Melcombe pushed the dressing gown from her shoulders. Unlike her dress, it was loose and fell to her waist, where she had tied the belt. She shook her arms free and pulled at the shirt tucked into his trousers. If he was going to have access to her bare skin, she wanted access to his. She had this one time and was going to explore to her heart’s content.
Melcombe stepped away for a moment and pulled the shirt over his head, tossing it on the floor. Then in a blink, she was back in his arms. His lips pressed against hers and his hard chest rubbed against her sensitive nipples.
Melcombe untied the belt and her dressing gown pooled on the floor around her feet. She shivered in anticipation and at the heat of his touch. Any chill from earlier was long gone.
He bent and scooped her up in his arms before he deposited her in the middle of the bed. Instead of joining her, he sat on the side and bent to pull his boots off. This moment without his touch made Althea realize just how exposed she truly was. She had never lain naked in the middle of a bed before and pulled the side of the counterpane up to cover her body.
A boot hit the floor with a thud. A second followed and Melcombe turned toward her. He smiled as his eyes darkened to cobalt and he pushed the covers away.
Althea expected him to kiss her, but he lowered his head to her breast and took one nipple in his mouth. Jolts of pleasure shot to her nether regions, and she arched when his hand lifted and caressed her other breast. He suckled and loved both, going from one to the other and Althea thought she was going to die from pleasure.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Altheawasalreadydamp,ready for him. Preston bit the inside of his cheek to keep from moving too fast. She ran from him before and he would not allow her to run this time. She would only do so if he did not do this right. His need could wait. She would find pleasure first and hopefully several times before the night was over.
He sank his fingers into her curls and Althea’s legs fell open. He then pressed, circled, dipped further, then returned to the bud that would bring her release. Her hips rose and she moaned, lost in the pleasure of his touch. He had only dreamed of her returning his passion. This was so much more than he hoped for.
His mouth left her taut nipple and trailed down her stomach. He wasn’t sure if Althea would allow him, but he had to taste her. Her musky scent drew him like bees to a pot of honey.
When his lips met her curls, Althea pulled on his hair. Preston looked up.
“What are you doing?”
“Trust me.” He wasn’t about to explain, and Althea would probably be shocked to her innocent core, but hopefully passion would overcome any reservations.
He moved between her legs, pushing them open to allow for better access, and touched his tongue to where his fingers had once been.
“Oh, goodness.”
Her words were faint but encouraging all the same.
Preston held nothing back. Althea rose off the bed, and he had to anchor her hip to keep her in place. Her moans grew more frequent, and he knew she was close. With one slight adjustment with the pressure of his tongue, her legs tightened as she cried out her release. Preston slowed his movement, bringing her back to earth until her body lay spent on top of the bed.
He then rolled away and stood at the side of her bed, looking down at her glorious body, flushed in the aftermath of her release. Althea gazed up at him, her emerald eyes bright with lingering desire and he quickly divested himself of his trousers and joined her once again. This time he came over her and situated himself between her thighs. His cock probed her entrance. He hesitated but a moment, looked at her once again to make certain that she’d still welcome him.
Althea brought a hand up to caress his cheek. “Please.”
Oh, my, goodness. Althea’s breath still wasn’t regulated, and the aftermath of pleasure thrummed through her veins. She never dreamed it was possible to experience such splintering ecstasy that not only centered at her core but flooded her entire body.
She parted her legs as his member nudged toward her opening. Heat pooled once again, and she didn’t think it was possible for her body to want more. Not after such an explosion, but it did.
Althea tilted her hips, and he sank, stretching her, but not nearly enough. She knew this could not be all of him. She needed him deeper than this. She ached deep inside, much further than where he was. She tilted again.
“Be still.”
Althea looked up at him.
“I will take care of you, but for this time, I need you to be still and let me love you.”
As much as she wanted to draw him into her, Althea allowed Melcombe to decide what was best. He certainly had more experience than she, or at least she assumed he did.
He entered further, but not far enough, and then moved back again. Over and over, going just a bit further each time. Closer, but not yet close enough. She stretched, accommodating him.
Melcombe pulled back, stopped. He leaned forward and took her lips with his and thrust deep inside and then stopped. She held him tight, afraid this was all because she ached deep inside her womb.
Melcombe lifted his head, stared down at her, his cobalt eyes full of concern and another emotion she did not recognize. He dipped and took her lips with his. Gentle at first, then he plunged as he once again returned to the rhythm, moving within her.
He thrust over and over, and the tightness wound inside her like a spring, just as before when he had his mouth down there. She tried to meet his thrust but could not gain purchase on the bed and wrapped her legs around his waist.
