CHAPTER12
If Valaria had tried to convince herself that she had overstated the pleasure of Callum’s mouth on hers, the moment he kissed her again, she realized it was quite the opposite.She’d heard friends describe a kiss as explosive, and now she understood.The pressure of his fingers against her jawline, the brush of his lips against her own, the taste of his tongue, it was all so perfect.As if he had been designed for her specific pleasure.
The kiss shifted, deepened as he made a soft sound of pleasure against her lips and slid his hand up and into her hair.
“What do you want?”he whispered against her mouth, the words muffled.
She gripped the lapels of his jacket and lifted into him, reaching for more and more before she answered, “You.I want you.All of you.”
He pulled back a fraction, his eyes wide as he explored her face.Then he nodded.“Shall we retire to your bedroom?Because what I want to do will require far more than a flimsy chaise this time.”
She could hardly breathe.Here was an opportunity to say no.But she didn’t want to do that.She wanted exactly what he offered.So she stepped from his arms, took his hand and led him from the room.They moved up the stairs together, his thumb constantly moving against the webbing between her thumb and forefinger.And even that simple touch drove her wild, put her on edge.
When they reached her chamber, she hesitated.Once he came into this room, some memory of him would always remain here.That could be wonderful.It could be terrible.
But when he leaned in and pressed a kiss to the back of her neck, his hand settling possessively on her hip, she knew she wanted to risk it.She needed to do so, as much as she needed to breathe.
She opened the door and they stumbled in together.He reached behind himself and shut the door, then pivoted her against it, pinning her there as he kissed her again, this time wild and heated and driven in a way he hadn’t allowed before.That touch and the promise it made burned through her like wildfire, making her arch against him as he cupped her backside and ground gently against her, letting her feel how hard he was already.
“Oh God,” she whispered, burying her head against his neck, her nose tickled by the edge of his cravat.
He made a low chuckle, deep in his chest.A sound of confidence, of certainty that he was going to give her exactly what she needed.From another man it would have been irritating, but from him it inspired excitement, anticipation.
And a tinge of anxiety.She had built this up so high in her head—could he ever live up to it?
She was about to find out.
“Lock the door to my dressing room,” she whispered.“I don’t want anyone coming in.”
He tilted her chin up toward his and kissed her gently as he reached around and locked the door to the hallway first.“A very good idea,” he said.
He pulled away, the loss of his warmth making her shiver.She watched him saunter across the room, turn the key in the door to the dressing room.And now they had privacy.They had time.
He pivoted to face her, his light brown eyes roving over her with hunger, and then gentling.“You don’t need to be nervous,” he said.
“Need to be and cannot control being are two different things,” she said with a shaky laugh.“It’s been a while since I did this and never with a man who had so much…so much focus on me.Like he could see into every desire I’ve ever hidden.”
His brow wrinkled.“I would love to fulfill every desire you’ve ever hidden.You deserve to be satisfied, pleasured, made weak with release.”He motioned to the bed.“Please.”
She glanced where he indicated and then slowly did as she had been told.She stopped at the edge of the mattress and faced him, only to find he had removed his jacket and was working now on the buttons of his waistcoat.
“What are you doing?”she gasped.
“Oh no,” he said with a laugh.“If that is where we’re starting, I have a great deal of work to do.My dear, when a man wants a woman and they have agreed to make love, nakedness is required.”
She rolled her eyes, a little of her fear dissipated by his teasing.“Iknowthat.I just didn’t expect you strip first.”
“There is nothing I would rather do than unwrap you from that pretty gown and lick every inch of your body.But you said you were nervous, so I hope that if I…” He paused to shed the waistcoat and began untying and unwrapping his cravat.“…am naked first, it will ease your mind a little.”
The cravat fluttered to the floor and he stripped the buttons of his shirt swiftly before he tugged it over his head with one hand.
She stared.He was…well, she had never seen anything like this man.The lanky, lean body that made him cut such a striking figure in clothing was even more shockingly beautiful devoid of them.His broad shoulders led to a tapered waist and a lightly muscled stomach.His chest had a lovely V of hair that trailed off into the waist of his trousers like a path directing her to heaven.
“This does nothing to ease my mind,” she choked out.
“Why?”he asked.
“Because all I can think about is touching you.”
