Page 32 of The Banished Bride
“Has your husband never pleasured you in such a way?” he demanded, increasing both the rhythm and intensity of his touch.
“N-n-no.”
“Then he should be cursed as a lout as well as a fool,” he growled.
“Please—I-I do not wish to speak of my husband,” she whispered.
”Nor do I, sweeting. I don’t intend for you to think of any man save me at this moment.”
Aurora gasped as he slipped a finger inside her passage.
“Lord, you are ready for me, and I—I can wait no longer.” With a slow thrust of his hips, he buried himself deep within her.
She flinched, a small squeak escaping her lips. Alex made a startled sound of his own and withdrew with a hurried jerk. Stunned, he stared at the trace of blood. “Why, you are an innocent.” he exclaimed, his voice rough with shock.
“I-I suppose that means you don’t want me either,” she replied, turning her head so he could not see the tears welling up in her eyes.
“Don’t want you?” he repeated in some confusion.
“Yes! There is always something about me that puts men off. I am too opinionated, too independent, too headstrong. And now, it seems, too inexperienced.”
She tried to squirm out from beneath him, but he kept her firmly down against the rumpled sheet. “You think I don’t want you? That I am in some way upset that you have known no other man’s touch?” When she didn’t answer, he took her face in both hands and tilted it so that she could not avoid meeting his eyes. The color of blue in them was smoky, as if he, too, was alight with some inner fire. His lips possessed a searing heat as well, as they slowly traced a path across each cheekbone. “I have never wanted a woman as much as I want you right now.” He fanned her hair out over the pillow and twined his fingers in the silky curls before taking her mouth in another long, lingering kiss.
“R-really?” Aurora touched his chin and gave a tentative smile. “You aren’t going to stop, then?”
“I could not stop myself now, no more than I could stop the sun from tingeing the horizon with the glorious light of a new day, my sweet Aurora.” He entered her again, with great care, and began a slow, gentle rocking. “You must tell me if I am hurting you.”
Her hands clung to his muscled shoulders. “Oh no! Alex, it feels …” Her words drifted off as she started to match his rhythm.
A husky chuckle tickled her ear. “What, no adjectives come to mind? Let me see if I might bring one or two to mind.” Urging her legs to wrap around his hips, he sparked a hotter pace to their union. Soon she was in flames again.
A jolt of heat surged through her, then suddenly exploded with a shuddering flash of light. “Divine,” she mouthed against his stubbled cheek, feeling indeed as if she had just ascended to heaven. She heard him cry out too, a hoarse, elemental sound as he buried himself to the hilt and achieved a long and liquid release.
Then they lay still, joined as one, and she could feel the warmth of his passion deep with in her, hear the pounding of his heart over the racing of her own pulse and taste the salty tang of exertion upon his skin.
Rather than engendering any sense of loss, the surrender of her maidenhood made her feel strangely whole.
Alex twineda length of her hair around his fingers and held it up to the faint glow of the flickering coals, reveling in the subtle nuances of color. It reminded him of Aurora herself. Each shift of light seemed to reveal a new and intriguing shade. With such infinite possibilities, he couldn’t imagine that it would ever become boring to behold. His gaze shifted to her face. The same was true for her person. Eyes closed, she lay with her head to one side, the shadowed profile of her strong features in silhouette against the lighter covering of the pillow.
She was without question the most compelling female he had ever met, this young lady whose life had become so inextricably intertwined with his own. Already he had discovered so much beneath the surface of her scowls and sharp words. There was courage, intelligence, sensitivity and, finally, a depth of passion that had left his senses rather singed. Surely it would take a lifetime, at the very least, to begin to fathom the depths of her character.
His jaw tightened. He had no right to think in such terms. Neither of them were free to contemplate any future beyond the next dawn.
She stirred, and with an odd sense of loss, he shifted the length of his spent body to one side, then cuddled her close to his bare chest. Good Lord, he liked the feeling of her warmth against him, and the fresh scent of lavender and sunshine that wafted up from her skin.
A sigh caught in his throat. He supposed he should feel some measure of guilt or shame at deflowering another man’s wife. But he didn’t. The only emotion coursing through him was a fierce happiness, coupled with a desire to keep her safe, encircled in the protection of his arms. Whatever the law said, she was his in some irrevocable way. Nothing could change that.
Her eyes opened and a shy smile came to her lips. “Alex Woodmore,” she murmured, venturing to run her fingers through the dark curls on his breast. “I had always thought men selfish, caring only for themselves, but you are so different. With your strength and compassion, you have shown me that the notion of honor is indeed more than a hollow word.”
It was as if a knife had been plunged in his gut.
“I had always thought men supremely arrogant as well,” she continued. “But you are not afraid to ask for help or to receive it. Nor are you pompous—you have a wonderful sense of humor and most importantly, you can laugh at yourself.” She settled her cheek at the base of his throat. For a moment there was silence, save for the whisper of her breathing, then she went on in a halting voice, “For the first time, I find myself wishing to know if my so-called husband is still alive. So that I might know whether—I am free.”
He had only to remain silent, he told himself. Surely it was not so very wrong to let her believe that if not for her own situation he might. No! She had suffered enough betrayals at thehands of men. He could not offer false promises, not even if they were unspoken rather than any overt lies.
His hand came up to brush a loose tendril from her forehead. “Sweeting,” The words nearly stuck in his throat. “There is something you should know. I am married as well.”
Aurora became utterly still.Then, after the initial shock had passed, she mustered all of her considerable resolve and managed to make an even reply. “I see.”
