To Love a Thief (13 page)

He shouldered through a door into a small office and then through another door. This room was quite large and was set at the back of the house. A massive fireplace took up half of one wall and a wide four-poster bed took up half of the opposite.

The ease with which he transported her and carefully set her on the bed made her feel incredibly feminine, or maybe it just heightened his masculinity. Either way, it only added to her arousal. She stood, and now it was his turn to look perplexed.

He frowned. “Where are you going?”

“Nowhere.” She kicked her shoes off, shimmied out of her dress, and handed it to him, then followed it with her corset.

The corner of his mouth quirked up and he set the garments on a chair. He was working very hard to keep her from looking ravished, but caution was clearly not her forte. She drew her chemise over her head and tossed it on the floor, leaving her clad in only stockings and garters.

He moved to pick up the chemise, but she clasped his wrist. “Leave it. Show me how this is supposed to be. Make me look ravished. Make me
feel
ravished.” She waited for his response, breathless and anxious that she’d gone too far with her brazen tongue.

His gaze raked over her nearly nude body. He reached out and trailed his fingers down her ribcage and over her hip. He kneeled then and slid one finger beneath her left garter. With the flick of his thumb, he undid the fastening and it fell from her leg. Then he languidly rolled the stocking over her knee and down her calf, holding her foot up to remove the silk, and then throwing it heedlessly behind him.

She stifled a grin at his carelessness, enormously glad she hadn’t alienated him with her brashness. Then he moved to her other leg, but this time he gripped her thigh with one hand while he removed her garter and stocking. She forgot about everything but the feel of his palm against her flesh and the gentle glide of the stocking from her leg.

When she was truly naked at last, he looked up at her and she had a moment of panic. What was she doing?

He must’ve seen it, for he paused. Then he pressed a gentle kiss to her hip. “You have only to tell me to stop, and I will. In the meantime, I plan to grant your request. But be warned, ravishment is a serious task meant to be enjoyed. You must tell me what you like and what you don’t. What you want and what you don’t.”

All while he talked, his hand splayed over her sex. His thumb lightly caressed her folds. Her knees quivered as sensations she’d never imagined washed over her.

She managed to find the words to voice what she wanted—since that’s what he’d instructed her to do. “I want you naked too.”

“Can you wait a moment?” he asked, his focus entirely upon her sex. “I’m just too intrigued by this right now. And I’m afraid,” he slid his thumb deeper into her flesh, “I simply can’t tear myself away.” He leaned forward and she felt the heat of his breath against her. God, he was looking at her in such a way, his fingers touching her as no one ever had … She could only stare in wonder.

“Spread your legs a bit,” he said, so close to her flesh that she felt the words as much as she heard them. She did as he bade. With greater access, he slid his thumb up and found a spot so delicate, so sensitive, that the slightest touch jerked her hips forward. She squeezed her eyes shut for a brief moment as pleasure rocketed through her body.

“You are every bit as responsive as I imagined. A woman like you is bound to be passionate. Show me, Jocelyn. Show me how much.”

He worked his thumb over her, teasing that nub until her flesh began to quiver and the desire in her core heated to an unbearable degree. He clasped her hip and lifted her to sit on the edge of the bed. Then he pressed her thighs wide, completely opening her to him now. She could only stare in hopeless abandon as his thumbs met at her core. He stroked her softly but purposely and then opened her. His head ducked forward and then his tongue was on her, licking her flesh in the most intimate kiss.

He guided her legs over his shoulders, cupping the backs of her thighs. His kiss deepened, becoming a series of sucks and licks that worked her flesh in increasing waves of pleasure. She was losing her sanity with each torturous stroke. A pressure was building inside of her and she sought a release she wasn’t sure she could find. She gripped the back of his head, seeking something to ground herself. His tongue swirled over that spot and she arched up.

More. Please
.

She groaned and realized, embarrassingly, she’d spoken her pleas aloud. But then she was glad she had because he answered by sliding his finger inside of her. There was a sharp pinch, but it quickly ebbed. She pushed into his thrust and his tongue increased its movement, driving her to the edge of something. He ruthlessly pumped in and out of her, creating a delicious friction. Then he sucked her flesh, and her world shattered.

