Desire

Passages

Every passage tagged with this emotion in the Vela corpus. Search the body text, narrow by source or register, click through to a book’s profile to see how the passage sits with the rest of the work.

Page 240 of 344 · 20 per page

• From Saint Thomas Aquinas Collection (22 Books) (2016)

  I answer that, The capital vices are enumerated in two ways. For some reckon pride as one of their number: and these do not place vainglory among the capital vices. Gregory, however (Moral. xxxi), reckons pride to be the queen of all the vices, and vainglory, which is the immediate offspring of pride, he reckons to be a capital vice: and not without reason. For pride, as we shall state farther on ([3374]Q[152], AA[1],2), denotes inordinate desire of excellence. But whatever good one may desire, one desires a certain perfection and excellence therefrom: wherefore the end of every vice is directed to the end of pride, so that this vice seems to exercise a kind of causality over the other vices, and ought not to be reckoned among the special sources of vice, known as the capital vices. Now among the goods that are the means whereby man acquires honor, glory seems to be the most conducive to that effect, inasmuch as it denotes the manifestation of a man’s goodness: since good is naturally loved and honored by all. Wherefore, just as by the glory which is in God’s sight man acquires honor in Divine things, so too by the glory which is in the sight of man he acquires excellence in human things. Hence on account of its close connection with excellence, which men desire above all, it follows that it is most desirable. And since many vices arise from the inordinate desire thereof, it follows that vainglory is a capital vice. Reply to Objection 1: It is not impossible for a capital vice to arise from pride, since as stated above (in the body of the Article and [3375]FS, Q[84], A[2]) pride is the queen and mother of all the vices. Reply to Objection 2: Praise and honor, as stated above [3376](A[2]), stand in relation to glory as the causes from which it proceeds, so that glory is compared to them as their end. For the reason why a man loves to be honored and praised is that he thinks thereby to acquire a certain renown in the knowledge of others. Reply to Objection 3: Vainglory stands prominent under the aspect of desirability, for the reason given above, and this suffices for it to be reckoned a capital vice. Nor is it always necessary for a capital vice to be a mortal sin; for mortal sin can arise from venial sin, inasmuch as venial sin can dispose man thereto.

• From Saint Thomas Aquinas Collection (22 Books) (2016)

  DOES HAPPINESS CONSIST IN AN ACT OF THE WILL?SINCE the intellectual substance attains to God by its operation, not only by an act of understanding but also by an act of the will, through desiring and loving Him, and through delighting in Him, someone might think that man’s last end and ultimate happiness consists, not in knowing but in loving God or in some other act of the will towards Him: especially seeing that the object of the will is the good, which has the aspect of an end, whereas the true, which is the object of the intellect, has not the aspect of an end except forasmuch as it also is a good. Wherefore seemingly man does not attain to his last end by an act of his intellect, but rather by an act of his will. Further. The ultimate perfection of operation is delight, which perfects operation as beauty perfects youth, as the Philosopher says (10 Ethic. iv.). Hence if the last end be a perfect operation, it would seem that it must consist in an act of the will rather than of the intellect. Again. Delight apparently is desired for its own sake so that it is never desired for the sake of something else: for it is silly to ask of anyone why he seeks to be delighted. Now this is a condition of the ultimate end, namely that it be sought for its own sake. Therefore seemingly the last end consists in an act of the will rather than of the intellect. Moreover. All agree in their desire for the last end, for it is a natural desire. Now more people seek delight than knowledge. Therefore delight would seem to be the last end rather than knowledge. Furthermore. The will is seemingly a higher power than the intellect: for the will moves the intellect to its act; since when a person wills, his intellect considers by an act what he holds by a habit. Wherefore seemingly the act of the will is higher than the act of the intellect. Therefore it would seem that the last end, which is beatitude, consists in an act of the will rather than of the intellect.

• From Enchanted: Erotic Bedtime Stories for Women (Erotic Fiction) (2006)

  Time passed in this way, and you may think that Mrs. Fox’s curiosity had diminished somewhat by frustration, but, no! It grew stronger. Poor Mrs. Fox could think of little else besides Mr. Wolfe and what it would be like to be Mrs. Wolfe. So preoccupied with these thoughts was Mrs. Fox that she could hardly enjoy the considerable physical talents of Mr. Fox without having her mind wander off into the Wolfes’ boudoir. This is, in fact, what fueled her excitement as poor Mr. Fox spent his efforts pleasuring her. There was simply something so much more intriguing in the unknown and forbidden notion of Mr. Wolfe than in the familiar and real pleasures her husband had to offer. For Mrs. Fox, the grass was always greener somewhere else. One day, as Mrs. Fox was guiltily prattling on about her husband’s many capabilities to Mrs. Wolfe, the latter all of a sudden sighed miserably. “What a pity I cannot sample Mr. Fox’s talents firsthand,” she remarked absently. No sooner were the words out of Mrs. Wolfe’s mouth than the impact of what she had said hit her. She turned her eyes in horror to meet the shocked gaze of Mrs. Fox. Blushing a deep red, she was immediately contrite. “Oh, my dear! I never meant…really…what I intended to say…” she stammered on, searching frantically for a way to recant the scandalous statement. Mrs. Fox had at first been too dumbfounded to reply, such was her astonishment to hear those words uttered from the proper Mrs. Wolfe, but her composure quickly returned and she slyly took up the opportunity she had secretly wished for. “It is, in truth, what I myself have wondered on occasion,” she admitted. She did not dare to confess the extent of these wonderings, or that she had been thinking about little else since the wedding eve of the Wolfes’ marriage. “You…?” Sweet Mrs. Wolfe was still too flustered to contribute much to the conversation. “It is only normal, after all,” continued Mrs. Fox, determined to use her friend’s unexpected slip to further her own wishes or, as it now stood, the wishes of them both. “Our husbands, although each very talented I am sure, are in almost every respect opposites. How could we not wonder how it would feel to be with a man so different from our own?” Mrs. Wolfe absorbed this and seemed to relax a bit. “Perhaps,” she consented. “But we could never…I mean,” she stopped herself again. “There is a way,” suggested Mrs. Fox cunningly, with her heart pounding at her own boldness. Mrs. Wolfe remained speechless, but there was a spark of interest in her eyes as they met Mrs. Fox’s. Mrs. Fox pretended to be contemplating the situation. In fact, she had played this scenario out in her mind at least a hundred times before. “In a dark bedchamber,” she mused, “our husbands would not be able to distinguish between us so easily.”

