Page 99 of Miss Wylde and the Wynd

“No, you do not,” he said quietly as he stepped forward. “You are correct that I needed to see beyond what I knew. I have learned from this experience, Georgie—about myself, you, and misconceptions that I had been taught. It is something that I will never be able to repay.”

Those words came from the depth of his soul. He really was changed for the better, and in less than a fortnight, and it was because of her.

He longed to kiss her, caress and feel her beneath him, which he could not do standing on the deck of the ship.

“It grows late. We should retire.”

*

Anticipation swept through her body at Damian’s suggestion. Oh, she hoped that he was of the same mind as her because her body ached, as it had been before, but now she knew that being with Damian was far better than anything she had ever experienced or imagined and she wanted as many opportunities as possible before they were forced to part.

After they entered the chamber, Damian closed and latched the door, then turned toward her.

He said nothing but approached and pulled the gloves from her hands, one finger at a time, then tossed them aside. He then undid the bow of her bonnet and removed it from her head, then sat her in a chair and knelt before her to remove each kid boot.

It was a slow, deliberate seduction, and with each brush of his fingers against her skin, her blood heated further until the familiar ache between her thighs became almost too unbearable to stand, yet he did not hurry, as if his rolling her stockings down her legs was of no significance.

Georgie assumed that he would have her stand when those were removed, but instead, he pushed her skirts above her thighs, his thumbs caressing the insides, just at her curls before he lifted her bum, freed her skirts and pushed them further up. Her lap was still covered with fabric, but all he had to do was lift the skirt higher, and she would be fully exposed.

Damian glanced up at her, his blues eyes dark with passion, the corner of his mouth tipped as if he had a secret and then he bent and placed his warm lips on the inside of her thigh.

Georgie gasped and nearly came out of the chair when he disappeared beneath her skirt and his tongue touched her in the most intimate place on her body. That was not a place meant for kissing. Touching, yes, not kissing. She attempted to push him away, but Damian was stronger than her and with his shoulders, he pushed her thighs even wider.

Georgie gave in and grasped the arms of the chair.

Oh, this was wrong. She was certain that it must be, but as waves of pleasure washed over her, Georgie could not find the words to object.

Damian took her to heights, then backed away, her release just beyond her grasp.

“Please,” she muttered, straining to reach the highest peak and only then did he send her soaring. Her body shook as she bit her lip to keep from crying out for fear that other passengers might hear her.

When she finally relaxed back in the chair, her heart was pounding, pulse racing, and breaths heavy as if she had just run a race.

Damian smoothed her skirt then stood.

She should rise and prepare for bed, but she was not certain that her legs would hold her. Instead, she watched as Damian stood before her and undid his cravat and removed it. He then removed his suit coat and let it drop on the floor, followed by his waist coat.

His eyes held hers as he sat to remove his boots, then stood once again and pulled his linen shirt over his head, exposing this muscular chest and abdomen.

Georgie’s mouth went dry and her pulse increased again and despite having just been sated, the familiar ache between her thighs renewed.

Damian then unbuttoned the placket of his trousers, then pushed them down his legs and stood before her completely naked, his manhood proud and strong before him.

Georgie gulped and started to reach out to touch him. After he had pleasured her in such a manner, is that what he wanted from her, though she was not certain how?

Instead, he grasped her hand and pulled her to her feet, then removed her dress until she was as naked as he. Only then did Damian lift her in his arms and carry her to the bed where he followed her down, kissing her deeply, and settled between her thighs.

She needed him, now, so she lifted her hips so that he would know what she wanted. He paused but a moment, then drew back and filled her completely.

Then he moved, and she tried to match him in tempo, one that was not rushed, but slow, methodical, him above her, once again looking into her eyes as if trying to convey a message without words.

She knew what her return message was, though it was something that would never be spoken between them, but she felt the love and tenderness, mingled with a sadness that this might be all they ever had, these last few days that were meant to last them forever.

Chapter Forty

Damian lay on his back staring at the ceiling, his arm around Georgie who slept as she as always did with her head on his chest and her thigh over his. He smoothed a hand up and down her arm while the other covered hers on his abdomen.

It wasn’t just his body that had ached for Georgie, but his heart as well. In fact, he had gotten little sleep because this was how he held her through the night, wanting to remember every detail, to store it away for the future.