“I want you,” he whispered, stunned he’d spoken aloud. He should leave. To touch her now would do naught but make everything more difficult. Except against every reason, all he could think of was her, of this night, and of showing her all that she made him feel.
Doubt flickered in her gaze. “But you are hurt.”
“I am fine. And I will be gentle. I swear it.”
She glanced at the bed, turned and gave a shaky nod.
He ignored his body’s roar to take her, and savored each movement as he released the last few ties. The gown puddled at her feet. Firelight caressed her skin within its golden glow, each curve crafted as if made to make a man beg.
She made to cover herself, but he caught her hand.
“Nay, you are beautiful.” With reverence, he skimmed his fingers along her shoulders, and then cupped the silky weight of her breasts, and his entire body burned. “Perfect.” He tasted each hardened tip, slow, savoring, until her breaths fell out in desperate gasps. His mind raw with need, he swept her in his arms and carried her to the bed.
“Thomas—”
“Dinna move. I want to see you. Touch you. Everywhere.” With infinite slowness, he kissed her, caressed her until she grew restless beneath him, and her moans drove his control to the brink. Wanting to feel her fall apart, as he deepened the kiss, he skimmed his fingers lower, slid them into her moist heat.
She gasped.
“Just feel.” With each stroked, her body arched up to meet his caress, her movements frantic. On a cry, Alesone called out, and Thomas covered her mouth and drank in her passion, absorbed her every shudder.
As she collapsed, he lay on his side and drew her against him, pressed a kiss on her mouth, her cheek, her chin, and then moved lower. “Now I—”
A knock sounded on the other side of the door. “Mistress Alesone?” his father called.
Chapter Thirteen
Embarrassed by her nakedness, more so with warmth still pulsing through her, Alesone grabbed the cover, wrapped it around her as she glanced toward the door.
His expression taut, Thomas pressed his finger over his lips.
Lips that had slid with aching slowness over her body, made her feel sensations she’d never imagined. Oh God, his mouth.
Another knock sounded at the door, this time louder.
“I must get dressed!” she whispered.
Thomas grimaced and moved away.
Cheeks burning, she gave Thomas a hurried kiss then tugged on her gown.
“Mistress Alesone?”
At the duke’s urgent entreaty, she glanced over. “A moment, Your Grace.”
Thomas caught her shoulders. “Let me speak with him.”
“Are you mad! If he finds you here…” Shame filled her as she glanced toward the bed, her body still tingling from his touch.
“I came here because I heard you cry out. I came to check on you,” Thomas said, keeping his voice low.
Unsure if ’twas due to the fact that they’d almost made love, or embarrassed by how she’d all but asked for their intimacy, she blurted, “If he finds you in my chamber he will—”
“Trust me.”
However much she wanted to, what if he was wrong? What if instead of the duke accepting Thomas’s explanation, his father became outraged and demanded…
What?
