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Chapter Twenty

“ D on’t tell me you’ve gone all shy now?” Christopher’s blue eye sent out sparks. “I rather liked it when you acted all brazen the last time we were here alone together, if you must know.”

Sian bit her bottom lip. She wasn’t shy exactly. But she could not deny feeling daunted because this time, she knew their tryst would end with marriage; this time, she knew there was no need to trick or seduce him. He was all hers. And she wasn’t sure quite what to do with him.

Fortunately, he didn’t seem to be suffering from the same predicament. “Come here,” he said, spreading his cloak on the ground in a flamboyant gesture. “Before anything else, we need to get you comfortable, Little Lamb.”

The nickname that had once grated on her wasn’t a problem anymore. In fact, it had been months since she’d stopped objecting to it. Right now, it sounded perfect. In his arms, she felt small and deliciously vulnerable.

He settled himself next to her. “Not cold, my love?”

“No.”

“Good. So tell me something unexpected.”

She understood he was only trying to put her at ease, and her heart swelled. How well he knew her. As ever, she didn’t have to look far for what to say. “Did you know you smell of cardamom?”

His throaty laugh sent goosebumps all over her body. “No. Do I?”

“You do.”

“Does that bother you?”

Bother her? She buried her face in the crook of his neck and inhaled deeply, smiling as she did. Yes. Rich, floral, and earthy. Definitely cardamom. “It is the most mouthwatering scent I have ever smelled, and it took me a while to place.”

“That’s because you have not spent near enough time in my arms. Fortunately, that is something that we can easily remedy.” He nudged her onto her back and rolled over her, caging her under his big body. “You’re not going anywhere, my lady.”

“I don’t want to go anywhere,” she breathed, all shyness finally gone. She was exactly where she wanted to be.

“Good, because as I recall, I owe you some pleasure. And I always honor my debts in full.”

“Shall I get undressed?”

“Later. First, I need to taste you.” He sounded so raw she shivered. “Spread your legs for me. Let me see your cunt.”

Without having heard the word before, Sian knew what he was referring to, and she sensed it was the height of decadence to refer to that part of her body in such a way. The look in his eyes had gone wild, and this new, crude, commanding side to Christopher was enough to melt her bones.

“You want to see it?”

“I want to do more than see it. I want to devour it.”

Sian had thought she’d been shocked before, but she realized she had not because now she was shocked.

But it did not even cross her mind to deny him.

She allowed her knees to fall apart as she lifted the hem of her dress slowly, never averting her gaze.

If that particular wolf wanted to devour her, she would not stand in his way.

“Mm. Perfection.” Christopher ran a light finger along her seam, up and down, groaning all the while.

“So pink. So wet. So good.” To her shock, he brought the finger he had used to stroke her to his lips and licked it with as much relish as if it had been smothered in honey.

“Delicious,” he rasped while she struggled to bring enough air to her lungs.

Having licked his finger clean, he knelt between her legs and placed his hands on her inner thighs to spread her legs as wide as they would go.

She winced. How much more intimate could this get?

Christopher’s nose was inches away from her core, and his tongue was dancing along his lips, teasing her.

“Look at you, ready for me.” He sounded almost agonized. “I’m going to lick you until you erupt in my mouth.”

A moment later, she did just that. There wasn’t any other choice because the heat of his kisses was pure ecstasy.

He loved her with precise, deliberate licks that built her need to do what he intended her to do and erupt.

Slowly he pushed a finger inside her sheath, then another, and the combination of his wicked tongue and his even-more-wicked fingers was too much.

Flames burst under her skin, and heat seared the place Christopher was worshipping with everything he had.

“Christopher!” Her cry sent a flock of birds soaring into the skies.

It was a long moment before she came to herself.

“Now you can get undressed,” he whispered before giving her a slow, languorous kiss that tasted of her pleasure. It was rather delicious, she had to admit.

“I can’t move,” she mumbled.

