CHAPTER FOURTEEN

DOUBTSFLEDAS Julius plundered her mouth. His lips sought as he explored her, tasted her. She moaned, her lips opening to him. He took everything she offered and demanded more. One hand cupped the back of her head, urged her closer.

Raindrops fell, the coolness a stark contrast to the heat inside her.

"As romantic as this is," Julius said with a carefree grin that made her breath catch, "I think a change of scenery is in order."

He swept her up into his arms and started up the stairs. The rain fell harder, drenching them both. She leaned back, tilted her head and laughed. When she looked back at Julius, he was staring at her as if he'd never seen her before.

"What?"

"That's the first time I've heard you laugh. Truly laugh." His hold on her tightened as he walked into his room through the terrace door. He set her on her feet, keeping his hands on her waist as he pulled her flush against him. "You're stunning when you laugh."

She kissed him, pouring all of her love and passion into it as she ran her hands up his back. He responded in kind, his primitive growl thrilling her as lightning lit up the room. He kept her cradled in his arms as he stood and crossed to the bed. He set her down gently, grabbing her hands in his and lifting her up to her knees.

"Don't move."

She watched him as he advanced, the lightning casting shadows over his masculine face that made him seem even darker, more dangerous. Before, in Paris, it had been sweet and soft, romantic, yet at times distant, as if Julius had been holding a part of himself back.

Here, now, she saw everything. More thrilling, and more terrifying, he let her, showing her his hunger, his desire.

His fingers slid under the hem of her blouse. Up and over her head, leaving her clad only in a strapless bra. His hands slid up her naked waist, around her back. The material fell away. Suddenly shy, she resisted the urge to cover herself.

"Beautiful." Julius stared down at her as if he couldn't believe she was real. "So beautiful, Esme."

One arm wrapped around her waist. A moan escaped her lips as he bent his head and sucked the tender tip of her breast into his mouth.

"Julius!"

His tongue flicked over the sensitive peak before he placed soft kisses on her breast before moving to the other. The strength of his arm wrapped around her anchored her as the sensations of pleasure spread from where his mouth made love to her body, filling her with a liquid warmth that made her limbs heavy even as it made her chest feel light.

Emboldened by his touch, she placed her hands on his chest and pushed back.

"My turn."

Fire flashed in his eyes. Slowly, he sat on the edge of the bed next to her. She undid the buttons on his shirt one at a time, her breath catching as she unveiled his muscular chest. At last, she pushed the shirt off his shoulders and placed her lips to the skin over his heart.

She rose up once more on her knees, looped her arms around his neck and pressed her body against his. The dark curling hair on his chest rubbed against her breasts, the coarse contrast sending an erotic shudder through her body. She bowed her head and kissed the pulse beating at the base of his throat.

Before she could continue her exploration, he shifted, rolling and pinning her to the bed.

"Not fair!" she cried out with a laugh that turned into a groan as he licked one breast.

"You can play more next time."

He moved down her body, trailing kisses down her stomach as his hands made quick work of her skirt and underwear.

"Next time?" she finally managed to say as his hands gripped her thighs.

"Next time," he repeated firmly. "You have memories of us, memories of a night in Paris. I have nothing but a few flashes of dreams. And now," he said with a wicked smile that made her feel like the devil himself had caught her in his grasp, "I want to make those dreams a reality."

He lowered his head. Her hands fisted in the sheets as he kissed the insides of her thighs, gently nipped her flesh. When he placed his mouth on her, she bowed up off the bed into his caress, a sharp cry escaping her lips. He pressed her back down and held her firm as he licked, kissed and sucked, at times gentle and sweet, other times with a passionate finesse that left her breathless and restless.

Suddenly, she felt her body shift. Tiny bits of electricity began to build inside her body, pulsing as one as they rushed to the center of her body.

"Julius," she gasped, "Julius, I'm... I'm going to..."

She shattered. Pleasure careened through her body, spiraling out and lighting every nerve on fire before leaving her weak and trembling.

Dimly, she felt the bed shift beneath her. She opened her eyes to see Julius removing his pants. She watched, unashamed, as he straightened and stood completely naked before her. He'd lost weight, yes, but he was still as she remembered. Broad shoulders narrowing down to a tapered waist, a chest and arms kept muscled by rowing, horseback riding and sparring.

Her cheeks grew warm as her gaze trailed down to his hips and his hard length. Heat suffused her body as he reached down and wrapped his hands around himself.

"You do this to me, Esme."

Feminine satisfaction curled through her.

"Should I apologize?"

His lips quirked up as he stalked closer to the bed.

"No."

He reached into the drawer of the bedside table. After he was sheathed in a condom, he moved back onto the bed. He gently pushed her back into the pillows. She lay there, waiting, watching his gaze roam over her. The longer he looked, eyes pausing on freckles here and freckles there, the more some of her desire started to slip away, replaced by the ugly tuggings of self-consciousness.

"Beautiful."

He covered her body with his, tangling his hands in her hair and kissing her hard once more. With the evidence of how much he wanted pressed against her hips, her doubts receded, replaced by embers that grew into flames.

Flames that licked at her skin as he slowly slid inside her body.

"Julius!"

"You feel so good, Esme." He buried his face in her hair, inhaling her as if he would die without her. "So good."

Their bodies found a rhythm, moving against each other, climbing higher, soaring toward the highest peak until she crested once more. He followed a moment later on a groan, shuddering against her.

After, he rolled to the side but kept his arms around her waist, pulling her closer until her back was flush against his chest.

"Don't go."

She closed her eyes for a moment. He'd said almost the same words before in Paris. Her heart clenched at the reminder that, no matter what this was between them, it would never result in a happily-ever-after.

So say yes now.

"I'm not going anywhere."

Not yet.