Her back arched another inch, despite the pillow under her hips.
He rose. Smacking her once on each bottom cheek, he grabbed a protective sheath and aligned. Holding his cock, he rubbed once, twice.
She writhed and moaned.
Shoving in, he drove all the way to the hilt, and she undulated under him. Lava swirled in his bollocks. Herkleitorisand the tuft of hair around it teased the fire higher. He set his jaw, determined to ensure she reached ecstasy first.
Voice muffled by her head sideways against the bed, she begged, “Please, move!”
He barked a laugh before he complied. Withdrawing, he shoved in hard again, then repeated the motion at a steady pace. She tightened around him, but he did not increase his speed. Besides trying to keep her on the edge, he feared if he moved any faster he’d come without her.
Instead, he leaned forward and slid a hand under a breast. “’Tis the only part of this position I don’t like,” he muttered. And squeezed, then pinched her nipple.
Her undulations lost any semblance of rhythm.
His thrusts smacked his testicles against her, giving him a pleasant jolt. More, she flinched in reaction and keened with each slap.
He pinched again, and she shrieked. Her core rippled up and down his shaft, on and on. He gave one last hard thrust and held himself there, cushioned by her generous arse, still pinching her nipple, as the volcano of his orgasm erupted. His hips made miniature piston motions against her, and she squirmed, her back arching and her fists clenching and unclenching in their manacles.
He shuddered in and over her with the last of the orgasm, holding himself off her with outstretched arms.
She grumbled into the pillow. “Another reason to dislike this position… I still have yet to see you fully naked.”
He swatted her behind again as he knelt back to undo her cuffs and rub her shoulders.
Keeping my clothes on won’t protect me from being hurt. Might as well go all in next time.
Because there would be a next time. He could not give up this woman. He’d just be grateful for his time with her when she inevitably walked away from him, as they all did.
Chapter Twelve
Their last three days in Bath flew by. The four of them explored the city. While Althea and Evan sniffed candles and soaps and tested pens and inks, Beth helped Robert interview a few more blacksmiths, then circle back to retrieve two samples he’d purchased.
She knew without him saying anything that he was not satisfied with any of the workmen he’d met, and her mind raced at how to find a blacksmith. ’Twas not an occupation she had worked with before.
In between, the two couples met to guzzle tea and ices and pastries and review their adventures. They excused the pastries as research for Penelope, should she ever want to open a bakery here, then laughed at themselves when they could not find criticism of any of the sweets.
Twice, Robert had her wear his contraptions under her clothing for short outings, making sure they were not visible. One made her bounce more frequently until he quelled her movements with a hand pressed to her shoulder, and one caused her to become near-silent. Each time, he did not allow her to reach the pinnacle until after they were in his room for the night and she’d provided feedback on the item.
Althea and Evan were too focused on her business and their budding relationship to notice, and in the evenings produced foolscap and pencils to discuss boring things like inventory trades and partnership parameters to propose to local apothecaries.
So in addition to considering metal sourcing, Beth offered criticism and praise for Robert’s designs, particularly those she tested. Tentative at first, she grew bolder when he asked follow-up questions and even solicited her thoughts on new design sketches.
“Could you make the X configuration we tested the other night adjustable? If it were modified to be kinder to people’s shoulders who are not as bendable, you might broaden your audience to older people who still enjoy a creative sex life.”
He agreed, grinning.
She pondered out loud, “What if you sold the X without the cuffs to clients who already have them?”
“Oh. I was going to sell it as a travel accessory—” He broke off when she laughed. “To existing clients. You’re right. Most already own a set of cuffs.”
“And you could sell the cuffs alone, and different length straps alone. Again, by having more affordable options, you’d expand your client base.”
He nodded, albeit not as enthusiastically as she’d expected. Why did he want her help if not for more sales?
“Basically, for those who need it, you can offer items separately so they can build their own adventure. If you’re comfortable offering two different grades of leather or different colors, you can tick up the price for those, and it may appeal to the less adventurous but still curious nobs, as well.”
“Won’t it detract from my other sales?” he asked with a frown
