Jacki and the Giant Page 2

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  A sudden draft of cold air had Ben instantly alert. Someone had opened the door to the cottage. He never locked the door. Why would he? He lived on top of a mountain with no neighbors at all and those idiots in the village below feared him too much to come calling. The dark silhouette moved quietly into the room. His intruder was tall and fairly slender, so that ruled out Hollis. The intruder moved hesitantly toward the fireplace with arms stretched out in front of them, feeling their way forward. Ben realized as long as he stayed still, his visitor wouldn’t know he was there in the dark room. He watched through partially opened eyes. The visitor, nervous and visibly shivering from the cold, sat near the hearth and rubbed their hands together over the fire.

  When the figure bent forward toward the glowing embers, Ben couldn’t hold back his gasp. The face was soft and feminine. A woman! She jerked sharply toward where he sat and her eyes narrowed, searching the corner for movement. Thankfully, Puss Puss decided to go investigate the new human in her midst and jumped from her place in his lap to sashay toward the visitor.

  “Oh, it’s only you. Aren’t you a pretty kitty?” she whispered to the cat which quickly wrapped itself around and around her outstretched hand. She dropped her slender hand to its back and rubbed the cat from head to tail, and Ben found himself suddenly jealous of his own cat. The visitor’s long fingers were hypnotic as they stroked Puss Puss and he had an impulsive desire to have her cool, soft touch on his body. Hell, he may even purr too were she to stroke him. It had been too long since he had felt the gentle touch of a woman. And that woman had been paid an enormous amount of money to sleep with the giant.

  His body’s quick reaction told him it missed a woman’s soft touch. He had to tread carefully here least he frighten her away. Clearly, she was only seeking shelter from the storm. But why was she here to begin with? Did she not know of him? Did she not fear the giant of the mountain?

  She used her cloak’s hem to lift the top off what remained of the stew and looked inside. Ben watched her tongue come out and lick her plump, luscious lips. He felt his body respond. His cock jerked to life. “Do you think your owner would mind if I had just a little? I’m so very hungry,” she quietly asked Puss Puss, whose response was to curl up beside her on the warm hearth and go back to sleep. His visitor used the stirring spoon that set nearby and ate right from the pot, eagerly. When she had finished off the contents, a look of disappointment crossed her face. Ben couldn’t hold back his smile. So his mystery woman had an appetite. After putting the top back on the now empty pot, she, much like Puss Puss, curled up in a ball on the hearth and was soon asleep. Her soft sighs mingled with an occasional whimper. She nevertheless slept on.

  Ben sat quietly in the dark corner for a long time just watching her. Her shivering had long stopped, yet she still was a restless sleeper. Her dark lashes lay like feathery fans against her creamy skin. Her long hair lay in a single braid down her back to her waist, and the glow from the banked fire picked up red and gold shimmery highlights. She was a beauty, but not in the classic way. Her height certainly set her apart from other women and would probably make her a target for ridicule. Who better to know that than him?

  The people in the village below feared him, especially the women. Though, he had noted the glow of desire that would light their eyes when he walked by. They feared him, but yet they still wondered what a night with the giant would be like. The occasional loose woman, who did agree to visit him, usually did so out of desperation. That made him sad. He always made sure they were well paid, and left satisfied, and most importantly alive. He drove them to another nearby village and gave them enough money to have a fresh start. Well away from the villagers who would judge them for having slept with him. Guilt money, but he told himself he was helping them. A man would do what he had to do when he was lonely. Yes, even if that very same man hated himself for his weakness later.

  He’d heard the rumors. That he would rip them asunder with the size of his cock, or he would grind their bones and eat them for dinner. Eat them he did, but they didn’t mind at all when he was between their thighs, his tongue lapping at their womanly juice. They would cry out their pleasure and beg him for more and he never disappointed.

  His eyes flicked back to his visitor. She wasn’t dressed as a whore, but more like a simple village girl. He would’ve noticed her before now if she lived in the village below the mountain. She stood out like a ruby in the midst of a dung pile.

