A Season of Ruin (23 page)

His voice was choked. “This is highly improper.”

“Improper? I'm sure I don't know what you mean,” Lily whispered into his ear. Her teeth closed over his earlobe. “Think of me as your nurse. Nothing more.”

She traced her tongue over the whorls of his ear and he hissed in a sharp breath. Curious, she dipped her tongue into his ear and was thrilled when a gasp escaped him.

“Nurses don't often climb into bed with their patients.”

“I'm very thorough.” She squirmed closer to him, then leaned over to place her mouth on his forehead, where he'd been cut. If her breasts just happened to press against his chest? Well, it was all in the name of medicine. “This cut on your head is rather deep.”

“Deep?” He sounded dazed.

She teased her lips over his face. “I'm afraid so. And there's a little injury right here, on your bottom lip.” She darted her tongue at the tiny scar.

His body surged under hers and his hands gripped her waist. “That's an old scar,” he managed.

Lily pulled a little away from him so she could look down into his face. His cheekbones were flushed with color, and his lids had gone heavy over dark, burning eyes.

She leaned down again and hovered her lips over his. “I'm the nurse, so I'll be the judge of that. Now if you'll just lie still like a docile patient, Mr. Sutherland . . .”

She loved his lips, especially the full lower one, just a shade too wide for perfection. She cupped a hand around his cheek and took that lip into her mouth. She sucked it inside and teased at it with her tongue.

It was as if flame had been set to dry tinder. Robyn groaned and opened his mouth ravenously under hers. His tongue thrust into her wet warmth. She curled her tongue around his and matched each of his maddening strokes, urging her mouth against his with a breathless gasp.

Oh, yes
. This was what she wanted.

Robyn gripped the back of her neck and strained up from his pillows to press his mouth harder against hers, but she evaded him, then tore her mouth from his with an effort. She wasn't quite done yet.

He fell back with a groan. “What now?”

He sounded so pitiful, she almost sympathized with him. Not enough to stop, though. “I'm not quite done with my examination. A cracked rib, I believe?”

He was panting now. “You can't mean to—”

“What kind of nurse would I be if I didn't?”

He stared straight up at the canopy above them, his body rigid, as if he were afraid of what she might do next.

She lay a hand on his chest. “You needn't look as if I'm about to torture you, Robyn. Are you afraid I'll hurt you?”

He jerked his head once, still not looking at her. “No. I'm afraid I'll leap on you and crack my other ribs.”

Leap on her?
My goodness. What would that be like?
“You're injured. Leaping is discouraged in such situations, I believe.”

He drew her hand to his mouth and kissed the tip of her finger. “I'm injured. Not
dead
.”

“Indeed? Not from lack of trying.”

But she didn't want to argue with him about the brawl. Not at the moment anyway. She eased away from him and shimmied lower on the bed so she was flush with his torso.

A tantalizing bit of skin remained visible from when she'd pulled his shirt up earlier, but now Lily dragged the linen up as far as it would go. “
Oh, my
.”

She couldn't help the breathless exclamation. His chest was not quite exposed because the shirt wouldn't go that far, but his belly . . . oh, she could make do with his belly. Hard, ridged muscle; smooth, golden skin; and a few fascinating hairs that thickened before they vanished into his breeches. She trailed a finger over that crisp hair and saw Robyn's hands fist on the coverlet in response.

She slid her hand up, under his shirt, and laid it flat against the center of his chest. She paused, watching him, then ran one finger around his nipple, just once, hardly a touch at all.

A low moan broke from his chest. Fascinated, she did it again, and again, then slipped both hands under his shirt to tease his nipples. He gasped and writhed under her hands despite the pain in his ribs, as if he were helpless to stop himself.

Oh, dear God
. Her entire body flushed with heat and she grew damp between her legs. She'd thought to tease him a little, but she never imagined
she
could become so aroused from watching him, still half clothed, writhing in an agony of lust.

She wanted to taste him. She wanted . . . without conscious thought she brought her mouth to his stomach. Hungry for him, she licked and nipped at him, her wet tongue dragging dangerously close to the fall of his breeches.

Robyn sank his fingers into her hair. Pins scattered everywhere, and a long lock came loose and brushed against his stomach. He arched convulsively, as if he'd die if he couldn't get more of his flesh into her mouth. “Lily, my
God
.”

