Rescue Breathing - Ch 2 - Kiss Me Twice
Rating: R
Pairing: Cain/DG
Disclaimer: Don’t own ‘em
Notes: This is dedicated to moony_blues and erinm_4600 and a late night round of IM’s on the subject. If I have the nerve, I’ll follow this little three-part series up with its obvious companion piece.
Note 2: In CPR, Rescue Breathing is also known as The Kiss Of Life. The chapter titles come from the old song It's Been A Long Long Time.
Previous Chapters: Ch 1 - Kiss Me Once
Rescue Breathing
by
Lattelady
Ch 2 - Kiss Me Twice
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Their second kiss was the result of a dare.
..............................................................................
It was Jeb Cain and Jenna Buckwith’s engagement party and Wyatt snuck DG out of Finaqua in clothes borrowed from the bride-to-be. The Queen and Prince knew about it, but as a precaution, no one else did.
Four months had passed since the eclipse and the Outer Zone had been amazingly quiet since the restoration of the House of Gale, but no one was taking any chances with the safety of the younger princess.
“If the man who is assigned my detail tonight realizes I’m missing, he’s going to have a panic attack,” DG whispered as they cut down the back trail leading to the road and horses Jeb had left for them.
“Hobbs is on tonight and if he doesn’t realize you’re missing, he’ll be out of a job tomorrow!” Cain glared at her as he gave her a leg up into the saddle.
“Hopefully mother and father will keep him from calling a full scale alert,” she groaned. She and Az had been forced to participate in too many ‘missing princess drills’, to find it funny. “I’m beginning to see why the men are so afraid of you.”
“I always knew you were smart, though there are times you take a perverse pleasure in hiding it.” Part of his job was to be sure the Royal family had only the best men looking out for them. But it was personal with Deeg and he knew it. For a long time he’d tried to tell himself it was simply part of the promise he’d made to the Mystic Man, but recently he’d grown tired of denying the truth.
“You need to get over yourself.” She grinned at him and set off at a gallop, calling over her shoulder, “I’ll race ya.” And she was off, laughing as she leaned low over the neck of her horse. The lovely gelding she rode wasn’t a motorcycle by a long shot, but on his back she could feel the wind in her hair and taste freedom.
Half an hour later they came to the site of Jeb’s old resistance camp but this time a party was in full swing and there was no tin suit for decoration.
“It looks like they started without us.” Cain smirked as he helped her down.
“It sure does.” She heard the music and watched as couples swung around a make shift dance floor in the clearing. She itched to try the steps that were a far cry from the formal sedate movements she’d learned for State occasions. “You gonna dance with me, Cain?” She gave him an impish look to hide how badly she wanted to be held in his arms.
“Since you’re not leaving my side all evening, Princess, it kinda looks that way.” He saw her face fall and realized she’d managed to forget for a short time that her life wasn’t her own anymore. “Deeg--”
“It’s all right, I know the rules.” She cut him off before he could launch into a lecture on her safety. “Always stay on your left side, be wary of strangers and keep my gun-sorry--weapon handy at all times.” She patted the neat little pistol he’d insisted she carry unless she was surrounded by a three-man detail or on Royal property.
“That wasn’t what I was going to say.” He ran his fingers through her bangs to get her full attention. Over the last four months his need to touch her had grown. It had startled him a bit when he’d realized he used any excuse for physical contact, no matter how brief.
“It wasn’t?” Her blue gaze met his.
“No…well it was part of it.” He shrugged and had the grace to look slightly embarrassed. “I was gonna say I want to dance with you.”
“Outstanding!” she laughed.
............................................................................
An hour later, the only man who’d been allowed to dance with the Princess, other than Wyatt, was his son.
“They’ve even stopped asking her,” Jenna observed as she and Jeb took a breather and watched the fun others were having at their party. “Your father simply glares at them and it drives them away.”
