Chapter 16

Gypsy lay on her bed in her tiny dorm room fighting the urge to go to her lover Kharon. She was desperate for sleep but that didn’t help her. She was also exhausted and her back ached but that didn’t matter either. Her libido controlled all of her thoughts. Desperately she tried to resist but she was losing ground fast. As the evening wore on, it became impossible to deny her hunger for Kharon’s heated lovemaking. So―defeated and in pain―she trekked over to his villa under the cover of darkness.

It was even more irritating that he was expecting her. He let her in without saying a word and led her by the hand upstairs and into the huge bathroom. Silently he stripped her and lowered her into a waiting tub filled with warm water. Removing the only thing he’d been wearing, a pair of black pants, he climbed in behind her. She still didn’t speak, as she nestled back against his powerful chest, she didn’t have to; he seemed to know exactly what she needed. He washed and caressed her entire body, running kisses over her moist skin. After they’d soaked for almost an hour, he lifted her out of the water, dried her off, and lowered her naked body into his bed. Rolling her on to her side, he lay down behind her and placed his large rough hands against her back kneading the muscles until she melted under his touch.

“You did well today, Gypsy,” he said, his voice a rich rumbling baritone in her ear. “I was proud of you.”

She grinned and closed her eyes. His hands were working magic on her sore back. “Thanks. I’m glad you suggested the boar hunt. It was a hell of an experience.”

“Have you thought about what you’re going to tell Caraculla?”

Gypsy opened her eyes and stared at the wall in front of her. Uh oh, not the words I want to hear right now. “What do you mean?”

“I mean about us.”

“Of course I’ll tell him, but I don’t think he’ll care. He let me put aside our marriage because he wanted me to have as much freedom as possible,” she said. She turned around and studied his face, immediately feeling herself bristle at his expression. “Why? Do you care about my relationship with him?”

“Do you still intend to have sex with him?” Kharon asked, growing tense.

“Yes I do,” she replied. I should have seen this coming. It’s time for the big asshole to get possessive.

“You want to continue our relationship while still sleeping with Caraculla?” Kharon asked angrily. He shook his head. “I’m sorry, Gypsy, but I just don’t see how that can work.”

Now she was pissed. Gypsy sat up on the bed scowling. “First of all, I’m not just sleeping with Caraculla. I have a relationship with him that is just as important to me as my relationship with you is. You had better understand that I am not sacrificing one relationship for the other.”

“Do you love me?” he said, staring hard at her.

“I guess I won’t honestly know until this season thing is over.”

“And if the answer is yes, you’re just going to go back and forth, as you please, between two men?”

“Maybe more,” she snapped back at him.

Now it was Kharon’s turn to sit up. He angrily pointed at her. “Don’t say things to deliberately piss me off. This is a serious conversation. What makes you think you can love two men and maintain a commitment to them?”

“I didn’t realize I was born with a finite amount of love to give. Besides, I can’t even believe that I’m hearing this from you of all people. What with your three wives and all. You obviously go back and forth among them as you please. I think it’s even worse for you, because at least I’m not married to Caraculla!”

“It’s different for me,” he said. “I’m a male. My wives understand.”

“Do they really? Or do they just put up with each other and your extracurricular activities because they have no choice.”

“I never loved them,” he said, searching for something to say.

“So your situation of multiple lovers is okay for you but not for me? That,” Gypsy said, “is bullshit. No amount of good sex is worth this. You are not going to start putting restrictions on me regarding who I can and cannot sleep with!” she shouted, jumping out of bed and hunting for her clothes.

“Where are you going?” he asked.

“Back to my room,” she replied, grabbing her panties and hopping on one foot to put them on. “I don’t have time for this crap. I have bigger problems right now than your petty jealousy.”

“You’ll get sick.”

“I don’t care. So I’ll miss class tomorrow.”

Kharon leapt off the bed and grabbed her before she could put any more clothes on. “Stay,” he said.

Gypsy stopped and looked up into his pale blue eye. The three link chain tattoo just under it like a trail of teardrops. “Is that a request or a command?”

“It’s a request from a male who loves you,” he said, before taking her face in his hands and kissing her deeply.

Whatever she was expecting him to say, that wasn’t it. The feel of his body against her was a potent aphrodisiac that made her blood sing. She was reduced to a quivering mass of lust before he’d even stopped the kiss.

“That’s just the hormones talking,” she said breathlessly.

“I don’t care. It feels very real to me right now,” he whispered back.

Picking her up, he placed her on the bed again and nuzzled her face and neck. “Let me give you what you need,” he said in a voice rich with lust. “Then you can go back to your room rested and satisfied. Tomorrow, your season should be over and you’ll be free.”

Gypsy suddenly felt a deep sense of loss. She didn’t want to be free of him, not now or ever. “But I’ll never truly be free of you, will I?”

“Not unless you choose to be, my love,” he said.