"I want you," Selina breathed, her cheeks flushing at her own boldness. "I want you inside of me."
A slow, sensual smile spread across his face, and with a low growl, he captured her lips in a searing kiss. In one fluid motion, he lifted her, carrying her to the nearby rug. He laid her down gently in frontof the fire, his body covering hers as he settled between her thighs.
Her breath caught as she felt his hardness pressing against her.
He cupped her cheek, his gaze tender. "Are you certain?" he asked softly. "We can stop if you wish."
Her heart swelled at his consideration. "I have never been more certain of anything," she replied, pulling him closer, tilting her hips against him.
With a groan of pleasure, James entered her slowly, inch by inch. Selina gasped at the exquisite sensation of fullness, her body stretching to accommodate him.
"Darling, Selina," he breathed against her neck. "You feel divine."
She wrapped her legs around his waist, urging him deeper, thrusting her hips against him. She’d never felt such desire. Such intense passion and need.
He set a languid pace that soon had her writhing beneath him. She matched his rhythm, her hips rising to meet each thrust. The firelight cast a golden glow over their entwined bodies, highlighting the sheen of sweat on their skin.
"James," she gasped, her nails raking down his back. "More, please..."
He captured her lips in a searing kiss, swallowing her moans of pleasure. His hands roamed her body, caressing and teasing, finding spots that made her shiver with delight. She arched her back, pressing herself closer to him, desperate for more contact as she took greedily from him.
His thrusts became more urgent, more demanding. She clung to him, her nails raking down his back as waves of pleasure washed over her. She threw her head back, lost in a haze of sensation, aware of nothing but James and the exquisite feelings he was evoking in her.
"Look at me," James commanded softly, his voice strained with effort.
Selina's eyes fluttered open, meeting his intense gaze. The vulnerability she saw there, mixed with the raw desire, took her breath away. In that moment, she knew this was more than a night of passion. Her heart, which she had thought forever closed, opened to him.
"James, I..." she began, but her words were lost in a cry of ecstasy as her climax washed over her.
He followed her over the edge with a guttural groan, burying his face in the crook of her neck as he shuddered above her. For several long moments,they lay entwined, their hearts racing in tandem as they caught their breath.
Finally, James lifted his head, pressing a tender kiss to Selina's lips before rolling off of her and gathering her into the crook of his arm.
They lay entwined on the rug, the fire casting a warm glow over their bare skin. He pulled a throw blanket over them, cocooning them in warmth and intimacy as he held her close.
"What happens now?" Selina asked, her voice quiet, tentative.
James pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Now, my darling, we hang onto each other. No more games. Just you and I, side by side."
Her lips curved into a smile. "I rather like the sound of that." She feathered her fingers through the dusting of dark hair on his chest, then kissed his jawline.
As the night wore on, they spoke in hushed tones of their hopes and fears, their dreams and regrets. The barriers between them, once seemingly insurmountable, had crumbled to dust.
She couldn't help but marvel at how quickly her world had turned upside down. Once, she had viewed him as her adversary, a thorn in her side. Now, she could not imagine a future without him.
"I never imagined I could love again," she said, her fingers tracing the line of his jaw. "Especially not you."
He chuckled softly, capturing her hand and pressing a kiss to her palm. "And I never thought I would find myself utterly captivated by the formidable Lady Hollyfield. But here I am, in love and utterly besotted. How things change."
"Indeed, they do," Selina murmured, a hint of wonder in her voice. She shifted closer, nestling into the crook of his arm, inhaling his scent. "Tell me, James, when did you first realize your feelings had changed?"
A playful smirk tugging at his lips. "Perhaps it was the moment you called me an 'insufferable cad' at Lady Ashworth's ball. Your fire intrigued me."
Selina laughed, the sound bright and genuine. "You deserved it, if I recall correctly. You had just spilled your champagne on my new gown."
"It was an accident, I assure you," James protested, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Though I can not say I regretted the way it clung to your curves."
“That was a lifetime ago.” A blush crept up Selina's cheeks, but she did not look away. Instead, she leaned in, her lips a breath away from his. "Andnow, Lord Blackwood? Do you still find me intriguing?"