She knew just how to touch him then, as if she'd done this dozens of times before. She could feel him, hot and hard under her hand, as she clawed at the buttons of his falls. When they came free at last, she pushed desperately at the cloth to get to . . .

His swollen shaft rose from the tangle of fabric now bunched at his hips, and he was,
oh
, he was magnificent as he rose proudly from his crumpled clothing. She had to touch him,
would
touch him . . .

“Ah, God,
yes
 . . .”

His skin felt like satin under her stroking fingers. She stared, fascinated by the sight of her own white hand stroking his flesh, and then her lips were on him again, low on his belly, biting and licking him there as her hand slicked over him.

Robyn's hips arched off the bed. “So good, sweet. Ah, yes,
so good
.”

His groans and gasps made her feel wicked—
he
made her wicked, and oh, she was
so
wicked, because she wanted to put her mouth on him,
there
, where her hand was, and slide her lips . . .

He cried out when her mouth closed over him. “No! Don't . . . ah, ah, please, stop . . .”

But even as he said no, his hand tightened in her hair. He fisted the thick curls while his hips thrust upward once, then again. She closed her lips tight around his hard flesh and drew on him until he began to beg her, to beg her
not
to stop.

Yes
. Lily's core flooded with wet heat as she sucked him deeper into her mouth.

This—
this
was what she wanted.

He was going to come. He hadn't even made love to Lily yet, and he was about to come in her mouth. She was still a virgin. For God's sake, she was still
dressed
.

He was a savage, lustful, rutting animal.

Robyn called on every decent, pure, virtuous thing he could think of.
Puppies. Flowers. Sunrises. Cooing babies
, and drew his aching flesh free of Lily's hot mouth before he utterly disgraced himself.

He lay still for a few moments on the bed, gasping for breath as he tried to reason with his cock. Lily drew herself up onto her knees beside him, her face a picture of distress. “Didn't you like . . . that?”

Like it?
He may never be able to breathe again.

How had he let it get so far? One minute she'd been kissing him, and the next she'd been on her knees between his thighs.

His cock twitched painfully, and yet he couldn't prevent a grin. His proper, prim Lily, so ladylike and demure, had
been on the verge of bringing him to ecstasy with her mouth. She'd seemed to know just what to do. How to touch him, how to please him.

His shook his head, his grin widening. The heart of a vixen beat under those decorous gowns.

His
vixen, and he was wild for her.

He'd make love to her. Tonight. He might draw the line at reaching pleasure in her mouth, but his virtue extended only so far. He
would
make her his.

First things first, however. He raised himself to a sitting position and shed his waistcoat and shirt, breeches and drawers, his ribs screaming in protest at the movement. He lay back on the covers, naked, and held his arms out to Lily.

She went to him without question. When she was stretched out next to him, her head on his chest and his arms wrapped around her, he answered her question. “I love what you did to me, so much I almost couldn't stop.”

She ran her hand over his chest. “Then why did you stop me? Don't you want me?”

He shivered as she brushed her fingers over one of his nipples. She seemed to be fascinated with that part of his body. “Never think I don't want you, Lily. I want you desperately—more than I've ever wanted anyone.”

Her body melted against his. He pressed his lips to her temple, and the scent of daisies and warm grass made him dizzy. “You're an innocent. As much as I love your mouth on me, I want to make love to you first. I want to watch you—to see your face when I bring you to pleasure.”

“Oh.” She was quiet for a moment, then, “Do you think you might want to do that tonight?”

Robyn chuckled.
Oh, God, how he loved her.

For answer, he began to pull the remaining pins from her hair. When it tumbled about her shoulders, he gathered fistfuls of the heavy, honey-colored locks in his hands and brought them to his lips to kiss them. “So beautiful, like spun gold.”

She blushed with pleasure and he had an overwhelming urge to taste that blush, to follow that wash of pink from her face to her neck and under the neckline of her gown. He ran his lips over her cheeks, then dropped lower to caress her jawline. She shivered against him as his tongue found her neck. He opened his mouth against her to kiss and nibble at her for a moment before he slid down, his mouth dragging over every inch of bare skin he could reach.

