"The Passion" - читать интересную книгу автора (Jordan Nicole)

Chapter Five

He took my body with surprising gentleness, treating my innocence as a precious gift .

The ceremony took place as planned in the fortress chapel, with Jane and Percy and Commander Madsen in attendance. Yet when Aurora first laid eyes on her intended husband, she felt an unexpected shock. He had recently bathed and shaved, and the clean, chiseled angles of his face revealed a stunning handsomeness that made her breath catch.

He was dressed as a gentleman of means rather than a condemned prisoner, in a bottle green coat and pristine white cravat that contrasted attractively with his golden skin, while his sun-streaked mane had been tamed to an almost fashionable style.

Both the fresh bandage wrapping his brow and his unsmiling face, however, emphasized the somber nature of the event. A wedding should have been a joyous occasion, but no one in the bridal party experienced any joy, including the bride and groom.

Aurora chiefly felt numb. This strange ritual was not what she'd envisioned when as a girl she had imagined her wedding day. The heavy gold ring Nicholas Sabine presented her – his own, engraved with the emblem of a masted ship – was too large for her slender finger. And the light brush of his lips on hers when he sealed their troth was almost cold. But it was the grimness in his eyes that made her heart sink.

The dinner given afterward by the commander in his quarters was slightly less solemn but still awkward, for no one could forget what was to happen the following day. There were no toasts to long life or happiness for the bridal couple, and Colonel Madsen made no secret of his anger about being forced to carry out such a distasteful duty. He took his leave shortly after the sweets had been cleared away, brushing off Aurora's attempts to thank him for his hospitality and merely wishing the company a good evening.

Percy and Jane lingered a while longer and embraced Aurora fondly when they said farewell. It had been arranged for Aurora's maid to attend her, but when Jane wanted to summon the girl, Nicholas intervened, saying he would see to his bride himself.

He ignored Jane's frown of disapproval and Aurora's questioning look, but in a few more moments her cousins were gone, leaving her alone with the man whose name she now shared.

"I trust you will forgive me if I'm not eager for company," he murmured, throwing the bolt on the door and securing them inside.

"Of course," Aurora answered unevenly, not quite certain how she should behave or what he expected of her.

"Would you like some wine? Or perhaps something stronger?"

She started to refuse, but then changed her mind, realizing wine might help ease the tension that had suddenly seized her. "Yes, thank you, I would."

The commander's quarters were neither large nor particularly sumptuous; the chamber they occupied was both a dining room and parlor. But they were the best the grim fortress had to offer.

Aurora had been surprised to learn the colonel had leant his rooms for their wedding night at Nick's request. Even in prison her new husband was not completely powerless at influencing his fate.

When Nicholas went to the sideboard, Aurora absently toyed with the overlarge ring on her finger.

"You don't have to wear it," he said, observing her action.

"I am just concerned that I will lose it. Perhaps I should put it away for safekeeping."

"That might be wise."

She slipped it into her reticule, then clasped her hands together to keep them steady.

Nicholas poured a snifter of brandy for himself and a glass of sherry for Aurora, which she accepted gratefully. Then he raised his glass in mock salute before taking a long swallow of brandy.

Unable to meet his gaze, Aurora sipped her wine more slowly. She felt her heart skip a beat when her new husband indicated the adjoining door with a polite sweep of his arm.

"Shall we retire, my lady?"

Reluctantly she preceded him into the bedchamber. The room was dim, lit only by a bedside lamp and a low-burning fire. Aurora eyed the bed warily. The frame was rather narrow, yet the covers had been turned down invitingly and her nightdress had been laid out with evident care. Her mouth suddenly went dry.

She felt his gaze survey her as she stood frozen. After watching her a moment, though, Nicholas went to the hearth and stirred the coals, rousing a more lively flame. "My manners are remiss again," he said casually. "I haven't thanked you yet for accepting my proposal."

"It… seemed the most sensible course," she replied, fighting to keep her voice from sounding weak.

"And are you always sensible?"

"Usually, Mr. Sabine."

"Why don't you call me Nicholas? After all, we are husband and wife now."

Aurora shivered slightly at the reminder.

He turned to her, his gaze locking with hers. "Bridal nerves are not uncommon, I understand."

"I suppose not."

"I have told you before, Aurora. You have nothing to fear from me. You needn't look as if you are going to the guillotine."

She took a deep breath, chastising herself for being such a mouse. She had agreed to become his bride, and she would uphold her end of the bargain – or die trying.

"Do you know what is supposed to happen between us?" he asked when her chin lifted in determination.

"I have an idea. Jane told me generally what to expect. I am prepared to submit as your wife."

