Adrienne (16 page)

“I mean, I
can
see my parents, right?” she amended. “They must be worried about me. I want them to know I’m okay.” She looked over her shoulder at Malik, but he stared intently at a spot on her back instead of meeting her gaze. She couldn’t tell his feelings on her choice of topics. There was no heat, which meant he wasn’t angry—a good sign.

“That is all?”

Adrienne steeled herself for Malik’s anger and said her next statement. “I want a real wedding.”

Malik stopped his movements. “You had a real wedding.”

“A real Earth wedding, with my family,” she elaborated.

“What is involved in a ‘real’ Earth wedding?” He decided to ditch the sponge again to massage Adrienne’s back. She needed to become accustomed to his touch. He would be more careful and this little bit of contact eased some of his annoyance. He hadn’t thought seducing Adrienne to his bed would be this tedious.

“The wedding can be held on Earth. It would be easier,” she started. She tried to turn again with the same results as before. Talking to the far wall annoyed her. “There is the minister—someone similar to Guild Master Upala. You can’t bring him here, so it would be easier to hold the ceremony there.”

Malik slid his hands to her lower back and the curve of her derriere. Her shiver made a small smile curve his lips. “What is so different about the two ceremonies?”

Adrienne tried to squirm away but that only made Malik’s hands go lower. “Um… The vows. Yes! The vows. Usually, a couple says vows. Sometimes they are prepared ahead of time by the couple, or they just repeat a generic set the minister feeds them,” she rushed out. Her plan to distract Malik hadn’t worked. She had hoped an in-depth conversation would distract him long enough for her to either work up the nerve to go through with the night or find a way to put him off.

“What is said in these vows?” he asked. He let his hands dip lower to massage the top of her left leg.

She found it hard to concentrate. “Most couples promise to love and protect one another and to always be faithful and helpful… You know, that type of thing. And…and…” She looked to the ceiling for help. Finding none there, she closed her eyes. That only helped her to concentrate on Malik’s hands and how right they felt. Her eyes snapped open. “Rings,” she gasped out.

“What about them?” he asked with disinterest. His current task had his complete attention. He moved his fingers to caress up and down the backs of her thighs, moving near their juncture, then retreating.

“The couple exchanges rings.”

“Why?”

Malik returned his hands to the middle of Adrienne’s back. He may be distracting her but he didn’t want to lose his own concentration, either.

“The rings are a tradition and a symbol of the couple’s vow to one another.”

“Like the silver cord.”

“No, you can’t see the silver cord,” she countered.

Malik held out his left hand. Adrienne mimicked his movement involuntarily. The cord, invisible until a second ago, shined between their outstretched wrists. “You were saying, my lady?” He returned his hands to Adrienne’s sides just below her breasts and kneaded. Try as he might, he couldn’t keep himself from exploring those parts of her body that would make her moan with pleasure. He could feel her lust. It almost matched his.

His hands on her flesh facilitated this reaction. He knew her nervousness would abate and she would respond to him once he touched her. This conversation had merit after all. Adrienne had given him the means to her seduction.

Adrienne continued, “Well, the rings are constantly visible. And there are other little traditions for the reception—the throwing of the garter, the throwing of the bouquet, the first slice of the wedding cake, the first dance—”

“I am trying to get to that now.”

“That’s not what I meant,” Adrienne insisted in an agitated voice.

Malik felt Adrienne’s lust waning in the face of her frustration at his words. He asked quickly, “Why do you throw things at the reception?”

“The bride usually carries a bouquet of flowers. Those flowers are tossed over her shoulder at the reception to waiting bridesmaids. The groom tosses the garter the bride was wearing to his groomsmen,” she explained. “Usually the woman who catches the bouquet and the man who catches the garter are the next to be wed.”

“And if these two people are already wed?”

“Only single people are allowed to…” Her statement ended on a gasp. Malik’s hands slipped up to her breasts. The sensation of his thumbs teasing her nipples was wonderful.

“If I return to Earth to have this
real
wedding, will that make you happy?” he asked in a quiet voice. Adrienne didn’t answer, so he assumed she hadn’t heard him. He smiled knowingly and repeated his question a little louder.

