“You saw that? I wasn’t aware I had put all that into it. I was still worried you might be part of the group who was trying to kill me.”
“Seeing it was also extremely stimulating. To know that when you looked at me, you saw the man... in all his naked glory!” He couldn’t contain a laugh at the carmine flush that increased the blush already spread across her face. “It made me want to make love to you on the spot.”
He put his arms around her from behind and said, “What does my painting tell you?”
“I don’t…” at his remonstrating tsk, she focused harder. “I see attraction...
“No joke,” he quipped.
She smiled but didn’t let his teasing distract her. “Shyness. And respect too?” She looked up at him. He hugged her to him and nodded.
“There’s more you haven’t noticed. There’s humor here in the corner of your mouth.” Over her shoulder, he pointed to her lips that were turned up in a little smile. “There is intelligence here in those big, velvet brown eyes. And, my darling, there is love painted into every inch of this canvas.”
She gave a soft cry of joy and turned around into his arms around him, clasping him tightly around the neck. “I love you... so much.”
He cupped her face in gentle hands. “Thank God. Now we can begin again. Only this time, love, I know who I am and our marriage will be very real.” He punctuated each word with a kiss. “This time you won’t be worried I might kill you, you’ll know who I am – the man who loves you above all else -- and there will be no Foster stopping us from finishing what we started.”
“No Foster?” Would he really send her best friend away?
“Not in our bedroom, I mean. He’ll be too busy keeping our children in line.”
A shiver of sheer excitement pulsed through her at the thought of having his children. “I’ve told him it’s time he retired.”
“Do you think he’ll ever be able to leave you, sweetheart?” The disbelief in his tone made clear his thoughts on the matter. “There will always be room for Foster in our family. I have the perfect cottage in mind for him to retire to when he’s had enough of us and our brood.”
“Brood?”
“Oh yes, my beautiful darling, I don’t see how we can avoid it with all the time I intend us to spend making up for all those untimely interruptions.”
She leaned back in his arms to glance at the painting once more. “You’ve made me look beautiful. But I don’t look anything like that. It must be your idealized view of me.”
“You think?” It was clear he disagreed.
“Well, you’ve never seen me like that…”
At his silence, she turned an alarmed look on him, “Have you?”
“No, no. This was done purely from my imagination. But now would be the perfect time to find out just how accurate my imagination is, don’t you think?” He scooped her up into his arms. “Shall we try out our new sitting room?”
Chapter Thirty-Seven
She was surprised not to be lowered onto the daybed. Instead, he let her body slide down his chest. The exhilarating friction of their bodies meeting sent sparks shooting up her spine until she stood, shivering with excitement in his arms. His large hands gripped her bottom to pull her close to him. She could feel the hard ridge of his arousal straining against her. Her legs went weak.
There was no holding back this time. He lowered his mouth to hers to bestow a warm, persuasive kiss. She responded with everything stored up inside her.
He tasted of brandy, which she loathed, but on his breath it became a potent elixir that went straight to her head.
Her unconditional response set flame to his desire. He deepened the kiss, parting her lips, urging her higher, hotter. Receptive to his every touch, his every caress, she was plunged into a whirling vortex of sensation. Her wits scrambled; her senses swirled.
His kisses promised forever. Claimed her as his. Pledged to be hers.
She felt all this in his kiss and strove to match his intensity. No longer was she content to allow him complete mastery of their lovemaking. She was through being passive. She wanted to be a full participant in their shared passion. Her hands reached to hold him nearer. She smoothed them along his wide shoulders and up to wind around his neck.
At last, she was free to let her emotions speak. With everything revealed, with no more secrets between them, there was no need to hold back. Their kiss deepened, racing from chaste to lustful, from barely controlled to wildly abandoned. Her tongue slid out to coast along his lips. He groaned and drew it in to meet his in a sensual duel. Fire caught and flared into an inferno of fiery passion and blazing emotion. In seconds, they were tossed from hot to scorching. Flung into reckless adventure, tempestuous exploration.
Boldly, her tongue coupled with his. Passionately, she matched his every touch, his every nip, nibble and caress.
Tightening his hold, his hand grasped the back of her head and, tugging it back to gaze into her eyes, he growled, “This time we finish what we’ve started, sweetheart. No lies between us. This is forever, wife of mine.”
Her throat was so full she couldn’t speak, but her tremulous smile told him all he needed to know. His thumb under her chin guided her neck to the side where his lips settled to plunder. He followed the sensitive chord with moist kisses. Waves of excited pleasure raced through her.
He pulled away and she resisted. “I’m just getting us more comfortable.” He turned her around and helped her remove her jacket, then turned her back and undid her cravat. “Foster’s deft touch, I presume?”
She nodded, but she was more interested in the glimpses of his chest she was catching. He loosened her cuffs. She thought he’d remove her shirt next, but he surprised her by turning her around and placing her back to his front.
Resting his chin on her shoulder, he said, “See.” And indicated she should look in front of her. At the mirror? What was so unusual about it?
He moved his body in closer behind her, his hands resting lightly on her shoulders, his thumbs gently rubbing the tense muscles there.
