Page 61 of To Dare the Devil

“Oh,” she said.

“Your eyes are very dark as well,” he observed with delight.

“Well, I could eat you in one bite, too. I want to touch you everywhere, and I want you to touch me everywhere too,” she said breathlessly and with such disarming candour, he could hardly breathe himself.

She ran her hands down his arms, squeezing his biceps, and oh, lord, she would be marvellous in bed, for she was clearly not the least bit shy, but honest and giving and… and please God, let him be able to talk her father around and stop her brother from cutting him into little pieces.

She put her mouth upon his again, kissing him feverishly as she pressed her hips closer, seeking her pleasure against him.

“Yes, love, like that,” he murmured. “Use me however you need.”

He tugged her skirts up out of the way to allow her closer and she gasped, her eyes closing when she discovered only the cotton sheet and his small clothes kept them apart. Max could feel the heat of her, the place where he longed to be burning through the fine layers of cotton, and gritted his teeth. He would bloody well endure this, he would give her this, and then he’d go directly to speak to her father.

“Max.” She said his name dreamily, her gaze heavy lidded now. “Max, please.”

He hesitated, not wanting to misbehave, but wanting to give her pleasure, what she so obviously needed from him.

“Please,” she said again.

Max slid his hands under her skirts, sliding up her thighs as she shivered under his touch. Gently he cupped her sex, desire lancing through him as he found her soft curls damp, the wet heat of her blazing against his palm.

She dropped her forehead to his, whispering his name.

“More?” he asked, his voice hoarse.

Kathy nodded, and so he slid a finger carefully through the curls, seeking the little nub of flesh that would bring her release.

“You are so lovely, so sweet. I don’t deserve this,” he said, awed by her trust in him.

“Oh!” Her head fell back as she moved against his hand and Max swallowed, unable to take his eyes off her.

“More?” His voice was cracked and unsteady now, rough with desire, and he did not know how he would stop himself from coming. For a man who had been jaded and dissipated by his twenty-first birthday, it was astonishing to realise, but the sight of her taking her pleasure was the most erotic thing he’d ever seen.

“Yes. Oh, yes,” she whimpered and then cried out as he slid a finger into the fierce heat of her.

Oh, God. He wanted to be there, wanted to slide his aching cock inside and lose himself in her. Married, he reminded himself. When she was his wife, and not before, then he would have the rest of his life to show her how good this could be between them.

“Max,” she said, his name a plea as she writhed against his hand, pressing against the heel of his palm as he slid another finger inside her. Max moaned as he felt her muscles tighten around him, felt her shudder as the climax overtook her and she clutched at his shoulders, holding on as she trembled and cried out. He caressed her, gentling his touch as the final ripples of pleasure subsided, not wanting to stop.

She stared down at him, her eyes hazy and sated. “That… That was lovely,” she said with a sigh.

“You are lovely,” Max replied, smiling up at her, his heart bursting with adoration and gratitude.

She slumped against him, and he sucked in a sharp breath as his neglected cock leapt with anticipation.

“Oh,” she said, sitting up again, eyes wide. “Oh, Max. I’m sorry. Should I—”

“No!” he exclaimed, panicked.

He gave her a little push, tumbling her off him and onto the mattress. She squealed as he flung the covers aside and got out of bed, the pain lancing from the wound in his back taking the edge off his arousal, which was something.

Kathy giggled, and he glanced back at to see her amused expression. “Poor Max. I am a terrible trial to you.”

He grinned at her. “The best kind of trial, and everything I want,” he promised, before hurrying into his dressing room, calling over his shoulder as he went. “But we need to get married. At once. I must speak to your father.”

“Today? Are you well enough, Max?”

He snorted as he tugged the bell for his valet. “Right now. This instant,” Max replied, trying to ignore the fact his body was screaming at him for being an idiot. “Once we have your parents’ blessing, things will be different, but I cannot carry on so when they don’t even know we have feelings for each other. Now you’d best get yourself downstairs before all the staff know what we’ve been up to. I don’t want any gossip about you.”