Sally MacKenzie Bundle (128 page)

No, she was
not
going to think about it.

“I’ve had many years to accustom myself to the fact. And it is convenient now, wouldn’t you say?” She tried to laugh. “At my age it must be impossible to c-conceive, even if I had ever been f-fertile.”

Damn. Her voice broke.

“Kate—”

If they started discussing her failing, they would never get into her bed. She put her fingers over Alex’s mouth. She did not want to think about children or Oxbury. She didn’t want to think at all.

“We are starting now, all right?”
Please, don’t ask questions, Alex. Please just play the game.

He frowned. She was certain he was going to protest and ruin everything, but he didn’t. She felt his lips move against her fingers in a kiss. He nodded. She smiled and stepped back.

“Good. Now, take off your shirt, please.”

Alex just looked at her.

Damn. Was he going to insist on talking about children, then? She bit her lip. If he did, she would cry and the whole evening would be a disaster. She would sleep alone again. She would never know what it was like to…be with Alex. She would not get the courage to ask him again. She would—

He was reaching for the hem of his shirt. Thank God! He grasped it in both hands and quickly pulled it over his head, dropping it on the floor by his feet.

Oh. Oh, my.
He took her breath away. “You’re beautiful.”

He snorted, his cheeks reddening. “I am not beautiful.”

“You are.” She’d known his stomach was flat and hard; she’d just felt it. She’d known his shoulders were broad—but they looked so much broader naked. Muscles curved in his arms—and even in his chest and stomach. He was like a statue of a Greek god, but instead of being cold, white marble, he was warm flesh. She stepped closer and put her hands on him again.

Very warm.

His arms came up to pull her close. She stiffened. Not yet. She wanted to take things slowly, savor every moment. She would not get another chance. This was only for tonight, to satisfy her curiosity. Tomorrow she would be the strait-laced Lady Oxbury again.

“No, Alex. You can only suggest.”

“What?”

“You can suggest that you put your arms around me; I’m the one who will decide if you do so.”

He looked as if he might argue.

“However, I have decided—for the moment—that this is a good suggestion, so you may keep your arms where they are.”

A corner of his mouth turned up. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” She ran her hands over his chest and then followed her hands with her mouth. Her tongue.

She heard a very satisfactory gasp. Alex’s hands moved to her sides, slid up toward her breasts.

“Not yet, sir.” Though she was surprised to find her body was definitely interested in feeling Alex’s touch.

Was that a growl she heard? She laughed up at him and pushed herself free. “You may remove your breeches next, Mr. Wilton.”

He put his hands on his hips. Was he annoyed? Embarrassed? Perhaps this was not such a good game after all.

But she had to do something. She couldn’t just climb into bed, stretch herself out, and lie quietly for him to mount her as she had for Oxbury all those years. She didn’t want that. Surely there was another way.

“What about your nightgown, Kate? I suggest you remove that.”

“I will…later.” What would she do if he wouldn’t play along? Should she give up now? Apparently men were all the same. Perhaps if she were an experienced courtesan, she could seduce Alex, make him so mad with lust he would do anything she said. Not that she wanted to order him around, but—

His hands were at his fall. He was going to play along.

Her entire body flushed, she was certain of it. Heat flooded her face, her breasts, her belly, even the place between her legs that usually winced with the thought of the procreative act. She swallowed. She was even salivating in anticipation of seeing all of Alex’s body. Did he know she was so consumed with lust?

She glanced up at his face. His eyes were hot, intense, slightly hooded. A slow smile curved his lips.

He knew.

“I’m having trouble with my buttons, Kate.” His voice was huskier than normal, low and deep.

Good heavens, she was actually
throbbing
.

“Oh.” The word came out in a shaky breath.

“Yes. Can you help me?”

“H-help you?”

“Please?” He thrust his hips slightly toward her. There was no hiding that his male organ had swollen to a remarkable size.

She had never considered the issue, but in this case at least, the larger the man, the larger the…

“Do you suppose you might undo my buttons for me? I’m sure your smaller fingers are more nimble than mine, and, as you can see”—there was heat and a note of humor in his voice—“I am rather in a state.”

