Evelyn didn’t care what he had to tell her. It was all in the past. Nothing he could say would change the way she felt about him. Nothing could dampen her desire, or extinguish the love burning in her heart.
He took her chin between his thumb and forefinger. “Don’t be afraid. You need never be afraid of me. You must know I would never hurt you.”
A surge of raw emotion burst forth. She wanted to ease his torment, make him forget all the terrible things that plagued him, make him smile and laugh. Whatever he had to say could wait.
Love was unconditional; she would prove it to him.
No matter what happened, she was his, now, tonight — forever. God had granted them this precious moment, and she would grab it with both hands and never let it go.
Before he could utter another word, she tried to thread her arms around his neck, but he caught her hands and held them tight.
“I shall give you this opportunity to step away, to go inside and leave me here alone. For I promise you when our lips meet, I will not be able to control what happens between us.”
Evelyn swallowed deeply as she understood the implication of his words. “I would never run away from you.”
“If you value your virtue, you will turn from me and not look back.”
“I want to stay.” Her heart was racing. “I want everything you have to give, Alexander. I want to be with you, regardless of the consequences.”
He gave her no option to reconsider. As the last word left her lips, he lowered his head and claimed her mouth in a surge of unbridled passion.
The kiss was wild, chaotic, as their frantic hands grasped and tugged at each other’s clothing. Their tongues were lost amongst the pants and guttural groans and Evelyn threaded her hands into his hair and pulled at the roots to anchor his mouth to hers.
His masculine scent surrounded her, potent and intoxicating. The urge to touch him, to feel the heat radiate from his skin became unbearable, and she pulled her mouth away from his.
Swallowing a series of short breaths, she fumbled with his coat, eventually pushing it over his broad shoulders, abandoning it to yank at the buttons on his waistcoat.
“We should slow down,” he panted, “but I can’t stop.”
“Quick. I need to be near you.” Her voice sounded different — deeper, huskier, desperate.
At her command, he shrugged his arms out of the sleeves of his coat, and it fell to the ground.
He kissed her again, hard and swift, before turning her around to fiddle with the buttons on her dress.
“Bloody hell, I can’t see what I’m doing. My fingers feel numb.”
“Quick,” she repeated, “Just rip it.”
He turned her around to face him as his lips curved up into a wicked grin. “Rip it?” he asked, his eyes alight with amusement.
The beauty of it was enough to send her spiralling further into the madness that consumed her and she yanked at the bodice until she heard the material tear. He helped her out of her gown, grasping her petticoat as the silk pooled around her feet. The hooks and eyelets gave way easily under the strain as he ripped them apart. It took him less than a minute to untie her short stays.
Free from her encumbrance, his hands moved everywhere, all at once. Caressing her breasts through the thin chemise, cupping her and pulling her against the evidence of his arousal, he kissed and nuzzled her neck.
Then he stopped suddenly, pulled away and stared at her neck with some confusion.
“What’s wrong?”
He shook his head and with another grin said, “Nothing. I was worried I might hurt you, but it seems my fears were unfounded.”
“By kissing my neck?”
“I have sharp teeth.”
“I found it rather pleasant.” She could sense a slight reserv
ation and decided to offer an incentive to rouse his passion again. “I’m yours, Alexander,” she said, pulling her chemise up over her head until she stood naked before him. “I promise you, there will never be another.”