Page 39 of The Copper Heir (The Gilded West #1)

“Women have stayed here from time to time, but not in that bedroom. My father had it decorated after graduation in the hopes that I would promptly install a wife. The dresses are for various women who have stayed here, yes. My father entertains and, because we’re out of town and guests generally stay a night or two, we found it necessary to have extra clothing on hand.

There’s an armoire of men’s clothing, too, if you’re interested. ”

“Why wouldn’t I be your mistress?”

“Because mistresses are biddable creatures and you aren’t biddable in the least.” He kissed her nose and then opened the door and walked forward so that she had no choice but to walk backwards into his room.

A lamp in his bedroom was lit so that enough light shone through for her to see the sitting room was very similar to her own.

But she only got a quick glimpse of golden and cream furniture before he was walking her through the door to his bedroom.

The same furniture met her there: a couple of upholstered chairs near the fireplace, two large armoires, but it all faded into the background as her legs pressed against the gold blanket thrown across the oversized bed.

He grinned and brought his hands up to begin the buttons between her breasts.

“Do you want me biddable?”

He pressed a quick kiss to her mouth. “Hell, no. I like you just the way you are.”

Something about the way he said that, so emphatically, made her happy.

He really did seem to accept everything about her.

His hands practically shook as he finished the buttons and parted the fabric to pull the dress off her shoulders.

Her fingers came up to help, but he shook his head.

“Let me do it. I like undressing you. It’s like unwrapping a present.

” When his scorching gaze met hers, all the muscles deep in her body clenched.

Unbidden, she thought of how fleeting this moment was.

It would be gone in an instant. True, she planned to spend as much time as she could in his bed, but soon she’d have to leave.

He’d take her back to Ship and then she’d never see him again.

Before she could stop it the thought made her sad.

He must have seen it, because he paused and then he palmed her cheek. “Emmy?”

“What about when it comes time for me to go?”

That stopped him. Only their breaths filled the silence between them before he said, “I don’t want to let you go.” He spoke so vehemently.

“But how?”

“I don’t know.” The fierce look on his face made her heart skip a beat and then he was crushing her to him. “I don’t know. There has to be a way.”

Her hands pulled at the buttons on his shirt, tearing at it before he stepped back just enough to shrug out of it and pull off his boots.

She kissed him as her fingers deftly unfastened his belt and then the buttons on his trousers, pushing them down his hips as her hands met his smooth skin.

She didn’t believe him. Not for one moment did she think he would be able to avoid giving her back to Ship, or that he’d walk away from Cas, but it was lovely to know that he was trying to see a future for them.

For now that was enough.

Free of his clothing, he endeavored to free her of her own as well, but there was too much.

In the end, her dress made it to the floor followed by her drawers.

But the chemise, which she had borrowed from the armoire in her room, was some fancy contraption that was laced in the back and they couldn’t be bothered with that just yet.

Instead, he pulled it down in front just enough to free her nipples, and a ribbon ripped, but it didn’t matter because he was following her down to the bed.

His mouth found her nipple just as his fingers found her ready for him and she cried out at the double sensation of being suckled while being filled.

And then he rose over her and his hard manhood replaced his fingers, nudging her before he slipped inside inch by precious inch to make sure she was ready.

“Hunter,” she cried in a hoarse whisper when he sank deeper, filling her completely.

Gripping his shoulders, she pulled him down to her, unable to get enough of touching him.

His mouth covered hers, his tongue stroking deep as he withdrew just to drive home again.

It was fast. The entire day had been building up to this moment when they were joined.

Her fingers clawed at his hips to bring him back into her when he pulled away.

His hands held her so tight she thought she might be bruised tomorrow, but it didn’t matter.

It was perfect. For one moment in her life, everything was as it should be.

Then she was climaxing around him and he groaned her name as he found his own release within her.

To her surprise, the perfect moment continued to last. It was still perfect as he placed small kisses to her chest and neck.

It was still perfect as he moved just off of her and pulled her close.

Even much later, when they were both naked and spent from their loving, everything was perfect as she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

It was like she was living inside a beautiful dream and she never wanted to wake up.