Page 64 of The Beauty and the Boxer
He picked her up slightly, rotating her in ahalf circle before her feet hit the ground again. This was it.Meredith was going to lay with him. She had dreamt about it, wantedit for weeks, but the moment she realized what she was going to do,she felt a sudden, creeping worry bloom in her chest as his handsmoved down over her buttocks.
What if she was making a mistake?
For the briefest of moments, she wondered ifshe could trust her feelings for Jack. She had done so before andlook where that had landed her. And they were in the duke’s privatestudy. Surely, they wouldn’t be interrupted, but then that tinypinprick of dread spread throughout her mind and soon, she waspulling back, frightened by her own desires.
“Wait,” she said breathlessly, taken out ofthe moment as her thoughts raced.
Jack paused in his movements, acutely awareof her reluctancy. His soft, tawny curls fell over his forehead andthose dark eyes stared deep into hers. A question poised in themthat she wasn’t sure she could answer.
What if this turned out like it had before?She couldn’t deny these feelings, but last time she had laid with aman, he had left. Logically, she knew that Jack would never abandonher, but a deep, uncovered hurt resurfaced and she couldn’t helpbut feel that old pain again.
“What’s wrong?”
“Are you, I mean, is this,” she could barelyget the words out. She tried to steady her breath as her hands wentto either side of his face. She stared at him. “Is this because youthink I’ve been … generous with my affections?”
The word was innocent enough, yet the glarehe gave her made her feel like she was suddenly in trouble.Oh,dear. Perhaps that hadn’t been the right thing to ask.
“Is that what your being? Generous?”
“No,” she said quickly, her eyesdropping.
“Then why ask?”
“I-I don’t know.”
“Are you attracted to me, Meredith?”
Mildly embarrassed, she nodded.
“Yes,” she whispered.
“Good. Because I can’t form a singlecoherent thought when I’m near you. I’ve been tortured these pastdays out of your presence and I find that no other person comparesto you.”
Meredith’s chest rose and fell quickly, herheart beating wildly at his words. His hand came up between themand he trailed his scarred fingers up the center of her sternum.The course texture of his calloused fingers against her skin madeher want to moan.
“Do you know what’s to be found here,Meredith?”
“No,” she said, closing her eyes as shepractically liquefied against his touch.
“I think you do. I think you know exactlywhat will happen between us.” Her breath hitched as his fingersmoved, brushing gently against the peak of her breast. “You knowthe moment I felt it? It was at dinner that first night. When wesat next to each other. You forbade me to acknowledge you, but Icouldn’t think of anything else the entire night. How much itphysically pained me being unable to touch you.”
His thumb and forefinger pressed againsteither side of her nipple. He squeezed and pulled slightly, causingher to gasp as she leaned forward.
“Jack, please.”
“I only ever want to keep you in a state ofbliss,” he said, his breath hot against her mouth. “I’d never makeyou feel less than because of it.”
He kissed her hard then, teasing her withhis fingers as he delivered just the right amount of pain to tipover into pleasure. Her hands crawled up his neck to hold him toher as she searched his mouth with her tongue, only to be met withan equal passion. She had never kissed anyone like this, withdesire and fury intertwined. It was intoxicating.
“Oh,” she moaned.
He didn’t answer as he was too preoccupiedwith laying her back against the sofa. His hands were all over heras her back pressed against the plush cushions. He kissed her witha searing urgency that had surprised her. Not that she hadn’texpected a man like Jack to be a physically powerful man, but heseemed to be matched perfectly against her own need.
His mouth moved down her chin to her neck,leaving a trail of fire over her skin until he reached the tip ofher right breast. His hot tongue moved flat against it at first,causing her to groan, before teeth grazed the edge of her delicateskin. He sucked her into his mouth and Meredith shook as yearningpooled within her.
“My god, Meredith,” he spoke against herskin, causing it to tighten under his breath.
She moaned as he took her back into hismouth and sucked. Her arms came up and wrapped around his head tohold him in place. Only he wouldn’t be stopped. Jack was on amission and after tenderly loving her other breast, Meredith felthis hands at the edge of her skirts by her ankles. His body slidoff the edge of the sofa as his mouth laid burning licks at herbreasts. Soon his hands were at her knees, then thighs, parting herlegs.
