His assault on her mouth did not let up and Adalyn found herself clinging to him. Her heart beat rapidly as she pressed against him and felt his own pounding out of control.
She made his heart race. She did. No one else.
Smiling, she began kissing him with a fierceness she hadn’t known she possessed. She heard his growl and his arms banded about her, making her his prisoner. They kissed endlessly, causing the throbbing between her legs to demand attention.
His attention.
Ev released his hold on her body but not her mouth, kissing her as his fingers slid under the straps of her night rail. He eased them from her shoulders. He broke the kiss, his mouth hot as he trailed kisses along her throat and down to her bare shoulder. His tongue glided along it, causing her to shudder.
Before she knew what was happening, he had lowered the night rail to her waist and was kissing one breast. Heat enveloped her as his mouth closed on her nipple, sucking and laving it.
“Oh!” she cried, pressing his head to her breast.
One hand cupped her bottom as the other kneaded the breast he wasn’t kissing. She found she liked all the places he was touching. Very much.
He worshiped the first breast and then moved to the other, bringing a deep yearning within her. For what, she was uncertain but she knew Ev would take care of her.
He pushed her night rail down her hips, his hands trailing along the bare skin. As it fell to the ground, he stroked her hips, moving slowly up and down along their curves. Now totally naked, she thought she should be embarrassed. Instead, curiosity filled her as to what came next.
Ready to be the active participant he might want, Adalyn slid a hand inside his banyan, feeling the hard, muscled chest beneath, covered by a matting of soft hair. Her fingers smoothed it and then found one of his nipples. If she had enjoyed what he did to her, she thought he might feel the same.
Unbelting his banyan, she pushed it aside and pressed her lips against his chest, kissing the hot skin. His fingers thrust into her hair as she allowed her teeth to graze the nipple. He tensed and moaned as she brushed her teeth against it and then licked. His skin was salty and on fire. Utterly divine.
He shrugged from the banyan and suddenly scooped her up, carrying her to the bed Bridget had thoughtfully turned back. Placing her down gently, his eyes roamed over her.
“Perfection,” he said.
Adalyn stared at his broad shoulders and chest, noting the hair moved down in a line that disappeared into his trousers.
She wanted to see where it went.
“Would you remove your trousers?” she asked, afraid she sounded too bold and far too unduchesslike—but desperate to know more of him.
Ev grinned. “With pleasure.”
He unbuttoned them and pushed them past his hips, stepping from them and tossing them aside. He stood utterly still then and allowed her to drink her fill.
The man was imposing. In every way. And something stood at attention, jutting from his body. She blushed, knowing it was his manhood. Then panic filled her.
He was going to try and put that inside her.
He must have seen her consternation because he sat on the edge of the bed and brushed his hand against her hair.
“I know it seems large but once you are ready, you will accept it.”
“I don’t see how,” she replied, not really knowing where he was going to put it, only having overheard servants talking about how a man put something inside a woman in order to make a baby.
“It is my job to make certain you can take me in.” He paused and she saw the worry in his eyes. “It will hurt you the first time, Addie. I cannot lie to you about that. But don’t let that color the experience. Once I have broken through your maidenhead, it will never pain you again.”
Apprehension filled her. She wasn’t good at all with pain. Even when she accidentally stuck her finger with a needle when sewing caused tears to come.
“I don’t think we should do this,” she voiced.
“And I think we should,” he countered.
“But what if I don’t want to,” she said stubbornly.
He grinned. “Then let me change your mind. I promise I won’t do anything you don’t want me to do.”