Page 16 of The Handfasting
So taking a sobering breath, he rolled her over, sitting back on his knees to straddle her so he could have more control. He slipped his hands beneath the neckline of her gown and slid it down past her shoulders, leaving kisses along the way. Then he pulled her garments lower, to her waist, trapping her arms beside her.
“Ye’re so beautiful,” he murmured. “They said ye were the bonniest lass in all Scotland. They were right.”
She gasped as he slowly ran the pads of his thumbs down her soft breasts until they rested above her taut nipples.
No?l smiled as she arched up to force his touch, brushing the peaks of her breasts against his thumbs. Then he lowered his head to replace his thumb with his tongue, flicking lightly at each nipple before drawing the lovely nubbin into his mouth.
She groaned and clenched her fists.
Desire surged between his legs. But he had to temper his lust, at least until hers matched his.
He glided his hands slowly up her silken legs, raising her skirts. She lifted her head and jerked her arms as if she might try to stop him. But her hands were caught in her sleeves. And judging by the smoldering gray smoke of her gaze, he could see she didn’t truly want him to cease.
Sure enough, when his fingers crested the tops of her knees and continued upward, she dropped her head back onto the pallet with a sigh of rapture.
When he reached the crease of her thighs, he pushed back her gathered skirts. There he stole a glimpse of heaven. Dark, curling hair made a small, perfect triangle against her fair skin. His loins ached with longing as he perused her lovely body.
Swallowing back his ravenous desire, he gently urged her legs apart. Slipping his fingers into her nest of curls, he opened her as tenderly as a flower.
Ysenda sucked a sharp breath between her teeth. Why was she letting him do this to her? She didn’t know. But she couldn’t form the words to stop him. Nor did she want to.
She wanted this.
Nae, she didn’t want it. Sheneededit.
Yet it wasn’t hers to have. He didn’t belong to her.
Still, she wanted him so badly.
And when she felt his mouth upon her…down there…all rational thought abandoned her. Stricken by erotic lightning, she could form no words. His lips caressed her with delicious intimacy, flooding her with heat. His tongue bathed her with care, making her gasp in blissful wonder.
She squeezed her eyes closed, too ashamed of her own pleasure and weakness to face him. But her shame came with a curious joy. A powerful force began to build within her. Her veins filled with brilliant fire. Her blood surged with glorious energy. Her flesh warmed and swelled and longed.
Just when she thought she would burst with craving, the world seemed to stop for a timeless instant. Then, with a silent scream, she lost control.
She was rocked by waves of ecstasy as the most divine sensation encompassed her. It seemed she sailed along on a deep ocean of pleasure.
But it lasted for only a moment.
And then he plunged into her.
She cried out, feeling the sudden searing heat of his trespass like a knife.
No?l bit out a curse and froze. What the devil?
He’d been so sure his new bride was not a virgin.
Ah, god, he’d made a terrible mistake. An unforgivable one.
“Ohnon, non,” he lamented. “I’m so sorry,cherie.”
Her knuckles were white. Her eyes were tightly shut. And her lips were compressed into a tense line.
He ached with remorse. He’d give anything to undo what he’d done.
But he couldn’t.
All he could do was to withdraw and leave her alone, as he should have done all along…as he’d promised her he would.
