"No, my lord. Wait," Leila bade him when shesaw his intent.
She could tell he was aroused from the hungry way hewas looking at her and the provocative swelling beneath his short trousers, butshe wasn't finished yet. She loosened her thick braid with trembling fingers.She was aroused herself just from the magnificent sight of him. With a lighttoss of her head, her long silken tresses rippled around her body like acrimped veil. She knew how much he loved her hair.
Leila approached the bed slowly, giving herself time toadmire his masculine beauty, which earlier she had done her best to ignore. Shenever ceased to be amazed by the massive breadth of his shoulders or the hardmuscles which bound him; she ached to feel their rippling strength beneath herfingers once more. "Let me, my lord," she insisted when she finallyreached the bed.
Guy did not protest when she pushed his hands away fromthe drawstring at his waist and finished untying it for him. Then she began topull hisbraiesfrom his hips; he helped her bylifting his buttocks. She inhaled softly when his manhood sprang free, but sheconcentrated for the moment on sliding the trousers carefully from his legs.
"You may sit against those pillows as you are now,"Leila admonished him gently, climbing onto the bed as she tossed away hisbraies, "or you may lie on your back. But nothing elsebecause of your wound." When he did not move, his eyes devouring her, shestraddled his hips gracefully and rested her hands on his broad shoulders. Shegasped when he took an aroused nipple into his mouth, but she shook her headand pushed him back. "No, my lord. Allow me to pleasure you."
She leaned toward him and kissed him deeply then, herheart thudding painfully. It was hard to forget that everything she was doingwould be for the last time, but she made a brave attempt. She didn't want himto sense that anything was wrong.
As her lips strayed from his mouth to his throat, hersplayed fingers glided down his hard, ridged stomach. She found what she wasseeking, for his smooth shaft seemed to jump into her hand. When she caressedaway the wetness already on its tip with her thumb, he moaned softly.
"Leila, no. I don't think I can bear—"
"Shhh," shewhispered, leaving a trail of tender kisses along his scarred right shoulder.
Tears stung her eyes as memories crowded in upon her,but she willed them away. She edged her knees backward as she forged apassionate path down his furred chest, her racing senses reveling in thefamiliar taste of his skin and the musky, male scent of him.
Her tongue dipped into his navel and he groaned, hiships arching slightly. She licked and nipped her way down the dark line of hishair which she found so erotic and was amazed to recall that she had onceconsidered body hair offensive.
Even more seductive was the nest of brown curls betweenhis legs. She enmeshed her fingers in them, her nails lightly grazing the thickbase of his shaft. Guy arched again, more wildly this time, but it was nothingto when she kissed him up and down the silken length. He cried out her name,rearing and groaning as she took him fully into her mouth. Using her lips,tongue, and even her eyelashes, she plied him with all the special techniquesshe had been taught.
Leila derived immense satisfaction from his enjoymentand she intensified her caresses, encircling him with both hands and slowlypumping. She could taste him upon her tongue, his skin slippery wet, and shethought fleetingly of the many nights when his mouth had explored the sensitiverecesses of her body until she had screamed with ecstasy. She knew he was closeto climax, but she didn't want him to spurt his seed just yet. She longed tofeel him deep inside her body one last time.
Leila raised her head just as Guy was reaching for her.His eyes were stormy with passion as he dragged her toward him, his mouthcapturing hers. She gasped when he lifted her hips and impaled her upon hismagnificent erection, and she was not surprised that she was slick and readyfor him. His pleasure had already aroused her beyond measure.
"Now it's my turn, my beautiful, beautiful love,"Guy whispered jaggedly against her lips. Holding her buttocks, he drove upwarduntil she was full of him, his throbbing strength and power sheathed in herbody's tight embrace.
Lifting her head, Leila clutched wildly at the pillows,her fingers digging into them as Guy effortlessly slid her back and forth ontop of him in rhythm with his demanding thrusts.
Each time she moved forward, his tongue was a flickingflame at her breasts, and she whimpered incoherently at the deliciouscombination. It was all sweetness and fire and she closed her eyes tightly,moaning when the sensations grew too hot, too intense . . .
"Hold me, Guy!" she cried, hovering at thebrink of rapture for the barest instant until she felt him shudder and explodedeep within her, his release igniting her bliss. With lips fused and breathsmerging, together they plummeted headlong into that incredible oblivion.
Long moments later, Leila very slowly relaxed her gripon the pillows.
Utterly sated, her head resting upon his shoulder andher body still trembling with echoes of their passion, she could see nothingthrough the tangled web of hair covering her face. But in one movement, Guyswept it from her cheek and gazed lovingly into her eyes.
"Now I know I am yet alive and this is not adream," he whispered, tracing the soft curve of her cheekbone.
Leila could have cried out aloud as her false sense ofpeace and contentment shattered into sharp, glittering shards, his wordsbringing harsh reality crashing in around her.
And with it came pain. Terrible, heart-wrenching pain.She was being torn in two, her desire to tell him how dearly she loved himthreatening to overwhelm her decision to leave. She knew that if she did notfree herself from his arms quickly, her resolve would vanish. Reluctantly shebegan to pull away, but Guy only tightened his embrace.
"Why must you hasten from me, my love?" heasked, kissing the tip of her nose. "We have the whole afternoon—"
She silenced him with a finger to his lips and adoptedher mostphysicianliketone, though it was all shecould do to keep her voice steady. "No, my lord. You must rest now. It isimportant that you regain your strength, for I doubt you wish to stay abed formore than a week."
"Indeed I do not." He loosened his hold alittle,thenseemed to reconsider. His hands movedcaressingly up and down her slender back. "Stay with me awhile longer,Leila."
She shivered at his touch, recklessly tempted tolinger. Somehow she managed to answer convincingly, "I cannot. I may havepatients waiting for me in the hospital."
Guy frowned, but she knew it was feigned from the amusementlighting his eyes. "I can see now that I have a rival for your attentions,my lady." He squeezed her bottom playfully,thensuddenly sobered. "If it makes you happy, I suppose I can bear it. We willhave tonight."
"Yes," shelied, herheart breaking. "We will have tonight."
Forcing a small smile, she lifted herself from him andclimbed from the bed. She felt his gaze upon her as she dressed hurriedly, andwas grateful for the room's darkness so he wouldn't see how her hands wereshaking. She took another moment to twist her hair into a loose braid, tyingoff the end with a ribbon as she walked to the door.
