Unexpected Mates (Sons of Heaven) (30 page)

Rietin appeared in the doorway, a book in his hand...wearing a
cu-wrap
, his chest and legs deliciously bare. He stood there, mouth opened wide, seemingly stunned by her arrival.

I’m not backing down now.
Jo went up on tiptoe, tunneled her hands in his hair, and brought her lips to his.

It took him only a heartbeat to take her up on the offer. His mouth meshed with hers, and a sound that was probably the book hitting a wall followed.

Rietin guided her into his room and shut the door. He lifted her into his arms and pulled away from the kiss, his breathing rasping.

“Are you sure?”

That kiss had erased all her doubts. Jo nodded and leaned toward his lips again.

The second kiss was even more involved. Rietin moved them across the living room and shouldered the drape across the front of the bedroom away.

He lowered her to the mattress and started working her robe off, his breathing rasping. Jo covered his hand with hers, and he snapped a look at her.

“We’ve got all night,” she reminded him. And if he dared disappear on her again, he was going to pay for it.

Rietin slowed. He unknotted the robe and slipped it from her shoulders, revealing the short Sakk-style nightgown she wore beneath. What she guessed was a Sakk curse escaped his lips.

He glanced up at her and managed a strained smile. “All night?”

His cock tented the front of his
cu-wrap
, proving he was as naked beneath as she was. Words stuck in her throat, and she nodded.

Rietin trailed his hand up beneath the nightgown, stroking at her heated slit. “Commando,” he breathed. “I like it.”

She liked it, too.

“Remove the nightgown.”

Rietin didn’t wait for her to comply. He worked two fingers in and out of her, driving Jo toward a shattering release, while she unclasped the nightgown, unwrapped the front, and dragged it off her arms.

She didn’t doubt it was his intent to drive her over, but she wanted more.

“I want you inside me,” she demanded.

Rietin’s shock melted into a hungry look. “Far be it from me to deny a lady what she wants.”

Her protest that he certainly wanted it too came to an abrupt halt at the sight of him unfastening his
cu-wrap
and dropping it away. Her mouth watered at the sight.

It’s been way too long since I’ve touched him.

Jo wrapped her hand around his cock and started stroking. She leaned toward him and worked her mouth down his length, moaning at his taste firing her arousal. She massaged his balls, and they filled with semen, testifying to how long he’d been without a woman’s touch.

“I thought...” He gasped. “...you said you wanted me inside you.”

She released him. “I didn’t say
where
inside me,” Jo teased in return.

His expression challenged her. “I know where I want to be,” he informed her.

“Are you saying you don’t want me to suck you?”

“I don’t need to come that quickly. We have all night.”

In the next heartbeat, Rietin was lying across the mattress beside her. He lifted Jo astride his body and buried the length of his cock inside her.

There was nothing frantic about the sex.

Not like our first night together.

He moved slowly. Not so gently that she’d call it careful, but unrushed. Jo had been prepared for a wild ride. She hadn’t been prepared for this.

Every stroke sent her higher. Every touch reminded her why she’d dreamed of him for more than a month after the Christmas party.

Climax crashed over her, and she pushed down onto Rietin’s length with a series of little cries. He followed her over with a groan, his heat making her body tremble in delight.

He looked up at her, his eyes pleading. “Don’t leave yet.”

Jo shook her head, swallowing a laugh. “I believe you promised me the night.”

****

I’ll promise you more than that.
But she wasn’t offering more.
Take what she offers, one step at a time. Just keep praying there will be another step offered.

Rietin stroked a thumb up the dame’s down, smiling at her demure little shiver. “Do I have permission to teach you?”

She nodded and gasped out a “Yes.”

He pushed himself to sitting under her, used one arm to support her back, and arched her over it, giving himself room to work without removing his cock from its snug home. The move drew new moans from Jo’s lips, and her eyes slid shut.

Rietin brought his head down, blowing puffs of air over the nearly-invisible hair feathers starting just between and below her breasts. Jo’s hands fisted in the blanket, and her inner muscles clenched tight on him.