“It’s probably just as well.” He took a drink of ale from his stein. “I think he’d punch anyone else who put his hands on her. He’s not the most trusting guy when it comes to the Princess’s protection.”
“It’s kind of sweet.” She grinned at the picture the dancing couple made. “He’s such a big tough guy, but he holds her so gently. Then other times, when she doesn’t know he’s watching, he looks at her as if he’d like to ravish her on the spot.”
Jeb looked from his fiancé’s glowing face to his father and DG and back again. “Jenna…they’re not…they…he’s my father…” he had trouble finishing the sentence as a number of things fell into place. “How did I miss it?” he gasped.
“As you say, he’s your father. No one ever wants to know that their parent has those kinds of feelings.” She laughed and kissed his cheek. “Besides, I’m not sure he realizes it yet, though she knows exactly how she feels about him.” Jenna nodded. “Just look at her. I used to look at you that way, when all you could see was hate and revenge.”
“You’re wrong about that, Babe.” He wrapped his arms around her and held her close. She needed to hear what he had to say, as badly as he needed to say it. “I knew…There were times when knowing that you were there was all that kept me going. But everytime I tried to make space to let you in…I’d think…I’d picture what could happen. I was terrified that if I missed something, you would die too.”
“Oh, Jeb, I love you,” she murmured as her lips found his.
“I love you too and have for a lot longer than you realize.” He rested his forehead against hers content and happy.
Moments later they both looked up, wanting what they’d found for the couple who had drawn their attention earlier. “Would it be all right with you if we gave them a little nudge in the right direction?” Jenna’s eyes sparkled.
“Yeah,” he whispered. “Dad’s been alone too long.” He nodded as an idea formed. “You talk to him and I’ll talk to her…They’re both so stubborn they’ll need something along the lines of a good hard shove. Or…possibly a…dare....” He grinned mischievously.
Moments later Jeb was dancing with DG and Jenna with Wyatt. It was hard for the older man to concentrate on what was being said to him because he couldn’t take his eyes off his Princess.
“I’ll let you get back to her in a minute,” Jenna laughed. “Jeb is taking good care of her.”
“I wasn’t…I’m sorry, what were you saying?” He liked the girl his son was going to marry and wanted them to be happy. It wouldn’t do to be inattentive to her.
“Look, there’s no polite way for me to say this, so I’m just gonna say it.” Life in the resistance had taught her the advantage of sneak attacks and she figured when dealing with an ex-tin man she needed all the advantages she could get. “You need to know that if you’re waiting for Deeg to make the first move, you’re gonna die a lonely old man.”
“Pardon me?” It was the last thing he’d expected to hear from his daughter-in-law to be.
“You Cain men can be really dense about certain things.” She rolled her eyes at him. “Wyatt, she knows all about Adora and from what you’ve said, DG was there when you found where we’d buried her. She saw you and how you reacted. The Princess has too much respect for your memories to let her feelings show.”
“I think you’re reading things into…”
“Wyatt Cain, I dare you to go over there, take her in your arms and kiss her like she needs to be kissed!” Jenna had stopped dancing and her eyes flashed fire as she issued her challenge. “What the hell do you have to lose?”
A few feet away, Jeb was having a similar conversation with his dance partner.
“If you’re waiting for Dad to make the first move, it isn’t going to happen.” The younger Cain felt DG stiffen in his arms.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. He loves your mother too much to ever…I mean…well….” Suddenly she couldn’t get that kiss on the balcony, four months ago out of her mind. “Oh God, Jeb, have I been that obvious?” she moaned. “Do you think he knows and I’ve embarrassed him? I mean I’d never--”
“Wait, hold your horses,” he cut in. She sure could go on when she got nervous. “I was simply going to say he’s older and you know how men are when they get older.” He gave her a wink and a shrug. It took all his self control not to laugh. He’d bet his dad could hold his own in any situation against men twenty annuals younger.
“That’s a terrible thing to say,” she squeaked. “He’s not old and he’s more than capable…” She didn’t dare say any more or it would give away the fact that she’d been inappropriately pressed against Wyatt’s body on at least one occasion.
