Chapter 30

"Thomas?" Catherine's voice was barely audible as she watched his face. "What is it?"

He kept staring at her with an impenetrable look on his face. He looked haunted. The desire was still there, as plain as day, but she could sense the hesitation within him.

She knew what it was about. She had been feeling exactly the same way—frightened of what was between them, fighting it with every breath in her body, pushing him away even as the connection between them grew stronger.

But now… now, those reservations were growing weaker by the second. His friend had really perplexed her… Now, she thought that perhaps what was between them could be real, and she could take the chance to explore it. She knew there was no guarantee he wouldn't hurt her, that this wouldn't be a big mistake, but she didn't care anymore. It was as simple—and as complex—as that. Even if it wasn't real, she was tired of running away from it.

And she wanted him. So desperately.

She had always been a risk taker after all. And she was ready to take this risk now.

Catherine was trembling with desire, her lips seared by his, a low, aching need in her belly. The feel of his hand caressing her breast, stroking her nipple, was driving her crazy. She knew it wasn't enough. She needed more, and she wasn't ashamed to tell him.

"Are you sure?" He looked at her, his expression pained. "Really sure?"

In response, she wrapped her hands around his head again, tighter this time, drawing his lips to hers and kissing him with a fierceness that surprised even herself. When they finally parted, she felt lightheaded and giddy.

"Yes," she breathed, gazing deeply into his eyes. "Yes. I am sure."

His eyes lit up. A fire within them as bright as the sun and just as fierce.

He didn't say anything more. He simply tilted her to the side, his hand sweeping the cards on the table to the floor, so they scattered like dust. Her eyes widened as he picked her up and placed her on the table, crouching above her. She looked at him quizzically. What was he going to do?

Suddenly, he bent lower, so she could just see the top of his head. His hands started snaking up her legs, over her silk stockings, so that her gown bunched up around her waist. She blushed fiercely. She was exposed before him… but she couldn't seem to care.

And now, he was burying his face between her legs, pushing her legs wider still. Her eyes widened in shock. His mouth… it was on her sex, and now he was licking and sucking at her, sliding his tongue slowly up and down in an almost leisurely way.

Catherine gasped, her hands flailing, reaching for the sides of the table and gripping it for dear life. The most incredible sensations she had ever felt were zinging through her body, growing more intense by the second. She gasped again, her head falling back. She felt her hair loosen and fall, hanging over the edge of the table.

What is he doing to me?

A fever broke out over her flesh. She gripped the table harder as he started intensely sucking on a spot that seemed to be the epicenter of her pleasure. She groaned aloud, wriggling and thrusting her hips as the sensations grew sweeter and stronger.

Vaguely, she felt him slip a finger inside her, pushing against the wall of her belly as he sucked hard. The feel of his finger inside her was so intensely wonderful that she cried out in bewildered joy. She squeezed her eyes shut, feeling as if she were on a ride that was growing wilder and more unpredictable by the minute, threatening to throw her over the edge.

She was climbing higher every second, the sensations gathering, pushing her towards that edge. It was primal and powerful and so thrillingly wonderful that all she could do was hang on for dear life. She felt her body straining for release, for something that she couldn't even name yet knew she needed.

Suddenly, she gripped the table harder, thrashing and arching against him as her release washed over her, shaking her to the core. She cried out in shock as well as delirious pleasure as the sensations peaked. She really was in heaven. A heaven that she had never known existed.

He gripped her legs tighter, sucking harder as she rode that wild wave, feeling as if she were about to slip off the edge of the world itself. Was it going to last forever?

But slowly, it started to subside, inexorably, like the tide withdrawing from the shore. She felt weak and tired, as if she could sleep for a thousand years.

But he was withdrawing from her now, climbing over her body, his face an impenetrable, stricken mask of desire. She whimpered as he turned her over on the table and gathered her skirts up again, standing behind her. She yelped as she felt a light, stinging slap on her derriere. She shivered with delight.

He spread her legs wider, positioning himself behind her. She felt his full, hard manhood brush against her inner thighs before a sharp pain cut through her. Thomas groaned, gripping her hips tightly, not moving. Catherine could barely breathe. It felt amazing, now that the initial pain was gone. He had invaded her body: a deep fullness that felt so right, she almost felt like weeping.

He started to move inside her, slowly at first, almost questioningly. She responded by thrusting her hips back, eagerly wanting more. His response was instantaneous. He hitched her higher, sliding deeper—so deep that she gasped, wondering where she ended and he began.

He was thrusting harder and quicker now, slamming against her so fiercely that the table was scraping across the floor, as if it were alive. He snaked a hand around to her face, feeling her features. Slowly, she drew his thumb into her mouth, sucking on it intently.

