He continued, his body rolling over and through her. He dropped his mouth to hers and she opened. They devoured, neither one capable of finesse as mind departed and body became king.
She was shocked by how quickly she was lost, her body moving in a natural rhythm, her mind emptying of everything but the intense pleasure that built with each and every thrust. She shook as he continued that wonderful tempo, drawing her forward, forever forward, forever toward release.
When she found it, it was more powerful than it had ever been before. Pleasure exploded within her, and she cried out. He covered her mouth with his to mute the sound, and she keened against his lips as her fingers dug into his shoulders and her body pulsed out of control with wave after wave of release.
He increased the speed of his thrusts, dragging her relentlessly through sensation. His body tensed, he let out a low growl and then rolled away from her as he came against his hand and flopped back on the pillows beside her.
They lay like that for what felt like a blissful eternity, and then he moved to his side once more and faced her. Concern lined his face, erasing the peace that release had seemed to temporarily grant him.
“Are you well?” he whispered.
She shook her head with a smile. “You worry too much about me, Baldwin. I came to this room wanting exactly what just happened. And if my keening and crying out didn’t tell you, I got everything I wanted and more.”
He smiled at her description and leaned in to kiss her. She cupped his cheeks and reveled in him. Reveled in the warmth that remained after this powerful joining, reveled in the still tingling pleasure of her body.
That was a gift, and she would cherish it for the rest of her life.
He pulled back and said, “My prerogative is to worry, Helena, and to take care to make everything about this perfect for you. You deserve that. You deserve so much more than I could ever give.”
Her heart swelled with those words. Swelled with feelings she had been trying to ignore, trying to combat, since the first moment she’d turned and found this man on the terrace watching her count stars.
But there it was, and it was as undeniable as the physical draw between them. She loved him. Suddenly and impossibly and powerfully, she loved this man with all that her heart could hold and even more.
She loved him, and she knew that he could never be his. Except for tonight. Except for here.
She cupped the back of his neck and drew him down for another kiss. This one was slower, though, deeper, and he shifted as he began to stroke his hands over her body. She shivered and pulled away.
“Show me,” she whispered.
His eyes went wide, but his pupils dilated with renewed desire that matched her own. And as he rolled to cover her once more, she surrendered everything to him.
And knew there was some part of her that she would never get back.
Chapter Seventeen
Helena sat in the quiet of a parlor hidden in the back of the house. While the others were napping after yet another day of fun and frolic before they prepared for supper, she was enjoying a book.
Well, enjoying might be too much to say. She was holding a book, she was looking at it. But all she was thinking about was Baldwin and the night before. That sweet, sweet night where he’d made love to her over and over. Pleasure had known no bounds, and she ached from it.
“Oh, Helena, I didn’t know you were up and about.”
Helena shook her head to clear the thoughts of Baldwin, and rose as Adelaide entered the room. Her blonde hair was done loose, as usual, and she wore a blue gown that matched her eyes perfectly. She was gorgeous, but it wasn’t just her pretty face. She had so much confidence.
But Helena knew what Baldwin had said about her. That she had been assaulted, though she was saved before it had gone too far. Somehow Adelaide didn’t show the aftereffects.
Helena wondered if Graham helped Adelaide forget, as Baldwin had done for Helena last night.
“Are you well?” Adelaide asked, her face suddenly lining with concern.
“I’m sorry,” Helena burst out, cheeks filling with color. “I was just staring at you like a ninny.”
“No apologies,” Adelaide assured her as she moved forward to catch Helena’s free hand. “I interrupted your reading. I can go if you’d like to continue it.”
“No,” Helena said, setting the book aside. “I would much enjoy your company if you are offering it.”
Adelaide smiled and they sat together on the settee. She picked up the book. “Oh, Emma wanted to read this one. She keeps going on about it.”
“I’ll pass it on to her as soon as I’m finished,” Helena vowed. “Perhaps I’ll even convince her to write me what she thinks—I’d love to talk to someone about it.”
