“Then I’ll stay as well,” Ivy stated.
“No, child,” Nodda said. “We’ll all go. I think a cold swim will do me good right now.”
“You’re sure?” Bronto asked, studying her closely. She wasn’t shaking as profusely and appeared to be regaining her strength.
“I-I can make it,” she replied.
“Ladies, I need a minute to grab my rifle and a change of clothes. Stay here with Vulcan.”
Chapter Thirteen
“Ivy, I told you it was too soon to get the wound wet. Jade is going to kill me when she hears I let you bathe,” Bronto grumbled while he sat between Ivy’s thighs and applied fresh bandages to her belly. “She won’t care that your stubbornness gave me no choice.”
Ivy giggled at his disgruntled tone. “But it’s clean and feels better. I’ll tell Jade the truth.” It was worth sitting in the shallow water and talking with her mom. Momma cried a lot but finally accepted the death of her husband and son. Having endured the demise of so many loved ones, Momma wasn’t a stranger to loss.
“You do that,” he agreed.
“I will.” When her mom had submerged herself waist-deep, Ivy couldn’t pass on the opportunity. “At least me and my mom had a nice conversation.” It also gave her a chance to clean the wound and to freshen up, having made love the night before. With her infertile phase out of the way for another twenty-something days… Oh gosh, who tended to her needs during those two days she’d slept? Bronto knew enough about a woman’s body to…
Ugh.
Maybe Jade had considered Ivy’s dignity and handled the task on her own. Hopefully she’d taken it upon herself. Well, she didn’t hope but she was more hopeful she’d done it instead of Bronto. That would’ve been really…
She couldn’t think about it anymore. Even though she tried pushing the thought aside, her cheeks felt red hot.
She grinded her back into the fur and threw an arm over her face. The last thing she wanted to do at the moment was look into his eyes.
“Ivy-love, what’s the matter?”
“Nothing.”
“You were pretty chatty a moment ago.”
A moment ago things hadn’t occurred to her. “I’m just thinking.”
“About?”
“About my mom.” It wasn’t a total lie. “You’re sure Jade won’t mind that she’ll be sleeping in her hut for a few days?”
“Not at all.”
“What if she decides to stay? What if she can’t bear being at home alone without my father? Shale is her only child residing there but she said he pays her no attention.”
Bronto smiled and glanced at her over his nose. “Love, your mother is welcome to stay here. We’ll build her a hut.”
Ivy’s eyes widened. “You would do that?”
“Yes, of course.” His hand moved from her tummy to her face where he traced her jaw and chin with his finger.
“It’s no wonder I love you, Bronto.”
“Is it a good thing?” he asked, lowering his voice to a whisper.
She sensed his mouth drawing near. “Yes.”
He pressed his lips lightly to the tip of her nose. “But I love you more.”
“How much?” She swallowed. “Tell me.”
His warm mouth briefly touched hers and his breath tickled her cheeks. “More than life.”
She slowly lowered her arm. “Now kiss me,” she said.
He gently brushed his lips against hers.
“Like you mean it, Bronto.”
Again he lightly joined their mouths.
“No, like this.” She palmed his face and captured his lips, forcing them apart, and slid her tongue between his teeth.
“Mmm,” he groaned, sucking the tip.
The sound floated through her senses and settled in her belly. A mass of flutters erupted in her chest. He lay on top of her, possessing her body, yet she felt in control of him. That one little moan explained so many things. Bringing such a powerful man to this point filled her with a sense of pride. She’d rather he lie flush against her body but knew by the way he held himself above her that he wouldn’t put any weight on her wound.
“Bronto, I can’t wait,” she said, sliding her hand down his flexed stomach and unlatching his loincloth.
His cock sprang free and settled on her tummy. She fisted the thick shaft and ran her thumb over the top, spreading the moisture along the outside to the lower ridge. “Please,” she begged, “I need to feel you inside me.”
He released a shaky breath through his nose. “Are you sure you’re ready?”
She nodded.
“Wrap your legs around my back.”
As she locked her ankles at his lower spine she guided his cock to her entrance and slipped the tip in. She’d never tire of stretching to receive him, and that first little plug was always so exciting. She hissed and sucked her lower lip into her mouth. “Push it in. Deep.”
She loved his compliant side and as he inserted his cock she closed her eyes to concentrate on her inner walls expanding to welcome his entire shaft.
“Ivy, give me your hand.”
She offered it without a second thought but when he placed it between her thighs, her lids popped open.