He groaned aloud, thrusting harder, feeling under her with his other hand, finding a breast and squeezing it tightly. And now, unbelievably, Catherine could feel those wild sensations that had just abated start to rise within her again.

They were slightly different this time but just as powerful. She arched her back, bucking her hips, moaning loudly. They were moving so quickly together now, straining against one another, that she was sure the table was about to break.

"My God," he breathed. "You are truly divine…"

Suddenly, he gripped her tighter, grinding into her. She felt him throb wildly inside her before he cried out. At the same time, the sensations within her peaked again to a slippery, shuddering climax.

Catherine cried out as well, feeling once more that she was on the brink of heaven itself. They strained together for another moment before he collapsed on top of her, breathing heavily.

They were both panting. Catherine blinked. She was slippery with sweat and realized he was as well. He stayed inside her, not moving, breathing into her ear. She had never felt as close to another human being as she did at that moment when their bodies were still connected in the aftermath of that wild lovemaking.

"That was wonderful," he whispered, nuzzling her, biting her earlobe. "Truly, it was worth the wait."

She laughed softly.

They disentangled themselves, collapsing onto the floor in front of the fire, side by side. Catherine felt sated and sleepy, rather like a cat. She stared at him.

"It is done," she whispered, her heart pounding. "Your grandmother would be thrilled."

He laughed, reaching out to caress her face gently, gazing into her eyes. Her heart fluttered. She couldn't look away.

"You know, that is one of the things I admire the most about you," he whispered, his eyes roaming over her face. "Your sense of humor."

Her heart fluttered again. He was gazing at her with such sweet ardor that she could barely stand it. Now that the passion was ebbing away, she felt oddly vulnerable. She didn't quite know what to say to him at all.

Her eyelids were starting to droop. It was so very warm and cozy, lying on the floor in front of the fire with his arms around her, gazing into each other's eyes.

I have lain with him. I am no longer a maiden. I still cannot quite believe it.

She shuddered. She had given herself to him… but he had also given himself to her. It had been mutual. She had felt the tenderness within him as well as the ferocity of his passion. It had been wild and fierce and tender, all at the same time.

She closed her eyes. She would just rest them for a moment. It had been a long, intense night. She burrowed deeper into his chest and rested a hand on it, feeling the hard contours and listening to his heartbeat before drifting off to sleep.

Catherine's eyes fluttered open. She gazed around, completely dazed. She wasn't on the floor in his study any longer—she was lying in her own bed. A single candle was burning brightly on the bedside table.

She glanced down. Her daring gown had been removed, along with her undergarments. She was stark naked beneath the thin white sheet.

She turned to the side and gasped. Thomas was lying beside her. And he was staring at her with such intensity that she could barely breathe.

"You are awake," he whispered, his voice laced with amusement. "Come here."

He reached for her and pulled her towards him. Catherine felt the long, hard line of his body against hers. He was completely naked as well. She could feel his hardness pressing insistently against her belly.

Her heart soared. He wanted her again. Her flesh tingled in response. She wanted him again as well. The desire shocked her with its ferocity. It was as powerful as ever, if not more.

She felt a little tender and sore between her legs as well as sticky and moist. Her sex throbbed as he started to kiss her neck, biting and nipping, his hands reaching around to clasp her derriere, squeezing it tightly. A stab of desire shot through her, and she clung to him.

He rolled her over in one seamless movement, so she was lying beneath him, and he gazed down at her. She reached up, caressing his face. He turned his head, kissing the palm of her hand intently. Catherine moaned, feeling as if she were melting, and she might actually dissolve into a puddle on the bed.

In one swift movement, he spread her legs with his knee and entered her. She cried out, clinging to him, her nails scratching his back. They started moving together in the same timeless rhythm, gazing into each other's eyes.

The pleasure was building inside her again, slowly at first then with a ferocity that could not be contained. She dug her nails harder into his back. Thomas flinched, growling, biting her neck. They clung to each other, moving in unison back and forth. Catherine flung her head from side to side, almost unable to endure it.

When she climaxed, she cried out so loudly that the sound shocked her own ears.

Who was this wild, wanton woman lying on the bed, her limbs and body entwined with his, screaming his name? Where had she come from?

They hovered in the midst of heaven, clinging to one another, gazing into each other's eyes, before finally letting go, falling to the bed.

Her heart was still racing, and she could barely breathe. She was sleepy again. So very sleepy.

Thomas pulled her into his arms, whispering in her ear, "You are everything. I do not understand how I could have stayed away from you for so long…"

Catherine reached for his face, stroking it gently, too tired and replete to reply. She didn't know what to say anyway. Words were beyond her at that moment.

She knew that tomorrow would be different. She knew he would probably be gone from her bed and distance himself from her again. But that was the future. They had this moment. They still had this night.

And for once, it was enough.