She moaned and closed her eyes. That felt so good. Climbing the vine had strained her arm muscles. Now she understood his groans when she’d plied his sore muscles. His curing touch could become addictive.
His hands continued to tighten and loosen over her aching muscles — squeeze-release, squeeze-release.
Bliss!
He continued his healing, yet stimulating journey down her arms.
Silently she urged him to hurry. He’d taught her there was better bliss to be found down this path.
“Watch us.” His low command triggered sparks skittering along her nerves.
She sent him a startled look in the mirror. He wanted her to...? Her eyes dropped and were caught by the motion of his hands and she began following each tingling touch as he caressed and coasted down her stomach toward more fertile ground. Down they went, then they reversed paths to slide, like roughened silk, up her sides, slipping under her breasts to cup them. An excited quiver shuddered through her entire body. Her hands came up to hold onto his wrists, not to stop their tantalizing journey, but to join it.
His long, slender fingers circled her breasts, lifting them — an offering to a pagan god. He murmured soft yet ardent praise for their exquisiteness, their perfect size, their soft firmness. She glanced up and saw he was closely watching her reaction in the mirror. Their eyes met. He held her gaze as he molded her with his clever hands as if he were sculpting a work of art, smiling at her sighs of almost painful pleasure.
Hurting had never felt so good.
He bent to nuzzle the side of her neck under her ear, traced a line of slow, drugging kisses from the base of her throat up the sensitive chord to meet her jaw line and on up to her mouth. Angling her sideways, he allowed her eyes to part from the mirror while they shared breath-stealing, searing kisses. Then, he shifted her forward, toward the mirror, once again. “Keep your eyes on us,” he bade.
His hand slid down to cov
er her mound, shards of fire flared and burned a path straight to the depths of her passion. All rational thought scrambled. Her body felt turned upside down and inside out. Like an automaton that reacted to his every touch, it felt his every breath against her neck, responded to his every husky encouragement. She tried to turn her head to look into those stormy, sea-colored eyes she loved so well, but his hand gently guided her gaze back to the looking glass.
“Pay attention,” he again commanded.
His soft lips continued their teasing journey. He breathed words of love into her ear. One bold finger slipped between her nether lips to find the nub where the nucleus of her passion converged. She trembled helplessly and closed her eyes against the dizzying sensations bombarding her, distracting her from instantly noticing the sudden cool air gracing her breasts.
“Look, love.” In one, smooth motion, he lifted her shirt over her head and off and pulled down her chemise. His thumbs found her taut nipples, rubbing across their turgid tips, causing them to ache and harden.
Her legs threatened to crumple beneath her. Gracious! Even her private wondering, her wildest dreams had never imagined herself in this position.
He’d discarded his robe and his bronzed arms contrasted with the pale cream of her exposed breasts. She looked like a wanton. Mesmerized by the image in front of her, she watched in silent amazement while his big, beautiful hands caressed her breasts sending quivers shooting through her from tip to toe. Her eyes instinctively shut on seeing herself so exposed.
“No, don’t close your eyes. Look!” he insisted.
Opening them a slit, she instinctively tried to cover herself with her hands, but he caught them in one of his, pulling them up above her head and back, where he took each finger into his mouth to lave it with the tip of his tongue and nibble on it tenderly before bestowing passionate kisses in each palm.
Wanting to close her eyes against the portrait this made, she caught his beseeching look not to, and acquiesced. Intending to steal just a quick glance, she was soon riveted by the sight in the mirror. Her raised arms thrust her chest forward and she couldn’t tear her eyes away. He pulled the flap of her breeches open and tugged at the oversized pants sending them sliding onto the floor at her feet.
Fascinated, she looked with her artist’s eye at the sensual cameo in the looking glass. She had the fleeting thought that, if only she had her pencil, she could capture their erotic pose, the intense emotion in their faces.... But all thought vanished when he spun her around and knelt in front of her.
He leaned in to anoint the tip of each breast with a chaste kiss like a parent rewarding a child for being good.
“Look,” he again murmured against her skin.
Puzzled, she looked and found an identical mirror standing behind him, casting their image back to front and front to back. She’d experimented with this drawing technique several times a few years back, but she could never have imagined how captivating it would be when used as a tool of seduction.
He’d planned this well.
“Ever since I got back and found you gone,” he said.
Had she spoken aloud or had he again read her mind?
She had no time to ponder that before she was ensnared, by the reflection she was seeing. Those broad shoulders, his smooth, strong back and muscled buttocks. She wanted to touch him everywhere. But he easily quelled her attempt by covering one of her breasts with his mouth and laving it with roughened tongue, then suckling it gently.
She felt the pull all the way down to her woman’s core. Instinctively, her hips thrust upwards against him. The memory of how she’d come apart in his arms the other night, when he’d stroked her there, filled her mind. The sight of his hands gliding down her back to grasp her bottom as his mouth followed a similar path down her front to find the heart of her feminine passion, left no room for remembering.
“No! You mustn’t!” She plunged her hands into his thick silky hair, clutching his head, wanting to pull it up and away.
“It will give you more pleasure, I promise you.” He paused to see if she would insist and, when she hesitated. he once again set his mouth to ravishing her woman’s core. And she was quickly conquered.
