“I want to remove some of your clothing first,” she insisted. When he offered no protest, she reached for the buttons. Curious and excited, Isabella began to open the last few fastenings on his shirt. Damien shifted his weight and gave her an odd smile as she struggled with the buttons.
“Just rip it,” he whispered in a deep voice, and he inhaled deeply as Isabella followed his commands. Buttons spewed about the room, and Damien laughed with delight.
Nervous but determined, Isabella continued her explorations. Deftly she reached inside the linen and spread her hands across Damien’s naked chest. The springy dark hair tickled her palms. The flesh beneath felt smooth and very hard. Experimentally she moved her hands lower, across the flat plane of his stomach to the top of his breeches. A long shudder ran through Damien.
“Enough,” he said abruptly, yanking off the remains of his shirt and tossing it aside.
He briefly debated carrying Isabella over to the bed, but his blood was roaring in his ears. He kissed her deeply, his passion becoming more urgent with each kiss, his need more overwhelming with each caress.
Damien couldn’t stop touching her. His skillful fingers reached under her skirts, tugging impatiently at the strong ribbons that fastened the drawers around her waist.
“Lift your hips,” he commanded with a desperate plea of passion.
Dazed, Isabella obeyed, and the earl triumphantly pulled the flimsy garment from her heated skin. Her cotton stockings quickly followed, then her already unfastened gown. Damien’s hand stroked boldly down her naked flesh, past her belly, finally coming to rest between her legs.
Isabella lost control of her breathing as she felt his fingers sliding into the moist triangle of curls. She made a raw choking sound as Damien tenderly spread the delicate folds of her flesh. His fingers slid lightly back and forth, spreading a throbbing excitement throughout her entire being. Clenching her eyes closed, Isabella fought back the rush of embarrassment and allowed herself to yield to the exquisite pleasure.
She felt the most incredible aching tension deep within her and arched convulsively in reaction, twisting to get closer to him as he intimately caressed her.
“Sweet, so sweet, my Isabella,” Damien whispered sensually as his finger slid deeply inside her dampness. “Let go. Just let go.”
For a moment Isabella lay motionless, gazing with mute astonishment into Damien’s passion-darkened eyes, and then she cried out as the pleasure surged suddenly, wildly exploding within her.
He kissed her deeply, then held her tightly as the climax overtook her, his excitement mounting at each moan, each whimper, each shuddering breath she drew. Finally Isabella quieted.
Her release made her body feel limp and pliant. Damien knew he should wait until he brought her to the edge of passion again before coupling with her, but he was no longer capable of rational thought. Feeling the dewy feminine moisture of her body caused the earl’s hard-fought control to dissolve. Savagely ripping his breeches away, he loomed over Isabella, his entire body straining with need. He kneed her legs wider apart and settled himself between them.
“I’m going to claim you now, Isabella,” he whispered hoarsely.
Damien entered her as slow as he could manage, wanting to spare her unnecessary pain. Roused from her stupor, she caught at the hard arms braced around her and held tight. With a look of wonder in her eyes, she gazed deeply into his.
Her open trust and passionate acceptance overwhelmed Damien. He wanted to warm her with his flesh, to protect her with his strength, to cherish her with his heart. She deserved no less.
Moaning, he grasped her hips in his hands and pressed deeper. Isabella felt something tear inside her and give way, but she ignored the burning pain and lifted herself closer, wanting to feel him even deeper within her body.
Damien forced himself to take deep breaths and remain perfectly still even though his body was throbbing. He could feel her stretching, her muscles convulsing around him. It felt glorious.
“I’m sorry I hurt you,” he whispered against her temple.
“It wasn’t so bad.” Isabella pulled her head aside and gazed into his handsome face. “I can feel you throbbing inside me,” she said with gentle awe. “Is it over?”
She shifted her legs restlessly, and Damien swore softly. “ ’Tis only begun, my sweet.”
His lips descended on hers in a crushing kiss while his hips drew back, then thrust forward, deep within her. He began to raise and lower his body with slow, steady strokes, and Isabella began to move with him.
The pain lessened, and Isabella gasped at the wonderful sensation of him inside her. Yet she experienced more, much more than the physical intimacy. She was merged with him in her heart as well as her body. He was filling the emptiness in her soul, coloring the drabness of her spirit. Isabella encircled Damien with her arms, lightly stroking his back. She rose boldly to meet his thrust and felt him grow even larger within her.
Damien knew it was too soon, knew she was not ready, but his blood was afire and it was impossible to hold back. He sank more deeply into her. Eyes closed, his body stiffened, shook, and a long rattling cry emerged from his throat. Tears rolled gently down Isabella’s cheeks as she felt the warm wetness of his seed inside her body. Never in her life had she felt closer to another living creature than she did at that instant.
For a long time, Damien lay sprawled atop her, seemingly incapable of movement. His body was slick with perspiration, his breathing uneven. He was heavy, but she paid it no heed. She lay quiet and still beneath him, inordinately pleased that even with her sexual ignorance, she had managed to give him pleasure.
Damien raised his head and lifted his hand to touch her cheek in a placating gesture, his steely gray eyes soft and apologetic.
“Next time it will be better,” he promised mysteriously.
She dropped her eyes from his. Next time! Her face flushed with embarrassment. Did that mean he expected her to share his bed now as a matter of course? Isabella opened her mouth and attempted to say something, anything, in response, but her words were cut off as Damien gathered her in his arms and took her with him as he rolled onto his back.
She lay atop him with her arms pressed against his chest and her legs tangled with his. Her body still vibrating with awareness, it took a few moments to realize they were no longer joined together. But they were still very much connected.
