Authors: V.A. Dold
Thomas closed the door of their cottage and pulled the love of his life into his arms. Breathing in a lung full of her fresh wintery scent, he moaned as his groin tightened. Julia slid her palms up his chest and around his neck, pulling him in for a heart–stopping kiss.
He pressed his forehead to hers. “I need you so badly, but I have very important plans for you. As much as I want to strip that sexy dress off your incredible body, getting you naked will have to wait a little longer.”
Her eyes twinkled with curiosity. “What exactly do you have planned?”
“That’s a surprise. If you need to freshen up before dinner, I can wait a few more minutes.”
Julia frowned at him playfully before she went to freshen up. Goddess only knew what he had up his sleeve this time.
A few minutes later, she joined him in the living room ready for yet another surprise. The more time she spent with Tommy, the more he amazed her with his thoughtfulness.
“Ready?” he asked with a knowing grin tugging his lips.
“As ready as I can be. Am I dressed okay?”
“Perfectly.” He winked as he took her hand and led her to the end of the private patio only to stop in front of the fountain.
Julia cleared her throat. “Um...what are you doing?”
He answered with a smile as he pulled an extremely old key from his pocket. Using his left hand, he swept some of the vines aside to show a hidden keyhole. A half turn of the key caused the fountain to swing slowly open presenting them with a sweeping staircase.
Julia gasped and gripped his arm tightly. The arc of the stairs hid their final destination from her view, and the excitement of discovering what was up there had her heart pounding.
“Cover your eyes and I will lead you up the stairs. I don’t want you to see it until we reach the top.”
Julia chewed her lower lip and covered her eyes. She felt Tommy take her arm and gently show her the first stair before leading her slowly and carefully up the ancient stone steps.
“Okay, you can look now.” Thomas held his breath waiting for her reaction.
“Oh, my. This is amazing!”
She stood before a secret garden, hidden in the middle of the city. A beautiful table was set with a linen cloth and candles. Rose petals and tiny candles floated on the surface of an identical fountain to the one they had passed through to get here. The China was gorgeous. As she walked to take a closer look, she recognized it as a set she had admired in one of the shops yesterday. Movement off to the side caught her eye as a woman stepped into view holding a violin and began to play softly.
“When did you do all this?” she breathed in awe.
“The butler here comes in very handy. I described what I wanted, and he arranged everything, down to the meal that will be served.”
Julia turned to him and pulled his lips to hers for an emotional kiss. “Oh, Tommy, thank you.”
“I would move heaven and earth for you, Julia,” he said softly, caressing her cheek. “There is nothing I wouldn’t do for you.”
Julia turned her cheek fully into his palm, closed her eyes and committed this moment to memory. When she opened them, a twinkle in one of the gardens trees caught her eye. A second later, another twinkle flickered a few inches from the first.
“Of course,” she whispered and grinned at him. Taking his hand, she pulled him to the tree. “Stay very quiet and try not to make any sudden moves.”
He wasn’t sure what she was doing, but followed her instructions. He watched as she slowly held her hand out below a thickly leaved branch of the tree. For a few seconds nothing happened, but then he saw it, a glimmer. What looked like a large insect timidly stepped from the leaves into her palm. A tree faerie!
“You can step closer now, but move slowly. They’re very skittish,” she whispered.
Thomas moved as slowly as he could until he was beside her. The tiny faerie was beautiful! Blinking huge blue eyes, it looked as interested in him as he was in it.
Carefully, Julia lifted her palm toward the tree so the faerie could step back into the cover of the leaves.
Thomas leaned close to her ear and whispered. “That was remarkable!”
“They are very curious and mischievous creatures. I sometimes sit for hours and watch them from my back deck.”
Thomas took her hand, and they walked back to the table. He helped Julia with her chair before taking his own. A bottle of red wine was already breathing in the center of the table and ready to be poured.
“Would you like a glass?” he asked as he held the bottle slightly tipped.
“Yes, please.”
Thomas filled hers and then his own. Raising his glass, he said, “To the most beautiful woman in the world and the man lucky enough to claim her as his mate.”
Julia raised her glass and sipped to his toast. As the delicious wine hit the back of her throat, she sputtered. Setting the glass down with a trembling hand she asked, “What did you just say?”
Thomas gazed into her eyes as he took her hand.
“I’ve never shared my heart with any woman. There’s never been any desire to take that chance. But with you Julia, I want to do just that. I really want to take that chance.”
Julia gripped his hands tighter. “Really?”
Thomas gave her one of his rare, heart-stopping smiles. “Absolutely. My heart belongs to you, completely.”
Thomas slid from his chair and went to one knee.
“Julia.” There was a raw love in his voice. Hunger. Yearning.
There was one thing he was absolutely sure of; he would never want another woman the way he wanted his mate. She was his end all–be all.
“Calendar–wise, I only met you a few weeks ago. But in here,” he thumped his chest, “in my heart and soul, I’ve always known you. You’re the only person I’ve trusted enough to see me. The real me. I’ve let you into places; no one has ever been allowed or ever will be again. And despite that, God only knows why, you still want me and love me.”
She parted her lips to speak, but he stopped her with one gentle finger on her lips.
Opening the little velvet box to display the platinum band she had chosen at Jack Sutton Jewelers, he asked. “Julia Le Beau, will you be my wife and also complete the ritual with me. Right here in our cottage. Tonight?”
Her lip began to quiver as she whispered. “Yes, Tommy. Oh, yes. I will be your wife! And I’ve been waiting to complete the ritual with you.”
Thomas took his seat again holding her left hand with his right. The ring shimmered in the soft glow of the candles, looking perfect on her finger.
