Page 24 of A Gentleman Never Surrenders
Chapter 9
One word. Milly could tell Owen yes…and he’d make love to me tonight.
If she said yes, everything would change between them. She was scared of change, but she also knew that this was inevitable, not because he was her husband, but because she wanted to be with him.
To bloody hell with silly schoolgirl reservations. She was going to do it.
“Yes.”
“Thank God.” He spun her around in his arms and kissed her a second later. She heard the sound of fabric ripping and then her chemise fluttered to the ground in a heap of crumbled silk. She was completely naked.
“So beautiful. Do you know how beautiful you are?” Owen’s rough voice made every part of her lower body burn. She attempted to cover her breasts, but he caught her wrists, holding them away from her body. Milly was afraid to look up at him, afraid to believe his words weren’t true.
“Look at me, sweetheart.” His voice was soft, coaxing, and she couldn’t resist. When their gazes met, she held her breath, startled to see stark hunger and appreciation gleaming in his eyes. He really did think she was beautiful.
“I won’t lie to you, ever,” he vowed. “Now, lie back and let me enjoy you, wife.” That flirtatious smile on his face was sharp with desire and a new flutter of nerves stirred in her belly.
“What about your clothes?” She sat on the edge of the bed, secretly delighting in the sinful sensation of her bare bottom on the sheets.
“What?” He chuckled, his gaze raking down her body, clearly not paying attention to what she’d asked him.
“Your clothes, husband. Off. Now.” She pointed a finger at his chest, waving it up and down to indicate he shrug out of his clothes. “I’m not going to be the only naked person in this bed. We ought to be even.” She waited, raising her chin in a way that would make her appear imperious and convey that she must be obeyed. But she had to bite her lip to hide a smile. It also helped to mask the shyness she was feeling of being completely bare and in his bed.
“Very well, you demanding little creature. She who must be obeyed.” He winked as he shrugged out of his shirt and unbuttoned his trousers.
He’d somehow removed his boots without her noticing earlier, which would make it easier for him to shuck off his trousers. That was the last barrier between them, she knew. Once he removed his pants, this thing would happen between them. Knowing that sent little tremors of excitement and anticipation through her.
When he started to tug his trousers down, Milly was distracted by the fascinating V-shaped muscles of his lower belly that carved an obvious path down to his groin. His hands paused and she glanced up at his face to find him watching her.
“Have you ever seen a man…” He shook his head. “No, of course you haven’t.”
“Seen what? A naked man?” It was easy enough to guess his thoughts.
“You haven’t, have you?” His eyes narrowed slightly in mild suspicion.
This time she smiled. “Of course I have.” She leaned back on the bed, propping herself up on the pillow like a sultana.
His dark eyes lingered on the tips of her breasts, the way her small nipples pebbled in the cold air. She sensed he was figuring out her secret, that she’d never seen a living man naked.
“You are too cunning, wife. I believe you have seen statues, but no men of flesh and blood.”
With a final knowing glance at her, he dropped his trousers and smallclothes, stepping out of the mess of fabric to stand proudly at the foot of the bed, a grin raking over his suddenly wolfish features. Her curious gaze dropped to his groin and she tensed, every bone and muscle inside her clenching painfully together. The man would have shamed a stallion.
“That”—she cleared her throat—“that will not fit. You’re far too large.”
Again, he laughed, the rich sound only upsetting her this time.
“What’s so amusing?” she demanded. He walked to the side of the bed, nearest her.
He cupped her chin and met her gaze. “It will fit. It will likely hurt a little at first, but you will stretch to accommodate me. I will do my best to ease the initial pain.” Bending over, he brushed a kiss over her lips and then indicated that she scoot over on the bed to allow him to lie beside her.
“Why don’t we get under the covers,” he suggested.
Milly swallowed hard and nodded, pulling the covers up to her waist as she moved back to give him room. He joined her and before she had the chance to think twice or change her mind, he curled his body around hers, kissing her. The friction of her breasts rubbing against his chest and his left thigh nudging hers apart was exotic, strange, and left her breathless with a whisper of a thrill. His hands stroked her, tracing her hip and cupping her buttocks. He clenched one globe, the hard grasp creating a delicious tingle within her. Sparks flared in the little bundle of nerves and deep within her abdomen. His erection bobbed against her stomach and she curled her fingers around it, squeezing lightly. She was still a little frightened at his size, but she was too aroused to resist the urge to touch him. Owen hissed and rocked his hips.
“Christ, woman, you know how to set a man aflame.” His throaty, half-laughing response made her smile nervously back at him.
“Am I doing something wrong?” She started to let go, but his hand came down over hers, keeping her fingers around his shaft.
