To Love a Thief (Steel Hawk) (15 page)

Chapter Fourteen

Rose could utter not a sound and simply waved a hand toward the room that was hers.

Carrying her as if she were as light a feather, Nathan strode to her room, walked across the threshold and kicked the door closed with his booted foot. He let her go, and she slid down his length. The rays of the full moon bathed her small room in a silver glow, no candlelight required. He cupped her face, staring intently at her, and she stared right back, drinking in everything about him. His strong visage, the perfect lines of his brow, the depth in his eyes and the kindness she saw there. The desire too. This was Nathan, the boy who was now the man. “I’m waiting.”

“For what?”

“For your kiss.”

“Oh, that.”

Her smile broadened, her body alert for every nuance. She waited for his touch. Needed it. Craved it. “Yes, that. So are you going to keep me waiting?”

“I could, but I have a better idea.”

Her heart skipped a beat, body heated, nipples pebbling. Her world was topsy-turvy, everything new, exciting, but she did not want to stop and get off. Not now. “Better than kisses?”

“How about
you
kiss me?”

Uncertainty skittered. Wanting his kisses was quite different from initiating them. Rose looked up at him from beneath her lashes, and her breath hitched, something in her stomach doing a flip. He was so handsome, so enticing.

Perfect.

Bringing her hands up between them, she rested them on his chest. They seemed so small compared to his big broad self. Beneath them, however, she could feel the rat-a-tat-tat of his racing heart. The beat urged her on, and she lifted herself up on her tiptoes. Her lips touched his in a tentative caress. She pressed them against his, firmer now. He didn’t move. Didn’t entice her or hold her.

Am I doing it wrong?

She wanted to pull away, but something held her close to him. Her eyelids fluttered closed, and she imagined their other kisses. Her fingertips crawled up his chest, around his neck, threading through his hair. And then she could not get enough of him. Tilting his head down toward her, she savored his taste, breathing in his essence.

As before, though this time she was the initiator, she slid the tip of her tongue around his lips. His mouth opened to her teasing request, and she slipped her tongue inside his mouth. “You taste divine.”

Is that sultry, seductive tone mine?

“Dear God.” Nathan wrapped her in a hug, leaning into her. She tilted back, the bed at her knees, and fell backward. He came with her, and they rolled across the bed. He lay atop, arms either side of her, and levered himself up.

Rose knew exactly where she was and what she was doing. She could not stop. It was as if this was fated, written in the stars long ago. “Why have you stopped?”

“I didn’t want to frighten you.”

“I am no flighty girl, Nathan.”

“Are you telling me you have lain with a man before?” His tone was serious, intent-darkened eyes holding hers captive.

She swiped her tongue across her lips, tasting him once more. “I have not.”

“We aren’t married.”

Rose knew what he was doing. Giving her time to come to her senses, which of course, she should do. But she wouldn’t change her mind. “Neither were Adam and Eve.” She reached up to him, hands clutching at his shirtfront, and tugged him forward. “Do you need me to teach you how to kiss?”

He arched one brow. “
Hmm
. I like that idea.”

Emboldened, Rose leaned up to kiss him, delighting in her daring, but the moment she opened to him, Nathan took control. He rolled onto his back, taking her with him. Her giggle filled the room as she found herself sitting atop him. He reached up and pulled her shirt from her trousers.

Rose’s breath stalled. She caught his gaze, and then suddenly any vacillation dissolved. She slipped the bottom button undone, then the next and the next, until there was only one button left.

Rather than undo that, she loosened Nathan’s shirt too and followed the same procedure, but didn’t stop at the last button.

She pushed the shirt sides apart, baring his chest. Her tongue slicked over dry lips.

“It seems a tad unfair.”

She frowned and drew back a fraction, though it didn’t diminish the feel of Nathan’s arousal pressing into her core. A blush heated her cheeks. “Have I done something wrong?”

Nathan reached up to her, fingering the button. “Nothing that undoing that last button won’t fix.”

Rose’s breath stilled, her awareness heightened as his fingers caressed her breasts beneath the man’s shirt. She had foregone her chemise because with the jacket it would have been too hot with the warmer weather of the past few days.

