The Prince of Pleasure (Notorious 5)

A gasp lodged in her throat as his hands reached for her dangling breasts, stroking them, teasing her hardened nipples, inflaming her bare flesh, even as he whispered h

eated, erotic love words.

The burn sharpened, intensified, when he slid his hand around to her throbbing sex. All the while he was moving inside her, ravishing her with long, slow strokes, sheathing and drawing away till it became exquisite torture.

Her body turned molten. When she surged back against him, impaling herself, his rhythm increased. In time to her whimpers, he drove deeper and deeper, every rocking movement, every possessive claiming forcing a husky cry from her. In only moments she felt delirious ecstasy rush toward her, felt Dare surrender as he was caught up in the same fierce tumult. At his ragged groan, fire exploded through her veins. Julienne threw her head back as shudder after shudder racked her.

The warm, pulsing rapture throbbed through her senses long after she collapsed bonelessly on the fur.

Dare followed her down. Bracing himself to spare her the full force of his weight, he curled his body around hers and reached up above her head, entwining their fingers together. Her ivory skin was moist in a silken sweat, and he pressed his lips against the flesh of her back.

The room was quiet but for the crackling fire and their raw, rasping breaths. He lay inside her half-hard, wholly intoxicated, desperately wanting more of her, desire still sharp and insistent.

He wanted.

He wanted to stay with Julienne like this forever, lost in this moment. Wanted to keep her here with him, where he could cherish her to his heart's content. It was a primal, elemental need that was soul deep.

It was love, he no longer had any doubt.

His chest squeezed with a hollow ache. Despite everything, some uncontrollable part of him loved Julienne still, had always loved her.

He shut his eyes, filled with a blind yearning. He had vowed to drive her other lovers from her mind, but by his very act of possessing her, she had managed utterly to possess him.

The victory was hers.

And if she came to realize her power over him? If she chose to wield it? If she betrayed him once again?

Dare felt a blade of fear stab him. The pain this time would be unbearable.

The possibility made him even more keenly aware of the heavy urgency of his task. He needed to make Julienne as obsessed with him as he was with her.

And yet, Dare realized with a sinking heart, his time with her was running out.

The rain finally ended the following day, and the sun at last reappeared. They spent the morning tramping through the beechwood like young lovers, laughing and sharing kisses beneath the bright canopy of spring leaves that had burst out almost overnight.

Dare displayed his chivalry by finding patches of wildflowers for Julienne, and she made a wreath of them, crowning her flowing hair so that she resembled a pagan goddess. Dare found the sight irresistible, even though it reminded him so painfully of their long-ago summer together.

When he commented on her luscious appearance, however, Julienne shook her head with a provocative smile.

"Not a goddess, a fairy queen. I've always enjoyed playing Titania in A Midsummer Night's Dream. But I suppose I will never again have the chance if I remain in London."

The laws governing the thespian world were strict, Dare knew. Only two London theaters held royal patents that permitted them to enact tragedies-Drury Lane and Covent Garden. As a result, it had become common practice for actors to perform in tragedies or comedies, but not both. The public's expectations precluded switching roles.

"You can play Queen Titania if you will allow me to be your King Oberon," Dare said, nuzzling aside her sweet-scented tresses to kiss her nape.

Throwing him an alluring glance over her shoulder, Julienne murmured, "If you can catch me." Then, with a laugh, she ran off into the forest. Dare sprinted after her, eager for the chase.

For the rest of the day, he kept the mood in the same light vein and teased her by promising her a surprise later. Julienne thought his promise fulfilled when on the edge of a meadow they found a picnic prepared by invisible servants, but Dare denied it.

When they returned to the house, he led her to a chamber she had never seen, this one on the first floor.

"Is this my surprise?" Julienne asked as he opened the door.

"In part."

Inside the air was warm and moist-caused by steam rising from the surface of a large, rectangular tiled pool, she saw.

"A Turkish bath?" Julienne said with delight as she moved across the floor. "I have heard of these."