Strange Love

The hallway outside the library doors was quiet, only the faint sound of light breathing could be heard. Jos could feel the beat of Arei's heart as they stood silently wrapped in each other's arms. It was only beating slightly slower than her own rapid heartbeat caused by the soft c.a.r.e.s.s of his hands across her back, speeding up when his fingers dipped low teasing the outline of the band of her p.a.n.t.i.e.s beneath the thin dress she wore. "Arei..." She whispered, but her words were cut off by laughter on the other side of the door seconds before it was opened.

Peg and Andy stepped out the door beside the one Arei and Jos were leaning against. Their laughter died off and two sets of teasing eyes shifted from Jos and Arei to one another. "Don't mind us, we're just headed home to 'get f.u.c.k.e.d'." Peg winked at Arei as he pulled the giggling Andy against his side.

She pushed against him playfully. "Looks like we don't need to go home to accomplish that." She laughed as she sent Jos a knowing smile.

Jos quickly released her hold around Arei's waist and pushed against his c.h.e.s.t, but he caught her hands and pulled them back around him as he stood up straight. "Of course, you don't have to. Father's going to be gone for a while and his office is unlocked." Arei arched a brow at the couple. "I mean his desk was one of your favorite places when you lived here, was it not?" The corner of his lip raised into a half-grin when Andy's giggled faltered and rapidly shifted into wide-eyed embarrassment. "That really good scotch is over by the windows." He sent them a wink as he began guiding Jos back into the library. "Don't worry, we'll avoid the office for the rest of the day." He called back over his shoulder.

Peg cleared his throat trying his best to hide a laugh, but it didn't stop Andy from slapping his arm. "You told him?!" She whispered in irritation.

"What, he's my brother!" Peg chuckled as he tried to block another slap.

Arei shook his head. "Serves him right."

Jos's curious gaze moved up to meet his twinkling eyes. "Did they really used to... in your dad's office?"

He nodded with a wide smile plastered to his devilishly handsome face. "Oh yes! And often, apparently." He tugged her closer and placed a light kiss on the top of her head. "Worst kept secret of the palace."

She stopped and turned to hold his gaze. "So then, did you HAVE to imply we have done the same?"

His grin widened. "Why not? And added bonus, if you see a cleaning crew go in or out of there, then you know he's told Dad."

She shook her head. "And how old are you again?" She asked with a giggle.

He shrugged, his voice taking on a huskier tone. "Old enough to know not to pass up a good opportunity when it comes along." He tilted her chin farther upward as he lowered his lips to hers. Loud arguments sounded from the far side of the library bringing both their attentions in that direction.

[I don't want to hear my mom's GRAFFIC description of her first time f.u.c.k.i.n.g my dad!] Russ's voice boomed out from the cell phone sitting in the center of the table.

"Come on, there isn't too much s.e.x left... well I mean there is... your mom's diaries could give any of the current e.r.o.t.i.ca novels a run for their money..." Chary was saying, a bright, teasing smile spread across her thick lips.

"What in the..." Arei arched a brow as he stood back up to his full height. "I'm not even sure I want to ask."

Jos rolled her eyes. "I don't need to ask. Cam had a flair for detail... and if they have come across those chapters..." She shook her head as she turned back toward the doors they'd just entered through. "I'd rather not either... Especially if there's going to be an audience."

Arei's now curious eyes moved from the table on the other side of the room back to her. A playful grin curved his lips. "That good?"

"You have no idea. She often went into such details you could picture... almost taste whatever it was she was describing... and trust me you don't want to picture or taste any part of the section they are reading through right now. If you think the s.e.x.u.a.l tension between two people in love who aren't having s.e.x is bad... you should be around them during the first year after they start having s.e.x..." She shrugged as she moved through the doors back into the hallway. "It's probably why I'd missed so much of what had happened with the whole Fern thing back then."

Arei chuckled as he sent one last glance back to the table. "Fair enough, so what would you like to do instead? Would you like to have some of the other paperwork sent up to one of the offices or our room... or would you like to take your mind off things altogether and go explore the underwater portion of the castle?"

