Page 221 of Storm of Bells
The first button popped open. A moment later,a featherlight kiss brushed over my skin in the very same spot.Shivering, I felt a tingle travel down all the way to the bottom ofmy spine.
‘Are you still certain you don’t want to bemine?’ a familiar cool voice whispered into my ear.
No. No, I’m not sure at all!
‘Yes,’ I croaked.
Another button opened, and another kisscaressed my skin. ‘My littleifrit…you aremine! Nowand forever.’
I opened my mouth to protest—but the onlything that came out was a little gasp, as another button opened anda kiss left a brand at the centre of my back.
‘I’ve heard you received quite a few presentstoday.’ Straightening, Mr Ambrose slid his hands up my sides untilthey rested on my shoulders. ‘It’s time to unwrapmypresent.’
‘Y-your present? What do you mea—’
My words abruptly cut off when Mr Ambroseslid my dress off my shoulders and it fell down my back. Mybreathing turned hectic. Heck! Why was I nervous? I had done thisalready! I was an experienced woman! Experienced! Expe—
From behind me, Mr Rikkard Ambrose’s armswrapped around me and he pulled me into a gentle, lovingembrace.
No.
No, in this I wasnotexperienced. ButIsowanted to be.
Please, hold me! Hold me tighter!
As if he could read my mind, his armstightened around me. Even through multiple layers of undergarments,I could feel his hard chest pressing into me from behind, hard.With a jerk, he pulled the dress off the rest of the way and, witha soft rustle, it fell to the ground. There, it was soon joined bymy petticoat, and my corset. I still hadn’t turned towards him.Even if he had let go of me, I for some reason didn’t feel able to.I felt so…so…shy?
Pull yourself together, Lilly! Or betteryet, pull the rest of your clothes off!
His hands came to rest on my shoulders. Theyfelt like burning brands, separated only by one single, thin layerof cloth from my body. My heart sped up again, pounding against myribs with an unrelenting rhythm.
‘Shh…’ Gentle fingers began to massage theback of my neck, making me sigh and lean back against him. His armsenveloped me and, from above, he pressed a kiss on top of my head.In that moment, it was as if I were protected from anything andeverything. When his hands slid to my shoulders and slipped thechemise down my arms, my heart was calm again. Safe. At peace.
Mr Ambrose let go. Behind me, clothes rustledand, moments later, something hard, like a belt buckle, hit thefloor with a thud. A burning desire to turn around rose inside me,but I stayed where I was, waiting for—
‘Lillian.’
And suddenly, he was behind me and his armswere around me, skin on skin. For a long, long moment we just stoodlike this, wrapped in each other’s love and warmth. Then my handstarted moving of its own accord. Taking hold of his, I raised itup and pressed a kiss onto his knuckles.
‘Rikkard.’
The name tasted strange on my lips. Strangeand wonderful. Cupping my face from behind, he turned me arounduntil our eyes met. Gazing down at me intensely, he cocked hishead.
I nodded.
Strong arms lifted me into the air anddelicately deposited me onto the bed. Instinctively, I wanted tocover up. Last time we had been together, it had been in utterdarkness, but now, the light of the sinking sun was flooding inthrough large windows and…
Everything was visible.
Everything.
Including him.
My gaze was glued to him as he steppedtowards me, chiselled muscles gleaming in the light of the sinkingsun. The bed creaked, announcing his arrival and then his faceappeared before me.
Suddenly, all shyness dropped away. Grabbinghim by the hairs on the back of his head, I pulled him down towardsme and, when our lips met, it felt as though the world exploded.Fire! Fire and ice and cold and heat, swirling together into aninescapable maelstrom that drew me in. And I didn’t mind drowning.Not one bit.
‘Need you!’ The growl that escaped his throatsent a thrill down my spine. He needed me! Just like I needed him!We needed each other, and somehow, unfathomably, we had found eachother.
