"Oh, I think they're both pretty thrilled about the whole thing, actually. I've never known E to be so grounded and dare I say…happy? He'll be a great dad and I'm sure Brynne will be an amazing mum. They're going to do it all up splendidly."
"I know. You're right of course, they're so happy and I shouldn't compare myself to Brynne. What I meant was that I'm not ready to be a parent yet. I'm still in school and have career goals to manage. Especially now that I've just landed the best conservation job of the century. For real. I think I'd need to be sedated if I turned up pregnant."
"Why, because you're so young? By the way, how old are you, Miss Hargreave? How badly am I robbing the cradle here? I need to know only so I can add to my ever-expanding list of sins."
She laughed some more and thrust her hips up to make her point that she was still in charge no matter how hard I tried to master her. Again, I was captivated. "I'm twenty-four years young and I just don't feel ready for that kind of surprise in my life right now." She pushed on me until I got the hint she wanted me to roll onto my back. Which I did, helping her to settle into position against my side where I could hold onto her more comfortably, even if I had to pull my cock out of her to do it.
"So, how great is my sin if I've got a whole decade on you?" Ten years wasn't too large of an age gap. Was it?
"You're only thirty-four?" She opened her mouth in mock surprise. "That's very young for such an important lord in parliament. So much younger than I assumed you were." Shaking her head at me as if she were still in disbelief, she smirked and said, "I put you at around forty-five when I first met you—"
I cut off her ridiculous teasing with some much needed tickling until she shrieked a bit more loudly than I think she meant to. I didn't care how much she teased me though, if she was laughing and happy, then bring it on. "Forty-five! Really, kitten, that's a bit harsh isn't it? Forty-fucking-five my arse."
"Sorry, I couldn't resist, my dear, ancient, Lord Rothvale, you left yourself wide open on that one. I'll probably take advantage of every opening you give me in the future, so best prepare yourself." She looked so beautiful laughing up at me, her long hair spread out wildly on the pillow, the moonlight filtering over her body just enough that I could see her in all her naked splendor. All my mind could process was how good it felt to hear her talking about the future…of us.
"As long as you promise to be here with me, I promise to give you lots and lots of opportunities in future, kitten. Your youthful presence will make me appear younger than I am, and I'll give it my best effort to meet your every need and keep you happy, even in my advanced years."
She giggled and placed a kiss upon my cheek. "I think you'll manage just fine if your recent performance is any indication of the stamina your aged body can do."
"That good, huh?" I grinned and raised my eyebrows at her.
"Have you heard me complaining about your sexual prowess, Lord Rothvale?"
"Not yet, but the night is still young. I could work on it some more just to make sure I've satisfied you thoroughly if you wish." She put a finger to her lips like she was thinking about it, still having far too much fun at my expense for me to let her off the hook entirely. When the opportunity presented, I'd enjoy delivering a well-placed spanking with my hand to her very pretty arse. "Shall I go to my room and get the condoms, so we're prepared this time?"
She shook her head and grinned saucily. "You don't have to use them, I told you already."
"Well, I may be ancient by your standards, but I'm still capable of impregnating you at my great age of thirty-four years. Everything's in working order, Miss Hargreave, I assure you."
"Okay, I'm sensing some insecurity now. Did I do that? I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings with my teasing," she said, making a sad face. "My dear, sexy, Lord Rothvale, does it help for you to know that I think you are extremely hot for thirty-four or otherwise?" She put her hand to my cheek. "Or that I don't think thirty-four is even old? Or that you're the handsomest lord I've ever known—well, you're the only lord I've ever known personally—or seen on television or in a news article? Or that I love how you wear your hair long?" She kissed the edge of my mouth and spoke very close to my lips. "You are nothing like those old lords in parliament. You can shoot an arrow like a Greek god and you fuck like one too…and you are unbelievably beautiful to me while doing both of those things. You're a man of many talents but even so, you still won't impregnate me if you don't use a condom."
I rolled her underneath me again and kissed her soundly. Keeping her securely captive until I was good and ready to let her go was something I needed after listening to her pretty speech and many compliments. Praise could be tricky, and sometimes it was hard to hear from other people, but hearing it from Gabrielle? Very, very special indeed.
You can shoot an arrow like a Greek god and you fuck like one too…and you are unbelievably beautiful while doing both of those things.
Now that, was something I'd remember for the rest of my days whether my life was long or short. I would see Gabrielle naked in bed beside me telling me she found me unbelievably beautiful when shooting an arrow or when I was fucking her.
There was no better compliment to be had in all the world.
So, when we got down to it a second time, it wasn't the wild, raging fuck of our previous session, but a gentle exploration of our bodies merging together in a way that bordered on a religious experience. At least for me it felt that way. And when I relished the incomparable pleasure of coming inside her without the barrier of a condom between us, I had to think about the consequences of my decision if her birth-control should fail. We'd be right where Ethan and Brynne are now.
It didn't stop me from doing it.
I knew I'd do it again if given an opportunity.
Gabrielle pregnant with my child was a rather wonderful vision to imagine though. Not that I'd try to make it happen under current circumstances. We'd only known each other for a short time, and there was so much still for us to learn about one another before we even got close to taking such a monumental step together. Lots of demons to be put to bed for the both of us I imagined, but if it should happen by accident, I wouldn't be capable of regretting such an experience with her. It would be easier to cut off my own arm than to regret ever finding her, or making a baby together, accidental, or otherwise.
Afterward, when she was snugged into my side and we settled in for what I thought would be to sleep, I sensed she needed to ask me something or wanted to talk more about the events of the day. I kissed the top of her head and inhaled the sweet citrus spice of her hair blended with the scents of our skin and the sex all swirled together. Closing my eyes, I concentrated hard on everything tangible I could frame into my senses so I could tuck this moment away in my memories for safekeeping. Anything at all to help me remember exactly when I knew for certain what was really going on here.
I was falling in love with Gabrielle.
Chapter 12
GABRIELLE
I almost hated to break the moment between us after the second round of orgasms, but I still had questions. All joking aside about him being ten years older than me, my kinky lord could fuck like a twenty-year-old. On steroids. I didn't like to imagine how he'd honed his skills, but I couldn't help but appreciate the end-result.