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He nodded, grinning up at her. Diana walked to the grassy bank and dipped her toe into the water. Satisfied with the temperature, she slowly began to wade in. She felt Matthew’s arms circle her waist from behind a moment later, and he murmured in her ear, “Beautiful, is it not?”
“Positively breathtaking,” she returned.
Matthew led her under the curtain of a willow tree that was leaning over the water. “I want to ask you something, Diana.”
She held her breath at that but she did not allow it to show. “What is it?”
“Will you allow me to court you?” His request would have made her tremendously happy but it alarmed her now. When she hesitated, he gently stroked her cheek. “You do not have to give me an answer this very moment, but will you promise to consider it?”
Diana could only nod because she had somehow lost her voice. He leaned forward and took her lips in a sweetly enticing kiss, inviting her to touch him by taking her hands and wrapping her arms around his middle. She could not help the soft moan that escaped her lips, and Matthew appeared to appreciate it because he groaned softly.
His wet hands on the skin of her back sent a delicious shiver through her when he reached to unfasten the buttons of her dress, and it was not from any cold. She clutched the lapels of his waistcoat, silently pleading with him to free her so she could feel him caress her naked skin as she had imagined many times before.
Matthew was in no hurry, however, because he chose to stroke the back of her neck after slipping half of the buttons free, which made her press herself into him, whispering his name.
“Patience, my darling,” he murmured smugly as he placed soft kisses around her neck like a necklace.
“I cannot…” she pleaded, her senses now on fire from the sensual torture.
He indulged her by undoing the rest of the buttons and pulling her dress down to her waist. Then he pulled away to gaze down at her, every movement of his eyes a caress that intoxicated her. When he murmured, “Perfect,” she felt powerful and seductive, and she reached for him, her hand circling the back of his neck and pulling his head down to her breasts.
His tongue stroked her nipple before he took it in his mouth and suckled, sending them both into a pleasurable trance. The water was around her waist and had made her skirts freer so Matthew could caress her posterior before pressing her pelvis against his hardness. Following what her body craved, she raised her leg and wrapped it around one of his.
“Heavens! You are undoing me, Diana.” His voice was hoarse with need, and she could feel his straining hardness through his breeches. Diana touched him, and his body tensed against hers. He came up to kiss her lips, his hand reaching between them to find her aching center. His first touch was as light as a feather, but Diana felt it like a current, and her fingers clutched his hair, her breath hitching.
Matthew touched her again, and heavenly sensations descended upon her, tightening the delicate place his fingers were exploring. She began to gasp, and a plea for more quickly followed. She wanted to find the peak of this mounting tension inside her, and she rolled her hips against his hand, holding tight onto his strong shoulders for support.
“Look at me, darling,” Matthew whispered, and she opened her eyes, meeting his hungry hazel ones with relish. Their gazes held, and the intensity pushed her over the edge of pleasure, and she cried out, feeling as if every part of her was erupting, creating something both chaotic and beautiful.
He captured her lips in a searing kiss, swallowing her cries and holding her tightly as the waves coursed through her restlessly. Emotions she had buried deep rose to the surface, stinging her eyes, and she pulled away from the kiss and hid her face in his shoulder.
For a while, he simply held her, tenderly stroking her back as she calmed. Drawing back a little, he looked down at her, a soft smile drifting onto his handsome features. “How do you feel?” he asked, brushing her damp hair from her eyes.
“Positively magical,” she replied with a little giggle as he pulled her dress up and fastened her buttons.
“Now, that makes me very happy.” He picked her up from the water and began trudging back to the blanket.
Chapter 21
Matthew lay Diana down on the blanket before going to retrieve another one from his horse for her to dry off with. He was filled with hunger but he knew he must persevere for his plan to work.
Diana had utterly confused him before but not anymore. He could see with clarity now. She was the woman he wanted, and he was determined to make her his. If she happened to be Dee, it would greatly please him, but he was no longer using that factor to decide what he wanted.
No matter what he did, he felt Dee’s presence in Diana, and not Florence, and it was one of the reasons he chose Diana, besides his body’s cravings.
“Here.” He wrapped the soft blanket around her shoulders before sitting beside her, refilling their wine glasses.
She seemed to be as enchanted with the lake as he was, and he grinned when she asked, “Have you considered giving this place a name?”
“I think you have already given it a name, Diana,” he answered.
“I have? What?”
“Think,” he teased, picking up a tiny cheese and salmon sandwich and holding it out to her.
“The dancing willows?” she asked, and he nodded, then invited her to eat a bit of the sandwich from his hand.
Restraining himself was difficult when she ate like that and moaned delectably. He wanted to kiss her again but considered that he might not be able to stop, and this held himself while his groin protested by becoming more engorged.
