“What was?”
“How fanciful I was being.” Cheeks flaming, she met his gaze nonetheless. “When I saw you there all…sweaty and manly, in that outfit with that sultan-ish belt…I started having thoughts of a rather, um, indecorous nature. Not the sort of thoughts a virtuous wife should have.”
His brows arched. “What makes you think I want a virtuous wife?”
“You told me you did. When you proposed.”
“I think we already established that the old me was an idiot.” He reached out, rubbing his thumb over her bottom lip. When he did that, she experienced the strange and wanton urge to open her mouth…to lick him. “And surely my lovemaking during this trip has shown you that I have no interest in carrying out polite conjugal duties.”
He was right. He’d been many things—passionate, tender, demanding—but not polite.
Thank heavens.
“I wantyou, Gabby. A marriage of body, heart, and mind, remember? In order to have that, you’ll have to trust me, to trust that I won’t belittle or discount your thoughts or feelings, that I’ll do everything in my power to make you happy.”
“You’re right, and I’m ever so sorry,” she said with true contrition. “I should have trusted you not to make fun of my flight of fancy.”
“I’m glad we got that out of the way. Now pertaining to your little fantasy, I wouldn’t make fun of it because it also happens to be mine. ”
She blinked. “You fancy…being a sultan?”
“Not precisely.” The gleam in his eyes made her pulse leap. “But I fancy the idea of being your lord and master. Of you serving me, pleasing me in any way I wish. In fact, I think we ought to have a sampling of that now.”
25
Hearingher deepest sexual fantasy uttered in Adam’s sensual baritone set off tremors of desire in Gabby. Her knees wobbled, but he swept her up in an easy movement. To her surprise, he didn’t take her toward their bedchamber but into the boxing ring.
“Here?” she asked breathlessly.
“Here.”
He set her down on the soft mats that padded the ring and began to undress her with a cool efficiency that further stimulated her senses. In a matter of heartbeats, she was naked, her unpinned hair cascading down her back. She trembled beneath his appraising gaze and instinctively moved to cover her breasts. He stopped her with a calm command.
“A queen doesn’t hide herself. If you want to please me, you’d best show yourself to an advantage.” He stepped back from her, circling her slowly, a sultan assessing his carnal prize. “Let me see all the alluring parts of you—tempt me with your charms.”
Even as she squirmed at the notion, excitement thrummed in her veins. A part of her understood that this wasn’t just about sex: this was about changing old habits and taking a risk. She’d said she no longer wanted to hide, and Adam was inviting her to reveal her true longings…in a bold and naughty way.
The familiarity of the fantasy made it easier to let go of her inhibitions. How many times had she dreamed about this very scenario? As she slipped into the twilight pool of her imagination, she shed the skin of the awkward, rejected girl she’d once been. Beneath Adam’s approving gaze, she became a beautiful queen, his willing slave.
For his pleasure and her own, she explored her woman’s body, the lush swell of her hips and the inviting softness of her belly. She slid her palms upward, cradling the full curves of her breasts, feeling their sensual weight. Power leapt like a flame inside her when his mouth tightened with arousal.
“Such beautiful tits,” he praised. “Do you enjoy petting them, teasing them for me?”
Understanding his instruction, she rolled her thumbs over her straining red nipples, the spark of pleasure intensified by his avid stare.
“Rub those nipples harder. I want them as ripe as cherries when I taste them.”
She pinched her nipples between finger and thumb, imagining his mouth there, his tongue. The memory of his hot suckling blazed a path between her breasts and pussy, the tug and pluck of her fingers bringing forth a needy spasm in her sex.
“Is your pussy wet and ready for me?”
The coolness of his inquiry threw kindling on her arousal. Reminded her of the power of the man who’d chosen her to serve his needs.
“Yes,” she said throatily.
“Show me.”
After a slight hesitation, she slowly placed her hand between her legs. Even as she shyly touched her slippery cleft, a part of her couldn’t believe she was doing such a thing. That she dared to perform this wicked deed in front of her husband.