Jeb couldn’t help it. He threw back his head and laughed. “I’m beginning to think from the look on your face that maybe you don’t need any advice from me after all.”
“I have no idea what you’re referring to.” She stood very straight and did her best imitation of Azkadellia when she was brushing aside Tutor’s pedantic attitudes.
“Well than how about this, Princess?” He deliberately used his dad’s nickname for her and watched her wince. “My mom’s been dead for him for a long time. He needs someone in his life who makes him happy and you make him happy, very happy.”
“But…”
“Let me finish.” He could be as bossy as his father when he chose to be. “He’s very aware of the difference in your ages and that you’re a princess. You’re going to have to make the first move. In fact, I dare you to,” Jeb challenged and then adeptly switched partners with is father.
“Hey there Princess, how are you doing?”
“Fine, just fine,” she murmured suddenly very aware that the music had turned soft and sultry.
“Did Jeb say something to upset you?” He watched her carefully, trying not to stare at her lips. He remembered what they’d felt like against his and the urge to taste them again was almost overpowering.
“Of course not.” She smiled and attempted to look him in the eyes, but her gaze never went further than his mouth. Her hand tightened on his shoulder and her breathing was ragged and raspy.
“Deeg…” He stopped dancing and hooked his finger under her chin needing to see her eyes. They were soft and luminous and told him everything he needed to know. “Come with me.” He griped her hand and pulled her along until they were back among the trees, hidden from prying eyes.
When they had the privacy they needed, they turned. Her fingers skimmed up his arms, as she stood on her toes. His thumb grazed her mouth and he was rewarded when she moaned. For a moment they stood looking, watching, waiting, stretching out the inevitable, until neither could take it any longer and then they came together.
“Wyatt,” she whispered as their lips met.
“Deeg,” her name vibrated from deep in his chest as he folded his arms around her. She’d been kissed before, Cain knew it by the way she’d responded to him four months earlier, but he also knew she’d never been kissed by someone who wanted her as much as he did; someone who cared about her as much as he did.
He’d planned to be gently, to teach her mouth how to move over his; while he slowly released the banked passion he’d touched lightly once before. But the second he had her locked in his embrace, with her slim body pressed against him, his brain fogged over and wild need took charge. He couldn’t get enough of her; couldn’t hold her close enough; or fight the raging desire that washed away his resolve.
In desperation he swept one hand through her hair as the other kept her locked against him. He angled his mouth so he could dive deeply into hers again and again learning her feel and texture. He already knew she tasted like sweet perfection. In a distant part of his mind he wondered how he’d held back this long, after getting the first tiny sip of her that night on the balcony.
She held on tight as she was hit by a storm of emotions. Her hands moved over his back and neck. She wanted to feel his skin but eventhough he’d discarded his coat for dancing, he was still too well covered. She followed his lead and learned the contours of his lips and the deep recesses of his mouth. When her tongue danced slowly with his, he growled and pulled her closer.
When he straightened to pull back and catch his breath she pushed herself up on her toes, dropped her head back, kissing her way up his neck and under his jaw.
“You’re like a drug, Princess, stronger than vapors and ten times as addictive,” he muttered as he kissed her eyes, and worked his way down her neck until he hit a particularly sensitive spot at the base of her collar bone.
“Oh my God, Tin Man,” she groaned. His touch jolted her senses and made her hang onto him to keep her balance as her world tilted.
“You like that?” He nibbled gently on the same area.
All she could do was shake her head in response until she’d sucked in enough air to speak “Wyatt,” his name was a harsh whisper as she licked her lips and took another frenzied breath.. “What are you doing to me?” she was finally able to form words that didn’t slip away at his touch.
He moved one arm up her back until her head was in the cook of his arm and his body pressed against hers. He took a moment and looked her in the eyes before his callused thumb slowly stroked her skin at the base of her collar bone. “I’m pleasuring you, Deeg, pleasuring you,” he whispered as he watched her eyes grow even darker and her body tremble before kissing her one last time.