“Yes, I can see that.” She was the one who’d started this game. She couldn’t complain when he came up with his own ideas—she’d said he could suggest things. And the thought of undressing him, while it wouldn’t have occurred to her on her own,
was
enticing. “Very well, I will assist you.”

Alex inhaled as Kate stepped close to him. She smelled wonderful. The scent of lavender was there as always, but now there was the added scent of heat and need. He wanted to touch her, to kiss her, to strip off her gown and trace that sweet smell of musk and woman to its source.

Her fingers fumbled with one of his buttons, brushing over the hard, aching length of him. “Ah.” He closed his eyes briefly. Heaven—or rather, the beginnings of heaven. True paradise would happen shortly, in the bed behind him.

She looked up. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

“N-no.” He could barely get the word out. Hell, he could barely think. He put his hands on her shoulders. He had to steady himself somehow or he would collapse. Thankfully, Kate did not object. She was too busy with her fingers, her wonderful, teasing fingers. Finally she got the last button free.

Ah. He fell into her warm, smooth, delicate hands. Oh, God. He had never felt anything so exquisite.

Until she began to stroke him. Light, tentative touches all along his length.

He was panting as if he had just run a race.

“Are you all right, Alex?”

“No.” Was that croaking in his voice? “Yes.”

“Am I hurting you?”

“No. God, no.”

“May I remove your breeches for you?”

“Yes.” He was about to beg her to do so—or to rip them off himself. “Please.”

Her hands slid around to push the cloth over his hips and down his legs. Her face, her mouth, was level with…dodging, in fact…

“May I make a suggestion?” God, he was still croaking like a frog—a lust-maddened frog.

She paused. “What do you suggest?”

“It would be very,
very
pleasant if you…kissed me, er, there.”

Kate sat back on her heels. “
Kiss
you?”

“Ah.” He could feel himself reddening, though how he could feel embarrassment when his emotions were consumed with lust was a bit of a conundrum. Was
all
of him red? He was not about to look. “Kiss. Touch me with your lips…there.” There could be little question as to where “there” was. “Your lips and perhaps your…tongue.”

“What an odd suggestion.” Kate stared at his cock—he’d swear it grew another inch, though that was clearly impossible. “And you would like that?”

“V-very much.”

“Hmm. All right.” She leaned forward, and her lips brushed over him. “Like this?”

“Yes.” He had never felt anything so wonderful—until her tongue rasped over his tip seconds later. And then her lips fastened onto him. She was a very quick learner.

He was going to pass out. At a minimum, he was going to fall down if he didn’t sit down—or better, lie down—immediately. He tugged gently on Kate’s hair.

She did not respond. Apparently the woman could be very single-minded when she wished to be. He tugged a little harder.

“Kate, sweetheart, love.” He allowed a note of desperation to creep into his voice. Hell, he
was
desperate.

She finally stopped her activities and looked up.

“What is it?” She grinned, the minx. “I am having a splendid time—I do not believe I care to be interrupted.”

“And I hate to have to interrupt you, my love, but I do have my physical limitations.”

“You do?” She kissed him, and he’d swear the limits of that particular organ expanded again. “Where?”

He choked back a slightly hysterical laugh. “Kate, you are bringing me to my knees—literally. I am a forty-five-year-old man—though I don’t know I would fare much better with this torture were I twenty-two again. I suggest—I very urgently suggest—that we adjourn to that lovely bed over there.”

Alex did sound desperate, and Kate found she was ready for the next step. She stood, sliding her hands up Alex’s sides. She wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him tightly. His skin was so soft, but his body was so hard. “I think that is a splendid idea.”

“I am so glad you agree.” He laid his hands on her back and murmured in her ear. “And I have another idea.”

“You do?” She wriggled against him, and smiled when she heard his sharply indrawn breath. He was very well-behaved though—too well-behaved. She’d like his hands to move. She’d especially like them to move downward, past her waist. “What is your idea?”

“I suggest you would be more comfortable without this annoying nightgown. It is far too threadbare to provide any warmth.” He brushed his lips over her earlobe. “I think you are generating plenty of heat on your own, but if you feel the least bit cold, I am more than willing to act as your blanket.”