Jos let out a long sigh. "Both I guess..." Her troubled eyes met his. "We really do need to get through this work as quickly as possible, but I'm not sure exactly how much brain power I can muster at the moment."

He caught the hand that hung by her side and pulled her to a stop. He waited until she turned to face him. "If this is going to be too much for you right now, you don't have to do it. If you still want to help you can simply help me with the mapping or take on some of the finance doc.u.ments. You don't have to relive all those old memories... at least not until you're ready."

Jos swallowed back the frustration that her own weakness caused. She nodded, "It may be best if I did. It seems like Chary is having a better time with the diaries than she ever would with finance doc.u.ments anyway."

Arei chuckled, "She will absolutely love all the fine s.e.x details, even of the heteros.e.x.u.a.l nature." He cupped Jos's cheek. "And an added bonus for the rest of them as she's down there reading. None of them know her, it's simply a story to them... even to Shelly and Russ. Though it's their parents, they never really knew them, and as much as Russ is protesting it, he will appreciate this in time, being able to share it with family and friends... to get to know a side of them they may have never gotten to know otherwise."

Jos nodded; her words cut off by building emotions. She stepped closer to him and rested her forehead against his broad c.h.e.s.t. "You're right..." She whispered.

He stroked her back soothingly. "What do you say we go for a swim first, maybe we can go through some of the underwater libraries while we are down there, then if you're feeling up to it, we'll start on the doc.u.ments once we get back."

Jos nodded against his c.h.e.s.t. She forced herself to step away from him, not wanting to leave the warm, comfort of his arms. To her surprise, he caught her hand and held it as they climbed the stairs and headed to his room. She smiled as he closed the door behind them. "It's going to be weird swimming in an actual swimsuit with you."

A mischievous grin curved his lips as he pulled her into his arms. "Who says you have to?"

She narrowed her eyes at him as she pushed playfully against his c.h.e.s.t. "You did, Sir... as I recall in order to give me time to properly rebound..."

His grin widened as he pulled her tighter against him. "I didn't realize we were talking about doing more than swimming." He lowered his lips to hers, trailing the bottom swell of her lips with the tip of his tongue teasingly.

Her eyes heated, "Maybe not... but it does bring such things to mind when dressed in so little."

A low growl rumbled his throat in an almost purr. "And you think that tiny string bikini of yours is going to bring it to mind any less? More so, I'd think..." He let the tips of his fingers tease lightly across the exposed flesh of her arms as he bent to kiss her fully.

Jos narrowed her eyes as she pressed against his c.h.e.s.t and forged her most seductive smile. "Then maybe you would stop holding back so goddamn much." She whispered against his lips as she placed a teasing kiss there before turning away from him and heading to her luggage.

Arei chuckled as he ran his hand along the side of his head. Shaking his head as he made his way over to his own bags, he murmured. "You will surely be the death of me..."

Jos glanced up from her bags in surprise, her memories going back to the many weeks they'd spent together before their travels here the first time. "It's not the first time you've ever said as much..."

He nodded as he pulled his swimming trunks from his luggage. "Probably won't be the last either." He tossed his trunks onto the bed as he held his hand out to Jos, offering her help up from her knelt position. Once she was standing, he took the bikini from her hand and set it on the window seat in front of her. "Here, turn around and I'll help you unzip your dress." He let his thick finger brush against the s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e column of her neck as he brushed her hair over one shoulder. "You're right I do hold back with you tremendously; I believe we have well established that fact and the reasons... but it doesn't change the fact that I'm still highly tempted to slowly remove this dress and whatever garments you have underneath..." He slid his hands under the sleeves cupping each shoulder and let his hands glide down the length of her arms slowly until she was able to slide her hands free of the garment. Once the dress hit the floor, he carefully unsnapped her bra and kissed the opposite shoulder as he removed the strap from the other. When she tried to stifle a m.o.a.n as he continued kissing her shoulder and back of her neck, he couldn't help but smile. "Personally, I find there are far better forms of intimacy than simply having s.e.x... In all honesty, it's probably the least intimate among the options."

