Loving on Borrowed Time - Lovers Leap 1 Read online

  “Never better,” he said breathlessly.

  She knew he’d say that to placate her, even if it wasn’t true. Every muscle in his body was taut, as if he were in pain. She started to draw her hand away, but he caught her wrist.

  “Please,” he groaned. “Don’t stop now.” He took a deep shuddering breath. “Unless, you’re afraid. Or... disgusted.”

  She shook her head. “I thought maybe I was hurting you.”

  “It feels wonderful, love.”

  Her confidence restored, Eleanor returned her attention to Reg’s cock. The texture of the skin at the enlarged tip appeared different than that of the shaft. She stroked it with her fingertips. Reg shuddered violently. Eleanor’s nipples tautened and a strange throb centered between her thighs. She had experienced those responses when Reg had kissed her. Held her. But he wasn’t even touching her. She was touching him. Lowering her head, she kissed the head of his hard length.

  Reg’s body jerked. Recognizing now that his response meant he liked it, she kissed it again, rubbing her lips and then her tongue over his sensitive skin. Her kisses became feverish, sucking gently. His quivering reactions fascinated her. She felt empowered. Wanted to give him more pleasure. Make this strong knight tremble at the touch of her lips. Her tongue. She sampled a drop of fluid she found at the apex of his erection and found it salty on her tongue. Wrapping a hand around his shaft gently, she held him as she explored his cock head with her tongue. Her fingers. Her lips. With her thumb, she traced the rim that separated the head of his cock from the shaft. He stiffened and cursed under his breath.

  “Fuck, Lara, I don’t know how much more of this I can take,” Reece said unexpectedly.

  Lara grinned up at him.

  “How is she doing?” he asked. “Please tell me she’s getting over her fear of trouser snakes.”

  “Touching Reg is starting to turn her on.”

  “Her touching Reg is driving me insane. Could you help her out with her technique a little?”

  Lara wrapped her hand around the base of his shaft and ran her tongue over the head of Reece’s cock. She blew a breath over the moistened tip. “Like that?”

  Reece swept an arm across the table, sending tin cups, plates and utensils to the floor. Lara squeaked in surprise when he grabbed her around the waist and set her on the table. He fumbled under her skirt and found her very, unsexy underdrawers were split in the crotch. His fingers brushed the hot, slick skin between her thighs and she gasped.

  “Oh thank God,” he muttered, and grabbed his cock.

  When she felt Reece’s cockhead against her entrance, she concentrated on his handsome face, not wanting Eleanor to intrude upon this moment. Lara wanted Reece. Inside her. Immediately. She wanted to experience everything he had to offer. It had nothing to do with helping anyone but herself.

  Reece eased into her slowly, his strokes shallow at first as he wet himself with her freely flowing juices. Instead of thrusting deeper, he withdrew completely. Took an inch of her. Withdrew again. Entered her again. Withdrew completely. It drove her insane with need.

  “Oh Reece, deeper,” she gasped, staring into his hazel-green eyes.

  Beneath her hiked skirts, his hands gripped her hips and he plunged deep. Her mouth dropped open, her eyes closed, and she cried out in delight. He pulled out again.

  “Please,” she gasped.

  He shifted her to the very edge of the table so he could thrust into her again, taking her balls-deep this time. She dropped back on the table, bumping the back of her head on its hard surface.

  Reece reached up to rub her scalp with one hand. “You okay?”

  “Don’t stop,” she pleaded.

  He moved his arms to hold her legs up and bent. He concentrated all of his effort on rubbing her deep inside in exactly the right way with perfectly timed gyrations of his hips. She stared up at him, her heart thudding with a mixture of excitement and unmistakable love. He had his bottom lip pinned between his teeth and his eyes tightly closed as he thrust and churned, thrust and churned. Sweat trickled down his strong jaw, corded neck, and pooled along his collar bone. The ripples of his stomach muscles bunched and relaxed as he thrust into her. The only thing that could possibly be sexier than watching his belly tense and relax would be seeing his ass tighten each time he thrust deep. What she wouldn’t have given for a mirror along the wall behind him. Lara reached between her wide-open thighs to rub her hands over his hips, wanting to feel his muscles working. She arched her back so she could reach his ass, careful not to interrupt his perfectly orchestrated thrusts. She held onto him with both hand as her pleasure built and built.

