He wanted Flave’s wife.
He caught her lips with his own and tasted her as though a man starved.
CHAPTER SIX
Cecily felt atugbehind her as Stephen twined his hand inside her hair, his mouth exploring hers with an almost feverish intent. Although she’d felt chilled earlier, she was now hot all over. Hot and surprisingly aching. And the only thing that could soothe her was to be closer to this man. They were barely acquainted, and yet her body, nay, her soul, begged to be closer to him.
Was this merely a betrayal of her flesh, which had been newly awakened and then denied upon her marriage?
She pressed herself into his chest and hips. Instinctively, her free leg wrapped around his thighs and she thrilled when she felt his arousal. Tilting her head back, she gave him better access to the tender inside of her mouth. He tasted of brandy and mint.
She groaned in protest when his lips abandoned hers to instead trail along her chin and then her neck. This was so very different from her wedding night.
Of course, it was different. They were not truly going to make love.
Except that this felt much more like making love than what Flavion had done. This touch was tender, exploring, and well… it felt… loving.
Stephen devoured her with his mouth at the same time he memorized her with his hands. His attention to detail was a very attractive characteristic in that moment.
With each kiss and lick and touch he sent sparks of desire shooting around inside, not only her body, but her brain. Hewantedher. He wanted to make love to her.
Suddenly she realized that her wedding night had been even more of a travesty than she had originally thought.
For Flavion had not wanted to consummate his marriage to her. He had taken her body as though it had been an unsavory chore — an item to check off a list. The realization was like a slap in the face.
But Stephen was touching her, caressing her, consuming her like a man possessed.
The contrast was overwhelming, and although she tried to hold it back, she could not contain the sob that rose up inside of her.
He did not ignore her cry. It was apparent she’d not stifled the sound adequately when his lovemaking came to a vexing halt. His hands stilled. He tilted her chin and peered into her eyes. “Hey, what’s this?” He rubbed her back in a soothing motion and caught one of her tears upon his fingertip.
But she hadn’t wanted him to stop. She’d been exalting beneath his touch.
He pressed her face into his chest and smoothed her hair down her back. “Hush, hush,” he said. “God, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m sorry, Cecily.”
She heard remorse in his voice. But she didn’twantfor him to be sorry!
Trying to speak in between the sobs she was trying to silence was not very easy. “No, it isn’t what you think. You aren’t scaring me.” She needed to explain it to him but had no idea what she would say. She could barely understand herself, this wash of emotions coursing through her.
Stephen pulled back, and she studied his face again. His hair appeared darker in the candlelight and was mussed where her hands had been. In his eyes, she saw concern, but desire still lurked there, too. “I will not take advantage of you. You’ve been through too much this past month as it is.” His breath fanned her heated cheeks as he spoke. The scent of it only reminded her of how he had tasted. She wanted to savor him again.
She slid her hands back up around his neck and pulled his face down to hers. This time it was her mouth that was seeking, demanding. She tasted his lips, his chin, and then inside. She explored his teeth, the roof of his mouth, all around his tongue.
He held her loosely and allowed her to explore. She had somehow pushed him onto his back and was leaning over him, pressed atop him. Her hair shrouded them both while she discovered the heady sensation of kissing Stephen Nottingham.
When she finally realized that he lay passively beneath her, she pulled back and frowned at him. His lips were swollen from her kisses and his hooded eyes, lazy and sensual. His hands rested loosely on her hips.
His arousal was blatantly thrust between her thighs, but was impeded by the fabric of her gown.
And then he smiled boyishly. “Do you think this is incriminating enough?”
He was joking!
Staid old sobersides himself was joking!
She felt his stomach begin to shake a bit and realized, that yes, God help her, he was laughing!
“You are laughing at me,” she said, not seeing the humor in the situation at all.