“Oh,” she whimpered. If he could do this to her with them both fully dressed and a crowd of people on the other side of the line of trees, it made her head swim thinking about other possibilities. “Don’t let go of me.”
“Not plannin’ on it, Princess,” the way he said her nickname was like a caress and it made her cling all the tighter. “You’re safe. I’ve got you.” He held her with his face buried in her hair as he fought primitive needs.
“Yeah, you sure have.” Her body was limp against his. Her nerves were battered and she’d never felt safer or more content in her life. “You know, you’re safe with me too.” Anyone else hearing her words would think them strange. A small slim princess promising safety to a rough, tough, ex-tin man, but he knew exactly what she meant and it was almost his undoing.
It would have been easy to let things go too far. Neither of them had been drinking; Cain because he was guarding her and Deeg because she never drank when he couldn’t. But Wyatt knew she was too important to him for a quick romp in the woods and he had one small detail to take care of before he was completely free to move forward with his life.
He didn’t want to let her go. He would have been content to keep his cheek resting in her hair as he enjoyed the scent of yellow Papay fruit that always clung to the dark strands, but it was getting late. In the distance he could hear the party winding down. “We have to leave soon.”
“Tin Man,” she licked her lips and look up until she met his eyes. “This didn’t happen because of adrenaline, fear and exhaustion and I’m not gonna wait another four months for you to kiss me.”
“Oh, there was adrenaline involved,” he chuckled softly and kissed her forehead. “And a bit of fear.” His fingers tangled in her hair unsure how to ask if he’d been too rough, pushed her too fast. When he’d pulled her into the woods, his plan had been for one gentle kiss maybe two. But the explosion that happened when he finally had his mouth on hers had blown that idea to hell.
“You didn’t frighten me.” She’d been kissed before, though it was hard to compare those few insipid experiences with what happed when Wyatt Cain touched her. “You thrilled me!”
Cain growled and gasped for air as he strained her body closer to his.
“So, about those four months?” She grinned.
“Princess, with talk like that, we’ll be lucky to make it back to Finaqua before I kiss you silly again.” He caressed her cheek and kissed her gently, the way he’d planned when he’d pulled her away from the party.
................................................................................
It turned out his was wrong. His tin man resolve lasted until he was helping her down off her horse. He blamed it on the fact that he had to wrap his hands around her waist as she dismounted. He pulled her close for one last kiss of the night. He told himself it didn’t really count since it ended so quickly.
When he walked her to her quarters he didn’t miss the way her guard, Hobbs, glared at him.
“You gave us a real scare there, Sir.” He frowned openly at Cain. “I went to the Queen when I discovered Princess DG was missing, since you had the night off.”
“The Princess was restless and we went for a ride.” He stared the other man down, daring him to contradict him. “My son’s engagement party was tonight. I thought Her Highness might find it interesting.”
Deeg watched Cain coolly deal with their untimely absence but couldn’t take her eyes off his mouth as he spoke. She wanted to feel it against hers. She wanted to feel it touch places where no man had ever touched her. That last kiss had been far too brief.
“Princess,” her Tin Man addressed her formally but his eyes danced with hidden meaning. “I hope you enjoyed yourself this evening.”
“I found it…stimulating.” She was glad Wyatt’s broad shoulders blocked Hobbs from seeing her face, because she doubted she was hiding anything she was feeling.
“Then I’ll do what I can to schedule like activities in the future.” He bowed and took her hand but instead of kissing the top of it in formal leave-taking, he turned it over and gently nipped her palm.
“That’s most kind of you, Mr. Cain,” Deeg’s voice rose an octave as his teeth played along her sensitive skin. A quick glance at her guard assured her he hadn’t noticed anything out of the ordinary. Wyatt had been careful to hide his final assault on her senses so only they knew about it.
