Quinn
The video changed to scenes of lush landscapes—fields of greens, pristine lakes, and snowbound mountains with dots of houses here and there, and the winding roads where the occasional modern vehicles such as cars or trucks or buses sped through the motorway.
"Now, that's more like it," Aldric said, watching the screen. "And those roads. They're beautiful." A motorbike zoomed past, and he perked up, his eyes glistening with interest, which I noticed.
We, as viewers, followed the man on the motorbike, breezing along the road, the wind gusting past. I flicked my gaze back and forth between the screen and Aldric, and I secretly smiled.
So Aldric was a motorbike sort of man, eh? I could picture it, Aldric in jeans and a leather jacket on a motorbike. He'd fit in perfectly as the alpha of a motorbike club. Add in those marks about his arms and shoulders like a tattoo...
I involuntarily shivered in thrill at the thought.
The scene changed yet again to fields of wheat somewhere in a farmland, vast and endless, and Aldric said, "I wonder if we could make our Norsewood road like that."
I moved down and lay on top of him, my arms crossed and resting on his side and my chin on my arms. "We'll make it like that," I said. "It'll be smooth and clean yet there's enough friction and grit. Although I think we'll have to come up with a solution with the ice and snow. If the weather is always this bad in winter and the snow so thick, the road won't stand a chance. We'd still have problem with traveling during winter, which won't be ideal as Norsewood grows."
Aldric said, "What about Earth? How were the roads taken care of during the winter season?"
I tilted my head to one side. "We have the winter service vehicle for major roads, the motorways. On small driveways and walkways and such, we use a snowblower or snow thrower, like we have here in the lodge maintenance department."
I had seen Grayson, the head of the maintenance and groundskeeping department, and sometimes his staff, using the machine to clear the snow around the lodge, which was why the children could play outside in the front of the building on a sunny day.
Come to think of it, our snowblowers—there were two of them—weren't the walk-behind type, but rather, the drivable type. Though Vicky did create it so that it was very easy to drive—a simple touch of a button to turn on the magical engine, one low speed with the push of a foot accelerator, and the wheel for turning, I still couldn't believe Grayson and his team had managed to learn to drive from the tutorial Vicky gave out alone. Then again, they were used to driving carriages and carts here using horses or donkeys, so perhaps it wasn't that much different.
"Perhaps we can have something like that," Aldric said. "The thing you called the winter service vehicle."
I nodded, although I would rather come up with something more magical, so to speak.
I stayed quiet as Aldric continued to watch the video, an introduction to modern Earth. Every time the scene changed to something new, he'd widen his eyes in pleasant surprise, which was damn cute. Because I couldn't help myself, I moved and climbed on top of him, which drew his attention to me. Half lounging on him, I brought my face close to his and said, "You know that a date between husband and wife requires kissing?"
I felt his body tense beneath me. He said, "Is... that so?"
"Do you not want to kiss me?"
I saw his jaw tighten, and then he said, "No, that's not it."
Not backing down, I said, "Then I'm going to kiss you, sir." Before he could register what the bejesus was going on, I lowered myself and planted my lips against his, my hands cupping his face, holding him captive, my fingers digging deep into his thick blond mane.
Aldric froze. He simply froze like a statue beneath me.
Was I scaring him with my boldness? I wondered. But Aldric, scared? Impossible. The man was like a god when fighting monsters and enemies. Why would he be freaking out just because I made a move on him?
No, I decided. Yes, he wasn't scared. He was merely... surprised, that was all. All that I needed to do was to calm him down so he could relax. Since I wanted both of us to enjoy the kiss, I guess I should kiss him deeper and even more passionate, shouldn't I?
I ran my tongue along the line of his lips erotically. That did the trick as he sucked in his breath, and an involuntary sexy groan came out of his mouth. I felt him relax then.
Knowing my seduction was working, I slipped my tongue into his mouth, which made Aldric shudder beneath me. I felt his mighty arms wrap around my waist, squeezing me in his embrace. Suddenly, I heard him growl, and then my world spun as I felt myself being lifted and then turned.
