He continued this torturous pace for long minutes, until her body adapted and started demanding more, rising into his thrusts with increased urgency. She knew how much it was costing him to keep the slow, steady pace by the beads of sweat collecting on his forehead. She pressed down on his buttocks again.
“Faster,” she whimpered, and he complied, his body an instrument for her pleasure, moving above her, within her, with careful precision. “More!”
She dug her nails into his buttocks, and he broke free. The beast in him taking over. Ramming into her with absolute abandon, creating a maelstrom of desire. She laughed at the pure delight of it, breaking free herself. Free of inhibitions, free of fear. A creature of carnal delight.
Pleasure-pain coiled with frightening intensity within her. She chased the sensation, blocking everything but the wonderful sight of his harsh face, his lips curled in, revealing his teeth in a feral expression, his eyes, that beheld her with thrilling intensity, and the delicious slide of his body in hers, stroking a place of white-hot pleasure, which was beckoning. Tantalizingly close. She needed just an extra push to get there...
“Liam,” she sobbed his name, hoping he’d know what she needed. He did.
He dipped his head to fasten his mouth around her nipple, pulling savagely, while below, his pelvis rammed into hers in a series of fast, deep thrusts.
And she exploded.
There was no other way to describe it. She might have lost consciousness for a moment. That’s how intense it was. As ifthrough a thick fog, she heard cries of ecstasy mingled with a mighty roar. They seemed distant, their sound muted, but she knew it was them. Him. Her. The deep pulsations of his rod inside her told her he had reached his own climax.
She hoped it was as good as hers. Better, even. She felt mighty generous after the most intense experience of her life.
CHAPTER 14
LIAM CAME BACK TO EARTHslowly. Having just enough presence of mind to collapse on his side next to her rather than on top of her. His breath still came in gasps, his lungs pumping air as his heart galloped like a wild horse.
What the hell had just happened? He looked down and saw the smears on the sheath. Bloody hell. With a low curse, he flung himself from the bed, went to the washstand and, after removing and discarding the sheath, he took a washcloth, dipped it in the still warm water from the bath and returned to the bed.
Thalia had bundled herself in the sheet, her wide eyes watching him warily.
“Let me wash you.”
Her head shake was vehement. “No, thanks. I’ll do it. Give me the cloth.”
He heaved a great sigh. “Thalia, let me care for you. Please.”
He sat on the bed and lifted the sheet. Sliding his hand under, working by touch rather than sight, he found the apex of her legs. “Open for me, please.”
She complied, at last. Flinging her arm over her face, she parted her legs a fraction. Enough for him to wipe away the blood. So much fucking blood. Jesus! He felt like a barbarian who had just deflowered a maiden.
Well, that’s exactly what he had done, wasn’t it? Even if said maiden had tricked him into it. Even if he had no fucking idea what he was doing. He had never taken anyone’s virginitybefore. Even his wife had not been a virgin on their wedding night.
He flung the cloth into the washbasin and got in the bed, facing her. She was still covering her eyes, refusing to look at him. Well, that would not do.
“Thalia, look at me, please.”
She lowered her arm and peered at him. “Are you angry?”
“Angry? Not exactly. I’m baffled, confused, hurt that you lied to me—”
“I didn’t lie,” she interrupted. “Maybe I kept some information to myself, but I told no lies.”
“Oh? Did you not say you were a widow? Does Lady Renier even exist? Is Thalia your real name?” He hoped to God it was, because the name was just too perfect for her.
“My name is Thalia. And I am indeed the widowed Lady Renier.”
“Then how in God’s name were you a virgin until a few minutes ago?”
She looked away. “My late husband never consummated the marriage.”
“How is that possible? Did he die before the wedding night?”
“No. We were married for three years.” Her voice was monotone. Containing none of the cheekiness and challenge he had come to expect from her.