Adrienne turned and faced Malik, successfully dislodging his hands from her breasts. She was about to speak but the words died in her throat. The raw passion in Malik’s eyes scared her. She hadn’t felt lust from him throughout their conversation and still couldn’t. Was he blocking her somehow?

She tried to step back but Malik grabbed her arms and held her in place. In a small voice, she said, “I want to see my parents.”

“I will take you to see your parents. You can have your
Earth
wedding.”

Adrienne’s smile was immediate and blinding in its intensity. She added, “
Before
I have the first child?”

“Before the first child, then.”

Adrienne looked at him closely, her eyes narrowed. “You aren’t just saying that to shut me up, are you?”

He laughed at her statement. “I give you my word. At the first feasible opportunity, before our first child, I shall take you back to Earth to see your parents and have your wedding.” His laughter died as he felt Adrienne’s power again. This time a contract spell surrounded him.

Malik cursed silently. He had not lied when he gave his word to take Adrienne back to Earth. Contract spells were ironclad, however. If he failed in one stipulation, the spell would punish him. Each contract had a punishment patterned to the person held to its terms, and the punishment promised to be painful. Malik didn’t know if the first feasible opportunity would be before the first child. Now he had to make sure it was.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, my Adrienne,” he soothed. He wouldn’t dwell on it.

For now, he had a bride to bed. He rose from his seat and helped Adrienne out of the tub. Fine shivers cascaded down her spine, either from chill or anticipation. He hoped it was the latter.

It surprised Malik that Adrienne didn’t protest going back into the main room. She walked calmly beside him and even sat on the bed without protest or argument. He didn’t question her cooperation, just hoped it would last.

The time had come to claim his bride. He divested himself of his pants and heard Adrienne gasp.

Adrienne knew Malik was aroused but she hadn’t expected the proof to be so daunting. Malik’s height wasn’t the only thing big about him. She jumped off the bed and practically ran to the other side, putting it between them once again.

Malik looked to the heavens and asked Karasi for help. He had never handled a virgin before. Every woman who ever came to his bed was a seasoned lover, and excited at the thought of being with a king. But he wanted his wife, not one of those women.

Adrienne stammered out, “I changed my mind. Can we do this some other time? I really don’t feel comfortable—”

“You will not feel comfortable at any other time. This has to happen now, Adrienne. Talking will not soothe your fear of me.”

She looked around for something to hide behind or in.

“Adrienne, listen to me,” Malik ordered gently. He waited for her gaze to return to him. “You know my powers, or you know most of them. You have felt them before. If I wished to force your cooperation, I could, and easily. You are still as yet untrained and could not negate anything I do to you. I do not want that.”

He searched her worried eyes for a sign she understood what he said. “I would never do such as that because I want never to cause you harm, my lady. I will never use my magicks against you, nor raise a violent hand to you. You have my solemn vow.” He held out his hand and finished softly, “You are soul of my soul. Come to me, Adrienne.”

He didn’t lie. She felt exactly what he could make her do—or not do—that first day when they met. Malik’s eyes showed she had nothing to fear, but some part of her wasn’t convinced. Despite that, she forced her feet to move her in Malik’s direction, but faltered a few feet from him. She couldn’t bring herself to take the last few steps.

Malik took them for her. His arms encircled her body in much the same way they had at the ceremony. And like the ceremony, his kiss made her forget everything except the feel of his lips on hers and his tongue in her mouth.

He broke the spell when he slipped his hand between their pressed bodies and caressed her breasts. Adrienne jerked back with a strangled cry and crossed her arms over her chest. Tears came to her eyes. “I can’t,” she cried, then ran to the other side of the bed again.

Malik swore he was getting more exercise chasing his wife around the room than he had gotten in his last near-twenty-five years. He followed her before she could get too far and wrapped his arms around her from behind, pinning her arms down. Near her ear, he whispered, “I know you are scared. I can feel it of you.”