  She was the tallest woman he’d ever seen. She had to be close to six feet, which would put her just a foot shorter than him. He had so many questions. Why was she alone and out in a snowstorm? Did she not realize the danger she was in? A young woman out roaming the area alone and unescorted. Who was she and where had she come from?

  Ben frowned as he stood slowly and approached her huddled form. He stood over her for a moment, just watching the rise and fall of her chest. He wanted to relish the pleasure of being in a room with another human, especially a woman. Bending and scooping her up easily into his arms, he inhaled her scent. She smelled of fresh snow, fir trees, wood smoke from the fire, and woman. This simple natural scent pleased him. No matter who she was, he couldn’t leave her to sleep on the stone hearth. She needed to be in his bed.

  Once he carried her to the far corner of the room, he gently laid her in the massive bed and stooped to pull off her worn shoes. He covered her with the heavy quilts. She sighed and snuggled deeper into the goose-feather mattress. Ben held his breath to see if she would waken, but she didn’t. The need to crawl in beside her and share her body’s warmth was overpowering, but after a moment, he turned away. He went to the fireplace to add more logs and stoke the flames higher. Puss Puss raised her head and meowed at him before going to the bed and jumping lightly up. She circled around a couple of times before curling up at the woman’s feet.

  “Traitor,” he muttered toward the cat, even though he didn’t blame it. It was only doing what he himself wished he could do. Ben made his way back to the opposite corner and to his chair where he could look his fill of his visitor. He reached down and adjusted his cock. It was going to be a long, uncomfortable night and the wailing winds appeared to echo his thoughts.

  Chapter Three

  Jacki sighed and sank deeper into the feather mattress. This was heaven. For the first time in days, she was toasty warm and comfortable. Something soft touched her face and she reached up to brush it away. A moment later, it was back. Jacki forced open her eyes and stared up into the face of the yellow cat from last night. Her hand rose to rub it and she froze. She sat up so quickly, the cat gave a protesting squeak and jumped down from the massive bed. How had she gotten here?

  The last thing she remembered was staggering through the wind and snow and thinking that she had escaped the angry mob intent on burning her at the stake, only to die on top of this frozen mountain. She vaguely recalled the scent of burning wood and following that smell to find a cottage. It had beckoned her forward with its promise of warmth and shelter. There were even stew and the attention-seeking cat with the big green eyes. But how did she get to the bed? She had no memory of moving to it.

  “Well, it appears my unexpected house guest is awake.”

  Jacki’s gaze shot to the dark corner across from the bed, where the deep, booming, male voice had come from. She sprang from the bed, shoving the heavy quilts to the side and noting thankfully that she was still fully dressed, minus her shoes. “I was simply seeking shelter from the weather. Thank you, kind sir, for your hospitality.” She looked wildly about, seeking her shoes. “If I could just get my shoes back, I will be on my way and trouble you no more.”

  The dark shape in the corner shifted and grew and started to move toward her. Jacki could feel the floor shake beneath her feet. The stranger stopped and Jacki’s eyes traveled up and up some more. The giant! He’ll grind your bones to make his dinner! The words spoken by one of the men chasing her reverberated through her head. She couldn’t halt the tremors th
at started throughout her body.

  “You’ll not be going anywhere.” His voice reminded her of summer thunder rolling across the hills and valleys, and it sent a tingle down her spine.

  “And why is that?” she asked, frowning when her voice quivered. He was a good foot taller than her and everything about him was big and muscular. She had never seen such a man. His hair was dark and hung to his massive shoulders. His face was clean shaven and a long scar ran from the top of one eyebrow, barely missing his bright blue eye, and ended at his chin. His eyes glowed behind the light of a candle and Jacki couldn’t help but take a step back. He winced. It was slight and if she hadn’t been looking at him so intently, she may not have noticed, but she had.

