The Consolation Prize (Brides of Karadok #3) - Alice Coldbreath Page 0,81
hard to tell in the dark.
“You’ll need to console me more than that,” he complained, falling back against the pillows. “I’m wounded to the core.”
Una blinked down at him in alarm. “Wounded? I never intended—”
“Too late,” he interrupted her. “I may never recover from this blow to my self-esteem. My wife thinks me an easy prey to those who would take advantage of my guileless nature.”
Una bit her lip, for that was exactly what she had done. He suddenly laughed and caught her about the waist, dragging her half on top of him.
“You think me a tender gull for the plucking, my princess,” he said silkily. “But you’ll soon discover your groom is more fox than goose.” His hands were roaming over the thin fabric of her shift, cupping her buttocks and softly squeezing her there. “Or maybe I should say cock pheasant,” he said, his voice thickening as he took her hand from his shoulder and slid it down his body until it rested on the hard thrust of his arousal.
Una blinked in the darkness, striving to keep up with his mercurial mood. Clearly his self-esteem had not suffered too dreadful a blow, or he would not now be so inflamed, she thought as her fingers tentatively made out the shape of his thick shaft. His own hand over hers, encouraged her to be bolder, and feeling grateful of the darkness, Una took him firmly in hand making him gasp.
“That’s it,” he whispered. “Now stroke me, princess.” His fingers showed her what he wanted. So, firmly? she marveled, but he should know what he liked, and she listened closely to his raspy breath as she familiarized herself with the handling he preferred. Suddenly his breathing hitched, and his hips thrust up. “Stop,” he groaned. His hand returned to cover hers, stilling her fingers but keeping her hand lightly squeezing him. “Slow down or I’ll spill in your hand.”
“I don’t mind,” she admitted in the dark.
“You may not, but I would,” he said. “There’s a much sweeter spot I crave.”
Una blushed deeply. He couldn’t be talking about what she thought he was, surely? Emboldened by the enveloping darkness, she asked quietly. “Do you mean, inside me?”
He groaned. “I do. But for now, you can pet me some more. But gently, very gently.”
Una caressed him lightly with the pad of her thumb. “Like this?”
“That’s good.”
“Armand,” she whispered. “Do you have a place …?” She almost lost her nerve, but plunged on, lowering her voice. “A place like I do? You know.” She groped for the words, but she simply did not have the vocabulary. She did not think she’d ever heard the soldiers speak of pleasuring a woman. “My … bud?” she ventured.
He drew a ragged breath. “I don’t have a pretty bud like you,” he answered. “But I am especially sensitive at the head,” he slid her hand up to the tip where she lightly squeezed. “And at the base, between my ballocks,” he said huskily.
Una’s eyes widened. “Oh.” She moved her hand down and let her fingers trace him lightly there. It felt curiously soft. “Tell me what to do.”
“Cup them,” he said tightly, and grunted when she did so. “Now roll them carefully, in your hand.” She gently massaged his ballocks until his breath grew raspy again and she thought she had better change strategy. “Is this nice?” She traced a figure-eight pattern around them, and he made a sound deep in his throat. She paused the progress of her fingertip and rubbed at the spot that had made him shudder.
“Fuck, Una!” he exclaimed, sounding shaken and the next thing she knew, she was on her back with Armand astride her, bunching up her shift.
“I hope to gods you’re wet, my princess,” he panted, sliding a warm hand up her thigh. “Cause, I can’t wait.” He made a rumbling sound of appreciation in his chest, as his fingers delved between her legs. “Thank fuck. Open your legs wider.”
Una blinked at the coarse language, for he restrained it around her usually, but his blood seemed well and truly up. To her surprise, he did not settle his hips between her thighs at once, but instead shifted down the bed. Feeling his breath between her legs, she let out a surprised gasp. “Armand, what—”
“Shh,” he told her. “I know what I’m doing. Trust me.”
Una froze. He was kissing her down there! She tried to sit up, but he wrapped his strong arms about her thighs, keeping her firmly in place.