CHAPTER 33

GAbrIEL AWOKE TO HUMID heat, pleasure, and darkness encasing his turgid flesh. He grappled with consciousness for a few moments before realizing what was going on. They were in their room. At the inn. Only the fire illuminated the chamber. The bedsheets lay discarded, exposing their naked bodies to the night and the overheated room. Or maybe that was just him? Judging by the dim light, the sun had not risen yet. But a part of him obviously had.

Light sucking, followed by a gentle lick, almost had him jumping out of the bed as unadulterated ecstasy spread through him like a tidal wave. His body responded without thinking, groaning, grabbing her hair, his hips pumping into her mouth, before reason asserted itself. What was she doing? He had never asked her to do this for him. Oh, but it felt so good. Her sweet mouth, inexpert and tentative as it was, produced more pleasure than the practiced seductions of the most experienced lovers.

"Hannah, wait. What are you doing?" he rasped, leaning up on his elbow, pulling her head up. Striving for some semblance of control.

She looked up to meet his eyes, and the sight of his swollen cock inside her mouth was almost enough to make him come on the spot. With an iron will, he held himself in check. She pulled back with a delicious, torturously slow motion. The head of his cock popped out of her pursed lips with a wet sound. She licked those lips.

Fuck.

"The book described the act," she replied a little bashfully. "There was even an illustration. It was intriguing. I woke up, and you were hard." A small shrug. "It seemed like the perfect opportunity. You don't enjoy it?"

The uncertainty in her voice tore at his heart. "Enjoy it?" He snorted. "You were a moment away from having my enjoyment spilled in your mouth."

Her eyes grew wide with what he thought was horror, but the words that came from her were, "Yes, please."

He fell back with a groan. How could he resist that plea? Why would he, when his cock was throbbing, angry at having its pleasure interrupted? Because he wanted to come inside her, not in her mouth, that's why.

She took his gesture as surrender. The next moment, her hand fisted around his cock and her hot mouth descended upon him again, drawing an excruciating curse from his throat.

"Fuuuuck, Hannah. I can't resist you. That feels so damned good. That's it, darling, take a bit more. Cup my sack, roll them gently in your palm...yes!"

She took instructions like the apt pupil she was. Her tongue pillowing his shaft, curving around it, then licking a place on the underside of his cock that had him seeing stars. He would lay odds she had never done this before, and yet, God help him if she ever became more adept. What she lacked in experience she more than made up for in enthusiasm. Her clever hands and mouth played him with innate skill, drawing embarrassing, incoherent sounds from his throat.

His body strained, leaning into her heat, his hips pumping with a rhythm of their own, his legs widening, tensing, lifting him off the bed. He was afraid to reach for her. Afraid that his ecstasy would turn him careless, that he would grab her too hard, handle her too roughly. So he fisted his hands on the bed's iron headboard, holding on for dear life like a man in agony.

But such intense pleasure couldn't last for long. His body could not bear it. He felt his release climbing down his spine, creeping up his legs, converging at his bollocks.

"Hannah, let go," he panted.

She didn't even slow down. Her hand moved faster upon him, her cheeks hollowed, and she sucked harder.

It was almost upon him, too powerful. He couldn't hold it back. With equal parts thrill and horror at his absolute lack of control where she was concerned, he surrendered to the orgasm that seized him. Spouting embarrassing feral groans as he erupted.

He felt more than heard her little yelp of surprise as his seed jetted into her mouth. He opened his mouth to apologize, but the apology turned into a moan of ecstasy when, without hesitation, she swallowed his seed with a little satisfied moan.

"Bloody hell, Hannah." He threw an arm over his eyes as he drew big gulps of air, fighting for composure.

His little lioness crawled over to lie beside him. He tucked her warm body against his chest, and she curled against his side.

"I didn't know," she whispered, something akin to wonder at a new discovery in her tone.

"Didn't know what, kitten?"

"The pleasure to be found in pleasuring you."

Oh, if she hadn't slain him before, she certainly did now, with her words.

He lifted the arm from his eyes, turned to her, and holding her gaze, he replied, "Now you understand why I insist on pleasuring you. The pleasure I experience when I make you fall apart in my arms... it makes me feel like a king, like a conqueror."

"I didn't understand why you insisted on pleasuring me that way. I thought you were only being noble." At his bark of laughter, she playfully hit him in the chest. "Very naughty of you, to deny me the same pleasure until now."

He turned with her in his arms, rolling them so that he was on top. "You forget the purpose of us coming together. If I am to get you with child, I must deposit my seed in your cunny, not in your mouth. As delightful as this act was, it served no purpose."

