Birthday Gifts Fit for a Prince Ch. 09

Jade sighed with happiness as she took in her reflection one last time. Jeans and a t-shirt covered her slender frame, and she had never been so happy to wear such humble clothes. She walked beside Li'ir to the private plane that would whisk her back to civilization.

Her jovial mood turned to awe as she took in the plane's interior. She had become used to luxury during the weeks she languished in the palace, but even that didn't prepare her for the sumptuous appointment of the plane. It wasn't that far removed from what she would expect from an exclusive and swish lounge. Mood lighting. Blue topaz and gold filigree winking from the ceiling and walls. Plush sofas. Flat screen TVs. She could just make out what appeared to be a full bedroom in the rear of the plane. Wow!

While Jade readily acknowledged that she would miss living in the lap of luxury, she certainly wouldn't miss the captivity.

A careless shrug dismissed the past few weeks. It was with an eye on the future that she stowed her carry-on and then fastened her safety belt for takeoff. Her sporadic dark sense of humor rose to the surface as she recognized it wouldn't do to have endured all these weeks and then to die from carelessness during transport.

She was offered a glass of champagne, which she gladly accepted in light of having so much to celebrate.

She was just munching her way happily through a delicious crab and saffron cream salad when the reason for the delay arrived. Akim boarded the plane with barely a glance in her direction, advising the stewardess they could take off immediately.

Jade's appetite deserted her immediately upon seeing him. What was he doing here?

He could feel her inquisitive gaze resting on him, but was too tired to engage her. This was it. The last few hours they would be together and he still couldn't explain, even to himself, what he was doing on this plane. Torturing himself with her presence instead of making a clean break.

Once they were airborne he withdrew some papers from his briefcase and tried to busy himself with state affairs. He was having a moderate level of success when he realized she was on the move.

His eyes lifted to hers and he was struck anew by the amount of love he felt when he looked at her, and at the sorrow that clenched his heart that they would shortly be separated for all time.

She settled next to him and said nothing. Her hand fell to his thigh and just sat there, a heavy weight with no true purpose. His eyes dropped to examine the fine bones in her hand, fighting with every breath the desire to lift her hand to his heart and let her feel for herself how deeply she affected him. But he remained still, letting her take the lead.

"Akim."

His eyes lifted once more to her face as he steeled himself for the pain of partaking of her beauty.

"Why are you here?"

Her question was reasonable, he supposed, in the circumstances. He toyed with a few different answers, all of them lies, before deciding that he owed her the truth.

"Because you're here."

She breathed in the truth of that statement, holding his gaze, feeling the pressure of denying her own feelings.

"Because I couldn't stay away."

The words were like arrows, marking her heart, forcing her to tell the truth she had kept only for herself.

Her eyes dropped from his suddenly; her hand withdrew slowly from his thigh leaving him feeling cold and bereft. She stood as if to move away from him and breathed words so low he barely caught them. "I love you too."

His hand snaked out and caught her wrist before she could move more than a few inches and tipped her over onto his lap. His hand gently clasped her jaw and positioned her face so that she had no choice but to meet his eyes. "Say it again," he demanded.

For a moment her lips remained still, as if she wasn't sure she wanted those words released into the universe again. A few fraught seconds passed and finally she repeated the words, although if possible at an even lower volume than before. "I love you too."

The words gave him such an immediate sense of elation he could barely contain it. He wanted to weep with relief and only just managed to withhold his emotions. He contented himself with gently stroking the soft line of her cheek and pressing her heart to his.

Her hand came up to cover his as she brought her lips closer to his. Her eyes were so earnest as they held his. "Make love to me," she entreated. His heart soared until her next words brought him plummeting back to earth, "Hold me in your arms and make love to me one last time."

His mind immediately negated her words. How was it possible? How did she confess her love for him one moment and then confirm she still intended to leave him the next?

He wouldn't allow it.

He couldn't allow it!

