Page 92 of Beauty and the Thief

“I hurt you,” he said between pants. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s not so bad.”

He looked at her. Her eyes were unfocused from pleasure, but he could see the lines of tension there too.

“I thought you had to move.”

“I don’t want to hurt you more.”

“I’m not so fragile.” Carefully, he pushed deeper, and she blew out a breath. “How can I both love that and want you to stop at the same time?”

He withdrew then slid slowly back into her. Her body took him, tensing only as he thrust more deeply. “And now?” he asked between clenched teeth.

“It still hurts, but I can see how it might be enjoyable.”

“I won’t last much longer.” She was too wet and tight, and he had not done this in a long, long time. He moved again and then moaned as the climax rippled through him. He withdrew quickly, spilling his seed outside her, then rolling to his side and gathering her into his arms. It had been as good as he’d anticipated and would be better the next time.

If there was a next time. There could be no future with her. She was too good for him, a common criminal. She had her life, her position, the respect of everyone who knew her. What could he offer her?

The simple answer was nothing. Once he was paid and returned to London, Cal didn’t think it would be long before he returned to the gambling hells and gin houses. He’d made resolutions before and always broke them. Why should this time be any different?

She sighed and relaxed against him, her body warm and soft. He buried his nose in her sweet-smelling hair and wished this time could be different.

***

BRIDGET COULD HEAR Callahan’s heart beating against her ear. It thumped rapidly and steadily, strong and solid. She’d never been this close to a man. She didn’t remember her father ever holding her gathered against him, and she’d avoided other men, not wanting to ever be at the mercy of another man like her father.

But she hadn’t felt at Callahan’s mercy when she’d been in his arms. She’d felt cherished and loved. Which, of course, was ridiculous. He didn’t love her. He’d wanted her. Now that he’d gotten what he wanted, he would move on to the next woman.

She knew all this, but it didn’t mean she didn’t enjoy being in his arms, didn’t feel tears sting her eyes when she thought of her future without him. She loved him. She didn’t know exactly when she’d fallen in love with him—perhaps it had been the first time she’d seen him in the train station. He’d been so handsome and undaunted at the odds facing them.

Perhaps it had been the first time he teased her about her clipboard. No one had ever teased her before. It hadn’t seemed like any man had ever seen past that clipboard to the woman holding it.

But she had definitely been half in love with him the night they’d danced together in the dining hall. The exhilaration of being swung about in his arms was a thrill she’d never felt before.

Until tonight.

When he’d put his mouth on her, she’d thought she would die of embarrassment or pleasure. Pleasure had won out, and now they shared an intimacy like none other she’d ever experienced. This was why lovemaking was a sin outside of marriage. She’d given him a part of herself she could never take back, and he would leave with it, and she would mourn the loss of him and that piece of herself forever.

“Are you still in pain?” he asked, his voice rumbling through his chest, where her head rested.

She shook her head then answered as he could not see. “No. I’m fine.” He had been so careful with her, so tender. The rawness she felt was nothing compared to the warm, pleasant languor still spiraling through her torpid limbs.

“Good.” He seemed to want to say more. She looked up at him, into eyes that were more blue than gray at the moment. “Was it like you thought it would be, lass?”

She felt her cheeks heat, though she didn’t know why, as talking about it was certainly far less intimate than actually participating in the act. “It was...better.” She hadn’t imagined the pleasure she would feel, but it was worse as well. She would never want to let him go.

“You may feel a wee bit sore in the morning. I can’t say for certain as this was me first—well, I’ve never been with anyone like you.”

“A virgin.” She smiled. Surely that was what he meant. Nothing more.

“Sure and I don’t go about seducing innocents. Or anyone. Not to say I’m perfect, but I’m no rake either. And now I’m just rambling.”

Her lips trembled slightly. She might have thought him a womanizer when she first met him, but it soon became clear he didn’t use his charm to take advantage. “I know you’d never do that. I think I was the one who seduced you tonight.”

He laughed. “Sure and I wasn’t very difficult to convince. But as to the other—when I said I hadn’t been with anyone like you—”

Her heart thudded in her chest so hard that her head felt slightly dizzy. She clenched her hands, not wanting to hope he might feel about her the way she felt.

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