He exhaled a long, slow breath along the length of the line he could reach. The reaction was more pronounced that time.

Every moan urged him to more. Within minutes, Jo was moving against him, driving down on his cock while he stroked at the wispy threads of feather.

Jo levered herself forward, leaving the support of his arm. Her hands closed in his hair, and she parted her lips against his, inviting him into another heated kiss. It was nothing short of a carnal promise he intended to take her up on.

Her shouts of climax escaped into his mouth, and Rietin added more touches along the dame’s down, driving her further. When her lips left his, she collapsed to his chest with a gasp.

Rietin smiled, then sobered. She was bearing and clearly tired.

“Do you need to sleep, Jo?” he offered.

“You’re not getting off that easily,” she informed him. “I’ve waited a long time for this.

“How long?” He had to know. How long had she wanted him?

She pressed a kiss to his chest. “Since the morning after the Christmas party.”

His cock jerked in excitement, and she swiveled her hips against him.

Rietin nibbled at her earlobe, then laid kisses from there to her mouth. “Then I suggest I show you all the other things a man can do with dame’s down.”

Her answer whispered against his ear. “What, for instance?” She bit lightly.

Rietin envisioned pretty little love bites on her nipples. He’d heard it made them sensitive and the woman receptive, as a result.

“I suggest we turn you to your hands and knees and experiment.”

Her next bite was slightly harder. “I imagine there are more ways than that to use it?”

He nipped at her lips, parting them with his own to mute her groan in a deep kiss. He pulled away minutely. “Yes. There are.”

“Enough to last more than a night?” she hinted.

“Possibly.”

“Bring a
cu-wrap
to my rooms with you tomorrow. After we practice wrapping a
cazta
...” Her short fingernails raked at his back. “I have plans for you.”

“Wouldn’t miss it.” Rietin brought his mouth down on hers, ravenous for more of her.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Rietin opened his eyes, smiling at the sight of Jo in his bed. He considered trailing his fingers through the light dusting of dame’s down, then dismissed it. She was bearing and needed her sleep. They’d gotten precious little of it the night before.

Not that I’m complaining about it.
If it meant Jo still saw him as a potential mate, Rietin would go light on sleep every night of his life she allowed him to.

Sounds of rushing feet in the corridor brought his head up off the pillow. Rietin waited a moment and then relaxed. Whatever the problem, his only duty was to the woman in bed with him.

The door to his room opened, and he came to sitting, pulling his sword from the sheath at the bedside. He had just enough time to make sure Jo was properly covered with blankets before the curtain parted and Sakkra marched through.

“Rietin, Jo is—” His eyes widened, and his jaw dropped.

The lady in question snapped awake, scrambling to Rietin’s back, the blankets held to her chest. Her breathing rasped in and out, and one hand closed around his ribs.

Sakkra’s gaze went to the sword, and Rietin took his time, sheathing it with a prayer to Sakkan.

“You could have knocked,” Rietin informed the prince.

Sakkra seemed to recover his wits. “Jo didn’t show up for breakfast with Amy and wasn’t answering comms. When she wasn’t in her quarters, we assumed the worst.”

Jo groaned. “I slept in.” That sounded like an apology.

Rietin stroked her hand. “Everything is at the leisure of a bearing woman. If you need sleep, you sleep.”

Sakkra sighed. “Unfortunately, we are dealing with
two
bearing women.”

He isn’t saying Amy’s comfort is more important than Jo’s, is he?
Rietin prepared to protest such an impertinent assumption, prince or no prince.

Sakkra beat him in the race to words. “I will inform Amy that you will meet her for lunch instead, Jo. You need sleep.”

She whispered her thanks, and her grip on Rietin’s ribs eased.

The prince looked toward the drape. “When you are awake, have breakfast delivered here. I will leave a guard on the door.” He didn’t add that he was doing so, because the other males would now view Jo as a sexual woman but still unbound.

Rietin tipped his head. “Thank you, Sakkra. We appreciate your concern.”

Sakkra made his way out and shut the door behind him. Sounds of him giving orders filtered back toward them.

