flesh, he pressed his erection firmly against her
lower body and began the instinctive cadence of the mating ritual,
infinite pleasure even through their garb. Catherine followed his
lead without thought, moving with him, immersed in the erotic
sensations.
And that’s why one kiss was
not enough, could not possibly be. She had known it all along. But
it was too late. Much too late. She wanted him to be part of her, to fill her with
his body—to bring her along on his journey of ecstasy. She would
come with him now. He need not worry, if indeed he had worried,
that she would renege and leave him frustrated. Her frustration
would be as keen as his were that to happen.
The earl grasped the waistband of her
drawers, pulling them down over her hips, and quickly adjusted his
own clothing in preparation for their joining. He touched her
intimately, causing her body to jerk in reaction.
Was that whimpering coming from her?
Catherine’s eyes flickered open, and her
clouded gaze centered on his handsome face, now taut with desire.
He was watching her, his expression a strange combination of
concern and lust. Her vision suddenly cleared.
He was allowing her to reconsider! Yes, she
should have known. The earl’s sense of honor would demand he do no
less. She saw his hesitation and knew the silent question he asked.
And in that instant Catherine came to the conclusion she was very
nearly in love. She smiled sweetly and, putting a hand on either
side of his head, drew him to her and placed a beckoning kiss on
his mouth.
She felt the tension leave his body and knew
he was lost. He came into her then, a swift thrust that took her
maidenhead, although she felt quite certain he didn’t know. And why
should he after all? Why should it occur to him that a woman
married seven years was still a virgin? And in fairness to his
supposed ignorance, her barrier had been fragile as tissue paper
and easily ruptured.
That did not mean there was no pain. It came
as a complete shock because it was so completely unexpected.
Catherine clung to him in desperation, willing herself not to cry
out. She mustn’t let him know this was her first time, for that
would imply some responsibility on his part, and she did not want
to burden him. How disappointing to be so eagerly aroused and then
left wanting. Salty tears gathered at the corners of her lids,
threatening to escape.
Fortunately, the ache began to dissipate as
he moved within her, and a comforting numbness took its place. In a
short time she came to realize the pleasure, though hidden by the
pain, had not been lost to her. The thrusting of the earl’s hips
proved hypnotic, and she found herself helplessly drawn into the
rhythm of the movement as once again her excitement swelled.
Catherine began to thrash beneath him in an
agitated frenzy, reaching for something just beyond her grasp.
“ Come with me, sweetheart,”
he whispered urgently.
Her eyes locked with his, and Catherine
stared into their smoky depths.
All at once she cried out as she was sucked
into a whirlpool of sensation so profound, she was hard pressed to
explain it. But that seemed the signal for which he was waiting
because, at her sudden gasp of pleasure, he buried himself deep
within her. A growl of ecstasy rose from his throat, and he rocked
back and forth, wringing the last of the passion from both of
them.
For several moments, the only sounds in the
little glen were the breathless pants of the exhausted couple. The
earl lifted his head to look at her.
Catherine gazed at him dreamily. “The most
extraordinary feeling overtook me. It’s like nothing I’ve ever felt
before,” she said in wonder. “I’d wager it’s a bit like opium,
though—once experienced the desire for more is compelling.” She
laughed softly.
He stared back, his brows drawing together in
disbelief. “Doesn’t your husband see to your needs? What a dolt he
must be.” She was confused by his anger and must have appeared that
way, for he
lower body and began the instinctive cadence of the mating ritual,
infinite pleasure even through their garb. Catherine followed his
lead without thought, moving with him, immersed in the erotic
sensations.
And that’s why one kiss was
not enough, could not possibly be. She had known it all along. But
it was too late. Much too late. She wanted him to be part of her, to fill her with
his body—to bring her along on his journey of ecstasy. She would
come with him now. He need not worry, if indeed he had worried,
that she would renege and leave him frustrated. Her frustration
would be as keen as his were that to happen.
The earl grasped the waistband of her
drawers, pulling them down over her hips, and quickly adjusted his
own clothing in preparation for their joining. He touched her
intimately, causing her body to jerk in reaction.
Was that whimpering coming from her?
Catherine’s eyes flickered open, and her
clouded gaze centered on his handsome face, now taut with desire.
He was watching her, his expression a strange combination of
concern and lust. Her vision suddenly cleared.
He was allowing her to reconsider! Yes, she
should have known. The earl’s sense of honor would demand he do no
less. She saw his hesitation and knew the silent question he asked.
And in that instant Catherine came to the conclusion she was very
nearly in love. She smiled sweetly and, putting a hand on either
side of his head, drew him to her and placed a beckoning kiss on
his mouth.
She felt the tension leave his body and knew
he was lost. He came into her then, a swift thrust that took her
maidenhead, although she felt quite certain he didn’t know. And why
should he after all? Why should it occur to him that a woman
married seven years was still a virgin? And in fairness to his
supposed ignorance, her barrier had been fragile as tissue paper
and easily ruptured.
That did not mean there was no pain. It came
as a complete shock because it was so completely unexpected.
Catherine clung to him in desperation, willing herself not to cry
out. She mustn’t let him know this was her first time, for that
would imply some responsibility on his part, and she did not want
to burden him. How disappointing to be so eagerly aroused and then
left wanting. Salty tears gathered at the corners of her lids,
threatening to escape.
Fortunately, the ache began to dissipate as
he moved within her, and a comforting numbness took its place. In a
short time she came to realize the pleasure, though hidden by the
pain, had not been lost to her. The thrusting of the earl’s hips
proved hypnotic, and she found herself helplessly drawn into the
rhythm of the movement as once again her excitement swelled.
Catherine began to thrash beneath him in an
agitated frenzy, reaching for something just beyond her grasp.
“ Come with me, sweetheart,”
he whispered urgently.
Her eyes locked with his, and Catherine
stared into their smoky depths.
All at once she cried out as she was sucked
into a whirlpool of sensation so profound, she was hard pressed to
explain it. But that seemed the signal for which he was waiting
because, at her sudden gasp of pleasure, he buried himself deep
within her. A growl of ecstasy rose from his throat, and he rocked
back and forth, wringing the last of the passion from both of
them.
For several moments, the only sounds in the
little glen were the breathless pants of the exhausted couple. The
earl lifted his head to look at her.
Catherine gazed at him dreamily. “The most
extraordinary feeling overtook me. It’s like nothing I’ve ever felt
before,” she said in wonder. “I’d wager it’s a bit like opium,
though—once experienced the desire for more is compelling.” She
laughed softly.
He stared back, his brows drawing together in
disbelief. “Doesn’t your husband see to your needs? What a dolt he
must be.” She was confused by his anger and must have appeared that
way, for he
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