  As her excitement intensified, Lara cried out each time their bodies came together. “Yes, Reece. Oh God.” Her vocalizations grew louder and louder as he fucked her closer to oblivion. “Reece. Reece!” When he sent her flying over the edge, spasm of bliss wracked through her body. Concentrated within her pussy and her womb, the pulsations of pleasure radiated outward, making her belly quiver, her thighs quake. “Oh yes, Reece. Yes. Reece.”

  Reece’s breath caught and he thrust deep, gripping fabric at her hips with clenched hands as he flooded her with his fluids. She watched his face while he came. With both eyes squeezed shut and his entire face contorted with ecstasy, Lara decided it was the sexiest thing she’d ever seen her life.

  Reece sucked in a deep, shaky breath and then blinked his eyes open. When their eyes met, he grinned. “There’s a sample of what we usually share.”

  “Can we do that again?” she murmured. “Minus the dress?”

  “I think that can be arranged.”

  Chapter 10

  A knock on the door early the next morning pulled Reece from sleep. He was reluctant to move. Naked and sated, Lara was cuddled up against his side fast asleep. He probably should answer the door, but the last thing he wanted to do was disrupt the intimacy between his body and Lara’s. A second knock pulled Lara abruptly from sleep and she sat upright, staring at the door apprehensively.

  “Someone’s at the door,” she whispered.

  Her mass of brown curls were tangled around her beautiful face and he decided what he really wanted to do was pull the covers up over their heads and pretend no one was home.

  “Sir Reginald. It’s Toby. I’ve come with an urgent message,” the voice of a young man called outside the door.

  “Who’s Toby?” Lara asked.

  With her blue eyes wide and that bewildered look on her face, Reece couldn’t resist kissing her. Just a gentle brush on the lips before he forced himself to climb from the bed. “I have no idea who Toby is. Reg’s squire perhaps? We can only hope.”

  Reece crossed the cabin and peeked out the small window beside the door. A blond boy of about twelve years stood on the doorstep with a roll of parchment clutched in his hand. The only other living creature in the yard was a sleek, black horse.

  Reece found his discarded pants and donned them. Lara whined in protest and he grinned at her disappointed pout. Reece opened the door, not sure how he was supposed to greet Toby. He was thankful that he’d volunteered his name. “Good morning, Toby. What brings you here today?”

  “A challenge has been issued,” he said excitedly and handed Reece the scroll.

  Reece accepted the paper and moved into the cabin. Toby followed him inside and closed the door. Reece unrolled the parchment and began to read.

  “G-good m-morning, Lady Eleanor,” Toby said.

  Reece glanced up to see the kid’s freckled face scarlet with embarrassment. Reece looked over at Lara who was climbing out of bed and trying to keep her nakedness concealed. From Toby’s expression, Reece doubted if the lad had ever seen a lady in such a state of undress. Lara pulled a blanket from the bed and wrapped it around herself before walking towards Reece.

  “Good morning, Master Toby,” Lara returned. “What do you mean a challenge has been issued?”

  Toby pulled his gaze from Lara and looked at the parchment. “Lord Abbot has issued a challen
ge. A tournament of knights. He says the winner shall claim you as his bride, milady.”

  “That’s ridiculous!” she said. “I’m not a piece of property. He can’t offer me as the prize of some competition.”

  “If we refuse, he will call the law and have me imprisoned,” Reece said, repeating what he’d read on the scroll. “For kidnapping.”

  “Then we should run.”

  “Milady,” Toby chastised. “A knight would never refuse a challenge. How can you even think to ask Sir Reginald to run?”

  “Toby, mind your tongue,” Reece warned.

  “You aren’t thinking of running are you?” Toby asked. “I’ll fight him myself, just to watch the pompous ass lose. No prize necessary.” He swung his arm in a wide arc as if wielding a sword.