• From Enchanted: Erotic Bedtime Stories for Women (Erotic Fiction) (2006)

  Meanwhile the stranger’s strong hands held her firmly as he continued to rouse her with his tongue. She nearly fainted from the pleasure he was giving her, and just when she felt that something within her very core would certainly burst, he raised himself over her and positioned her limbs to accommodate his larger form. But she struggled against him in sudden panic as it once again occurred to her that she had no knowledge of who this man was. He paused and held back, unwilling to take her by force. With her whole being tremulous with desire, she desperately reached out her hands in another attempt to touch his face but, even in the dark, he easily intercepted her wrists and held them firmly over her head to prevent any further efforts to discover his identity. Being thus laid open and pinned, her fears seemed pointless, especially while her body was overcome with such an intense craving for the man, whoever he was. He kissed her lips very tenderly, as if to make amends for the unrelenting hold he maintained on her hands, and she wrapped her legs around his torso, at last giving him the consent he had been waiting for. His kiss suddenly became rougher as he abruptly thrust himself into her willing body. Her head turned away from him in a reflexive movement as she stared mutely into the blackness that surrounded them, momentarily overcome by the many sensations that were flooding through her. But in the next heartbeat, she turned back toward him and received his lips anxiously, breathing his warm breath and tasting his tongue with her own. Giving herself completely now to her unknown lover, she began to respond, moving her body to enhance the extreme pleasure he was giving her. Longing to hold him, but unable to use her arms, which were still detained by his grasp, she clung to him with her legs. They continued in this way long into the night, until at last, they both lay quiet and sedate. On the following morning she woke up alone, and try as she might, she could not find a single man within the walls of the castle that day. Instead she discovered many different rooms—rooms that were filled with rich fabrics of every material and style; rooms containing shelves upon shelves of thread and yarn of every single thickness and shade; rooms containing baskets of varying shapes and sizes; rooms for growing flowers; one room was filled with every kind of button that had ever been made. In short, for every occupation the lady could ever wish to engage in, there was a room filled with a wide variety of materials for that craft.

• From The Decameron (1353)

  [Footnote 417: "It was the custom in those days to attach to the bedposts sundry small instruments in the form of birds, which, by means of certain mechanical devices, gave forth sounds modulated like the song of actual birds."--_Fanfani._] On this wise consorting with her at one time and another, without its costing him aught in the world, and growing every hour more entangled, it befell that he sold his stuffs for ready money and made a good profit thereby; of which the lady incontinent heard, not from him, but from others, and Salabaetto being come one night to visit her, she fell to prattling and wantoning with him, kissing and clipping him and feigning herself so enamoured of him that it seemed she must die of love in his arms. Moreover, she would fain have given him two very fine hanaps of silver that she had; but he would not take them, for that he had had of her, at one time and another, what was worth a good thirty gold florins, without availing to have her take of him so much as a groat's worth. At last, whenas she had well enkindled him by showing herself so enamoured and freehanded, one of her slave-girls called her, as she had ordained beforehand; whereupon she left the chamber and coming back, after awhile, in tears cast herself face downward on the bed and fell to making the woefullest lamentation ever woman made. Salabaetto, marvelling at this, caught her in his arms and fell a-weeping with her and saying, 'Alack, heart of my body, what aileth thee thus suddenly? What is the cause of this grief? For God's sake, tell it me, my soul.' The lady, after letting herself be long entreated, answered, 'Woe's me, sweet my lord, I know not what to say or to do; I have but now received letters from Messina and my brother writeth me that, should I sell or pawn all that is here,[418] I must without fail send him a thousand gold florins within eight days from this time, else will his head be cut off; and I know not how I shall do to get this sum so suddenly. Had I but fifteen days' grace, I would find a means of procuring it from a certain quarter whence I am to have much more, or I would sell one of our farms; but, as this may not be, I had liefer be dead than that this ill news should have come to me.' [Footnote 418: Syn. that which belongeth to us (_ciò che ci è_,) _ci_, as I have before noted, signifying both "here" and "us," dative and accusative.]

