She felt a nudge against her curls, even though his hands were still touching her cheeks as they lay on their sides, face-to-face. “Rest your knee on top of mine.”
She did as he suggested, opening a vee between her legs. She looked down and saw him pushing back toward her, and heat swirled again. The tip of him pushed against her, just as his fingers had, and the sounds returned.
“Just a little bit at a time. I want you to push against me every time you feel able.”
She gave a little push and felt some resistance. She paused. He kissed her.
“Sweet and slippery. Your body needs to adjust,” he whispered against her lips.
He touched her nipple with his free hand, lightly pulling the tip between his fingers. She arched toward him, the heat below demanding satisfaction. Another inch inside.
“Shhh. Just hold yourself there for a second.” He continued to play with her breast, and she gritted her teeth to keep from moving. He pulled out a bit and then pushed back in. A wave of heaviness passed over her head. Anxiety to move. To reach something.
“Halfway, love. Which—”
She grabbed his head and pulled him toward her, kissing him hard. Breaking his touch on her breast and dragging him inside. His eyes were bright green and triumphant when he pulled away.
He flipped them so he was lying on top of her, his hands braced on either side of her head. He pulled out and gave a short thrust and then another, the promised slide materializing as he pushed farther in. Her feet scrambled on the bed, trying to find purchase to push up, to reach that heat that everything to this point had promised.
“Keep pushing, that’s right. Wrap your legs around me. Follow everything your body tells you and let go of the rest.”
He pulled out and thrust all the way inside her. Her head fell back, the feeling too much, and she moaned, deep and loud. She was too far gone to feel embarrassment. She just wanted relief.
“Don’t forget to breathe, Marietta. Deep breaths. Moaning is good. That’s right.”
He thrust in again, the long length of him spearing her and lifting her an inch off the bed. Her legs, wrapped around him, pushing forward, to touch the place that he had just rubbed. He pulled back, and when he thrust this time she lifted her hips to meet him. The edge of her vision went hazy. Sparks of flint ignited, she could feel her mouth caught in a silent scream.
“Sweet and lovely. Let go, love.”
He thrust again and again and she barely could lift her hips as she followed his direction and let go of everything. Moaning and gasping against his shoulder, she burst apart in his arms, butterflies scattering to the four corners of the room.
Chapter 10
Gabriel awakened abruptly to a vigorous knock on the front door. He glanced at the clock to see the hands lethargically indicating a hair past five in the morning. He hadn’t planned on rising for thirty more minutes. Sixty if he was feeling lazy.
A lock of brown hair slid along his arm. He was definitely feeling lazy. Perhaps he would stay in bed all day. He looked over to see the brown head buried into a pillow at his side. He lifted a hand to lightly touch her back. He had never invited a woman to his bed, choosing other locations instead, but she looked natural there.
A heavy knock fell again, and he suddenly realized where he was, with no butler to answer the door. Off his game again.
He threw back the covers on his side and grabbed a dressing robe. As his brain started reasserting itself, he hoped whoever was at the door realized their days were numbered. He saw Marietta’s body shift in his peripheral vision as he stormed from the room. The knocking continued.
He opened the front door to see one of his footmen, Billy, standing on the stoop looking apoplectic. Gabriel motioned him inside and counted to ten.
“Mr. Charlie sent me, sir. He said to give this to you immediately.”
Gabriel took the missive and opened it. “Why didn’t you just come inside and awaken me?”
“Forgot the key in my rush. Mr. Charlie said it was of the utmost importance that I get this to you immediately. Sorry, sir. Won’t do it again, sir.”
Gabriel started to mutter something suitably terrifying, which would even have cowed Charlie, his giant butler, when his brain caught up to the realization that Marietta had been in bed with him and the whole thing might have beenawkward.Billy was looking terrified already, and Gabriel decided to rib him instead, until his eyes caught the first paragraph.
The paper crinkled in his fingers. “Did you bring the carriage?”
“Yes sir, out front, it is.”
“Good, stay here.”
Gabriel took the steps two at a time. Another murder. All remnants of sleep cleared from his head, as he’d been taught to do in his youth. They would have to free Marietta’s brother now. That was the good news. That the real killer was still running around, and Marietta would be leaving him, was the bad.
