Aubrey caught hold of her wrists, stopping the movement and tugging her close. Alice gasped, the silk of his waistcoat and its mother-of-pearl buttons cold against her skin.
“Give a poor fellow time, love. I’m no poet and presenting me with such a delectable feast for my eyes is bound to scatter my wits. Don’t be too hard on me.”
“Delectable feast,” she said with an unladylike snort. “A mouthful, possibly.”
He looked at her intently, his gaze curious. Taking a step away from her, his gaze travelled down the length of her body. “Perfection,” he murmured, sounding so sincere she could not help but believe him, especially when he looked up and she saw that hungry look in his eyes, the one that had promised, and delivered, such wickedness in the carriage.
His hand reached out and cupped her small breast, engulfing it in warmth. She shivered harder and then gasped as he bent and took her other breast in his mouth, sucking gently. Everything went away, just as she had wanted, just as she had needed. The terror and horror of the night faded as his touch chased away any thought other than the feel of his mouth on her skin, his strong hands touching her so gently.
“Aubrey,” she whispered, her arms wrapping about his neck. She tugged at him, bringing his mouth back to hers, and kissed him hard. He responded in kind, his hands moving over her as he explored the unfamiliar landscape before him. His hands drifted lower, cupping her behind and pulling her close. Alice shivered again, desperately aware of the hard press of his arousal. Something deep inside her responded to the pressure, liquid heat pooling low in her belly. “Too many clothes,” she protested, tugging him to the bed.
He followed, attempting to undo buttons as he went. Alice climbed onto the bed and pulled him after her, as he struggled awkwardly to free himself of his clothes. He cast his coat aside in an untidy heap, and she slid her hands over the expensive fabric of his waistcoat. Aubrey had exuberant tastes, she realised, smiling indulgently at the vibrant orange material as he dropped it to the floor. Increasingly impatient, Alice tugged the shirt from his waistband, and they broke the kiss for long enough for him to yank it over his head and throw it to the floor.
“Hurry!” she demanded, reaching for the buttons on his trousers, but Aubrey pushed her hands away, laughing.
“You’re not helping!”
“Then go faster!” Alice demanded, getting to her knees in front of him.
“I’m going as fast as….” His words died on a groan as Alice grew tired of waiting and slid her hand beneath the fabric of his small clothes.
“You’ve stopped,” she observed, though her voice was breathless and not half so teasing as she’d meant to make it. Her fingers curled around his arousal, the heat and silk of him stealing her breath. She gave an experimental stroke and his breathing hitched. Well, that was interesting. A sensation of power stole over her, that she could make him react so with just a touch of her hand. She stroked again, sliding her hand up and down as he let out a ragged breath. Fascinated now, she experimented, moving a little faster and giving a little twist of her hand as she reached the top. He made a choked sound that made her grin with delight.
“Can’t— Can’t think,” he murmured thickly.
“Oh, sorry, am I distracting you? I’ll stop.” Alice removed her hand, grinning wickedly as his eyes flicked open again, the green piercing through his slitted eyelids.
“You are a rotten tease,” he grumbled, shedding clothes with such haste he almost lost his balance and fell off the bed.
Alice flopped back against the pillows, smothering her laughter as he righted himself and climbed over her.
“I hope you’re not laughing at your betrothed?” His voice was low, threatening retribution of some delicious variety if she was.
“As if I would do such a thing.” Alice's voice was choked as she opened her arms to him and he covered her with his body. She wrapped herself around him, revelling in the heat that seemed to blaze from him. His body was so powerful, the tantalising feel of heavy muscle under her palms making her want to test his strength, to see if she could come close to matching it, knowing he’d never push her too hard, never hurt her.
Aubrey’s lips quirked, a devilish glint lighting his eyes that made her heart skip with happiness and anticipation. “I think you’re capable of just about anything.”
“Is that right?” she whispered.
He snorted. “You terrify and delight me, love. I adore you, every part of you, even the bits that scare me.”
“I adore every part of you too,” Alice murmured as her hands slid down his back and grasped his behind. “This bit is rather splendid.”
Aubrey laughed and pushed closer, pressing himself between her legs. A spark of electricity seemed to dart frombetween her thighs, jolting through her. Alice gasped. Smiling, he did it again, bending to kiss her.
One hand coasted over her belly, her hips, down one thigh and back again, lingering to toy with the curls nestled in the valley between. Alice closed her eyes and threaded her hands into his thick hair as soft kisses drifted down her neck, along her collarbone. She sighed as he continued to kiss his way back to her breasts. His teeth grazed her nipple, biting gently, first one breast and then the other as questing fingers continued to play with her, sifting through the curls in pursuit of the tender place that hid there. She gasped as he found it, widening her thighs to allow him better access. Aubrey murmured soft words she could not decipher, though they were lovely, nonetheless. He kept his touch light, teasing, never quite enough, and Alice moved restlessly, lifting her hips to encourage him, wanting more, harder, and faster.
“Aubrey.”
There was an impatient note in the way she said his name that suggested he ought to stop playing with fire, but he ignored it. His touch was both tantalising and maddening. She shifted and fidgeted, increasingly restless beneath him.
“Is there something wrong?” he asked, all innocence.
Alice simply glared at him, well aware he was paying her back for teasing him earlier.
“What is it you want, Alice?”
“Stop it,” she said, a somewhat whiny quality to her demand that she was not pleased with.
