She laid her cheek on his shoulder and inhaled his salty cinnamon scent. She closed her eyes, the pulse of his throat racing against her forehead, her own heart thumping madly. Being in his arms at last felt wonderful. Too wonderful. She started to pull away.
“No,” he said, resisting her. “Stay with me. We haven’t finished our dance.”
She relented, melting into him. He stopped waltzing and simply swayed gently. To finally embrace him, feel him against her, filled Rose with joy and agony. If only this moment could last a lifetime.
Slowly he pulled away from her, just slightly. With one hand, he tilted her chin up and gazed into her eyes. Her lips trembled, but she knew what he wanted. She wanted it too. His mouth descended until his lips were on hers.
Rose knew how to kiss. Evan had taught her well. She parted her lips and Cameron’s tongue invaded her mouth, tasting her gently, slowly. He withdrew his tongue and brushed it delicately over her lips. She sighed softly and tentatively reached her own tongue out to explore the fullness of his lips. They were softer than Evan’s, and she felt a surge in her womb that was new to her. Frightened, she turned her head away. His lips caressed her cheeks, her neck, nibbling and nuzzling her until she shivered.
“We should go in.”
“No. Not yet,” Cameron said. “I know I can never have you. I need at least this much of you. Please.”
She turned and sought his mouth with her own. This time the kiss wasn’t gentle. Cameron clamped onto her, absorbing her. He swirled his tongue with hers, tasting her, taking her. He tasted of champagne and tea, passion and lust. She wanted to kiss him forever, to lose herself in his strong body. He moved from her mouth to her ear, tracing its outer edge with his tongue and dipping into its cove just enough to wet it. When he caressed the wetness with his breath, the tingling made her shudder.
“Do you like that?” he whispered.
“Oh, yes,” she breathed. “Yes.”
He nibbled on her earlobe and then moved to the other ear, tantalizing it as he had the first. Rose squirmed, her body possessed by new and exciting feelings. Evan had never kissed her ears. Her skin blazed and her heart raced wildly, her blood like molten lava in her veins. Cameron caressed her cheeks with moist kisses, moved down to her neck, her pulse throbbing as he licked her in little circles, blew softly on the wetness, and kissed it.
“Oh, Rose,” he whispered. “Rose, Rose. You’re so beautiful.”
He nibbled down below her neck to the sensitive skin above her breasts. Rose buried her hands in his hair, pulled out the queue that bound it, and laced her fingers through the thick black locks. Cameron kissed the tops of her breasts, tracing his tongue around the neckline of her gown. She moaned as he forced his tongue between her breasts, down into her cleavage, retreated, and did it again.
“Goodness,” she said. “We shouldn’t….”
“I know.” He moved his lips upward. Gently he eased the sleeve of her gown down and kissed her shoulder, his hands cupping her breasts.
Even through her corset, Rose felt her nipples tighten. She gasped.
Cameron tore his mouth away from her arm. “Are you all right, sweetheart?”
The endearment surprised her, and her pulse quickened. “Yes, yes, I’m fine. I just feel so…” She panted, trying to catch her breath. “We really should stop.”
“Do you want to stop?” he asked, running his finger up and down her bare arm ever so lightly, giving her the chills.
“No…I mean, yes…”
But his mouth was on hers once more, their tongues mating and swirling, feasting on each other.
His lips found her ear again. “Your kisses are magic, Rose,” he whispered.
“Yes,” she sighed. “Magic.”
“Do you want me, sweetheart?” Cameron’s voice was rough and smoky. “Do you want me to touch you?”
“Oh, yes,” Rose whispered, the ache in her womb nearly more than she could bear. “Touch me, Cameron. Please touch me.”
He pulled her into a shadow. Gently he lowered her to the ground, positioning her into the crook of his arm, and kissed her mouth again as his free hand fumbled with her bodice. He eased her gown down around her arms and loosened her corset, freeing her full breasts, which glowed incandescently in the moonlight.
“You’re more beautiful than I imagined,” he rasped, gently kneading them, brushing his fingers over her taut pink nipples.
She moaned his name softly.
“Do you want me to kiss you here?” he asked.
“Yes,” she pleaded. “Yes, please.”