Tuesday Teaser!

Tuesday Teaser from WIP "Bride Price".  Erick is one of my favorite heros.  I hope you enjoy it as much as me.  Also be sure and check out April London's Teaser as well and Jennifer's.

“I’m sorry, but all I have that might fit you are an extra set of Nathan’s old clothes.”

“Nathan?”

“Our butcher, he’s not quite as tall as you, but close will have to do.”

“This is it,” Erick held up the linen shirt, heavy woolen trousers, and the belt that Dei had thrown back at him.  “What are you going to wear?”

“Just this old dress.  It’s the warmest one in here.”  She turned around with the dress just as Erick was stripping his wet clothes off. “I . . . forgive me, um,” she turned back around quickly and hid her blushing face.  Her cheeks felt as though they were on fire.  She had never seen a man’s body completely naked before.  It startled her when she considered turning around for another look.  But reality and previous experience came crashing down hard.  How could she have been so careless; however, her mistake was not followed by a rally of angry words.  Perhaps he realized that she had not meant to catch him unaware.

“Dei,” Erick said intimately, using her pet name.  He had a huge smile on his face as he stood her up and turned her trembling and very red face to look at him.  “Look at me.”  She glanced up quickly through her long eyelashes and saw the laughter in his face.  He wasn’t even angry; he thought the whole thing funny.

“You’re not angry?”  The sound of his laughter echoed through the caves as he threw his head back. 

“Of course not and when we have time I plan to formally introduce you to all of me.”  His huge grin stretched across his face.  Dei thought he looked very much like a dog that had just been given a huge bone.  She had a strange feeling that she was the bone.  “I don’t suppose you would allow me the same peek?” 

Dei felt her heart rise to her throat and she choked back a frightened cry.  The barbarian had just asked to see her naked in the middle of a storage room.  She was wet and cold and frightened to death that she would do something to change his mind about beating her.  Perhaps she should just suck it up and do as he asked.  Knowing she was legally his wife, Dei swallowed her fear and started untying the neck of her tunic, scared however of what his reaction to her beaten body would be?  It hadn’t been near enough time for even old bruises to fade, much less the new lashes, still stinging from the dip in the ocean.

Erick watched in amazement as Dei’s hands proceeded to untie her tunic, however, the next thing he noticed was the terror in her eyes.  “Dei stop,” Erick grabbed her hands and held them tightly against his chest.  “It was not an order; it was more of a teasing dare.  Please, I will leave the room while you change.  Just call me back when you are finished.”  He saw the relief flood through her face and she nodded in acknowledgement.  

Tuesday Night Teaser!

I am such a flake sometimes. *Giggle*  But better late than never!  Hope you enjoy.  Also be sure to stop by Jennifer and April's pages too for more awesome teasers!  Night Ya'll.

From WIP "Bride Price"

Erick awoke early the next morning to find the Lady Deianira had turned in her sleep and was now facing him, with her head tucked into the crook of his shoulder.  She also had a hand pressed against his chest.  Apparently, her body had betrayed her and it taken warmth where it could.  His right arm was still securely around her waist.  It had felt good to have her soft body nestled against his and it'd taken all of his self-control throughout the night to keep his hands off the rest of her.  He could feel her light breaths on his neck, and it was a rousing him significantly. 

He shifted a little to accommodate himself, trying to move her hip from where it was leaning into a particular area of his anatomy.  His movement disrupted her and he felt her start to awaken.  Her fingers slid up his chest across the woolen shirt he was wearing, her breathing stopped abruptly and her hand froze in place.  Knowing she was quite awake, he waited to see what her reaction would be to finding herself in such an intimate position.  Playing with her a little, he feigned a stretch and pulled her even tighter against his own body.  He felt her body go limp in an attempt to keep from awakening him.  She was securely trapped; one arm pressed between herself and his chest and the other arm underneath her, her head was tucked firmly against his neck where he could feel her sporadic and now sharp breaths.

            "Please let me go," a soft trembling voice pleaded.  Did she know he was awake?  Or was she just trying it?  "Please, let me go."  The voice was firmer now, but still soft

            “What are you going to do if I say no?"  He rolled onto his back carrying her along with him until she was lying on top of his chest.  His right arm held her lower body and his left arm held tight around her shoulders.  She held her head up for a moment to look him in the eye and then laid it down gently on his chest.  Her eyes were so soft in that moment, so scared, and so defeated.  Suddenly he felt horribly guilty.  Why had she given up so easily?  He didn’t feel like teasing her at all anymore.  Erick was confused by his feelings for the woman lying on top of his body.  He had been attracted to her spirit, to her attitude, to the she-wolf inside her.  Where was the woman she had been yesterday?  Why was her defeated attitude affecting him so?

            He slowly let his arms loosen and he assisted her as she climbed off of him.  She stood over him looking down at him in puzzlement.  Erick saw some of her spirit coming back into her face.  By Thor, she was beautiful.  Her hair hung down around her shoulders to her slender waist.  Its rich burgundy tresses seemed to glow in the morning light that was pouring in through the window opening on the far wall.  Her gray eyes opened a little wider when he shifted positions and folded his arms under his head.  The light also acted to make her thin shift appear almost translucent.  He could see every outline of her lithe form, from her curving thighs, to the rosy peaks of her generously upturned breasts.  He groaned as he hardened almost instantly.  She was not getting off as easily as she thought.