He dropped his hands to her shoulders to ease her away, to give them the space they needed to discuss the situation like reasonable adults, but apparently his delay was too great. Her mouth dropped to his of her own accord, stealing the breath he would have used to question her choice. Gone was the sweet virgin of weeks before and in her place was a sexually mature woman of the world who knew her own desires. One kiss turned into two as she devoured his mouth. One hand held his face to hers while the other buried itself in the luxurious thickness of his hair.

His mouth left hers to trail kisses along her jaw and down her neck. She writhed against him with helpless desire as his teeth scoured a particularly sensitive dip in her neck.

Easing her back against the sofa, he began a renewed assault on her mouth. His shirt was discarded at random while he began a campaign to show her body who it's master was.

His mouth cleaved a path of fire across her collarbone down to the luscious slopes of her breasts. His teeth tugged at the stretchy fabric for all of a few seconds before he lost his patience and dragged her shirt off and pushed her bra up seeking the fastest access possible. His mouth fell to her newly exposed nipples in voracious hunger; his teeth nipping and suckling with lavish attention.

Pushing the two mounds together, he licked the pointed peeks. At the end of each lick his mouth was a hairsbreadth away from hers. Her eyes met his, begging for another kiss. She wanted it with every breath in her body and she arched up beneath him in silent entreaty. He could see the plea in her eyes and finally gave in, planting a kiss of such longing against her mouth that she never wanted him to release her.

He unsnapped her bra and tossed it aside, easing her up to sit astride his lap. He continued feasting on her breasts and fed off the rapt expression in her eyes as she watched him.

Easing onto his back, he swiftly dragged off her pants. She climbed back on him without any urging, positioning her pussy over his mouth.

His hands locked onto her waist and held her still as his mouth went to work, sucking her clit into his mouth without hesitation. She jerked on top of him as a wave of intense pleasure swept through her.

One hand eased behind her and felt for the fastening on his pants. Between the two of them they managed to remove his pants as well and she stroked his hard length while he ate her pussy.

She might have gained some skills in the weeks past, she acknowledged, but she was nowhere near as skilled as him in gifting pleasure. She convulsed on top of him again and again as he held her still and tasted his fill.

Her hands grew weak and clumsy as she stroked his flesh and tried to fight down the flames that were burning her from the inside out. It was only a matter of minutes before her hands flattened on his thighs as the pleasure peaked again and she sought purchase to ride it out. She could only submit to the pleasure that was washing over her as he held her firm, her back arching in agony.

She bucked as he continued to flick his tongue, the pleasure too much for her sensitive flesh and still he held her. She fell back away from him and he used the momentum of her motion to follow her down.

He positioned her on her back and had her thighs spread and his mouth on her pussy before she could move. His hold was unbreakable she realized as she again tried to make a bid for freedom.

The pleasure was too intense.

She quivered beneath him, her breath stolen in a moment of pleasure so divine she could do nothing but ride it out.

His hands locked possessively around her hips as he ate her into oblivion. He planted one last kiss on her pulsing nub before rearing up into her sweet flesh.

Her legs locked around his hips and her hands came up to frame his face lovingly. It was only moments before her hand fell to his chest, begging for mercy. His hand covered hers and eased it down between her legs, leaving it resting on her slippery clit.

"Pleasure yourself."

Her hand remained still. She knew she couldn't bear it.

He knew it too, but he still slid his fingers around hers and stroked her himself.

His other hand was buried in her hair, holding her still as he pumped furiously into her. She shattered.

He wrapped her a little closer and dropped light playful kisses across her face that melted her defenses and destroyed her weak defiance. His flesh stroked gently in and out of her once more, his eyes locked to her.

She lay acquiescent in his arms as the storm rolled in. She knew she would peak again in minutes and there was nothing she could do about it. His slow pace didn't change that it would be an orgasm to rival all orgasms or that she would shatter so hard he would be hard pressed to find the pieces.

Her mouth was open on a soundless scream as he flipped her over, positioning her into a half spoon position. Her ass met the warm cradle of his hips but he positioned her upper body so that she was still open to him.

