one slow stroke. And then the pain was gone, lost in a sensation of pressure and fullness, hot and shockingly sweet.
It was beyond anything she could have imagined, the feel of him becoming part of her, his hard length filling her so completely, his body joined to hers.
Her mind spun out into bliss as the two of them became one.
~ ~ ~
Nicholas struggled for sanity and could not find it. For the first time in his life, he was on the brink of losing control. Close to shattering after only a single thrust. He held himself completely still, oaths tumbling through his brain. She felt so good, too good—her slender arms holding him close... her silky wetness so tight around him... her scent on his skin, that blend of sweetness and lush earth now mixed with the muskiness of her arousal. She uttered a soft sound of bliss, of discovery, and it almost undid him.
He wanted to go slowly, to draw out her pleasure, to make it last. But gazing down into her face, he couldn’t think, couldn’t even take a breath. He could feel her heart pounding against his, knew he would never forget the way she looked in that moment—her cheeks flushed, her lips parted, her gold-flecked eyes locked on his, filled with wonder and desire and something more... some emotion that was at once soft and strong.
He shut his eyes, dusted kisses over her chin, her jaw, brushed his cheek against hers.
“Samantha.” He wasn’t capable of any other word but her name.
He whispered it again as he withdrew slowly, then surged forward, sinking into her, stunned by the mind-numbing pleasure he felt. Better than any of the fantasies that had rioted through his head from the moment they met. Her slender body shivered and arched beneath his, melting in the same fire that seared him. Her sleek depths were like hot silk, yielding to him, clasping him tight. With every long, slow thrust, she uttered a husky moan, the sound more arousing than any he had ever heard. He nipped his way down her throat, his teeth marking her skin. She began to raise her hips, already finding and matching his rhythm.
No more holding back. Too many sensations, too many feelings collided in him all at once. A primitive need to ravish and claim. An unexpected warmth and protectiveness. He felt as if he were splintering into pieces, knew that only she could hold him together.
God help him, he hadn’t expected it to be like this. Nothing had ever been like this. She was so much more than desirable or beautiful. She was exquisite. Elegant and brave, graceful and giving. A lady who deserved silk sheets and candlelight in an expensive suite in Grosvenor Square. Yet she was here, with him, giving herself to him on a bed of leaves in the darkness of Cannock Chase. Giving herself completely, joyously.
He began to move faster, losing control, losing himself to her, to the heat, the sweet friction. Balancing his weight on one forearm, he reached down with his other hand to caress the lush curve of her bottom, kneading, lifting her against him as he penetrated her deeply. She gasped, her nails marking his arms, and rained kisses against his mouth, his jaw, the straining muscles of his neck. He wound his hand in her hair, tangling his fingers through the golden mass. She wrapped one long, silky leg around his hip. The sound of their breathing became harsh and hot. The shackles that bound them together seemed to burn his skin. Their mouths came together again, fierce, hungry.
Her feverish response sharpened his need to an unbearable edge. He thrust harder and faster, arching his hips to rub the base of his shaft against the sensitive bud that brought her the deepest pleasure. Her head tipped back and she uttered a low cry that became his name, a tremor rippling through her, so strong he could feel it, her inner muscles suddenly tightening around him.
And all at once a shattering explosion of ecstasy shook them both. He was falling, drowning in a sea of heat and light and her with him. Their voices blended in the darkness, her husky cries a soft contrast to his low groans as wave after wave drenched them. Together, they surrendered to the rush, to the night, to each other.
And long after it had ebbed, he could not bring himself to let her go.
~ ~ ~
The distant sky had turned to gray, the