The Matter of a Marquess - Jess Michaels Page 0,40

he broke the kiss.

Her full lower lip pouted out, but she did as he directed, putting her back to him. He pushed her hair aside, forward over one shoulder, then leaned in to kiss the long expanse of neck he had exposed. As he sucked and licked, he unfastened the first button of her gown. She arched her backside against him, rubbing wickedly and making his vision blur for a moment from the pleasure that arced from his cock through his entire bloodstream.

He unfastened the second button, determined not to let her rush even though the driving pulse inside of him screamed claim, fuck, mine! over and over until it was like a drumbeat in his skull. But he was a man of discipline, and he called on every bit of that to keep himself from rending the delicate silk of her gown in two.

He unfastened the last two buttons and parted the dress. Her chemise was a creamy color, edged in lace, and he smoothed his fingers across the fine silk before he leaned in and kissed the place where her skin and the lace met.

“Please,” she whimpered again, and her backside ground back again. “Please, please, please.”

“You can’t rush me,” he declared with a laugh.

“I could,” she said with a wicked chuckle of her own. “But I won’t. No matter how much I want to.”

He pushed the gown forward and she slid it away from her arms and pushed it to the floor before she turned around and faced him. He stopped moving, stopping breathing and just stared at her. She was glorious, just as he’d always imagined she would be. Her chemise was short, just skimming the top of her voluptuous thighs, and she wore no drawers. She was all curves and softness and so many places to touch and worship, he almost couldn’t decide where to begin.

She swallowed hard as she reached up and slid one chemise strap down her arm, then the other. She tugged it away, wiggling it past the full swell of her hips and letting it crumple to the floor at her feet.

She was naked. Aurora was naked before him, trembling. Or was it he who was trembling to be standing before this goddess he’d never thought to see again? But here he was, standing before her with the opportunity to worship. He stepped forward and extended a hand, letting his fingers glide across her collarbone, down over one heavy breast. She tensed as he touched her there, her breath shortening. He let his hand move lower, over the soft swell of her stomach, the rounded curve of her hip, the soft flesh of her thigh.

“You are more beautiful than I ever allowed myself to imagine,” he murmured. “And I imagined, Aurora. Every day, every night, for nine unbearable years.”

She shifted, her gaze fluttering over his face. “I’m here now. You don’t have to imagine anymore. And I’m yours, even if it ends up only being for tonight. You can have everything you ever dreamed of. Just give me what I dreamed of, too.”

“I can do that,” he whispered, then wrapped his arm around her waist and drew her against him. The feel of her full, naked curves pressed to his still-clothed body was amazing, and he dropped his mouth to hers. Their tongues warred, she lifted against him. The only sound in the room was the desperate panting breath as they gasped for air between kisses.

He pushed her back, back to his bed, and finally found the strength to part from her as he pointed to his pillows. “Please,” he said softly.

She smiled and settled herself onto his pillows, met his eyes and opened her legs in invitation. His vision blurred a little with the power of what was happening. He felt dizzy with it, drugged, like this was all some amazing dream. Only it was real. When he pinched himself, it was real.

He crawled up on the bed, ignoring the twinges of pain that action always caused. Nothing mattered but her right now. Nothing but covering her with his body, settling in to the v of her thighs and grinding up so that his still-clothed cock bumped her sex.

She gasped and her hands gripped his shoulders tighter. He responded by grinding into her again, again, again. She dipped her head back and he nipped at her exposed throat, loving the soft sounds of pleasure he elicited.

But this wasn’t enough. This was an appetizer and he was ready for a meal,