With a muffled laugh, he rolled her onto her stomach and started to unlace the back of her gown.

Then he turned her over again and lifted everything, the dress and the shift, over her head in one swift move.

Sian was now naked save for her stockings and shoes.

The notion was so decadent she barely felt the chill in the air.

But would she have the strength to continue after the release he had wrung from her?

When Christopher cupped both her breasts in his hands, she understood that, yes, she would.

“By God, I have missed these.” His voice was reverent, the look in his eyes awed. “I have dreamed of them many a night while I stroked myself to oblivion. I have imagined them jiggling while I fucked you almost as many times as I have longed for your hot mouth to engulf me.”

Sian blinked. That he pictured her when giving himself pleasure came as a surprise.

She’d hoped her personality would attract him; she’d guessed her willingness to pleasure him would be appreciated.

But she had never thought her body could arouse him so much as to be what he thought of when he stroked himself.

She knew she was on the slender side and her breasts were not as generous as men seemed to like.

“You like my breasts?” What else did he like about her body? Suddenly, she was desperate to know.

Christopher stared at her with such confusion that, for a moment, she wondered if she had not spoken in Welsh. There was an expression on his face she had never seen before. Dismay?

“Jesus, Sian, I cannot believe you asked me that question. I cannot believe my actions have left you in any doubt about that. I should have told you over and over again last time, with each of my thrusts, how beautiful you are.” With more possessiveness than care, he rolled her nipples between his thumbs and forefingers.

Then he bent his head and suckled her a long moment, making sure to give each breast equal attention.

Sian squirmed and panted, feeling tension building in her body again.

“Of course I love your breasts. They are the most perfect thing I’ve ever held in my hands, the most enticing sight I’ve ever seen, and the second-most delicious thing I’ve ever put in my mouth. ”

“Second?”

“Aye.” He coaxed her legs open as he spoke so he could settle himself between them. “Shall I tell you what the first one is, my love? Or have you guessed it already?”

What little of Sian’s body that had not been reduced to liquid by now dissolved at the words. Because, yes, she thought she might have guessed. Nevertheless, she wanted to hear him say it.

“I know you like honey.”

“I do. Especially the sort I get from between your thighs.” She whimpered.

Were all men so crude while they were in bed with a woman?

She had no idea, and she cared not. Her man was crude, and she loved it.

“But it’s not just your breasts that send me mad, or your pretty little cunt,” Christopher growled, tightening his hold around her.

“Oh?”

“Oh, no. Everything about you sets my blood on fire. Your fingers, to start with, which I can’t help but imagine wrapped around my cock.

” He took her index finger into his mouth and sucked like he had sucked his own earlier, causing her insides to melt into a puddle.

“Then that navel of yours, which I remember filled with my seed.” He swirled his tongue inside it in an impossibly lewd manner.

“The beauty spots here, under your right breast, are pure perfection.” Sian held her breath when he kissed each and every one of the large spots she had always disliked, as if they were as sweet as the honey he liked.

“And let’s not forget that wicked, damnably alluring crooked tooth. ”

Dear Lord, if he loved that, then he must really love her.

“The tooth?”

“The tooth,” he confirmed sternly, as if he wouldn’t hear of having it disparaged in any way by anyone.

“Because it’s in your mouth, and I adore your mouth.

It says and does things that make me prick my ears in interest and my body roar with desire.

” Christopher’s finger landed on her lips and pushed gently until it was resting on the tooth.

“I only ever get to see it when you’re surprised into revealing it.

I hope to change that. I hope to see it every time you smile at something I say, every time you shout my name in pleasure, every time you take me between your lips to make me lose my mind. ”

Who is making the other lose their mind?

“Christopher, do you suppose it is possible to make a woman reach her peak just by talking to her?” she asked, going limp on the forest floor.

“I doubt it. But worry not, I know of other, sure ways to make it happen. After having to put up with all the disadvantages of dealing with a rogue, you are now going to reap the benefits. Come.” He rolled onto his back, taking her with him.