She cried out, her hips jerking. He held her tightly, his mouth and hand easing her crisis as wave after wave of pleasure rocked her frame. Slowly, the world reformed, but it was brighter, clearer, more beautiful than ever before.

She opened her eyes, having squeezed them shut as she’d fallen from on high. He was looking up at her with those intense eyes, and yes, she’d finally lost herself to him. And she didn’t think she ever wanted to be found.

DANIEL stared up at her blissful expression and felt a surge of masculine pride. He’d pleasured plenty of women, but he’d never experienced this bone-deep satisfaction. And this was just giving her pleasure. He nearly shook with want when he imagined how it would be to make love to her.

Her cheeks were flushed, her lips parted in wonder. She did look a bit ravished, but he could do far better. The question was, should he? It might be best if they stopped now.

He decided to test the water. “How do you feel?”

“Astonished. I never imagined …” She shook her head dazedly. “I thought we were going to, that is … that wasn’t what I expected.”

He leaned back on his heels and caressed her still-quivering thighs. “And what were you expecting?”

“You inside of me. On top of me. Our bodies joined.”

Her words set fire to his lust. He wanted all of those things and conceived the many ways they could do each one. He was suddenly impatient, wanting to share everything with her now. But there would be a lifetime for them.

He stood. “We can still do that. If you want.”

Her lids drooped seductively, and she focused her glorious hazel eyes on him. “Oh, I want. I think you’re overdressed.” She slid from the bed to her feet with a speed he didn’t think was possible, given the languor that had filled her moments ago.

She pulled the cravat from his neck and then started at the buttons of his waistcoat. He let her strip the garment from him and tug his shirt from his pants. But when her hands pushed the clothing up and skimmed over his bare flesh, he lost all semblance of patience. He grasped the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head. It had scarcely left his fingertips before he was bent over and pulling his boots and stockings off. Her fingers were on his fall before he stood upright when his feet were finally bare. The buttons came loose and he shoved first his pants from his legs and then his drawers.

She’d stopped moving and was staring at his erection. Damn, he should’ve waited to remove the drawers. But then her fingers tentatively touched the tip of his penis and he nearly came apart in her hand. No, losing the drawers had been the best idea of his entire life.

“Is this acceptable?” Her question was soft, guarded.

“It’s a hell of a lot more than acceptable.” He sounded like he’d run up two flights of stairs, but he simply couldn’t get a full breath right now. Not when her delicate fingers were sliding over his hot flesh with an innocent precision that was going to drive him mad.

“You’re so hard and hot.” Her other hand caressed his chest, gliding over his ribcage and abdomen with dizzying effect. Up it went again, toward his nipple. “How does this feel when I touch it? Is it like I feel when you touch me?” She tweaked the nipple between her fingers.

Desire pulsed into his groin. “It feels good. How does it feel for you?” He somehow found the wherewithal to encircle one of her breasts with his hand. He cupped the flesh, palming it and then pulling on her engorged nipple. His mouth filled with moisture and he bent to take her into his mouth.

“Oh. It feels impossibly delightful.” She moaned and wrapped her hand around his cock. Her grip was deliciously tight and hot.

He suckled her breast and she arched up into his mouth. Instinctively, he arched too, sliding his cock along her palm. Her hold didn’t loosen and the friction was so sweet he wanted to shout with the joy of it. “Yes,” he urged her. “Just like that.”

She understood because she began to move her hand. Up to the tip and back to the base. She set a rhythm that had him thrusting into her hand. His balls tightened with each stroke. He needed to put a stop to this unless he wanted to come all over her. The image was erotic and stoked his lust to an even brighter level, but there would be time for that and so many other things. Right now, he wanted to give her what she wanted. Cover her. Join their bodies. Slide inside of her.

Heedless of her damned hair—and the fact that she had to let him go—he picked her up and gently tossed her onto the bed. She gasped in surprise, her eyes widening slightly.

