Page 48 of The Billionaire's Demand

This is our wedding night.

The words were in her head, and it seemed they were a gift and a blessing too.

And then there were no more words, only the sweetness of his kiss and all that came thereafter, as gently, tenderly, he lay her back and finally made her his own.

She was softness, she was sweetness, she was wonder. And a delight to savour and behold...to tenderly caress and to possess. But unhurriedly and carefully...oh, so carefully. The flame between them was a gentle one, a slow-burning one, taking its time. For why should there be a rush? They had all night.

He had one focus only: that this time he would make amends. Last night there had been a desperate hunger, an urgency to assuage his needs and hers. Tonight he would be as gentle, as patient, as she desired—as he desired too. And with each trace of his lips, of his fingertips, with the smoothing of her sweet delights with his palms, from breasts to thighs, and all that lay between, he would give her the slow, sensuous pleasure that he was receiving from her in return.

This was passion—oh, this was passion, indeed. But slowed to a tempo that Leandros knew with every instinct he possessed was what this moment needed. What Eliana needed.

And what I need too.

Time—just time. So simple and so precious. As precious as the little sighs of pleasure that sounded in her throat as he drew from her, slowly and sensuously, the delight that he knew he could give her, felt her own body’s response to his. Slowly and sensuously, he took her on that journey with each soft kiss, each languorous caress, taking his time, cupping her breasts that swelled to his touch, trailing his fingertips along the silken columns of her thighs, the delicate folds, drawing from her yet more low sighs of soft, melting pleasure.

She wound her arms loosely around his neck, gazing up at him. There was ardency in her gaze, invitation in her smile. And when he moved his body over hers that invitation was in her body too. Slowly, with infinite care, infinite patience, he eased into her, pausing, as his lips moved across hers tenderly and reassuringly, to let her body accommodate him.

He heard her sigh—with completion, with acceptance. Felt her enclose him, hold him, fold around him. Bring him to his own moment...

He lifted his mouth from hers. ‘Eliana, I can’t—I can’t...hold back...’

Though he had known he must be infinitely gentle, now it was impossible to deny his body the fulfilment it sought when it had found so perfect a union with her, so absolute a fusion.

Her hands cradled the nape of his neck and she smiled at him.

‘No more can I,’ she said, and as if a bow had been released she arched her spine, her fingers flexed into his nape. Her head was going back. Face transformed.

She cried out—but not with pain. Never that—never again. With an ecstasy that pierced him to the core he felt her convulse around him, and in that moment came his.

Fusion upon fusion, they held each other as their flesh became one. As they became one...

Eliana lay in Leandros’s arms. It was the sweetest place to be in all the world. Her hand was splayed upon his chest, the other wound around his waist. Their thighs mingled, tangled. His arm curved along her spine, holding her close to him, his other cradled her head against his shoulder.

They did not speak. There was no need to. No need for words. Only for this moment, this time, held in each other’s arms in the velvet darkness of the night.

So much filled her. So much she could not believe her heart could hold it all. It flowed from her, enveloping him, encompassing him, binding him to her.

For this moment. For this time. For now.

This now was everything to her. All the world and more.

She was in the arms of the man she loved.

But she must lose him again.

A cry of protest rose within her, silent and imploring.

But not yet—not yet. Grant me this time—this precious time—before I must break my heart again.

She had been granted time. That much had been given to her.

A week.

A week in which to live out a lifetime of her love for him.

‘Time for our treats,’ announced Leandros. ‘Lunch was a long time ago!’ He pointed to a nearby bench. ‘What about that spot?’

‘Perfect,’ said Eliana. She looked around as they headed for the bench. ‘I had no idea the Luxembourg gardens were so vast!’ she exclaimed.

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