Her shirt slipped from her shoulders, baring her to him.

He cupped her breasts in each hand, massaging the nipples between his fingers, firing an ache low down.

Lost to his delicious touch, she closed her eyes. Then suddenly something shocking and tantalizing happened. Nathan’s lips sought one nipple and suckled at it.

A gasp burst from her lungs at the erotic action, and her eyes flew open as his tongue licked the hardened bud, teeth tugging at it. It seemed every part of her body focused on that action, the sensations traveling directly to her core. She squirmed where she sat, only to realize her actions caused his arousal to pulse beneath her.

Nathan tugged at the buttons on her trousers, rolling her onto her back, then sucked at the other breast as his free hand slipped her trousers down. She helped shuck them off, then lay beneath him with only her pantaloons on.

So shocking.

So delicious.

“One good turn deserves another, don’t you think?” With fingers not quite steady, she reached for his trouser button, but she fumbled.

“Here, let me.” Nathan shifted from her and stood, quickly divested himself of his clothing, then returned to her side.

Their skin touched. Thigh to thigh, hip to hip, his chest caressing her breasts. Rose sighed as she went into his arms, and Nathan’s mouth sought hers once more, and she lost herself to an unexplored world of sensations.

She wanted it all. And now.

He kissed her cheeks, her brow, her eyelids, dotting tiny kisses across her face, all while his hands slid across her torso, creating tingling sensations that again all centered on once place in particular.

Between them, his manhood pressed, and, gathering her courage, she explored the engorged flesh, sliding tentative fingertips up and down its slick length.

Nathan’s growl exploded, and she stilled her ministrations.

“No, don’t stop.”

“It’s good?”

“More than that. Exquisite, sweet Rosie.”

She smiled. “Not squirt?”

“You may be small, but you are definitely perfectly formed.” He kissed her to oblivion; then he was moving down her length, his tongue slicking across her abdomen, tickling as he circled her belly button.

Her body arched at his attention, fingers tangling in his hair, relishing the feel of the silken strands sliding against her skin, He parted her thighs, fingers delving into her moist recess.

Oh dear God.

She tensed, then squeezed her eyes closed again. Her attention, every part of her, focused as his tongue slipped into her, laving, teasing a bud that seemingly grew at his touch. “Oh, Nathan.” She tingled. Then tingled some more. She waited for something unknown, something delicious. “Nathan. Oh, Nathan.” Her body seemingly shot off the bed, spasms reverberating through her as she tumbled into a deliciousness beyond anything she had ever experienced.

Nathan shifted from between her thighs, a broad smile on his face. “You are perfect.”

“I am…” What was she? Wanton? A hussy? She was no married woman, and yet she was lying naked with a man.

She couldn’t help, but smile. That moment, that beautiful, divine moment she would not give up for anything.

Nathan slid up her length, positioning himself over her. “I won’t hurt you.”

“I never thought you would.”

“It can, the first time.” He edged his cock to her slick core, and instinctively Rose lifted herself to him, welcoming him as her legs parted, wrapping around him.

He stilled. “Rosie?”

She dotted a kiss on his shoulder, and then laved a path across his chest, biting one nipple, then the other. “What are you waiting for?”

He filled her completely with one thrust, and though she felt a faint tug of pain, nothing could override the pleasure of having him in her. Nothing could decimate that. Ever.

She held on to him, nails digging into his shoulders, scoring his back as she kissed him, savoring everything as his thrusts quickened and that sensation she had just experienced built once more, though this time it surpassed even that. This time it was glorious as Nathan pleasured her over the edge to ecstasy, and he filled her a moment later, slumping onto her, his breathing as ragged as her own, heart thumping in unison with hers.

Held close, delighting in the feel of his hard body against hers, Rose did not want to leave his embrace.

He lay snuggled against her, cocooning her, arms wrapped around her middle, his fingers idly playing with her breasts. Rose wiggled her bottom against him, delighting in his response. She wanted to ask him something. Had to know. “Nathan.”

“Hmm.” He breathed into her neck, and then kissed her there.

Her eyes shuttered as she lost herself to the feel of his lips against her skin. So beautiful.

