Ægir’s Bride Ch. 03

He chuckled as he tossed the damn things across the room. He pulled the quilt up in case Sven came back. Not that his brother had not seen the goods. Hell, he had seen them before either he or Bjorn. But he still was not comfortable with any reminder that this wife was theirs...to share. Was that the problem? Had he pushed her so hard because he wanted to stand out, to be different from his brothers?

She rolled over and opened her eyes, "Mik..." she began.

He placed his fingers over her lips which were cool to the touch. "Don't talk right now, Kirsty." He saw the confused look on her face. She really did have the most expressive features. One look and he could almost read her mind. "You dropped. Sub drop."

She frowned for a moment then nodded as if she remembered. But was she remembering what had happened ... or what drop meant? "We...I...should have been more careful. We had no idea how you would react to pain." Or that level of pleasure, he thought but would not embarrass her right now with that reminder.

"Knock, knock," Sven entered the open door carrying a tray. Mikael frowned as he brought it to the bed. "Back to the world of the living, Kirsten?" His older brother asked as he passed the tray to him and knelt next to the bed.

Mikael flexed his fingers as he reached for the bottle of water. He tried to still his mind and cool his anger as he watched Sven brush hair back from her face with a smile. "How are you feeling?"

She shook her head a bit as Mikael lifted her shoulders from the pillow and brought the bottle to her lips. He did not pull it away until she had emptied half of the bottle. Then he smiled at her as he picked up a piece of the dark chocolate from the tray. "Magic elixir. Open wide," he coaxed her.

She shook her head but he brought it to her lips anyway. With a firm look, she opened and allowed him to feed it to her. He made her finish the bottle of water before he turned to his brother. "Thanks, but I have this from here."

He saw the dark look cross Sven's face and squared his shoulders, preparing for an argument. Instead his brother placed his hand on his shoulder, "Baby brother may not like to admit it, but this could have happened to any of us. You know as well as I do that drop varies from sub to sub." He looked to the woman in the bed, whose eyes were closed again, "We had no way of knowing hers would be this bad," he whispered.

Absolution was the last fucking thing he wanted from this man. He would have a thousand times preferred that Sven smash his fist into his face. But this was worse, much worse. He shook his head so violently that he dislodged his brother's hand.

He lashed out, "I should have known. It probably was not the first time. When I went down into your cabin yesterday to tell her we were docking, she had been crying. So yeah, big brother, maybe it could have happened to any of us. Maybe it already did with you."

He saw Sven's hands fist at his side. He prepared for what was to come. But a fight was just what he wanted. And the way he felt right now, he would take them both on. His father too.

But the small moan from that bundle in the bed pre-empted whatever release he might have found by slamming his fist into his brother's face. Sven and he both looked towards the bed where she tossed and turned restlessly. "Look after her," was all his brother said as he turned and left the room, closing the door behind him.

Mikael climbed back onto the bed next to her. He debated whether to leave her be, but right now it was more than just sleep which she needed. He reached down and pulled her sweater over her head. She woke up and stared at him, "Mikael?"

Her voice was stronger this time so that was good sign at least. He lifted her enough to undo her bra and slide it down her arms. She reached for the edge of the quilt and pulled it almost to her chin. The blush on her cheeks, another good sign, told him that it was more than the chills that prompted her actions.

He reached over for the herb tea that was also on the tray. It was one of his mother's special blends. Was this its true purpose? His mother. It was one thing to suspect. Another to pretend the way his brothers did. But damn it, having your mother lecture you on the Dom rules...in front of your father, brothers and wife.

"Here, take a sip of this," he said as he leaned down and propped her up. He brought the cup to her lips and she sipped slowly.

"Thank you," she whispered as she tried to smile.

Fuck, he deserved it all...and worse. He helped her to finish half of the cup before he placed it back on the tray, "More chocolate? More water?"

She shook her head, "No, I'm fine. I don't know what happened," she had a puzzled look on her face. "Maybe I am coming down with something."