• From Enchanted: Erotic Bedtime Stories for Women (Erotic Fiction) (2006)

  Very slowly, with ragged breathing and low growls, the Beast began to move himself in and out of me. He continued the slow pace for quite some time, allowing me to become completely accustomed to him; but at last his grunts and moans became wilder and louder, and likewise his strokes became rougher and quicker. His breath seared the skin on my back. His hands bored into my flesh, bruising the tender skin. I thought I felt his teeth nip my shoulder. I was aroused to the point of pain. With my inhibitions long gone, I began to touch myself to enhance the pleasure as I struggled against the Beast. But I was too late. With a deafening yell and one last hard thrust, the Beast filled me with a tremendous deluge, the excess of which flowed down my trembling legs. I was profoundly disappointed and attempted to pull myself away from the Beast, but he held me firmly in place, remaining inside me, still fully aroused, as he reached around for my hand and replaced it between my legs. He held it there until I grasped what he wanted me to do. I was momentarily embarrassed by his knowledge of what I had been doing, but that quickly disappeared as my enthusiasm once more returned. Realizing that I had as much time as I wished to enjoy the Beast, I once again began to stimulate myself. Meanwhile, the Beast slowly pulled himself out of me, almost to the very end, and then, just as slowly, pushed himself all the way back in. He continued this patiently while I sought my own pleasure. My every sense was awakened and aroused. My skin prickled under the rough hands that grasped my hips. My ears were ringing with the raw, animal sounds that echoed throughout the moonlit chamber. My eyes were riveted to the spot on the floor that displayed the images of our two contrasting shadows as they struggled intimately against each other. My inner thighs were sticky and wet. I thought about the Beast’s sharp teeth on my shoulder as I finally found my own satisfaction. That began my nightly visits to the Beast’s private bedchamber. And for me, each night was more pleasurable than the one before, and I no longer felt embarrassed or ashamed. In fact, my Beast was appearing much less beastly to me, and my affection made him appear, at times, even handsome. Even so, when the Beast asked me to marry him each evening, I gently declined. One day, some months later, I received a message that my father was ill. At supper I showed the message to the Beast. After reading it he looked up at me in horror. “Please don’t go, Beauty,” he begged. “I must!” I cried. “If anything happens to my father before I see him again I shall never forgive you!” The Beast was silent for a moment.

• From Enchanted: Erotic Bedtime Stories for Women (Erotic Fiction) (2006)

  I was getting used to him now. It was still terribly difficult but, in an odd way, that added to the excitement. I began to move my hips, clenching and unclenching them as I remembered him describing her as having done. “Is this the way she moved?” I purred, as my hips awkwardly learned the rhythm. “Yes!” “She liked it hard and fast, didn’t she?” I continued, remembering what he had told me. “Yes, she liked it hard and fast,” he repeated in a low voice that was barely perceptible. “Give it to me like that, too,” I ordered. “I want it hard and fast!” “Honey,” he groaned. “I don’t want to hurt you.” But he increased his pace. “You didn’t care if you hurt her,” I argued. I worked my hips faster. “She was different,” he said, barely aware of what he was saying. “Pretend that I am her,” I goaded. And all at once I began to say the things that she had said to him, exactly as I remembered him telling me. “Harder,” I cried, pumping my hips furiously, massaging him within me. “Yes, that’s better…now you’re getting your money’s worth…” I was beyond the point where I cared what I did or how I appeared. It was as if I really was that other woman, working as hard as I could to please a total stranger for money. And my husband was as lost as I was. He pounded himself into me with a violence I had never known he possessed. I shamelessly reached between my legs and caressed myself. “What am I?” I asked him suddenly, needing to hear the words. “What?” he was nearly oblivious of his surroundings. “Tell me what I am,” I pleaded. “You’re my wife…sweetheart…my adorable wife,” he was quickly becoming incoherent. “No!” I rubbed myself more vigorously. I couldn’t stop myself. “Tell me I am what she was,” I whispered. He groaned. “Now…please,” I begged, still clenching and unclenching myself around him as he moved in and out of me. He was panting noisily. It occurred to me that, even with so little practice, I was already as good, or better, than she had been at this. “Whore” he muttered. And with that he let out a thunderous yell, thrusting himself all the way in to the base. I felt him quivering inside me. “Oh, you’re such a sweet little whore!” I closed my eyes and shuddered as one pleasurable wave after another rippled through me. And in that split second I felt the utter abandon and exquisite pleasure of being a wanton whore, but without any of the remorse or loneliness that she would likely have felt afterward.

