Rogues Gallery (59 page)

The minx was going to kill him before this night was concluded. He was certain of it. He had to stop this intensely wonderful pleasure before he died, smiling, with Felicia unaware of the passion he held for her.

"Felicia, love," he said, bending to kiss her. "I adore your hands on me, more than you can possibly know."

"Hugh, I am fairly certain I know." She squeezed him, gently, to make her point. "You have given me a great deal of evidence."

"Then it is only fair that I should reciprocate."

"You cannot do so at the same time my hands are on you?"

He growled, but it only made her laugh. He gripped her upper arms and then kissed her with such passion, she let loose of him. He was both dejected and elated by that fact. In the next instant, he lowered her onto her back, lying next to her.

"You are much too impertinent," he said. He smoothed his fingertips over her skin. She shivered, delicately, and twisted to get closer to him. "Are you cold?"

She shook her head, and her eyes reflected her puzzlement. "I am quite heated," she answered. "I hope I am not coming down with a cold."

He grinned. "No, you are coming down with something else entirely." He raised himself on one elbow and continued to stroke her stomach, down to the top of her thighs. On the way back, his fingers skimmed higher, and she started.

He leaned over to give her cheek a kiss, for reassurance, but she was intent on moving his fingers over her sensitive area once more.

"Do you like that?" he asked with a satisfied smile.

"Yes," she said, though the word was barely audible.

"Do you want more?"

"Oh, yes. In fact, I shall pinch you within an inch of your life if you even consider halting."

"You are such a greedy thing."

"I am," she said, and she would have said more if she had not started moaning. He stroked the delicate spot between her legs a little more firmly, treasuring her sounds, as well as the evidence of her arousal.

Her arms reached for him, entwining around his neck to pull him down for a kiss. He continued the movements, stoking her body's passion to what was intended to be an unbearable level. When she began to writhe, he slipped a finger inside of her.

She halted, her mouth on his. He started to retreat, but her hand gripped his wrist, tightly, keeping it in place. "Do not even dare think of moving away."

"What if I were to do this instead?"

He began stroking inside her again, and she released his wrist, moving her hips in time with his rhythms. She closed her eyes, sliding her arms above her head in a sinuous movement, lost to the sensations.

Hugh dropped his mouth to the top of her thighs, his lips surrounding the knot of sensations.

"Hugh!" Felicia lifted up, her eyes wide, her mouth open with shock. When he did not halt, she dropped back to the bed, moaning and writhing as if trying to get away, while gripping him tightly at the same time. Hugh grabbed her leg, bending it so he could hold her close, and continued the passionate onslaught.

"Hugh," she cried, over and over. Her breathing sped up. When she could no longer gasp his name, she clutched at his shoulders, and then his hair, ensuring he could not move away.

"Mmmm," he murmured against her, relishing her taste, and her sounds, and visible demonstrations of her passion. The vibrations from his mouth finally sent her over the edge. She grasped the counterpane beneath her, pinching it so tightly Hugh muttered a silent prayer of thanksgiving that he was at a distance from her hands.

In the next instant she screamed, and then moaned. He pressed deeper, determined she would find the most delicious release.

Felicia shuddered, grabbing for him, almost frantically. His body hardened with every beautiful shiver and moan she delivered, an intense succession of them.

At last she pushed, half-heartedly, at his head, and then cradled it on her stomach when he relented.

"Hugh," she attempted, but her voice had disappeared.

He lifted his head and smiled. "If I had only known this was the method to ensure some peace and quiet from you—"

She tried to swat at him, but her arm did not cooperate. He ducked before it caught him anyway with its errant flailing.

"I have never experienced anything so, so—"

He settled himself next to her, brushing her hair away from her eyes. "You are so beautiful," he said.

She blushed, and then tried to cover her nakedness, unaccountably shy. He knew how fragile such a moment could make a person.

"Let me show you how delectable you are," he said. She twisted her lips, apparently waiting for him to tease her, but she would wait forever for that to happen. He trailed a finger across one cheekbone. "Your skin is glowing, with a delightful rosy shade."