He placed the tray on the floor, close enough that he could easily reach it. Then he climbed into bed next to her. He knew she would not appreciate it much so he stayed fully clothed, only kicking off his boots before climbing on top of the quilt. He drew her into his arms. Held her as he had last night against his chest.

He was glad that they were spooning, that way she could not see his eyes when he spoke, "It is drop, Kirsty."

She turned and looked at him funny, "Yeah, I remember. Well, a bit sketchy but your mom said that too."

Mikael remembered a lot more that his mother had said and blushed as he shifted her back around in his arms. "I am sorry. It is my fault. When I came back last night you were sleeping so I did not wake you. Then this morning..." What could he say? The truth was that he had been in such a damned hurry to get out of her bed before she woke up that he had not given water or checking on her a second thought.

She shook her head, "No, really, how were you to know?"

He chuckled, "A hell of a lot more than you would. I have only been playing these games for almost fifteen years." He felt her stiffen in his arms. Maybe he had not said that very well, "I mean I pushed you pretty hard last night."

Damn, did he love making this woman blush...even now. "How about you get some more rest and we'll talk when you wake up?"

She nodded as she closed her eyes. But then she started fidgeting and squirming like a fish on a hook. And all of it seemed to be her hips pushing back against his throbbing cock. Fuck, that was what got them into this trouble...thinking with his little head.

He tried his damnedest to just ignore it. He tried drawing back so that there was a small space between them. But she just scooted back...three times, until he was on the edge of the bed with nowhere else to go.

He considered his options...she needed rest. She needed to be held. Fuck, she needed that most from him. She needed...

His hand slid slowly up from where it rested safely over her hip. He lightly caressed just the underside of her breast through the blanket. He did that for a couple of minutes, nothing more. The quiet "Oh" that escaped her throat told him what he needed to know.

He slipped his hand beneath the quilt until it brushed bare flesh. He spent several more minutes just simply lightly brushing his fingers in ever smaller circles, homing in upon her nipple. Her hips increased their now frantic rubbing. But he noticed then that it was not just his cock that she was rubbing, her own thighs seemed to be rubbing against one another. There was very little doubt now what she needed...but not forced ones this time.

He turned her slightly as he allowed his fingers to feather across her nipple. It was hard, impossibly taut. He looked into those eyes as they half opened. She was bone-fucking tired. He saw that. But her body was not letting her truly rest. "I have no right to ask...but let me give you what you need, Kirsty. Please."

She frowned and shook her head, "What I need? I don't understand."

His arm underneath her shifted just enough that his hand rested upon her bare mound. She shook her head, "No, there's no way. I couldn't possibly. Not after..."

He leaned and softly whispered against her, "Not after the way you came for me last night. The hundreds of times I forced your body to come...over and over and over." He softly licked the edge of her ear, "Not like that, no, that is not what you need right now, but you do need this."

He rolled her beneath him as he smiled down at her. He felt like a hypocrite. A liar and an asshole as he asked once, "Trust me."

She smiled softly and moved against him, "Of course."

Mikael closed his eyes. What the fuck? That was the last thing he truly wanted or needed to hear from her. She should be hitting him. Throwing things at him. Screaming and calling him a bastard. Not this complete surrender again.

But this time he could not afford to let it get under his skin. That had been his mistake last night. Dom Rule Number Three: you cannot control anyone else, unless you can first control yourself. And he had forgotten that. But he swore as he had to Monika last night...not again. He would not mess this up for them again. For any of them.

He breathed deeply. Focus on just getting the job done. Take care of business. She is just a sub with a need. You have played with hundreds of them. He tried with all his being to push down that tiny voice that he had been so successfully ignoring for so long, when it whispered...'this is not play and she is not just any sub.'

His fingers continued to toy and lightly caress her nipple as he bent down and began to trail kisses down her throat and over her shoulders. By the time he got to the soft swell of her breast, her hips were arching against his hand that merely rested its weight softly top her pubic bone. He knew that it would take just one touch and she would be off...he had seen that time and time again last night.

But that was not what she needed this time. And this was about what she needed. Nothing more, he tried to convince himself.

