Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 99206 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 496(@200wpm)___ 397(@250wpm)___ 331(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99206 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 496(@200wpm)___ 397(@250wpm)___ 331(@300wpm)
She was meticulous in her details and in attempting measurement. She wanted to draw the dimensions of the rooms and his land on a smaller scale yet provide adequate knowledge for him to understand the depth and width—not an easy task, but one she continued to work on.
After an hour she stopped and rubbed the back of her neck, the painful ache she suffered from bending over the table annoying her.
“You should stop and rest more often.”
Reena was not startled by Magnus’s presence. She’d lost all track of time, and she would hear nothing, not even the latch on the door being lifted, when she was deep in her mapping. And she had been expecting him—or at least she had hoped he would come to her.
“I needed to map.”
Magnus had come to realize that Reena’s work actually soothed her and she would often seek it out if feeling troubled or concerned. When he had entered quietly after receiving no response to his knock he had seen that she was concentrating deeply on her work and he had not wanted to disturb her. But as she needed to map to ease her upset, he needed to see her, if it was only to watch her work to ease his own concerns.
“I needed to see you,” he admitted to his own surprise.
Reena walked around the desk toward him, and Magnus met her as she rounded the edge of the bed.
“I do not wish to argue,” he said, his hands remaining at his sides though he ached to hug her tightly and to taste her sweet, warm lips. He would know she wished the same before he kissed or touched her. He wanted no anger between them when they loved, and he wished to love her, he ached to love her.
“Nor I,” she agreed, her hands itching to touch him, taste him and snuggle in his warmth.
“I do not like when we disagree. We often think much alike you and I,” he said, taking a step closer.
“Aye, we do.” She took a step that caused them to almost touch.
“I want to love you, Ree.”
She collapsed in his waiting arms, which he wrapped tightly around her. “And I want to love you, Magnus.”
“Then there is no longer any need for words,” he said and claimed her mouth with his in a kiss that went on and on and on as their hands frantically tugged and pulled at each other’s garments.
Their mouths only left each other’s long enough to rid themselves of their clothing. Once naked, they fell on the bed together, eager to touch and taste. And touch and taste they did, each one not seeming to get enough of the other.
It continued until Magnus finally slipped over Reena, threading his fingers with hers and drawing her arms up above her head.
“I am going to love you hard and long and until you beg me to stop.”
Her soft laughter drifted up and around him. “You will be the first to surrender.” She ground her hips against his and moaned with the hard feel of him against her.
He nipped at her lips. “We shall see who wins this.”
She laughed and wiggled against him. “There can be no loss in this.”
He nuzzled her neck. “Then on to victory.”
He settled himself inside her and kept his promise, loving her hard and long. In the end she begged, and he surrendered at the exact same moment, their united cries of pleasure filling the room and drifting down around them to wrap them in a gentle glow of contentment.
They snuggled in each other’s arms, neither making mention of their earlier debate, both wanting to linger in the satisfying aftermath of their lovemaking.
“You will map more before the evening meal?”
Her head rested on his shoulder, her hand on his chest and her leg across his leg, and it felt good being there and knowing they loved. “Aye, I wish to finish the dungeon before I eat. It is almost detailed, I have but one cell left and it is done. And you?”
“I have things to discuss with Thomas.”
She instinctively knew what things he would discuss, but she said nothing. He had made a choice and now she would make hers.
They dressed and hugged tightly.
“I love you, Ree, and I always will, no matter what happens.”
She squeezed him to her as best she could. Her strength was meager compared to his, but strength came in different ways. “And I love you and always will, always my heart will belong to you.”
He smiled and kissed her. “Thank you, I needed badly to hear you pledge your heart to me.” He reluctantly stepped away from her, holding her hand until finally he was too far away to keep hold of it. “I look forward to the evening meal together, so go finish your work.”