“Just because you love us both does not mean you should sacrifice one for the other,” he murmured in her ear. “A deal is a deal, Bridget, and I promised you I would do this for you. Don’t worry, I can handle myself out there.”
William held her tighter, willed her strength. “It’ll be alright,” he said in a low voice. “We’ll have him back soon.”
She pressed her face to his shoulder. “I don’t want to see you hurt.”
“It happens,” he tried to comfort her.
Without another word, he drew her face to his. It was so quick and unexpected that Bridget forgot to react. His mouth took hers, and his other hand touched her cheek in a caress, pulling back to shift the angle to deepen the kiss.
She groaned in protest when his lips abandoned hers to instead trail along her chin and then her neck.
With a shuddery breath, he kissed her again, devoured her with his mouth and, at the same time, memorized her with his hands. His attention to detail showed in each kiss and lick, and each touch of hers reciprocated sent sparks of desire shooting through him.
Hewantedher. He wanted to make love to her.
Parting a touch, he nipped her earlobe, slid his good arm under her bottom, and lifted her off his lap. Instinctively, she held onto his shoulders as he carried her down the hall and up another story to her bedroom.
“William?”
He stopped cold and forced his logical thought through the haze of lust. “I—” He had no words.
“…Were you going to take me to bed?” she whispered.
“I was,” he swallowed, “But if you don’t—”
Her lips met his ear, “No, no, please, I’ve wanted this for a long time. Take me to bed, William.”
She did not think about their bargain. In fact, she did not think about anything except that being held and kissed by this man felt utterly right.
His taste was familiar and his embrace, full of relief and protection. He was a bastion of security and comfort. She welcomed his kiss and his touch without any reservations whatsoever.
She uttered not a word as he carried her over to the bed and then let her body slip so she could stand beside it. Sliding a finger inthe knot of his cravat, he pulled it away and let the cloth drift to the ground as he found a chair and reclined.
With his thighs splayed showing sleekly bulging calves, and eyes heavy-lidded, he radiated male vitality.
“Take off your clothes,” he ordered. “But do not rush.”
His soft command made her feel giddy and lightheaded; and her hands were moving to unlace her gown and let the shoulders slip from her arms. She kept her eyes on him as the muslin fabric glided over her bust and down to her waist. With a final push, it pooled at her feet.
The airy white fabric she was now only sheathed in glimmered with silver and was nearly as transparent as a moonbeam. The square bodice bared her plump, white breasts almost to the nipple. In fact, she was sure he could see her nipples, the faint outline of puckered buds visible under the gossamer breath of silk. Her breasts were aching to be touched, the tips almost hurting.
“Touch your nipples for me.” She was breathless, nevertheless, she obeyed.
Scandalized, she flicked her thumb, stroking the nipple, which grew sharp and sensitive almost at once, but when the pleasure spiked, she was soon pinching and teasing her hard buds. A sweet ache trembled low in her belly and the more she tantalized herself, her woman’s place between her legs grew mortifyingly wet.
“Enough,” his voice was rough. “Remove the rest.”
She loved this demanding, intense side of him— and loved even more that she had the power to bring it out. Following his instruction, she undid the silken material, letting it pool at her feet. She toed off her slippers and drew the pins from her hair, to let it fall in a silken curtain around her shoulder, but she was otherwise laid bare.
Naked and blushing, she held his gaze. He curled a finger at her. “Come closer.”
She took the two steps forward into the lee of his thighs. Her toes curled in the soft fibers of the bedside rug. “Get on your knees, sweetheart.”
When her fingers started working on the placket of his trousers, he found his voice. “You are so intuitive.”
Grasping him lightly, she stroked up the underside, feeling him swell even further in her hand and a droplet seeped from his head.
Bending forward, she licked proof of his desire from the stretched dome, swirling fire over his senses, before planting kisses along the thick shaft. Light, teasing kisses that made him burn for more.