• From Fragments (7)

  However, his poetic interests and his abilities were not quite so narrow as would appear from his repu- tation. First, we have from him a few fragments of h3niins to the gods, but these are nothing more than new settings for his love poetry (cf. no. ii). Then there are a few fragments of a patriotic or martial content (nos. 50-58), besides remnants of elegit (nos. 89-91), epigrams (nos. 92-107), and iambics (e. g. nos. 63, 66). He was, in fact, a fol- lower of Archilochus as well as of Alcaeus and Sap- pho, and a number of fragments show that he was able also to use the bitter shafts of Satire (e. g. no. 60). However, in all of this he is easily outdis- tanced by others — in the poetry of pleasure he reigned supreme. TO ARTEMIS (I) Huntress of stags, hear thou my prayer. Daughter of Zeus with golden hair, Artemis, mistress of wild deer, Come thou to the Lethaeus River. And to the city of valiant men. Joyful of heart, direct thy ken; For not a wild and savage clan Are the townsmen thou cherishest ever. 83 Lyric Songs of the Greeks WINE, WOMAN, AND SONG (2) On honey-cake I first did dine, Broke off a little piece, And then I drank a jar of wine, And then my harp did seize. Now with its strains I serenade My lovely friend, the pretty maid. LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP EROS KING OVER ALL (3) Of beauteous Love I fain would sing, Whose belt e'er teems with flowers. To him the gods their homage bring; He mortals overpowers. EROS THE BRONZE-SMITH (4) 'Tis a bronze-smith Eros is like; For with mighty blows he doth strike With a hammer, immerses me then In a wintry torrent again. EROS' DICE (5) Frenzy and tumult are the dice With which dread Eros ever vies. 84 Anacreon. A BOUT WITH EROS (6) Bring water, boy, bring wine, And flowers in wreaths entwine. Come quickly; for I crave With Love a bout to have. RADIANT LOVE (7) Love for the maiden he doth admire, Radiant and glad with longing desire. THE ROCK OF LEUCAS (8) Down from the stony crag above, The rock of Leucas, I shall leap, And plunge into the hoary deep, My heart aglow with frenzied love. LOVE UNREQUITED (9) My airy pinions have I spread On flight to heaven above. Because of Eros; for the lad Will not requite my love. 85 Svm^ «/ tike TOO OLD (lO) And vben iznr Ixatrd be did ^ifhoM, J^It sged gngi^ bcsxd. On brDtzT prnicmy hn^Oi ss gold U? ^puciflT dwagipraTed- PRAIXR TO DIONTi'SUS FOR CLEOBULUS Ixyrd, irbcKT plsxTDSlxs sit xxmQucnzig Lxnr;, Aad liir fair XTZophs urA ctb diiit*UiXL, And Tod-^^iected Ap^iroditr too, ThoB frho l u tum es t tbr hrigte abcTrc Them miiD lag^ mammnF diost farnjiinrff, Thet I beseedu bef cut oizt face Came wiiL i^nr kind, i^nr fBPormg; grace. To IS OUT d«ibfd mite enott.

• From Enchanted: Erotic Bedtime Stories for Women (Erotic Fiction) (2006)

  The prince watched the queen’s face as she stared at him. His expectations for the evening had been minimal, namely, that the queen, within the safety of his forest, might realize the prince’s feelings and accept his offer of courtship. He had not dared to hope for more than that, and was shocked to see the desire burning hotly in her eyes. Perceiving her desire, he slowly began to undo the buttons of her gown. She did not resist or tremble with fear that she would not be good enough, but instead shivered with anticipation. With a light swishing sound, the garment fell to the floor. She watched in silent wonder as his muscles strained under the control he applied to carefully remove her delicate clothing. She stood, as if hypnotized, while his large fingers painstakingly handled the sensitive fabric. For the first time in her life, she felt genuinely aroused. One by one, her undergarments fell to the floor. She watched with interest as her body was slowly revealed. When she lifted her eyes to meet those of the prince in the mirror, the desire she saw there astonished her. With her heart throbbing within her breast, she met his gaze with the same burning intensity. It was suddenly as if she were watching two strangers, so unfamiliar were the images in the mirror, and she could not pull her eyes away from the sight of them. She saw the woman shudder as her lover lowered his warm mouth to the back of her neck for a long, sensual kiss. He continued to kiss her lightly as his arms came around her waist and held her in a loving embrace. The woman’s face was flushed, her lips were parted, and her breathing was quick. The man in the mirror was steadily becoming more demanding as his hands began caressing the woman with a thoroughness that left no part of her untouched. This did not seem to offend her, however, for she only moaned softly as she stared intently ahead of her, wordlessly allowing him full access to her body. The queen watched with keen interest as the large, masculine hands roamed over every part of the woman. Her eyes followed every movement, every touch, every intimacy. A feeling of overpowering desire came over her as she watched. Suddenly the man in the mirror pulled away from the woman to remove his own clothing. Still, she continued to stare silently in front of her, as if she were under a spell. The queen wondered that she did not turn to watch her lover undress, so beautiful was his image, splendid in its arousal. He looked at his staring lady for a moment, and then turned toward the object of her interest. This made him smile, and he continued to look ahead with her, meeting the eyes of the queen, as he wrapped his arms around his lady and gently kissed the side of her face.

