Page 69 of The Heir's Fortune
She laughed. “You do not have to pretend with me. I love you for who you are and I just want you to be yourself with me. Understood?”
He nodded slowly, turning around and taking her in his arms. “Understood.”
“Now,” she said, reaching up and placing her gloved hands against his cheeks. “Perhaps you could warm me up while we wait for the fire to do its job.”
He leaned down and kissed her as he walked her backwards toward the small bed in the corner. He paused the kiss for a moment as he reached up and unclasped his cloak before spreading it over the bedcovers, lifting her, and placing her down upon it, then leaning over her and taking her lips with his.
The kiss began slowly, a gentle exploration of one another. Gideon savored the taste of Madeline, a mixture of peppermint from her breath and the subtle sweetness that was uniquely her own. He traced the outline of her lips with his tongue, teasing and coaxing them to part for him.
Madeline responded eagerly, deepening the kiss, her gloved hands sliding down from his cheeks to his neck, where she tugged at the buttons of his jacket. A shiver ran through Gideon as her touch brought warmth to his skin. His fingers moved to the clasp of her cloak, freeing it before removing the shawl she had donned underneath. He had no idea if it was still cold in the room, for he was being filled with heat that came from deep within.
Their kisses grew more fervent, ignited by the passion that had been smoldering between them. Gideon had expected that the first time he had made love to Madeline would have satisfied his desire, but he had been wrong – it had only fueled it.
His lips moved from hers to trace a path along her jawline, peppering soft, lingering kisses along the way. He relished how her breath hitched and quickened against his cheek.
Madeline's hands roamed over Gideon's body, tracing the contours of his chest and slipping beneath the fabric of his shirt. Her touch ignited a fire within his veins and he moaned softly against her skin as her fingertips wandered across his abdomen, leaving a trail of tingling sensations in their wake.
Desire consumed him, and he yearned to feel every inch of her. With gentle yet firm hands, Gideon cupped her face, his thumbs caressing her cheeks as he deepened the kiss. Their mouths moved in perfect harmony, tongues intertwining and exploring, their breath melding together in a symphony.
Senses heightened, Gideon's touch grew more urgent, the tips of his fingers skimming along the curve of Madeline's waist before gliding upward to slowly unfasten the trail of buttonsalong her spine. When he achieved his aim, he slid the sleeves down her arms before the garment slipped from her shoulders like a whisper, revealing the delicate lines of her figure and leaving her clad only in her stays, thin chemise, and the soft glow of the fire.
Gideon's heart raced as he absorbed the sight of Madeline, her skin glowing with the flickers of light behind her.
He lowered himself onto the bed beside her, his fingers trembling with anticipation. Gideon marveled at the softness of her skin beneath his touch, at the way it yielded to him as if made solely for his hands. The warmth of their bodies mingled, creating a cocoon that enveloped them in a world of their own. The cabin could still have been freezing and Gideon would not have had any awareness of it.
Locking eyes with Madeline, he finally understood what she meant when she said he could be himself with her, that there was nothing he couldn’t share. "I love you, Madeline. You are the fortune that I was looking for. Who would have thought it would take an entire treasure hunt to find the woman who was right in front of me the whole time?"
A smile played on her lips as she reached out to trace invisible patterns on his chest.
“It’s as you said,” she said softly. “Maybe we needed those clues along the way to help us determine who we really were and what we each truly needed.”
Gideon's heart swelled with affection as he watched Madeline's fingers skim across his ribs. Her touch was gentle, yet nothing had ever had a stronger effect upon him. He reveled in the way her eyes sparkled with love and trust, mirroring his own emotions.
"I love you too, Gideon," Madeline whispered, her voice a soft caress against his ear. "You've brought light into my life like no other and have shown me what love truly means.Never before have I felt so cherished, truly. Before now, I have never been someone's first choice, but the fact that you chose me over anything else, even when all seemed so much more consequential, has proven to me what love truly means."
“When someone becomes your reason for existing… nothing else much matters,” he said, laying his entire soul bare before her.
Their words hung in the air, mingling with the warmth of the fire that crackled nearby. Everything outside of this cabin faded away, leaving only the two of them, which, Gideon realized, was what mattered the most. Everything else would come as long as the two of them were together.
As their hands explored one another, Gideon marveled at the way Madeline responded to his touch. Her skin seemed to come alive under his fingertips. Every gasp, every sigh that escaped her lips fueled his desire to please her, to make her feel cherished and adored.
Madeline's fingers traced gentle paths over Gideon's broad shoulders, her touch sensuous and tender, at odds with the dangerous spark of fire in her eyes as she gazed up at him, her lips parting slightly in anticipation. She whispered his name, a soft yet sultry plea that sent a ripple of desire through him.
He moved closer, his lips brushing against the sensitive skin of her neck, savoring the taste of her. Her breath hitched, and she arched her back, pressing her body against his, a silent plea to be closer, to feel the fire of his skin against hers.
"I need you, Gideon," she breathed, her voice breathy. "Here, now, and always."
He groaned softly, his hands gripping her waist, pulling her even farther into his embrace. As his lips found hers once again, he could feel the heat of her desire, potent and passionate.
Her hips swayed in rhythm to the motion of their kiss, her face flushed with desire, her eyes half-lidded as she gazed up at him.
"Don't stop," she whispered, her voice barely more than a breath.
"Never," he replied fiercely. Her fingers threaded through his hair, holding him close as their bodies continued to move against each other, a dance oflust and love as old as time.
As their bodies mingled, their breathing became ragged and uneven. Their hearts pounded in unison, matching the rhythm of their movements. The air thickened with the scent of their passion, the scent irresistibly intoxicating.
Gideon's hands traced the curve of Madeline's hips, his fingers dancing along the line of her waist, and then lower still. He felt her tremble as he held her closer, her skin warming under his touch.