He stopped when he arrived at the neckline of her gown. “Lily.” He reached behind her to free her buttons. “You have too many clothes on.”

She gave a shaky little laugh. “Do I?”

The laugh turned to a gasp when he tugged the dress down and brought his hands up to cup her breasts.

He watched her face. “Do you like it when I touch you here, sweetheart?”

He brushed his palms over her nipples, and she had to catch her breath to answer. “Y-yes. You like it when I touch you there, too.”

Robyn grinned. She had no idea. He'd take her touch anywhere he could get it. His nose. His big toe. He'd go as hard as stone for her if she even grazed his elbow.

Robyn slipped a finger down her chest, then hooked it into the fabric of her bodice and pulled it down farther, baring her. He stared at her nipples, peaked under the thin material of her shift.

Oh, God, her sweet, pink nipples made him crazy.

He tore her gown off with a few quick tugs and eased her back on the bed. With a low groan, he settled on top of her.

His mouth closed over one of her nipples, licking and sucking it until the dusky pink nub rose hard and firm against the damp material. He drew back to look at her and his eyes darkened at the sight of the inflamed tip, easily visible through the wet white shift. He brushed his thumb over the straining peak, then pinched it lightly between his finger and thumb.

His eyes shot to her face when she cried out. “So tender. Someday I'll make you come just by suckling you.”

He placed his hands firmly against her shoulders to still her and closed his lips over her other nipple. He drew hard on it, then laved at the tip with his tongue. Lily dug her fingers into his hair and arched against his mouth, then gasped as his tongue lashed at her. “Ah, Robyn, please,
please 
. . .”

Her half-broken pleas drove him wild. He devoured her, nipping at her with his teeth. He darted his tongue over the peaks to soothe them, then sucked them into his hot, wet mouth again.

He'd didn't realize he'd begun to grind mindlessly against the sweet spot between her legs until she made a sound, half plea, half question. Oh, God, he'd lost control of himself again. He wanted her so badly, was desperate to sink into her wet heat, and yet . . . he drew back and looked down at her.

She gazed back at him, her eyes so blue, so trusting. “Robyn?”

This was
Lily
. Not one of his mistresses. Not Lady Downes, and not some doxy whose name he couldn't recall. This wasn't some casual fuck. He loved her.
Loved her.

Robyn drew in a deep breath and forced himself to slow. He brushed her hair back from her face with both hands and dropped a kiss on her forehead. “Ah, sweetheart. I'm sorry. I just want you so much.”

She caressed his cheek. “I want you, too.”

Robyn closed his eyes and prayed for control. “Are you sure, Lily? You can tell me no, love—
should
tell me no.”

He could still stop—would stop.
He buried his face in her neck, his breath held.
If she said no, he'd stop . . .

She closed her fingers in the hair at the back of his neck and pulled his head up gently, so he had to look into her eyes. “I've never been surer of anything in my life.”

No hesitation, no doubt. Just deep blue eyes, soft with
desire, gazing up at him with a look that made his breath stop. He leaned over and took her lips, the kiss soft, tender. A promise.

He gathered the hem of her shift in his hand and eased it up her body and over her head. “I'll take care of you, love. I'll make it so sweet for you.”

He splayed his hands over her hips and eased her drawers down so she lay before him, naked, her skin flushed pink with desire.

Robyn's mouth went dry as he looked at her. “So beautiful, Lily. No, love,” he said when she shyly raised her arms to cover her breasts. “I want to see you. Never hide yourself from me.”

She let her arms fall open. Robyn took her wrists in his hands and raised them over her head so she lay open to his gaze. “Yes,” he whispered. “That's it, love.” He nudged her legs open wider and shifted closer to her so she cradled his cock between her thighs. “Now open for me . . .
yes
.”

He couldn't prevent a groan when he felt her soft thatch of dark blond hair against his cock. The urge to bury himself deep inside her rose again, a beast clawing at him, but he ruthlessly tamped down his desire and eased a hand between her thighs to stroke the damp curls there.

He touched her softly with the tips of his fingers, just the barest hint of a caress, watching her. Only when a flush rose to her cheeks and he felt her body move restlessly under his did he deepen his caress, his fingers opening her to brush lightly against her tender bud.

