A Curse of the Heart

Gabriel’s ravenous gaze fell to her breasts. “Madam, consider me seduced,” he said and giving a low bow, added, “but I am forever your humble servant. You may do with me what you will.”

Desire burst forth in giant waves, crashing through her body, almost sweeping her off her feet. She had managed to bring him this far, all she needed to do was focus. Think. No, not think, feel. What did she want to do to him? What would he like her to do?

Feeling wickedly sinful, she ran her hands down the front of the thin material, a gentle caress that fluttered over her hips, over the soft curve of her stomach. “I suppose I should wear a chemise under this,” she said as her hand crept higher, “and stays to give me some lift just here.”

Gabriel sucked in a breath. “I find I like it just the way it is.”

“You do? Then perhaps I could wear it to my next ball.”

“You’ll only ever wear it in my bed,” he said devouring her with his heated gaze.

Rebecca loved seeing him like this, so devilishly handsome, so carefree, so aroused. “I’m going to touch you, Gabriel, but you must promise not to touch me until I allow it. Can you make such a promise?”

The corners of his mouth turned up. “Oh, I promise. I promise to do whatever I’m told.”

“Good,” she said with some authority, “take off your boots.”

He obliged, and she came to stand in front of him. Her fingers crept up the front of his waistcoat, and she undid the buttons. Pushing it back off his shoulders, she moved to work on his cravat while he simply stood and watched her.

She yanked his shirt from his breeches, ran her hands up over the hard planes, the heat from his skin scorching her palms. Standing on her tiptoes, she lifted his shirt up over his head and pressed her body into his; rubbing gently against his bare chest as ripples of pleasure pulsed through her.

Gabriel was true to his word and didn’t touch her, but she heard the growl in the back of his throat, watched him lower his head and inhale the scent of her hair.

The sight of him stole her breath: his broad, muscular shoulders, the dusting of dark hair on his chest, the perfectly formed muscles in his abdomen. It took every effort not to jump on him, ravage him, sate her desire and consummate her love. Instead, she circled him slowly, placing kisses on his upper arm and across his back, as her fingers trailed a seductive line in hot pursuit.

“Gabriel,” she whispered, coming round to kiss the small dark nipple, flicking her tongue over the peak when he sucked in a breath. “You have the body of a Greek god,” she hummed moving to the other side, gathering the courage to bite, nip and lick the bronzed skin that tasted so divine.

The passion burning inside drove her forward. And so she stood on her toes and brushed her lips against his, her fingers following the trail of dark hair down to the band of his breeches. His breathing grew ragged, her head dizzy from the wine, from the feeling of euphoria and she let her hand wander lower down to the fall of his breeches, rubbing against the evidence of his arousal.

“Holy hell,” he muttered, closing his eyes. “Tell me I can touch you.”

Rebecca smiled. “Not yet,” she said softly, and she ran her tongue over his lips, penetrating the moist line until she was inside his mouth. As her hand stroked him, she continued to explore, her tongue tempting, teasing, eliciting a response only to pull away.

“When I said you would be the death of me, I was damn well right. How much longer?”

Rebecca liked this game; she liked having him at her mercy. She liked seeing the pleasure on his handsome face. “Remove your breeches,” she demanded, “I wa

nt you naked.”

He cursed as he stripped off every stitch and then stood before her, hard and glorious.

Her mind raced back to the erotic images stored in the crate, to the ancient Egyptian papyrus she’d found rather enlightening. And with that in mind, she pushed him back until he fell onto the bed.

Gathering up the diaphanous material, she pulled it up over her head. Her body was ready for him, aroused beyond anything she had felt before, and she climbed over him to straddle his beautiful body.

His eyes widened as she took him in hand, as she directed him to the place that throbbed and ached for his touch. “Not yet,” she whispered determined she would do the claiming, and his hands fell obediently, balling the counterpane into his fists as she lowered herself down slowly.

“Oh, God,” he panted as his head fell back, his eyes flying open when she took the whole length of him with a low pleasurable hum.

She could have stayed like that forever, feeling full, feeling happy, but the desire in her belly compelled her to move, even though she wasn’t sure how.

Guessing that the principle was the same regardless of the position, she lifted herself up and then sank back down. She knew she had done something right as he muttered a sweet curse and whispered, “Do it again.”

As she found a rhythm, he folded his arms behind his head and watched each delicious slide. It was shocking, sinful, so wonderful that she quickened the pace. Feeling the coil inside tighten, her movements grew wild and frantic. “Now,” she breathed, already halfway to Heaven.

With a growl, he sat up, grabbed her round the waist and held her tightly against him as he flipped her onto her back. His movements were just as frantic, thrusting hard and deep as she wrapped her legs around him and clawed at his shoulders. She threw her hands behind her head and let him take her; let him ride her until she felt as though she was flying. His hands grasped hers, and he held them there, palm to palm, their fingers woven together, the bed banging against the wall as they found their glorious release together.

Chapter 21