Taurus by Christine Elaine Black Page B

apart from that she was the most interesting girl he had ever met.
    During their lovemaking the urge to please her entered his mind. Pinned under him, sighing in his ear as his powerful body rubbed over hers, the erotic sensation of his hairy chest and legs brushing her smooth sleek skin obviously drove her wild with desire.
    She gasped his name. “Oh, Taurus.”
    “Tell me what you want,” he whispered in her ear.
    “Don’t stop,” she panted. “By all the gods, don’t stop!”
    He gushed between her legs and she sighed in unexpected satisfaction.
    Taurus held her as his heartbeat slowed to a regular pace.
    “I will take you to the mountain this afternoon,” he offered. “The fresh air will do us both good.”
    “Truly? But my riding clothes have been taken away.”
    “Kristokus will take care of the details. Be ready for the noon meal.”
    Her soft lips pressed against his shoulder. “I will be ready,” she complied happily.
    ****
    The meal passed slowly for Taurus once Lidia and Virga joined them on the terrace.
    “The Verragius family have invited us to their villa in the country, tonight,” Virga said.
    “We must attend,” Lidia grumped. “It would be rude to refuse after the disastrous evening we hosted last night.”
    Taurus held back a smirk. Hardly a disaster; in his opinion the evening had numerous delights. “See to it,” Taurus looked curtly at Virga.
    An awkward pause passed between them. “Who shall I say is attending?”
    “My honored guest will accompany us,” Taurus replied acidly.
    Barca and Hamilcar arrived in time to find the food served and half-eaten. They ate their fill without a care. Hamilcar watched Taurus’ every move, like a dog waiting for its master’s approval. Barca threw sidelong glances at the Lady Virga. She in turn ignored him and concentrated on Lidia and Taurus.
    Weeks on the run with Atticus had given Kallie a good appetite. “She eats like a man,” Lidia snorted in disgust.
    Taurus laughed. He enjoyed Lidia’s annoyance, purposely inflaming her further. “She rides and shoots arrows like a man, too. Is it not so, Barca?”
    Barca burned to teach her a lesson. No one apart from Taurus knew he had been pinned to a tree by her arrows.
    “’Tis so.” Barca nodded in quiet agreement, but his eyes betrayed his fury.
    “Governor, may I join your riding party this afternoon?” Hamilcar asked, a tinge of desperation in his voice.
    Taurus shrugged. “If you wish. But I plan to spend the time with our guest, viewing the mountain up close. My escort merely acts as a guard to block the way up the mountain.”
    “Why do you wish to see the mountain?” Suspicion laced Lidia’s voice.
    Taurus waved off Lidia. “Because I wish it.”
    Barca growled. “You are better off with me, Hamilcar. We have work to do.” He gave his brother a look to deny argument.
    “Do you still search for the giant?” Kallie jibed.
    Barca snapped. “I will have his head on a platter by the end of the day.” Atticus roamed free and Barca itched to catch him.
    “You will not find him,” she mused. “He is skilled in the wild.”
    “Why not return to Rome? Your plan was to come here and avoid marriage. You have what you want. Is there another reason he would stay?” Taurus asked.
    “He waits until I am free to travel to Greece. Once my brother’s word is broken with the satrap and they no longer expect me to marry…”
    “You will not be free, ever! You are a prisoner of Panua. You will die in a filthy cell fit for a Gregorian brat.” Lidia hissed.
    “Perhaps.” She glanced at Taurus. He studied her as she chewed her last bite of food. “I would rather die than be trapped in a gilded cage,” she uttered defiantly. Taurus removed the plate from her hand and took her by the arm. “Hamilcar, stay and help your brother.”
    Hamilcar’s face fell in disappointment, and he shot a look of irritation at Barca. Taurus shook his head. Lately the brothers had moved further and