Page 106 of Texas Honor

The lights were on but Maggie never noticed. The bed was large enough to give them plenty of room, and they needed it. He was insatiable, his body first over hers, then under it, his hands touching, touching hers, guiding. She learned the warm, hard contours of his powerful, hair-roughened body in a new way, a shockingly bold way that made him laugh and shudder all at once.

“Come on, touch me,” he chided when she drew away. He brought her hands back, holding her shocked gaze. “We’re married. It’s all right.”

“I know, but it’s new,” she whispered. “It’s still new.”

“I hope it always will be,” he whispered back. He smoothed his lips down her body as he spoke and felt the sweet, slow trembling start all over again.

He took an eternity arousing her, until she was moaning and crying and writhing like a wild thing. And then he took her—he was patient even then, despite the storm and fire of it—in a rhythm that was slow and deep and demanding.

Maggie never felt afraid, not even when the tenderness reached a peak that threatened to tear her apart. She felt the mattress shudder beneath them, heard his tortured breathing at her ear. Her nails bit into his back, and she couldn’t even help it. She reached up with her legs, catching his hips, holding them, her body arched like a bow. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she trembled uncontrollably, crying out in exquisite anguish as the pleasure slammed into her.

Above her, Gabe was feeling it just as intensely. His voice broke at her ear, his powerful body crushing down on hers, shaking her as it convulsed. His hands on her hips dug in and hurt, but even that was sweet.

She heard him hoarsely whisper her name. And then he relaxed, his full weight settling damply over her, his heartbeat almost frightening in its heavy, hard quickness.

She touched his hair, exhausted, sated. Part of her, she thought dazedly, loved him until it was pain. Her eyes closed and she drew him even closer, her arms loving.

He felt that surge of possession and it aroused him all over again. He was tired, so tired, but her body was tormenting him with its exquisite softness, its eager submission. He trembled and his hands moved under her hips, lifting them into his again.

“Gabe?” she whispered, stunned.

“Shh,” he whispered back. His mouth found hers, tenderly. “Shh, it’s all right.” He moved, and she trembled. His head lifted, his eyes searching hers. “Is it all right if I do this again?” he whispered softly. “I won’t hurt you?”

His consideration made her cry. “Of course you won’t,” she whispered. She reached up, touching his face, her eyes so filled with emotion that he had to look away.

He didn’t want gratitude. That was what this was, he convinced himself. He was saving Becky, he was giving them both a home and security. Maybe she was attracted to him, too; but the rest was all sacrifice and submission. That wasn’t at all what he wanted.

When he turned his face back to hers, Maggie saw that the light had died in him. “What is it?” she asked softly. “What do you want that I’m not giving you? You’ll have to tell me. I know very little about this.”

He lifted his face, hard now, and taut, and looked into her eyes. “I think you know what I want,” he said half under his breath. “But part of you is afraid to give it to me.”

She searched his eyes slowly. Yes, she knew. He wanted passion. He wanted more than submission. He wanted...this.

She let instinct guide her, forcing down the fear of violence that had consumed her for so many years. She reached out and touched him, stroked him, relishing the feel of his body shuddering against hers.

“I can be anything you want,” she whispered. She lifted her hands to his face and tugged. “Anything, Gabriel.” Her mouth opened against his, and she thrust her tongue gently inside his mouth, twisting her body up against his in quick, hard advances.

“God!” he cried.

It was the last thing he was capable of saying. He trembled like a boy, hurting her without meaning to in the violence of passion she aroused in him. He held her, gripped her, took her in as sweetly primitive a way as he’d ever dreamed of doing. And she went with him eagerly, every step of the way, matching the hard, sharp motions of his body, matching the ardent hunger of his mouth, holding him, encouraging him, her soft voice whispering things that drove him out of his mind.

Suddenly everything exploded in a spasm of color and back-breaking pleasure, a convulsion of joy that made him cry out against her, that drowned out the sounds of her own savage ecstasy. He saw, felt, heard, knew nothing except the drumming crash of onrushing oblivion. For the first time in his life, he came close to a faint.

He was staring up at the ceiling when her face blocked it out. She looked down at him with pure pride, smiling into his exhausted face, his faintly surprised pale blue eyes.

“What an expression,” she murmured demurely. “Didn’t you think I had it in me?”

“No,” he said flatly. He was still trying to breathe.

“Well, now you know, don’t you?” She bent and kissed him very gently. “I’m famished,” she sighed, stretching lazily, unconscious of his appreciative gaze. “I think I’ll order a steak. Do you want something?”

“Liniment,” he groaned. “For my aching back.”

She grinned as she got out of bed. “I’ll rub it for you, later,” she offered enticingly.

He sat up, watching her open the suitcase and take out a gown and peignoir before she waved at him and disappeared into the bathroom. He felt poleaxed. He’d expected a nice little night of lovemaking and had found himself in bed with a wildcat. What a sweet, unexpected surprise. He watched the door, frowning slightly, and then he smiled. As marriages went, this one was starting out well. He rolled over on his back and lit a cigarette, conserving his strength. He felt he was going to need it before morning.

In the bathroom, Maggie was feeling pretty smug herself. She’d surprised him. Good. Maybe it would start him thinking. She loved him utterly and completely. Now all she had to do was show him, with her own actions. And perhaps, in time, he’d be able to return her love.

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