"Then what are your better options..." She whispered, gripping her bra tightly to her c.h.e.s.t, her body intently aware of where his hands and mouth were.

A smile curved his lips once again as he grazed his fingers along the bottom swell of her b.r.e.a.s.t in a feathery light movement before wrapping his arm around her and turning her in his arms. He held her brilliant aqua eyes as he answered. "My favorite? I'd think that would be obvious by now." He tilted her chin up and kissed her soft lips. "Physically, I prefer kisses and holding you in my arms... I like the idea of each of us getting reacquainted with one another's bodies slowly, rediscovering those special spots that make you shudder..." He teased his fingers along the flesh of her neck focusing his attention on the area directly behind her ear lobe before sliding his hands into her hair and giving a gentle tug to bring her focus back to his face. "And making new discoveries..." He licked his lips as he watched her bite into her bottom lip. He brushed the pad of his thumb across her lip, soothing away the pain of the bite before lowering and placing a kiss to it. He gently plucked the bra from her grip as he continued lazily teasing her mouth with shallow strokes of his tongue. He let the bra drop to her luggage as he lifted and held her out at arm's length. He let his eyes roam over her timid expression, taking in the mixture of d.e.s.i.r.e and uncertainty still there. He didn't let his eyes travel any lower, keeping them focused on hers as he squatted in front of her and tugged the thin laced p.a.n.t.i.e.s down over the swell of her h.i.p.s and t.h.i.g.hs until they reached her feet. He forced his eyes to stay trained on her wide eyes as he stood and lifted her into his arms.

Jos swallowed hard unable to say anything as she searched the turbulent depths of his Caspian eyes. She dug her fingers into his shoulders as he began to move toward the window seat, but she still couldn't form words or any logical thoughts.

He smiled as he set her down on the padding of the seat, still standing between her t.h.i.g.hs. His eyes held hers as he reached blindly for the bikini top. "I prefer to first build emotional intimacy where you understand and trust that just because you are n.a.k.e.d before me, doesn't mean that you somehow owe me your body or that I'm going to take it." He placed the top against her c.h.e.s.t and wrapped the strings of the top around her neck, carefully lifting her hair out of the way before tying them into a neat bow. He held her gaze as he stroked his hands down her sides, taking his time to retrieve the bottom strings hanging there before tying them behind her back as well. "Does it need tightening or loosened?" He asked. When she only nodded with the same wide-eyed, shocked expression on her face, he frowned slightly unsure if his point was being made clear enough with her lack of words. He slid his hand along her jaw and cupped her below the ear as he lowered his lips to hers again. When she met his kisses readily this time with more gusto, he let his hands slide down her sides and wrap around her waist. He lifted her off the seat and placed her feet lightly on the ground before bending to the side and retrieving the bottoms without breaking their kisses. The monitor on her wrist beeped faintly as they moved.

Jos let out a frustrated m.o.a.n as his lips pulled away from hers with an audible pop. Her cheeks reddened as she watched him lower to the floor in front of her once again, this time holding out the already tied bottoms for her to step into. She was amazed at the fact his eyes hadn't left hers once during all this, but surely an ex-warrior would have magnificent peripherals. Gods, how she wanted him right now! Her cheeks burned as the beeping of the monitor increased.

He tugged the bottoms up as he slowly stood, letting his fingertips brush her smooth skin as he did so. "I understand that our first time together you were still new to a lot of things, but I hope this time around you understand. The thoughts of bending you over that seat and watching the reflection of your perfect b.r.e.a.s.t bounce as I f.u.c.k you hard from behind are still there, but what would it really mean... what would be the point if we hadn't established the other parts of intimacy first? It would just be s.e.x..." He ran his hands through the loose strands of her hair. "You have always and will always mean more to me than just s.e.x."