Still scandalized… assaulted by the very idea and image of what he was doing, she tried to keep her eyes closed, but willy-nilly they wouldn’t... couldn’t... remain shut. First, they insisted on opening a mere slit, then they widened and watched, enthralled, while he conjured sensations inside her, deftly, like an artist creating a painting on canvas, swirling with colors from soothing indigo to hot crimson. Soon he added a scorching sun to the fiery sight that dazzled her so. Her vision blurred and a buzzing, burning, all-encompassing feeling swept through her.
“Please!” She was barely aware she’d voiced her wish.
“What, sweetheart? Tell me what you want.”
“You. I want you.” She wasn’t sure what she wanted, she only knew she ached for... more. For him to be closer, his strong body cradling hers. “I want to feel all of you... “I want you to finish it... properly, completely this time.” Still too bashful to be more blatant, she gave up trying to explain. But she needn’t have worried, he understood and took charge. Standing, he once more swept her into his arms.
“Ah Tally, my beautiful Talia, my dearest little wife. How I’ve dreamt... craved this since first awaking without my memory.” His low, deep tone vibrated against her. She lifted her lips to catch his and laced her arms around his neck.
He moved to the bed and, coming down on one knee, lay her down gently. His arms moved to hold himself above her. Slowly he lowered his body onto hers. A powerful trembling pulsed through her. He paused, giving her moments to accustom herself to his weight, his feel. She reveled in the weight of his hard body covering hers.
“Now. I can’t wait any…” She didn’t know what she was saying... thinking.
“Nor can I, my sweetheart.” He slid over to kneel between her legs, raising himself, poised to enter her. His attention was suddenly snagged by the look on her face, seeing his erection for the first time. He had to stifle a laugh at the incredulity he glimpsed in her widened eyes.
“But it won’t fit – surely!” She sounded shocked.
He sensed her withdrawing and hurried to reassure her. Brushing her hair from her damp forehead, he said, “It will. Trust me.” Her worried eyes told him she remained skeptical. “Please.”
She gazed at him warily for suspended moments. Moments he took advantage of to fondle her breasts and kiss those huge eyes shut, praying she would find the courage. He almost collapsed with relief when she whispered, “I do trust you.”
He didn’t waste any time in taking her at her word. Plundering her mouth with a ferocious need to conquer, he stoked their burning need into a raging, out-of-control conflagration. Kiss for kiss, need for need. Forgetting about his sore shoulder, he held himself on his arms above her. “If you want me to stop, it has to be now, love. Any further and I’m afraid I won’t be able to.”
“No. Don’t stop, please...”
Raising himself above her, he pressed his hips closer and, flexing gently, slid inside of her. She held her breath at the odd, not-quite-comfortable sensation. He penetrated a little further, moving smoothly between her slippery folds. He halted and began to slide out. She clutched at him, wordlessly pleading with him not to leave her. Then, she gasped when he returned and thrust in further.
This time, he glided in and pushed as far as he could go. She tightened at the discomfort his penetration was causing. He hesitated, murmuring words of comfort and encouragement. “It’s alright, love, it’s done now.” His hand ran up and down her side to calm her. “It hurts the first time because your body is not used to it, but it will get better each time we do it, I promise you.”
She wasn’t certain what to think, what to feel, but his soothing caresses were creating havoc anew inside of her. His wily fingers found the very spot she’d been aching for him to touch earlier, and he gently stroked her sens
itive nub. Her nerves tightened and leapt, her legs wouldn’t stay still, until finally they found anchor by winding around him and holding him tight against her.
He rocked their bodies together, setting off a swooning sensation streaming through her. She cried out at the dizzying feelings commanding her body. He plunged in and out, steadily increasing the pace until, calling out lusty words of encouragement he took her on a wild ride, carrying her along on a tempestuous journey, heading for the summit of some breathtaking, unknown mountain peak.
Her body moved with his, arching and lifting, the sound of skin slapping excited her, exhorting her to reach ... for...
“Let go. Let it all go, sweetheart.” He encouraged. “Don’t be afraid, I’ve got you.”
She keened a sound that matched the wild tremblings taking over her body, dominating her very soul. A fiery fury unleashed within her. She arched higher into him. “More. More.” She wanted, needed.... Suddenly a storm tossed her gasping and spinning on a wave of such intense pleasure, she thought she’d pass out. Throbbing, thrumming waves undulated, eddying out from her female core to the very end of each extremity. She was cast into a world of sensory chaos swirling about her, and held tightly onto her only anchor.
But he wasn’t finished. He urged her up and on, driving into her with stronger, faster thrusts. Deeper he went and, suddenly, piercing joy hurled her up into the waves again, flying up to the crest, only this time, they flew together. She relished his shout of release as it melded with hers. She cherished his weight covering her. She felt triumphant, glorying in the satiating aftermath of having pleasured and been pleasured.
As promised, his arms were there waiting to catch her on her leisurely return to the world she knew. Strong and steady, they held her close on her shivery, trembling way back, soothing her with moist, ardent kisses along her neck and face.
The Viscount's Counterfeit Wife Page 52
