Dangerous in Diamonds - Madeline Hunter [67]
His expression and body hardened with her caress, and his arousal did too, growing more as if demanding attention. Shyer now, but not too much, to her own amazement, she caressed around his hip and touched him with her fingers.
His eyes closed briefly. When they opened again the devilish fires burned in them. He leaned forward until he hovered over her on hands and knees.
“Do not stop.” His head dipped, and his tongue and teeth and mouth began devastating her with erotic teases on her breasts, with licks and nips and finally more determined arousals that had her mind dimming to everything except pure sensuality.
She did not stop but sought to madden him in turn so she would not be so vulnerable. She stroked his shaft and the tip and circled him with her hand. When the pleasure began crying in her, she ceased knowing much what she did. When he lay beside her again she could no longer reach.
She parted her legs too gratefully when his hand began to stroke her down there. She lifted her hips to his touch, too eager, shameless in her need, indifferent to her pride. She almost begged him for more, for faster devastation, for him to forget what had been said and to thoroughly take her. She clung to him and reached for that wonderful release she had known on the barge.
She came close, painfully close, but he surprised her again. He moved below her, between her legs, then left the bed. Kneeling there, he pulled her toward him. He spread her legs wide and lowered his head.
Her body convulsed from the shock of that kiss. She lost awareness, because the pleasure became so intense. She thought she might be begging now, or crying, because she was doing both in her head, in a chant of urging and fear.
It happened, finally, that burst of white heat that relieved the tight coil of pleasure. The perfect sensation spread like a warm river all through her, making her lose sense of her own physicality.
He moved up and covered her, totally, as she drifted in that momentary heaven. His forearms flanked her, and his hips rested between her thighs. It entered her mind that he would take her now. Enter her. Alarm managed to rise through her stupor.
Then she felt the evidence that sometime in this passion he had also found relief. Her vulnerability being beneath him did not frighten her after that.
He angled his head and kissed her ear. Then his finger toyed at the ear bob as he watched it move. The sensation of that little weight against her jaw made the daze lift a little. Enough for her to consider the truth that she was naked with this man on top of her, after she had come here determined that nothing like this would happen.
She claimed most of herself, but she could not shake off the intimacy. It altered her senses and her mind and even what she saw as she looked up at him.
Still Castleford. Still dangerous. But less of a devil right now, it seemed, and more of a man. Not so cool and indifferent or viewing all of life as a good joke.
That was the pleasure affecting her, no doubt. It softened her perceptions and tempted her to think better of this than it had really been.
She closed her eyes because it affected her too much, looking at him. It was as if she lost another little piece of her soul and will with each passing moment.
“Thank you. For being good to your word,” she said.
“You must now give your word that you will never tell anyone that I had you here in bed, naked, and was so stupidly decent. Such gossip would ruin me, utterly.”
She laughed, grateful that he sounded once again like the Castleford she knew. “I promise to keep your secret that you can be honorable, even when inclined not to be.”
He eased off her and lay beside her. His fingertips absently traced her body, its curves and swells, like a brush outlining her in paint.
“You do not really fear I am diseased, I think.”
“Are you convincing yourself that I am taking joy in frustrating you?”
“I believe your hesitation is real, but this new reason is an excuse conjured up to explain it. You are afraid of something. I sense it, when you are at your most