“I want you.” His mouth opened on her neck, sucking. “Do youwant me?”
But she was determined not to be swayed. Her mind swirledwith questions. Had Lady Billingsley been the topic of his conversation withNell? Perhaps she had revealed an ugly side of his former paramour’s past? Orperhaps Maggie merely wanted for that to be the case.
She sighed, trying not to enjoy the delicious working of hismouth over her, nearly impossible though it was. “I want you to tell me thetruth.”
“I’ve told you already.” He pressed a series of kisses downto her bosom. “We were merely conversing.”
Did he think he could elude her so easily? She frowned,sinking her fingers into his thick, soft hair and forcing him to meet her gaze.“What other woman have you shared?”
The breath fled from his lungs, hitting her chest like awarmed blanket. “Why must you be so bloody persistent?”
She didn’t know. “It’s in my nature, I suppose.”
“A man must be allowed his secrets.”
Maggie didn’t particularly care for the sound of that. “Idetest secrecy.”
“I’m sorry,” he startled her by saying. He didn’t strike heras the apologetic sort. “I merely don’t wish to discuss it. It has no bearingupon you and me.”
She had the sense that his concession had cost him a greatdeal more than was readily apparent. He was a proud man, that much she hadlearned quickly in the short time they’d spent together. Maggie took pity onhim. “Very well. You needn’t tell me just now.”
“Good.” His fingers traced a path of heat over her thighbefore sinking into her wet folds to tease the aching bud that most yearned forhis attention. “Because right now, the only thing I’m going to do is fuck you,my dear. Hard and fast until you come.”
She lost her breath. The iniquitous words made her all themore hungry for him. No man had ever dared to speak such sin to her. Itrendered her quite weak in the knees. “Don’t we require a bed?” she dared toask.
He applied just the right amount of pressure with the perfectamount of speed. And then he sank a finger inside her. “Not when you’re so wetand ready for me.”
Dear heavens. Her hips pumped against his rhythm. Herinstinct took control of her. She wanted him so very much, even with theunknown between them. Nothing mattered but the way he made her feel, as if shewere about to shatter into a thousand singing shards of herself.
He stopped to open his trousers, and she caught sight ofhim, rigid and tantalizing. “Hook your leg round my waist.” He guided her then,opening her to him more fully. His mouth came down on hers, crushing andpossessive.
Suddenly, his cock was pressing against her, hot and stiff.She arched her back to help ease his entrance. While his tongue plunged intoher mouth, he slid inside her in one long, delicious thrust. She moaned,sucking on his tongue, her hands going to his firm buttocks to drive him evendeeper. This time, their passion was running at full gallop. There was nosteady canter, no time for soft kisses and gentle caresses. Nor did she wantthat. She simply wanted him to take her, hard and fast as he’d said, make themboth explode with their mutual desire.
He withdrew from her only to slide in her again, increasinghis pace, going faster, wilder. With his thumb, he continued to exert pressureon her nub, and the wave of her first release washed over her. Her cunnyclenched on his cock and they both moaned, lost in the sensations, the need tobecome one.
He dragged his mouth back to her neck, nipping at her withhis teeth just enough to make her shiver. Tonight, she reveled in his ferocity,in the way his hands were almost rough upon her, in the way he took her as ifhe couldn’t wait another moment to fill her with his seed.
While she still shook with the effects of her passion, herocked against her, flattening her to the wall. A warm burst of sensationrushed inside her, and she knew that he too had found his release. She claspedhim to her as they plummeted from their cloud of pleasure as one. His breathingwas as ragged as hers, his heart a rapid thrum against her chest. He kissed herneck, then dropped a lingering kiss on her mouth before gently returning herfoot to the floor and slipping from her body. They stared at each other.
“We leave tomorrow morning,” he said at last, his voicealmost hoarse. “Together.”
She nodded. While days before, leaving with her husbandwould have seemed inconceivable if not altogether impossible, now it seemedperfectly normal. She wasn’t certain she could yet manage rationalconversation, so she busied herself with rearranging her skirts. Only herdrawers, discarded on the floor, remained as a sign of their franticlovemaking. He refastened his trousers while she attempted to collect herself.
“I suppose I ought to return to my chamber,” she said when atlast she rediscovered the ability to speak.
“You’ll stay here with me this evening,” he said, moredecree than request.
His pronouncement startled her. Hadn’t he just beenconcerned with observing a false sense of propriety? What had changed? Sheblinked, wondering if she’d heard him properly above the mad thudding of herheart. “I beg your pardon?”
His expression was impossible to decipher. “I want you toremain in my chamber,” he elaborated. “Please.”
Maggie supposed he wasn’t accustomed to asking for what hewanted. After all, he was a man and a lord both. Even so, his request washardly tender, and though she was not impervious to his lovemaking, she wasstill quite stubborn in her own right. “You might ask me rather than issuing ademand.”
He frowned. “I didn’t demand. I said please.”
“Silly me.” She almost laughed, but he was serious. “Thankyou for issuing a polite demand.”
He raked a hand through his hair, looking vexed. “Damn it,woman, you’re as prickly as a rosebush sometimes. I merely want you to stayhere in my chamber.”