He ran his tongue across the soft skin. This time he allowed himself to take the time to play dot-to-dot with some of the large freckles, twinkling like stars in the constellation of her milky breast. He closed his eyes, 'Bad choice of words, bud,' he chided himself at the thought of those soft mounds hard and full with milk, her tummy round with child. He pulled himself back from the next thoughts...before it was too late.

This woman got to him. Worse than any other ever had. But he could not allow that to show, to control him. Dom Rule Number Three became a mantra in his head as he lathe both breasts with equal attention. Equal attention...would even that ever be enough with him? And hadn't he done everything he could to push her away...make certain that he did not receive even that?

He raised up slowly, looking down on her. Her eyes were closed, but the rapid rise and fall of her chest gave no doubt that the woman was most definitely not asleep. That thought was confirmed a second later when she opened them, he chuckled, "You pout worse than Monika. Do you know that, woman?"

He bent and did something else he sworn he would not do...he kissed her. Really kissed her. Not bite. Not a quick peck. A deep and thorough conquering of her mouth. And while he did, he allowed his hands free roam over that ripe, lush body of hers.

He would not have thought this woman his type physically. Greta had been petite, almost anorexic, as had most of the subs and pros that he occasionally frequented. But he was discovering that there was something to be said for a lover that was softer, fuller, and curvier.

He could go on like this all afternoon, he realized. It was a sobering thought. After last night, how could he still not be satisfied? How many times had he made this woman come? How many times had she even satisfied his dark fantasy? That sweet pussy gushing its juices all over his face. That had been his intent now as well...though not as violently as he had used her last night.

But he realized now that would be a mistake. The point of this was to get her off...quickly...and then let her sleep for a bit. If he tasted her, all bets would be off. As much as he wanted to think he could remain in control, just the thought of her tight pussy coming on his tongue, her cunt juices coating his face had him granite hard inside his jeans. No, eating her out to another shattering orgasm was not the right choice...not this time.

He lay back down on his side next to her, drew her into his embrace as he returned to kissing her lips. It was not just the woman's cunt which tasted delightfully sweet. Kissing had never held much fascination for him, foreplay to be quickly gotten out of the way for your partner's sake. But this...this was a banquet all its own.

He ran his thumb teasingly across the hard nub of her nipple. Then the other. When she arched against him and moaned into his mouth, he swore it was almost as if she had... But that was not possible. Was it?

But it did remind him the point of all this as he ran his hand slowly down her body, across that tummy. He chided himself once more as fantasies of it round and full with child filled his mind. He hoped his brothers would hurry up and get the job done. 'No, you don't,' whispered that damned traitor in his head. He brought it to heel before it forced him to truths that he did not want to face.

By the time that his finger slipped between her folds, she slick, wet, and oh so fucking ready. Even as light as this touch was she lifted her hips off of the bed. Her moans into his mouth increased. Her breathing became increasingly shallow as his thumb brushed the sweet flesh...once...twice... He had barely began the third gently brush across her clit when her whole body shook in his arms. This time she screamed into his mouth.

His lips crushed hers as he swallowed every bit of it. Not because he gave a damn about the noise. Let her scream the whole fucking Holding down for all he cared. No, he wanted to take that energy deep inside of him. Wanted to store it, remember it. Because never again would he allow himself to lose control as he had last night.

His mother was right. This was their wife and she deserved better. More. He would find a way...somehow to bury his darkness, to hide that bad boy. He would give her what she needed, not what he wanted. He would control his demons...he would. As he drew the magic of her screams deep inside as a reserve when that was not so easy, when he wanted to push her limits, when he needed more than she would ever give. This kiss, these screams would have to be enough.

He held her body as the tremors became aftershocks. He softened the kiss. But still his finger rested unmoving over her clitoris. When she opened those eyes, they were incredibly sexy and sleepy. Satisfied was the only word to cover it...and that made him want to roar. He had done that, given that to this woman.

"Better?" he chuckled as he kissed her forehead and drew her closer to his body. She only nodded as she snuggled tighter into him. He shook his head as he slowly drew that finger back. She whimpered. She actually fucking whimpered. He could not resist a soft swat to her bottom, "Greedy," he teased.

