Chapter 12 #2
He had to grit his teeth as he pushed deeper into her enticing body.
He had never had his control tested to this extent before.
But it was a struggle to keep himself in check now, to not completely lose himself.
He kept the thought that she was untried and he could not rush this moment.
The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her, to make this an unwanted experience.
But when she kept making those seductive commands and looking at him with those mesmerizing, amber eyes, he had trouble focusing.
With a firm thrust, he paused, allowing her to get used to the intrusion, before he began to retreat and then moving forward again.
“Faster…”
He closed his eyes, praying for strength as he obeyed. He could not deny himself any more than he could deny her, even if his arms were starting to tremble from the control.
“Harder…”
Bloody hell, she was going to be the death of him. Sariah was turning out to be more eager than he’d thought possible. For an innocent, she certainly knew every way to drive him mad with longing.
Perspiration began to dot his brow, but Reed wasn’t going to hold back any more of himself any longer. He offered everything that he had to her, and she accepted it without hesitation, without restraint.
As the pressure began to build within him, he knew he was close to his climax. “Come with me, Sariah. Do it, now.”
The firm command must have unleashed something primal within her, because she shuddered with her second release. Watching her face engage in rapture sent him over the edge. He groaned as his body tightened and then released in a glorious, perfect end.
No words were spoken. They were content just holding each other, reveling in the moment of absolute completion.
Reluctantly, Reed lifted his head and looked at the beautiful woman beneath him. “Are you well?” he asked softly.
She smiled. “I honestly could not be better.”
He chuckled at her candor and rolled to his side, drawing her within the circle of his arms. She snuggled up close to him and he looked out the window at the growing darkness beyond.
They still had light from a few candles flickering inside the room, but it was obvious that the summer heat would soon give way to a cooler evening.
Already, a slight chill had permeated the room.
They would not be able to tarry much longer in their makeshift love nest, but it would not be necessary for them to sneak around at all once they were betrothed in truth.
“Sariah, I wanted to ask—"
She lifted her head and quickly set her fingers over his mouth. “Do not say anything. Please. Let us not spoil this moment. Just… enjoy it.”
He reluctantly swallowed back the words that wanted to burst forth. But perhaps she was right. He didn’t want anything that would mar something so magical.
When they finally departed a short time later, Reed gave her a light kiss on the lips. “Dream of me?” he said huskily.
She shook her head. “I no longer have to dream of you, because everything is real. I merely have to close my eyes—and remember.”
He watched her walk across the lawn with a tightness in his chest that made no sense to him.
It was almost as if he was bidding her farewell, that this enchanted moment in time was all that they would ever share.
However, he had every confidence that, although he wasn’t a nobleman, that the baron would entertain his suit.
It had benefited them both until that point and Reed felt as though he’d proven himself worthy of her regard.
Of course, until he had that conversation firsthand, he would not rest easy.
Intending to approach the baron as soon as he was able the next morning, he discovered that it was not going to be as easy as anticipated, because Lord Foxworth had left shortly before dawn with an urgent request to return to London.
The reasoning was murky on what had happened to call him back so soon, but Reed had no choice but to wait until he returned to speak with him about Sariah.
In the interim, he decided to approach her brother to see what his thoughts were on a possible match.
He discovered that Lord Richard liked to ride in the mornings, and so Reed took it upon himself to join the other man. As they rode their prospective mounts—Reed having borrowed another gelding from Harville’s stables—he found the courage to approach the subject weighing heavily on his mind.
“Lord Richard, I had an ulterior motive for seeking you out this morning, other than the desire to ride.”
“I did not doubt it,” the man said with a coy grin. “My sister has a way of convincing others to do her bidding.”
“Miss Kent has no idea of my request, because I felt it important to gain the approval of the baron first. Since he has taken it upon himself to depart before I have been given the chance to do so, and as the other male relation in her life, I wonder if you would take offense to me courting your sister. In truth, this time.”
They rode side by side for a time and then Lord Richard finally replied.
“I have no objections. I have long known that Sariah would marry for love or not at all, more than likely the latter considering her forward views on being a man’s property.
” He glanced at Reed. “But I am confident that she loves you and that those feelings are reciprocated.”
He paused, and so Reed confirmed, “You would be correct.”
Lord Richard shrugged. “Then that is all that concerns me. Sariah’s happiness is paramount above all else. I am sure our father would claim the same.”
Relief flooded Reed. “I hope that you are right,” he murmured. “I daresay I never thought of myself as someone who was willing to settle down any time soon, but it has not taken me long to alter my opinion on the subject of matrimony.”
His companion laughed. “As I said, Sariah can be very persuasive. The moment she decided she wanted you, you never had a chance.”