Chapter Twenty-Nine #2
“Christian!” His name came out on a strangled cry as she hooked her legs behind his to keep him from retreating.
He didn’t move. Instead, his hands slid to her hips and he tugged her closer.
Closer. Until her bottom reached the edge of the bed.
The solid heft of his erection rested at the juncture of her thighs, her curls nesting around him.
She arched from the sheets, scooting even closer and he let out a soft chuckle.
“Not so fast.”
He began to slide himself up and down until her chest felt like it might explode.
Each gentle caress sent her careening toward the release still hovering out of reach.
And then he slipped down farther, his hands gripping her thighs as they quivered.
Holding her open. He pressed there. At her opening.
She might die. Perhaps she already had.
He shifted on his feet and a blessed pressure began to fill her. Her legs tightened around his waist. Tried to pull him in deeper. The shadows in his eyes intensified as he gazed down at her. “This is so much better than anything I ever dreamed.”
Samantha let out a whimper when he stopped his nearly imperceptible movement. Pulled himself free. Pushed back in. He repeated the motion until her hips bucked against him.
Her entire existence boiled down to this single moment. They stared at each other, chests rising and falling in rapid unison. Christian’s fingers dug into her hips, holding her steady. Her eyes began to drift shut.
No. She snapped them open. Not a chance she was missing this.
After one last withdrawal, the throbbing tip of him barely touching her, he slammed forward. The bed jerked with the force and she cried out at the fierce waves of feeling bursting through her as he stretched her fully.
His head fell back, dark hair cascading over his shoulders and his mouth went slack, lips parted in a moan that went straight to her core. The corded muscles in his arms trembled as he held her against him, grinding his hips in a slow circle as she adjusted to the intrusion.
“So wet. So tight. So good.” The words tumbled from his mouth one after another, hardly recognizable in a reverent whisper.
She rocked into him, tilting her hips to allow him better access and he let out a soft curse.
The movement seemed to unlock a tempest in him and he began thrusting with wild abandon.
So much feeling. Had it been like this before?
She couldn’t remember. Couldn’t think straight as her body fairly vibrated around him.
Their grunts came out in sync with each deep bump against the heart of her sex.
In one abrupt movement, he lifted her into him.
She let out a yelp as he climbed onto the bed without breaking contact or rhythm.
Once his knees hit the mattress, he lifted one slender leg over his shoulder and tilted to the side.
He leaned over her until she could hardly bear the stretch.
At that exact moment, his finger settled over the throbbing little nub where all the energy in her body had centered.
The room began to spin as he worked the spot in rapid strokes while slowing the rest of his movements.
Each deep plunge sent her careening toward her release.
He dropped her leg and bent his lips to hers, murmuring nonsensical words.
So close. Her eyes fluttered shut and the rattle of rain on the shutters melded with the sounds of their joining.
This . . . this was heaven. His tongue pressed into her mouth at the same time his finger switched directions. And she leaped from that high-up ledge. One big shuddering breath and her world exploded.
He caught her screams as her legs went rigid and her back arched from the bed.
Each surge of pleasure sent her muscles clamping around him, the delightful squeezes of pressure making her soar even higher.
He continued his pace, holding her against him as the wild feelings began to subside and her body went limp.
Feather-soft kisses covered her cheeks and neck.
“Samantha.” Her name came out on a shaky breath as Christian slowed to a stop.
She opened her eyes and met his hooded gaze.
“Samantha.”
Time went still as her chest constricted. Samantha. The way he said it, full of reverence, sent a burst of warmth blossoming around her heart.
God, she would never forget this moment.
His eyes closed. His head fell back.
Samantha felt him surge inside her, flaring within her swollen heat, a single moment before he went tense.
His hoarse shout came at the same time a rumble of thunder rocked through them and his hips collided with hers in a heavy thrust. Her hands went to his backside, pulling him deeper as he trembled over her.
The slack lines around his mouth slowly transformed into a contented smile as the pulsing at her core subsided.
A sheen of sweat glistened on his brow and she reached up to brush a damp curl away as the room lit in a flash of lightning.
He bent and pressed his lips to her forehead in a tender kiss, his ragged breaths puffing around her face.
One last thrust, one last moan, and he collapsed at her side.
*
Samantha’s eyes cracked open and she blinked at the soft light of dawn. She’d overslept. With a frown, she began to roll over. The fresh scent of rain filled her lungs. Sandalwood. She went still. Breathed in again.
Did the scent linger from her dreams?
Bits and flashes came to her. Tan skin. Forest-green eyes. The mouth she dreamed of so often. Kissing her. Calling out her name.
Her real name.
Her heart began to thump as she shifted her legs. A swollen ache ran from her core as a ray of sunlight pierced the room, reflecting off yellow wallpaper.
Not her room.
Her lips curved as the full memory of last night flooded through her. It had all happened. Every delicious bit. She reached next to her, fingers settling on cool sheets, and jerked upright.
She was alone.
A chill ran through her as she took in Christian’s room. A polished desk sat next to the window, the chair pushed beneath it just right. A few paintings on the wall. An armchair next to a spotless hearth. Every bit as immaculate as his cabin.
