Page 78 of Scandalous: Family Ties and Spies

It didn’t matter that he’d been unaware Amalie was listening. He should have followed through on his instincts to tell Miriam to stop spewing her poison. Vicious words that had left their mark. Pain he could see in the hued shadows of her face right now. Although she’d not said so, Valeran was certain Amalie had suffered the cruelty of others for having a body as lush as Venus’s.

“Amalie, the first time I saw you clearly was that day on the cnoc beag. Your curves were soft and delightfully feminine. When you fell into my arms, my first reaction was how perfectly your body fit mine. I’d never wanted to explore a woman’s curves more than I did yours at that moment.”

Valeran brushed the back of his hand across her cheek before his fingers traced a path down the line of her neck, then along her sweetly rounded shoulders to the curve of her full breast. A shudder pulsed out of her into him. He bent his head to brush his lips over the top of her breast as his hand slid down to cup her.

“When your breasts pressed into my chest that day, I knew that if they were bared to me, you’d be incredibly lush and full. My desire for you that day was stronger than anything I’ve ever felt for a woman before. It’s only strengthen since then.

A small gasp escaped her, and the shadows of her eyes said she was staring up at him in amazement or shock. He couldn’t tell which, but he knew he’d surprised her. Valeran closed his eyes for a moment. Words bombarded his mind, and his cock stirred at the images they invoked. Valeran dragged in a deep breath.

“I’ll never be able to see your eyes sparkling with anger, the color of your hair in the sunlight, or even the color of your full, sweet mouth,” he said quietly as his fingers stroked her shoulder in a gentle caress. “I’ve always been able to see the delectable curves of your body. But tonight was the first time you allowed me to see all of you. When you barged into my room a little while ago without a stitch of clothing, you took my breath away. It was the first time your shadow was completely exposed to me, and what I’d envisioned in my mind was nothing compared to the truth of how beautiful you truly are.”

“I…But I am nae—”

“Don’t argue with me, Amalie. The minute my door crashed open, you entered this room as if you were Boadicea demanding my surrender. You have no idea how close I was to pouncing on you at that moment. And heaven help me, when that siren voice of yours declared I was to fuck you and make you scream my name, I didn’t know whether to pull you down to the floor and ravish you right there and then or laugh to save you the pain. I laughed, because you really had surprised me, and even as badly as I wanted you at that precise moment, I knew it would be painful for you. I didn’t want you to associate my touch with pain.”

The shudder sweeping through her vibrated against his body, stirring it to life as desire began to rise inside him. Valeran grimaced in an effort to control the need, knowing full well he couldn’t. He swallowed hard.

“But my God, woman, you have no idea how close you came to being ravaged on the floor by a man consumed with desire for his wife. A delectable mouse whose body fits his so sweetly. Even now, my cock is hungry for you.”

Valeran rolled onto his back as he caught her hand and guided it downward. If he was going to save her pain and satisfy his own needs, her lessons in the pleasures of the bedroom would have to start now. But his wife was clever, and he knew she would learn quickly. The instant he taught her fingers how to grip him, he jerked at the lust pounding its way downward. God help him, he wanted more than just her hand wrapped around him, but he was determined not to hurt her. Desire tightened his throat, and he struggled to speak.

”See how much I want to bury myself inside you?” he choked out. “But I won’t.”

Valeran cried out as her fingers tightened around him a bit harder than was comfortable. His hand forced her to ease her grip, but a second later, her fingers tightened again, a little harder than before. He yelped, and her fingers eased their pressure to a less painful grip. Damnation, that had been a punishment, not a lack of skill. She was irritated he wouldn’t take her again.

“Heaven help me, mouse. I’m not trying to deny either of us pleasure. But I don’t want you to be in pain tomorrow morning. So, for the rest of the night, we’re going to pleasure each other with our hands.” He choked out the words as her hand streaked down his hard flesh.

“Do ye mean like this?”

His body tightened as the sultry question blew across his chest. God, that voice of hers. It would be his undoing if he wasn’t careful. Unable to answer her, Valeran could only nod as he dragged in a breath that barely filled his lungs before he was forced to drag in another one. Almost as if she knew what to do, her fingers tightened around him, then slowly slid downward before her hand shot up to the top of his cock at lightning speed. Valeran growled at the raw desire plowing its way along every vein in his body.

“Dinnae ye like that, my lord. Am I nae doing it properly?” The question made him shake his head hard.

“No, that’s—” His body reacted violently as she stroked him again.

“So it dinnae pleases ye?” The mischief in her voice made his mouth twitch with need and amusement. Wrapping his hand around her neck, he tugged her downward to kiss her hard for her teasing. When she escaped his caress, she laughed.

“Ye must nae kiss me like that, or I will have tae stop and demand ye satisfy me.” Ignoring her chastisement, he kissed her again.

The moment her fingers slacken their grip, he released her and grunted a protest. Another quiet laugh floated around him as her hand continued to torture him in a manner that made every part of him ache with pleasure. Her sweet, minty breath filled his nostrils before her unique scent took its place. All he wanted to do for the rest of his life was breathe her in until her fragrance never left him.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, a voice cried out a warning, but he couldn’t hear it. Nor did he want to. All he wanted to hear were her soft breaths drifting into his ears, while her fiery grip on his cock dragged him down under a mind-numbing tidal wave of pleasure. Suddenly, and with incredible speed, it felt as if his body was being thrust forward like an out-of-control freight train.

He had no idea when his body had begun to move against her hand, but the thought was obliterated as a brilliant kaleidoscope of grays and whites flashed in front of his blind eyes. With an ecstatic roar of gratification, his body exploded.

Ragged breaths forced air in and out of his lungs as he struggled to breathe. Never in his life had he experienced something like that. Spent of the almost barbaric desire she stirred in him, Valeran didn’t move. The truth was he couldn’t, even if he’d wanted to. It was all he could do to breathe, let alone get out of bed. He was content to stay exactly where he was, while his hand caressed his wife’s sweet curves.

He hadn’t even noticed Amalie had left his side until a soft linen cloth removed his seed from his skin. The air whispered around her as she started to leave him again. Without a second thought, his hand caught her wrist and tugged her downward. His mouth covered hers gently as he tried to express his appreciation for the pleasure she’d just given him. A slight tremor passed through her as she lifted her head. It took him a moment, and when he was capable of speaking, he cupped her face in his hands.

“Now, do you understand what you and those beautiful curves of yours do to me?”

“But—”

“Christ Jesus, woman, I know the Rockwoods are a stubborn lot, but is anyone else in the family as hardheaded as you?”

“They say I’m the worst of us,” she said quietly, but he heard the wry amusement in her voice.

Laughing, he rolled her onto her back to pin her beneath him. His mouth immediately sought the silky taste of her at the inside curve of her shoulder. Working his way downward, his lips brushed over the top of her two full breasts. His wife immediately gasped and arched upward in a mute plea he suckle her. Valeran groaned darkly as his body stirred again. Christ almighty, he was worse than a bull chasing a cow in heat. Slowly lifting his head, he stared down at her, waiting for the darker shade of gray to disappear as she opened her eyes.