He loosened his hold and allowed her feet to touch the ground. In a soothing tone he continued, “Our first meeting was not ideal. I have given you very little time to adjust to this life.” He passed his finger lightly over her lips when she would have spoken, and felt her shuddering breath.

“There is nothing but time now.” He turned her so she faced him fully. “I will not rush you. I will do nothing you do not want me to do. I mean this for all things, not only tonight, my Adrienne.” He caressed her cheek. “I only wish to learn what will make you happy and give you pleasure. Will you allow me this?”

She nodded because she couldn’t push the words past her lips.

Malik lowered his head and placed his lips against hers, though he learned from his past mistake and kept his hands on her waist. He had to go slow with Adrienne. So, he kissed her deeply and transmitted all of his lust into that single contact.

Adrienne responded to his kiss and placed her hands flat against his chest. Slowly, she hugged his neck, an action meant to keep her standing, as her knees had gone weak.

Just as she would have pulled away from him, Malik released her mouth and trailed kisses down her neck. He held the back of her head with one hand and cupped her thighs with the other.

She gasped when Malik lifted her into his arms.

He soothed, “I merely wish to make you more comfortable. There is no need for you to stand, my Adrienne.” He placed her on the bed. As much as he wanted to drink in the sight of her naked body, Malik knew this would only make Adrienne more nervous. Instead he looked only at her eyes and smiled when she looked away from him.

He kissed her neck, then her collarbone. The next kiss landed still lower. His destination was her breasts. He laid a soft kiss on her left nipple before taking the taut bud into his mouth.

Adrienne wanted to squirm away but she stayed put. Malik’s actions weren’t uncomfortable. If anything, his mouth felt good. Her hand twitched by her side.

She wanted to run her hands through his hair but hesitated to touch him just yet. He might mistake her touch as an invitation to go further. As much as she enjoyed his kisses, she didn’t want this to go too far, wedding night or not.

She stiffened when Malik caressed her thigh, moving his hand from her knee to her hip and back again. He made no other motions than that.

Malik felt Adrienne’s fear ease and smiled. He could easily overwhelm her senses with his own lust, but continued shielding himself from her. Making her passion match his own was his goal.

He kissed her stomach and her thigh, then changed directions and pressed his lips against her navel. The next kiss landed right above the patch of black curls between Adrienne’s legs.

When he would have let his kisses go lower, Adrienne pulled away from him. She asked in a breathy voice, “What are you doing?”

“Kissing you.” He laid another kiss on her hip.

“You’re not… Don’t…” She stopped with a frustrated sound, then tried again. “I don’t want you kissing me there.” She crossed her knee over her leg and turned slightly on her side, emphasizing her point.

Malik found her embarrassment amusing. He smiled at her and asked, “Why not, my Adrienne?”

“It’s gross.”

“Another man has kissed you there before?”

“No.”

“Then how do you know it will feel ‘gross’?” He smoothed his hand up and down her thigh.

“I don’t know how it will feel. It’s just gross.”

“Ah,” was his only response. He kissed her hip and, with a gentle touch, pushed her side so she lay back. She complied easily enough but her legs remained firmly closed.

That wouldn’t deter him as much as she seemed to think it would. And he knew she protested out of a misplaced sense of modesty—the anticipation tightening his stomach wasn’t his alone.

He slipped his hand between her clamped legs and rubbed one finger over her most sensitive spot. His gaze stayed on Adrienne’s face as he teased her.

Like before, Adrienne had to look away from the intensity of Malik’s eyes. She closed hers, and all of her attention focused on the hand between her legs. Her body gave an involuntary shudder. She’d never felt a sensation like this before.

She wanted more of his touch, and opened her legs, giving him more freedom of movement.

Malik stroked Adrienne’s leg with his unoccupied hand, then lifted her knee, bringing it off the bed and moving her leg so she was open to him. Adrienne moved her other leg in a similar fashion without his prompting.

Keeping his eyes on her face, Malik lowered himself slowly. With a sly smile, he spread Adrienne’s nether lips wide, then drew his tongue over her sensitive flesh in a single stroke.

Adrienne gave a sharp, gasping moan. She slapped her hands over her mouth in embarrassment.