His arms swept around her holding her secure as he increased his pace. Her arm clenched his in desperation as she felt herself falling. His hand dropped to her clit again and stroked her in time with his thrusts. She writhed against him as he kissed her into submission, releasing the maelstrom that was building within her. Her neck arched as she let out another scream of pleasure.

Her mewling cries continued as his hips never tired, and the wicked fingers that were stroking her clit never gave up their quest.

She came again. And again.

Her breathing was hectic and choppy as he placed a gentle kiss in the curve of her neck. He never grew tired of watching her peak. And he had all the time in the world to bring her to orgasm if it meant that she understood there was only one place that would truly ever feel like home, and that was in his arms.

He turned her again so she was facing completely away from him, and scooped her even closer to his body. His position on the couch meant it was harder for him to gain momentum. He tilted her face back towards his and nibbled at her ear. "Your turn now," he whispered. "Make love to me."

She lay there for a moment, trying to catch her breath. Refusing to bring another storm of pleasure upon herself when it was almost more than she could handle. He continued whispering in her ear, his arms folded across her chest as he held her clasped to him. His hand eased to her stomach, caressing the soft mound, encouraging her to pick up the rhythm he desired.

Our last time, her fevered mind whispered back to her. This is the last time. And suddenly her hips were moving.

A slow non-demanding rhythm, but they were moving.

His fingers tangled with hers as he planted a line of kisses down the back of her neck and encouraged her to keep moving. Her pace did even out into a more natural rhythm and she turned her face back to his as he kissed their joined hands and brought her mouth to his in a kiss that nearly had her crying out for a different reason.

She could feel her heart breaking.

He deepened the kiss and as it gained carnality he swept her leg up over his arm and started pounding into her drenched flesh.

Her mouth flew from his as her body started to convulse again, her hands curling into the arm of the sofa as he played her like an instrument.

He withdrew from her suddenly, desperate to have a taste.

His mouth fell between her legs again. Licking. Slow cat like licks as if he couldn't get enough of the taste of her.

She nearly came just looking at him.

He lifted his head and spit just once on her pussy before slicking his cock over the slickness and easing back in.

He swept one of her legs over his shoulder and held the other clasped to his side as he pummeled her flesh. She creamed all over him as her flesh yielded to his dominance.

His nails raked down her stomach as he worked her body. Her scream was one of pure surrender and she pulled him closer for one infinitesimal second wanting the moment to last forever.

That thought was like a wake up call, reminding of where she was, who she was with and how the story had to end. There is no forever, she reminded herself, only this moment.

She slid her leg off his shoulder and reclaimed her position on his lap. Without urging she started bouncing up and down. She was mindless with desire, her mouth seeking his without any conscious volition.

She was desperate to put her mark upon him as he had indelibly put his upon her. Desperate that he should remember her long after they said their final goodbyes. Desperate that he would never hold another woman in his arms and not wish it was her.

Her tongue brushed into his mouth with earnest passion. Stroking his tongue and retreating in a very tantalizing fashion. He found himself chasing that little pink blade back into her mouth and conducting his own exploration.

She relaxed completely in his presence for the very first time.

She felt the difference now. Now that they were meeting as equals.

She wasn't here to serve him. She wasn't in fear of her life. She was merely exchanging pleasure with a man she found attractive, who found her equally attractive.

Her hands made quick work of the buttons down the front of his shirt while she eagerly encouraged him to remove her clothes with all due haste. They stripped down in record time and stood before each other nude, enjoying the beauty of each other's form.

She was the first to move, her hand touching the hard wall of his chest as if it was her first time seeing it. Her hand swept down rippling muscles until she was casually caressing the side of his hip. Her eyes lifted from the immediate proof of his desire to meet his eyes.

The intensity and intimacy of the moment was not lost on him. It was the first time she had looked at him with unguarded eyes. Nothing was held back. Her gaze was open, trusting and loving, and he knew that this was the look he wanted to see everyday for the rest of his life.

He opened his arms, and she walked into them of her own free will.

