The Taming of a Vixen Ch. 07

When it was over, when the spell of desire lifted, leaving him lax and spent, he felt her collapse upon his chest, her hair covering his face. His hands rose, cupping over her perfect, smooth bottom, sliding slowly up her back. He contented himself with stroking her, feeling her arch into his hands like a happy feline, a purr of pleasure rumbling in her throat.

"Don't fall asleep," he teased her, giving one lock of long hair a gentle tug.

"Just think of the scandal if someone were to find us together like this."

"I don't think I can move," she sighed, nuzzling her face in his neck. "Damn the scandal mongers. Let's just pretend they don't exist."

"Ah, if we could only," he moaned as her tongue lapped at his skin, tasting the salt of his sweat. "But that isn't the way of the nobles, little one, as you well know. The scandal at being found abed with me this way would ruin you."

Alyssa lifted her head, pushing her hair out of her face with a quick distracted gesture. "Does that mean you wouldn't offer to save my good name?"

Jason heard the battle tone in her voice and winced. "I don't wish to marry quite yet, Alyssa."

"But you would be willing to continue this dalliance, as long as no strings are required?" Her eyes narrowed and she started to rise, pulling herself off of his semi hard cock.

"Whoa, wait one moment. It won't be an issue, my dear. Not if we are careful." He groaned as she turned her face toward him, seeing the mutinous scowl upon her divine features. "Why would you wish to ruin this by thinking of such things as marriage? All marriage does is shackle one to another, mostly to people you either don't know or don't care to know when you do finally meet."

"Thank you," she said quietly, reaching down for his shirt and pulling it over her nakedness. "Now I know where you stand in this." She scooted away from him, reaching for the robe that lay upon the foot of the huge bed and slipping it on as well. "I think you should go now, before you are discovered and have to leave me to face my scandalous demise in society.

"Alyssa..." he began helplessly, unsure what to say to her. "I'm sorry. I want to be with you, but marriage?"

"Fine, I understand," she said quietly, though inside she was shaking, either with rage or hurt; she wasn't sure which as of yet. She would analyze her feelings later, when he wasn't sitting there, naked in her bed, looking so incredibly handsome. "Now please, just get dressed and go."

Alyssa turned, deliberately not watching as he did as she asked. She heard the light sound of his booted tread as he came close to her, felt the heat of his hand as he almost touched her with it and closed her eyes. She couldn't bear it if he were nice to her now. It would break her. "Just go, Jamie," she whispered, defeated. "Please, just go."

Jason turned, his heart heavy, feeling as if he'd gained two score years in the past few minutes. He went out the balcony door, turning to look back at her once. She hadn't moved, still standing with her back to the door, her spine ramrod straight.

And then he was gone into the night air.

Alyssa heard the soft click of the door knob and waited, listening for the call of the guards. When she didn't hear anything, she turned. The bedchamber seemed so huge now that he was gone. It was almost as if he hadn't been, except the mussed covers of her bed and the sticky feel of his seed as it trailed down her thighs .

It was better this way. She tried to console herself as she stumbled back to the bed to curl up to her pillow, holding it against her tightly. It was better that it ended now, before she fell in love with him. But then why did it hurt so badly?

The first tear rolled down her cheek as a lone man with a heavy heart sat upon his horse, staring at her window.