The Fire Lord's Lover - 1 by Kathryne Kennedy Page B

madam," he said. "Surely that is why you have so inconvenienced me this day." The courtiers overheard. Several of the women gasped and more than a few men snickered. His soldiers just looked at him with dismay.
       Cassandra's brilliant eyes dulled but she allowed him to lead her to his tent.
       "Even though you may feel I am only your duty," she whispered, "must you say it in front of everyone?"
       The sadness in her voice managed to bother him and his words came out harsher than he intended. "I have no feelings, Lady Cassandra. I thought I had made that obvious. You must cease in this ridiculous tendency to be hurt by that fact."
       She ducked inside the tent, and he tied the flap closed, shutting out the glow of the fire. He could just make out the outline of her delicate nose, the gleam of her large eyes.
       "But you do take pleasure with me," she said, keeping her voice low, knowing those outside could hear everything within their shelter. "What have I done for you to treat me so coldly?"
       "I told you not to come. You chose to ignore my wishes. You must accept the consequences of your actions."
       "Oh." Her voice shivered, sounding very small.
       Devil a bit, he felt no sympathy for her. That horse could have killed her. "Come here."
       Her skirts rustled as she moved closer to him. At least she had dressed more sensibly than Aggie, wearing petticoats instead of hoops. Dominic grabbed her shoulders and roughly kissed her. Damn, he had wanted to do that all day.
       She melted against him and despite everything, his kiss turned gentle. He brought his mouth to her ear, speaking in nothing but a breath of sound. "It's just fortunate for you that I happen to honor my obligations."
       "What…?"
       "Your dance, my lady. It brought me satisfaction and yet you had none of your own."
       Her breath caught. He laid her down and pulled up her skirts before she had a chance to reply. Her legs shone whitely against the dark rug blanketing the floor of the tent. Dominic ran his hands up and down that smooth skin, pulling down her stockings in the process, until she quit trembling. When had he ever been so concerned about the satisfaction of his bed partner? And yet he could not shake the longing to see her face glowing with pleasure.
       Dominic lowered his head and kissed a knee.
       She jumped. He kissed the other knee, then began to trail kisses up her thighs, first one, and then the other, until he reached the dark triangle of hair between them.
       "You… this… it's shocking."
       He smiled and continued his explorations, finding the little nub nestled in her hair, flicking it with his tongue until she started to pant. Dominic raised himself up and picked up her hand, looking at her wedding ring. The petals of the rose had bloomed wide open, and he raised a silver brow at her. "Have I shocked you enough?"
       "I don't… I don't think so."
       "Excellent." He kissed the tip of her nose and slid down her body and resumed his ministrations. When he suckled her she cried out, and he distantly became aware that the conversation outside had ceased. Well, he was known for his prowess as a lover so he saw no harm in continuing.
       She squirmed and cried out again. When her body loosened into spasms, the sounds of pleasure his wife made stirred his rod into painful hardness. But he had resolved not to take her. To deny himself, thereby proving he had nothing to fear from her.
       When Lady Cassandra finally stilled, Dominic pulled down her skirts and gathered her into his arms. She lay quietly for a few moments and then said, "What about your duty, sir?"
       He smiled for the second time that night and quickly wiped the expression from his face. He would have to be more careful, lest he betray himself that way when others were looking. "I don't feel the need."
       "But…" Her hand brushed the hardness within his breeches.
       "Hush, go to sleep.