She frowned at him. "It did if it brought you pleasure."

"I could have found the same fulfillment between your legs. Admit it, it was a waste."

"I will admit no such thing."

"Were you not the one who once tried to strip the act of pleasure? You just wanted my seed and to be done with me."

As soon as the words left his mouth, he wanted to take them back. Why was he stirring up old hurts? Because she had devastated him with her selfless act. He felt exposed and defenseless.

But she didn't rise to the bait. Placing her soft palm on his cheek, she gazed into his eyes. "I was wrong. I've thought about that, and it mortifies me to think I was so foolish. So selfish and insensitive. How could I have ever thought I could remain unmoved while sharing my body with you?"

Damn. "Don't say that."

"Why not? It's the truth. At first, I was only thinking about conceiving, but I have come to see mutual delight as a worthwhile pursuit."

"Whereas I, at first, was thinking only of pleasure. But now, I want to get you with child."

"Well of course—"

"No, you don't understand. Not because of the deal. I want my seed to take root in you." He placed a hand over her stomach and tenderly rubbed it. "I want to see you swell with my child and know that I put a babe in you. I want to make you mine in the most primal, most elemental way."

With that, he parted her legs and plunged inside her. Her eyes widened at the invasion.

"Fuck, you are so wet. Tell me, my naughty duchess, did it arouse you to drive me mad with want?"

"Yes!" she moaned, widening her legs to take him deeper.

He slid another inch. Her flesh parted and relaxed around him, welcoming him. He thrust all the way in, burying himself to the hilt in her sweet warmth. Losing what was left of his sanity in the feel of her.

The room was brighter now. It still rained outside, but beyond the clouds, the sun had risen higher on the horizon, bathing the room with silvery light. He pushed up from her, sat back on his heels and gazed down at the place where they joined.

"How beautiful you look with my cock rammed to the hilt inside you. I love to see you like this."

Her only response was a mewl of desire. But a response was unnecessary. Thunder boomed outside as, grabbing hold of her hips, he positioned her and held her steady for his punishing possession. She was no passive recipient. Digging her heels into the mattress, she rose against him, moving with him.

It was desperate, savage. Bodies straining, reaching for the same destination. He grabbed her hands in his. Leaning over her, he held them above her head as he devoured her mouth, feasted on her breasts. She was panting, sobbing with the need for release before he gave it to her.

"Yes, come for me, darling. I'm going to fill you with my seed and then watch it as it leaks out of you."

With a chorus of moans and groans, she came around his cock. Squeezing him so delightfully that it milked another orgasm from him.

In the aftermath, he did as he had told her. He held her legs open, keeping her exposed to his hungry gaze until a drop of his semen leaked out of her. He gathered it with his thumb and pushed it back in. At last, closing her legs, he turned her to the side and curled up behind her.

"That's it, my love. Keep me inside you. Keep me with you."

If only that were possible.

THEIR IDYLLIC HOLIDAY was at an end. That was his first thought upon waking after dozing off, following their exertions in the early morning hours.

Gabriel wished it was possible to extend their holiday, but they had both shirked their responsibilities long enough. And besides, he knew another day, another week, even another month would not be enough. Only a lifetime with her would do. But they didn't have a lifetime. Tomorrow, they would go back to the real world.

Until now, they had enjoyed good weather, especially for the season. But today, even the sky was weeping for their imminent departure. An unrelenting rain had been falling since before sunrise, and it didn't show any sign of abating. Suited him fine. Exploring the environs was all fine and enjoyable, but he would rather spend today exploring her.

This was not the end of their affair. He reminded himself. There would be more days with her. He would make sure of it. Most likely, it would take more than a few days for her to conceive. Although they had been putting a good deal of effort into the task. How many times had he made love to her? He had lost count. Who could remember to count when in the throes of such bliss?

The sound of thunder had woken him, but she still slept, snuggled against his side. He would miss this most of all. Even if they could find the moments to steal away and see each other, when would they again have the pure pleasure of sleeping all night in each other's arms?

He got out of bed and padded naked to the bathing chamber. They rarely bothered with nightclothes, as they fell asleep right after making love and made love again upon waking up. The clothes would only get in the way. Beneath the blankets, their naked bodies entwined and created enough heat to keep them warm throughout the night.

Maybe they could take another holiday next month? They could even go abroad. Yet even as he thought about it, in his mind, he couldn't see it happening. Some despairing premonition whispered in his ear that their halcyon days had run out like the sands of an hourglass.