• From The Decameron (1353)

  Now Fra Cipolla, in leaving him at the inn, had bidden him look well that none touched his gear, and more particularly his saddle-bags, for that therein were the sacred things. But Guccio, who was fonder of the kitchen than the nightingale of the green boughs, especially if he scented some serving-wench there, and who had seen in that of the inn a gross fat cookmaid, undersized and ill-made, with a pair of paps that showed like two manure-baskets and a face like a cadger's, all sweaty, greasy and smoky, leaving Fra Cipolla's chamber and all his gear to care for themselves, swooped down upon the kitchen, even as the vulture swoopeth upon carrion, and seating himself by the fire, for all it was August, entered into discourse with the wench in question, whose name was Nuta, telling her that he was by rights a gentleman and had more than nine millions of florins, beside that which he had to give others, which was rather more than less, and that he could do and say God only knew what. Moreover, without regard to his bonnet, whereon was grease enough to have seasoned the caldron of Altopascio,[319] and his doublet all torn and pieced and enamelled with filth about the collar and under the armpits, with more spots and patches of divers colours than ever had Turkey or India stuffs, and his shoes all broken and hose unsewn, he told her, as he had been the Sieur de Châtillon,[320] that he meant to clothe her and trick her out anew and deliver her from the wretchedness of abiding with others,[321] and bring her to hope of better fortune, if without any great wealth in possession, and many other things, which, for all he delivered them very earnestly, all turned to wind and came to nought, as did most of his enterprises. [Footnote 319: Said by the commentators to have been an abbey, where they made cheese-soup for all comers twice a week; hence "the caldron of Altopascio" became a proverb; but _quære_ is not the name Altopascio (high feeding) a fancy one?] [Footnote 320: It does not appear to which member of this great house Boccaccio here alludes, but the Châtillons were always rich and magnificent gentlemen, from Gaucher de Châtillon, who followed Philip Augustus to the third crusade, to the great Admiral de Coligny.] [Footnote 321: Sic (_star con altrui_); but "being in the service of or dependent upon others" seems to be the probable meaning.]

• From The Decameron (1353)

  The abbot, who slept not, nay, whose thoughts were ardently occupied with his new desires, heard what passed between Alessandro and the host and noted where the former laid himself to sleep, and well pleased with this, began to say in himself, 'God hath sent an occasion unto my desires; an I take it not, it may be long ere the like recur to me.' Accordingly, being altogether resolved to take the opportunity and himseeming all was quiet in the inn, he called to Alessandro in a low voice and bade him come couch with him. Alessandro, after many excuses, put off his clothes and laid himself beside the abbot, who put his hand on his breast and fell to touching him no otherwise than amorous damsels use to do with their lovers; whereat Alessandro marvelled exceedingly and misdoubted him the abbot was moved by unnatural love to handle him on that wise; but the latter promptly divined his suspicions, whether of presumption or through some gesture of his, and smiled; then, suddenly putting off a shirt that he wore, he took Alessandro's hand and laying it on his own breast, said, 'Alessandro, put away thy foolish thought and searching here, know that which I conceal.' Alessandro accordingly put his hand to the abbot's bosom and found there two little breasts, round and firm and delicate, no otherwise than as they were of ivory, whereby perceiving that the supposed prelate was a woman, without awaiting farther bidding, he straightway took her in his arms and would have kissed her; but she said to him, 'Ere thou draw nearer to me, hearken to that which I have to say to thee. As thou mayst see, I am a woman and not a man, and having left home a maid, I was on my way to the Pope, that he might marry me. Be it thy good fortune or my mishap, no sooner did I see thee the other day than love so fired me for thee, that never yet was woman who so loved man. Wherefore, I am resolved to take thee, before any other, to husband; but, an thou wilt not have me to wife, begone hence forthright and return to thy place.' Alessandro, albeit he knew her not, having regard to her company and retinue, judged her to be of necessity noble and rich and saw that she was very fair; wherefore, without overlong thought, he replied that, if this pleased her, it was mighty agreeable to him. Accordingly, sitting up with him in bed, she put a ring into his hand and made him espouse her[90] before a picture wherein our Lord was portrayed, after which they embraced each other and solaced themselves with amorous dalliance, to the exceeding pleasure of both parties, for so much as remained of the night.

• From Enchanted: Erotic Bedtime Stories for Women (Erotic Fiction) (2006)

  She stared at him in shock. Her hand reached down to touch the place that burned to be touched, but he intercepted it and held it firmly down so she could not use it. She struggled under him for a moment. “Please!” she whispered. “Please, what?” he asked. His lips were so close to hers that they brushed her as he spoke. The pleasure was excruciating. Anger flashed in her eyes as she turned her face away from his warm lips and once again struggled beneath him. He slid himself back into her all the way and held himself perfectly still there. Sweat trickled down his back, and every nerve ending in his body was screaming for him to give in to her, to end this torment, but he held his ground. There were tears in her eyes. “Tell me you want it,” he said in a voice that was misleadingly gentle and kind. “That’s all you have to do.” She struggled again. He didn’t want to lose her now. With slow, gentle thrusts, he began again. His hand resumed its gentle caressing. “Oh, no,” she whimpered. He smiled in spite of his agony. “Oh, yes,” he replied. Like a well-tuned musical instrument, her body responded in perfect time to his every touch. She was feverish in her struggle, and he was getting impatient. Why did she have to be so stubborn? He was going to make her a very happy wife. When his excitement began to overtake him and he came too close to the edge, he thought about losing her forever, and that was sufficient to cool his desire and hold his own needs at bay. “That’s it,” he coached lovingly as she once again came perilously near the brink. “Now tell me that you want me.” He pulled himself almost completely out of her again and paused. “No!” she screamed. But she was referring to his stopping, completely unaware now of what he wanted. “Please…oh, please. Don’t stop.” He didn’t want to mince words at a time like this, but he couldn’t have disputes over the matter later. “Tell me that you want me,” he repeated. “I…” she stopped herself. He pulled himself completely out of her. “I…” she repeated. He groaned loudly, thinking she had nearly as much endurance as he had. He pushed himself back into her and held perfectly still. “Tell me, sweetheart,” he pleaded. “I…want you,” she whispered, tears streaming down her cheeks. Cat wanted to comfort Mouse, but that would have to wait until later. They both had held out for way too long. He thrust himself into her again and again, thinking only to seal his victory with his final satisfaction, but suddenly he recalled the prize he had won and what it had cost her.

