“Emrys I—” But he cut her off with a kiss. If his words weren’t enough to convince her, he was willing to use other methods of persuasion. He lifted her up, carried her to the bed and laid her down on it.
He looked down at her expectantly, his gaze fairly burning into hers. With every look and action he had tried to make it clear what he wanted, but he wondered if she would object. He knew she wanted him as he wanted her, knew her objections were founded on some notion that she was damaged goods. But he also knew he could show her how wrong she was if she’d let him. She stared up at him a moment, then shed her robe and slid under the covers, and he set about divesting himself of his wretched clothing.
Chapter Fourteen
Annis watched himremove his neckcloth, jacket, and boots, then his waistcoat and shirt. He left his breeches on, which was a courtesy typical of him. Her heart skipped and thudded hard.Oh, how you tempt me, Emrys!He even tempted her to believe he meant the words he spoke so emphatically. But they were driven by passion, surely? By desire. Could she trust such words, such promises?
On the other hand, does it really matter?she wondered.I’m ruined anyway.Her life—her old life—was over. She couldn’t go back to being the duke’s governess after this. She was a murderess confessed in intent of not in deed. And the viscount couldn’t mean to make her his wife after that.I won’t let him, anyway. He and his precious, darling children deserve better.
She would leave in the morning before he woke, saving him the embarrassment and awkwardness of retracting his offer. But for now?Now I will seize this one moment of happiness and pleasure that he offers me, for when will I ever get the chance again?
This dear, gorgeous man. Her eyes ran over his bare chest appreciatively. He cut a good figure out of his ill-fitting clothes, which did nothing to enhance his appearance. And she didn’t fail to note the bulge in his breeches. She had no doubt at all of his intent as he approached the bed, after a quick wash of his faceand upper body and a snuffing out of all the candles, bar the ones beside the bed.
He pulled back the covers and slid into the bed beside her. He drew her into his arms, pulling her against his chest and kissing her hair. “Annis,” he murmured, “you must be so tired.”
“I am,” she admitted.
He pushed her chin up. “Can you stay awake long enough for a little pleasure?”
She felt herself blushing and nodded.
He smiled, and the softened expression in his eyes made her heart turn over. He lowered his head and kissed her, bearing her back into the pillows, his thigh coming down between hers, half his weight pressing her into the soft mattress.
His mouth on hers elicited all that hot tingling pleasure between her thighs again as he kissed her with determined, deliberate, slow passion. Breaking the kiss and diving back in for more, his tongue moved in delicious exploration, his lips a soft caress and nibbling pleasure. His touch so gentle, yet passionate, filled her with warm yearning.Oh, to have this forever...
He moved to her neck, pressing soft kisses on her flesh to the line of her nightgown’s high collar. He touched the ribbon tying it closed and said, “May I?”
She nodded, her heart beating a tattoo in her breast as he pulled the ribbon, parting the neck of her gown to expose the base of her throat and upper part of her bosom.
He uttered a soft groan and nuzzled into her neck, tracing damp kisses over her skin. She felt powerful and desired for the first time in her life. It was a heady mix.
“You know,” he said, raspy voiced, “it was your breasts that had me fascinated first. I couldn’t take my eyes off them, and I couldn’t sleep for wondering what they looked like under your so-proper gowns, what they felt like.” He buried his face in hercleavage and cupped each breast in his hands, uttering a soft growl.
“Really?” she said breathlessly, trying to work out when he had noticed.
“Hm,” he kissed across the tops of her breasts and then squeezing the soft flesh in his hands, fondled and scraped his thumbs over her nipples, making her jump and gasp at the jolt of pleasure his touch caused.
He lowered his head and suckled on one through the fabric of her gown. She hitched a breath and moved her legs restlessly; the heat and suction of his mouth was arrowing straight to the place between her legs. Despite her best efforts to suppress it, a whimper escaped her, and he said, all growly again, “You like that?”
“Hm, yes!” She gasped as he did it again to the other breast. His hands ran over her belly, massaging her through her gown, squeezing her waist and hips. “Do—do you want to take it off?” she asked as he blew on the damp fabric making her nipples tighten even further.
“No, I want to save that for our wedding night,” he said, sucking again on a nipple and making her back arch. “If you’ll have me?” he added with an arched eyebrow and wistful expression that quite broke her heart.
“Oh!” an exclamation of pleasure and shock at his words. “You can’t still want to marry me, Emrys!” she said, panting.
He lifted his head and stared down at her with a frown. “I can, and I do!” He insisted, in low tone that she found entrancingly erotic. He was devasting her with desire.
“Oh,” It was very hard to think clearly when he was touching her like that. She wanted so much to believe him, but it seemed like a fairytale, and she had been taught by her mother not to believe in fairytales. Even when you found your true love, a happily ever after didn’t always ensue.
But she lost the thread of that thought and whimpered as his hand moved lower, pushing up her gown. He splayed his hand over her lower belly. The muscles pulled taut under his touch, and she fought the impulse in her hips to buck. She could never recall feeling like this before. Such pulsing longing between her legs, such damp heat.
“May I touch you between your legs?” he asked between kisses through the fabric on her belly.
“Yes!” she gasped.Oh, the relief! Something to assuage the tingling longing.
He pushed the bed covers down a bit and moved her gown up her legs with both hands, sliding up her thighs to her hips and revealing the patch of hair at the apex of her thighs. She should feel embarrassed to be so naked to him like this, but she didn’t. She felt brazen and wanton. She wanted him to touch her so much she ached with it. “Please...” she breathed.
“Oh Annis!” Her name was a prayer and a groan, and she realized with a jolt how much he must be longing for her, too, to sound like that.To inspire such need in a man. In him...He touched her gently with a fingertip, sliding it between her nether lips. “You’re so wet,” he whispered and found her mouth with his in a deep exploratory kiss.
