Page 18 of A Love to Remember
His warm fingers cupped her breast, kneaded it, tweaked her nipple.
Breaking the kiss, she leaned back, giving him space to tease and taste to his heart’s content, using the unguarded moment to watch him from beneath half-closed eyelids.
His face was set and focused as he struggled to hold off his release until she’d found hers. But she wasn’t ready. She wanted this to last all night.
Her thighs gripped his as she took control and began to slow things down. He tried to urge her on by lifting her, but she would not have it. Instead, she used his shoulders to push up and once more watch his face. His eyes had darkened to the color of ink. On a guttural groan he took the other nipple into his mouth and bit down none too gently.
The pain mixed with pleasure eroded her control and she jerked and writhed as if riding a bucking horse. Her moans of need blended with his ragged gasps and the sound became a sensual symphony, and the pleasure was almost unbearable.
She had to close her eyes. She had to— “Oh, God. Oh, Philip, that’s it—”
Then she was flying, touching heaven, her body quaking under wave upon wave of mind-numbing pleasure of the Little Death.
She was so caught up in the exquisite moment she hardly registered Philip’s roar of release, or that he held her hard down upon his lap as he surged up and up, spilling his seed deep within her.
Did he realize he’d done it? Was he even aware?
They were wrapped in each other’s arms, too overcome with the power of their release to move, or focus on what had just happened.
Her heart still pounded—not from exertion, but from pain. This was her last night with the man who would always be her one true love. Her passion. Her joy. Her everything. Would he leave now? Was he already preparing his farewell?
As if Philip read her mind, his arms tightened around her.
“Not yet,” he whispered, and then stood, lifting her into his arms, kissing her face, carrying her to her bed, and tumbling onto it. She could feel his erection hardening again deep within her and was thrilled that the night was not yet over. For a few more hours she could still pretend that morning would dawn bright and full of promise.
It would. But not for her. For her, all promise of happiness was gone.
Thank goodness she had Drake.
Chapter 6
It had been three days since Rose had ended her affair with Philip, and life had somehow just continued on as usual. It felt wrong. All she wanted to do was sit by the fire and mope, and yet the cards for balls and invitations for functions kept arriving.
She was about to enter the drawing room with a handful of correspondence when Drake and his nanny descended the stairs.
“Henry’s got a boat to sail,” he told her. “But I promise I won’t get too dirty.”
“Have fun. Be good for Nanny,” she said and blew him a kiss as she waved goodbye.
In the drawing room she pried open the seal and pulled out a card. It was an invitation from Serena to a small dinner party in a few days’ time.
That was the moment when she realized the enormity of the changes she was going to have to make. From now on if she went to a dinner party with all her friends, Philip would probably be there. It would be awkward with everyone watching them, and she couldn’t bear to see pity in their eyes.
With a sigh she put the card aside and moved on to the next envelope.
How different losing Philip was to the usual ending of an affair. Typically, she would celebrate by making a list of eligible men and taking her time to assess those she might find intriguing and willing to share herself with.
This time, however, she could not bear to think of sharing any man’s bed but Philip’s.
At the end of half an hour she’d managed to get through quite a few of the envelopes and selected a number of social occasions to attend. They were mostly ones she thought Philip would be unlikely to have on his list.
A knock sounded on the door and Booth entered. “Lady Blackwood would like to know if you are at home, Your Grace.”
“Of course.” Rose had known this conversation was coming. “And I suspect we will need some tea”—and under her breath—“or something stronger.”
A moment later Portia swept into the room with a big smile on her face, embraced Rose heartily with kisses to both cheeks, and then dropped onto the chaise longue opposite Rose.
“I called for some refreshments,” Rose said as Portia spread out her skirts and patted them down. “Will you be visiting for long?”