• From Enchanted: Erotic Bedtime Stories for Women (Erotic Fiction) (2006)

  She spread her legs wider and arched her back, pushing her hips upward and forcing herself to take the third baron completely in her backside. The discomfort this caused mingled with her pleasure and gave her the fuel she needed to reach her ultimate pleasure. Alternately she pressed herself against the first baron, moving forward and backward on him so that he, too, received an equal turn of pleasure. Not wanting to neglect the second baron, she opened her mouth wider and tipped back her head, so that he could push himself farther into her throat, and with each thrust she felt an exquisite thrill to her very core. All of these efforts she made were duly noted and remarked upon by the barons, and their comments added fuel to the fire that was burning hotter and deeper within her, threatening to consume her. Goldilocks was responding to the barons in earnest now, caressing each one with that part of her body he possessed. She cared not how she appeared or how they would remember her later, for, to the extent that she pleased them, to that extent she felt her own pleasure. Her body gyrated wildly as she choked out sounds of pleasure. The barons watched her with admiration and delight, and marveled that she not only yielded to them, but also seemed to want them to use her more harshly. Holding back their climax repeatedly, the three barons intended to employ Goldilocks’s body for as long as she would allow it. The baron who had her mouth held her by her golden locks, pulling her hair this way and that, according to the position he desired her mouth to be in. The baron beneath her held her breasts in both hands, pinching the nipples fiercely while she shuddered and wriggled helplessly on top of his body. The third baron slapped her backside brutally, much like he would have done to his horse if it did not please him. But finally the barons could delay their excitement no longer, and they each became more urgent, roughly thrusting themselves into her body. Their crude use of her sent Goldilocks over the edge, and she cried out screams of pleasure as her body finally reached a most glorious release. That was the breaking point for the barons, and they lost all control, loudly filling her body to overflowing. A few moments later Goldilocks once again found herself back in the same woods where she had begun her day. She pondered distractedly over what had happened to her. If not for the telltale soreness throughout her body she would have fancied the whole thing was no more than a daydream. But she knew it was no daydream, and she wondered over what she had done and how it had all come about. “Was it wrong of me to venture into the barons’ cottage uninvited?” she questioned. “But no. If it were wrong, I surely would not have been so thoroughly rewarded!”

• From The Decameron (1353)

  Then, remembering him of Sophronia and going over to the contrary, he denounced all that he had said, saying, 'The laws of love are of greater puissance than any others; they annul even the Divine laws, let alone those of friendship; how often aforetime hath father loved daughter, brother sister, stepmother stepson, things more monstrous than for one friend to love the other's wife, the which hath already a thousand times befallen! Moreover, I am young and youth is altogether subject to the laws of Love; wherefor that which pleaseth Him, needs must it please me. Things honourable pertain unto maturer folk; I can will nought save that which Love willeth. The beauty of yonder damsel deserveth to be loved of all, and if I love her, who am young, who can justly blame me therefor? I love her not because she is Gisippus's; nay, I love her for that I should love her, whosesoever she was. In this fortune sinneth that hath allotted her to Gisippus my friend, rather than to another; and if she must be loved, (as she must, and deservedly, for her beauty,) Gisippus, an he came to know it, should be better pleased that I should love her, I, than another.' Then, from that reasoning he reverted again to the contrary, making mock of himself, and wasted not only that day and the ensuing night in passing from this to that and back again, but many others, insomuch that, losing appetite and sleep therefor, he was constrained for weakness to take to his bed.

• From The Decameron (1353)

  At last, unable to endure longer and bethinking himself, in default of other means of compassing his desire, to take not one alone, but both of the damsels from their father, he discovered both his passion and his intent to Count Guy, who, for that he was an honourable man, said to him, 'My lord, I marvel greatly at that which you tell me, and that more than would another, inasmuch as meseemeth I have from your childhood to this day known your fashions better than any other; wherefore, meseeming never to have known such a passion in your youth, wherein Love might lightlier have fixed his talons, and seeing you presently hard upon old age, it is so new and so strange to me that you should love by way of enamourment[458] that it seemeth to me well nigh a miracle, and were it my office to reprove you thereof, I know well that which I should say to you thereanent, having in regard that you are yet with your harness on your back in a kingdom newly gained, amidst a people unknown and full of wiles and treasons, and are all occupied with very grave cares and matters of high moment, nor have you yet availed to seat yourself [in security;] and yet, among such and so many affairs, you have made place for the allurements of love. This is not the fashion of a magnanimous king; nay, but rather that of a pusillanimous boy. Moreover, what is far worse, you say that you are resolved to take his two daughters from a gentleman who hath entertained you in his house beyond his means and who, to do you the more honour, hath shown you these twain in a manner naked, thereby attesting how great is the faith he hath in you and that he firmly believeth you to be a king and not a ravening wolf. Again, hath it so soon dropped your memory that it was the violences done of Manfred to women that opened you the entry into this kingdom? What treason was ever wroughten more deserving of eternal punishment than this would be, that you should take from him who hospitably entreateth you his honour and hope and comfort? What would be said of you, an you should do it? You think, maybe, it were a sufficient excuse to say, "I did it for that he is a Ghibelline." Is this of the justice of kings, that they who resort on such wise to their arms should be entreated after such a fashion, be they who they may? Let me tell you, king, that it was an exceedingly great glory to you to have overcome Manfred, but a far greater one it is to overcome one's self; wherefore do you, who have to correct others, conquer yourself and curb this appetite, nor offer with such a blot to mar that which you have so gloriously gained.'

