Dauntless (Gentlemen of the Order 1)

Had they made love many times before, he might have simply unbuttoned his breeches, bent her over and thrust hard from behind while she gripped the bedpost and sang his name. Such was his insatiable need for this woman. But they were kindred spirits. Their joining amounted to more than satisfying lustful urges.

Instead, he worked on the buttons, untied the bow, and pushed the sleeves from her shoulders. He slid the silk down over the gentle flare of her hips, leaving a claret pool on the floor.

When free of her petticoat, he set to work on her stays. Anticipation built again as he imagined reaching around and cupping her breasts, teasing her nipples to peak.

But the lady had something else in mind.

Her stays had barely hit the floor when she turned on her heel and flew into his arms. The clash of their mouths tore a groan from his throat. Eva grabbed the edges of his waistcoat and ripped the damn thing open.

Hellfire!

The need to bury himself inside her warm body overwhelmed him. And so, with his lips fixed hard to hers, he lifted her off the floor and carried her to the luxurious canopy bed. The need to hear her cries of pleasure, the need to feel her shudder beneath his touch, reached fever-pitch as he lowered her down onto the mattress.

“I must examine your thigh before we go any further.” He removed his cravat as efficiently as the king’s valet and dragged it from his neck.

Dreamy eyes—eyes glazed with the need to experience the dazzling heights of her climax—looked up at him. “Should I not remove my shift first?”

The answer was no. Seeing her naked form sprawled on the bed would be his undoing.

“Eva, the urge to taste you intimately has taken possession of my mind.” He dragged his linen shirt over his head and threw it somewhere behind him.

She drew in a sharp breath, seemed fascinated by his bare chest. “Your body is magnificent.”

“You’re magnificent.” She was the epitome of sublime.

The minx reached up and grasped the waistband of his breeches. “Hurry. Let’s be magnificent together.”

* * *

Perhaps she deserved the moniker Dauntless. It took every ounce of courage she possessed to grip Noah’s breeches and trail her fingers down to the solid bulge demanding her attention. Of course, she wasn’t in her right mind. A wild wantonness had taken command of her senses. A divine madness as potent as any drug.

“Hell.” Noah closed his eyes, and his head fell back.

Through his breeches, his manhood swelled beneath her rhythmic touch. Watching him proved addictive. Knowing she had the power to arouse him sent her confidence soaring.

“You’re not as innocent as you seem, minx.” His voice was a husky whisper.

“Oh, I am. But I learnt a thing or two when spying on my godfather and his mistress.”

He covered her hand t

o stall her. “At this rate, I’ll embarrass myself and spill in my breeches.” But that didn’t stop him guiding her hand over his solid erection. “What else did you learn?”

Oh, she wished she hadn’t mentioned it now. But the feel of him—swollen against her palm—encouraged her to be bold. “That a lady needs … needs stimulation, too.”

He moistened his lips. “To their detriment, some men fail to consider their partner’s pleasure.”

“But you’re not one of those men.”

“You sound so sure.”

“I doubt there’s a selfish bone in your body.”

“I’m being selfish now.” A wicked grin formed as he gripped the hem of her shift and slid it slowly up to her knees. “I’m of a mind to take everything I want.”

Eva held her breath. Cool air danced over her skin, yet her body burned.

Noah pushed the garment past her thighs. “I shall start by attending to your injury.” The rakish gleam in his eyes faded the instant he noticed the bruise. “Mother of all saints!”