“This is ravishment, darling.” He drank his fill of her petite frame, her small, lush breasts, enticingly narrow waist, and the gentle flare of her hips. She was exquisite—and she was his. Pride and gratitude washed through him. He never imagined he’d find a woman like her. Find love.

“Then ravish me. Please.” She held up her hand and it was all the encouragement he needed.

With a growl, he climbed onto the bed and moved on top of her, his big body covering hers. He instantly worried about the difference in their sizes. “Am I hurting you?”

She settled beneath his weight, spreading her legs so he could nestle between her thighs. “No. You feel divine.” She brushed her breasts across his chest and he felt the graze of her nipples against his flesh. God, she knew just what to do. His curious, fearless, incomparable Jocelyn.

He reached between them and stroked her clitoris. She immediately cast her head back and gave an erotic little whimper. Her thighs fell apart and moisture coated his fingers as he stroked her entrance.

“No. Fair,” she said breathlessly.

Her hand came around his cock again and she pumped his length.

“Jocelyn,” he ground out. “Put me inside you, darling. I need to feel you.” He spread her folds and drove his tip to her opening. “That’s it. Just help me slide in.”

He’d felt a slight resistance earlier when he’d pushed his finger inside of her, but now she only felt tight. He went slow. God, it was so hard to keep himself from slamming into her, especially with her hand still wrapped around the base of his cock.

Her intake of breath made him go even slower. Sweat trickled down the back of his neck with his effort.

“Tell me if you want me to stop.” Heaven help him if she did.

“You’re so big.”

He smiled at the incredulity in her tone. “Or you’re so small.”

She made a sound that sounded like a grimace.

He stopped and let her accommodate him a moment. “Ready?”

She nodded beneath him. He slid in further, and she had to move her hand. She skimmed his hip and settled her palm on his buttock, squeezing his flesh as he seated himself fully inside of her. Christ, she was spectacular.

She was so tight and hot. He worried he was hurting her. “Are you sure you’re all right?” he asked.

She cupped his cheek with her free hand. “Daniel, I realize I’m a small person and that I’m new at this, but you’re not going to break me.” She smiled up at him. “I’m quite ready to be ravished.”

“Your wish is my greatest desire.” He pulled back out of her and pushed forward, keeping his gaze locked with hers. Her eyes widened and her mouth formed an O.

He retreated and drove into her again. Slowly, methodically, forcing her body to accept his. And by the way her legs curled around his hips, she was having no difficulty. After several more strokes, her head fell back and her eyes fluttered closed. She gripped his arse and his shoulder.

Each thrust made her hotter, wetter, until he was sliding in and out of her with ease. She arched her hips to meet him, wordlessly urging him faster. He obliged, thrusting his hips with greater frequency, and angling his cock to exactly stroke against her clitoris. She groaned somewhere deep in her chest and her other hand trailed down his back to clasp him more tightly against her. He could feel her orgasm building by the frantic twitch of her hips and the desperate clutch of her hands.

He pumped faster, answering her need with his own. His balls drew up with his impending release. He reached between them and pressed on her nub. She instantly fell apart, opening her mouth in a series of whimpers and moans that drove him past the brink.

With a final thrust, he spilled his seed into her, his orgasm overtaking him with a white-hot bliss he’d never experienced. He cried out her name and pumped her flesh until he was utterly spent.

Minutes later, he rolled to his side and gathered her close. She turned her head to look at him. Her eyes were slightly glazed, her skin a lush pink, and strands of her hair had come free. She appeared thoroughly ravished. He smiled. They’d get her repaired before he took her home.

“Why are you smiling?” she asked, curling into him.

“Shouldn’t I be?”

She smiled in return. “Of course you should. That was wonderful.” She peered up at him, suddenly serious. “How long do we have to wait to hold the wedding?”

He laughed. “I’ll post the banns this Sunday. You’ll need to decide where you want to get married.”

“Me? What about what you want?”

He pressed a kiss to her brow. “I want whatever makes you happy. We can talk about it on the way to your house. I really should get you home. Whatever are you going to tell Mrs. Harwood about where you’ve been?”

“I’ll just say we went for a drive in the park. She was napping when I left anyway.”