• From The Decameron (1353)

  Pericone, seeing this, deemed himself on the high road to that which he desired and continuing the supper with great plenty of meats and wines, protracted it far into the night. Ultimately, the guests having departed, he entered with the lady alone into her chamber, where she, more heated with wine than restrained by modesty, without any reserve of shamefastness, undid herself in his presence, as he had been one of her women, and betook herself to bed. Pericone was not slow to follow her, but, putting out all the lights, promptly hid himself beside her and catching her in his arms, proceeded, without any gainsayal on her part, amorously to solace himself with her; which when once she had felt,--having never theretofore known with what manner horn men butt,--as if repenting her of not having yielded to Pericone's solicitations, thenceforth, without waiting to be bidden to such agreeable nights, she oftentimes invited herself thereto, not by words, which she knew not how to make understood, but by deeds. But, in the midst of this great pleasance of Pericone and herself, fortune, not content with having reduced her from a king's bride to be the mistress of a country gentleman, had foreordained unto her a more barbarous alliance. Pericone had a brother by name Marato, five-and-twenty years of age and fair and fresh as a rose, who saw her and she pleased him mightily. Himseemed, moreover, according to that which he could apprehend from her gestures, that he was very well seen of her and conceiving that nought hindered him of that which he craved of her save the strait watch kept on her by Pericone, he fell into a barbarous thought, whereon the nefarious effect followed without delay.

• From Enchanted: Erotic Bedtime Stories for Women (Erotic Fiction) (2006)

  The queen felt herself tremble with anticipation as she watched the man now position himself behind the woman in the mirror. She parted her own legs slightly in imitation of the woman, as she watched her accommodate her lover. She imagined that she could feel his strong hands boring into her own hips as he held the woman firmly and pushed himself into her. It sounded like her own voice as the woman cried out with pleasure. The vision was so real that she fancied she could feel it when the man in the mirror penetrated his lady. So completely wrapped up in the image before her was she that the queen did not even realize that she had begun to move her own hips in time with the woman she watched there. She marveled to see the intense expression of pleasure on that woman’s face, the unrestrained moans escaping from her lips, and her hips undulating in such wild abandon. Her own excitement increased as she watched every detail of the intimate performance that was being played out before her. She felt her upper body lean forward slightly as the man in the mirror gently encouraged his lover to do the same. His eyes met hers again in the mirror as he thrust himself into the woman, harder and faster. Suddenly the queen was awakened from her spell and realized with a jolt that the woman in the mirror was no other than herself, and that it was her handsome servant who was staring back at her from his position behind her. She froze for a moment, suddenly embarrassed to have him see her thus. Perceiving the change in his queen, the prince quickly turned her away from the mirror so that she was facing him. He kissed her tenderly and lifted her in his arms, carrying her to a nearby couch. But she glanced furtively back toward the mirror. The prince held the queen close to him, joining himself with her again, all the while whispering soft endearments. The mirror seemed to give her assurance, and she strained her neck so that, always, she might watch the reflection in the mirror. And she watched herself do many extraordinary things throughout the night. The prince was delighted by her inquisitiveness, and was careful to make the long-awaited event last until she was completely satisfied. Afterward, he continued to hold his queen close to him throughout the night, slowly caressing her body so that, by morning, not one single inch of her was left untouched or unloved. The queen smiled as she slept and dreamed of roses. In the morning, the queen did not want to leave. But the prince knew that he must take her back to her castle, to see if his love had truly reached her heart and lifted her from the power of the curse.

• From Enchanted: Erotic Bedtime Stories for Women (Erotic Fiction) (2006)

