Page 105 of Master of Paradise
She let him remove her gown, then laystretched upon the grass in invitation.
He played with her until her pleasure grew sointense, she begged him to stop.
"I will, after I've seen your body'slove-blush."
"What do you mean?"
"When a woman is fully aroused, legend says adeep pink blush spreads across her body. There! My God, it's true,"he marveled.
"Take me. Take me now."
He towered above her, shuddering withdesire.
The moment his shaft touched her she turnedto fire. He had aroused her to a lovely madness. In a frenzy shecried the words he loved to hear, and he whispered all the speciallove words he gave to her alone. He knew how much she could endureand when she reached her peak, he gave her long, slow, shudderingrelease.
Love gave them an appetite and food had nevertasted so delicious as it did today. He fed her the peach, andbetween bites tasted the sweet nectar on her lips.
They caught sight of the lily pads at thesame moment. "Remember that terrible day you were bitten by thesnake?"
"That day when you put your mouth on mygroin, it was the most erotic moment of my life."
The dimples peeped out. "Is the scar stillthere?"
He nodded.
"We could do it again."
He groaned. "That dress has to come offagain. It's the most arousing thing in the world to know thatbeneath it you are naked."
Later, as they lay drowsing in the sun, hetold her of a beach he'd seen up the coast past Murrel's Inlet."It's hard to believe that the lovely warm water is part of thesame ocean that surrounds England. I love our warm Carolinasunshine and hate the cold Atlantic shores on the other side. I'mgoing to take you up to that beach when I get back. It goes on forabout twelve miles. It's truly a paradise, filled with beautifulshells and sea birds. It's so secluded we could spend a weekwithout seeing another soul. Just think, a whole week...naked!"
They tried to hold back the sunset, but asall other glorious days, it too ended. The memories of this onehowever would last them a long time.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Amanda was amused.Jennifer must have asecond sense about Nicholas. He's only been gone hours, and hereshe is back at Paradise.
"There's absolutely nothing left to eat athome. Mammy, would you be a darlin' and get me some hot chocolateand croissants?"
"Chile, der ain't no chocklit in de wholeSouth. Ah git yo' some milk an' corn pone."
Jennifer turned to Amanda. "It would havebeen much better if that Pamela had gone back to England. I havedecided she is an unscrupulous woman. All that unpleasantness whenNicholas came home was her fault, I hope you realize. Now she'sgone off with Daddy to Richmond, and him such a sweet, unsuspectin'man. He doesn't realize she's after his money."
Amanda smiled. "Jenny how you do run on.Bernard Jackson may be many things, but sweet and unsuspecting heis not. I imagine they'll both get what they want from each other.Don't fret about Daddy's money. He's in no hurry to marry her."
"Amanda, I declare you are turning into acynic."
Amanda's lips twitched. "Recent events havecaused me to take off my blinkers and see things... and people...as they really are. Forgive me for being critical Jenny, but youhave a habit of pretending unpleasant things never happened, andyou assume if you ignore them long enough, they'll go away."
"I'm sure I don't take your meaning."
"Yes you do. This business of Beau must besettled."
"I never want to hear his name again," Jennydeclared passionately.
"In that case I think we'd better visit Mrs.Hampden and you can explain that you are quietly calling off theengagement. You can't let everyone think there's going to be awedding when there isn't."
"You'll come with me?" she askedhopefully.