To Ch - 3 - And Kiss Me Once Again
Pairing: Cain/DG
Disclaimer: Don’t own ‘em
Notes: This is dedicated to moony_blues and erinm_4600 and a late night round of IM’s on the subject. If I have the nerve, I’ll follow this little three-part series up with its obvious companion piece.
Note 2: In CPR, Rescue Breathing is also known as The Kiss Of Life. The chapter titles come from the old song It's Been A Long Long Time.
Previous Chapters: Ch 1 - Kiss Me Once
Rescue Breathing
by
Lattelady
Ch 2 - Kiss Me Twice
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Their second kiss was the result of a dare.
..............................................................................
It was Jeb Cain and Jenna Buckwith’s engagement party and Wyatt snuck DG out of Finaqua in clothes borrowed from the bride-to-be. The Queen and Prince knew about it, but as a precaution, no one else did.
Four months had passed since the eclipse and the Outer Zone had been amazingly quiet since the restoration of the House of Gale, but no one was taking any chances with the safety of the younger princess.
“If the man who is assigned my detail tonight realizes I’m missing, he’s going to have a panic attack,” DG whispered as they cut down the back trail leading to the road and horses Jeb had left for them.
“Hobbs is on tonight and if he doesn’t realize you’re missing, he’ll be out of a job tomorrow!” Cain glared at her as he gave her a leg up into the saddle.
“Hopefully mother and father will keep him from calling a full scale alert,” she groaned. She and Az had been forced to participate in too many ‘missing princess drills’, to find it funny. “I’m beginning to see why the men are so afraid of you.”
“I always knew you were smart, though there are times you take a perverse pleasure in hiding it.” Part of his job was to be sure the Royal family had only the best men looking out for them. But it was personal with Deeg and he knew it. For a long time he’d tried to tell himself it was simply part of the promise he’d made to the Mystic Man, but recently he’d grown tired of denying the truth.
“You need to get over yourself.” She grinned at him and set off at a gallop, calling over her shoulder, “I’ll race ya.” And she was off, laughing as she leaned low over the neck of her horse. The lovely gelding she rode wasn’t a motorcycle by a long shot, but on his back she could feel the wind in her hair and taste freedom.
Half an hour later they came to the site of Jeb’s old resistance camp but this time a party was in full swing and there was no tin suit for decoration.
“It looks like they started without us.” Cain smirked as he helped her down.
“It sure does.” She heard the music and watched as couples swung around a make shift dance floor in the clearing. She itched to try the steps that were a far cry from the formal sedate movements she’d learned for State occasions. “You gonna dance with me, Cain?” She gave him an impish look to hide how badly she wanted to be held in his arms.
“Since you’re not leaving my side all evening, Princess, it kinda looks that way.” He saw her face fall and realized she’d managed to forget for a short time that her life wasn’t her own anymore. “Deeg--”
“It’s all right, I know the rules.” She cut him off before he could launch into a lecture on her safety. “Always stay on your left side, be wary of strangers and keep my gun-sorry--weapon handy at all times.” She patted the neat little pistol he’d insisted she carry unless she was surrounded by a three-man detail or on Royal property.
“That wasn’t what I was going to say.” He ran his fingers through her bangs to get her full attention. Over the last four months his need to touch her had grown. It had startled him a bit when he’d realized he used any excuse for physical contact, no matter how brief.
“It wasn’t?” Her blue gaze met his.
“No…well it was part of it.” He shrugged and had the grace to look slightly embarrassed. “I was gonna say I want to dance with you.”
“Outstanding!” she laughed.
............................................................................
An hour later, the only man who’d been allowed to dance with the Princess, other than Wyatt, was his son.
“They’ve even stopped asking her,” Jenna observed as she and Jeb took a breather and watched the fun others were having at their party. “Your father simply glares at them and it drives them away.”
“It’s probably just as well.” He took a drink of ale from his stein. “I think he’d punch anyone else who put his hands on her. He’s not the most trusting guy when it comes to the Princess’s protection.”
