Page 45 of Always the Bridesmaid, Never the Duchess
Emboldened, her hands traced his torso and found a light dusting of hair across his chest. Andrew pulled back and when he saw what amused her, he grabbed her bottom and pulled her closer to him, growling. She felt his heartbeat in sync with her own. His hand reached up and traced her lips and she opened her mouth and her tongue flicked out and teased the tip of his finger. He gasped.
Next, his mouth found the swell of her breast and he traced kisses as light as a butterfly’s touch along the top of each one. “I need to feel you,” Andrew growled. “All of you.” He pulled away from her and his fingers found the ties of her dress. It took him only moments to remove her from the confines of it and she lay before him. Kate reached up to cover herself with her hands, but he captured her hands with his own.
“Don’t,” Andrew commanded. “You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, Kate. Don’t ever hide yourself away from me again.”
He lowered himself down next to her and his thigh captured her legs, forcing her to still. His hands traced lazy circles along hernipples. He bent down and gently nipped them causing a spear of heat to race across her skin.
His hand slid from her breasts down to the curve of her hips. They danced along her skin. His touch was as light as a feather, but the pleasure was intense. He gazed at her. In the dim candlelight, Kate saw the desire in his eyes. He wanted her as much as she wanted him. She pressed herself against him.
He kissed her, but rather than pushing himself closer to her, Andrew pulled back. She groaned in frustration. He lifted her chin with his finger and stared into her eyes. “Are you sure?”
Kate couldn’t speak. She nodded and it was as if she had granted him access to the treasures of heaven. He kissed her face, tracing her jawline with his mouth. She reached down and touched him, and his hardness leaped in her hand. Andrew returned suit and slid his finger down into her wetness. He stroked her with his finger causing a wave of pleasure to crash over her. She arched up to meet his finger and he moved it slowly around in a circle causing her to tremble.
She parted her legs, and he rolled over onto her. He stilled himself and stared at her. As they locked gazes, he entered her, sending an unexpected twinge of pain through her. She gasped. Andrew didn’t move. Simple held himself above her until he sensed the pain had subsided. A new feeling pushed the pain away and she found herself arching up to accept more of him into her. She grasped his hips and with a groan, he began to move. Soon, they moved in rhythm. Their gazes never wavered. Soon, the pleasure grew to a crescendo for Kate and she cried outas it crested. His movements quickened and his strokes became longer. Soon, his own voice echoed hers as they rode the wave of pleasure together.
Andrew held Kate in his arms in the candlelight. Her long, chestnut hair fanned out against the pillow forming a halo around her. He traced her jawline with his finger, entranced.
“Are you all right?” he whispered. He didn’t want to hurt her. He knew it was the price a woman paid for pleasure, but he never wanted to cause Kate any pain.
She didn’t answer. Instead, she leaned over and kissed his chest. “You have more hair than I thought you would.”
Andrew chuckled. “That’s not the response I wanted, but yes, I am a hairy beast of a man.”
“I like it,” Kate said and smiled up at him. She reached up and traced his nipple with her finger. Andrew reached over and imitated her movement and drew a gasp of pleasure from her.
“Is it always like this?” Kate said, wonder in her voice.
Andrew frowned. “The pain? No, as we do this more often, it should lessen until you feel nothing but pleasure.” He stroked her hair with his hand.
“Will we do this more often?” Kate asked, looking at him from beneath her long eyelashes. Andrew answered her by capturingher breast in his mouth. She found herself arching against him once more as they each filled the other with pleasure.
It was a long time before they collapsed together in the bed. Kate knew that after the wedding, Andrew would be gone, and she would be alone once more. She planned to enjoy this night, so that she could reexperience it in her dreams when she was once more alone.
She turned and watched him sleep. His breathing was deep and steady. She lay her head against his chest and listened to his heartbeat. A small tear escaped and trickled down her cheek before landing on his chest.
“I love you, Andrew,” Kate whispered.
His only response was the beat of his heart as his chest rose and fell beneath her. Kate closed her eyes, allowing herself to fall asleep cradled against him.
Chapter Twenty
It was dawn when the finger of sunlight forced itself through the heavy curtains of Andrew’s bedchamber. He had only slept a few hours before he awoke to the sound of one of the maids treading down the hallway. As much as he was loath to do it, he had to wake Kate. It would never do for her to be discovered here.
He kissed her forehead, and she made a small mew sound before her eyelids flickered. When she finally awoke, her face bore a small smile of satisfaction.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
Startled, Andrew said, “For what?”
“For giving me a night that I will never forget.” She buried her face against his chest and allowed her fingers to touch the small patch of hair on his chest.
Andrew felt a small pang of unhappiness at the thought of not having her sleep by his side every night, but he didn’t have time to stop and think about it. “Kate, I hate to have you leave my side, but it is almost six o’clock and soon the guests will be stirring, and you will be discovered.”
Kate stopped her explorations and her eyes widened. She leaped up from the bed and realized she had no idea where her gown was. “My gown?”
Andrew slid off the bed, and for a moment, Kate stopped her frenzied search of the bedchamber to admire his body before her. He slipped on his trousers and ran a hand through his tousled hair. “Ah. There it is. On the foot of the bed, buried in the blankets.” He plucked it up and when she reached for it, he snatched it from her reach. “Just one more look before you escape.”
Feeling shy, Kate stood before him. As his eyes traveled her curves, she felt a warm tingle, not of embarrassment but of pleasure. It was short-lived though, as she heard the chiming of the clock on his mantel. Grabbing the dress from him, she struggled into it. He grabbed her arms and made her stand still.
