A steamy excerpt from the second book in my series Silvan Sisters. This is after an evening of festivities with a visiting wolf pack where Serena fights for her right to claim Charlie as a mate. The scene you are reading is the first time either of the characters have had sex.
Getting ready for bed, neither is looking to sleep, the wolves' fever having had an effect on them both. He leaves for a spell, and she finds herself alone thinking about the night. It had been fun, and she enjoyed most of it. The fight for him alone was worth going. She even liked the dancer and thought her wonderful, in her own way. Curious to see what she might do if left untested, she let it play out, finding his response to her enjoyable to watch. When it became clear she was expected to pick up where the dancer left off, Serena was willing. If a show was required, she would do it to let them know Charlie was hers. She was surprised when he refused and brought her home.
True, she had not wanted her first experience to be in front of an audience. It was that thought that had her upset more than anything else. She told herself it would be fine, but the tears refused to stay back, and Charlie had seen them. Serena found his actions in her honor worthy of who she thought him to be. The look on the mother's face was quite a sight as they left.
Sitting on the bed, she notices the blankets remain on the floor. She picks them up, hoping he plans to return and not go back. Her eyes close as she lifts the fabric to her and breathes deeply. The mix of their scents come together among the cloth in a soft embrace. Remembering how close she came to losing this, her face becomes tight and stained.
When he returns to the room, she is still crying. "Serena," he says softly as he comes up behind her. She throws her arms around him, smelling the oils from the soapstone* she made him. Hugging her back, he suggests, "You would feel better after a bath." She holds tighter in her desire to be with him. When he gently pulls her away, her eyes plead to stay. "I'm not going anywhere." Charlie kisses her hand tenderly. She relents, letting her gaze stay upon him as long as possible.
She enters the washroom to find the bath already drawn and a floral scent about the room. Looking at the water, she smiles, as rose hips float off to the sides. Beside the bath, on the towel, is a note.
I would not dare wash you. So this will have to do. Stay as long as you like. I'll be there to hold you when you come out.
I love you.
She looks down where the note had been and laughs. The towel lying underneath has been folded into a star. Getting in the water, she finds the temperature perfect, and the roses are a nice touch. Surrounded by soft petals, she lies back to enjoy while their deep reds bring visions of him. She lifts her leg looking up. The fox's vanity is appreciated as she smiles down on herself. Taking the sponge, she delicately washes away the sorrow with a mediative touch and dips to wet her hair. Once cleaned, she lies back to take in the remaining warmth of the water.
She stirs, sure she fell asleep. She dries and puts on clean clothes. Looking at the bath one last time, she leaves. When Serena returns, the beds are back together where they always should have been. He lies with an arm stretched out for her. Smiling, she removes her pants and climbs in beside him. He brings her close to smell the rose on her skin, fighting a losing battle against his desire.
Her body next to his makes him want her. Knowing she is his, he longs to prove it. Not to the pack, but by the gods' will alone. Getting up, he sits on the bed. No longer can he ignore his need. With everything he has, he heads for the door. "Where are you taking off to," she asks.
His response stings. "I know. I said I would hold you."
She gets up. "I thought you were no longer upset with me."
"I'm not." His voice is breathless as he tries hard not to turn. "I do not dare to stay. Holding you close..." His words trail off. Serena is aware of the tension they bring while she tries to ignore her fear. If holding her creates the need to leave, this response means his feelings are changed. The thought destroys something deep within her.
"Holding me," her voice breaks. "Charlie, what do you mean?"
"It makes me want you more than ever," he replies through gritted teeth.
"Want me?" The understanding hits. Serena's heart soars, and she goes to him. Her touch makes him weak as she turns him to face her. "That is no reason to leave."
His body trembles. "You do not understand. I can't hold back," he pleas.
Her fingers follow the curve of his chest, receiving a strained groan. Holding every inch with her gaze, Serena plays his words in her mind. The set of his jaw, the build of his arms, his chest, stomach, and hips entice her. Her words are sweet as her hand softly rests on his skin. "I no longer ask you to."
