and I’ll never get to wear it again, I thought I might keep it on a while longer.” She looked up with hopeful eyes.
He met her gaze. Disappointment flooded him, but he forced a smile on his face. She was obviously nervous, like he was. She wanted to wait, to make the moment last a little longer. “Of course. Got to make the most of it.” He turned away to hide his frustration. “Want a glass of champagne?”
She caught his arm and turned him gently back.
“I said I wanted to keep the dress on,” she whispered. She reached up on tiptoes and let her lips brush his. “Not wait.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Honey waited for the realisation to register in Dex’s eyes. He blinked, and then very slowly his lips started to curve.
“If you think I want to wait to get my hands on you, you’re stark raving.” She took his hand and began to walk backward, over to the window that looked down on the hotel grounds and over to the sea. “I’ve been thinking about this all day, and I can’t wait a moment longer.”
She spoke the truth—throughout the wonderful day, as she’d danced and laughed with her friends and family, her gaze had repeatedly crept back to Dex, often to find him watching her too, as if they were two magnets drawn to each other across the room. He’d looked gorgeous in his suit, but it was once he took off his jacket that she’d finally melted. She had a thing for waistcoats, and the sight of his white shirt sleeves with the elegant silver cufflinks and the smart silvery waistcoat and tie had nearly been her undoing.
Her back met the window, and she pulled him close, wanting the feel of his muscular, hard body against her. She took his hand and, lifting her voluminous skirts, placed it on her thigh. “This is going to take a bit of manoeuvring,” she teased as the lace tumbled over his arm, “but I’ve been dreaming about it for months.”
He inhaled as his hand rested on her stocking tops, and then he slid it slowly up, over her hip, around to her butt.
And stopped. His eyes widened.
Honey giggled at the look on his face.
He gave her a reproving look. “How long have you been going commando, Mrs. Concannon? Please don’t tell me it’s been all day?”
“No, just the last half hour or so.”
“Jesus,” he mumbled, lowering his head to kiss her. “If I’d known that, I’d have got you up here in double quick time.”
She laughed, then sighed as he stroked down her thigh, and up over her hip and bottom again, obviously enjoying the feel of her bare skin. The touch of his hand on her made every single hair on her body stand on end, and her nipples tightened behind the beaded bodice, her mouth opening under his. He kissed her deeply, his tongue sliding sensuously against hers, and she raised her arms around his neck, sinking her fingers into his hair, scoring her nails lightly across his scalp.
She couldn’t believe the time had finally come. All that waiting, worrying, wanting… And he was here, in her arms, hers to enjoy for the night, for the rest of her life.
“I want you,” she murmured, nibbling his bottom lip. She took his hand where it was still sliding up the outside of her thigh and moved it around, between her legs. “I can’t wait much longer.”
He stroked her and groaned deeply, obviously realising she wasn’t lying. “We’ve got to slow down,” he said hoarsely. “Why don’t we lie on the bed for a while and—”
“Plenty of time for that later.” She began to fumble at his belt.
“Honey! Jeez.” He tried to stop her.
“Please, Dex.” She pushed his hands away, finished undoing the belt and unpopped the button.
“I wanted to take it slow,” he said desperately. “The first time. Make it last, make it good.”
“It’ll be good whatever,” she said, “and next time we’ll take it slowly, I promise. But I’ve got to have you now or I’m going to explode.” And that’s how it felt—her heart pounded, and every nerve ending was on fire for him.
She undid the zipper, pushed down his boxers and released him. He swelled in her hand, clearly as eager as she was.
“Lift me up,” she whispered.
“To the bed?”
“Here.” She raised her skirts and, as he obediently picked her up, she wrapped her legs around his waist.
He pushed her back against the huge window and let his lips