"Untie me, " he rasped desperately, then added, "I think I am coming lose anyway.Just - " Daniel fell into relieved silence as thatgot a reaction out of her. Shifting, she reachedup to check the handnearest her, and Daniel licked his lips as one breast jiggledgently just a bare fewunreachable inches to the sideof his face.Then she leaned overhim to check the other wrist, and that breastwas suddenly an inch above hisface. Liftinghis head, he licked hungrilyatthefleshon the underside of herbreast; then he nippedat itspeak before closing his mouthoverthe nipple and drawing it intohis mouth.

Valoree had gonestill atthe first touch, but had not removed herself. Now she groaned as he laved her hungrily, her body tremblingas shestretched over him.

"Untieme, " hemurmured against her skin. "Come. Untie me."

Groaning, shestraightened away from him, shaking her head.

"Nay. Youarejusttrying to seduce me into setting youfree."

"Nay, I..."Daniel paused as she stood, then stepped over him so that she had one foot oneither side of hiships.Fora moment, he had aview like no other; then she lowered herself carefully, frowning as his splayed legs forcedhers out at anawkward angle as she tried to positionherself above him.

"You cannotdo it with my legs like that. Untie me andI will -  " Her sudden grasping of hisshaft with one hand totry to position him made him stop and bite his lip again as arrowsof sensation shot through him.

"You cannot, " hemanaged again in a strangled voice, groaning in relief when she suddenly releasedhim and stood.

Retrieving her knife, she movedsilently to his feetandfreed first one, then the other. Daniel pulled his legs closed as she tossed the knife aside again, thenreturnedto herearlierposition, kneeling astride him. Grasping him in her hand, she shifted slightly, peering down as she lowered herself, shifting him as she sought her entranceusing his flesh as the probe. Daniel groaned at the combination of her firm hold on the base and the warm, wet flesh closingaround and brushingover the tip of him as she played find-the-entrance.Just when she hadfound it, hemuttered hername.She paused to peer up at him questioningly.

"Aye, my lord? "

Daniel nearlylaughedat the polite title, thenshook his head.

"Myhands."

"I will notuntieyou, mylord, " she asserted, but he shook his head.

"No. My hands. They feel odd."

Her gaze slid upto his hands and she gasped inalarm. She releasedtheholdshe had on his manhood andleaned overhim to quickly loosenfirst one bond then the other. It wasnotenough thathe couldescape hiscaptivity, but enough to let someblood backintohis hands. Daniel, whohad deliberatelypulled tight on his bindingsto cause such anecessity, immediately licked at any flesh in hispathlike a starving dog lickingthe juice from his lord'splate. His tongueroved over her breasts, between them, andattheundersides. Anything thatjiggled into his pathreceived a like treatmentas she worked. A moan ofdisappointment slid fromhis lips as sheeased away fromhim, only to besilenced by her mouth as she kissed him, licking hislips as he had hers so manytimes, then slipping inside with her tongue to explore him aggressively before receding to allow him toexplore in return.

He kissed herdesperately, groaning again when she endedthe kiss, then sighingas her lips brushed over his chin, his chest, then found and fastened curiously on one nipple. She licked and nipped experimentally as she slid her handbackdownto find and squeeze hisstaff as iftesting itforusability. Thensheslid down again, settling herself over him, and began to probe herselfwith the tip once more, wiggling as his flesh rubbed over hers.

Apparentlyenjoying the sensation, shedidit again, and Daniel moaned at theexquisite torture. She paused then, peeringat him curiously. "Doesthat hurt? "

"Oh, God, no." Hegroaned. "Itfeels good."

"Really? " Valoree leaned forward slightly, bracing her free hand on his chest as she again brushed him against herself, rubbing his hardnessacross her soft, damp warmth.She admitted abit breathlessly, "I like it too."

Tugging at hisbindings, Daniel closedhis eyes asshe continued to manipulate him, pressing him harder against herself with each caress, and moving farther forward and farther back eachtime until he felt histip nudge against her opening. She paused then, suddenly, and he opened his eyes to see that she was quite flushed, her lipspartly open, her eyes sleepy with desire. He knew he wasin much thesame state, and opened his mouth to again beg herto untie him, butjust as he wouldhave, sheeased herself slowly backward, wriggling and shifting as she went, easing him into her narrow passage. When the tip met the membrane that proved her innocence, she paused, her gaze meeting his, and Daniel immediately gave up his restraint. He raisedhis knees slightly behind her and thrust upward, plunging through with onequick push.

