The Omaja Stone Page 30
He chuckled. “I grew up on a farm as well, and a poor one at that. I’m more comfortable working in the fields or being a soldier than strutting around in fine clothing and issuing orders to servants.”
“You’ll be the best emperor anyone has ever had. A humble one, who understands the plight of his people from experience.”
“Would you like to go to your room now, rest a little before dinner?”
“Yes…only if you come with me.”
“My pleasure.”
He escorted her out of his room and led her down a short passageway to a door at the end.
“It’s quiet down here,” she observed as he opened it.
“Yes. I don’t want anyone disturbing your beauty sleep.”
I hope you disturb my beauty sleep, she thought as they stepped inside. He closed the door as she looked around. The room was pretty, modestly furnished and comfortable. She had a large four-poster bed covered with a cream-colored satin bedspread. A thick, fluffy, off-white rug lay on the floor beside the bed, and there was a vase of pink roses on the night table. Her small traveling chest stood to one side of the room, near an armoire.
“Is that all you brought?” he asked.
“Yes, well…I don’t have many belongings since the fire. Just a few clothes and toiletries that Solange gave me.”
“You have a wedding dress in there, I hope?”
“Yes. Solange had her seamstress make me one. It turned out very beautiful.”
“I look forward to seeing it on you.” He caressed her arm, then glanced across the room at the washstand. “It looks like the servants left you some water to wash up. Shall I leave you alone for a while?”
Jiandra really, really didn’t want to part with him, but she did need to wash off the grime from the long days of traveling, and wanted to change into a fresh gown before dinner.
He saw her hesitation and grinned. “Or I can stay and watch, if you like.”
Tempting. “No, I guess…I’ll see you at 7:30? Otherwise, we may never make it to dinner.”
He laughed, then bent his head to brush his lips against hers. “I’ll see you then.”
Once he was gone, Jiandra unpacked and put away her things, stripped off her traveling clothes, and washed up. She combed, re-braided, and pinned her hair up, then donned a fresh gown. She was slipping into her shoes when a knock sounded at the door.
Yajna appeared, dressed in a loose white shirt that was open at the neck and slim black leather breeches and boots. He kissed her cheek, then draped her arm through his to escort her downstairs.
#
That night Jiandra was once again alone in her room, unbraiding her hair and slipping into her nightgown, thinking about her future with Yajna. She could hardly wait to marry him and sleep in his room at night instead of alone in hers. She blew out the candle and slipped into bed.
Her door swung open and a shadowy figure entered. “Jiandra, it’s me,” he whispered.
“Yajna?” She sat up, smiling.
He closed the door and came near the bed, his face and bare chest very faintly illuminated by the soft glow of the Omaja.
“Princess,” she said.
“Quvira,” he responded, chuckling. “Good idea, making sure. Can I join you?”
“Yes, please.” She scooted over to make room for him.
“I needed to hold you tonight.” He slipped under the covers beside her. “I know you’re exhausted from your trip, but I can’t sleep knowing that you’re here.”
Jiandra snuggled against him as he pulled her into his arms. “I’m glad you came. I don’t want to be away from you ever again.”
“I’m going to resist making love to you until tomorrow night,” he murmured, stroking her hair. “But I don’t want to be away from you tonight either.”
Jiandra nodded, then yawned against his smooth, bare chest. “You smell so good.”
“Thakur left quite a few cases of expensive scented soaps behind. I didn’t sell them all.”
“Mm.”
“Sleep, sweet girl,” he whispered. “We have a big day tomorrow.”
“Don’t leave.”
“Never.”
She drifted off into a blissful sleep.
#
Darpan’s ancient temple of Tejeshwar was decked out with miniature white chrysanthemums and spikes of blue delphinium. It was full of guests—friends of the twins, mostly fellow soldiers and their families, plus the two army generals and Pavan. Solange and Elio sat up front with Rafe and Zafira on Jiandra’s side of the aisle.
Jiandra wore the lavish off-white lace wedding dress Solange’s seamstress had made, with cap sleeves and a deep V neckline to show off her neck and collarbones, and a full, fluffy skirt. She wore Yajna’s diamond-and-sapphire necklace, bracelet, and earrings, and wrapped the chain of the Omaja stone around her other wrist to make a bracelet. Maidservants had swept her reddish chestnut-brown hair into a complicated, braided twist and studded it with diamond pins. Her sister Gracie wore a beautiful periwinkle silk gown, another gift from Solange for the wedding. She held Jiandra’s train and followed her into the main sanctuary.
Down at the altar, Yajna waited for her dressed in regal wedding attire, a tailored white jacket and gray pants. Yavi stood behind him dressed all in gray, and the two of them watched as she made her way toward them with Gracie following along behind.
Yajna reached for her hand and they turned to face the Tejeshwaran priest. Yajna translated the vows for her to repeat in Villeleian as the ceremony progressed. When the priest pronounced them officially married and blessed them, her husband swept her into his arms for a long, passionate kiss.
They adjourned to the palace for a royal feast with drinking and dancing, and late in the night, Yajna pulled her with him away from the celebration, into a darkened hallway.
