Page 37 of The Gilded Lady (The Gilded West #3)

His hands tightened on her hips as he lifted her, setting her up on the bed.

She moved back, giving him room and he came down between her thighs.

She gasped at the sudden contact of his hard manhood against her open sex, but he didn’t make a move to do more.

He kept his weight on his knees as he bent over her to take a nipple into his mouth, sucking deep before teasing her with his tongue.

She writhed beneath him, caught up in the pleasure of his hot mouth and the decadent feel of his hardness stroking against her where she throbbed, making her aware of just how empty she felt there.

He groaned her name again but this time it was a plea, a request, a need for more that she understood.

She instinctively answered, throwing her arms around him and pulling him down, needing everything he could give her.

Except the moment his weight came down on top of her, a subtle change began to happen.

The hands that had been so pleasing a moment ago, roughened from years in the saddle, now felt hard and abrasive.

The solid strength of his chest wasn’t comforting and attractive as it had been moments ago.

It now seemed unyielding and oppressive as it pressed her into the mattress.

His mouth, once hot and decadent, belonged to someone else.

“Glory?” His deep voice cut through the fog that she hadn’t even realized had moved between them. She opened her eyes to see him rise above her. “Are you with me?” he asked.

“What happened?” Her voice didn’t sound like it belonged to her.

He gave her a tender look. “You left me.”

Her heart fell, but he only smiled and before she could think of what to say he had flipped their positions. She was sprawled across his chest trying to figure out what he was about as he moved a pillow behind him. Before she knew it, he sat back against the headboard, and she was across his lap.

“Kiss me.” His voice was soft, but there was a subtle order in his tone.

She marveled at the contradiction he was and gently pressed her lips to his. She intentionally didn’t deepen the kiss because she wanted to know what he’d do. He was grinning when she pulled back.

“Do you trust me?”

She did. He’d sensed that she’d needed to stop before she had regained her equilibrium enough to say the words. “More than anyone.”

His eyes stroked down her face to her lips and back up again.

“Then watch my hands.” He put his right hand through the bronze spindles in her headboard, grasping one tight, and then did the same with his left hand.

“I promise to keep them here. You can tie them there if it makes you feel better. Do with me what you will. You’re in control. We do only what you want.”

She stared at him in shock. “What do you mean?”

“I mean you can curl up at my side and take a nap, explore until your heart’s content, or climb on. The choice is yours.”

She couldn’t stop the giggle that escaped her lips. Amusement shined from his eyes, but he was still as hard as ever between them. The heat that had languished a bit inside her, flared back to life, and she squirmed on his lap. “Are you certain?”

He nodded. “I want tonight to be good for you, Glory.”

He might live by his gun, but he was the most caring man she’d ever met. How could he be real? But he was real and he was hers. For tonight. She tried not to dwell on the pang of bittersweet uncertainty that shot through her.

She moved slowly, her palms becoming familiar with every dip and swell of his chest. She turned in his lap and straddled his thighs.

His breath came out in a slow exhale as if he’d been holding it. “Thank God. I was afraid you’d choose the nap.”

A laugh bubbled up out of her. Being with him was so easy. He was right. This felt better, like before when they had stood together. She didn’t feel overpowered or overwhelmed by him and the need inside her came flooding back.

Holding onto his shoulders for leverage, she moved forward until his shaft was pressed against her belly.

Her swollen sex throbbed as she rocked against his hard length.

He groaned deep in his throat and the sound nearly slayed her.

She kissed him, his familiar taste drawing her back down into the throes of arousal.

She rocked again, loving the sounds he made in response.

Who knew that bringing him pleasure would be so addictive?

Very soon she wanted more, so she rose up over him, her fingers digging into his shoulders to hold herself steady.

Inch by slow inch she lowered herself over him.

She was so slick that the thick head of his manhood pushed right in.

He let out a harsh exhale that matched her gasp.

The fullness of him inside her felt incredible.

She moved to test out the sensation, pulling up to nearly dislodge him before sinking down even farther.

His entire body tensed. He kept his word but the muscles of his forearms flexed as he gripped her headboard, and she worried that her bed might not survive him.

She did it again and again, working herself onto him until he was fully seated within her.

They both let out a cry as he slid home, and she fell against his chest.

He kissed her temple and very gently moved his hips, flexing within her.

It was all the encouragement she needed.

Wrapping his hair around her fingers, she rose over him, moving slowly at first and then faster as she gained confidence.

Flutters of pleasure deep in her belly urged her onward.

He felt so good inside her that she forgot everything else but him and what was happening between them.

Her entire world narrowed to them, to the way he throbbed inside her.

“So beautiful.” His harsh voice rasped across her skin.

Heat spiraled through her, tightening the coil of pleasure inside her tighter and tighter until the tension exploded within her.

She cried out and his voice was husky as he urged her higher, so that she was riding the crest of her pleasure.

When she started to come down, he followed her over, his hips pumping upward as he pulsed within her, finding his release.

She was able to watch his face as he came. To see his eyes at the exact moment when he fell apart. He was beautiful. Rough and gentle, hard and soft. Perfect. She held him against her as they both came down, all the while wondering if she’d ever experience a more flawless moment in her life.