She feels herself being lifted, and her legs brought to his waist. Throwing her arms around him, their kiss is passionate with a longing for more. He takes her to the bed and lays her down. She groans to have his touch find the curves of her body. Their lips lock, and his hand rests on her breast. The fire makes him pull back.
Scooting up underneath him, she lifts her shirt over her head before returning his hand against her. An act which excites him, and the pain of his desire rises against her. She thought it would be strange, but his hardness between them could not be more welcome. With her hand guiding his hip, she brings it to her.
Desires building, passion rising, he allows her this pleasure, enjoying her heat. The softness he finds himself surrounded with makes him ache, and hearing her moan is all it takes to see his attention lost to it. This maid is his, a reality Charlie still finds hard to believe with history having been so cruel. He watches her in awe as her body molds to his. Her face rejuvenated by a lack of troubled emotion as she enjoys their intimacy. The sense of calm emanating from her is addictive. It is hard for him to imagine how he could produce such an effect.
Charlie pushes to her to have her gasp, her mouth opening deliciously. He leans down to kiss her, and Serena eagerly accepts, causing a surge to go through him, straight to her heat. The feel of the cloth between them, damp with her wanting, has him wish to rid of it. Reluctantly, he moves to take it from her.
Placing a hand against her thigh, Charlie reaches for his desire, slowly coming above the line of cloth at her waist. The emotion reaching nervousness, he bites his lip when moving underneath, amazed to have her raise towards him. Her breath becomes heavy as she opens herself, and he rounds the silky patch of hair. Finding her sex, the feel of her wet on his fingers lets him know of her willingness. With his lips locking to hers, he goes deeper. Slick with her dew, he gently slides through her inner folds, feeling her for first the time.
"Oh, Charlie," she gasps.
"You okay?" He asks.
"Yes," she moans. "That feels really good."
"And this?" He pushes into her soft embrace, and she gives way. Her breath shakes, losing all words. His hand on her sex works his first claim well, exploring places never known. She brings him to her chest, pushing her bare breast against his skin. A passionate groan escapes him as her hips rock to meet his hand. Grabbing hers, Charlie places it between his thighs.
Feeling him hard and wanting, Serena stills with her eyes wide. It takes a grain for her to take hold and rub over the flesh. Her gaze falls to it, and the sight proves to impress. He stands ribbed to his navel, the head thick, the shaft long. This, too, has been a source of apprehension, but also wonder.
During their nights together, she has had the opportunity to learn his body. Most of them spent avoiding that fact and ignoring this completely. Showing a lack of interest kept Charlie from trying, and she had been more than happy with those results in the beginning.
It is not as though Serena has never seen the male sex, but never in a state of her own passion. Then, it was a visit where she accompanied her mother. As a healer, she sought to help all those in need, but the examination found, no matter the age of existence, a pretty maid yielded ghastly results.
However, the past days she has spent with him have built a longing to know him. The night at the lake was the first she admitted her desire. Then, he could have had his pleasure, and she would have accepted him. Her longing remained once the effect was gone, but fear of losing him kept her away. She thought to guard her body, and therefore her heart, against it. Her greatest dread was of his Wolf's rejection of her elfin nature. It would have been devastating to give herself to him, only to find they could never be together. Afraid of nonacceptance, she wished to avoid fate and fought the influence.
It was Jack's words which led her back to the waters. He called it a tool, but tools are only useful when used. It was a statement she sent rolling around her head for nearly a week. Everything she had done with him on that bank played through her dreams again and again, and Serena had had enough of it. Dousing herself stripped away any misgivings her maiden mind had created and saw her fears removed. Her acceptance created the desired effect when going to him. But when he began to resist, her fears returned. Fear, which became her biggest regret.
As he lay there, dying, giving herself to him was the one thing she wished she had allowed. She could not do what her kind has always done. In her life, there will only ever be Charlie. Thoughts of finding another to place her heart with made her blood run cold. It was this fact which saw her lay beside him. Without him, she was never to experience that joy, nor did she want to.
His return from death's eternal hunt has given them the chance to make it right. Still, even with her new height, her body remains small. Something that large is bound to be difficult to take. She casts the thought away with her wanting and knowledge that Charlie would never hurt her, and attempts to watch the way he moves under her touch, trying to determine the best way to accomplish this.
