Page 43 of One Scandal Too Many
“I want whatever you do,” he told her. It was not the entire truth. He wanted a hell of a lot more than that. He skimmed his hand over her waist and continued to kiss her neck. Declan was going as slow as he could. He slid his hand upward and lightly trailed the curve of her breast. Her gasps filled the room and went straight to his already hard cock.
“I want you to touch me,” she said. “No more games. I only want you.”
He sent up a silent prayer of thanks to whatever deity was listening to them. Declan had wanted her for what seemed like forever. Now, finally, he could have her. She had given her permission, and now he would show her that faith wasn’t misplaced. “Darling,” he began. “I’m going to kiss you all over.” He spun her around in his arms and leaned down, then pressed his lips to hers.
The kiss was filled with every promise he had not been able to utter. He licked his tongue over her lips, and when she opened to him, he tangled it with hers in a dance of passion. Declan kissed her over and over again until their breaths were mingled.
Declan pried his lips from hers reluctantly and started to trail kisses over her shoulder again. Then he leaned down and trailed his tongue over the top of her breasts. He had to remove her stays. As lovely as her breasts were pushed up in invitation, he had to completely free them. Declan needed her naked. Heturned her around again and started to unlace her stays as he pressed kisses to her neck. “You’re beautiful.”
She wound her arm up and around his neck. Charlotte bowed her back as she stretched up to meet his lips. He kissed her hard and then finally untied the final bit of her laces and pulled her free. She turned into his arms, and he lifted her against him. Their kisses became more and more frantic. He should probably wonder at his lack of finesse, but his need had taken a heated turn.
He laid her on the settee and pushed up her shift. Declan couldn’t take her innocence in haste. He had to make it good for her even if it killed him. Her thighs were so inviting, spread for him. He trailed kisses down the inside of each thigh until he met her center. Then he pressed his lips there at the little bud. She moaned, so he did it again. Then he slid his tongue flat down that bud, again and again until she started to writhe beneath him. Slowly, he pushed a finger into her and stroked as he sucked on that sweet nub.
It didn’t take long before she came apart under his tongue. It was more perfect than he could have ever imagined. “Declan,” she said. Her tone was ragged from the pleasure he’d wrenched from her body. He could almost be content just seeing that flushed skin in the firelight, but he wanted everything. He wanted her. He wanted forever. “That’s not enough.”
He grinned. “Being a bit greedy, aren’t you?”
“I’ll be that and more if I need to be,” she told him. “I may be an innocent,” she began. “But I know that there’s more than that for me to lose my virginity.”
“Of course there is,” he told her. “But darling...”
“Do not tell me you’re going to act the gentleman,” she said. “I want you. All of you. Do not hold back now.”
God, he adored her. “It’ll be my pleasure.”
He stood and removed his pants and then helped her out of her shift. Declan took a moment to drink in her beauty once more before he joined her on the settee. Then he settled between her thighs and started to kiss her. He pressed kisses to her jaw, neck, and lips. With each kiss he touched her and did his best to have her become accustomed to it. When he thought she was ready, he pressed himself into her.
Declan took his time. Declan wanted to make this feel as good as possible for her. He slid into her slowly, allowing her to become accustomed to him as he moved within her. Her gasp had him stilling. “Shh,” he said. “I’m here with you.”
“Give me a moment,” she demanded.
He waited. Declan kissed her and stroked her arm until she gave him permission to move farther into her. It was hard not to thrust fully into her. She felt so bloody good already and he had yet to fill her completely. He would not be selfish. He wouldn’t. Even if it killed him, he would remain as still as possible as she became accustomed to his length filling her.
“Declan,” she said huskily. “I am ready for more.”
Thank heavens. He began to push farther into her until he was fully seated. Once he filled her completely, he waited as she adjusted to his length stretching her core. “Is this all right?” he asked her.
“Oh, yes,” she said in a breathless tone. “Please, I need more. I want to move.”
“Yes, darling,” he said. “Please do.” She wriggled beneath him, and he groaned. The pleasure was so intense it momentarily blinded him. It didn’t take long before he wanted to move along with her.
He pulled out and slowly thrust back into her. Declan kept his strokes even until the need to find his own release became too great. He reached beneath them and rubbed her sensitive nub until she came apart again. Her channel tightened aroundhim and sent him over the edge with her. He thrust one final time and gave over to his own needs.
Declan held her against him but turned to his side. He stroked her back as they fell asleep in each other’s arms. As he gave way to sleep, he couldn’t help thinking that this was how he wanted to spend the rest of his days. Falling asleep with her in his arms, and waking with her still there. Could there be anything better than that? He surely did not believe so.
Chapter Twenty
Charlotte snuggled intothe warmth of Declan’s arms and sighed. Nothing could be more perfect than this... She wanted to have this forever. She knew she couldn’t. Her father would never allow her to choose her own husband. Not that Declan had offered her anything. For all she knew, he had gotten what he wanted from her. He had taken her innocence. There was always a chance that he wouldn’t want more than that from her. Wasn’t he a known rogue?
It hadn’t escaped her that he had made her no promises. He called her darling with a regularity that suggested it was an endearment he used often. As if she was one of many. Something that she should resign herself to. That and disappointing her father. Charlotte seemed to do that more often than she would like. It seemed as if nothing she did was ever right.
Declan pulled her close and kissed her cheek. “Good morning, darling.” He sounded content. As if he might actually enjoy waking with her next to him. He might. She couldn’t discount that possibility.
But what if he did? What would that change? Nothing. It would change absolutely nothing. She would still have to face her father and tell him what she had done. She would not have Declan. Her life would not be better. In fact, it would become inherently worse. She didn’t know what her father would do when he discovered this scandal. This time, she had donesomething more wretched than the scandal that ensured her exile at Havenwood. Not that she saw her night with Declan in that light.
For her, being with him was more like coming home. She belonged with him. She needed him. Charlotte smiled at the thought of having him for always. She tilted her head up to meet his gaze. “Good morning,” she replied. Then stretched. “Has the storm abated?”
“I’m not certain,” he said. “I should check.” He stared down at her as if he was reluctant to leave her even for a moment. It made her heart sing with joy. Slowly, he unwrapped his arms and left her alone on the settee. He walked over to a window and peeked outside. Not that she paid much attention to the window. Not when she could watch him instead. He was gloriously naked and so decadent. Was it any wonder she had fallen into lust with him immediately?