“It’s kind of sweet.” She grinned at the picture the dancing couple made. “He’s such a big tough guy, but he holds her so gently. Then other times, when she doesn’t know he’s watching, he looks at her as if he’d like to ravish her on the spot.”
Jeb looked from his fiancé’s glowing face to his father and DG and back again. “Jenna…they’re not…they…he’s my father…” he had trouble finishing the sentence as a number of things fell into place. “How did I miss it?” he gasped.
“As you say, he’s your father. No one ever wants to know that their parent has those kinds of feelings.” She laughed and kissed his cheek. “Besides, I’m not sure he realizes it yet, though she knows exactly how she feels about him.” Jenna nodded. “Just look at her. I used to look at you that way, when all you could see was hate and revenge.”
“You’re wrong about that, Babe.” He wrapped his arms around her and held her close. She needed to hear what he had to say, as badly as he needed to say it. “I knew…There were times when knowing that you were there was all that kept me going. But everytime I tried to make space to let you in…I’d think…I’d picture what could happen. I was terrified that if I missed something, you would die too.”
“Oh, Jeb, I love you,” she murmured as her lips found his.
“I love you too and have for a lot longer than you realize.” He rested his forehead against hers content and happy.
Moments later they both looked up, wanting what they’d found for the couple who had drawn their attention earlier. “Would it be all right with you if we gave them a little nudge in the right direction?” Jenna’s eyes sparkled.
“Yeah,” he whispered. “Dad’s been alone too long.” He nodded as an idea formed. “You talk to him and I’ll talk to her…They’re both so stubborn they’ll need something along the lines of a good hard shove. Or…possibly a…dare....” He grinned mischievously.
Moments later Jeb was dancing with DG and Jenna with Wyatt. It was hard for the older man to concentrate on what was being said to him because he couldn’t take his eyes off his Princess.
“I’ll let you get back to her in a minute,” Jenna laughed. “Jeb is taking good care of her.”
“I wasn’t…I’m sorry, what were you saying?” He liked the girl his son was going to marry and wanted them to be happy. It wouldn’t do to be inattentive to her.
“Look, there’s no polite way for me to say this, so I’m just gonna say it.” Life in the resistance had taught her the advantage of sneak attacks and she figured when dealing with an ex-tin man she needed all the advantages she could get. “You need to know that if you’re waiting for Deeg to make the first move, you’re gonna die a lonely old man.”
“Pardon me?” It was the last thing he’d expected to hear from his daughter-in-law to be.
“You Cain men can be really dense about certain things.” She rolled her eyes at him. “Wyatt, she knows all about Adora and from what you’ve said, DG was there when you found where we’d buried her. She saw you and how you reacted. The Princess has too much respect for your memories to let her feelings show.”
“I think you’re reading things into…”
“Wyatt Cain, I dare you to go over there, take her in your arms and kiss her like she needs to be kissed!” Jenna had stopped dancing and her eyes flashed fire as she issued her challenge. “What the hell do you have to lose?”
A few feet away, Jeb was having a similar conversation with his dance partner.
“If you’re waiting for Dad to make the first move, it isn’t going to happen.” The younger Cain felt DG stiffen in his arms.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. He loves your mother too much to ever…I mean…well….” Suddenly she couldn’t get that kiss on the balcony, four months ago out of her mind. “Oh God, Jeb, have I been that obvious?” she moaned. “Do you think he knows and I’ve embarrassed him? I mean I’d never--”
“Wait, hold your horses,” he cut in. She sure could go on when she got nervous. “I was simply going to say he’s older and you know how men are when they get older.” He gave her a wink and a shrug. It took all his self control not to laugh. He’d bet his dad could hold his own in any situation against men twenty annuals younger.
“That’s a terrible thing to say,” she squeaked. “He’s not old and he’s more than capable…” She didn’t dare say any more or it would give away the fact that she’d been inappropriately pressed against Wyatt’s body on at least one occasion.
