Page 60 of A Daring Desire

She felt her lips curve into a smile at the fanciful notion.

“Do you long for the freedom of the sea, little water nymph?” he murmured, ducking his head to close his mouth over her breast. He suckled and released it, blowing a stream of cool air over the wet peak that made her shiver convulsively.

“No, never. I am a happy captive,” she replied. “So long as you give me your undivided attention.”

“Oh, that you have,” he said with a soft laugh. He returned his attention to her breasts, caressing and kissing until she was giddy with the delight of it, and then his mouth continued its exploration. He moved with maddening deliberation, his hands mapping every inch of her body, taking his time when she was close to screaming at him to hurry.

Innocent in experience, Cat still knew well enough where his path would take him and the throb of impatience that seemed to echo her heartbeat was becoming intolerable. He rubbed his cheek gently against her hip, the prickle of his morning beard rasping against her skin, and she raised her hips in a shameless invitation.

“So impatient, little wife,” he murmured, trailing idle fingers through the curls between her thighs.

“Impatient?” she shot back, a dangerous glint in her eyes.

He tilted his head, acknowledging the truth of her words, but his eyes only gleamed with wickedness. “Do you know what it is you want?”

“Yes,” she said with undisguised frustration, “And don’t pretend you don’t know, for I shall throw something at your head.”

He grinned at her, lounging at her feet like an indolent cat, one hand propping up his head. “Perhaps you had better induce me to give you what you want,” he suggested. “Tempt me until I cannot deny you.”

“I thought I had,” she said tartly, torn between real annoyance and the desire to play the game he was clearly intent on.

“I am holding onto my sanity by a thread,” he informed her, the truth of that glinting in his dark eyes. “Make it snap.”

Oh, well, that was much better.

Cat regarded him, wondering what he wanted of her, until his gaze strayed to the darker gold triangle of curls. Moving as slowly as her desperate nerves would allow her, she tugged the pillows into a pile at the head of the bed and settled herself against them, sitting up with her feet flat on the bed and her knees bent. He watched her with the attention of something hungry with sharp teeth and claws and she shivered with anticipation. Slowly, slowly enough to torment him as he had done her, she allowed her knees to fall open, lowering them down to the mattress until he had an unimpeded view.

His breath hitched, and she felt a little surge of triumph.

“Touch yourself.”

She blushed now as she had not done before, and he met her eyes.

“Like I touched you,” he told her.

Cat licked her lips, nervous but undaunted, as she slid her hand down and did as he asked, sliding a finger through her curls to the quivering flesh beneath. He watched her, his breathing becoming harsher, his eyes dark with lust. The thread he had demanded she snap did not take long to unravel, and he prowled towards her, snatching at her hand and drawing her fingers into the wet heat of his mouth.

Cat gasped and then closed her eyes as he let go of her hand and applied his mouth to the place that clamoured for him. She shattered, driven to the limit of what she could endure as pleasure crashed over her, the heat of his mouth the most exquisite pleasure and beyond anything she had ever imagined. The pleasure receded by degrees, but this delicious burst of joy did not satisfy her husband who demanded more and continued his sensual torment until she felt the same breathless anticipation return in full and clutched at the bedclothes, crying out with a fervour that startled her and she feared might have been heard in the far reaches of the house.

“Better,” he murmured, lifting his head and wiping his wicked mouth on the back of his hand, satisfaction glinting in his eyes. “But I think you can improve upon that.”

“Ciarán,” she murmured, shaking her head. “I c-can’t, not again.”

“Let’s find out,” he said, with the kind of smile she suspected Lucifer wore when welcoming new souls to the underworld.

In the end, he was right, and Cat wondered how she would ever face her staff again, and then decided she didn’t care. She lay in wanton abandon, sprawled on her back whilst he stared down at her, still fully dressed and looking exceedingly pleased with himself.

“Have a nap,” he said, amusement glinting in his eyes. “I shall be back presently.”

“Where are you going?” she demanded.

He returned a lazy smile and rubbed at the dark shadow on his chin. “To shave, before you complain about the damage I have wrought.”

Sighing, Cat did as he asked and closed her eyes.

Chapter 18

Larkin,