Suddenly, he swooped her up into his arms and took her to the bed, where he placed her down as gently as a feather.
Immediately, Keira forgot about everything. This was totally unlike her. This was forbidden. This was sinful. This would bear consequences if someone was ever to find out, but she easily forgot about all that, kissing him back as if that was the last kiss she would ever give, and the last kiss she would ever receive. Her body yearned for this man, for his touch, for his lips, and he could sense her raw need.
All conscious thought was banished by the touch of his hand on her thigh. She felt the gentle caress of the hem of her nightgown being pulled up, pooling around her waist. She moaned again, more loudly this time. He bit her lower lip again, and it was the most delicious feeling.
Rage turned into even more desire, with that same lack of control, with that same ferocity. His hand was now on her breast. Although there was a thin layer of silk separating hernaked skin from the burning palm of his hand, she could still feel him. Her nipple pebbled under his touch. Everything about her reacted to him, painfully aware of what he was doing to her, bringing her to the brink of ecstasy so easily.
Deciding to be bold herself, she sucked on his tongue, pulling him closer to herself as his other hand traveled up her inner thigh.
“Should I stop?” he suddenly asked, teasing her. There was that grin of his that she couldn’t resist.
“Don’t stop,” she dared to reply. “Not now…”
“Only if ye tell me how ye feel,” he said playfully, kissing her neck up to her earlobe, his finger gently caressing her most intimate flesh.
His voice in combination with his fingers made her feel weaker than ever. Her insides were on fire. She was burning, and it was all because of him.
“Wonderful…” she breathed, her eyes closed, relishing the sensation, opening her legs to allow his hand more freedom to do whatever he wanted to her.
If she had any modicum of honor, she would rush back to her chamber. But this was why she was here. This was why she had followed him—to feel pleasure before forgetting all about it.Only now, she wasn’t certain that would be possible, for he was showing her more than she had ever expected.
His finger teased her, separating her wet folds gently, like a flower covered in morning dew. His face lifted to meet hers. They were so close, she could see deeply into his eyes. This was a new moment for them, an intimacy she hadn’t predicted. He was playing with her, this wonderful, wicked man, and she loved every moment of it. His thumb rubbed against her swollen pearl, causing friction and pleasure at the same time.
While he pleasured her, his lips took hers in a kiss that demanded everything of her, a kiss that would never again be matched by any other man in the world. Keira knew that much.
The delight of his touch was a pleasure she had not known existed, and she felt as if her entire core was inflamed. It was a tidal wave of delight, which swept her away.
She moaned against his lips, so hungry for him, so wet. There was nothing she wanted more than to stay in his arms forever, to feel this sensation over and over again.
Her entire body was trembling, thrilled to its very core, yearning to release all this pent-up desire. His breath was hissing against her lips, warm and moist, as his fingers worked her petal-pink lips to madness. He knew exactly what to do, how to play her like a virtuoso, so she would make the most wonderful music and spill it onto his very hands.
Holding on had become torture. She wanted release. No, sheyearnedfor it. Shehadto have it.
She had already been brought to the brink of the precipice, and both his fingers and kisses pushed her down so easily. She felt as if she was falling as the sensation hit her, without a warning, absolutely cataclysmic. It was nothing short of blissful, as her heart pounded, her entire body trembled, and her breath caught in her throat.
For a moment, it felt as if she had died and gone to Heaven. A caress brought her back to the present moment.
“How do ye feel?” Raphael asked again.
“Beyond wonderful.” She smiled as he pressed his lips to hers.
Wrapped in the afterglow of their impulsive passion, she felt him embrace her. She wasn’t aware when she fell asleep. It was a stolen moment, a fragment of time where they were able to forget about everything, and it was beyond anything she could have hoped for.
But this feeling didn’t come without its own peril, and she knew that she would need to face it sooner rather than later.
16
It was still the middle of the night when Keira tiptoed through the shadows of Raphael’s chamber, her movements careful and deliberate, aiming not to disturb his peaceful slumber. The flickering candlelight cast a gentle glow over the room, revealing the traces of their previous intimacy.
She didn’t want to be here when he woke up. In fact, she feared this situation for reasons she refused to acknowledge right now.
As she made her way to the door, she stole one last glance at the man who had stirred her soul in ways she hadn’t imagined. Raphael lay still, the lines of worry and burden temporarily softened in his slumber.
She felt a pang of guilt for leaving without a word, but she knew the complexities of their circumstances. With a sigh, she slipped out of the room and into the dimly lit corridor, her thoughts a tornado of emotions.
What have I done?
She shook her head. Was it a stupid mistake? Was it what she had come for? Was it what she would stay for and lose her head over? There were so many questions swarming inside her mind, and most shockingly, she knew the answers to every single one of them. Only, she refused to acknowledge them.
