“I thought so,” Devlin said, appearing vastly annoyed, his silver eyes flashing.
“He is the worst flirt,” she said, and then she amended, “with me, at least. He seems to despise all other ladies.”
“I do not want to talk about my brother,” Devlin said roughly.
The servant had left the hall and they were entirely alone. “Neither do I,” Virginia whispered. Tears moistened her eyes. “I am so glad you have come home.”
He hesitated, as if he wished to speak.
She did not move.
Then he grimaced and walked over to her, his hands closing over her arms. “I am glad to be here, too,” he said as roughly as before.
She swallowed and dared to say, “I have missed you, Devlin.”
His expression tightened. He pulled her close and covered her mouth with his.
She cried out, clinging, and in his embrace, she felt warm and loved—safe. His mouth was voracious and Virginia kissed him back as frantically, thrilled when she felt his arousal against her hip.
Suddenly he lifted her into his arms. “Where is your room?” he demanded.
She held on to him tightly. “Devlin, we are in your parents’ house!”
“I don’t give a damn and I cannot wait another minute to be with you.” He pounded up the stairs with her in his arms. His eyes blazed as he said, “I thought that once I was back at sea I would be free. But I was wrong.”
She blinked. What did he mean?
“I could not stop thinking about you, Virginia.” He seemed grim. “You have haunted my every waking moment. You have haunted my dreams.”
She was thrilled. She smiled and said softly, “Then we are even, I think.”
His eyes widened as he reached the landing. “Which room?”
Her entire body was already enflamed at the inevitability of what was to be. “The third door on the right,” she managed.
He pushed it open with his shoulder and carried her to the bed. He set her down and sat beside her, silent for one moment. “You are more beautiful than ever,” he said thickly, touching her cheek. “I expected you to be pale in the midst of winter—your face blooms like a flower, instead.”
She hesitated, about to blurt out her suspicion that she was with child, but she thought the better of it. She wasn’t quite certain and the moment was perfect; she was afraid to ruin it. “I’m not blooming, I am flushing, Devlin,” she said.
He laughed, his hands now deftly undoing the buttons on the back of her dress. “You have never been more beautiful,” he said, sliding the dress down to her waist. His eyes widened with appreciation at the sight of her breasts, caressed by the sheer linen of her chemise, now fuller than before and swelling out of her corset. “And you have bloomed, Virginia,” he murmured.
“Impudent man,” Virginia retorted, no easy feat when utterly breathless and hot.
He tugged her chemise over her head, tossing it aside. “I will show you impudence, madam,” he said, and he wrapped a hard arm around her, lowering his head to her bosom.
He nuzzled her voluptuousness, then lipped her nipple. Virginia was very sensitive and she almost swooned from the released flood of desire.
“I do not want to hurt you,” he gasped, releasing her and taking her hand and guiding it to his loins. Virginia cried out at his heat and hardness, at the throbbing against her palm. “But I have little patience this day.”
“You do not hurt me,” she whispered. “Please, hurry!”
He suddenly sat, eyes ablaze, quickly pulling her dress off. Virginia watched him as he removed her drawers and she knew she had never seen him more desperately in need. When she was clad only in her corset and stockings, he palmed her sex.
Triumph flared in his eyes, on his face. “Spread your legs,” he said, and as she instantly obeyed, he leaned over her, rubbing his cheek there.
Virginia cried out, overcome with pleasure and excitement. Her body had changed in many ways and maybe their separation had something to do with it, but she knew she would fly into the blue-black heavens in another instant. “Hurry,” she cried hoarsely.
His mouth moved over her, thorough and slow, his tongue insistent, a probe.
