Page 84 of In the Prince's Bed

He brought his mouth fiercely down on hers, taking command of her. Soon she was drowning in sensations…his tongue stabbing deep…his thumb teasing her nipple into a fine, hard point…his other hand cupping her hips and tugging her flush against his pelvis.

As hard male flesh dug into soft feminine curves, she suddenly remembered the shocking prints fromThe Rake’s Rhetorick,where the men’s “staffs” were so ridiculously large.

Lord preserve her—could that have been…could a man really be…Curious, she slid her hand between them to explore the bulge in his trousers. When it jumped in her hand, she jerked back with a squeak. “My word, it moves!”

Alec gave a strained laugh. “Nothing to be afraid of, sweetheart. Here, try it again.” He brought her hand back to the heavy rod trapped inside his buckskins. His eyes slid shut as she stroked him tentatively. Then he rasped, “Wait—” and stepped back to undo the buttons.

In the dim light, his eyes looked almost black as he shoved his trousers off his hips. His drawers quickly followed, and she could only stare at the thick flesh that jutted out from between his well-hewn thighs. Except for its nest of sable hair, his member was the very image of the ones in the book. My goodness! So men really could increase in size until they—

“Touch me again,” he said, grabbing her hand and drawing it back. “I promise to stay still…just touch it…please…”

The hoarse need in his voice delighted her. Alec had never begged her for anything; he was always too self-assured for that. Feeling terribly wicked—and terribly excited—she let him close her hand around his “staff.”

Well! He was certainly as big as any of those men in the pictures. And stiff—how did flesh get so stiff? Or feel so warm, and be so responsive when she stroked it?

At his groan, she hesitated. “Am I doing it right?”

“Yes…” His breathing was weighted, thick.

“Show me how to please you. What do I do?”

His eyes shot open to scour her with raw hunger. Then he gripped her fingers and molded them to his rigid length. “Just…hold it.”

“Like this?”

“Tighter.” When she did as he said, he moaned and thrust into her hand. “My God, sweetheart…that feels so good.”

“Does it?” She exulted to see his rapt face, to hear his rough sounds of pleasure. He’d always been the one to make her react. Having the shoe on the other foot was exhilarating—and deliriously freeing.

The way his flesh leaped beneath her touch, the way it felt in her hand, was more thrilling than she’d imagined. The only thing more thrilling would be to have him touch her the way he’d done before.

As if he’d read her mind, he reached down between her legs, found the damp aching flesh there, and fondled her as boldly as she was fondling him.

When his finger delved inside her, she gasped and thrust her hips against his maddening palm. He rubbed her hard, making her insane, blotting out everything but the glorious thrill of his hand caressing her so intimately. Her knees faltered, and she swayed against him.

“Does that please you?” he growled.

“You know…that it does,” she gasped.

She tugged hard on his staff, and he shuddered. “Does this pleaseyou?” she countered, his response making her stroke more boldly.

“Too much,” he said thickly. Suddenly, he was brushing her hand away and lowering her onto the cushions. As he followed her down, spreading her thighs so he could kneel between them, he growled, “You’re mine now, Katherine Merivale. Not Lovelace’s—mine.”

“Yes,” she breathed as she flung her arms about his neck.

He parted the flesh between her legs with wicked, knowing fingers. “You’ll marry me,” he commanded. “As soon as possible.”

“Yes.” She squirmed beneath him, wanting to feel his fingers driving deep inside her again. “Whatever you say.”

He stared down at her with a heavy-lidded gaze. “You do know how this works, don’t you?”

His solemn expression, coupled with the amazing intimacy of him lying between her legs with his fingers teasing her in the most shameless manner, made her giggle. “If I don’t, then I’m about to have quite a surprise.”

“Katherine—”

“Yes, I know how it works.” She arched against his hand, instinctively craving more. “I’m a country girl, remember?” Not to mention that she’d been looking at pictures of it for months.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” he said as he continued to hover over her.