Jeb couldn’t help it. He threw back his head and laughed. “I’m beginning to think from the look on your face that maybe you don’t need any advice from me after all.”
“I have no idea what you’re referring to.” She stood very straight and did her best imitation of Azkadellia when she was brushing aside Tutor’s pedantic attitudes.
“Well than how about this, Princess?” He deliberately used his dad’s nickname for her and watched her wince. “My mom’s been dead for him for a long time. He needs someone in his life who makes him happy and you make him happy, very happy.”
“But…”
“Let me finish.” He could be as bossy as his father when he chose to be. “He’s very aware of the difference in your ages and that you’re a princess. You’re going to have to make the first move. In fact, I dare you to,” Jeb challenged and then adeptly switched partners with is father.
“Hey there Princess, how are you doing?”
“Fine, just fine,” she murmured suddenly very aware that the music had turned soft and sultry.
“Did Jeb say something to upset you?” He watched her carefully, trying not to stare at her lips. He remembered what they’d felt like against his and the urge to taste them again was almost overpowering.
“Of course not.” She smiled and attempted to look him in the eyes, but her gaze never went further than his mouth. Her hand tightened on his shoulder and her breathing was ragged and raspy.
“Deeg…” He stopped dancing and hooked his finger under her chin needing to see her eyes. They were soft and luminous and told him everything he needed to know. “Come with me.” He griped her hand and pulled her along until they were back among the trees, hidden from prying eyes.
When they had the privacy they needed, they turned. Her fingers skimmed up his arms, as she stood on her toes. His thumb grazed her mouth and he was rewarded when she moaned. For a moment they stood looking, watching, waiting, stretching out the inevitable, until neither could take it any longer and then they came together.
“Wyatt,” she whispered as their lips met.
“Deeg,” her name vibrated from deep in his chest as he folded his arms around her. She’d been kissed before, Cain knew it by the way she’d responded to him four months earlier, but he also knew she’d never been kissed by someone who wanted her as much as he did; someone who cared about her as much as he did.
He’d planned to be gently, to teach her mouth how to move over his; while he slowly released the banked passion he’d touched lightly once before. But the second he had her locked in his embrace, with her slim body pressed against him, his brain fogged over and wild need took charge. He couldn’t get enough of her; couldn’t hold her close enough; or fight the raging desire that washed away his resolve.
In desperation he swept one hand through her hair as the other kept her locked against him. He angled his mouth so he could dive deeply into hers again and again learning her feel and texture. He already knew she tasted like sweet perfection. In a distant part of his mind he wondered how he’d held back this long, after getting the first tiny sip of her that night on the balcony.
She held on tight as she was hit by a storm of emotions. Her hands moved over his back and neck. She wanted to feel his skin but eventhough he’d discarded his coat for dancing, he was still too well covered. She followed his lead and learned the contours of his lips and the deep recesses of his mouth. When her tongue danced slowly with his, he growled and pulled her closer.
When he straightened to pull back and catch his breath she pushed herself up on her toes, dropped her head back, kissing her way up his neck and under his jaw.
“You’re like a drug, Princess, stronger than vapors and ten times as addictive,” he muttered as he kissed her eyes, and worked his way down her neck until he hit a particularly sensitive spot at the base of her collar bone.
“Oh my God, Tin Man,” she groaned. His touch jolted her senses and made her hang onto him to keep her balance as her world tilted.
“You like that?” He nibbled gently on the same area.
All she could do was shake her head in response until she’d sucked in enough air to speak “Wyatt,” his name was a harsh whisper as she licked her lips and took another frenzied breath.. “What are you doing to me?” she was finally able to form words that didn’t slip away at his touch.
He moved one arm up her back until her head was in the cook of his arm and his body pressed against hers. He took a moment and looked her in the eyes before his callused thumb slowly stroked her skin at the base of her collar bone. “I’m pleasuring you, Deeg, pleasuring you,” he whispered as he watched her eyes grow even darker and her body tremble before kissing her one last time.