They both turned toward the tree as a golden light twinkled across the garden and floated to the table beside their hands. His shocked eyes shot from the golden and silver faerie with an iridescent crown to Julia. She was staring at the beautiful creature with a look of amazement on her face as well.
The faerie blinked up at him before she gently touched his hand with her left hand then she blinked at Julia and touched her hand with her tiny right hand. In a tiny, high–pitched voice she said, “Julia has been a good friend and ally to my people. I bless this union with a layer of faerie protection. No creature, human or supernatural, will ever be able to come between you. May you experience the love you both deserve and be blessed with many healthy children.”
Then, the faerie touched Julia’s ring. Instantly it glowed as if lit from inside and the tiny diamonds around the edge sparkled rainbows all around them. “If you are ever in need of me, touch this ring and call me. I will come instantly to your aid.”
With a regal nod to each of them, she rose in the air and shot like a shooting star back to the tree.
Thomas stared at Julia with his mouth hanging open. “Was she the faerie queen?”
Julia nodded, still speechless. Finally, she said. “I’ve heard of her existence, but I have never heard anyone tell of meeting her. Not even Etienne.” Her eyes grew larger, and she drew in a little gasp. “A blessing from her is highly prized. You have no idea how powerful she is. With a snap of her fingers, she could level this entire city.”
Thomas sat back in his chair, staring at her as he absorbed what she just said. Then, slowly his gazed moved to the tree, and as if to answer his unspoken question a golden light twinkled once.
“Holy, shit!”
“You could say that again.” Julia nodded.
Slowly the glow subsided until it appeared to be like any other ring. No one would ever be able to tell it was a direct link to the faerie queen.
Before either of them had time to say more, the butler pushed a serving cart toward the table. “Would you like the meal served now, sir?”
Thomas frowned as if making a decision. Then he turned a questioning gaze to Julia and raised an eyebrow.
Are you hungry – for food?
Not really. With all the excitement, I’m not sure I can eat. Sorry.
No need to apologize, babe. My appetite is for other things at the moment.
His eyes grew dark with hunger for his mate. Thomas turned his attention back to the butler. “Please, put the dinners into to–go boxes. Thank you for everything you arranged,” he took Julia’s hands. “The evening was perfect.”
Only a few minutes later, they’d gathered the meals, thanked the violinist and were now in the cottage again.
Thomas flipped the lock and spun Julia around trapping her between the door and his raging body. A possessive growl rumbled from his throat, tasting her sweet lips was an all–consuming priority as he lowered his mouth to hers.
Soft moans floated between them, increasing in volume in concert with the heat that was building. Tongues stroked and danced as they memorized each other down to the tiniest detail.
Cupping her face, he tilted her head slightly, and the kiss deepened. Thomas ground his hips into her. Julia’s lips were so soft and perfect under his, but he needed
more
. His cock stiff and throbbing pressed into her soft belly, and his small thrusts turned up the heat until it felt like a sauna. He wanted to cup her breast in his palm and rake his thumb across her nipple, but there wasn’t enough space between them for a breath of air.
With more reluctance than he could articulate, he pulled away from her luscious curves and led her by the hand to their bed. With every step, he told himself the results were worth the loss of her in his arms for a few seconds.
His agony ended at the edge of the bed. Julia took his face in her hands and kissed him until his head spun. Then, she put just enough space between them to remove his tie and unbutton his shirt. When Thomas moved to take charge, she tapped his chin with her finger.
“Tommy, tonight I’m in charge.” She raised her eyebrows in challenge to make her point.
A grin broke across his face as he kissed her once and said. “I’m more than happy to be at your mercy, babe.”
Julia made short work of his clothes, and with a wicked grin pushed him onto the bed. Laughing, Thomas propped himself on his arms to watch his sexy woman strip. Damn, had she taken classes? Because, good Lord, she was smoking hot! When she turned away from him and bent over, wearing nothing but stilettos, he thought he was going to cum without her even touching him.
Julia licked her finger and sucked it suggestively, all while holding his gaze. She pulled her finger from between her lips with a ‘pop’ and slowly crawled up his painfully aroused body.
Waggling her finger at him she said. “No touching.”
She positioned both knees on either side of his hips, her heated, wet core sliding erotically along his engorged erection. Her hands cupped the breasts his mouth was salivating to taste, kneading and pinching her nipples into hard peaks.
“Please, baby. Let me touch you.”
Julia simply licked her lips in answer to his plea and rocked slightly harder against his cock to add more friction. The candlelight glowing around the room played over her curves, caressing the swell of her breast. Locking her gaze with his, she rolled his male nipples between her fingers and took one of his hands to her mouth. She separated his index finger from the others and sucked it into her mouth, sucking him off like she had his cock instead.
Thomas couldn’t take his eyes from her amazing mouth. “Oh, God, babe. I’m not going to last. Don’t I need to save that for the ritual?”
Julia gave him a slight pout and released his finger from its hot, wet heaven. Her breathing became ragged, and she finally led one of his hands to her clit. “Touch me, Tommy. Make me cum.”
“Hell, yeah.” FINALLY!
Seconds later, she screamed his name and shattered beautifully for him.
Julia lay panting on his chest, right where he wanted her. “Kiss me, sweetheart, I need your lips.”
She gave him a satisfied smile and offered her lips to him. Thomas devoured her mouth, putting every ounce of sexual tension raging in his body into his kiss. He grabbed her ass and pulled her up his body, stopping to suckle and lick her nipples until she was moaning.
“Grab the headboard, babe, and straddle my face, I have to taste you.”
Julia was all for that suggestion. A long low rumble of pleasure rolled from her chest as her wolf voiced its satisfaction.