his while his fingers explored her flesh. Parting the dark curls between her thighs, he stroked the wet bud out of its hiding place. He inserted one, then two fingers inside her, while his thumb continued to stroke her. He heard her gasp as her legs strained from the effort to remain standing. In one smooth movement, he knelt and replaced his thumb with his tongue and teeth.

Aster's hands clutched at his shoulders, not sure if she wanted to push him away or to hold him closer. Her fingers meshed in his hair. There was no more thinking to be done. Her body overruled her reasoning and gave in to the intense ripples of pleasure overtaking her.

Her musky taste and feminine scent drove him on, until he tasted her passion flowing freely and she collapsed into the cradle of his arms. He held her close, listening to her ragged breathing. When he felt her heartbeat return to normal, he urged her to lie down on the mat beside him again.

Aster was amazed that a man could give her such satisfaction and not take his. Her only sexual experiences with men had been the other way around.

Reaching up, she caught his hair with her fingers and pulled his head close to hers. She plundered his mouth, forcing her tongue between his teeth.

This time it was his turn to break away. He had been using every ounce of willpower to keep from pushing himself inside her before she was ready. But another kiss like that would bring on the finale before he had planned.

She saw the look of surprise on his face. "I just wanted to say thank you. I really didn't know."

"You still don't, my shalla, but you will soon." He ran his hand down her stomach and over her mound then nudged her thighs apart. On his knees, he positioned himself between her legs and captured a breast in each hand. Bending forward, he burrowed his face in the deep valley he made. His teeth captured one pink nipple, then the other, teasing it with his lips and tongue until the peaks had hardened again.