Page 51 of A Lady's Passion Knows No Distance
“As do I,” Caroline agreed as they looked at the waves crashing against the shore below them. With Caroline’s hand firmly in his, William led her down the stone stairs at a steady pace, in no hurry and not wanting either one of them to come to any harm.
“I see some shoes and stockings have been left behind,” William said with a chuckle as they reached the bottom of the stairs and William pointed to what lay in the sand.
“Oh, goodness, we had completely forgotten about them upon returning to the house with all the seashells Miss Gwendolen and I had retrieved from the beach. I should take them back up with us later,” Caroline explained.
“I shall help you in the task,” William offered as he took her by the hand and led her down the beach. “I honestly can’t believe I’m here with you.”
“Why do you say such a thing?”
“I had just returned home from the King’s palace to see your engagement announcement in the papers. I thought I had lost all chances of being with you, but dearly hoped that I could win over your father’s opinion of me if only I could get a chance to speak with him. I figured at this point in my life I could finally be worthy of you.
“Then, when I discovered you at the masquerade ball, all my thoughts and plans seemed to fade away. I simply wanted to just be with you regardless of your engagement and understand for myself if you would still have me.”
Caroline stopped walking then, pulling William to a stop and forcing him to look down into her brown eyes as she placed a hand to his cheek. “So, is it true, then, that you have strong feelings for me?” she asked, her eyes pleading.
“Yes, Caroline. I have never stopped loving you and only took Lord Canton’s money so that one day I could become a better man for you. So that I might be able to provide for our family and gain a reputation that would mean something to your father,” William confessed. She smiled up at him, seeming to relax as he wrapped his arms around her waist.
“I had hoped for years that some way fate would bring us back together. I feel as though everything I have experienced these last few weeks has all been for a reason. I would never wish for my parents to pass away, but I am grateful to have you still in my life.”
“Oh, Caroline. You must understand that I left that night for a reason. I knew you loved me, and I had hoped that you would not be married to Lord Canton right away. All I can say is that I’ve been rather lucky these last few years and finally feel ready to offer you the life that you deserve.”
“Being with you is all I’ve ever wanted in life. I won’t try to guilt you into thinking that what you chose to do all those years ago was wrong. But I will say that as long as you still love me, then that is all I want in life.”
William’s heart seemed to burst with love for Caroline as he dipped his head and began to kiss her passionately. He parted her luscious lips with his tongue, missing the taste of her essence. Ravaging her mouth with his own, he tightened his arms around her waist so that she was forced to draw closer to him. Her arms came to settle around his shoulders as she hung onto him, allowing him to freely take of her of what he wanted.
“Come, William,” Caroline said as she broke off their kiss and found his hand, unravelling from his grasp as she pulled him after her. “I know a place where we can go.”
Eager to see what Caroline was suggesting, William gladly allowed her to lead him further down the beach till they came to a small fissure in the stone wall. As they drew closer, William saw that it was just wide enough for a person to pass through while standing sideways.
As Caroline let go of his hand and moved through the small gap, William was surprised by how quickly she disappeared from view. He followed after her, pleasantly surprised when he pushed through the gap and came out on the other side to stand in a large cavern that had sunlight pouring in through the top.
“Gwendolen and I discovered it earlier in the day,” Caroline explained. A small pool of sea water floated in, creating waves against the stone walls.
“Perfect place for a little bit of privacy,” William said in a low growl, his passion for Caroline rising as he once more pulled her into a tight embrace. He continued kissing her then, letting his hands wander up and down her back. The feeling of her in his arms made him feel more relaxed than he had in years. He’d often dreamed of kissing Caroline again like they used to when they were alone together, and now it felt as though all his dreams were coming true.
William became startled when he felt Caroline fumbling with the snaps of his trousers. The moment she was able to get his trousers loose, she began to pull at his muslin shirt, freeing it from his pants. Once she had gained success, she allowed her hands to roam his bare torso, making him shiver with pleasure despite the warm weather.
“Oh, Caroline. The feel of your hands on my bare chest makes me want to do unthinkable things in return,” William said as he broke their embrace and began to trail kisses down her neck as she tilted her head back.
“I feel the same way,” Caroline whimpered. William cradled her head with his one hand and allowed his other to grasp her rear end, bringing her closer. Her hands came around his back and found their way up his shoulders, her nails scraping against his flesh.
“We must stop before we both do something that we will regret,” William hissed against her neck, loving the warmth of her hands on his bare skin.
“I told you, William, that I wanted you years ago. After all the years between us and the grief that I’ve had to endure, I don’t want to have any more regrets in my life,” Caroline said as she withdrew her hands and tilted William’s head so that he was looking down into her eyes. “Please, William. Take me here and now. That way, no matter what happens, I can at least know that I felt true love in my life.”
William stared down into her eyes for several long moments before deciding that Caroline was right. He had so many regrets when it came to leaving Caroline all those years ago. Though he had succeeded in what he had planned to do, he still felt the heavy weight of guilt upon his shoulders for having hurt Caroline for so long.
“This is not how I envisioned our first time together. But I also can’t deny my love for you,” William said as he guided Caroline down to the stone floor of the cavern.
Chapter 26
The stone was cool to the touch and William thought it fitting for how hot his body felt at that moment. They both took their time stripping each other of their clothes. William made sure to lay their garments underneath Caroline’s bare frame as she laid open for him to devour.
“You’re so beautiful,” William said as he settled between her wide-open legs, running his hand up her naked torso and settling between her large, round breasts.
“I’m so excited, William. I can’t wait to be joined with you,” Caroline said in a breathless voice. She arched her back slightly as he continued to trail his fingers over her flesh. Since they were both inexperienced with lovemaking, William took his time. He let his fingers brush against her soft peaks, teasing her nipples till they were hard and taut. William had never imagined that seeing Caroline naked would do such tantalizing things to him. He wanted to spend the night pleasuring her body and making her climax.
“Your body is like an ocean that I want to sail through time and time again,” William muttered before leaning down and capturing one of her nipples in his mouth, flicking his tongue over the mound as Caroline gasped in delight. She raised a hand and laced her fingers into his short hair, her grip encouraging him to continue as she held him firmly to her.
