Read Online When a Rake Falls by Sally Orr - Free Book Online Page B

and slid in again. He quickened the pace and felt warmer, much warmer. Rub. Rub. Rub.
    â€œWhat are you doing?”
    The sweet sound of her voice called him back to his sense of decorum. “Ah.” Boyce tried to come up with a scientific explanation to please her. “It’s my idea. I call it chafing. It makes you warmer, right?”
    She twisted to face him, her eyes wide. “I do feel warmer—strangely so. Continue.” She kept both hands steady, allowing him to thrust again with his hand.
    Within minutes, the warm air from her rapid breaths on the underside of his chin proved unbelievably arousing. If he closed his eyes, her steamy breath felt like numerous little kisses. Taking a peek at her face, her parted lips only increased his discomfort. He scooted slightly away from her, since his forward behavior might shock a naive young lady. Time to focus on something else. “Are you having trouble breathing?”
    â€œAltitude,” she said a little too quickly. “The pulse rate of the human heart increases with altitude. It is scientific fact. My panting is not…is due to the rarefied air. An aeronaut’s heartbeat can escalate to over eighty beats per minute. This is quite normal, I can assure you.”
    Her raspy voice sounded like London’s most beautiful high-flyer beckoning him to a night of passion. He pushed her forward an inch. “Your voice changed. Promise me you are well?”
    â€œI promise. The moisture content of the air is very low at high altitude, so my throat is dry. It’s perfectly normal, like the extreme cold. Although it is colder than I expected. I must have miscalculated. With the heat from the lamp being insufficient, we’ll just have to maximize contact.”
    â€œSo my chafing idea was a good one?”
    â€œYes, it was, but let’s continue the friction.”
    He hesitated, unsure how to explain why friction might be a bad idea. Perhaps she possessed some additional knowledge about the cold atmosphere that he lacked. However, a first mate must follow his captain’s orders. Cupping their joined palms under her breasts, he pulled her higher on his chest. Now he observed her lips were no longer apple red but bloodless enough to match her skin. “Put your lips on my neck. Your lips are very pale, and my neck is warm.”
    â€œThat won’t be necessary.”
    â€œI’m worried about you. Do you want me to do it first?” He rocked her sideways in fun. “I promise I won’t call it a kiss.”
    She trembled a little, perhaps from the cold. “No, I’m not sure this is necessary under the circumstances. Since friction is not involved, I doubt the gesture will go far in making either of us warmer.”
    â€œPlease,” he whispered.
    She hesitated. “If you insist, we can do the experiment. But remember, it’s not a kiss.” She then placed her lips just under his ear.
    The coldness of her lips caused a shiver to run from his ear to his toes. Best to concentrate on the friction, instead of kissing her witless. With their joined hands still in the gloves, he vigorously rubbed every inch of their bodies within reach. Both of their thighs, her stomach, and under her breasts were chafed.
    While he rubbed, her lips remained under his ear, and they began to feel warm and wet.
    â€œAh, yes, a positive reaction,” she whispered.
    Deciding it would be safer for all concerned to return to the finger-stroking scheme, Boyce pulled his hand almost out of the glove and shoved it back in. With each arousing push, he grunted softly. Gradually, the chafing slowed until he stopped altogether. Then he heard a sound that wasn’t his galloping heartbeat, something outside of the basket. He listened carefully for several minutes. The pulsing noise began to sound like crashing waves. “Listen.”
    He lost consciousness.

Five
    Eve had no concept of the power behind repeated, rhythmic