“
Ah
.” Lily's head began to thrash from side to side as he stroked her, his fingers moving just a little faster each time he circled.

He watched, all his attention on her, his eyes fixed on her flushed face. God, she was beautiful, and so uninhibited in her passion, Robyn felt sure he could come just watching her, just listening to her pant and moan as he brought her closer to the edge with each careful brush of his fingers.

“Yes,” he groaned when her body began to arch. “Yes, Lily, just like that. Do you want more, sweetheart?”

“Oh, God, Robyn . . .”

That was a
yes
. He eased one finger into her tight sheath. She cried out and bowed off the bed. Robyn's cock clenched, desperate to be inside her, but he held back, thrusting his finger slowly, so slowly inside her, watching her and listening to her cries.

Waiting.

When she began to beg him, he'd know.

“Oh, oh, oh. Please. Robyn, I want . . .
please
.”

He sank a second finger into her, still thrusting, a little harder now, a little faster, just hard and fast enough to drive her wild, but not enough to make her come.

“You're so wet, Lily—so wet for me,” he hissed, his eyes riveted on her writhing body. “Tell me what you want.” He'd begun to stroke himself now, his other hand moving up and down his stiff cock.

He needed to get inside her or he'd come right now, on her soft belly . . .

He withdrew his fingers. Lily whimpered at the loss and her hips surged off the bed, desperate for their return.

Robyn held on to his control by the merest thread. “Tell me what you want.”

“You.” Lily arched her hips again. “I want you, Robyn.
Now
.”

Oh, thank God
. Robyn pushed her knees wider apart, placed the head of his cock at her wet entrance, and nudged part of the way inside her. A harsh groan tore from his throat and he closed his eyes against the intense pleasure of her warm, eager body surrounding him.

Lily wrapped a leg around his hip and pushed frantically against him.

“No, no.” He pinned her back to the bed with his weight. “Let me do it, sweetheart. I don't want to hurt you.”

He
would
hurt her, but there was no help for it. He drew
back, then surged forward, thrusting all the way inside with one powerful stroke. She gave a faint cry as he tore through the thin barrier inside her body.

A savage triumph swept through him. She was his now—
his
. He alone would know how it felt to have her spread underneath him, his body buried deep inside hers. Every one of his animal instincts urged him to thrust savagely into her, to take her hard so she understood she belonged only to him now.

Sweat beaded on his brow and his arms shook under him, but Robyn forced himself to remain motionless. He pressed a tender kiss on her lips. “Ah, love. I'm sorry.”

Lily had frozen underneath him at the sharp pain, but after a moment her body began to relax. Robyn reached down between her legs to find the center of her pleasure and stroke her there, his touch slow and gentle, until she began to melt around him again.

She sighed and her lips grazed his throat. She urged herself against him. “Don't stop. Please, Robyn.”

A raw groan tore from his chest. He wrapped her leg back over his hip and began to move. He forced himself to thrust slowly, his rhythm easy, steady. Lily arched upward to meet each of his strokes. Robyn had never felt anything more seductive in his life than her arms around his neck, her body clasped around him as she moved with him, eager and innocent.

His body screamed for release, but he held back until Lily's quick breaths turned to sighs and whimpers and she began to bring herself harder against him.

Robyn put his mouth to the hollow of her throat to lick and suck at her. “Yes, sweetheart, move with me. You feel so good, Lily . . . so sweet around me.”

His words seemed to excite her. She wrapped her other leg around his hip and surged hard against him, again and again, her sighs breathless exhalations against his ear.

He was lost, lost, drowning in her, his hips jerking, never
losing contact with her body, his desperate pleas buried in the damp skin of her throat. “Ah, God, Lily,
now
, please, love.”

Lily's head tipped back against the pillows with a soundless cry as she reached her climax in a rush of wet heat. Her body clenched around his thrusting cock, her passion sweet, so sweet, Robyn thought he'd die of the pleasure, her nails raking hard across his back as she gripped his shaft once, again, and again.

His back bowed with the delicious pressure. He cupped her face in his hands in the last moments to tell her—to tell her how beautiful she was to him, how much pleasure she gave him—but his own release took him then. He remembered very little after that but his hoarse cry and his body shuddering over hers as he drove into her, became part of her.