Page 48 of The Bastard Heir
He gritted his teeth against the need to have her and forced himself to look away from her as he rolled it down his length. Then he moved over her, fitting himself between her thighs. Catching himself to keep the bulk of his weight from her, he stroked her with his other hand. She was so hot and wet he could barely contain the tremor that moved through him. He pushed a finger inside her, gently stretching her before adding another. She moaned softly and rolled her hips, making his fingers move in and out of her. She felt ready, but he’d never taken a virgin before and wanted to make sure he didn’t hurt her any more than necessary. Leaning down, he took her nipple into his mouth, alternating between rolling it with his tongue and sucking it deep into his mouth.
When she yanked his hair and called his name again and again, he knew she was close. Moving over her, he held her knees wide and notched the head of his shaft at her slick opening. She stared up at him with heavy-lidded eyes and arched her hips up toward him. He pressed forward, moving deeper inch by excruciating inch so he wouldn’t hurt her, when all he wanted to do was sheath himself inside her. She groaned, a soft cry of pleasure deep in her throat that turned into something more intense when he hit the barrier of her innocence. His throat ached with an emotion he was too overwhelmed to examine. This amazing woman was his. An instinct both sacred and primal roared through his blood.
He fell over her, catching himself on his uninjured arm as he kissed her deeply and then trailed his lips across her cheek. When he reached her ear, he scraped his teeth against the soft lobe and whispered, “Are you ready for me, Carolina?”
“Yes.” It was a barely coherent gasp as she clutched him, her fingernails raking down his back. But he couldn’t hold back anymore and thrust forward, driving deep in one stroke. She cried out softly against his neck, and he stilled, holding her against him.
“I won’t move until you’re ready,” he assured her. He closed his eyes to fight against the pleasure of her body gripping him so tightly. She felt perfect beneath him. When he regained a little control, he reached between them to stroke her just above where they were joined. Soon she was shifting against him, anxious for more friction.
“Castillo,” she whispered against his ear.
Finally, he moved inside her. First in a gentle rhythm and then with deeper thrusts that had her writhing beneath him. She cried out when the first wave of her release came over her. Her fingernails bit into his back, but he welcomed the sting and held her tighter as he gave himself over to his own pleasure. Just moments later, he found his release within her.
***
Hours later the huge bed was littered with the remnants of a meal they’d ordered and fed each other, and she slept at his side. Castillo couldn’t remember ever enjoying a night the way he’d enjoyed this one. It wasn’t just the sex, though that had been better than any he could recall. It was the way she’d felt in his arms, like he was home. It was the way she’d smiled at him as she’d fed him a slice of apple, while telling him a story about sneaking into the kitchen as a child and eating two whole pies and making herself sick. Being with her was natural.
There were still hours until dawn, but he couldn’t stop looking at her. He didn’t want to sleep because he knew it’d be a long time before he saw her again. If he saw her again. The plan had been to part in the morning, and they’d thought no further. But how could he not see her again? How could he not have her in his life?
The thoughts bothered him, but he had no answers. Absently twirling a strand of her golden hair around his finger, he reasoned that he had plenty of time to sleep after she was gone.
She stirred, rolling forward so she lay on her tummy, and tucked herself against him. Pulling the blanket up over her back, he leaned forward and placed a kiss on her temple.
“You’re not sleeping,” she whispered without opening her eyes.
“I don’t want to miss anything.”
“Neither do I,” she replied, opening her eyes to look at him. Only a sliver of moonlight came through the window to light the room.
“Go back to sleep. You’re tired.”
She laughed and kissed his hand. “So are you. That was an excellent performance earlier.”
He couldn’t help but touch her and stroked a hand down her back to settle over one of the plump cheeks of her bottom. “Glad you approve.”
“Of course I approve. I’ve married an amazing lover.”
He laughed and kissed her nose, her mouth, her chin. He couldn’t stop kissing her. He loved her. The idea of waking up without her by his side was abhorrent, but it was also unavoidable.
Maybe it was the dark mood of his thoughts, but they drifted into silence, their hands clasped beneath the blanket. Finally, she broke the silence. “What will we do, Castillo? I don’t want to leave you tomorrow.”
“Boston is safer than here.” He took a deep breath and tucked his arm beneath her, pulling her onto his chest. “And you have school in September…”
“And you still have to find Derringer.” She finished the thought for him.
He nodded once and kissed her head. “I do.”
She didn’t say anything for a moment but he could practically hear her thoughts churning. “What about after you find him? What will you do then?”
“Go back to Texas and work on restoring the house. Miguel needs something to come home to.” The thought of his home didn’t evoke the same pride and conviction that it used to. He thought of it and he thought of a place cold and distant. A place she would never call home because she had much grander plans than to be the mistress in charge of feeding the small army of ranch hands they’d need when he got the place back to what it had been. He couldn’t blame her for that. With her talent and education, she’d be far more useful as a physician, but tonight he’d found himself hoping that things could be different.
“What…” Her fingers splayed over his heart, and she subtly rubbed her cheek against his chest. “What about after?”
He gave a grim smile though she couldn’t see it. “There is no after. Once the house is restored, I’ll need to get new cattle and new equipment, and work toward earning a profit.”
She took in a breath, but it was shaky, and he thought she might be fighting back tears. Tightening his arms around her, he swallowed against the sudden ache in his throat. The future he described was bleak and gray. It was nothing without her in it.
“Do you think you might ever come and see me in Boston?”
