Page 114 of The Moonstone Hero
Dear heaven.
The arch and strain of his body as he shrugged out of it was sheer balletic grace. There was not a blessedly soft thing about Caden. He was rippling muscles and rock-hard perfection, from his broad shoulders to his muscled arms and trim waist.
He began to undo his falls, then stopped. “I usually sleep naked, Ella.”
Her eyes widened, for she never did.
However, she was not an utter goose. She knew what would be happening tonight and was eager for it. “I hope we will do a little more than sleep,” she said, feeling herself blush once again.
He chuckled, for she could never be described as bold in the bedroom. “Yes, love. We will.”
He studied her a moment longer, then undid his falls and slipped his breeches off.
“The thing about men,” he said, settling beside her and drawing the covers over both of them, “is that we cannot hide our arousal.”
She had tried to be subtle in her gaping, but she had never seen a naked man before. Oh, she had seen Caden partly undressed back in his hospital room in Moonstone Landing, but he’d made certain to cover up the most vital parts of himself.
But having seen him quite clearly now, she was not sure how they would fit because… Well, just because.
He nudged her onto her back and then shifted himself atop her, pressing down lightly but making certain to keep the bulk of his weight, which was all hot, solid muscle, onto his elbows. She was surprised he did not ask her to remove her nightgown, but as he slid his hand along her breast and then over her hips, she expected the garment would not stay on much longer.
In this, she was proven right.
She gasped as he undid the silk tie at her bosom and bared her to his view.
“Ella,” he said in a whisper, his breath catching and his voice raw as he took his time with her, determined to be gentle. But their aching need for each other quickly took over. Her nightgown flew off, leaving her completely bared to his view.
She wanted to cover herself, but he stopped her gently. “No, love. Let me look at you.”
His eyes were dark fire as he absorbed every detail of her body, and then emitted a soft growl to signal he was about to get down to the business of claiming her as his wife.
She was lost with his first kiss, the first touch of his hot skin to her cool flesh. The first touch of his lips to her breast and the soft flicks of his tongue as he teased and suckled the bud and then moved on to the other. She was liquid fire by the time his calloused fingers slid to the intimate spot between her legs and he began to stroke her there.
She had never thought of herself as wild, but this was how she wanted him. Savagely. Fiercely. Passionately. She clutched at him so awkwardly and desperately as new sensations overwhelmed her.
“Love, you are ready for me.”
Was there ever any doubt?
She clutched the bedding and moaned breathily. Her body was in flames, and all she wanted to do was to have him inside her, because she was going to explode if they did not become one at this very moment. She ignored the pinch of pain when he entered her, for the rest of her was feeling nothing but exquisite pleasure. She shifted her hips upward to take more of him into her tight core. “Be patient, love,” he whispered, his kisses soothing her and arousing her as he fitted himself into her.
Fire rushed through Ella as he began to thrust inside of her.
She could not say they moved as one, because her own movements were uncontrolled and sometimes she could not move at all, only feel those flames of desire burn through her. She had her eyes closed most of the time, but his were open and watching her with a scorching intensity, his need to conquer and possess her unmistakable as he maintained his steady rhythm.
She clutched his hair.
She grabbed his shoulders.
He laughed. “Ella, be patient.”
“I cannot.” She felt a molten heat build inside of her, ignited by the thrusts of his muscled body. Then suddenly, her body seemed to break apart, each piece of her turning to starlight, bright and bursting as she floated upward to the heavens and beyond. “Caden…oh, Caden!”
He kept up the onslaught, kissing her deeply on the mouth to absorb her cries that threatened to penetrate beyond the walls of their chamber. “Lord, you are glorious.”
He kissed her again and again as he found his own release, dark and hungry, then growled like a jungle cat contented after devouring his prey.
“I love you, Ella.” He entwined her hair in his fisted hands, buried his face in those long, golden strands as shudders ran through him and he emitted another animal growl before collapsing atop her. His big body momentarily pressed down on her with its full weight as the last of him spilled into her and his strength was drained.
