Read Online 03 - The Eternal Rose by Gail Dayton - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Gail Dayton
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against the softness of her breasts, sharing the soap. “I like washing this way."
Kallista's chuckle sounded strained, as if it caught in her throat. “I'm too dirty to get clean this way. Turn around."
Rather than wait for him, Kallista turned him, washing his back and body with brisk efficiency. Obed wanted more, but at least she washed him. Touched him. She did love him. He was sure of it. She washed his shoulder-length hair, letting him lean his head against her breasts. And she let him wash her without rushing, allowing him to take his time. Somewhat. He could sense her impatience, so didn't linger as long as he would have liked. Others were waiting their turn.
They were out of the bathing pool, drying themselves with vast lengths of cotton toweling, when Obed opened his towel and wrapped Kallista in it with him. She shivered, softened as he pressed his damp-hot body to her damp-cool one and touched his lips to that spot just under her ear. Goddess, he wanted her. But when he brushed his kiss over her mouth, she flinched away.
Obed broke from her, whirling, his temper sending his towel flying in a flat, fluttering arc to land crumpled against the wall. “Goddess, Kallista, what now?"
“I just—I can't, Obed."
“Why in hell not?” He spun to face her, clenching his fists against the urge to lash out, break something. There was nothing here to break. “I am your mate. Your husband. I've missed you on this journey, Kallista. I need you. Can't you see how much?"
“Stop it!” Her voice snapped with anger, but her eyes flicked to his screaming erection, making it shout at him all the louder. “Just stop it. I don't need this now. You're not my husband. You're ilias. So is Torchay. And Stone. And while they're—If they don't—If we—I just can't, Obed. It doesn't feel right.” Her anger faded into confusion and distress.
Obed had his own anger and distress. He propped hands on hips. Kallista's eyes flicked toward him again, then turned stubbornly away.
He fought the growl wanting out of his throat. “If they do not get sex, then I don't either? Is that what you're saying?"
Kallista's head tilted, as if she thought it over. “More me than you,” she said after a moment. “That I don't. But I suppose—yes, that's right."
Need swelled to desperate levels. He had to change her mind. “They don't mind the magic sex."
She shook her head. “It's not the same. You're right about that.” She clutched her towel to her, as if she feared he might attack her.
The way he felt, he just might. How could he persuade her? “Taking a lover who is not your mate is a common practice in Daryath.” He struggled to keep his voice quiet, to keep her from sensing how much he needed her. “So common, it is expected. No one will be surprised that Torchay is your lover. In fact, many will believe it, no matter how strongly we might deny it."
“Then—” she frowned “—why all the fuss about the evils of iliani if they are doing the same thing?"
“Because they can pretend.” He clamped his mouth shut to keep from saying anything else. Would this work? Would it get her under him? Or on top of him? He didn't care what position, as long as he got inside her.
“What are they pretending?"
Obed didn't want to say, but silence was as much a lie as untrue words. “That they are true to their mate, that the lover is nothing to them. The lover is a secret hidden away in the dark. But everyone knows."
“That sounds—” Kallista shuddered, as if shaking away his words. “Awful. Shameful. Doesn't it shame both lover and mate?"
He shrugged, then tilted his head in an acknowledging nod. He remembered the whispers in Shakiri House when he was a child, how they would stop and start again whenever his aunt's “special friend” would walk by. It was one reason he'd turned down all the invitations during his dedicat days. He'd held out for marriage. And look what he'd got.
“Oh no.” Kallista shook her head hard
Kallista's chuckle sounded strained, as if it caught in her throat. “I'm too dirty to get clean this way. Turn around."
Rather than wait for him, Kallista turned him, washing his back and body with brisk efficiency. Obed wanted more, but at least she washed him. Touched him. She did love him. He was sure of it. She washed his shoulder-length hair, letting him lean his head against her breasts. And she let him wash her without rushing, allowing him to take his time. Somewhat. He could sense her impatience, so didn't linger as long as he would have liked. Others were waiting their turn.
They were out of the bathing pool, drying themselves with vast lengths of cotton toweling, when Obed opened his towel and wrapped Kallista in it with him. She shivered, softened as he pressed his damp-hot body to her damp-cool one and touched his lips to that spot just under her ear. Goddess, he wanted her. But when he brushed his kiss over her mouth, she flinched away.
Obed broke from her, whirling, his temper sending his towel flying in a flat, fluttering arc to land crumpled against the wall. “Goddess, Kallista, what now?"
“I just—I can't, Obed."
“Why in hell not?” He spun to face her, clenching his fists against the urge to lash out, break something. There was nothing here to break. “I am your mate. Your husband. I've missed you on this journey, Kallista. I need you. Can't you see how much?"
“Stop it!” Her voice snapped with anger, but her eyes flicked to his screaming erection, making it shout at him all the louder. “Just stop it. I don't need this now. You're not my husband. You're ilias. So is Torchay. And Stone. And while they're—If they don't—If we—I just can't, Obed. It doesn't feel right.” Her anger faded into confusion and distress.
Obed had his own anger and distress. He propped hands on hips. Kallista's eyes flicked toward him again, then turned stubbornly away.
He fought the growl wanting out of his throat. “If they do not get sex, then I don't either? Is that what you're saying?"
Kallista's head tilted, as if she thought it over. “More me than you,” she said after a moment. “That I don't. But I suppose—yes, that's right."
Need swelled to desperate levels. He had to change her mind. “They don't mind the magic sex."
She shook her head. “It's not the same. You're right about that.” She clutched her towel to her, as if she feared he might attack her.
The way he felt, he just might. How could he persuade her? “Taking a lover who is not your mate is a common practice in Daryath.” He struggled to keep his voice quiet, to keep her from sensing how much he needed her. “So common, it is expected. No one will be surprised that Torchay is your lover. In fact, many will believe it, no matter how strongly we might deny it."
“Then—” she frowned “—why all the fuss about the evils of iliani if they are doing the same thing?"
“Because they can pretend.” He clamped his mouth shut to keep from saying anything else. Would this work? Would it get her under him? Or on top of him? He didn't care what position, as long as he got inside her.
“What are they pretending?"
Obed didn't want to say, but silence was as much a lie as untrue words. “That they are true to their mate, that the lover is nothing to them. The lover is a secret hidden away in the dark. But everyone knows."
“That sounds—” Kallista shuddered, as if shaking away his words. “Awful. Shameful. Doesn't it shame both lover and mate?"
He shrugged, then tilted his head in an acknowledging nod. He remembered the whispers in Shakiri House when he was a child, how they would stop and start again whenever his aunt's “special friend” would walk by. It was one reason he'd turned down all the invitations during his dedicat days. He'd held out for marriage. And look what he'd got.
“Oh no.” Kallista shook her head hard
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