"Yeah," she muttered against his chest, "And whose fault is that, I wonder?" He shook his head and chuckled. He was certain she would drift quickly off to sleep then.

But instead she once more fidgeted and moved. "You really are. Greedy. No more. You need sleep more than you need to come again," he admonished.

She opened her eyes, "That is debatable, Sir. But the problem is not that. The problem is your shirt."

He laughed, a full throaty belly busting one that echoed around the room. "Now you tell me? Why didn't you say that earlier?"

She shrugged as she toyed with the top button of that shirt, "And miss out on what you offered? Do I look stupid to you?"

He remembered what Sven had said in the hall last night...having something to laugh about. Maybe. Just maybe, he was right. "Take it off," she demanded.

Mikael froze for a moment. Another of the things that he had sworn. To keep his clothes on at all times...with her too. It was a boundary that he had not really crossed...since... Sure it might only be a shirt. But he felt it. He had already kissed her. Now this. The woman was chipping away at all of his promises, his safety zone...his wall.

So why the fuck was his fingers pulling the rough wool from the waistband of his jeans even as hers was working the third button from the top. And why the fuck did those eyes just get so fucking wide like a little child on Christmas morning?

Her hand slipped inside it as he was left to finish the job. Her fingers ran across the hard plains of his heated skin until he was certain he would go up in flames. He forced himself to remain calm as he shrugged out of it. Her head barely moved as she clung tightly about his waist. And those fingers were driving him insane as she tugged and toyed with the hairs that covered his chest.

He playfully swatted her bottom as he once more arranged them back comfortably on the pillows. But she immediately shifted her head, "Nah-uh, I want a fuzzy pillow," she pronounced with finality as she moved her head to the center of his chest. Could she hear how fast his heart was beating? Did she have any idea what she was doing to him? He covered her hands with his own, just to keep them still, a desperate attempt to keep what little remained of his sanity.

Within moments, she was asleep. The gentle rise and fall of her chest and the soft mewing almost of kitten told him that her dreams were sweet. But he was left alone. Wide awake...with his demons. And the battle to control them...before he did anything else he would regret.

***

Olaf followed her into his cabin, holding open the door. He wanted to laugh at the look she gave him as she entered. His wife was mad. So be it. So was he. And it was about damned time that the woman remembered she was his sub as well as his wife and best friend. She had not just stepped over the line. She had fucking blown the damned thing up.

He sighed, but that was his fault too. His and Stig's. All of theirs really, but especially his. He should have drawn these lines long ago. He had let this woman reign over them all for way too long. And that only made this punishment harder. Maybe that was as it should be...as much a punishment to him as to her. But he would think about that later. Right now, he had a battle to win.

"That boy was out of line, Olaf. You know that," she said as she twirled around to face him even before he could close the door.

He did so quickly. Their sons did not need to hear what transpired between them...any more than they needed their mother broadcasting the truth of the true nature of their relationship, something that all of them had been wilfully ignorant of...until she opened that kissable mouth a few minutes ago.

"Did I give you permission to speak, Rachel?" his only chance of re-establishing boundaries that should have never become this blurred in the first place was to take full charge now.

She glared at him and he covered the few feet between them, maintaining her gaze the whole way. "Whether or not our son screwed up with his sub is beside the point right now. What is the point is that I have fucked up with mine. And more importantly that fuck up has hurt our sons and their wife."

"But..." she began. He used his fingers and thumb to collar her mouth, holding it open so that she could no longer speaker.

"Did I not make myself clear, Rachel? You do NOT have permission to speak right now. You have said way too fucking much already this morning. Now it is your turn to listen. To some truths...some hard ones...that we should have said long ago, old woman," he sighed and closed his eyes for a moment.

This was harder than he had thought. Especially knowing that the responsibility rested squarely on his shoulders. But that did not change what must be done now. And it really must be done. He opened them again and once more steeled his own emotions...you cannot control your sub, if first you cannot control yourself...he reminded himself.