Just like that, I was lying back on the cool floor and Aldric was on top of me, all of his six-foot-five frame enveloping me like a hot steel wall.
Excited, I rested my palms against his chest and said, "Oh my. How... frenetic you are, sir, pinning down your wife in such a way."
Aldric did not respond to my teasing. His expression hard and his eyes dark, he cupped my face and then came down on me, claiming my lips passionately in a scorching kiss.
I felt pleasure rushing through me, my body trembling as he plunged his tongue into my mouth, stroking and intertwining with mine in a wild, feral heat that made me breathless. He was hot and demanding, and I moaned and groaned like I had never done before. I had never been kissed like this before—so zealous.
When he finally released my lips, it was to greedily kiss my throat as his hand came down to my breast where he eagerly cupped and felt me there. I bit my lower lip, loving it, simply loving the way Aldric touched and kissed me, the way he desired me. So, he wanted me after all, and I was both relieved and pleased at that discovery. I was overjoyed.
Aldric lifted his head, and our eyes locked. I moved my hand and touched his face, noting him heaving, just a little, and... That expression. Was he working on controlling himself?
The loud sound of the door opening reached our ears, and Aldric, alerted, flicked his eyes in the direction of the door in a flash, his body tense. I, too, shifted my gaze there, moving my head slightly to the side, arching my back.
There at the door was Uncle Colt, and he looked rather sheepish once he saw us in this very intimate position. He chuckled and said, "Looks like I've interrupted your courtship, Aldric." He shifted his gaze to me. "Sorry, lassie."
I gave him a smile. "Hello," I said.
He said, "Unfortunately, I must take Aldric away, lassie. We have work that needs Aldric's attention."
I said, "I suppose it can't wait until tomorrow?"
"There's more work tomorrow, lassie," Uncle Colt said. "Such is being the lord of the land." He widened his eyes, and even from here, I could see sparks in them. "Oh, I see you have more food?" He walked in and headed straight toward the elegant tray of cheese and crackers and fruit and the bottle of wine. "And is that... wine?" His voice shook a little at the word wine.
Knowing he'd want them, I said, "By all means take them with you to your urgent meeting and work." I waved my hand and refilled the trays with more cheese and crackers and fruit, adding another bottle of fine red wine in the process with my magic.
Uncle Colt chuckled, his cheeks crimson, looking pleased. "Thank you, lassie. The last we had wine was over a decade ago when Aldric's father was still alive. Imported it was, and damn expensive, too."
"A very long time, huh? Don't get too drunk now," I said. "And there'll be more wine tomorrow, as well as beer and ale."
"Ah, yes, of course, the banquet," he said. Then, picking up the tray in one hand and grabbing the two bottles of wine in the other, he strolled to the door. "Hurry up, Aldric. And get yourself together before presenting yourself; otherwise, it'd be uncomfortable for all of us at the meeting with you looking like a wolf in heat." And then he was gone.
Aldric sighed and then moved back, allowing his lovely warmth to leave me, which I didn't want. He rearranged himself, his eyes anywhere but on me. He kissed me on the forehead, said, "Go to bed first. I'll be a while."
"Mm-hmm." I nodded. Then he was gone, and I flopped back on the floor, staring up at the ceiling, at the scene of a busy market. I brought my hand up and lightly touched my fingertips to my lips, remembering the feel of Aldric's lips against mine, remembering the way he had kissed me—in that wild, passionate way that made me want more. If he was that intense with just a kiss, what would it be like when he...
I felt heat rushing through me once again, and I thought I couldn't wait until our honeymoon night. Gosh, but I wanted to be made loved by Aldric so badly. But of course, as the lady of Norsewood, I must be calm and dignified. Play it cool.
Once I managed to compose myself, I got up, andafter cleaning the place, I headed out the door and up to the penthouse,wondering when our honeymoon night would take place.