Kyle’s ragged voice sounding so close in her ear startled her. Afraid that he might withdraw if he realized her innocence, she thrust her hips forward and at the same time slid her hands down his sinewed back to grasp his taut buttocks and pull him closer, then turned her face away to hide the pain that she knew had crossed her features.
She heard him grunt in surprise as she took him deeper. “Easy, lady,” he rasped. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
“Please… don’t stop.”
“I couldn’t…stop if I wanted to.”
Those hoarse words were the last he spoke for a long time as he buried himself fully in her silken warmth, intent on giving pleasure as well as taking.
His movements were slow and controlled, as if he were forcibly restraining his great might, and Selena’s pain gave way to a burning, aching need. He was incredibly tender for so large and rugged a man, she thought, feverishly running her hands over the flexing muscles of his back.
But it had been a long time since Kyle had made love to a woman. And the slender, writhing creature beneath him bore no resemblance to the cool, remote lady he had taken advantage of earlier. He felt his control snapping, like silken threads under too much strain.
His breath quickened against her throat as he surrendered to a primitive, powerful need. He drove into her more forcefully, more deeply, though still his instinctive care for the weaker sex kept him from being as rough as he might. In a moment his great body stiffened, then contracted, pouring into her with tremendous pulsing spasms.
As he collapsed on her, bathed in perspiration, panting, the hot, spiraling world that had caught Selena in its grip slowly faded, leaving her unsatisfied and unfulfilled. Her position was extremely uncomfortable, trapped as she was beneath Kyle’s sleek, heavy body. Squirming, she wedged her hands against his powerful shoulders to keep him from crushing her further.
Weakly, Kyle pushed himself up on his elbows. “I’m sorry, Moonwitch,” he said hoarsely. “It was too fast for you. I’ll make it better next time, I promise.”
“No.”
He found her lips again and kissed her with repentant tenderness before Selena managed to turn her head away. “I said no. Once was quite enough.”
Drawing back, Kyle peered down at her with a frown, trying to read the quicksilver light in her eyes. “Did I hurt you?”
Selena hesitated, considering his question. Her body was limp and aching and still throbbing with a strange sort of tension. But she had asked Captain Ramsey to make love to her, after all. And he had granted her request—quite thoroughly. At least thoroughly enough to prevent her wanting to repeat the experience. “No, Captain,” she dissembled. “You didn’t hurt me. Now, will you please let me up? I should like to breathe again.”
For a moment she thought he might not comply, for he was studying her intently, his heavy brows drawn together in puzzlement. But then he untangled his body from hers and rolled off her, rising to his feet with the easy grace of a practiced athlete as he adjusted his breeches.
Selena rose more slowly, cautiously testing her weak legs to ensure they could support her weight. Acutely embarrassed now by what she had done, she avoided looking at Kyle as she fastened the buttons at her bodice with shaking hands.
“I will pay you in the morning,” she murmured, brushing at the damp skirt of her nightdress, trying to wipe off the sand.
“Keep your money, Miss Markham. It was worth it.” His tone sounded dry and somewhat biting as he came up behind her. “Besides,” he breathed in her ear, “I haven’t yet finished.”
Somewhat nervously, Selena looked around for her horse. But then Kyle bent to lift her into his arms, and she suddenly found herself clutching desperately at the corded muscles of his shoulders as he cradled her against his naked chest. “What are you doing?” she gasped.
“What I should have done from the first. Take you to bed.”
She struggled without success. “Put me down! I demand you release me!”
“Uh-uh. I don’t like to leave a woman unsatisfied. I have my pride to think about, after all.”
Selena glared up at him as he strode determinedly along the beach, noting that the slashing dimples had again creased the hard planes of his cheeks. He was finding this amusing! “Captain—” she began with strained patience.
“I told you to call me Kyle.”
“Kyle, then. I have no intention of going to bed with you.”
“Then we’ll talk. I’m just the least bit curious why you were trying to drown yourself.”
“I was not trying to drown myself! I was merely going for a swim.”
“Sure. And I’m a mermaid.”
Selena clenched her teeth. When she saw an imperial row of palms illuminated by moonlight, she realized he was taking her to the Five Islands plantation house. The captain carried her up a flight of steps and across a wide veranda into the house before setting Selena on her feet. She heard the clink of a glass chimney as he lighted a lamp, and when the flame flared to life, she could tell from the book-lined shelves and comfortable leather chairs that she was in the library.
But it was Kyle Ramsey who claimed her attention. She watched as he picked up a brandy decanter from a side table and poured a large measure into a snifter. He seemed not to mind that he was almost naked in the presence of a lady who was also less than fully dressed, but Selena was very much aware of it. Indeed, his towering, muscular grace was rather intimidating, and when he advanced on her, holding the glass, she found it hard not to shrink from him.