Page 60 of The Notorious Lord Knightly
Her laugh was cut off as his mouth swooped in to cover hers. She’d always found such joy in his arms, such happiness in being with him, and of late, she’d been fighting all those feelings because she’d been justified in being cross with him. But the sensations had continued to hover at the edges of their time together, striving to break through the barriers she’d erected to protect herself from him. But the walls had tumbled when he’d gifted her with the knowledge that she’d been and was still truly loved.
She was aware of his hands busily undoing the fastenings on the back of her gown. Enough of his buttons had never been done up that she had only to tug on the cloth for him to cease his actions, reach back, draw his shirt over his head, and toss it aside. The man had always had the most exquisite chest, just a sprinkling of hair that arrowed down into his trousers, providing a path for her hands to follow.
She eased her gown off her shoulders until it pooled at her waist, teasing him with the sight of all that remained to be undone. But he merely studied her and trailed a finger slowly along the edge of her corset where it met the upper swells of her breasts.
“You’re larger than you were before.”
“A woman’s body changes when she carries a child.”Your child.But now was not the time for that revelation to be revealed. She didn’t know if it ever would be.
The dimple formed. “I’m not complaining.”
“You once said they were perfect.”
“They’re still perfect.” He pressed a kiss to the valley where her breasts met. “You’restill perfect. Let’s get you out of all these silly womanly trappings.”
Easing off his lap, she stood as he went to work releasing hooks, pulling ribbons and lacings, removing what he could, having her step out of what he couldn’t until she was completely bare. Kneeling before her, he cradled her hips and kissed the shallow curve of her abdomen.
“Her father would find all the changes wrought by bringing his child into the world incredibly beautiful.”
The reverence in his tone had tears forming in the corners of her eyes. She threaded her fingers through his hair. “I feared you might be disappointed with the changes.”
Shaking his head, he looked up at her. “You’re more stunning than ever.”
Shoving himself to his feet, he lifted her into his arms and began striding toward the bed.
“Your trousers need to come off,” she admonished.
“I always loved that you never pretended shyness.”
“My mother was the mistress of a lord. When he visited, they spent a good bit of time in the bedchamber. As I got older, she wasn’t secretive about what happened when that particular door was closed. For her, the art of lovemaking was never something to be ashamed of but to be celebrated. ‘It’s the natural course of life,’ she told me. I’m grateful she was honest about it.”
“As am I.” He set her down gently on the mattress and went to work on the fastenings of his trousers.
With anticipation, she watched as he shed them and tossed them aside. He remained magnificent, a feast for the eyes. Sculpted muscles, taut flesh, and hard cock—for her. He climbed onto the bed and stretched out beside her. “Better?”
She smiled. “Much.”
He began slowly, languorously trailing the blunt tip of his finger around her face. “How can you be more beautiful now?”
When the circle was complete, he cupped her chin and blanketed his mouth over hers... releasing a storm of desire, want, and need. They were intertwining themselves in such a manner as to make it impossible to know where one of them ended and the other began. It had always been thus with them, however, and she found comfort in the fact that even after all these years of being separated, it felt as if they’d made love only last night. They were so in tune. Hands moving frantically to caress what hadn’t been touched in so long, to become reacquainted with a body that had changed during the intervening years. She was familiar with her transformations, many the result of having a child. But, somehow, she’d expected him to remain the same.
Yet, he seemed slightly broader, a little more muscular, more substantial, giving her more of him to love.
She trailed her fingers and mouth over him, relishing his doing the same with her. He’d always hadwicked ways about him, gliding his hands softly along the inside of her thighs, but not going as far as the juncture where they met, not yet pressing the pad of his thumb against her womanly core that yearned—begged—for him to offer some surcease from all the craving.
Separating himself from her slightly, balanced on an elbow, he kneaded her breast, the heat in his gaze as he watched the movements setting her own skin afire. Their legs were entangled, his impressive cock pressing into her thigh. Sliding her hand from his firm buttocks, she folded her fingers around his hard length. Slamming his eyes closed, he growled low. While she knew more victories were to come, this small one still thrilled her, that she could have such power over him.
When he opened his eyes, the blue was darker, smoldering. Lowering his head, he took the peak of her nipple into his mouth and suckled. The sound that escaped her was a mixture of a groan and a squeal as he sent pleasure coursing through her with his ministrations.
Perhaps it was because she’d gone so long without any sort of release, or perhaps it was simply being with him again, but every inch of her throbbed, sending out joyous bursts of pleasure. She was back in his arms and didn’t know where she’d find the strength to leave them. But then a good bit of her life had involved finding the strength to meet the challenges tossed her way.
However, moments like this, with him, were very much like being granted a reward for doing what oneought, even as what they were doing was precisely what one ought not.
When she was younger, she’d experienced a bit of a thrill at misbehaving, but now that she was older, she didn’t feel she was misbehaving at all. Society’s strictures were all nonsense. The release of her book had shown her that. Some people were appalled but still they read it. Hypocrites. Why should only the married be able to experience this wondrousness?
Her mother had known that, and while Regina couldn’t condone her father’s unfaithfulness to his wife, she did hold with her mother’s belief that love was rare and should be treasured when found. What better way to treasure it than through the act of love?
And that’s what this was, what it had always been with Knightly: an act of love.
