Page 53 of A Dream of Redemption
“No. Maitland will help; he will listen to my sister.”
“Then why is it that His Grace basically stated that if I were to form an inappropriate relationship with you, both my job and Simon’s would be at risk? I can’t do that to Simon. Not now after he’s finally making a good life for himself.”
She could not believe what she was hearing. “Maitland would never say that.”
“Well he did, two days ago. If His Grace cannot see a way forward for us, I think we have to admit defeat.”
He threw his brandy glass into the fire, and as she watched it shatter her heart ripped apart.
His voice was full of defeat. “Love does not conquer all, not in this world.” And his words sounded so definite. By telling his story he’d relived his shame and now he could barely look at her. She knew he believed the words he spoke. She could feel the tears well in her eyes.
“So it’s over.”
“It never really began. It was a dream and now we have awoken to reality.” He crouched down at her feet and took her hands in his. “But I will treasure the time we have shared together for the rest of my life. To know that you do not judge me for what I used to be has warmed my soul. I will be forever grateful.”
Grateful?I don’t want your gratitude, I want you in my life,she wanted to scream at him, but he had to come to want her enough to defy his background. Only he could set himself free of his past. Until he did, she knew he would not risk being hurt, disappointed, or abandoned again.
—
He could see the hurt and disappointment in her eyes. She really thought they could have a future—together.
He could not bear the sadness in her eyes. Lord help them. He had not forgotten the magic of her mouth, the heat she generated, the feel of her soft silken skin against his, and the sensations of their passion would be forever imprinted on his brain.
Her sweet scent filled his nostrils, as he leaned forward and tasted those luscious lips. His mouth blanketed hers, and she opened eagerly for him. He meant it to be just a quick kiss of goodbye. But her arm snaked up to wrap around his neck, and she clung tightly to him, her soft breasts pushed against his chest.
He should break free. He should make her realize that she was only prolonging their heartache. But when her tongue entered his mouth all thought fled.
Her kiss stirred his insides, reaching deeply into his soul, and sent love skimming along every nerve ending. He tried to keep his arms at his sides but he faced a losing battle. His hands crept up to cradle the back of her head, angling it, as his tongue delved deeper. His heart beat frantically as though he knew this would be the last chance he had to taste her.
Pain speared his heart because he knew he would never find such perfection with a woman again. She would always be the woman he wanted desperately, irrevocably, and she would always own his heart.
Breaking off the kiss, he rested his forehead against hers and looked deep into her eyes. Any moment now he would break away. He really would. He would pull back and deny them both what they wanted.
He should have known that she wasn’t about to let that happen because her hot, wet mouth trailed along his throat. Her lips found his ear and she rasped his name, her voice barely a husky whisper.
“If this is to be our last private moment together, just love me,” she pleaded honestly.
He was too weak to deny her. He scooped her up in his arms and carried her into his bedchamber carefully laying her on the sheets. He followed her down, his breathing as ragged as hers. His mouth found her sweet lips, robbing them both of words. He didn’t want to hear anything that would stop this moment.
On a harsh groan, his fingers made short work of lowering her bodice and his mouth closed over one nipple as he palmed her pert breast. Her hands wound in his curls and held him to her as she softly moaned.
Lost in the sensations, he was barely aware of her sliding her hands into the waistband of his breeches and pulling up his shirt. Her hands scalded his skin as they moved over his chest. He shifted, bunching her skirts to her waist. At the first probe of his finger his blood surged at finding her wet and ready for him.
He was on fire, every part of him consumed by a madness he could not control. He should stop but he couldn’t.
“I want to feel your skin against mine,” she whispered as she began to pull up his shirt. He hurriedly sat up and pulled his shirt off over his head, and her hands began tracing over his skin. Her touch branded. Made him shiver with the driving need to possess.
He looked at the goddess below him, her face flushed with desire. No woman had looked more beautiful, or looked at him with such worship in her eyes. Her hands were now at the placket of his trousers and soon his erection sprang free, eager for her touch.
Her small hand circled him, and began to move reverently up and down. He briefly closed his eyes and groaned, and wished for the one thing he knew he should not wish for. He wondered what it would feel like to be inside her tight sheath as he thrust into her.
He found himself aching, needing, wanting, desiring—
Before he knew what she was about, Helen flexed her hips and rolled him over onto his back, so that she was sitting astride him. Her bountiful breasts were hanging free of her gown, her skirt gathered at her waist. She leaned forward to kiss him and he could feel her taut nipples grazing his chest. Her mouth began trailing over his skin until she found his hardened nipple and she bit down. He couldn’t help it; his hips flexed upward seeking the heated, wet heart of her.
She rubbed herself along the hardened length of him, and he pressed his head back into the pillow as his eyes rolled into his head. It would be so easy to sink deep within her.
Suddenly, as if she had the same thought, she rose to her knees and impaled herself on him.
