He turned his eyes toward her, and Hallie saw a pained expression crease his face. “No, that’s not why. I’m not sure if I can find the words.” Kit shoved his hands into his pockets, and he began to pace as he spoke. “I love you because you taught me how to love again, because you remind me how full life is when you love someone, when you share your life, when you share your bodies.I love you because you washed away the hurt in here,” he placed his fist in the middle of his chest.
His voice rang with sincerity. “I love because you gave me your heart when I didn’t deserve it.”
He paused in front of her. “I love you because you’re giving...”
Hallie closed her eyes, unable to believe that he was telling her what she needed to hear, and in the words of her dreams.
“... and loving.” He hunkered down in front of her and placed his hand gently on her knee.
She covered his hand with her own.
“... and beautiful.” His fingers closed around hers and he stood, pulling her up into his arms.
Hallie melted into him, and then Kit tilted her chin upward, and his thumb caressed her jaw, wiping off the few water drops that lingered on her face and mingled with her tears.
“... and because,” Kit took a deep breath, “... because when I kiss you, my soul cries.”
“Oh, Kit,” Hallie whispered just before his lips touched hers. As before, their kiss flared and deepened. His tongue stroked her mouth and then retreated so he could again murmur his love against her lips, over and over.
She buried her fingers in his curly black hair and pulled him closer, wanting to meld to him, her lips, her breasts, her heart.
“I need you so, Hallie, God knows how I need you...” He cupped her face and stroked her with a look so full of love and desire that she cried out.
Kit’s hands cupped her head as he kissed her cheeks, her neck, and her ears, and her hands moved from his hair to his neck, where she feathered her fingers lovingly over the sensitive skin behind his ears.
He groaned, and then his hands were unfastening her dress and pushing it to the floor. He pulled his mouth from hers and moved back, out of her embrace.
“Step out of it.” His voice ached with want.
Hallie stepped away from the pool of her dress, straight into his loving arms. He leaned down to kiss her shoulders, his lips kindling her desire while his hands untied her crinoline and petticoats. Standing just inches away, Kit slowly pulled loose the small ties on her corset cover, his fingers tracing the curves revealed with each piece of clothing that fell away.
It was sweet torment, both of them watching as eyelet by eyelet he unlaced her corset until his hands filled with her breasts. His thumbs stroked her nipples, and Hallie kissed him, hard, using the stroke of her tongue to tell him of her pleasure.
He knelt before her, untying her drawers and pushing them slowly down her legs. His fingers feathered up and down the insides of her calves and thighs, touching with equal tenderness the puckered skin of her scar.
Hallie moaned at the exquisite tingle of his touch upon the flesh of her legs. His hands roved over and around her legs, stroking her bottom, the backs of her knees, and the hollows of her thighs, nearing but not touching her aching center.
Her hand gripped his shoulders, and he kissed her belly, slowly dragging his damp lips and tongue upward, over the creases left from her corset. Her skin felt hot, burning from the inside out. He kissed the heavy undersides of her breasts while he tore off his shirt. Then he pressed her soft thighs against him and his hands kneaded her buttocks while in turn his lips closed over the large pink circlets that crowned her breasts, pulling at them with the suction of his mouth. With every touch and every breath, he worshiped her body, showing her his love in a kiss, a stroke, and a whisper, hot against her skin. He drove her wild.
When he stood, no clothing covered him. They embraced, skin to skin, and he lowered her to the bed, crawling between her legs while he settled her against the pillows. He rose above her, sipping at her lips and positioning his hard tip against her pleasure point. Then he rubbed, gently, sending wave after wave of exquisite feeling through her. Wild with need, she grabbed at his buttocks, trying to dip him into her.
“Wait,” he whispered, and before his command registered, he had lifted her essence to his lips and tasted her.
“No,” she moaned, her mind wanting to stop the wickedness of his tongue, but her body craved more.
“Yes,” he breathed, his lips nibbling at her, over and over until she pulsed with repletion.
Then he filled her, thick and hard. His mouth lowered to her ear. “I love you... I love you...” he said, his words in rhythm with his pumping hips.
Again her pleasure rose, higher and higher, and he stopped, turning with her onto his back, letting Hallie control the movement. She stilled her hips and slowly bent forward, rubbing her hard nipples over his ribs. Her mouth kissed his nipple and she lifted her hips upward so she was linked only by the very tip of him. Then she rotated her hips, once, twice, and in an instant she was on her back again as he drove into her with long, deep strokes, faster and faster, until the sweetness claimed them both.
24
Hallie drummed her fingers on the arm of the chair, wondering where Kit was. He had been called away well before supper, and she had expected him to be home by now. The clock chimed eleven times and Hallie gave up.
“Well, cats,” she told the animals that sat all over the furniture, “I guess that’s what happens. They tell you they love you and then they stay out all night.”
She laughed. She knew from the past few days that Kit would never be long from her side. He loved her with his whole being, of that she had no doubt.