His finger traced its way down her neck, to her chest. "And your skin is the color of roses here as well, flushed from your excitement."

She watched him, rapt by his descriptions of her aroused body. He skated his finger over the curve of her breast, circling the nipple, watching as it puckered up once more. "This is one of my favorites," he said.

"Why?"

He glanced up at her, and wondered if she could not see why it was so tempting. Her lips tilted up into a secretive smile. The little minx was getting aroused by his descriptions. It excited him that he could affect her in such a fashion.

"Why is this one of my favorites?"

"Yes," she breathed. "Tell me."

"Because it is a perfectly ripe berry, a sweetmeat like no other." He flicked his tongue over it, then blew his breath against it. Felicia sucked in her own breath. Then she surprised him by plucking at her other nipple, rolling it between her fingers, showing him how she liked it to be touched.

He pulled the hardened knot between his teeth. Her chest rose and fell in a faster rhythm. He could not believe how wonderful it was to play with her in his bed. He had known instinctively they would be perfectly matched lovers, yet he had fought off the notion, for far too long.

He nearly regretted the time they had wasted, but then he tossed the thought aside. The important thing was they had the rest of the night. They had the rest of their lives, to play, and discover every passionate thing about each other.

He bit a little harder, and Felicia moaned.

"Oh, do that again," she whispered. Her hand slid down to where his mouth had been earlier, with no trace of embarrassment. Hugh bit just a little harder, turning slightly so he could watch her caressing herself.

Each bite made her stroke herself a little harder. "Hugh, how can this feel so good? After you just—"

He could not take his mouth away to answer her. She did not really want words at this point, he knew that. She was in thrall to the passion rising, so quickly, and was singlemindedly pursuing it to its conclusion.

He had in mind a different ending, however. His body throbbed with need. As soon as she was at a fever pitch, he would sheath himself in her. The mere thought of it was enough to make him start moaning.

It increased the vibrations against her skin, and she moved to get closer, rubbing herself more intently. She twisted until her body was hard against him, her hand between them to increase the pressure, and the sensation. He kept biting and nibbling at her nipple, knowing she was feeling all of it deep inside of her.

He could not hold back any longer.

"Felicia," he murmured, but she was lost to the heat they had created. He wanted to warn her, but did he really care to break the spell? Perhaps this would be better.

Hugh rose to his knees, stroking her and himself at the same time. Her eyes blinked as she saw the size of him. He wavered, waiting for her protest, but it was not there. To his relief, and amazement, she wriggled to get closer, and he began to press himself inside her.

He halted at her body's natural resistance. He had a moment's gratitude at the proof Felicia was indeed a virgin, despite her scandalous elopements. He pushed, slightly, doing his best to move slowly, to ease himself in.

Felicia grabbed his hips and pulled him towards her, deliberately slow, but it took him a moment to realize it was not to diminish the pain. No, she was watching him, enjoying his reaction as he made her his.

Hugh dropped his head, needing to close his eyes for a moment. Felicia was more than he'd ever dreamed was possible in his life. He nearly shuddered at how close he had come to missing out on all of it.

He felt her hand against his hair, so he opened his eyes.

"Do you like this as much as I do?" she asked, her expression doubtful.

"God, Felicia, I have never enjoyed anything more."

"Good," she said. "Because I want you to do this the entire evening."

He held himself still. He tried to regain control of his surging lust and passion and a riot of other emotions. His body throbbed inside her, and she squeezed, instinctively.

"No, do not do that or the evening will end much too soon. As in the next heartbeat."

She smiled and moved her hips a little closer to his. "Am I permitted to do this?"

He tried to shake his head, but he could not. His body was obsessed with her every movement, trying to anticipate what she might do next, so that he could keep up with her. He nearly laughed at how he had tried to be in charge of this evening.
She
was the one in control.

