Chapter One #4
He held her stare as one by one the buttons popped open and more of him was tantalisingly revealed.
Finally, he peeled the expensive cotton apart, uncovering a column of burnished skin, before tugging the damp material off his shoulders, discarding the garment, and she gaped at his expansive, muscular chest before her.
She bravely reached out to touch his body. ‘You’re beautiful,’ she whispered.
He grinned, raising a dark brow. ‘Beautiful?’
He kissed her again, more fiercely this time, tugging her closer, and shocking excitement melted her insides as his solid bare skin grazed her naked breasts, her nipples hardening.
His hot kisses became more urgent, as the light caresses of his fingers moved over her back, roaming down, stealing under her loosened gown, to curve over her bottom.
Everything was happening so fast. She was vaguely aware of him working the material over her hips, her undergarments gone too, liquid heat pooling between her legs, and yet still she wriggled against him, encouraging him on.
As if he’d heard her silent plea for more, he rolled her onto her back, the soft pile of the rug tickling her naked skin.
She turned her face into the curve of his shoulder, closing her eyes for a moment, savouring the spasms in her body as his fingers drew a delicate, incredulous trail over the engorged peaks of her nipples and down, between her breasts, his palm smoothing unhurriedly, exploring so gently, over her stomach, and lower.
Wild excitement had her parting her thighs in restless anticipation and his fingers threaded through her hair, to where she so desperately wanted him to touch her.
‘Edward,’ she gasped as he stroked her intimately, so tenderly, she shuddered with pleasure. It was exquisite. He pushed one finger carefully inside her, and she gasped again, throwing her head back. ‘Oh God,’ she whispered, feeling feverish with need now.
But all at once, he retrieved his fingers and moved his hand to the button of his breeches as his body came over her.
‘Are you sure about this?’ he asked, pushing her legs apart with his knees.
She frowned, her mother’s words of caution swirling on the periphery of her mind, like fists pounding on the gates as if the older woman’s voice was trying to invade her thoughts.
But she didn’t want to let them in. Not now.
Because despite the consequences she knew all too well could befall her, she wanted this.
Him. She didn’t want to think past this moment.
She might never get the chance to feel like this again.
She wanted Edward to sweep her away on this tide of emotion.
Right now, she thought she would let this beautiful, perfect man do anything to her.
She nodded.
‘I will be careful,’ he promised.
She squirmed beneath him, the expensive material of his breeches grazing her bare inner thighs, and finally, he freed himself.
His kisses became harder, all-consuming, as taking himself in his hand, he guided himself to her entrance.
She felt the tip of his hot, hard flesh right there where she wanted him and she gasped in anticipation of what was to come.
Then his palms were cupping her bottom, holding her in place, as he thrust inside her with one slick, sure stroke—and she cried out at the intimate, shocking breach and the sharp spasm of pain.
He stilled, knowing what it meant. She should have told him, she realised, and for an awful moment, she thought he was going to pull back, to stop.
He raised his head, a deep crease appearing between his brow, and bringing up his hand, he tipped her chin, so she was forced to look into his eyes. They were gentle, understanding.
‘You have never done this before,’ he said.
She shook her head, her cheeks hot with embarrassment.
‘Do you want to continue?’
‘Yes,’ she whispered. ‘Definitely.’ She moved beneath him, as if to show him she meant it, but before he complied, he dipped his head and kissed her again, slowly, deeply, stripping away her tension, building her desire once more until her body began to relax around him.
He pulled her legs up around his hips and the next time he thrust, he slid all the way in, filling her completely.
She gasped and he groaned, his forehead resting against hers.
‘Is that good?’ he whispered.
‘Yes.’
She wrapped her legs tighter, higher, around his waist, clinging on as he began to take her, stroke after stroke, holding her hands in his above her head, and she wished for this feeling to never end. For the first time in her life she felt special. Treasured.
She was aware her breathing was becoming more frantic, her sweat-slicked body thrashing beneath his as Edward pushed for more intimacy, demanding more pleasure than she thought she could cope with, until finally, he took her over the crest of the wave and she came apart, panting, her thoughts scattering as her body spasmed around him, trembling in ecstasy before he withdrew and bit out his own powerful release.
He lay back on the rug, tugging her into his chest, his breathing ragged, his arms trembling. She rested her head in the curve of his shoulder and as she listened to the hectic clamouring of his heart, she knew it must have been as good for him as it had been for her. Perfect, in fact.