“Oh,” she whimpered. If he could do this to her with them both fully dressed and a crowd of people on the other side of the line of trees, it made her head swim thinking about other possibilities. “Don’t let go of me.”
“Not plannin’ on it, Princess,” the way he said her nickname was like a caress and it made her cling all the tighter. “You’re safe. I’ve got you.” He held her with his face buried in her hair as he fought primitive needs.
“Yeah, you sure have.” Her body was limp against his. Her nerves were battered and she’d never felt safer or more content in her life. “You know, you’re safe with me too.” Anyone else hearing her words would think them strange. A small slim princess promising safety to a rough, tough, ex-tin man, but he knew exactly what she meant and it was almost his undoing.
It would have been easy to let things go too far. Neither of them had been drinking; Cain because he was guarding her and Deeg because she never drank when he couldn’t. But Wyatt knew she was too important to him for a quick romp in the woods and he had one small detail to take care of before he was completely free to move forward with his life.
He didn’t want to let her go. He would have been content to keep his cheek resting in her hair as he enjoyed the scent of yellow Papay fruit that always clung to the dark strands, but it was getting late. In the distance he could hear the party winding down. “We have to leave soon.”
“Tin Man,” she licked her lips and look up until she met his eyes. “This didn’t happen because of adrenaline, fear and exhaustion and I’m not gonna wait another four months for you to kiss me.”
“Oh, there was adrenaline involved,” he chuckled softly and kissed her forehead. “And a bit of fear.” His fingers tangled in her hair unsure how to ask if he’d been too rough, pushed her too fast. When he’d pulled her into the woods, his plan had been for one gentle kiss maybe two. But the explosion that happened when he finally had his mouth on hers had blown that idea to hell.
“You didn’t frighten me.” She’d been kissed before, though it was hard to compare those few insipid experiences with what happed when Wyatt Cain touched her. “You thrilled me!”
Cain growled and gasped for air as he strained her body closer to his.
“So, about those four months?” She grinned.
“Princess, with talk like that, we’ll be lucky to make it back to Finaqua before I kiss you silly again.” He caressed her cheek and kissed her gently, the way he’d planned when he’d pulled her away from the party.
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It turned out his was wrong. His tin man resolve lasted until he was helping her down off her horse. He blamed it on the fact that he had to wrap his hands around her waist as she dismounted. He pulled her close for one last kiss of the night. He told himself it didn’t really count since it ended so quickly.
When he walked her to her quarters he didn’t miss the way her guard, Hobbs, glared at him.
“You gave us a real scare there, Sir.” He frowned openly at Cain. “I went to the Queen when I discovered Princess DG was missing, since you had the night off.”
“The Princess was restless and we went for a ride.” He stared the other man down, daring him to contradict him. “My son’s engagement party was tonight. I thought Her Highness might find it interesting.”
Deeg watched Cain coolly deal with their untimely absence but couldn’t take her eyes off his mouth as he spoke. She wanted to feel it against hers. She wanted to feel it touch places where no man had ever touched her. That last kiss had been far too brief.
“Princess,” her Tin Man addressed her formally but his eyes danced with hidden meaning. “I hope you enjoyed yourself this evening.”
“I found it…stimulating.” She was glad Wyatt’s broad shoulders blocked Hobbs from seeing her face, because she doubted she was hiding anything she was feeling.
“Then I’ll do what I can to schedule like activities in the future.” He bowed and took her hand but instead of kissing the top of it in formal leave-taking, he turned it over and gently nipped her palm.
“That’s most kind of you, Mr. Cain,” Deeg’s voice rose an octave as his teeth played along her sensitive skin. A quick glance at her guard assured her he hadn’t noticed anything out of the ordinary. Wyatt had been careful to hide his final assault on her senses so only they knew about it.
To Ch - 3 - And Kiss Me Once Again