Page 8

Her face heated. No man had ever asked her to do such a thing, but her body throbbed in anticipation.

Slowly, she pulled the loosened gown down on one shoulder and then the other.

He bit his lower lip as his eyes grew more heated.

Her gaze flitted down to his breeches. His shaft strained against them. She licked her lips.

“Christ, you are the most tempting thing I’ve ever seen,” he whispered.

Her eyes shifted back to his face, and then the gown dropped to her waist. His gaze devoured her breasts, and her nipples hardened at his perusal, yearning to be touched by him. “The rest of it now. Please, Celeste.”

She smiled softly at him, and the dress dropped to the floor. Celeste stepped out of the fabric and stood before him in nothing but her heeled shoes. His gaze became even more heated as it roamed over her hips, legs, and stopped at the blonde thatch of curls concealing her most feminine spot.

Celeste needed to be touched by this man. Her body demanded it. He didn’t move but silkily said, “Come here.”

She didn’t resist, going straight to him. His hand drifted down her body, his fingers caressing her collarbone, her breasts, her stomach, and then pushing into the curls hiding her quim. “You are already so wet for me.”

Her hips bucked as his fingers slid in and out of her. She closed her eyes and grasped his other arm, holding him for support.

“Tell me, sweetheart, have you been this wet for me all night?

She moaned, lost in the bliss of his movements, but then he stopped. Her eyes flew to his face. He grinned at her. “Have you?”

Celeste could play coy, but she was beyond that. She nodded. He kissed her hard and pulled her most feminine area against his shaft. The ache in her intensified, and she rocked against him.

“Good. Get on the bed for me.”

She did as he asked and watched as he stripped down to nothing. He was a mass of tanned muscles. Celeste craved to run her hands along his body. A body forged in the sun doing hard work.

He extended one of her legs and said, “I love seeing you bare in only your shoes. Your legs have tempted me from the first moment I saw you being chased by geese.”

A startled giggle escaped her. “They were hidden under my dress.”

He shook his head, amused. “Not when you had your skirts hiked up running in fear.”

“You lecher. You were supposed to be concerned about my safety.”

He kissed her ankle before removing both her shoes. “A man can be both a hero and a rogue.”

She pursed her lips, playfully contemplating his words. “I don’t think that is how it works.”

“Well, I’m going to taste your quim, and then you can decide.”

A shiver coursed through her body in anticipation. She watched as he gently parted her legs and then kissed the inside of one of her thighs. A delighted moan escaped him. Celeste felt herself widen her legs further.

“Perfect,” he whispered.

His tongue connected with her feminine folds, and she arched slightly off the bed. Her body yielded to his touch completely. Her fingers grasped at his hair as he lapped at her. His tongue and teeth teased her feminine nub. She pushed against his mouth harder, needing more of his touch.

The ache in her core demanded to be satisfied, and she bucked against his onslaught of kisses, licks, and pressure.

Finally, it reached a precipice that made her unable to focus on anything but her need to climax—she chased it.

He grasped her hips firmer and continued to taste her until the throbbing in her core exploded.

She let out a loud whimper of ecstasy before falling back against the bed. Tremors of delight rushed over her body. Caleb scooted up, joining her. She looked up at his satisfied smirk and laughed.

He pulled her onto his chest. They stayed like that for a while, listening to each other’s hearts pounding. Eventually, Celeste kissed his chest, and her hand roamed down his body. Her body hummed as she found his shaft, stroking it. Caleb moaned.

She lifted her head and kissed his mouth, continuing to slide her hands up and down the length of him.

He groaned, rocking his hips upward. Celeste, wanting him again, slid her body over the top of his.

Their eyes connected. He stared back at her with an intense adoration that made her heart pound and her core ache.

Her quim brushed against his shaft, and she whimpered.

Celeste slid down the length of him, and they both gasped.

She sat atop him, her legs splayed. Tenderness and desire coursed through her body.

He gently ran his fingers along the curve of her breast and down to her hip.

This man would not be so easily forgotten, she realized. Why did the thought cause her pain?

Celeste wouldn’t think about it tonight. She began to move her body up and down. Caleb met her stroke for stroke. His hands lingered on different parts of her—at times, cupping her breasts or stroking her bottom. The throbbing in her lower region intensified.

He grasped her hips and ground into her over and over again until she let out a loud moan, climaxing.

Again, the ache exploded and coursed through her body in various directions.

Caleb didn’t slow his relentless pounding of her body, and she grasped onto him as he rocked into her, demanding his own release.

He flipped Celeste onto her back, looking at her intently as he slid in and out of her.

He watched her as if she were his forever.

It was as if he’d claimed her tonight, and there was no going back.

Caleb plunged one more time and then withdrew, spending on her stomach.

They watched each other, both breathing heavily.

There was no denying it. Everything, now, had changed.

Somehow, Celeste needed to return it to the way it was before.

How? And why did her heart seem furious with her decision?