Read Online Journey in Time (Knights in Time) by Chris Karlsen - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Chris Karlsen
Ads: Link
only need a pillow from the other bed and I’m done. The bedroom is yours."
"Don’t be silly. You can’t sleep here. The sofa is way too short. You’ll never get comfortable."
"You’re my guest. I’m not-"
"Stop," Shakira folded her arms across her chest. "I either sleep on the sofa or at home. Your call."
"You know, there’s a way we both-"
"-Can enjoy the comfort of the bed."
"You read my mind."
"Oh--what an opening." Laughing, she leaned into him to kiss his cheek. “Sofa’s fine.”
He turned and cut her off with a kiss on the lips. One of those hot, no coming up for air, toe curling kisses. His hands slid up her sides, his thumbs grazed her ribs and skimmed across her nipples with a faint brush. As the last vestige of resistance began to fade, she flattened her palms against him as a halting gesture, she told herself. Her hands lingered on his waist instead and then progressed up his chest. Every indentation, every muscle, the cushion of hair under his shirt, every tactile change registered beneath her touch. Her thumbs teased his erect nipples. She smiled against his warm lips, pleased when he groaned.
He broke the kiss first. His hands caressed the length of her spine and then anchored at her waist. "Good night, Rocky." His lips skimmed hers, no tongues, no stealing of each others air, just the hint of heat, the warm pleasure of a steady tropical breeze rather than a hurricane’s humid tempest.
"Rocky?"
"Short for rock star, my personal rock and roller, the others are just clients I produce."
"I like it. Good night."
Alex opened the bedroom windows and breathed deep the night air. He ignored the little shiver that traveled over him as he undressed. It was only early September, yet a biting wind from the Bristol Channel drove its way inland. The wind signaled the onset of an early winter and the memory of the last winter Alex had spent at his family holding, Elysian Fields. One of the cottage's attractions was its close proximity to the ruins of the ancient stone fortress.
He shivered again and thought about the frosty season before he left on that last campaign. In spite of a constant blazing fire in the hearth and the glass he'd installed in the windows, the great hall stayed cold. Such a long, long time ago.He was still intrigued how some memories endured, how the images remained as vivid today as the day they occurred. Too vivid. Alex shut the window and lay down.
Sleep eluded him. He lay awake evaluating what Shakira said about not becoming a mistress. What would it take to change her mind? She already had him considering a monogamous relationship, a concept dangerously close to being married.
Marriage. The idea drifted over him. He forced himself away from the notion. No. No marriage. What if...what if things went horribly wrong again? The haunting images flared.
Alex’s heart pounded and knife sharp pain radiated up from his jaw to his cheekbone, a side effect the recollection always brought. He concentrated on a circle of light the moon’s reflection made on the wall. The specter of mother and child from another age evaporated. His heart slowed and the physical pain stopped as fast as it came upon him. Mercifully, the visions crept up on him less and less over time.
He rubbed the heel of his hand over his chest and turned his thoughts to Shakira and bringing her to the cottage. He'd had more fun with her than he ever experienced with a woman out of bed. In another time and place, his friends would've said she bewitched him. Maybe she had.
Chapter Eleven
“What a handsome boy you are,” Shakira hugged Eclipse, cooing honeyed words.
"When you’re done making love to the horse we can get on our way," Alex said, swinging his leg over Thor’s saddle and adjusting the stirrups.
She stuck out her tongue and mounted. "You sound
"Don’t be silly. You can’t sleep here. The sofa is way too short. You’ll never get comfortable."
"You’re my guest. I’m not-"
"Stop," Shakira folded her arms across her chest. "I either sleep on the sofa or at home. Your call."
"You know, there’s a way we both-"
"-Can enjoy the comfort of the bed."
"You read my mind."
"Oh--what an opening." Laughing, she leaned into him to kiss his cheek. “Sofa’s fine.”
He turned and cut her off with a kiss on the lips. One of those hot, no coming up for air, toe curling kisses. His hands slid up her sides, his thumbs grazed her ribs and skimmed across her nipples with a faint brush. As the last vestige of resistance began to fade, she flattened her palms against him as a halting gesture, she told herself. Her hands lingered on his waist instead and then progressed up his chest. Every indentation, every muscle, the cushion of hair under his shirt, every tactile change registered beneath her touch. Her thumbs teased his erect nipples. She smiled against his warm lips, pleased when he groaned.
He broke the kiss first. His hands caressed the length of her spine and then anchored at her waist. "Good night, Rocky." His lips skimmed hers, no tongues, no stealing of each others air, just the hint of heat, the warm pleasure of a steady tropical breeze rather than a hurricane’s humid tempest.
"Rocky?"
"Short for rock star, my personal rock and roller, the others are just clients I produce."
"I like it. Good night."
Alex opened the bedroom windows and breathed deep the night air. He ignored the little shiver that traveled over him as he undressed. It was only early September, yet a biting wind from the Bristol Channel drove its way inland. The wind signaled the onset of an early winter and the memory of the last winter Alex had spent at his family holding, Elysian Fields. One of the cottage's attractions was its close proximity to the ruins of the ancient stone fortress.
He shivered again and thought about the frosty season before he left on that last campaign. In spite of a constant blazing fire in the hearth and the glass he'd installed in the windows, the great hall stayed cold. Such a long, long time ago.He was still intrigued how some memories endured, how the images remained as vivid today as the day they occurred. Too vivid. Alex shut the window and lay down.
Sleep eluded him. He lay awake evaluating what Shakira said about not becoming a mistress. What would it take to change her mind? She already had him considering a monogamous relationship, a concept dangerously close to being married.
Marriage. The idea drifted over him. He forced himself away from the notion. No. No marriage. What if...what if things went horribly wrong again? The haunting images flared.
Alex’s heart pounded and knife sharp pain radiated up from his jaw to his cheekbone, a side effect the recollection always brought. He concentrated on a circle of light the moon’s reflection made on the wall. The specter of mother and child from another age evaporated. His heart slowed and the physical pain stopped as fast as it came upon him. Mercifully, the visions crept up on him less and less over time.
He rubbed the heel of his hand over his chest and turned his thoughts to Shakira and bringing her to the cottage. He'd had more fun with her than he ever experienced with a woman out of bed. In another time and place, his friends would've said she bewitched him. Maybe she had.
Chapter Eleven
“What a handsome boy you are,” Shakira hugged Eclipse, cooing honeyed words.
"When you’re done making love to the horse we can get on our way," Alex said, swinging his leg over Thor’s saddle and adjusting the stirrups.
She stuck out her tongue and mounted. "You sound
Similar Books