Even her clothes were folded in a neat pile on the end of the bed.
She reached forward and picked up her blouse, running her fingers over the torn buttonholes. The erratic beat of her heart began to slow. Where had he gone? Did he regret last night?
Her blood went cold.
He’d told her he would be setting sail. What if he’d left?
With a strangled breath, she began to yank the blouse on. She needed to get home before anyone realized where she was. The garment hung wide open and she forced back a laugh. If anyone saw her, she was doomed.
She swung her feet to the floor and grabbed her breeches and started toward Christian’s dressing room. Hopefully she could make one of his shirts work. Before she made it two steps, the door creaked behind her.
Her heart seized and she spun, pressing the folded breeches between her legs.
“Now, this is a sight I could get used to.”
Christian stood in the doorway, holding a tray with two steaming cups. He’d dressed, trousers stretched across his thighs and white shirt only half-buttoned. The bare expanse of his chest and the dark swath of hair sent her pulse skyrocketing.
She glanced down at her exposed breasts and heat burst across her cheeks. Her nipples hardened and she went even hotter.
Christian chuckled and crossed the room. He deposited the tray on the bed and reached out for her.
“Good morning, beautiful.”
She searched his face, all her emotions at war within her.
He cupped her cheek. “What’s wrong?”
“I—I thought you left.”
His other arm snaked around her back and drew her against him. “Why would I leave?”
“Because . . .” She took a shallow breath. “Because of last night?”
Christian slipped his hands beneath her blouse and ran them up and down her back. “Last night was the single greatest night of my existence.” The words came out soft against her ear and she shivered.
“You said you were going to sail today.”
Christian nibbled her earlobe and she let out a soft gasp as all the heat from her blush seemed to refocus straight between her legs. “I have something to show you.”
With a gentle tug, he guided her to his desk. A single sheet of parchment lay there with freshly inked lines of text scrawled out. A letter.
“Sit.”
She did and couldn’t help reading the first line.
I, Christian William Thompson, have come to the regrettable decision that I ought not retain my Commission in the navy.
Her brows pushed together. “What is this?”
“Keep reading.”
A tingle began in the base of her neck, slowly spreading outward, and she took a deep breath before continuing.
I therefore tender my resignation which I request you will recommend for acceptance.
She jerked her head up. “You’re resigning?”
“After the events of the last month, I realized I cannot continue this job with a clear conscience.”
He picked up a white feathered quill and dipped the tip into his inkwell.
“I thought my calling in life was to mete justice out on the seas. To spend my life married to the ocean. But I made a mistake. I never made room in my plans for love.” He cleared his throat. “I was wrong.”
Her chest seized. What was he trying to say?
“I didn’t lie last night when I told you I think about you constantly. It’s not just my mind you fill. It’s my heart. This morning, when I woke up and thought about my voyage, I couldn’t bear the thought of leaving you.”
He leaned over and scratched his signature across the bottom of the document before dropping the feather with a flourish.
Her heart caught in her throat and she turned to find him kneeling next to her.
“I’ve made a mess of things, and I hope you can forgive me. I should have never accepted your promise to stop sailing. It was a sacrifice you should have never been forced to make.”
She drew in a ragged breath as the chasm in her heart threatened to reopen. “I don’t regret it. I’d do anything—”
He brought a finger to her lips. “You should never be forced to choose between your happiness and your family.”
Family.
Her chest tightened. “Your father. . .”
Christian dropped his head and pressed his eyes closed. “The things he did were terrible beyond belief. I understand if you hate me for it.”
She shook her head and fumbled for his hand, wrapping her fingers around his. “No. I could never. What he did. . .” She took a steadying breath. “You had nothing to do with any of it. You are your own man. An admirable one at that.”
His jaw trembled. “I do not deserve you.”
A shaky laugh escaped her. “I could say the same.”
“I think. . .” A faint smile played across his lips. “I think we need a new beginning.”
A spark of hope ignited deep within her. Was it possible? Could they truly start anew?
“I love you, Samantha. If the last few weeks have taught me anything, it’s that I cannot live without you.
” He squeezed her hand. “I cannot promise I’ll be perfect.
But I can promise to weather life’s storms at your side.
To give you the freedom to do the things that bring you happiness. To never stop loving you.”
Samantha’s lungs stopped working and the room swam around her. This couldn’t be happening. Her eyes flitted to the bed. Had she fallen back asleep? He cleared his throat and she snapped her gaze back to him.
“Will you marry me?”
A dream. A wonderful and terrible dream, tempting her with her heart’s greatest desires. Her vision swam as a roar filled her ears. Breathe. His other palm settled on her knee and she blinked down at it.
Not a dream.
Tears streamed down her cheeks and he lifted a thumb to one wet trail. “Say something.”
She reached out through the blur and grasped his hand.
“I love you, Christian. So much it hurts.” A sob broke free and he pulled her into his chest. “I didn’t think you would ever . . . I mean, look at me. I’m—”
He pressed a finger to her lips. “Is that a yes?”
She managed a nod and he stood, lifting her into his arms with a grin. “Good. How about some breakfast before I show you just how much I love you?”