They were both still then, and Daniel frowned at her expression.

"Are you all right? " heasked in concern.She nodded, but not veryconvincingly, so he askedcuriously, "Did it hurt much? "

She made another face and sighed."Just enough to dampenthe pleasure."

"Untieme andI will - "

"Nay."She shookher head abruptly. "Next time, mayhap. I willsee this well andtruly consummated before Irelease you."

"Once the maiden'sveil is broken it is consummated."

Valoreeshook her head. "I willhaveyour seed. Justincase you try to claim I was not avirgin and nothinghappened."

Danielopened his mouth to argueagain, butthensnapped it shut as she braceda hand behind her on his knee and began to riseoff of him. It allowed him toslidepartway out of herbefore she loweredherself ontohim fully again. Shewatchedhis face as she moved, her expressioncurious, and Daniel felt self-conscious at first, until what shewas doingmade him closehiseyes. She was driving him crazy. It was slow torture. She raised and lowered herself with alanguid deliberation that was teaching him the meaning of frustration. All he wanted todo was ripthe damn postsout of the ground, clasp her buttocks, and take control of the speed. He wanted it faster, harder, more, andshe was driving him insanewiththisleisurely ride.

"Untieme!" he yelled in frustration, and she stopped, tilting her head slightly and frowning.

"Am I doingit wrong? "

Seeing the worry on herface, Danielshookhis head. "Nay.I...

I would touch you. Untieme andlet me touch you."

"Where? " she askedwithinterest.

"Your breasts." Hetugged athisbindings. "I would closemy hands over yourbreasts and ..." He paused when she glanced down and cupped her own breasts, peering atthem. Still holding them, she peeredathim curiously.

"Why do menlike breasts so much? Surelyyou get no pleasure from touching them. Yet nearly every timeI havecome across my men with the prostitutes they sneaked aboard ship, they always seemed to have their handson their breasts - nomatter what else they were doing. And even you always touch and fondle my breasts first thing afterkissing me.Why is that? "

"Why? "He staredat her blankly fora moment, then shook his head."Because they are beautiful, and they are soft, andthey feel good.Do you not like it whenI touch yourbreasts? "

"Aye, Ilike itwhen youtouchthem, " shemurmured honestly.

"Well, so do I."He shook his head wryly."It is a good thing women carry the breasts, forifmen hadthem, they would be fondlingthem all the time."

She laughedhuskily at thatand Daniel smiled; then hishumor faded. She was still cupping herbreasts, butthat was all.

"Closeyoureyes, "hesaid suddenly, andwhen she peeredat him questioningly, he nodded encouragingly. "Go on, close them." He waited until she had, then continued, "Now touch yourself. Hold yourbreasts. Caress them likeI would and pretend it is me."

Shehesitated foramoment, thenclosed her own hands over her breasts, clasping them briefly before catching the nipples betweenher thumband fingers. Asshepinchedand rolled them tentatively, a sighslippedfrom her lips.Daniel watchedher and felt himself swell furtherwithin her. Asif suddenlyremembering what she had been doing before the interruption, shebegan to ride him again, raisingandloweringherself in thatexcruciating leisurely rhythm as she continued to caressherself. Her hands slid awayfromher breasts to smooth overher belly, thenmovedback her breasts, upover hercollarbone andshoulders, then returned.

Her lips parted slightly again, her cheeks beganto flush, and her head fellbackward.Daniel gritted histeeth, his hands clenching with buildingexcitement, but his mind screaming at the slow, sedate pace.

Which was perhaps why he was so surprised when his excitement suddenly overtook him. It came on him without warning. Hefelt his toescurl towardthe bottoms of his feet and his body tense; then he jerked at his bindings and cried out, exploding inside her with unexpected force.

Eyes closed, heartstill pounding inhischest, he felt her lean forward on him to kisshis cheek; then she briefly rested atop him. He had nearlydozedoff moments later when finally she slid off.He felt first one ofhis hands, thenthe other, go slack as she released him, then heard her move away through the sand.

Opening his eyescuriously, he turnedhis head to watch herwalk naked down to the ocean. She waded for a moment until the water reached her knees, then dove in, and Daniel rubbed his wrists absently as he watched her frolic. She did not swim long before turning to shoreagain.