“Is it always this way?”

His hands stilled their exploration. “What way?”

Rose searched for the right words, unsure there were any to describe what she had felt in his arms, when he was in her, when he brought her to that very pinnacle of what seemed to her a miracle. She exhaled a fluttering sigh. “Is it always such exquisite joy?”

Nathan began to nuzzle her neck. “No. Not with everyone.”

“Really?”

“Really. Some women don’t enjoy coupling.”

“Then they’re rather silly.”

“Most definitely.”

“And men?” she asked, intrigued if it were the same for the male species.

“Some men don’t care what a woman feels, or about their needs. But I wanted you to experience it all.”

“You succeeded.” It seemed strange to discuss something so personal so openly. But it also felt so natural that it should be with Nathan.

* * * * *

A sharp knock resounding on the front door startled Rose awake. She scrambled upright, pulling the bedcovers with her.

Lying on his stomach, Nathan opened one eye. “What’s wrong?”

“Someone is at the door.” Were those ruffians back? But they probably wouldn’t bother knocking. Rose glanced down at Nathan. “Don’t just lie there. Get up!”

“Do I have to? I’d rather like a replay of the last few hours.”

“Someone’s at the door,” she repeated.

Nathan rolled onto his back, propping his hands behind his head. The sheet slipped, baring his chest, and Rose’s breathing stilled. She swiped the tip of her tongue over her lips as she feasted on viewing his finely muscled body.

“They’re probably gone now. Besides, how would it look if I go and open the door to your house?” Nathan’s brows wiggled suggestively.

He had a point.

He reached for her. “So I guess since you don’t want to go…” His lips claimed hers, but Rose pulled away.

“Oh no you don’t.” Darn it. She really wanted to kiss him again, and well, everything, but… “It may be someone with news of my father.”

“Dawn hasn’t broken yet.”

“Tough. Get up, we need to get going.”

“Spoilsport.”

With a toss of her head, Rose slipped from the bed, naked as the day she was born but determined not to act embarrassed. Last night, Nathan had seen her naked, touched and gloried in her body. She would not shy away now.

His gaze followed her across the room. “A definite temptation first thing in the morning.”

She offered him a teasing smile, enjoying the freedom that last night had given her. Quickly donning a robe, she left the room and headed downstairs, not bothering to light a candle. She held her ear to the door. “Who’s there?”

Silence returned.

She waited a moment, listening but still hearing nothing, then tugged back the lock and edged the door open, peering outside. The doorstep was empty. She pulled the door open a fraction more, cautiously looking left and right. The street too was empty.

So who knocked?

Pranksters? Children?

But dawn had barely woken and Rose did not think children would bother to rise so early for such a prank.

She was annoyed to have been roused, though in truth she had been lying awake for some time, watching Nathan sleep. As she thought back over the last few hours, she felt no shame in what she had done, only wonderment and delicious joy at being in his arms, experiencing such beauty with him.

Just as she was about to shut the door, her foot scraped over something, and her gaze dropped to the floor. She spied a cream-colored piece of parchment folded in half.

She bent to retrieve it and opened it up.

The scratchy handwriting proved difficult to read, and Rose squinted tired eyes as she read the cursive script.

Move fast, or he will be gone forever.

The Raven

Gone! Her father!

Hoisting up her robe, she charged upstairs. “Nathan, Nathan. A note.”

Breathless she crossed the threshold to her room to find a nearly naked Nathan sitting up in bed. Heat beat a path from her toes and right back up. She looked away for a moment. A naked Nathan in the darkness was one thing, but in the light of day, albeit the dusky haze of first light, that was entirely another thing.

Stop! This is not about lust, but Papa.

She thrust the note forward. “It’s…it’s from the Raven,” she stuttered. “A warning.”

Nathan took the note, scanning its contents. “That’s impossible.”

“Why? It’s there in black and white.” She’d heard of the Raven. Most had. A notorious opportunist and thief, he had stolen the jewels and money of the rich in spite of heavy security and had become a kind of cult hero years ago. Then all had been quiet for some years, many presuming he had gone to ground or been killed.