“Okay,” she responded breathlessly. “We can do that.”
He let out a gravelly laugh.
Turning toward him, her hand moved down his abdomen. She traced the chiseled outline of his hip, threatening to go lower, feeling the restraint in his muscles, the tension in him. She wrapped her fingers around his hardness, thick and substantial, and squeezed gently, eliciting a groan from his lips. He kissed her fiercely, his tongue fighting for dominance as she moved her hand up and down again and again, stroking his considerable length.
“Fuck…” he groaned.
He moved her body, lifting her to straddle him as he lay back, the sounds of their labored breathing filling the small cabin. The ceiling was too low for her to sit up, so she hovered over him, using her knees for balance, and they locked eyes in the dark night.
“You okay?” he asked, his hands running down her thighs.
“Yeah,” she breathed. “Promise.”
A hint of that crooked smile, then she slowly sank down onto him, the stretch already addictive and familiar, and a moan escaped her throat.
She started to move slowly but deliberately, a steady pace to satisfy the need already building again deep within her core. His hands ran up over her chest, teasing her, then down her arms until he grabbed one of her hands. He held it, entwining his long fingers with hers.
“Lizzy…” he whispered, moving his other hand to her jaw to pull her over him and press his lips against hers.
Their rhythm picked up and then, suddenly, there was no wayshe could be quiet. She gasped loudly, moaning and demanding more as her hand tightened around his.
“God, you’re gorgeous,” he growled. Then his arm was around her waist, flipping her onto her back. He grasped one of her thighs, hiking it over his hip, so the angle was deeper, and he was rewarded with a string of soft whimpers.
“Yes…yes,” she moaned. “Will…”
It was all the coaxing he needed. He snapped his hips into her, a slowly building crescendo. Then his hand journeyed down her stomach, lower, and his thumb circled her, slowly applying pressure until something inside her exploded.
She cried out, waves of pleasure crashing over her as she shuddered underneath him. He watched, his gaze intense and movements offbeat and frenetic, until he finally threw his head back and came with a groan.
They were still for a long moment, clinging to each other, the sound of their ravaged breathing filling the small space until he finally fell beside her.
She exhaled, turning to look at his profile illuminated by the smallest sliver of moonlight streaming in through the cabin window. His eyes were closed as he reached over, wrapping his arm around her waist and bringing her back to his chest to cradle her body against his.
There were sure to be a million different problems to tackle tomorrow. She had to figure out logistics for Columbia, help her family adjust to running the bakery… But where anxiety usually rose to fill her chest, there was nothing but warmth and peace. Then Will sighed, his breath falling in her hair, and suddenly, every ounce of worry left in her body disappeared. She didn’t need to face tomorrow alone. She never would. They would face it all together.
CHAPTER 37
The morning sun filtered through the small boat window, waking Will. He turned to his side, barely registering the lumpy mattress or the threadbare quilt. Then the memory of last night came rushing back and he opened his eyes. Elizabeth Bennet was asleep next to him, lying on her stomach with half the quilt draped low across her naked back. The second he shifted, she opened one eye, then closed it again with a groan.
“Morning,” he whispered.
The corners of her mouth turned up, even as her eyes stayed closed.
“Hmmm,” she said groggily. Her hair was fanned out across her pillow, a halo of crimson and copper and rust. He picked up a few strands and softly rubbed them between two fingers, entranced by how the color changed in the morning light.
He had flown out to East Hampton last night to tell her the truth, to admit that despite her wishes, he had intervened to help Mary. He hadn’t expected Lizzy to forgive him, but he had to try. He loved her too much to give up now. So how had they ended up here? He was still trying to work it out in his head. In themeantime, though, he was going to take his damn time soaking in this beautiful woman he loved, and who, for some reason, actually loved him back.
“You’re staring,” she said, opening one eye to look at him.
“That all right?”
She sighed, stretching her arms above her head. “I’m used to it.”
“Oh really?”
“Yup. You’re very good at it. Probably one of the reasons I fell in love with you.”
The words hit the same warm part of his chest as they had last night. “Is that so?”