  She reminded herself that she was also tall and people looked at her with fright at times. Those were the times when they weren’t being deliberately cruel. She carefully schooled her features to show no fear. “I’m sorry.”

  She could see she had surprised him by her apology. He tilted his head and studied her. “Why are you sorry?”

  “I didn’t mean to step back from you. You just took me by surprise. You’re very tall, the tallest man I’ve ever seen.”

  He grunted in answer and moved closer. Was he trying to frighten her? She reminded herself that he had had every opportunity to hurt her last night and he had not. Instead, he had placed her in his bed and, by all appearances, he had slept in a chair. Despite his size, he was a handsome man, in a very rugged, manly way. There was nothing pretty or dainty about him, that was for sure. No one would ever call him a dandy. The large scar down the side of his face that had almost taken out his eye didn’t distract from his handsomeness, but only added to the sense of danger surrounding him. He looked fierce and formable. He certainly appeared capable of grinding bones. Was he? Jacki cleared her throat. She knew she should fear him, but instead, she found him oddly appealing. There was a vulnerability there. She could sense it in the way he watched her. Waiting for her rejection, something he was no doubt used to. He was lonely and sad.

  “It’s not safe for you to leave. The storm dropped near to a foot or more of snow.” He shrugged. “It is especially dangerous on the mountaintop. You could be too near the edge and not realize it and fall over.”

  Jacki’s eyes turned to the door and then back to him. “But, I can’t stay here.”

  “You can and you will. I’ll not be responsible for sending a woman out to her death. What’s your name?”

  “It’s Jacki, and I thank you for your concern, but I can take care of myself. I think it best that I leave.” Jacki turned, spotted her shoes by the bed, and sat to put them on.

  “What kind of name is Jacki for a woman?”

  She stopped slipping on her shoes and glared at him. “It’s Jacinda, but I’m called Jacki.” She stood and waited to see if he would stop her, but he only watched her, his arms crossed over his chest. She went to the door and tugged it open. Snow tumbled into the room. For as far as she could see, Jacki saw white. The giant was right. A good foot of snow lay on the ground and covered the trees, and it was still snowing, though not as hard as last night. The sky was low and gray and showed no signs of clearing anytime soon. A gust of wind hit her face and stung her eyes. It was bitterly cold. Jacki was cautious and not stupid. She didn’t possess the proper shoes or clothing to wear out in such weather. She would freeze to death within the hour if she ventured out into the snow. She pushed the door shut and turned to face him.

  “I told you, Jacinda, you’re not going anywhere, not today, anyway.”

  Jacki watched him walk to the fireplace, crouch, and stoke the fire before adding a couple of logs. He looked up at her, his face calmly impassive. “I’m going out to tend to the animals and I’ll come back and make us some breakfast. I suggest you stay put.”

  Jacki leaned against the door. She was a virtual prisoner here. It would be nothing short of suicide for her to even try to leave. But she couldn’t stay here, could she? Here, alone with the likes of him? Her reputation would be in ruins. That was if she even managed to survive long enough to have a reputation. What if he was dangerous? He certainly looked capable of danger. He was too manly, too ruggedly handsome for his own good.

  He cut his eyes to her and a dark eyebrow quirked up. It was almost like he could read her thoughts. Her heart sped up and her lady parts tingled with awareness. Perhaps he was dangerous in other ways. Her body was certainly telling her he was. She couldn’t go there. He was, after all, the giant. The town folk obviously feared him and probably for just cause. Shouldn’t she also fear him? Oddly enough, she didn’t.

  Jacki swallowed and raised her chin. For some reason, it was important to her that he know she understood. “I’m not afraid of you.”

  In one fluid motion, he turned and looked at her, stood, and leisurely, deliberately moved toward her. How could someone so big still manage to move so gracefully? Powerfully, yes, but somehow he managed to be smooth and not clumsy. Jacki felt her insides tremble the closer he got. She leaned back against the door and the cold from outside seeped through her clothing. He stopped in front of her. Close enough that she could see the flecks of gold in his bright-blue eyes. Close enough that she could see the edges of the scar and count every stitch that it must have taken to mend his skin back together. Close enough that she could smell his manly scent. It had a surprising effect on her body. Her breaths quickened, her heart beat harder and faster, and her skin grew warm and tingly. What was happening to her?

