Page 78 of Bite at First Sight

She turned to face him, and he sucked in a breath at the sight of her perfect breasts. “That would be lovely, thank you.”

As she lay on her stomach, Rafe sat on the edge of the bed, pretending not to notice her admiring the reflection of his bare chest in the mirror. His pleasure in that observation, however, was impossible to conceal. He hid his face in a curtain of hair and concentrated on massaging her neck and shoulders.

Her low moan of pleasure made his cock harden. Rafe struggled to tamp down his lust. Her muscles were alarmingly tense and knotted, physical testimony of the strain she’d suffered the last few nights.

His gaze narrowed on the fading bruise on her cheek, and a fresh well of rage roared through him. Clayton would pay for hurting her…for merely touching her.

Rafe bit down on his anger, instead focusing on the feel of her silken skin beneath his fingertips as he applied gentle pressure and the heady mixture of triumph and arousal as the tightness eased and she made exquisite, blissful sounds.

He worked his way down to the middle of her back, biting his lip as she let out a small cry and wriggled her hips in silent invitation. It was torture to remain true to his task, but since the sexual torment seemed to be double edged, it was all the more sweet.

The scent of her arousal perfumed the air, driving him mad with desire, but still he restrained himself from delving his fingers lower into the succulent heat between her thighs.

Suddenly, she struggled beneath him, as if wanting to get away. Rafe froze. What had he done wrong? Had he hurt her?

Cassandra twisted around to face him. The hunger in her eyes made his mouth go dry. “I want you, Rafe.”

She rose up and seized his shoulders as her long legs encircled his hips. Her fingers tangled in his hair, pulling him down to meet her kiss. As her mouth devoured his, she ground herself against the hardness in his trousers.

“Querida,” he gasped when she broke the kiss.

He didn’t know what he was going to say next, for his thoughts dissolved into pleasure as her lips trailed over the scars on his cheek, lavishing the rough flesh with tender little kisses.

Then she gently brushed his hair to the side and took his earlobe in her mouth. Electric sensations riveted him at the feel of her teeth scraping the skin as she licked and sucked the sensitive area.

Rafe sucked in a breath and thrust against her, cursing the barrier between them. Cassandra’s hands caressed his chest, kisses gliding down his neck in a torrent of moist heat. She moved lower and he nearly came out of his skin as her tongue flicked across his nipple and her fingers stroked his hard length, straining through the fabric of his trousers.

With a small, unladylike growl, Cassandra fumbled with the fastenings, panting in desire and frustration. Rafe chuckled and removed the offending article, enjoying the way she licked her lips at the sight of his naked body. It seemed his countess had a naughty side. Rafe found he quite liked that.

As she straddled him and the tip of his cock slid into her tight, wet heat, he closed his eyes in bliss. She sank down, drawing him in with tantalizing slowness. Rafe felt like he’d gone to heaven. Cupping her breasts, he worshipped them with his mouth, his tongue circling her nipples and teasing the tiny firm peaks.

Cassandra gasped, clinging to him as she gyrated upon his stiff length. His mouth met hers, hands sliding down to grasp her hips, urging her to continue riding him with that delirious rhythm.

When he felt the tight spasms signaling the beginning of her climax, Rafe gripped her, thrusting even deeper. She cried out and rode him harder. Her tight sheath clenched tighter and faster as her pleasure peaked even higher.

His own climax began, roaring over him with such intensity that spots of light danced before his eyes. Unable to stop himself, Rafe pulled her down atop his chest and plunged his fangs into her neck, her essence filling his mouth as he came inside her.

Cassandra screamed his name. Her nails raked across his back. He could feel her orgasm crest a higher wave, feeding his own like potent fuel to form a resplendent conflagration. For a while, time ceased to exist. Only this moment mattered, this transcendental fusing of their bodies and souls.

Cassandra’s cries died down to low whimpers and she collapsed in his arms, quivering as the aftershocks continued to rack her body. Rafe withdrew his fangs and held her until her tremors subsided, and still he did not want to let her go.

“Te amo, Querida,” he whispered, stroking her hair. “Tu eres mi luz en la oscuridad.” I love you. You are my light in the darkness.

“Hmmm?” she murmured sleepily.

He didn’t dare repeat himself in English. With her brilliant, scholarly mind, she might laugh at such fanciful words. “Never mind, Querida. Go to sleep. We both need rest for that blasted dinner with the Wentworths tomorrow.”

With a gentleness he didn’t know he possessed, Rafe carefully shifted her and pulled the bedclothes over them, still unwilling to relinquish the joy of holding her.

Dark forebodings fluttered through his mind on sinister wings, threatening to engulf him. Between reentering Society and having half of London’s vampires standing against him, so much could go wrong.

Twenty-six

1 November 1823

Rafe paced the length and breadth of the drawing room, casting frequent glances at the grandfather clock. Wakley was due to arrive in less than five minutes.

Cassandra leaned in the doorway, a playful smile playing across her lips. “Don’t be so nervous.”

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