One step at a time, he concluded as he tugged on his jeans. Which meant, to the great pleasure of the wolf inside him, that Samia and only Samia should be his priority tonight. But by the time he returned to their bedroom, his bride was curled in a ball, breathing at the steady pace of sleep. He stared at her for a moment and then at the couch across the room.
To hell with that!
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
SHEWOKESLOWLYin absolute blackness, and was uncertain for a moment or two as to where she was. Reaching out her legs and arms to find a cool spot in the bed, she discovered a hot, naked body next to hers, and shot up. Now she was wide awake. Unscrambling her brain, she realised Luca had finally come to bed. Now what?
‘It’s two o’clock in the morning,’ he growled. ‘Go back to sleep.’
She couldn’t decide if his lack of enthusiasm was her fault, or if he was taking a nap while he could. Angry waves were crashing against the hull, rocking the yacht, so maybe he needed to rest before returning to the business of sailing? He didn’t seem unduly disturbed, she reflected as she rested on one elbow to stare down. Sprawled starfish-fashion on the bed, Luca appeared to be sleeping soundly again. How did that make her feel? Surplus to requirements? A necessary evil he’d got himself lumbered with? Maybe he already had a mistress waiting for him in Madlena. The thought pierced her heart and twisted deep like a corkscrew. However dismissive Luca might be, telling her to go to sleep on their wedding night, her feelings for him showed no sign of flagging. Yes, she still dreaded the possibility of him wanting more than she could give in bed, but not having him want anything from her was almost worse.
It was worse, she decided when Luca woke and told her once again to settle down. ‘How am I supposed to do that when the boat is rocking like this?’
‘I’ll anchor you,’ he said. ‘Now, be quiet and go to sleep.’
‘But I—’
‘But you nothing,’ he said sharply.
Which was how she came to find herself lying next to Luca, as close as it was possible to be, every inch of her naked body touching his spoon-style, her back to his front, and one of Luca’s muscular legs anchoring hers, just as he had promised.
His tone should have annoyed her. Pinning her to the bed should have annoyed her more, but against all the odds she found herself gradually relaxing until, with a long sigh, she allowed herself to slip away into the darkness.
He woke to find Samia in his arms with a contented smile on her face. He brushed his lips against her cheek, and then her mouth, where he lingered before pulling back to stare down into her peaceful face. Her eyelids fluttered and then she looked up with surprise. ‘Just don’t ask me what I’m doing here,’ he suggested dryly.
‘I wasn’t about to.’ And then, after a few moments more, she admitted, ‘I’m glad you’re here. I want us to be together.’
She whispered this, holding his stare steadily. Cupping her face, he kissed her long and slow. When he judged the moment right, he brought her into his arms and drew the covers back. When she attempted to raise them again, he tossed them off the bed. ‘You’re beautiful. Why would you want to hide yourself?’ She made a little sound, almost like a suppressed sob. He was already kissing her collarbone so she didn’t see his expression turn grim. He’d arranged for lawyers to deal with her ex and they were already making great strides to bring him down. It wouldn’t be too long before the man faced the justice he so thoroughly deserved. But in the meantime, they could handle it without emotion, which he doubted he could, and anger only provoked a reaction that he wouldn’t risk in case it hurt Samia. She’d suffered enough unkindness for one lifetime.
Stroking her to soothe her down, he dropped kisses on her eyelids and her mouth. At first she covered herself with her arms, and crossed her legs for good measure, but gradually, with whispered inducements in his own language, he encouraged her to loosen up, and, by avoiding any particularly sensitive areas, he finally managed to win her trust. He had no inhibitions, and perhaps it was as well that his brutishly masculine frame was mostly hidden by the darkness of the room. At the same time he wanted her to know every inch of him, as he wanted to know every inch of her. ‘Touch me,’ he encouraged when she sighed.
She stiffened and whispered, ‘I can’t.’
His answer was to take her hand and wrap it around him, at least partway around him, as she would need both her hands to encompass him fully, but he judged it too soon for that. Going by the soft sounds she was making as they kissed, she wasn’t frightened now. She tasted so good, so warm and womanly, and her hand on him was starting to move. Running her fingertips lightly up his shaft until she reached the smooth, rounded tip, she brought her hand slowly down again. The sensation was incredible. This was no practised seductress repeating something she’d done countless times, but a woman discovering what she could do. If he thought too much about it, his much-vaunted control would be dust.
‘Do you like that?’ she murmured with a smile in her voice as he moved her hand away.
‘What do you think?’ he asked, turning her so now he was on top of her.
‘What are you doing?’ she asked as he nudged his way between her thighs.
‘Appreciating you... Pleasuring you,’ he said as he spread her wide. ‘Stroking you...’
She cried out when he said this, and thrust her hips towards him in the hunt for more contact. Cupping her buttocks, he lifted her to meet him so he could give her what she needed.
‘That feels so good,’ she gasped.
‘If I were a betting man I’d say this feels even better...’
A cry escaped her throat, and she tensed momentarily as he took her with just the tip of his straining erection. To help her forget her fears, he added a gentle touch of his slightly roughened finger pad until she was exclaiming with pleasure and couldn’t help herself.
‘Oh,’ she cried out with disappointment when he withdrew, so he stroked her again with the tip, without seeking entry.
‘Sex doesn’t have to be painful or uncomfortable. There’s something wrong if it is. It’s a natural process where I give you pleasure and you pay me back with more.’
‘Sounds good for you.’
‘It is...or it will be.’