“You’re going to ride me this time. Let us make the most of your exceptional skill in the saddle.

This is the one race where I’ll make sure you come first.”

Sian watched in fascination as he freed his rock-hard manhood with deft gestures. Unable to resist, she wrapped her fingers around it, taking possession of what was rightfully hers.

“I’m not sure riding a man is quite the same as riding a horse,” she mused, out of breath already.

“It’s not, I expect. Not that I have ever tried. Why don’t you tell me?”

It turned out that, no, riding a man didn’t have much in common with riding a horse. It was much more scandalous, much more instinctive, and even more pleasurable. And she did reach her peak first, thanks to Christopher’s skill as a mount.

“Ah! My beautiful little lamb, now it’s my turn. Hold on.”

The cry he gave when pleasure overcame him was unlike anything she had ever heard.

It reached all the way to her soul. Each of the pulsations she felt within her was like the most precious gift.

As wicked as it had been to watch his seed erupt, she never wanted him to pull out of her when he reached his pleasure.

It was so much more satisfying that way.

Utterly spent, she collapsed on top of him.

“This will not do. I still have to see you fully naked,” she drawled. Though they had made love twice, he had kept his clothes on for both occasions. The only part she had seen was the one capable of giving her indescribable pleasure.

A chuckle answered her. “Worry not, my love. When we are wed, you will complain that you want to see me fully clothed, as I plan to spend all of my free time naked and on top of you. Or under you. Or behind you.”

Behind her? Like Warrior with Angel, she suspected he meant. She did not ask for clarification, however, as she feared it would only lead to more lovemaking and at the moment, there wasn’t an ounce of strength left in her body.

“I don’t think I could ever complain about such a thing,” she said instead, nuzzling closer to him. A naked Christopher touching her with the intention of making her swoon in ecstasy was not something she would ever object to.

“Good,” he growled.

“What happened last time? I don’t remember making my way back to my bed, so I guess you must have taken me home?”

He let out a soft laugh as he wrapped the cloak over her naked body. “I did. There was no other choice. I could not leave and trust you to make your way back alone. You were all but senseless, unable to stand straight.”

“I wonder why.”

“I don’t. If you recall, you had just forced me to ravish you in a most thorough way.”

Forced him? She didn’t remember much coercion.

Wrapped securely in the cloak, nestled against Christopher’s warmth, Sian could feel herself falling asleep, just like the last time, but she fought the torpor stealing over her body. She had waited for their reunion for too long; now was not the time to sleep.

“I guess I should thank your father,” she told Christopher, placing a hand over his heart.

“You do?” Even if he was used to her unusual comments, he seemed astounded that she should express such a sentiment, as well he might be.

“Despite my numerous entreaties, Jane only ever called you Lord Ashton,” she explained. “Now that you don’t have the right to the title, she will have no choice but to call you Christopher instead, like I urged her to.”

He stilled, and she held her breath. Had she gone too far? Then, to her immense relief, he let out an exasperated sigh. “Dear God, what on earth am I going to do with a vexing wife like you?”

“Love her?” she suggested. “Make her wild with desire? Fill her belly with children?”

The hold around her tightened. “I can do all that. But first, I will have to actually marry her.”

Suddenly, Sian wasn’t so tired anymore. Rather, she was full of anticipation. Finally, she would be Christopher’s wife.

“When do you suppose we can get married?”

She had been widowed for just over a fortnight.

When could she decently remarry? A hasty second marriage would set tongues wagging, but she cared not.

Waiting for another six months or even another six weeks would achieve nothing.

Aware she was in love with another man, Lord Cantle had given her his blessing before dying, and it was all that mattered to her.

Let people who didn’t know her say what they would; the ones who loved her would understand.

She and Christopher were destined to be together. She had always known it, and she would not be denied a second time.

“The sooner the better.”