With those amber eyes, she should be garbed in emerald green, in samite and satin heavy with golden embroidery. She needed veils of the finest cloth of gold to highlight the richness of hercoloring.
Indeed, her worn travel garments scarcely did her credit. With such vivacity and life, Annelise dressed as a queen would be a stunningsight.
The fullness of her breasts pressed against his chest as he explored her. Her waist was delightfully narrow under his hands, her curves ripe enough to fill his hands. Rolfe’s heart leaped when her hair moved over his hands, evidence that she had tilted her head back. He bent and captured her tempting lips beneath his own, swallowing her sigh ofsatisfaction.
Rolfe kissed her gently, savoring her. He felt Annelise catch her breath, then caressed her bottom lip with his tongue. She parted her lips, welcoming him, and Rolfe sampled her deeply, loving the taste of wine mingled with her own honeyedsweetness.
She was all sweet curves and femininity, her skin soft no matter where he touched her. Rolfe kissed her leisurely and thoroughly, taking his time with the feast she offered. Annelise was his wife and his salvation both. He could give her no less than hisall.
His hand moved in her hair, caressing her jaw, tracing the curve of her ear. Annelise shuddered and her hands locked around his neck. He lifted her to her toes, cupping her buttocks with one hand and pulling her against the heat of his arousal. She moaned softly and rolled her hips against him with a need that thrilledhim.
Desire surged through Rolfe. He kissed Annelise with new fervor, fearing he would spill his seed early if she rolled her hips again, but he could not step away. He would have liked to have seen her but the darkness wascomplete.
“Oh,” Annelise whispered as her lips moved against his throat. Her voice wasunsteady.
It amused Rolfe that this woman of so many words could only conjure that one small exclamation to describe this. “Oh?” he repeated with asmile.
“I...I had noidea.”
Rolfe could not help but chuckle at the wonder in her voice. The affection he already felt for her surprised him with its intensity. Rolfe could not recall ever being so aware of a woman so quicklybefore.
“And still you have not, wife of mine,” he murmured. “We have onlybegun.”
He bent quickly and took one of her feet in his hands. It was so slender and small, so delicate compared to his own, that he halted for a moment in silentappreciation.
Annelise’s hands landed on his shoulders, and Rolfe quickly unlaced her shoe. He discarded it, noting with interest that she did not wearhose.
She had been in a hurry to seek him out. That made himsmile.
Her foot fit perfectly in his palm and Rolfe could not resist caressing its arch. The darkness served only to heighten his awareness ofher.
The other shoe was shed and Rolfe paused with both hands wrapped around the lady’s graceful ankles. He glanced up and her fingers dug slightly into hisshoulders.
“There must be more,” she whispered, her impatience urging himon.
Rolfe eased his hands slowly up her calves, feeling the shape of her. His lips followed suit, tasting and caressing as he progressed. Had she worn stockings, he would have removed her garters with histeeth.
Her thighs were slender, and when he approached her hips, the sweet perfume of her arousal tempted him. That mingled with the scent of the roses was more intoxicating than the finest wine. Rolfe filled his lungs with the heady scent and caressed her as his lips meanderedonward.
She gasped when he reached the apex of her thighs and Rolfe buried his nose in the nest of curls. His tongue danced against her and he knew he had found the prize he sought when Annelise gripped hisshoulders.
“Oh!” she gasped. “Sir!”
Rolfe pulled her closer, one of his fingers rising to caress her even as he continued to tease her with his tongue. Her enthusiasm fed his own passion as nothing else could. He wanted more of Annelise; he wanted all of her. He wanted to make her collapse on top of him. He wanted to feel her wrap herself around him and demand more. He wanted to hear her cry out as she found her release and know that he was responsible. He felt her skin heat and her pulse race. A quiver passed over her flesh, but she did not pullaway.
She trusted him, which was the finest aphrodisiac Rolfe had everknown.
He gripped her waist, loving how his hand spanned her back there, and held her captive to the pleasure he intended to give. The woman would drive him mad with desire. She writhed against him, her fingers digging into his shoulders, her wet sweetness flooding hissenses.
When her hips began to buck, Rolfe held her more resolutely. He drove her higher, demanding more, caressing her with morevigor.
Suddenly, Annelise arched back. She gave a little cry as she strained for the heavens and found her release, then wilted and sagged against him, her breath coming in quickspurts.
Luckily for the lady, Rolfe was not finished pleasuring his bride justyet.
* * *
“That was a marvel,”Annelise whispered, unable to believe the power of the tremor that had nigh overwhelmedher.