His eyes softened. "I am not interested in your submission, Aurora. I want you to enjoy this as much as I do. In fact, I think you'll find lovemaking quite pleasurable."

"Jane said… it might prove so with you."

His faint smile held more than a hint of charm. "I shall do my utmost to justify her faith in me."

When Aurora remained immobile, Nicholas raised an eyebrow. "Come and sit by the fire, sweetheart. I won't ravish you, I promise."

Aurora searched his compelling eyes, finding a tenderness there that amazingly reassured her.

Two wing chairs were arranged before the hearth, with a small cherrywood table between them. Aurora chose the one closest to the door. Nicholas remained where he was, one booted foot on the hearth fender. His tone was thoughtful when he next spoke. "Did you ever consider that this marriage business might be terrifying for me as well?"

"You?" Aurora responded in surprise.

"Yes, me." His mouth twisted in a wry, self-deprecating smile. "I've never taken a bride before. Truthfully, I've hunted man-eating tigers in India with less trepidation."

She stared at him, not believing this man with his bold vitality had any conception of fear. She studied him a moment, unconsciously admiring his ruthless good looks – the strong jaw, the slashing brows, the sensual eyes with their long, dark lashes.

She wasn't genuinely afraid of him, although she didn't know why. A man with his history of violence should have frightened her. But he was still unnerving.

There was a leashed energy in his lithe, powerful body that was intensely male. An intensity that was sexual – there was no other way to describe it. All her senses came alive in his presence, her feminine instincts acutely aroused. That was what unnerved her, she realized. His powerful sexuality… and the dismaying effect it had on her.

"I expect we should discuss the arrangements regarding our marriage," he said after another moment. "I spent most of the day with the solicitors, trying to foresee various difficulties and making every legal provision I could think of. Financially at least you will be comfortably situated."

"Thank you," she murmured, suspecting he had introduced the subject now to give her something to think about other than the consummation to come.

"Raven, however, could prove a possible problem to my plan," Nicholas mused. "She won't be eager to accept you as her guardian – a total stranger. Nor is she likely to suffer the confining strictures she'll encounter in England, either from her family or society in general. Although she claims to have every intention of conforming in order to make a good match, she has an aversion to rigid rules. She's something of a rebel, I fear. Much like me."

His crooked smile was meant to put her at ease, Aurora suspected, but the sensuality of it had just the opposite effect. "I'm certain we will work something out," she said gamely.

"Good. I've written Raven a letter, telling her how our marriage came about and explaining how she stands to gain, but you may have to persuade her to accept you as her ally. I think she will, once she understands the lengths you've gone for her."

He hesitated. "I will be relying on you to guide her, Aurora. I believe we discussed the support she'll need from you once you reach England, but there is another matter I forgot to mention. Raven's mother reportedly left something in her personal effects for me to hold in keeping… a rare book, I understand. It was a gift from my father years ago. He told me about it before he died, but he wasn't certain what happened to it. He would have been gratified to know Elizabeth Kendrick kept it all this time. She told me she wanted her daughter to have it – but not until Raven is old enough, after she is wed herself. Now that you have charge of her, you will have to be the one to judge when to give it to her. I have no doubt you will act in her best interests."

"Of course," she murmured, wondering what kind of book inspired such concern.

He shifted his gaze to look down at the hearth. Firelight played over his beautiful features as he stared at the flames. "There is one other thing I would ask of you, Aurora. Will you promise me something?"

"What?"

"I want you to leave tomorrow for Montserrat."

"Tomorrow?" Aurora felt herself frown. "Must it be so soon?"

"I would rest easier, knowing Raven's welfare is in your hands."

A chill settled about her heart. He was to die tomorrow. How could she deny him this simple request?

"Will you promise me?"

"Yes," she said, her voice suddenly hoarse.

He gave a brief nod of satisfaction. "There should be a ship at Montserrat ready to take you both to England. Your cousin will escort you to the island and see you safely aboard. I regret the inconvenience, but there is good reason for haste. By now Raven no doubt has learned what befell me, and by going tomorrow, you may reach her in time to prevent her doing something totally rash – like setting out to rescue me."

"Very well." Aurora hesitated before murmuring, "It won't really be inconvenient. Most of my packing has already been done. Before… I met you, I had planned to leave for England the following day."

"Before I intervened in your life, you mean," he responded with a twist of his sensual mouth.

There was little she could say to that. Truthfully she was glad he had intervened in her life and spared her a repugnant marriage, but this hardly seemed the appropriate time to discuss her feelings.

Firelight etched his profile as he took another swallow of brandy. "Well," he added, rather easily for a man who was about to die, "at least it will all be over for you tomorrow."

