Page 26 of Landen

“I have aquestion,” he said quietly.

“Why am I notsurprised?” She countered huskily, still with her face buriedin his chest.

“Because youare beginning to realize I am curious?” He said teasingly.

“What’sthe question?”

“Therelationship you had before-”

“Is none ofyour business.”

Tucking his fingersbeneath her chin, he forced her to look at him. “I am afraid itis.” He told her quietly, green eyes steady on hers. “Inoticed two things. When I went down on you, it felt as if it wasyour first time.”

“So?” Shechallenged.

“That answersthat question. The second one is this, which I find difficult tograsp. Was it your first time having an orgasm?”

She tried to wrenchher chin away from him, but he held on. “So?” Sherepeated, eyes shying away from him.

Landen felt his heartsplintering inside his chest. She was lethal and he had no idea howthis was going to pan out. Initially, he thought of this as a fling,but the joke was on him.

“I am happy Iwas the one who was able to accomplish it.”

“It’s nobig deal.”

“Isn’tit?” Pushing her back, he settled on top of her, a chuckleescaping him when her eyes widened.

“I am amazed,myself.” The evidence of his throbbing arousal was proof of howready he was again. “You did this.” Lowering his head, henibbled on her bottom lip, sending electrical jolts throughout herbody. “You light a fire inside me that is proving to beunquenchable. God help us both.”

*****

Carefully removingher slender limbs from around him, he slid off the bed and sat on theside, staring at her. They had dropped into exhausted sleep when therosy tint of dawn was edging the sky.

Now, it was almosteleven, and she was still fast asleep.

He feasted his eyeson her slender curves, admiring the gently curving hip and theshapely legs.

She was half lying onher stomach, making it possible for him to see the curve of herbreast. Her hair was tangled and partially covering her brow. Liftinga hand, he brushed it away gently.

The constrictionsettled inside his chest as he continued to stare at her. He was notgoing to think about leaving her, leaving here. He still had time andwas not about to waste a minute of it.

He would insist thatthey spend their free moments with each other. His features becametense as he realized that he would have to keep their relationship asecret, which meant he could not take her out to dinner or thetheater.

He was an operaaficionado, and he loved the theater. He wondered if she did.

Healso realized that he did not know anything about her.

He could ask, butthat would mean revealing portions of his life he was not sure hewanted her to know, like the fact that he could never take her tomeet his family or that a wife had already been chosen for him.

Rising, he stood atthe side of the bed, staring at her. He had made love to her severaltimes without using anything. And now that he had, there was no wayhe was ever going to. He could still feel her tightness wrappedaround him like a glove.

Turning away, hedescended the steps and went to get dressed. He would get coffeegoing. He had stopped at the pastry place and had a variety ofgoodies they could have for breakfast.

He would persuade herto spend the rest of the day with him. He would send and ordersomething from that delightful French restaurant he had discovered afew days ago.

He had just set thecoffee up when his phone rang. His shoulders stiffened, and he knewwho it was before turning the phone over. His parents had a routinethey did not break from, come hell or high water.

They would rise ateight to attend early morning mass and then return for breakfast.Afterward, his mother would go and have tea with several of the womenon her committee. Then, they would each nap in their separate suiteto rest up for supper at precisely eight.

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