“Hmm. You may be correct.” She tilted her head back and smiled at him. “Would you care to remove it?”

“Sweetheart, I thought you would never ask.”

Alex kissed her once, quick and hard, and then let her go. She felt bereft, but she knew it was only momentary. She watched him strip off his shoes, breeches, and stockings; then he knelt and put his hands on her ankles. She waited, but nothing happened.

“I thought you were removing my nightgown.”

“I am.” He hands moved leisurely up her ankles to her calves. “Slowly.”

“Oh.” Slowly was torture—wonderful torture. She grabbed his shoulders. His muscles flexed under her fingers. His hands moved to her knees. “Perhaps you should move more quickly.”

“I don’t think so. After all, I am only taking my lead from you. You were very slow removing my breeches.”

“I’m sure I was mis-GUID-ed.” His hands had slid up over her thighs to her hips and his tongue—“Ah!”—his tongue was…oh, dear God. She grabbed his head. “What are you doing?”

“What do you think I’m doing? See if you can describe it.” He ran his tongue over a very sensitive spot by the place where…

She pulled on his hair. She now completely understood his need to assume a prone position. “The bed. You wanted to go to bed.”

“Yes. In a moment.”

“Now.”

“No.” He leaned back and grinned up at her. “I strongly suggest that you allow me to take the lead in this game for a while. I’m certain you will enjoy it.”

She was certain she would, too, but she wasn’t about to say that. “Well, aren’t you cocky?”

He laughed. “Indeed. Very cocky. Painfully so, love, thanks to your tender ministrations.”

Kate felt her face flush. “I have no idea what you are alluding to.”

“No? I shall be delighted to show you in just a very little while.” He slid her nightgown higher, over her stomach, over her breasts. She raised her arms so he could pull it off entirely, but he stopped, holding her arms up, the nightgown over her face.

“Come on, Alex. What are you—eek!”

He was kissing her breasts, laving her nipples with his tongue, and then sucking each one into his warm, wet mouth.

Her knees gave out. If he had not been holding her, she would have fallen.

He pulled the blasted nightgown fully off and lifted her into his arms.

“I believe you wished to retire to bed, my lady?”

“Yes, you idiot.” Her body was on fire. The place between her legs was wet and throbbing and hot. She had never felt this way before. “Now. Immediately. I need you.”

“You do? An old woman such as yourself?”

“Yes!” She half screamed the word. He was not moving quickly enough.

He laughed. “I find this old man agrees with you wholeheartedly.”

He finally reached the bed and put her down in the center of it. She didn’t want to be apart from him, even for a second. She raised her arms, and he came to her, bearing her down onto the mattress. His weight felt good—so good. There was no need for further play. There was no time. She was mad for him. Desperate for him. She opened her legs, and he slid into her all in one motion. She started to come apart immediately. She grabbed his hips, moaning, twisting, pressing closer. He moved once, and she shattered completely.

In the midst of her storm, she felt him pulse in her, hot and deep.

For a few moments, there was only panting and extreme lassitude. Kate could not have raised her head if her life depended on it. Every inch of her body felt satiated. Sleep beckoned. Then Alex laughed breathlessly.

“Ah, Kate.”

She smiled lazily and cracked open one eye. He kissed the tip of her nose.

“I’m too heavy for you.”

He was, but she wasn’t going to say so. She loved having his body on hers. Breathing was much overrated. She hadn’t the air to talk, so she made a low, almost purring sound. He laughed again and lifted himself off her.

She frowned. “I’m cold.” She was. Her body, damp from their loving, was chilled by his absence.

“We can’t have that, can we?” He pulled up the covers and gathered her into his arms. “Better?”

She closed her eyes again. “Mmm. Much better.”

“You are not being very articulate.”

What was there to talk about? She was exactly where she most wanted to be—naked, in bed, her head on Alex’s shoulder, his arms around her, his hand stroking her back. She was in heaven. She kept her eyes closed, turned her head, and kissed his arm.

“We should talk, Kate.”

His voice had a very serious tone to it. Unpleasantly serious.