Free The Stubborn Lord by Michelle M. Pillow

the thick muscle she found there. Everything inside her focused on him—his warmth, his smell, his kiss, his touch. Their bodies rocked, steadily moving back and forth as the animal lumbered forward.
    “Turn around,” he whispered.
    At the request, her eyes flew open, back to the center horn. The animal had begun to jerk its head forcefully to each side. “I think your animal needs to rest. It looks agitated.”
    Alek lifted his head to look at the beast. “Perhaps you are right.”
    Before she could speak, he dismounted and was pulling her against his chest. He turned her, putting his back to the ceffyl as his lips met hers. A stiff breeze swept up the mountain, encasing them. Her skirt billowed around the backs of her thighs. Alek enticed her tongue into his mouth.
    Kendall traced the length of his arms beneath his tunic shirt, holding him to her. She liked the taste of him, the wet texture of his open mouth. He seemed to touch everywhere at once—her hair, back, arms, hip and ass—before working the skirt material at her waist. He exposed her calf, inching the dress higher even as he continued to kiss her.
    With each second, he kissed harder. Alek reached for his waist, eagerly trying to remove the barriers between their bodies. She felt his hand bump against her sex. What was it about this man that could make her forget everything but the very basest of needs? Before last night, she never would have believed herself capable of such passion. Sure, she had needs before Alek, but nothing she couldn’t take care of on her own.
    She reached for him, intent on rubbing against him as they had the night before. Swaying, she was held up only by his embrace. A throaty laugh left him, vibrating against her mouth. She smiled into his kiss as he pulled back to look at her.
    “Oh! Ah!” For a moment, the sound didn’t fully register. She looked at his mouth, but his lips hadn’t moved to release the feminine, higher-toned squeal of alarm. Reason dawned in his eyes as they both turned their heads to the side. She recognized Aeron from the Galaxy Brides’ ship. The woman stared at them, her eyes wide as she said, “I… Apologies… Walking…”
    Kendall looked at Alek’s face and then down his body to where her hand gripped him in an intimate manner. Embarrassment heated her face as she let go of his arousal. His hands were much slower in releasing their hold on her. When he finally let her go, Kendall swept her hands over her body to make sure she was covered.
    “I didn’t mean to intrude,” Aeron said, clearly regaining her senses. “I’ve been walking for a long time.”
    “Who are you?” Alek questioned. “What are you doing with that ceffyl?”
    Aeron glanced behind her to the animal following her over the ridge. The smaller ceffyl lowered its head and moved toward Alek’s surly beast. The two of them began rubbing horns. Alek seemed unconcerned with the animals’ ritual.
    “It followed me,” Aeron answered. She looked almost desperately at Kendall for help. The woman wasn’t a friend, but Alek’s harsh tone had clearly frightened the poor thing. Kendal felt sorry for her.
    “Alek, this is Aeron. She was on the Galaxy Brides’ ship with me,” Kendall explained. She tried not to look directly at Alek for too long. Her body still stung with the disappointment of the interruption. However, perhaps it was better they didn’t continue. She should consider what she was doing logically, not in the heat of his kisses.
    “Aeron Grey,” Aeron said, belatedly.
    “What are you doing out here alone, Aeron Grey?” Alek asked.
    The woman looked as if she might cry. She shook her head back and forth. “I don’t know.”
    “Where is your husband?” Alek took an aggressive step toward Aeron. Kendall watched his actions closely, unsure what to make of his hard attitude. It was obvious by the woman’s expression that she was frightened. She was alone in the wilderness on a new planet. Shouldn’t the question