His kiss was shatteringly familiar. She opened for him, shuddering beneath the raw force of his passion, but he didn't se
em satisfied. He slanted his mouth to deepen the kiss further, his tongue sliding in heated, sinuous rhythm within her mouth, awakening her mind and body from their coldly held reserve.
She felt as though he were drinking the breath from her. Julienne shivered uncontrollably. The bold press of his heated loins was making her weak; her soft, secret flesh melted with sleek moisture, even as a warning voice clamored in her mind, telling her to beware.
It was a struggle to remember the femme fatale role she had intended to play. Her breath was coming in soft pants when she finally pushed him away.
At least she was having the effect she wanted, she saw. A dark flush of desire stained Dare's high cheekbones, while his eyes were hot and glittering. Frowning, he raised an eyebrow, as if to demand an explanation for her delay.
Deliberately Julienne glanced down at the swelling bulge at his groin. His breeches stretched taut, concealing his straining manhood. With a siren's smile, she reached out to brush her fingers over the placket, letting her hand fondle his hardness beneath the white satin.
She heard Dare stifle a groan, saw his jaw clench. "Keep that up and we might not reach the bed."
"As you said, who needs a bed?"
Requiring no further invitation, Dare reached down to unbutton his breeches and drawers. Desire burned in his eyes as he released his swollen male flesh. Instantly his arousal jerked upward against his belly, pulsing and erect.
Julienne caught her breath at the sight of him, huge and urgent, her gaze riveted. She badly wanted to touch him, to caress the thick, satiny length, the velvety pouch of his heavy testicles…
Evidently Dare wanted her just as badly. With visible impatience he leaned around her and pushed the dishes and crystal back to give them room. Then he lifted her up and set her on the edge of the table.
Julienne tried desperately to conceal her own treacherous excitement as he pulled up her skirts slowly, baring her to his gaze. It had been so long…
A streaking heat shuddered through her as he stared at the dark curls crowning the apex of her thighs, at the plump folds of female flesh already moist with her own need. His own gaze remained riveted as he reached down to caress her.
All her muscles clenched at the lazy stroke of his hand along her inner thigh. She felt her breath coming short and shallow as his fingers searched out the womanly softness of her-and it faltered sharply as he slid them against her honeyed crease.
"I would say you are thoroughly aroused now," he murmured.
She could feel her will weakening, but when his fingers brushed more boldly, Julienne caught his wrist, staying his hand.
Dare's gaze narrowed on hers. His hand was still between her legs, cupping possessively. "Do you still insist on denying you want me?"
She couldn't bring herself to lie. "No," she whispered.
"Part your legs wider." It was a low, throaty command, one she wanted to obey. She shut her eyes briefly at the wild excitement coursing through her, steeling herself against the burning warmth that flowed from the palm of his hand. When his fingers gently probed her slick cleft and slid inside, she arched against him. Then his caresses became more rhythmic, and she imagined that it was Dare's magnificent arousal thrusting deep inside her…
She tried to stifle a whimper, but it escaped her. In answer, Dare stepped between her spread thighs, his intent clear.
You should stop him, a desperate warning voice urged. But the blood was pounding in her veins, stirring a fiery heat within her. She couldn't form a protest when he gripped his swollen member and eased the silken head into her quivering flesh.
Julienne gasped at the enormous, pulsing size of him. He was shockingly hard, filling her to bursting.
When he swelled upward into her clinging heat, she tried to writhe away from him, but his hands prevented her, holding her hips still. A faint smile curving his sensual mouth, he withdrew his long shaft almost completely, until she moaned aloud with the loss.
Then he surged into her again, making her softly cry out his name.
It took only one more slow plunge to set her aflame. When he delved even deeper, burying himself inside her in another demanding stroke, Julienne gave in to the ravening hunger. Softening helplessly against him, she began to answer his thrusting hips, matching his pace and his sweet, relentless rhythm.
A sob welled in her throat at the primal force building inside her. It was elemental, primitive, and Dare was using all his skill to drive her even higher. She glimpsed him as her head fell back in surrender; his teeth were clenched, his handsome features contorted with pain and pleasure as he rocked her against him.
Then rapture engulfed her. She gripped his arms fiercely as an incoherent sound of panic sounded from her throat, but his mouth captured her scream. Wildly she dug her nails into his muscles as she erupted in a fiery, shimmering explosion, but Dare responded ruthlessly, his straining thighs forcing hers even wider to prolong her ecstasy.
The powerful convulsions left her so dazed, she could only cling to Dare as he drove himself to his own convulsive climax. When his throes of passion finally diminished, she sagged against him, exhausted.
The tremors faded slowly. She could still feel him pulsing within her own sated flesh, could hear his heart hammering beneath her cheek.
When finally he pulled away, leaving her tender and aching, she could have wept.