An Innocent, a Seduction, a Secret

Sebastio looked down into Edie’s face. He could see the determination in her eyes. The firm set of her chin. And acres of tantalising pale flesh. The pert swells of her breasts under the stretchy material of her top. The gentle flare of her hips. Slim thighs. And he wanted her. More than anything he’d ever wanted.

‘Are you sure about this?’

She nodded. ‘Yes.’ There was no hesitation.

The anticipation that surged in Sebastio’s blood eclipsed any lingering doubt. He couldn’t turn away from this now if wild horses were trying to stop him.

He took Edie’s hand, wordlessly leading her from his study through the silent hall, and up the stairs to the bedrooms.

* * *

Edie felt the barest sliver of trepidation as Sebastio opened his bedroom door and led her in. She had an impression of a very sparsely furnished room in comparison to her bedroom and the other rooms in the house. Almost ascetic. But that was soon forgotten when he took her over to the massive bed and turned to face her, dropping her hand.

The air was thick between them. So thick Edie could hardly breathe. Her heart was pumping. She wished for a second she’d been less impulsive. She was wearing sweats! She wished she was in the gorgeous green silk dress. But it was too late.

r /> Sebastio was reaching for her, putting his hands on her waist and pulling her to him. All she could feel was heat and steel, and all she could smell was his uniquely masculine scent. Musky and woody.

His hands traced her waist and a ball of tension lodged deep in her core. She sucked in a breath as he trailed the backs of his hands across her bare belly.

He said, ‘I want to see you.’

Edie nodded her head jerkily, biting her lip as Sebastio’s big hands came to the front fastening of her cropped top. It opened and he pushed it aside, over her shoulders and down her arms so it fell to the floor.

She was naked from the waist up, and in spite of all her bravado she suddenly felt shy.

He tipped her chin up and she looked at him. ‘Okay?’

Something about his concern unknotted something inside her and she nodded. ‘I want to see you too.’

His mouth tipped up ever so slightly at one side, and with a graceful economy of movement he lifted up his top and pulled it off, revealing a broad muscular chest. Not an ounce of fat. Defined pectoral muscles covered in dark curling hair led down to a taut belly, dissected by a line of dark hair that disappeared under his jeans.

Edie forgot about feeling shy. She reached out and smoothed her hands across his chest. Her hands shook a little as she touched him reverently.

Sebastio was afraid he might explode before he’d even get Edie under him on the bed. The way she was looking at him and touching him was seriously heady.

He’d never seen her eyes so big. His gaze dropped and he took in the provocative view of her breasts. High and firm and fuller than her figure indicated. Small pink nipples. He couldn’t resist. He reached out and cupped her breast, running his thumb back and forth across one hard tip, watching how the skin puckered.

He felt the delicate shiver move through her body and his pulse jumped. She was so reponsive.

The edge of the bed was at the back of his legs and he sank down on the side, drawing Edie in between his thighs. He moved his hands around to cup her behind.

Her breasts were at exactly the right height and he drew one small hard nipple into his mouth, suckled and teased before tasting the other one. Edie’s hands fisted painfully in his hair, but he didn’t even notice the sharp pain...he was gorging himself on Edie’s sweet flesh.

Edie was being tortured, but it was a kind of sensual torture she’d never experienced before. Exqusite pain...delicious pain. The flick of Sebastio’s tongue across her nipple nearly sent her into orbit. The only thing stopping her from falling down was his legs pressing against hers, trapping her. She never wanted to be set free.

But then he shifted, and Edie slid down to sit on his lap, feeling dazed. Her breasts were throbbing and he cupped one, rubbing a thumb back and forth over one sensitive peak.

Any hopes and dreams she’d had of making love for the first time with someone kind and gentle had been blown out of the water. She’d had no idea that she’d connect on such a primal level with a man who embodied such pure masculine strength and perfection.

How could she have not wanted this inferno of desire? The thought that she might never have known this depth of need and sensation made her feel curiously emotional.

Sebastio asked again, ‘Okay?’

Edie hurriedly nodded and blinked rapidly, praying he wouldn’t see anything of the emotion in her eyes. ‘I’m fine...more than fine.’

Sebastio kissed her again. It was long and luxurious, letting her get her bearings while also ratcheting up the tension coiling tight inside her. When she squirmed on his lap, wanting, needing more, Sebastio urged her up so she was standing before him again.

He slowly peeled her leggings down, over her hips and down her legs. She kicked off her sneakers. Now she wore only her panties.