Regina cried out. Her fingers tightened in his hair, her thighs quaked. Her spine arched off the mattress with the force of her release. Daffin didn’t relent until she breathed his name and fell back against the pillows.
He straightened, breathing hard, as his gaze anxiously searched her face. Tears leaked from the corners of her eyes, but they were tears of wonder, not dismay. Daffin uttered a breathless laugh of relief, of joy. He had given her the greatest pleasure. Doing so—despite the unanswered ache of his own body—had granted himself the same.
Daffin pushed himself up to lie at her side and drew her night rail down to cover her. He remained silent while her breathing evened out. He lay on his back and stared at the canopy overhead, willing his own desire back to a manageable place.
Finally he pulled her tightly against him and kissed her ear. “What do you think?” He would give anything to bury himself inside of her, but this would be as far as they ever went. Perhaps he shouldn’t have waited so long to do this. He’d been able to pleasure her without ruining her. The perfect compromise between her wish and his unworthiness.
Regina blinked once, twice. Then she closed her eyes, shifted to face him, and stretched like a satisfied cat. “That was the most extraordinary thing that has ever happened to my body.”
He grinned, brought her hand to his mouth, and kissed the back of it. “My pleasure, my lady.”
“It wasmypleasure.”
He laughed and brushed a dark curl away from her cheek. “Was it what you expected?” Curiosity spurred him to ask.
“No.” She shook her head. “It was better than what I expected. Much better.”
He rubbed a knuckle across her cheekbone. “Don’t make me arrogant.”
“You should be arrogant afterthat.”
He leaned up on an elbow and searched her face, becoming entirely serious. “Regina, you must agree, we cannot do more than that and we must not allow it to happen ever again.”
She rose on her elbow too and stared right back at him. “I agree to no such thing.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Sunlight streaked through the windows of her bedchamber. Regina rolled over and threw her arm across her eyes. Her head pounded. She groaned. The memory of what had happened last night galloped into her brain. She pulled her arm away from her face and shot upright, then groaned again when the bright sunlight hit her eyes.
Oh, dear God, what she’d done with Daffin last night! A slight smile curled her lips.
She’d had a wonderful time. Better than wonderful, actually. The wordmagnificentcame to mind but she still wanted more. She couldn’t help herself. Daffin had wanted her last night, too. She could feel it. She’d wanted to touch him, but he’d refused.
After he’d given her the most satisfying physical experience of her life, he’d lifted her from the bed, stood her up, smoothed her night rail back down her legs and up over her shoulders, and belted her firmly into her dressing gown. Thenhe’d stuck his head out the door, checked the corridor, and asked her in a loud whisper, “How far is your bedchamber?”
“Only four doors to the right.” She braced her hand against the wall, still feeling woozy from the wine and the lovemaking.
He grasped her hand and pulled her quickly into the corridor and down to her room. He nodded to the door for her approval and she nodded back. He opened the door and spun her inside. “Good night, Regina,” he said, kissing her outstretched hand. “Merry Christmas. Sleep well.” Then the door closed in her face, and he was gone.
She had turned to face her bed, spread her arms into the air, and whispered, “Merry Christmas to me,” before sliding between the soft cool linens. She blinked into the darkness for a moment or two, feeling as if she were floating on a cloud, and quickly fell into a deep sleep, in which she dreamed about Daffin and his magical mouth and hands. She didn’t want to wake up. Not after all that.
Now she stared at the ceiling of her bedchamber, a blush heating her cheeks. She’d have to face him today after they’d done allthattogether and his mouth had been on places she wasn’t certain she’d ever evenseen.
If that wasn’t enough, there was another reason not to get out of bed today. Christmas dinner… with the Earl of Dryden.
The encounter would be nothing but awkward, especially when her mind kept playing scenes from her time in Daffin’s bed.
She sighed and pushed herself up on her palms. Might as well get this day over with. She tossed back the covers and rang for Genevieve. The clock on the mantel showed she was already late for Christmas breakfast.
Less than half an hour later, she strolled calmly into thebreakfast room, dressed in a white satin gown with a red sash around the waist. Nicole and Mark were there, and so was Daffin.
She pressed her lips together and silently slid into a seat next to Nicole.
“Good morning and Merry Christmas,” Nicole said.
“Good morning. Merry Christmas,” Regina replied, hoping her greeting would suffice for the entire table. She asked a maid for a cup of tea before she dared a glance at Daffin. He was digging into his eggs, a smile riding his lips as if he hadn’t a care in the world.
For a moment she wondered if she’d dreamed the entire episode last night. But then his gaze caught hers, and he gave her an unmistakable wink. She took a sip of tea.
