When he slowly pulled almost all the way out of her, she moved her hands on his shoulders. “What...?”
He slid a warm hand along her side, his thumb brushing the side of her breast. “Hang on to me,” he whispered. He pushed back into her, this time until he was as deep as he could go.
Anne inhaled slowly, nodding in the pillow even as she lifted her knees so they gripped his thighs.
Tom groaned his appreciation, resuming the retreat and thrusting motions of a dance as ancient as time. On his fourth thrust, Anne lifted her hips to meet his, and it was nearly his undoing. “Oh, my sweet, I do love you,” he whispered, his breathing ragged as he continued the movements that soon had him holding his breath and his body seizing as his orgasm gripped him in pure pleasure.
Anne slid her hands from his shoulders as his arms seemed to lose all their strength. When he nearly fell onto her, his chest pressed to hers, she wrapped her arms around his back and held on as he rolled onto his back.
Not letting go, Anne gasped, her eyes wide as she stared down at him. “Are you all right?”
He chuckled softly when he realized she had held onto him, her thighs still gripping his, her chest against his, her gaze one of concern.
Nodding, he said, “Better than I have been in my entire life, my love. And you?” His slid his hands up and down her sides, well aware her body still trembled.
She managed a wan grin. “Will we do it again?”
His eyes rounded. “Tonight?”
Blinking, she was hesitant with her nod.
Chuckling again, he seemed to think on it a moment before he said, “Well, mayhap in the morning, before we... before we have to leave this wonderful bed?” he countered.
She nodded. “All right. May I stay where I am?” She straightened her legs, wincing when his manhood left her body.
Grinning, he lifted his head to kiss her on the lips. “For the entire night if you’d like.” He watched as she reached around to pull the bed linens over their bodies and settle her head onto his chest. Kissing her on the top of her head, he whispered, “Good night, my love,” and promptly fell asleep.
Atop him, Anne wondered how he could sleep. Her entire body seemed to buzz with excitement, her nerve endings behaving as if they had been asleep her entire life. She was aware of every thread in the bed linens and of the warm body below, of his pulse beneath her ear and the way it caused a tremor in his chest with every heartbeat. Of the scent of woodsmoke from the fireplace and the quiet crackles as the fire consumed the logs. Of the sounds of the house as the rooms cooled with the winter chill beyond the outer walls.
Eventually, she fell asleep, her last thought that she was betrothed to be married and would soon be moving to London.
