After about twenty minutes there was a light knock on the door, and Jeremy peered around. “May I come in?”
“Of course.” She turned back to the fire. “I’m glad you’re here.”
“I hoped you would be.” He came to stand behind her. “It’s been a strange day, hasn’t it?” His hands found her shoulders and began to massage them.
She managed to avoid a groan of pleasure, but his fingers felt so wonderful. She just nodded and found her muscles relaxing into his touch. “That feels wonderful, Jeremy. Just wonderful.”
His touch continued, his firm hands kneading and stroking, moving to the back of her neck and turning her head this way and that, and then over and around to her chin and neck, still working to ease the tautness that had locked her body in its grasp.
“You are tense,” he whispered, leaning over to brush her ear.
“You’re helping,” she whispered back, closing her eyes and tilting her head to one side, exposing her neck to his gaze.
And his lips.
She felt the kisses, delicate touches as his breath warmed her. Then his tongue followed, tracing the muscle from her ear to her shoulder.
That brought a moan of pleasure. She couldn’t contain it, since his caresses were awakening all the pleasure centres within her body. His mouth opened against her skin where her neck and her shoulder joined, his teeth grazing the sensitive spot as his hands slid lower and found her breasts.
She moved, the heat from his touch arousing her, the scrape of his teeth stimulating a response low in her belly.
“Shh.” He held her in place. “Don’t move…”
She felt his fingers untie her robe and then the front of her nightgown—baring her to the firelight and his gaze.
“So beautiful, Adalyn. You are so beautiful. Like flames on porcelain…” His hands slid down again, but this time against naked flesh. Her breasts felt swollen as he cupped them, and when his fingertips caught her nipples and gently pinched them, she whimpered, lost to the sheer sensuality of such a daring and exquisite touch.
“You like that,” he chuckled softly in her ear.
“Yes, I do,” she mumbled, pushing forward ever so slightly into his hands. “Oh yes, I really do.”
He played with her then, teasing, pinching, squeezing and kissing whatever part of her was near, until she was a writhing mess of need. “Stand up, Adalyn.” His touch vanished and she felt the cool air as he stood between her and the firelight. “Stand up.”
She put her hands on the arms of the chair and pushed herself to her feet, her body weak and throbbing with urgency.
“Good girl,” he praised her. Then he stripped her robe and gown off her in one simple move, leaving her standing nude in front of him.
She gasped at the speed and efficiency of his hands, and her eyes widened as he disposed of his own clothing in the same way. Then he drew her into his arms, heedless of the two piles of nightwear around their feet.
The heat of the fire toasted one side of her as they turned in each other’s arms, the hair on his chest abrading her already sensitive nipples. He lowered his head and kissed her, holding her tighter and tighter, and sliding his hands all over her, squeezing her buttocks, then slipping up her sides to caress her shoulders.
He was hard against her and she parted her thighs, making room for him in between.
This time the groan was his and he scooped her up in his arms. “I want you, Lady of Wolfbridge. And tonight I will have you.”
She shivered at the command in his voice. “I want you too, Jeremy.”
He carried her to the bed, but instead of dropping her on top of it as she’d expected, he turned and sat on the edge, standing her in front of him.
“Jeremy?” She tilted her head to one side in puzzlement.
“Hush.” He looked at her, his gaze running over her bare flesh appreciatively. “I want to look at you.”
She fidgeted. “This is embarrassing. I’m naked…”
“I noticed.” He reached out and touched one nipple with the tip of his finger. “See how hard they are?” He flicked the tender nub, and she flinched. “And how sensitive?”
“Er, yes. They are very sensitive.”