***

Jade gained consciousness slowly. Her heavy heart didn't want to face what would come next. The coming goodbye would be made harder by her newly acknowledged feelings and the depths of their recent intimacy. She hardened her heart against her sentimental weakness and forced herself from the tangled sheets.

She wasn't a baby to hide behind her fatigue because she didn't want to face a difficult task. She swiftly dismissed the idea of a shower, liking the smell of intimacy that coated her skin.

A wry smile curved her lips as she started dressing. She had every reason to be fatigued. Akim had devoted hours to learning her limits and pushing her to them. She had spent the same amount of time returning the favor.

There wasn't so much as a centimeter on either of their bodies that the other was not intimately acquainted with. She knew how to make him moan in agony or hiss in bliss. She could stroke him to orgasm in a pitch-black room with her hands tied behind her back.

Together they had created many memories and those memories would have to sustain her in the coming years. No other would do for her. Who could even compare?

Fully clothed she headed out to the main cabin to find Akim.

"This way madam." The words were accompanied by a smile as the flight attendant gestured towards the stairs leading from the aircraft.

Jade returned her smile before heading in that direction, wondering where Akim was. Did he not intend to say goodbye then?

For a moment as she descended the stairs she could only see Akim. It was like a movie. Everything faded and there was only him. Her eyes lovingly caressed his face as she beheld him for the last time.

She stopped for a moment to steady herself as the full realization of what was about to happen hit home. She would never see him again.

And that was when it hit her.

To his left stood Li'ir. Li'ir who should have been back at the palace awaiting his return. Jade's eyes darted around and her heart sank further as she realized she was the one who was out of place.

His palace rose behind him like the pyramids of old. Guards and staff flanked the plane welcoming his safe return. The warm heat wrapped around her like a lover when she should have been buffeted by the harsh winds of winter.

As the full import of what she was witnessing penetrated her stunned brain, she went off like a firecracker.

"Why?" she demanded in a tortured voice.

"I couldn't let you go," he confessed with no true hint of remorse.

Jade stormed down the remaining stairs noticing Li'ir's hot look of displeasure as she gained the tarmac. Jade threw a caustic remark in her direction as she continued towards the palace. "I guess as long as he lives you will never see the back of me, so wipe that hostile look off your face and get used to it."

Li'ir was almost, almost offended at her words and insolent tone, but she knew Jade had every right to be disenchanted. Akim had broken his word again. Something that was his bond, that he lived and ruled by, so easily cast aside.

Again.

For this girl.

Li'ir turned condemning eyes in his direction. His direct gaze met hers and though he rarely explained himself, for her sake he voiced his thoughts.

"I couldn't let her go."

"Couldn't or wouldn't?" she questioned shrewdly.

There was a long silence before he answered.

"Couldn't," he bit out imperiously.

Li'ir said nothing further, but her silent condemnation filled the space and he stormed away from her. "This conversation is closed."

Li'ir followed in his wake, still silent. She knew Akim had some hard truths to come to grips with, and that he would do so in his own time.

Akim was not ready to admit to anyone that he had fallen so hard in love that it bordered on obsession. Returning to his quarters, he prepared himself for a relaxing massage. Anything to delay the time when he would come face to face with Jade again. He knew he had done her a grievous wrong. He had hoped she would acknowledge that this decision was the right one. For both of them. He knew no better way to honor their love than to celebrate it and acknowledge it formally through joining their lives. She was as yet unaware that he wanted her for his bride. They had many things to discuss. But not yet. She needed time to calm down. He could give her that at least.

***

Jade's angry stride carried her back to her quarters. She was surprised to see Nahid there waiting for her. Gone was the snide superior look and in its place was a subdued grief that was painful to witness.

"I knew you'd be back," were Nahid's first words.

"Oh?" Jade wasn't so sure. Not about anything anymore.

"He loves you, doesn't he?" The question was less of an accusation and more of a somber statement of fact.

"No," Jade shook her head in denial. "He doesn't." The words were spoken with quiet conviction. Not just because she believed them, but because she needed to believe them. "If he loved me then he would have let me go."