  He reached out his pointer finger and slowly, deliberately, ran it down the side of her face and over to her bottom lip. His gaze dropped to her mouth and Jacki found herself holding her breath in anticipation.

  “You should be afraid.”

  “Why? Why should I fear you? Just because you’re…” She shrugged her shoulders. “You’re tall? I’m a tall woman. People also look at me with fear in their eyes.”

  “No, not because I’m big.” His eyes flicked back up to hers. “Because I want to kiss you, Jacinda, and I may not want to stop.”

  Jacki swallowed. “Oh, I see.” She searched his face. “I’ve … I mean … I’ve never been kissed before. Not a proper kiss … from a man.”

  “The men in the village must all be simpletons.”

  She shook her head. “No, I think they are just short.”

  The corners of his lips twitched. He chuckled. It was low and rough. A sound from somewhere deep in his chest and it rolled outward and encompassed her, like a hug. “Well, thankfully I don’t have that problem, now do I?”

  Chapter Four

  Jacki’s eyes closed when his lips touched hers. He sucked gently and softly. Seeking permission with his lips, and she gave it by opening up her mouth. He slid one of his arms around her waist, pulling her toward him and the mountain that was his body. Her breasts flattened against his chest, and her nipples peaked and became sensitive. His other arm moved around her and his large hand cupped the back of her head, moving her where he wanted her to go. And there she went, willingly, thrillingly, happily. She boldly touched the tip of her tongue to his and magic happened. What witchcraft was this?

  He growled and pulled her even closer to his warmth and his hardness. She felt his manhood lengthen against her stomach. His tongue plunged inside her mouth again and again. It tangled with her own, and Jacki felt pleasure like a lightning flash all the way to her core. A storm of emotions moved throughout her body and a flood of warm wetness gathered between her legs. Just when Jacki thought she would faint from the sheer delight of his kiss, he ended it. His mouth moved down her throat, to her earlobe, and he sucked it into his mouth.

  “Tell me to stop and I will,” he rumbled in her ear.

  In answer, Jacki let her head fall back to give him better access to her throat. With a hiss, he worked his way down it with kisses, nips, and a gentle sucking that left her weak at the knees. He fisted his hand in her hair and moved his mouth lower. His tongue slid into the valley between her breasts before comi
ng back up to kiss and suck at the top of her generous mounds. Jacki gasped. She had no idea it could be like this, no idea at all. His fingers brushed across a peaked nipple through her clothing and she couldn’t stifle a moan. She should stop him. Shouldn’t she? He had said he would stop if she asked. So, why couldn’t she form the words?

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  She fit against his body like she had been made for him. Perhaps she had. Despite the fact she was fearless in her responses. She was an innocent. He felt it in the hesitant touch of her tongue to his. In the fact she didn’t know how to touch him … yet. He would happily spend the rest of the day teaching her how to please him while he learned her body and what made her come. His fingers brushed over a hardened nipple and he delighted in the shiver that he felt race over her. Yes, Jacinda would be his this day. God help any man who tried to take her from him.

  He bent his knees and easily scooped her up. Carrying her back to his bed, he laid her gently down on the softness. Stepping back, he looked down at her and didn’t think it was possible to grow harder, but he did. His cock pushed painfully against his pants, wanting and needing to have her. Her lips were red, swollen, and still moist from his mouth. Her flaming red hair had come loose from the braid and lay in curls against her creamy skin. Her eyes were the color of the fields in the spring and they looked back at him with wonder and a yearning that he knew she didn’t yet understand.

  “Jacinda, I want you.” Ben watched her eyes widen with surprise. “Have you lain with a man? ’Tis best I know beforehand to take care not to cause you extra pain.”