He watched her rise out of the waves, too far away to see clearly, but was able to imagine the beads of liquid rolling over herrosy flesh. He closed hiseyes as she made her way back toward him. Hearingtherustle of material, hepeeked oneeye opento see her drying herself with a piece oflinen, then closed it againwhen shetossed thescrap of clothasideand turned toward him. There wasa pause before he sensed her kneeling besidehim.

It took a concentrated effort for himnot to flinch in surprise when hercold, damp hair brushed his arm, butthen she cuddled up against him. Burrowing her head into thecrook of his arm and chest, she laidone hand gently on his stomach, and relaxed.

Somethingwas pullingat Valoree's wrist. Frowning sleepily, she tugged against it, her irritation replaced withconfusion when she couldn't seem to free her hand. Turning her head, she blinked her eyes open and staredblankly at therope binding herwrist to a post. Then herhead snapped around to findDaniel kneeling on her other side. She instinctively started to lifther free handfrom the sand where it lay by her hip, but he caught it easily and smiled.

"Good morning, " he murmured with a sweet smile. The expression turned wry as he began to bind that wrist to the opposite pole, ignoringherattempt to retrieve her hand."Well, notmorning exactly. Midday, I wouldguess."

Finishingwith her wrist, he straightenedand moveddown to her feet. Valoree began to scrabble sideways toavoid him, but there was only sofar she could go with her wrists tied down.

Danielgrabbed herankle after only a shortchaseand dragged her back into place tosecure her tothe post.Shecursedherself for having left the ropes in place.

"What areyoudoing? " Valoreeasked furiously, lashing outat him with her free foot.

Catchingit easily, Daniel shifted to kneel on it to keep herfrom kicking him as hefinishedbinding the first foot.Then heturned hisattention totying that one aswell.

"There weare, " he murmured ashe straightened from his task, his eyes wideningwith a sudden thought."You must be hungry.

Would youlike something to eat? "

Valoree let out a breath, her body relaxingwearily. "What do you want? Is this my punishmentfor tryingto hang you? "

Daniel smiled gently. "Iamnot angry atyou for trying tohang me."

"Oh, aye. Why doI find that hard to believe? " Sheglanced pointedly towardone bound wrist.

"I am not, " heassured her quietly. "You did not gothrough withit, and you werein a tough spot at the time, thinking that I meantto turn youinto the king."

Valoree eyed him warily. "Thinking that youmeant to turn me in? Did younot intend to? "

Daniel shookhis head. "Nay. I did mean to sortthat business out eventually, but I never intended to see you hanged. Why wouldI askyou to marry me if I planned to dothat? "

Valoree made a face. She hadn't thought of that, but did now and suggested, "Well, it would see that you inherited your grandmother'smoney, withouttheirritation of awifeto getin your way."

His looked surprised."Now why did I not think ofthat? "When hermouth turned down in anger and she began to tug at her bindings, hechuckled softly. "Theonly problem is, I need an heir as well as a wife.I cannot getan heirfroma dead wife."

Hestepped over oneoutstretched leg and kneltbeside her on the silkycloth, languidlysurveying her, then lightlyrunning his fingers over herflatstomach. Valoree instinctively tightened her abdominal muscles, then raisedher head up slightly to peer at him suspiciously. "Whydidyou tieme down? "

"Because I intend to torture you, " he announced cheerfully, spreading out beside her and bending his arm at theelbow so that hecould resthis head upon oneopen hand.

"Why? " she gasped in amazement.

He smiled and ignored her."Why did you marryme? "

Her expressionwentsolemn, her eyes again wary. "So that I wouldnot have to hang you."

"Hmmm. I thought you might say that, " he said pityingly, tracing hisfingers lightly over her hip.

Valoree immediatelybegan towriggle beneath thefeatherlight touch. "Cutthat out!"

Daniel raisedhis eyebrows. "Do younot like me to touch you? "

"Notlike that. It tickles, " she snapped.

"Does it? " He shifted his hand lower so that his fingers whispered lightly up the inside of herthigh."Does thattickle? "

Valoree gritted her teeth. Shewould notask him to stop again.

It seemedthis was partof his torture. Though only he andthe goodLord knew whathe intended to torture her for.

"Tell methat you want me, " he whisperedby her ear suddenly, andValoree turned to gape at him in amazement.