The Black Diamond (Black Diamond 2)

"Tell me you want this," Julian breathed into her lips. "Tell me you've dreamed about having me inside you, filling you to bursting, moving until you shatter in my arms. Tell me, Aurora."

"I have," she whispered, her head swimming from the impact of his words, the graphic images they invoke

d. "Constantly."

"Then let's throw ourselves into the fire—douse it, reignite it. We have hours. Let me make you my wife. Here. Now. Then let me take you to bed and start all over again, make love to you until you beg me to stop."

Aurora's palms slid up his coat to his shoulders. "Somehow I doubt that will happen."

"Good. Then we'll make love until we die." Julian's arms closed around her, no longer coaxing but insistent. "Say yes."

She could barely speak. "Yes."

His mouth crushed down on hers—hot, hard—blazing with an unrelenting possessiveness that said there would be no turning back, no stopping until their passion was spent.

Aurora never wanted to stop.

With a soft cry of pleasure, she twined her arms about Julian's neck, submerging herself in the kiss, tilting back her head and parting her lips to his seeking tongue.

A hard shudder wracked Julian's body, and he took what she offered, dragging her onto his lap as his mouth ate at hers, devouring her in a kiss of absolute, utter possession. He raised her arms higher about his neck, crushing her against him as their tongues mated, stroked, melded, their breath coming in tight, harsh rasps.

Aurora was lost. The power of Julian's body, the fervor of his touch, the unyielding pressure of his lips as they claimed hers—the sensations were almost too much to bear. Liquid heat surged through her, rendering her breasts heavy and her muscles weak. Shaking with reaction, she pressed closer, her fingers gliding through the longer hair at his nape, sliding beneath the cool strip of his cravat.

Julian's entire body went taut.

Abruptly he responded, his hand shifting to unfasten her gown, to find the smooth skin of her back and awaken it with his hungry caresses. The gown slid down baring her shoulders, the upper slope of her breasts. He tore his mouth from hers, his gaze a topaz inferno as he stared down at her. Then he lowered his head, burning a series of hot open mouthed kisses across her newly bared skin.

Desire coiled tight in Aurora's abdomen, licked fire through her loins. She shifted restlessly on Julian's lap, cradling his head in her hands as she silently begged him to continue.

Her wordless plea was answered. Julian shifted lower, capturing her nipple through her chemise, drawing the aching tip into his mouth, and surrounding it in liquid heat. He repeated the caress—once, twice, then again and again as his need intensified.

A muffled whimper escaped Aurora's mouth.

Suddenly Julian raised his head, scrutinized Aurora's face, and then satisfied with what he saw, yanked at the ribbons of her chemise, pushing it away from her body.

Her breasts spilled out, rising toward him, the tight nipples begging for his touch.

"You're so bloody beautiful," he muttered, reaching out to cup her warm flesh, smooth his palm over the sensitized peak.

"Julian … please." Aurora was trembling, her whole body exploding at his caress. "Please."

Again he lowered his dark head, running his open mouth across her breast until waiting was no longer feasible. Then he captured her naked nipple between his lips, drew it into his mouth—not softly, gently, but urgently, fully, his tongue lashing across the hardened peak.

Streaks of jagged heat rushed through Aurora, and she cried out, grateful that the noise of the carriage drowned out her ragged pleas.

"More of you," Julian muttered thickly, "God, I need more of you." He shifted to her other breast, his hands and mouth taking her simultaneously this time, as if he couldn't bear to deny himself one shred of the ecstasy derived from possessing her.

Dizziness surged through Aurora's head and her eyes slid closed, all sensation concentrated beneath Julian's caresses. Just when she thought she'd die, his mouth left her breast and reclaimed her lips, his tongue beginning a rhythm of thrust and retreat that was a prelude of what was to be. His arm slid beneath her, arched her closer to him, his thumb moving provocatively across her damp nipple as his mouth ravaged hers.

The earth shifted and the soft cloth of the carriage seat pressed against Aurora's back. Somewhere in the dim outskirts of her mind, she realized she was in a prone position. An instant later Julian followed her down, covering her half-naked body with his fully clothed one.

Aurora's lashes lifted and she stared into Julian's blazing eyes, his handsome face taut with desire. She reached up, tugged at the knot of his cravat until it came free, then tossed the strip of cloth to the floor. His buttons came next—his shirt and waistcoat—and despite their trembling, Aurora's fingers managed to complete their task. She spread open the sides of his shirt, marveling at his strength, the corded muscles rippling beneath his skin. Awed by his overwhelming presence, she smoothed her palms over his hair-roughened chest, the powerful breadth of his shoulders. Julian lay poised, utterly still, the fine sheen of perspiration covering his skin the only indication of the effect she was having on him.

Until her thumbs found his nipples. Shuddering beneath her teasing caress, Julian growled her name, lowered his full weight on her, crushing her into the seat, melding his body to hers.

"Julian." It was a whimper of unbearable pleasure and incredible discovery. Aurora arched, rubbing her breasts against him, gliding her palms beneath his open shirt to explore the solid planes of his back.

With a muttered oath, Julian threaded his fingers through her hair, discarding the remaining pins he encountered along the way. "God, you feel so good," he rasped, nudging her thighs apart and settling himself between them. "So damned good." He pushed against her, and Aurora gasped, feeling the rigid evidence of his hunger as it pressed against her yearning core. Even separated by his breeches and her gown, the sensation was overpowering, so acute she couldn't breathe.