“I’m in favor of retiring to our quarters, my bride. What do you think?”
“I think yes.” She giggled, a little drunk from the wine that had been served liberally throughout the evening.
“Come then.” He wrapped an arm around her waist and escorted her up the stairs and down the hallway past the library to his room. His valet stood outside the door. Yajna spoke to him in Nandalan, and the valet nodded and disappeared down the hallway toward her room.
“They are preparing a hot bath for you,” Yajna explained as he led her into his room. He went to the armoire and retrieved a small pouch. “These are the herbs for the bath. You should soak in them for at least ten minutes.” He handed her the pouch and then pulled her close for a kiss, stroking her lips apart with his tongue and kissing her deeply.
Jiandra sighed blissfully when he ended the kiss. “Are these the ‘special’ herbs for virgins, that you explained to me back in Villeleia?”
He grinned. “Indeed. I want you to be completely comfortable tonight.” He escorted her to her room, where maidservants were busy filling a tub.
“I’ll come get you in a moment. Soak and relax with the herbs until I knock.”
“Okay.”
Once he was gone and the bath was ready, the servants left her alone. She stripped off her wedding attire and jewelry and laid everything neatly on her bed, then sprinkled the herbal mixture into the tub. She sank into the fragrant steamy water with a soft sigh of delight, rested her head on the edge, and closed her eyes.
After a while there was a tapping at her door, and she sat up.
“It’s me.”
“Okay, just a moment.” She rose out of the water, grabbed a towel, quickly dried herself, and donned a silky purple robe that had been left out for her.
She opened the door.
He was shirtless and smiling down at her, silver eyes twinkling. “How was the bath?”
As usual her breath caught at seeing him without his shirt, but the wine helped soothe it more quickly. “Very relaxing.”
“Good.” He bent down, wrapped her arm around his neck, and scooped her up, cradle style. “You’re ready for me, then.”
Jiandra giggled as he strode quickly down the hallway to his room with her in tow. He kicked open his door, then shut it behind him with his foot.
The room was lit with a couple of candles. He set her down gently on her feet, then stroked her arms, slowly. He touched her cheek, his gaze fixated on her lips. He rubbed the pad of his thumb over the plumpness of her bottom lip, bending his head closer to brush his lips over hers. His tongue stroked over her mouth, and Jiandra sighed into the kiss.
He spread open the collar of her robe and traced her collarbones with his fingers. His hands encircled her waist, caressed her hips, and moved around to cup her buttocks, pulling her up against his erection.
She wound her arms around his neck, pressing herself to him. Then she slid her hands over his well-developed shoulders, his thick chest muscles, and lower over his flat abdominals, his slim hips. You’re beautiful too, she wanted to say, but didn’t know how he’d like that term to be applied to himself. Manly-beautiful.
She daringly traced his skin with her fingers under the edge of the low waistband of his pants. He groaned softly, placed his hands over hers and helped her push his pants down, freeing his swollen cock to her view. She grasped it for a moment, but then he moved her hands aside to reach for the sash on her robe, untying it and pushing it off her shoulders.
“Every inch of you is lovely.” He bent down to taste her lips again, caressing her arms. “Your little breasts…” he stroked them, “and the curve of your waist, your hips…” His hands slid over them as well. “And my second favorite part of you, is this.” He reached around to cup her bare buttocks in his warm hands, pulling her up against him. “Your backside is shaped like an upside-down heart. It drives me crazy.”
She chuckled against his lips. “Really?”
“The first time I saw you in those leather breeches, when I came out of my jail cell, I thought I was going to—I had some problems controlling myself.”
“Controlling yourself?”
“Do I have to be more explicit?”
She grinned mischievously. “Yes!”
He walked her backward to the bed, then lifted her onto it and joined her, bracing himself up on one elbow. He took her hand and pulled it down to his shaft, wrapping her fingers around it. “I got so hard I thought I was going to come.”
She swallowed, smiling and stroking him gently. “Wait, you said my backside is your second-favorite part. What’s your first?”
He bent over her to kiss her lips. “I’ll show you in a minute.” He caressed her hair and her shoulders while stroking her lips apart with his tongue. Then he moved lower to kiss her breasts, caressing and fondling them, pressing his erection against her leg. He kissed and caressed every inch of her torso, down across her belly, and then bent and parted her knees to trail kisses all the way down to her sensitive core.
“This is my first.” He licked and kissed her there, caressing her hips and buttocks in his hands until she was moaning and squirming beneath him. Suddenly he sat up, grabbed a bottle from his night table, and removed the cork with his teeth. He poured some of the thick, fragrant liquid over his fingers, then set the bottle aside. He wrapped one arm around her shoulders to pull her close for a kiss while reaching down to stroke her sensitive flesh with the oiled fingers of his other hand. The oil was warm and caused a very pleasant tingle, and she moaned her approval into his mouth as he continued to caress her. He slipped an oiled finger into her vagina, stroking her in and out, going a little deeper each time. He continued to kiss her hungrily while touching her, and eventually pushed two fingers inside her. It was much tighter but felt really good.
