Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 95222 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 476(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95222 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 476(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
‘You’ll get over it,’ Taya says, nudging my shoulder playfullly, making my champagne splash up the glass. ‘Besides, you looked to be having a rather lovely time with Esther Hamsley.’
I look at her tiredly. ‘Jealous?’
‘Yes, if you must know.’ She takes her hands and places them behind her, leaning back, looking up at the sky on a smile I am sure I will soon want to wipe off her face with a kiss. ‘This is classified information, Mr Melrose.’
‘Your jealousy?’
She drops her head, looking at me with a small smile, and the moonlight hits her eyes, making sparkles explode from their green depths. Something inside of me explodes too. ‘No, the information I am about to share that I overheard at the party.’
‘Oh.’
‘Are you worthy?’ she whispers.
‘I am worthy,’ I say quietly, my body naturally edging closer, her lips getting nearer, the magnet stronger, my heart faster, my veins hotter. ‘Do you consider me worthy?’
‘I suppose I do,’ she says huskily, her eyes jumping from mine to my lips, back and forth, as I come closer and closer. I can smell her. Honeysuckle.
‘You completely beguile me, Taya Winters.’
‘I do?’ she whispers, her voice rough.
‘Oh, you do.’ Our lips brush, and my body folds under the pleasure, an animalistic, low, gravelly growl erupting, as she whimpers, pushing herself nearer, opening up to me. That is it, I give in. I cannot resist her, and I cannot deny myself this flurry of renewed sensations devastating every nerve ending. I must have her. I must!
I get closer, squashing the space between our bodies, feeling the heat creep across my skin, my tongue dipping lightly into her mouth, wet and warm, and the softness of her breasts compressed against my chest. ‘Taya, we must stop,’ I say for the sake of it, as if it is my duty to express my half-hearted thoughts. ‘Before we are discovered.’
My words only seem to encourage her, her lips pressing harder to mine, her chest too, her tongue getting firmer in my mouth, the swirls faster, her moans louder, and I am a slave to it. My mind is lost, and I am certain it will never be found, as I take her in my arms and melt into her completely, moving a palm to her bare nape and holding her securely, feeling her trembles sinking into me.
‘Frank,’ she gasps, her hands clawing at my brand-new velvet jacket, surely crinkling it, possibly even shredding it, but I do not give a damn. She could tear it from my body, for all I care. In fact, I hope she does.
‘Don’t speak, Taya,’ I order gently, softly kissing my way across her lips and plunging back inside her mouth with my tongue. ‘This moment needs no words.’
She breaks away, taking in air urgently, as do I, breathless and mindless from that kiss, and looks at me with drowsy eyes. ‘I want my first time lying with a man to be special, not a clumsy, fast affair.’
‘Oh, God, yes.’ And my lips are on hers again, kissing her to death, taking everything I can get and wanting so much more. Special. She wants her first time to be special, as it should be, and here on the steps in the gardens of the palace is not the time nor the place, but I do not think I can wait.
I must.
I will not take her like an animal. I will take her gently and lovingly and make it so she may never forget it. Or me.
I flinch at that thought and deepen my kiss, my hand taking on a mind of its own and feeling down the bust of her dress to her breast. I groan at the feel of her soft flesh filling my palm and ache for more. Not here! I am doing myself no favours, I know, but I find myself quite addicted to this feeling.
Stop!
I wrench myself away, gasping for air, feeling as though I have run for miles and miles. ‘We must postpone this until a more convenient time and place.’
‘Must we?’ she says, moving in again, trying to kiss me, but, and it takes all of my strength and willpower, I decline.
‘We must.’ I put some space between our bodies and rake a hand through my hair, blowing out my cheeks. ‘Jesus.’ I am buzzing from my head to my toes. ‘You are quite a surprise, Taya Winters.’ I smile and risk a quick stroke of the creamy skin of her cheek, and she nuzzles into my hand. ‘I have a plan,’ I say, standing abruptly. I wince when my breeches, which are tighter than usual, squish me in a place a man should never wish to be squished. ‘Lord above.’ I instinctively place a hand there, hissing, and when I look down at Taya, her wide eyes are set right there on my hand.