  “I’m not running,” Reece assured him. But he doubted he had the skills necessary to joust a trained knight. Even with Reg’s expertise aiding him, Reece would need more than an inkling to survive. “The joust is to take place tomorrow,” he said, reading the challenge more carefully. Perhaps he and Lara would leap before he entered the arena. “And there will be two other events, one chosen by each participant.”

  “No,” Toby said. “This was written yesterday. The tournament is today.”

  “Today?”

  Lara snatched the paper out of Reece’s hand. “You have to refuse,” she said, glancing up at Reece. Her concern was touching. “There’s no way you can win.” Okay, that was less than touching.

  “But, milady,” Toby said. “Sir Reginald is one of the top champions in the kingdom. Of course he can win. Abbot is a fool for issuing this challenge. And his eagerness in this matter leads me to believe he plans to cheat.”

  Reece ran a hand over his face. This was not a good situation to be in. Not a good situation at all.

  “Can we postpone the tournament for a few days?” Lara asked hopefully.

  “For the sake of your reputation, milady, it would be wise to wed Sir Reginald at once,” Toby said. He flushed again. “Meaning no offense, ma’am.”

  “So it seems I have no choice in the matter,” Reece said. “And this will make our engagement legitimate, Eleanor. We won’t have to run off to get married.”

  “But what of my sister?”

  “She doesn’t like Sir Reginald anyway,” Toby cut in. “Everyone knows she wanted to marry Lord Abbot. He does have a better title and more money.”

  “Thank you for reminding me, Toby,” Reece teased.

  “Meaning no offense, sir.” The young man nodded at Reece.

  “Well, I suppose you should get busy polishing my armor, readying my sword, preparing my horse.”

  A bright smile crossed Toby’s face. “Yes, sir!”

  “And I suppose I should have a bite to eat. It might be my last meal.” He glanced at Lara. She was staring at him as if unsure what to make of their situation. Toby left the cabin to begin his duties and Reece moved to draw Lara into his arms.

  “Are you feeling all right?” he asked.

  “Reece, what do we do if something happens to you?”

  He tilted her chin up. “I’d better teach you the words that activate the amulet,” he said. “I think you should be the one who wears it.”

  “No,” she said emphatically, shaking her head. “I don’t want it. You will wear it, and you will recite the words, and you will refuse this ridiculous challenge.”

  “Are you worried about me?”

  “Of course, I’m worried about you. This isn’t some show at a medieval fair. This is a joust, with a real lance, with a real knight who wants you dead for humiliating him.”

  “So you don’t think I can win?”

  “Reece, this is serious. You could be killed.”

  “I am more aware of that than you are, sweetheart. But we can’t mess up Reg and Eleanor’s future together. We have to go along with the chain of events as they transpire. Reg knows how to joust. I’ll just let him take control. Like when you were Helga and you milked the goat.”

  “That goat kicked me through the milking shed’s wall.”

  “Bad example,” he admitted. “I’ll be fine, Lara. Have faith in me.”

  “I’m trying, Reece, but I don’t want you to get hurt.” She swallowed hard. “Or dead...”

  He smiled. “You’re starting to care about me, rather you want to or not.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous.”

  “So you’d stop me if I did this?” He lowered his head and kissed her gently on the lips.

  His plan to distract her didn’t work. “Reece, we could just stall for a couple of days. Then Reg could retain his honor and win his lady and you wouldn’t have to be in danger. What if you lose? And Reg and Eleanor never get married and have children? And wonder if those children are your ancestors so you’re never born?”

  “Easy, Lara,” he said. “You don’t have to worry about that. What’s meant to happen will happen whether we are here or not. If I win, Reg won the first time through. If I lose, then Reg lost.”

  “How can you be sure?”

  “I’ve been through similar situations as I leapt through time for eight months.”

  “You’ve jousted?”

  “That’s not what I meant. When it looks like there is no way I’ll be successful, things turn out the way they should.”

  “And if you’re meant to lose?”

  “Then I lose.”

  “And if Reg dies?”

  He hesitated. “Then I die.”

  “Just until we leap, right? You’d be okay after we leap.”

  “I don’t think so, sweetheart.”

  She shook her head. “I won’t accept that.” She stomped her foot angrily.

