God in Heaven. A Christian woman, I should cover my eyes. Gone were all of his garments.

He settled onto the edge of the bed. Bare arms and legs covered with honey-brown fur rested beside me. His long back tapered and flared into a lean hip which burrowed into the mattress and caused me to pitch closer to him.

“Make you my wife? Indeed, that is my desire.”

I reared up and tumbled off the foot end of the bed. Despite my ignorance in the ways of men and women, I stood and approached Thomas. The nearest candles cast golden light over his bare chest. Halos of hair surrounded the hard, rouge buds. At standing, his left leg brushed against my skirt and sent a chill over me.

Thomas’s body possessed many places my lips and hands longed to explore. We watched each other, and my heart bounded beneath my nightdress. With the tips of his fingers, Thomas pushed the unbuttoned frock to the floor, and I stepped free.

He knelt and gathered the hemline of my nightdress in his hands. His fists tapped against my trembling fingers, and I accepted the cloth. For each bit I raised the garment, his hands traced a path upward. At reaching the middle of my leg, he paused and wet his lips. Raising my arms, I sent the nightdress over my head and far behind me. A few tugs brought the stockings to my ankles. His fingers made short work of the laces, and he pulled the boots from my feet. The stockings followed, and I kicked them aside.

His breath came in short rasps, and mine did none the better. A single stretch brought him to his feet. The devilish hands grabbed for my bare backside and drew me tight to him. Against my belly, his hardness rested. Over the years, I had witnessed animals mating in barns and fields. My ignorance was not such that my mind could not conjure the purpose of Thomas Thorne’s full-blooded organ.

His fingers sought mine and drew them down. “Touch me, Sarah. Make me know the meaning of love with a pure woman.”

“But, I do not…”

The other hand cupped gently against my mouth. Perfume from the crushed herbs blended with the musk from his body. I drew in a deeper breath of him before the hand left my face. Against my palm, the damp pouch of flesh between his legs stirred, and I let it drop.

His laughter and smile followed. “Lay thee down on the bed. Show me where you are troubled.”

I tossed my head and remained standing. Over his chest, I moved my hands. Tight coils of hair tickled my palms. My womb wept, the trickle coming faster down the inside of my leg. Into the pit at his belly, I plunged my thumb.

He growled and drove his fingers past the cleft of my bottom. “Like a ripe fruit, your softness parts for my fingers and also for my hungry mouth .”

After placing a hard kiss on my lips, he bent my body like a maple branch. Before I took another breath, his hot tongue trailed over my bosom and closed around the nub of flesh at the tip. I cried out as he abandoned the suckling and knelt in front of me.

Filling my hands with his hair, I held him against me. Hot breath billowed against my flesh. “Am I to your liking, Thomas?”

His nod brought another bolt of heat that traveled from my belly to my legs. At the tangle of curls capping my maidenhead, his face lay buried. Caught between his teeth, some of the hairs pulled free at his tugs. He urged my legs apart and placed his tongue at my most sacred place.

As one might lick a homemade sweet, he sucked at my weeping hole. The tender flesh wetted his mouth, and gurgling noises filled the air. Heat, this time more intense, knifed through my loins. His tongue ravished the same swollen bean my fingers had touched many of those nights when I surrendered not to sleep.

He landed a bite to my nether folds, and I bucked against his face. My sins and his were ravaging me, but so be it. Thomas loves me. I love him .

Nothing else really matters.

Rocking back on his heels, he allowed me freedom from his wicked lessons. “Your body has betrayed you, dearest Sarah. Where I have just supped is where you are troubled, is it not?”

Words, though I willed them, would not coax from my mouth. Into the throbbing void between my legs, I thrust two of my fingers and pulled them out. Wet from fingertips to bottom knuckles, I held them in front of his face. He swooped, devouring them and the strange honey.

“I am not a puppet made of cloth and string, Thomas. I am but a woman, made from bone and weak of flesh.”

One final pass of his tongue and it ceased its torment. “Many would claim you are a witch at such an admission of weakness. But I do not see you that way.”

With a growl, Thomas stood and swept past me. From the table, he plucked a carving knife and approached the hearth. The silver blade shone in the firelight. As he reached the spit, his arm shot forward, and the knife blade pierced the hog’s roasting hide.

Broth from the melted fat bubbled past the wound and dripped onto the woodpile beneath. At meeting the burning logs, it sent glowing ash upward. I placed my hand where Thomas’s mouth had been and shivered. A twist of his wrist carved a section of roasted meat loose, and he speared the succulent morsel.

It sizzled as he brought the bounty to his lips. “I am a hungry man. I ask for your patience, my love, while I consume a bit of food. Afterward, I shall consume you.” © Shawna Moore 2005

"Forbidden Hunger is encompassing and tempting; it gives you a fresh glimpse into the Salem Witch Trials. You will be utterly spellbound as Shawna Moore entices you to relook and rethink all that you knew about the Salem Witch Trials and their outcome. You'll be drawn into the Forbidden Hunger by the twists and turns of the story. Go ahead take a look and make sure you get this book - you'll revel in what you find. I kept wondering if maybe Shawna Moore hit on something rooted in reality or if, in fact, this was just her fictional spin on historical events. Not only is Forbidden Hunger hot, but it will entertain and arouse you." - 5 Angels, Wendi, FAR.

"This was an easy book to read, and I enjoyed the characters. I like the way Ms. Moore told the story about Sarah and Thomas. She has an enticing way of writing, carrying the reader into the story with every turn of the page. When Thomas told Sarah to remain true to her moral convictions, I cheered. I liked the way Thomas had a way throughout the story of telling Sarah not to think about what others say, but to follow her heart. Forbidden Hunger will have you in awe all the way to the end, rooting for this couple as they seek to keep the love that binds them close forever." - 5 cups, Cherokee, CTR.

"Forbidden Hunger tells of the superstitions of the Puritan lifestyle with the evil that lurks in the hearts of men. The scenes are realistic and sparse; the contrast between the prim and proper lifestyle of that day and the lust raging behind closed doors creates a fine tension that really makes this book. Shawna Moore uses great skill and a fine hand in tuning up the danger and suspense as a sub-plot here, and this book drew me right in. Forbidden Hunger is a wonderful and riveting effort by Shawna Moore." - 5 Angels, Michelle, FAR.

"Forbidden Hunger is told from the first person perspective and gives an interesting insight to what lies behind Sarah’s motivations and what spurs her on to unravel her curiosity about her sexuality. This story grips the reader’s attention from the very first page and doesn’t let go till the end.

"Thomas is a very earthy and passionate lover, one that draws out Sarah’s most ardent nature and is willing to explore in helping Sarah revel in her own sexuality, to both their satisfaction. Their interaction, most especially their intimate scenes, are highly erotic and steamy. Thomas is a man who fulfills his and Sarah’s sexual hungers in such a fundamentally erotic fashion it will leave you panting for your own relief. The sense and feeling this story evokes while reading it is reminiscent of a classic erotic romance that you could enjoy with a lover. The story is told in such an appealing way that keeps true to the language of the time. The prose, plot, characters and style of Ms. Moore struck a chord with me and I absolutely enjoyed the opportunity to read this gem of a book. I have no hesitation in recommending Forbidden Hunger, most especially if you enjoy erotic historical romances or would like to try something a little different to while away an afternoon." - 5 STARS, Aggie Tsirikas, Just Erotic Romance Reviews.