“Mm.” She squirmed against him, arching her hips.
He stroked her a little deeper, gauging her reactions. She felt him prodding all along the inside walls of her vagina, stretching her with his fingers while his thumb teased her sensitive spot. His mouth was still devouring hers in the meanwhile, and soon she was close to the brink of orgasm.
He stopped to pour some of the oil on his hand and stroke it onto himself. The sight of his thickly muscled torso and arms with his hand on his huge, jutting shaft was so scandalously sexy that Jiandra couldn’t breathe as she stared at him. He saw her expression and grinned, his exotic silver eyes full of desire and mischief as he continued stroking himself.
He moved to place one knee between her legs. “I’ll go very slow. I want you to feel no pain, only pleasure.”
“Okay,” she managed as he bent her knees and moved into position between them.
He grasped himself and pressed the tip to her slick opening, then pushed inside.
“Oh!” It was tight, but not really painful.
He watched her face, moving in and out just a tiny bit, then pushed in a little farther, very slowly. The oil on him was causing that same warm, tingling sensation on the inside of her, so that even though she felt herself stretching very wide, she wanted more of that sensation, more of him. She pushed her hips up against him a bit.
He backed up. “Don’t force it, Lahdli. Let me do it.”
She relaxed. He braced himself with his arms and moved very gently and slowly, in and out, in and out, carefully pushing in a little farther each time. He adjusted the position of her hips with one hand, tilting them so that he could grind against her pelvis, pushed in a little farther, and rubbed sensuously against her. He groaned, eyes shut tight. She strained up against him even though he’d told her not to. She didn’t care—she needed more of him, more of this contact. She clung to his neck and pushed up. This time he didn’t stop her. He wrapped her legs around his waist and thrust deep.
“Mm-ohh!” she cried out.
“All right?” he panted hoarsely.
“Yes, keep going.”
He did, his muscular body moving sinuously over hers as he thrust and thrust, grinding against her with each steady movement of his hips.
“Ohh, oh!” Her climax was close. He felt so good. She wanted more and more of him, clinging to him, pulling at his arms and shoulders.
He groaned near her ear, held her buttocks, and ground his pelvis against her, driving her insane.
Then it hit, her orgasm racking her entire body as he stiffened against her and continued to thrust until he climaxed too, and they both went completely over the edge. He wrapped his arms around her and waited until her vagina was no longer contracting on him before withdrawing very carefully, and then reached for a towel to clean up.
He lay beside her and pulled her into his arms. “I love you,” he breathed near her ear, caressing her hair. “I love you so much, Jiandra.”
“I love you too.”
“I hope that was not too painful.”
“Only maybe a tiny bit, but overall it felt so wonderful I didn’t care.”
He chuckled. “Magic Nandala Virgin Oil.”
“We should sell it in Villeleia. Nandala would be rich in no time,” she grinned.
“Maybe you’re on to something.”
She traced his sexy lips with her fingertip. “Remember now, I only married you on the condition that you pleasure me this well every night.”
“This well or better,” he corrected. He grabbed her hand and moved it down to his returning erection. “Ready to go again?”
“Oh my,” she said, caressing him.
“If you’re too sore, I’ll use only my hands and mouth this time.”
“Whatever you say. I’m all yours.”
“All mine. Mine,” he growled, nuzzling her neck, then raised his head to meet her gaze, grinning.
She stared at his beautiful silvery eyes and stroked his cheek.
“Yes. All yours, Yajna. Yours at last.”
Dear reader!
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My novel Caribbean Jewel is available for purchase here right now!
Caribbean Jewel
When Jolie’s cloaked midnight rescuer ends up being the sexiest Spanish pirate this end of the Caribbean, she figures a long ocean voyage to freedom on his brigantine might not be the worst thing that could have happened to a proper Englishwoman. Especially one who’s just been caught committing a crime and needs an escape route, fast.
Captain Gabriel Marcano’s not searching for love on Crab Island—he’s looking for Spain’s beloved national treasure, the Corazón de Isabela. So when he shows up back at his brigantine with a half-drowned English beauty instead of the famous gold nugget, he has some explaining to do. His only intention is the girl’s safe passage to Europe, he informs his crew, and her presence will have no effect whatsoever on his command of the ship.
All lies, Marcano admits to himself, especially when the fair-skinned wench stares at him with those innocent whisky-colored eyes…truth is, living in such close quarters with his little damsel in distress causes him far more trouble than he’d planned. And things only go from bad to worse when her violent past catches up with them, threatening to tear them apart forever.
***EXCERPT – Sleep in the Bunk Tonight***
She cried for a moment longer, then raised her head. “Captain, I feel so…so horrible… I need to…” She choked on another sob.
“Jolie, calm yourself. It is almost morning. We both need some sleep. If it will ease your mind, I will forget you ever called me a bastard. It does not matter. Finish my bandage,” he urged softly.
“It does matter. I owe you an apology!”
“All right, your apology is accepted.”
“I haven’t made it yet.”