He pushed farther inside, watching as her eyes widened, but with awe. She did not cry out in pain, so he began to stroke, rhythmically, and she returned the rocking motion. He lifted her leg and wrapped it around his waist. She immediately did the same with her other leg, locking her ankles behind him.

He dropped his head back at the beautiful sensation of her long legs squeezing him tightly, but then he opened his eyes, not wanting to miss even a second of her beautiful face as she came undone.

"Felicia," he whispered, bending his head towards her, placing his mouth against hers. "I love being inside you like this." He felt an answering squeeze and nearly gasped with the exquisite pleasure of it. He increased the stroking, knowing he was close to completion, much as he wished he could delay that moment.

"I love you, Hugh."

Her voice was feathery, and if he were not so close he would not have heard her words. His heart pounded with a similar emotion, but he resisted the urge to confess it just then. Instead he gave her something a little less risky: his passion.

"Oh! Oh, Hugh, that is so good."

She closed her eyes and arched her back, drawing him deeper inside her. He pressed a certain spot, knowing she would be unable to hold out anymore, and in the next instant she clutched his back, screaming his name.

He had never known anything more exhilarating. He pumped harder, his mind a blur, pushing her over the precipice. At the last repetition of his name, his body exploded, and he fell mindlessly into the heat they had created.

***

F
elicia watched Hugh sleeping, tempted to brush his hair away from his forehead. He slept on his side, facing her, his face relieved of any care or concern. She dropped her hand to her side, content to watch his chest rise and fall with his slow, steady breathing. His breath blew across her bare skin, heating it and creating goosebumps at the same time.

Had he heard her declaration of love? He had not reacted, so perhaps he had not. Or maybe he merely considered it a response to the heated moment, quite like when she had confessed her love after he had saved her in Hyde Park.

It mattered little. She loved him. She had loved him for years, although until this night she had not realized how full her heart would be from loving him.

Nor had she anticipated how delicious it would be to share in his passion. She could not halt the shiver this time. The mere thought of everything they had done made her ache inside, for more.

This time she could not resist touching him. She stroked his hair, the silky threads flowing through her fingers, and then she traced a path down his shoulder to his very muscular arm. She swirled her fingertip over his nipple, the same as he had done to hers. It puckered in a similar fashion, making her smile. His body could not help but react to her touch. She knew precisely how that was. She was becoming aroused now just by caressing him.

He rubbed his nose and then seemed to fall back into his slumber. Except Felicia noticed his breathing was a little faster, and his arm had been moved so that she could continue her explorations without any obstacles.

She smoothed her hand down his stomach and did not stop until she reached his manhood. It was hard, straining for her attention, and she closed her fingers around it.

"Surely you cannot be thinking of more lovemaking. I am new at all of this, but I was certain I had done everything possible to make you sleep the rest of the night away."

Hugh snorted, continuing to act as if he still slept. She saw him fighting off a smile, however.

She stroked him more firmly, the way she had seen him do earlier. He mumbled and then fell onto his back, giving her free rein to enjoy herself. She ran her other hand down his thigh. "It is difficult to say which of you two is the stronger," she said as she continued her rhythmic caressing. "Though I will swear this leg is slightly smaller than you are."

Hugh choked back a laugh, turning his head to cough into the pillow, continuing his pretence of sleeping.

"Perhaps I should let you rest," she said, halting her movements.

"No!" Hugh sat up, his eyes wide with dismay. He attempted a yawn, but it was nowhere near convincing.

Felicia chuckled as she gripped her husband once more. She loved his playfulness, and the way he allowed her to explore and express her own playful side. They were perfectly matched, in so many ways.

She saw his eyes darken as he watched her hand moving up and down on him. He moaned and dropped back onto his elbows, his eyes skimming her naked body, and she heated as if his fingers were skimming over her.

"Touch yourself," he demanded.

She almost asked where, but his eyes let her know where. It was so brazen, yet exciting, sharing this part of herself with Hugh. No one else would be able to stir her like this. She trusted him with her entire being, and would stop at nothing to bring him pleasure.