Page 62 of To Tempt a Scandalous Lord
Niall laid his forehead on her back as they moaned in unison.
“You’re already wet for me,” he said, his voice rough.
“Of course I am.” She bit back a mewl. “I’ve been since you kissed my palm in the garden.”
“You naughty minx.” Niall continued to stroke her, coaxing sounds of pleasure from her lips.
“Please, Niall,” Alicia begged, clawing at the counterpane while pushing her hips back.
“Oh, you want relief when you’ve been teasing me for the last hour?”
She choked on a laugh. “I did no such thing. I was weeding and chatting with the gardener, nothing more.”
He kissed the delicate spot under her ear, his tongue darting out to taste her skin. “And did you think I wouldn’t be tempted by the way the sun touched your cheeks, or your husky laugh, or how you paid no heed to how dirty your gloves or skirts got?”
Niall pulled away, but his arms looped around her waist, pulling her upright. Tucking his face into the crook of her neck, his hands made quick work on the remaining buttons of her bodice until it sagged open. He roughly yanked it down, and then pulled her chemise up and over her head. Before she could say anything, Niall gently nudged her back onto the bed.
“My darling, your innate allure steals my breath away sometimes,” he whispered, lightly scratching his nails down her back.
Rather than respond, Alicia tried to follow his touch with the curve of her spine.
“Life has dealt you many blows…including marriage to me,” he huffed a laugh, “and yet you are still kind. Patient. So very generous.”
She had not expected that. Craning to look at him over her shoulder, she frowned. “I don’t understand.”
“Of course you don’t, because you treat all people with the same courtesy.” Niall nipped at the base of her neck. “To you it makes sense to crouch down so you’re at eye level when the children speak with you, because what they have to say is worthy of your attention. You’re a singular woman, Alicia Campbell, and I feel so damn lucky you’re my wife.”
Dipping her head, she clenched her jaw as she tried to hold back her tears.
“And that, my dear, is why I’m desperate to have you. Desperate to possess you, as if all your goodness could somehow be transferred to me.”
Niall rubbed his knuckles against her core, and he grunted with satisfaction. A second later, something much larger nudged at her entrance, and Alicia moaned loudly. He stroked a hand down her spine, before resting it on her lower back.
“Shall we see how much of your goodness rubs off on me?” Niall rasped as he sank deep.
Gripping her hips, he thrust into her, his every stroke pushing her farther up the bed. Alicia hid her face in the bedclothes, desperate to smother her cries. The servants already knew they had retired to her chamber, and they didn’t need to hear her moans to add more fuel to the gossip.
But Niall wasn’t satisfied with her muffled exclamations. Jerking her hips back, his fingers digging into her flesh, he leaned over her to whisper in her ear, “That’s it, my love. Show me you want me as much as I want you.”
“You know I do,” she gasped.
“Do I?” He reached around to her breasts, clasping them tenderly. “I seem to recall the coy looks you sent my way as you weaved between the roses.”
“Coy looks?” Alicia could barely say the words with her senses overwhelmed. “I did no such thing.”
Niall smacked her bottom. “Yes, you did. And should you do so again, expect just this sort of punishment.”
She looked at him over her shoulder, her mouth slackened as she panted. “You are such a tyrant.”
“I know.” He reached forward to run his finger along her mouth, groaning when she nibbled on the tip. “But you deserve such punishments and more.”
Oh God, Alicia would not allow her guilt to intrude upon this moment.
“Show memore,” she bit out, thrusting back against him.
Niall groaned, a shudder shaking his frame as he dragged his hands down her overheated body to grasp her waist.
“I’ll always have more to give you,” he snarled, thrusting deep and making her keen. “I’ll always demand more. Want more. Wanteverything.”
