Page 100 of Intolerable
“Did you?” He swept the garment over his head and let it fall behind him. “Better?”
“Infinitely.” She looked her fill, recalling their night in the stable at the Crimshaw ball. Over the past few days, she’d never thought to experience that bliss again.
He lightly clasped her ankles then skimmed his hands up the backs of her legs. She shivered as his hands moved over to the insides, sliding just beneath the ties of her stockings.
“Should I leave these on?” he mused. “I think not, alluring as that would be. Next time. Tonight, as I said, you will be completely bare when I sink into you at last.” He loosened the garters and she exhaled in soft, eager pants.
He slid one stocking from her leg and leaned forward. His lips pressed to the inside of her knee, and his tongue danced over her flesh upward toward her thigh.
Quivering with desire, she grasped his shoulder. He made a sound and twitched.
Straightening, she let go. “Are you hurt?” She looked down at his shoulder but only saw reddened flesh. “Perhaps we should postpone this occasion. You were just in a fight. I can’t imagine you feel up to this task.”
In answer, he pulled the other stocking from her leg and rose up between her knees, gesturing to the unmistakable arousal tenting his breeches. “As you can see, I am more thanupfor this. There is no way we’re postponing this on my account. Unless you’d rather wait?”
Seeing his obvious desire for her, she licked her lips. “Heavens no. I just don’t want to hurt you.”
If you continue to do things like lick your lips and look at me as though I’m an elaborate pineapple flummery.”
“Flummery?” Cassandra practically spit the word out in laughter.
“That’s my favorite dessert.”
She narrowed her eyes at him, eager to touch him and be touched by him. “Well, then that’s a perfect description becauseyouare my favorite dessert.”
“Cass.” The word came out a dark rasp, scraping over her skin with a stirring sensuality.
Wriggling her hips, she clasped the hem of her chemise and pulled the garment over her head. “There. Now I’m bare, just as you wanted.” She wadded the cotton and threw it from the bed. “What do you plan to do?”
“Just…let me look for a moment.” His gaze dipped to her breasts, and now he licked his lips. Need pulsed within her, radiating from her nipples, which tightened beneath his perusal, down to her sex, now warm and desperate for him.
His eyes swept over her, pausing at the apex of her thighs. Cass widened her legs to show him more. She shook from desire and trepidation, worried that she shouldn’t be so eager.
“Lie back.” He didn’t look up at her face, just focused on her sex.
She hesitated, too caught in the spell weaving between them to move quickly.
He reached for her breast, his thumb moving roughly across her nipple. She arched into his touch, letting out a soft cry as sensation spiraled through her. Then he moved his hands to her hair and swiftly pulled the pins away, collecting them in his hands then transferring them to the table near the bed.
When he came back to her, his eyes were dark and his face taut with want. He speared his fingers into her hair, cupping her scalp and pulling the strands to cascade over her shoulders and back. Then he tipped forward, pushing her back as he kissed her savagely, his lips and tongue commanding her to do what he wanted. Whatshewanted.
She gripped him, careful not to touch that spot on his right shoulder. His mouth didn’t remain long on hers, instead sliding down her jaw and neck until he found her breast. He held her flesh as he feasted on her nipple. The pleasure winding through her was unmatched, making her writhe with desperation.
“Ruark, please,” she moaned, her body twisting beneath his.
“Tell me. What do you want?” He nipped her gently, his teeth grazing before he suckled her once more.
“This. More.”
He pulled on her breast, tugging her nipple as he kissed her neck beneath her ear. “You can be more specific, can’t you? What do youwant?”
“I want you.” Her breath came in rasps, her pulse fluttering wildly. “All of you. I want you to take me where you did before. Touch me, please.”
“Where?” he demanded, his tongue caressing her neck and collarbone while he continued to fondle her breasts. “Is this touch not enough?” He tweaked her nipple again, making her arch up and cry out.
“Yes. No. Touch me lower.” Embarrassment threatened to steal her words, but why should she give in to such a ridiculous emotion? “My sex.”
“Ah.” He traced his hand down slowly over her abdomen, building her anticipation with his sweep and graze of his fingertips. “Down here?” He barely touched the curls between her legs. His mouth was against her ear as he whispered, “Your pussy. If you want to be crude. I am feeling rather crude at the moment.”