  He hugged her to his chest and she relaxed against him. “Everything will work out for the best. There is a feeling of confidence in me that can only mean Reg knows what he’s doing.”

  “I hope you’re right, Reece. I’m not prepared to lose you. Not for Reg and Eleanor’s happiness. Not for anything.”

  Chapter 11

  They rode into the courtyard of a castle around midday. Lara glanced around, a feeling of dread in her chest. Eleanor did not like this place and she wasn’t happy to be returning.

  “Everything will be fine,” Reece whispered in her ear, picking up on her unease.

  “Are you sure we can’t run away?” she said, glancing up into his intimidating helmet.

  “How would it look if we ran off and young Toby jousted in my place?”

  Lara’s gaze fell on the profile of the young man riding the horse beside them. His eyes were glassy with star-struck wonder.

  “Funny, I don’t think he’d be upset about it.”

  Reece chuckled, the rich sound of his laughter made Lara’s heart sing. “You’re probably right about that.”

  A man stepped in front of their miniscule processional. The clopping of hooves on cobblestones drew to a halt.

  The man spoke, his voice authoritative and rather bored. “The challenge will commence in two hours time. Prepare yourself, Knight, for three rounds of tournament. Milady, your father would like a word with you.”

  “My father is here?” she blurted.

  “Since he is your guardian, he must agree to the terms of the challenge,” the man said as if annoyed by Lady Eleanor’s obvious ignorance.

  “Of course,” she said.

  Reece dismounted and helped Lara from the horse.

  “Don’t die,” she demanded in a harsh whisper. “Actually, just win. Okay?”

  He grinned. “With you as my tempting prize, how can I possibly lose?”

  “I’ll try to remember that when I’m pulling a lance from your chest.”

  “Such faith you have in me, woman,” he said jovially and patted her on the rear before she managed to get out of reach.

  She gave him a threatening look and he winked at her. Lara headed towards the looming castle. If Reg lost the tournament, this cold-looking place would become Eleanor’s home. And that asshat A
bbot would become her husband. Lara prayed that wasn’t Eleanor’s fate.

  Lara glanced back at Reece before she began to ascend the wide stairs to the castle. He was speaking with Toby, probably about the upcoming competition. She bit her lip, unable to contain her worry, and then started up the steps. The door opened in front of her and she stepped inside. It was gloomy, but she couldn’t help but gawk at her surroundings. She’d never had an opportunity to visit a real castle, but it had always been a dream of hers. The museum curator in her was in sheer heaven as her eyes darted from one artifact to another. Well, they would have been artifacts in her time. Here, they were just stuff.

  “Follow me, Lady Eleanor,” said the servant who had opened the door. “They await your arrival in the gathering hall.”

  “They?” she questioned.

  “Lord Abbot, your father, and your sister.”

  Okay, this was so not going to be fun. A feeling of dread settled in the pit of Lara’s stomach.

  The castle suddenly lost all appeal, but she took in the sights so she might savor them in her memory at a more suitable time. Rich tapestries hung from the walls to keep down the drafts. She thought she recognized Abbot bedecked in armor in one of the wall-hangings. She wondered if he’d commissioned a tapestry to be made in his likeness. Pretty tacky of him. The occasional piece of heavy, wooden furniture broke up the monotony of the corridor. Candles cast strange shadows on the stone floor. It all added to the doom and gloom she felt as she shuffled closer and closer to the confrontation ahead.

  When they entered the gathering room, the servant announced, “Lady Eleanor Clayton.”

  She swept into the room, trying not to be nervous. Trying to look confident. She was glad she was wearing a gown so they couldn’t see her knees knocking together.

  The older man looking at her with disapproval could only be her father. He stood near the fire nursing an amber-colored beverage. Lord Asshat, er, Abbot was there as well, sprawled in a heavy chair with a thick steak on his right eye. And then she noticed the small, young woman sitting near the window. Pale and wane, eyes downcast, she didn’t even glance up when Eleanor entered the room. She was too well-dressed to be a servant, and her red hair, which matched Lord Clayton’s in color, led Lara to believe that this was Eleanor’s younger sister. Meek, unimposing. A terrible match for Reg.