Page 37 of The Hidden Lord
Even if it meant surrendering the independence she had fought so hard for.
Gabriel had intendedthis evening to be a calculated seduction, a ruthless bid to secure Henri’s agreement to marriage through passion rather than logic. But as he held her in his arms, felt her responding to his kisses with such sweet abandon, he found it difficult to remember that this was supposed to be mere strategy.
The taste of her lips, the soft sighs that escaped her throat, the way she pressed herself against him with such trusting surrender—none of it felt manipulative. Instead, Gabriel lost himself in the perfection of Miss Bigsby’s responses to his touch. There had been a softening in her attitude, a shift for which he did not have an explanation, but he was grateful. So very, very grateful.
“You are beautiful,” he murmured against her throat, his hands moving to the fastenings of her emerald gown. “So beautiful.”
She trembled beneath his touch, but not with fear. Gabriel could see the desire darkening her amber eyes, could feel the rapid flutter of her pulse beneath his lips as he pressed kisses to the delicate skin of her neck. When she did not protest, when instead she arched toward him with a soft moan, Gabriel felt the last of his deliberate control slip away entirely.
He worked the intricate fastenings of her gown with careful fingers, each small button and hidden hook demanding patience he struggled to maintain. The silk was of the finest quality, requiring delicate handling even as his body burned with need. When the dress finally loosened and pooled at her feet like liquid emerald, Gabriel’s breath caught at the sight of her in her stays and chemise.
The candlelight played across her pale skin, casting golden shadows that emphasized the gentle curve of her waist, the swell of her breasts above the top edge of her undergarments. Gabriel reached for the laces of her stays with reverent hands, his fingers fumbling slightly with the complex arrangement of ribbon and whalebone along with his overwhelming desire for the treasure he was holding.
As her stays fell away, leaving her clad only in thin cotton and silk stockings, Gabriel felt his mouth go dry. The chemise was nearly transparent in the candlelight, revealing the dusky circlesof her nipples, the flare of her hips, the shadow between her thighs that made his body throb with want.
“You are magnificent,” Gabriel breathed, his hands skimming over the soft cotton that was all that remained between them. “More beautiful than any woman has a right to be.”
Her breath hitched as he gathered the hem in his hands, lifting the chemise slowly over her head. The garment whispered as it fell to the floor, leaving her standing before him in nothing but her silk stockings and the flush of desire that painted her skin rose-gold in the lamplight.
Gabriel took his time removing his own clothes, noting how her eyes followed his movements with innocent fascination. When he stood naked before her, he saw her gaze travel over his chest, down the flat plane of his stomach, to the evidence of his arousal that jutted proudly from the nest of dark hair.
“Do not be afraid,” Gabriel murmured, seeing the slight widening of her eyes at the sight of his manhood. “I will be gentle with you, Miss Bigsby. I give you my word.”
He lifted her and carried her to the bed, laying her down against the soft white linens with the sort of care one might show a priceless work of art. The contrast of her honey-brown hair spread across the pillow, her creamy skin against the pristine sheets, was enough to make Gabriel’s hands tremble with anticipation.
But he forced himself to go slowly, to savor every moment of this extraordinary experience. She was a gift he had never expected to receive, and he would not rush through the unwrapping.
Gabriel started at her feet, his hands gentle as he rolled down her silk stockings one at a time. He pressed kisses to her delicate ankles as he revealed them, marveling at the softness of her skin, the way she gasped and writhed beneath his ministrations.
“Gabriel,” she breathed, his name a prayer on her lips that made his heart race and his cock throb.
He kissed his way up her calves, pausing to lavish attention on the sensitive skin behind her knees. Her hands clutched at the bedsheets, her back arching as he continued his slow exploration of her body. The scent of her arousal, sweet and musky, filled his nostrils and made his mouth water with the desire to taste her.
“Trust me,” Gabriel murmured against her inner thigh, his hands gentle but insistent as they urged her legs apart. “I will take care of you, Miss Bigsby. I promise.”
Gabriel had been with women before, but never with a virgin, never with someone who responded to his touch with such innocent passion. Every gasp and sigh was genuine, every movement of her body beneath his hands a revelation that made his blood burn hotter.
When his mouth found the sweet core of her, she cried out in shock and pleasure, her hands flying to tangle in his hair. Gabriel gentled her with soft words and softer touches, using his tongue and lips to bring her to the edge of release before drawing back, teaching her body the rhythm of desire.
“Please,” she gasped, her hips lifting toward his mouth in unconscious invitation. “Gabriel, please, I need …”
“I know what you need,” Gabriel murmured against her heated flesh, his voice rough with desire.
He brought her to climax with his mouth, watching in awe as pleasure transformed her face, as her body convulsed beneath his ministrations. The sight of her lost in passion, the taste of her release on his tongue, nearly undid his control entirely.
When her breathing had steadied somewhat, Gabriel moved up her body, pressing kisses to her stomach, her ribs, the valley between her breasts. Her nipples were pink and tight with arousal, and Gabriel could not resist taking each one into hismouth in turn, using his tongue and teeth to draw soft moans from her throat.
“Are you ready for me?” Gabriel asked, positioning himself between her thighs. His manhood pressed against her entrance, slick with her arousal but still formidably large against her small opening.
She nodded, her eyes wide but pleading as she looked up at him. “Yes,” she whispered. “Yes, Gabriel. Please.”
Gabriel entered her slowly, fighting every instinct that demanded he bury himself to the hilt in her welcoming heat. Her body resisted at first, unused to such invasion, and Gabriel felt the moment when her maidenhead gave way, saw the flicker of pain that crossed her features.
“Breathe,” Gabriel murmured, holding himself still within her. “The worst is over, I promise. Just breathe.”
Her body gradually relaxed around his, accepting his presence as Gabriel began to move with careful, measured strokes. The tight heat of her surrounding him was almost more than he could bear, but the wonder in her eyes as pleasure began to replace discomfort made every moment of restraint worthwhile.
“Is this … is it always like this?” she breathed in amazement as Gabriel moved within her.