  The prince watched the queen’s face as she stared at him. His expectations for the evening had been minimal, namely, that the queen, within the safety of his forest, might realize the prince’s feelings and accept his offer of courtship. He had not dared to hope for more than that, and was shocked to see the desire burning hotly in her eyes. Perceiving her desire, he slowly began to undo the buttons of her gown. She did not resist or tremble with fear that she would not be good enough, but instead shivered with anticipation. With a light swishing sound, the garment fell to the floor. She watched in silent wonder as his muscles strained under the control he applied to carefully remove her delicate clothing. She stood, as if hypnotized, while his large fingers painstakingly handled the sensitive fabric. For the first time in her life, she felt genuinely aroused. One by one, her undergarments fell to the floor. She watched with interest as her body was slowly revealed. When she lifted her eyes to meet those of the prince in the mirror, the desire she saw there astonished her. With her heart throbbing within her breast, she met his gaze with the same burning intensity. It was suddenly as if she were watching two strangers, so unfamiliar were the images in the mirror, and she could not pull her eyes away from the sight of them. She saw the woman shudder as her lover lowered his warm mouth to the back of her neck for a long, sensual kiss. He continued to kiss her lightly as his arms came around her waist and held her in a loving embrace. The woman’s face was flushed, her lips were parted, and her breathing was quick. The man in the mirror was steadily becoming more demanding as his hands began caressing the woman with a thoroughness that left no part of her untouched. This did not seem to offend her, however, for she only moaned softly as she stared intently ahead of her, wordlessly allowing him full access to her body. The queen watched with keen interest as the large, masculine hands roamed over every part of the woman. Her eyes followed every movement, every touch, every intimacy. A feeling of overpowering desire came over her as she watched. Suddenly the man in the mirror pulled away from the woman to remove his own clothing. Still, she continued to stare silently in front of her, as if she were under a spell. The queen wondered that she did not turn to watch her lover undress, so beautiful was his image, splendid in its arousal. He looked at his staring lady for a moment, and then turned toward the object of her interest. This made him smile, and he continued to look ahead with her, meeting the eyes of the queen, as he wrapped his arms around his lady and gently kissed the side of her face.

• From The Decameron (1353)

  Then, going forth and locking the cell door on her, he betook himself straight to the abbot's chamber and presenting him with the key, according as each monk did, whenas he went abroad, said to him, with a good countenance, 'Sir, I was unable to make an end this morning of bringing off all the faggots I had cut; wherefore with your leave I will presently go to the wood and fetch them away.' The abbot, deeming the monk unaware that he had been seen of him, was glad of such an opportunity to inform himself more fully of the offence committed by him and accordingly took the key and gave him the leave he sought. Then, as soon as he saw him gone, he fell to considering which he should rather do, whether open his cell in the presence of all the other monks and cause them to see his default, so they might after have no occasion to murmur against himself, whenas he should punish the offender, or seek first to learn from the girl herself how the thing had passed; and bethinking himself that she might perchance be the wife or daughter of such a man that he would be loath to have done her the shame of showing her to all the monks, he determined first to see her and after come to a conclusion; wherefore, betaking himself to the cell, he opened it and, entering, shut the door after him. The girl, seeing the abbot enter, was all aghast and fell a-weeping for fear of shame; but my lord abbot, casting his eyes upon her and seeing her young and handsome, old as he was, suddenly felt the pricks of the flesh no less importunate than his young monk had done and fell a-saying in himself, 'Marry, why should I not take somewhat of pleasure, whenas I may, more by token that displeasance and annoy are still at hand, whenever I have a mind to them? This is a handsome wench and is here unknown of any in the world. If I can bring her to do my pleasure, I know not why I should not do it. Who will know it? No one will ever know it and a sin that's hidden is half forgiven. Maybe this chance will never occur again. I hold it great sense to avail ourselves of a good, whenas God the Lord sendeth us thereof.'

• From Enchanted: Erotic Bedtime Stories for Women (Erotic Fiction) (2006)

  She reached out her hand in an attempt to touch his face, thinking that she might at least feel his features with her fingers, but he gently brushed her hand away and continued to kiss her. His breath was warm and pleasant. Fragments of the last few hours whirled around in her consciousness. The stranger, who had appeared so suddenly, said that each of them was the reason for the other being there. And she could not forget the words of the bear, promising that the enchanted castle would bring about her every desire. But she only vaguely remembered the strange yearnings she had been feeling when the stranger came to her room, for they had all but disappeared upon his arrival! Was it her own desire, then, that had brought this stranger to her? Wasn’t he, in fact, doing things that she had always wished someone would do? But who was he? Was he even real, or just a figment of her imagination? Oh, but it was impossible to think with him kissing her! His lips were insistent and enticing, and she began to feel herself giving in to a fate that, uncertain as it was, was infinitely more pleasant than any other she had encountered in her meager life so far. A new, warmer longing was rising up from within her. She wanted his kisses to go on forever, but at length she became aware that he was reaching beneath her nightgown. He placed his warm hand on her stomach for a moment, allowing her to become accustomed to his touch. Slowly and gently he began to move his hand, exploring her body carefully and thoroughly, and ultimately leaving every part of her that he touched yearning when he abandoned it for another. His other hand still held her hair in its grasp, preventing escape, though her desire to escape had abated. In fact, her arms, seemingly of their own accord, wound themselves around his neck, and her lips began uttering soft sounds that were unintelligible to both of them. The stranger carefully released his hold on her hair. He once again placed his lips on hers as he slowly and carefully peeled the edges of her nightgown down over her shoulders and torso and legs. With her fully exposed to his hands, he began to caress her more earnestly, feeling every inch of her from head to foot, as if attempting to see her through his touch. She trembled beneath him as he slowly and meticulously continued his intimate examination, seemingly fascinated by every little curve and indentation. She didn’t wonder about his reaction to what he discovered, for she could feel his own rigid body against hers throughout his administrations. But he was in no hurry, regardless of his growing excitement, and his very adept fingers gradually gave way to an even more skillful tongue. Clutching the extravagant bedding in her hands, she felt herself submitting completely under her mystery lover’s captivating seduction.