Chapter Nineteen
Ridge awokesometime before dawn.It was the first night in months that he had slept so soundly. In truth, it might have been longer than that, but since he had no reason to keep track of the days unless it coincided with a mission, the hours leading up to this point had blurred and ran together—until Isabella. She had effectively stopped time with her pure spirit.
He glanced at her and tried to commit to memory every lovely curve of her face. Hecouldn’t feel his arm where it restedunderneath Isabella’s head, but he would rather cut it off than wake her. Evenas he turned his head and stared at the window,though,herecognized thatthe sun wouldbemaking an appearance soon, and it wouldn’t do for him to be seen leaving Isabella’s chamber.
Reluctantly, he moved his arm, grimacing when the blood flow rushed back to the appendage. Isabella sighed in her sleep and the coverlet slippeda bit, revealing the tops of her breasts.
And just like that, his arm wasn’t the only appendage to awaken.
Ridge couldn’t resist bending down and capturing one delicate peak in his mouth, while kneading the other with his palm. Isabella’s sigh rapidly turned into a moan as her legs moved restlessly. Heslipped a hand below the covers and began to stroke her gently.
Her lips parted and her eyes fluttered open as she looked at him. His cock jerked at the desire he read there, eager to dive into her wet heat, but he vowed that he wouldn’t gain his release until he’d awoken her properly.
He captured her mouth with his and when she came apart, he absorbed every bit of her satisfaction. Only then did he sit up and move toward the edge of the bed where he urged her to straddle him. He could tell it was torture for both of them as he slowly lowered her down onto his cock. She grasped his arms as he took hold of her hips and sent them on a relentless pace.
Ridge was close to release after Isabella moanedwithher second orgasm, but when he started to withdraw, she ground her pelvis down on him and he was lost. Hegave a shout andexploded inside of her,coming just shy ofblackingout from theintensegratification.
For all the women he’d had in his lifetime, the endless rounds of lovemaking, nothing had ever compared to what he felt with Isabella.
And nothing ever would again.
She was still sitting on his lap, so he pulled her close, kissed her deeply, and drew back far enough tomurmur, “Good morning, my lady.”
Her laugh touched his soul with all the light of the sun. “Indeed,it is,Mr. Claymoore.”
He gently eased her off him,slid from her bed,and rose to his feet. He could easily staythere all day, spending the hours inmutual pleasure, but reality awaited him beyond her chamber door.
Ridge slipped on his trousers and fastened them before turning back to her. He was relieved to see that she’d wrapped the blanket around her like a toga. As he grabbed his shirt and jacketfrom where he’d let them fall the night before, something dropped to the stone floor. Isabella leaned down and picked up hisdeck ofcards.
She inspected them carefully. “You really do carry them around with you all the time, don’t you?” she murmured. She handed themover,and he put them back where he always kept them, close to his heart. She tilted her head to the side. “Can I ask why they’re so important?”
He hesitated for a moment, and then decided that there was no point in denying her query. “I believe I told you that they came from someone with ties to antiquities.” When she nodded, he added, “Supposedly,my father gave them to my mother not long after they met.”
“Is that where you got the coin too?”
Her recollection ofthe other item he generally toted around with himbrought no surprise. “No.That issomething I…procured later.”
He didn’t want to tell her that he’d received it fromhis firstmistress, but something to that effect must have shown on his face, for she said,“Oh. I see.”
Isabella’sdisappointment was so tangibleas shepickedat a stray thread on the blanket. With her red hair tumbling over her shoulders, he wanted to lay her back and prove, once again,how much she meant to him, but instead, he grasped her chin and forced her to look at him. “You are worth a thousand of these coins,” he whispered. “I’llgo down to the beach andtoss it in thesearight nowif that will bring a smile back to your face—”
Sheshook herheadand placed a hand on his chest when he fell silent. “No. It’s part of who you are. I want you to keep it. Besides—”she grinned. “I still need to practice.”
His lips twitched.“Indeed, you do.”
With another quick kiss, Ridgestarted for the door, knowing that if he didn’t leave now, he never would. He unlocked the bolt and turned back to her, knowing he should say something. And while it might sound rather inane, he murmured,“I’ll see you later.”He shut the door behind him,and thenexpelled a heavy breath.
After a moment, he forced himself to push away.
***
Isabellaknewthat she shouldn’t be so eager to see Ridge again. After all, it had beenjusta coupleofhours since he’d left her rooms—herbed.
Shivers of delight crawled up her spine whenever she thought of last night and the incredible intimacy that they’d shared. It was like nothing she’d ever imagined, but then, she supposed the act of lovemaking could be rather special whena womanloved the personshe waswith. Otherwise, it just became meaningless and empty, a temporary diversion from life.
Even Claudia had remarked on her good mood, right beforeshe’d noticed the rumpled bedcovers.But then, her maid’s expression turned crestfallen. “Oh, my lady—”
Isabella had held up a hand. “Stop right there. Please, I just want to…bask in the moment a bit longer before reality intrudes.”
