Page 93 of The Irish Gypsy
In a far-off corner of her mind she realizedit was hopeless to oppose him. He always had his way.
He has hypnotized me," she thoughtwildly, then ruefully admitted the strong attraction she felt forhim was love inevitable. To be here alone together was paradise. Hetouched her hair and it curled possessively about his fingers.
"Let me make love to you tonight, so we'llalways remember. Let me play with you. I'll start with yourfingertips and stop at your toes," he said, pressing quick kissesinto the palm of her hand. He kissed the silky flesh on the insideof her arm. "Be generous with me, sweet; you know I'm madly in lovewith you." He found her lips and kissed her deeply. His handcaressed her breast. "Chamade," he whispered hoarsely, "the heartwildly beating in surrender." Very gently he undressed her, kissingeach part as it was uncovered to him.
"Now you," she murmured, reaching for hisshirt buttons. She performed the same ritual for him and by thetime they were both naked, they were dizzy with rapture. He liftedher from the couch, high above him and let her slip down his body.The head of his shaft penetrated her and he cupped her buttocks soshe could sit on him and savor the exquisite feeling it gave toboth of them. The tip of his tongue slipped inside her mouth andshe felt she would die from the twin sensations of penetration andwithdrawal their bodies made. She wrapped her legs around his backand he slowly walked to the bed with her in that position. He bentdown until she was on the bed, then she playfully rolled away andburied her face in the pillows. In a flash he straddled her andshowered kisses on her back. As he rolled her over to face him,their playful laughter ceased and they became very serious. The aweof the moment dawned upon them as they fully realized the deep lovethey felt for each other. Their lovemaking had a delicious newnessabout it, while at the same time they were repeating the ritualmating they had shared years before. With hardly a pause herepeated his lovemaking to make up for all the nights they hadlived without it. Afterward they lay entwined and talked.
"I think it will be easier for us if I goaway," he said.
"But you said war was about to break out inAmerica," she said, frightened.
"There's money to be made in war,darling."
"Not gunrunning, Patrick," she saidfearfully.
"No, not gunrunning. I can leave that up tomy partner. You forget that Hind's is a food company. We can getarmy contracts. That's why I sold the mills. There will be anembargo on cotton and all our food factories are in the North. Mysympathies lie with the South, but I have more sense than to alignmyself with the losing side."
"How can you possibly know who willlose?"
"I know. I'm far enough removed to see thingsobjectively. The North is vital, alive, industrious; the South isindolent," he said.
"Let's not speak of war," she begged.
He kissed her hungrily and she respondedimmediately.
"Am I right to think you love-starved,darling? Does Charles....no, I'd rather not know! I can't bear tothink of you together. All that really matters is that he's good toyou."
"He is good to me. To Charles Patrick also."She bit her lip because she knew she gave him pain. He crushed herto him. "Never stop loving me," he demanded.
Patrick knew a deep need to put his brandupon her to blot out the thought of all other lovers, ever. He knewhe must make love to her as if it was their first time, and theirlast. How could he show her what she meant to him in one shortnight?
He pulled her on top of him to lie along hishard length. "I have so much I want to give you, but we only havetill dawn. Take it from me hungrily. Make demands on me. I'll giveyou everything and take everything in return."
Suddenly Kitty was seized by a dark, violentpassion. Only Patrick could arouse her to such madness. It wastheir secret that when they shared a bed they became shockinglywild and untamed.
They gave each other pain and pleasure,torture and bliss. They shared love and lust and raw carnality.Licking, sucking, biting. Fierce. Savage, Ferocious. Cruel. It tookmore than once to slake their need. Then their lovemaking becamegentle, sweet, tender, heartbreakingly poignant. All giving,sharing, cherishing surrender.
They lay spent, totally exhausted from anexcess of love. He stroked her gently and they drifted intoslumber.
She awoke with a start. "Patrick, wake up,darling, I have to leave." She shook him gently.
He masked the regret her words brought tohim. "Let me dress you."
Inside the carriage he held her in his lap sothey could savor their last precious moments together. The carriagestopped. The moment had come. Her lips were bee stung from too manykisses, so he kissed her forehead. "Don't look back."
She stood in the cold light of dawn andwrapped his cloak tightly about her. A few carriages still werethere. One couple was actually getting into a punt at the water'sedge, each carrying a champagne bottle. Kitty shuddered. She madeher way toward the house, hoping to reach her bed without having toface anyone.
Chapter 26
Three weeks later Kitty sat at the breakfasttable with Charles. She toyed with her food as she sorted out herthoughts. She was worried about Charles. He looked old. Shecouldn't hurt him by telling him so, but she couldn't remain silentany longer.
"Charles, you don't look well to me. Please,dear, see your doctor. I think you've been working too hard."
"I'm all right. Just a little tired. As amatter of fact, I've been worrying about you. Look at yourplate--not enough on it to feed a bird and you keep pushing thatabout from one side to the other. I think you've lost weight.Perhaps the boy's getting too much for you. I think it's time wechanneled some of that energy. He'd better have a tutor before hebecomes unmanageable."
"He's just a normal boy, but I do agree thatit's time for a tutor. A little discipline wouldn't be amiss," shesaid and smiled.
"That's better! I love to see you smile, andyou've looked so sad lately." He cocked an eyebrow at her. "I don'tbelieve you took my advice, did you?"
