“I’ve always prided myself on efficiency.” He jutted his chin toward her. “Your turn.”
Perhaps her idea hadn’t been so good, after all. With her brain unable to focus on anything other than Simon’s incredible body and with her legs turned to jelly, it was impossible for her to function properly. All she could do was stare at the hard planes of his chest, the ridges that rippled across his belly, and the deep indentations that flowed from his hips and disappeared under his waistband. His arms were a series of hills and valleys that rose and fell in smooth curves. Ida swallowed. He was a masterpiece, sculpted through strenuous physical activity and not at all what one might expect a man of leisure to look like.
Drawn to him like a desert wanderer to a mirage, she raised one hand and took a step forward.
“Ah, ah.” He retreated one step. “The robe, Ida.”
Slightly dazed, she reached for the belt and untied it, then pushed the garment from her shoulders and let it fall. It was her turn to smirk in response to the appreciative glow in his eyes. She knew this particular chemise concealed very little, which was why she’d been shy about shedding her robe while he remained fully clothed. But now, seeing the way he looked at her as if she were some delectable treat he’d been dreaming about for years, she felt emboldened.
“Trousers next,” she whispered in a voice more sultry than she’d expected.
He tilted his head. “I have to remove my shoes first.”
Ida stepped out of her own slippers and arched both brows. “Go ahead.”
His shoes landed with dull thuds against the floor as he kicked them off. And then his hands went to his waistband. “How about if you take your chemise off at the same time. On the count of three?”
“You’d still be wearing your smalls, which wouldn’t be very fair.”
“I can remove both at the same time.”
Ida’s pulse leapt with wild excitement. She nodded. “All right.”
Simon dropped his gaze to her calves. “Go on then. Grab the hem.”
She did as he asked and waited for the count. Somehow, the act of undressing had turned into more than an effort to help her overcome her inhibitions. It was once again about trust and not letting each other down, so the moment she heard him say, “Three,” she pulled her chemise up over her head and flung it aside.
Heat bathed her skin from head to toe when she saw how Simon stared at her. A mixture of awe and desire burned in his eyes, and she knew it had to reflect her own. Because the way he looked, standing there like some Greek god, powerful and strong, was enough to send fiery shivers racing through her.
This time when she moved toward him, he made no attempt to stop her. And when she reached out to trace a path over his stomach, allowing the tips of her fingers to travel across every muscle, she smiled in response to the hiss he emitted.
She was only granted a few more seconds of curious exploration before he captured her lips in a feverish kiss and swept her up into his arms. One moment later she was lowered onto the bed. His hand slid over her hip and across her belly with feather light softness that caused sparks to swirl up inside her. Breaking their kiss, Simon let his mouth travel the length of her body.
“You’re stunning,” he murmured when he planted a kiss against her thigh.
“And you are incredibly skilled,” she sighed in response to the pleasure he gave with each touch.
His wolfish grin matched the devilish gleam in his eyes as he rose above her and settled himself between her thighs. “The best part is yet to come, my darling.” He wove his fingers with hers and gazed down into her upturned face. “There’ll be some discomfort at first, but once that has passed, I’ll make sure you love every moment.”
Ida could only nod. She knew she’d be foolish to put too much weight on the verbal endearment he’d used. It was probably the sort of thing most men would say to a woman in the heat of passion. But it made her feel special all the same. And it made her realize how right she’d been to fear doing this with Simon. After tonight her heart would be in peril, but that was the price she was willing to pay for the splendor of being at one with the man who had come to mean more to her than anyone else.
Distracting her with a soul-searing kiss so intense she barely registered the pain, he joined his body with hers, allowed her a moment to adjust, and then took his time teaching her how to move. It was far more natural than she would have thought and infinitely better than she’d ever imagined. There was a rightness to it that could not be explained except through experience, and then there was more – a rapid build of sensation so dense it felt as if she were absorbing the world. It was too strong, too overwhelming, and just too much. The coil inside her tightened until she was gasping for air.
“Open your eyes,” Simon gritted. “Look at me.”
She did as he asked and was shocked to see the strain on his handsome face. He shifted slightly, adjusted his position and then, just like that, she shattered in a million pieces.
“My God,” she heard him murmur as pure sensation careened through her body, lifting her up and giving her wings with which to fly. A primal groan echoed somewhere in the distance. Ida smiled as she glided back to earth, fully sated and not at all sure she’d be able to stand after what she’d just been through.
A strong arm came around her waist, pulling her up against a hard chest. Warm fingers settled against her hip. “That was incredible,” Simon whispered right next to her ear. A tender kiss followed and then, with a bit more hesitance, “I hope you feel the same.”
Rolling back into his arms so she would be able to meet his gaze, Ida told him sincerely, “It was better than anything I ever could have imagined, and I’m glad I experienced it with you.”
Relief washed over his features, alerting her to how uncertain he had been, how nervous and worried in spite of the confident man he’d put on display. Ida’s heart soared. She only loved him more for it. And yes, she truly did love him, more than she’d ever believed herself capable. Whatever doubts she might have had about her feelings had just been completely obliterated by the incredible experience they’d shared.
“So…” Simon trailed a finger along her shoulder. “Does that mean you’ll want to do it again?”
She looped her arms around his neck. “Most assuredly. But before we begin round two, we should probably see if Miranda is waiting with dinner, because I really am quite ravenous. For food, that is.”