Jo didn’t emerge until the sounds of men moving in the corridor faded away. She tucked the blankets under her arms, her face flushed.

Rietin offered a smile. It widened at her gaze moving down his body to the blankets pooled at his waist. His cock hardened, and her breathing hitched.

“Should we order breakfast?” he offered. Duty demanded he see to her well-being, no matter how much he wanted follow through on his arousal.

She licked her lips, and Rietin’s mouth went dry.

Please let her want something more. Please.

“I don’t think I want to be out of bed yet,” she informed him.

He waited for her to expound upon what she was insinuating. Did she want sleep or did she want him?

As if in answer, Jo pushed the blankets away, drew his hand to the line of dame’s down, and dragged him into a kiss.

****

“So... Rietin.” Amy didn’t have to make it a question.

Jo swallowed hard and looked around for Sakkra. He was nowhere in sight. He’d disappeared halfway through the meal and hadn’t reappeared.

“I told him we needed to have a female talk. You wouldn’t believe how quickly most Sakk men will scram when they hear that.”

“You know I’ve been spending time with Rietin.” She didn’t doubt that Sakkra knew where they were almost every moment of every day. How her trip to Rietin’s room had escaped his notice was beyond her.

“Learning to wrap a
cazta
. Yes, I know.”

“And talking about his dreams for the future.”

Amy raised an eyebrow. “You and the baby?”

“Not exactly. Did you know Rietin wanted to be a teacher? Before he became a tracker, I mean.”

Her eyes widened a bit. “He did? I never would have guessed that.”

“Is it possible for the master teacher to train Rietin, too? I know he would love to follow through on his dream.”

“And you two would be able to work together.”

Jo took her time, drinking down several sips of her berry freeze. She set the glass on the table. “Yes. I guess we would.”

“You don’t expect me to believe you’ve never thought of that.” Amy smiled a knowing little smile.

“Well, of course I thought of it. He suggested it, and I... Well, I wouldn’t argue that holds appeal for me. Why else would I be asking you to let him train?”

“Of course he can train. He’s an adult male. If he wants to give up his position as my personal guard, I can’t very well stop him. Nor would I want to.”

She breathed a sigh of relief. Though she doubted Rietin would ask for it, it meant a lot to him, she knew.

“What do you intend, Jo? Do you intend to give Rietin the
bio chains
? By resuming a sexual relationship, you know that’s what he hopes you intend.”

She bit at her lower lip. “I think...I think I will. Not today or anything. Maybe... It would be nice to do it on Sakk. Just because my mother isn’t interested doesn’t mean his father should lose out on any ceremony that goes along with mating.”

Her cousin’s eyes narrowed. “From what I’ve heard, you may not like Rietin’s father.”

“He won’t approve of me, will he?”

“If you were carrying a boy, he would...care more. A female can’t carry on his family name. The old man... According to Sakkra, he’s bitter and mean.”

Jo’s heart ached at the idea of Rietin being raised by such a man. “I guess I have to meet him, though.”

Amy nodded. “Meet him. If he’s too overbearing...”

“What?”

“There will be quarters set up for the two of you at the palace. Guards will accompany you to Rietin’s ancestral home. I doubt you’ll need them, but you’ll have them.”

Jo took her hand and squeezed. “Thanks, Amy.”

Her cousin smiled widely. “Will you be having dinner with us?”

She knew ‘us’ meant Amy, Sakkra, and Amy’s parents. Thoughts of Rietin changed her answer from acceptance to refusal. “No, thanks. I think I have plans tonight.”

Amy laughed. “Have fun.”

“Oh, I will.”

****

Rietin launched for the door at the unmistakable sounds of Jo returning from lunch with three of Amy’s guard in tow. He composed himself for a moment before he opened the door and waved to her.

Her cheeks went an alluring shade of pink, and she waved in return. He started to step out into the corridor, and her words stopped him short.

“Give me ten minutes?” she requested.

Rietin tipped his head with a smile and retreated. As long as Jo was inviting him to her quarters—for sex or to spend time talking or learning to wrap the
cazta
—Rietin would gladly bend to nearly any request she made of him.