She shuddered, not wanting to be reminded of the fate that awaited him.

Almost absently, he bent to stir the coals again, and a lock of tawny hair fell over the bandage wrapping his forehead. When he raised a hand to rake back his hair, she noticed the red stain seeping through the white muslin.

"You are bleeding," Aurora said, rising to her feet in alarm.

He touched the bandage gingerly, and a smear of blood came away on his fingers. "So I am. The gash must have opened when I washed earlier."

"May I look?"

He raised an eyebrow but made no objection when she reached up to probe beneath the dressing. "Please, will you move over to the light so I can see?"

When he complied, Aurora set both their wine glasses on the bedside table and turned up the lamp. Nicholas sat on the edge of the bed, watching her as she carefully unwound the strip of muslin from around his brow. She could feel his intent gaze on her as she inspected the wound beneath the pad.

"I doubt this is what you planned for your wedding night," he said in a low voice. "I'm sorry."

No, this was not what she had planned. Had Geoffrey survived, this night would have been far different for her.

She would not be preparing to give herself to a stranger, nor would she have been so unnerved by her husband's nearness the way she was with Nicholas Sabine. Or so strangely excited.

Aurora mentally chastised herself. She should not be thinking of Geoffrey or comparing the two men. Geoffrey was gone, and soon so would this man be.

Her sadness must have shown on her face, for he asked quietly, "Your betrothed… did you love him a great deal?"

She flushed, realizing he had mistaken the cause of her sorrow. "Yes."

Making an effort to shrug off her melancholy, she went to the washstand and wet the corner of a towel before returning to her new husband. "Your wound bled a little. The blood should be wiped away so it won't mat your hair."

"Please do."

"Forgive me if I hurt you."

"You won't." He didn't seem inclined to change the subject, however, as she gently cleaned his scalp. "You said I bore a resemblance to your betrothed."

"I thought so at first because of your fair hair. But I was mistaken about any real resemblance. You really are nothing alike."

"How so?"

"Geoffrey was a…"

"A proper gentleman?"

"A proper, gentle man."

"Do you not think I can be gentle?" Nicholas queried solemnly.

Her heart gave a fluttering leap. "This is not what you expected either, was it?" she asked, trying to ignore the sensations he aroused in her.

"To be truthful, I never gave matrimony much thought…"

"You never wanted to marry at all?"

His brows drew together thoughtfully. "I suppose I had a vague notion that someday I would marry and sire an heir. But I was too busy sowing my wild oats to entertain any serious thought of settling down." The half smile that flashed across his mouth was fleeting, before he gave a graceful shrug of his shoulders. "It's too late now for recriminations or deliberations on what might have been."

"I regret you were trapped into an unwanted marriage," Aurora replied, her voice rough with emotion.

Nicholas reached up to close his strong hand around hers, commanding her attention. "I don't mean to spend my last night dwelling on regrets." His dark eyes held her spellbound. "Do you think we could make a pact, sweetheart? For tonight we forget everything else that has happened?"

"I would like that."

"So would I." His voice was hushed. "Very well, this is our night. Nothing exists, before or after this moment. Tonight we live only for the present."

"Yes," she whispered.

He reached up and slid his fingers behind her nape. Time suddenly seemed suspended as he drew her head down. He meant to kiss her, she realized, her pulse leaping in an erratic rhythm.

His mouth was amazingly soft and tender when it touched hers briefly, yet it stirred a riot of unruly emotions within her. She wanted to turn and run, but when he drew back slightly, his fathomless gaze locked with hers, imprisoning her as surely as any chains.

Aurora felt her heart hammering as Nicholas leisurely took the towel from her limp grasp and let it fall to the floor. Hooking his arm around her waist, he urged her closer, between his spread legs, till her breasts brushed his chest. A tremor rippled through her.

With some futile thought of self-preservation, she pressed her palms against his broad shoulders, staring at him. His eyes, dark and sensual, told her clearly he didn't intend to stop at a kiss.

"Your wound…"

"Will survive. But I might not if I don't taste you soon."

Still holding her lightly, he slowly lay back on the bed, drawing her with him. Heat spread in her, catching hurtfully in her stomach as she found herself stretched fully on top of him, cushioned by his powerful body. She trembled at the stunning intimacy of this simple contact, the unfamiliar hardness against her softness, the warmth of his frame beneath her thin silk gown.

"Open your mouth this time, lovely Aurora," he murmured as he delicately teased her into parting her lips.

The intrusion of his tongue was slow and sensual, more erotic than anything she had ever felt before. For a long moment she remained rigid, experiencing the foreign sensation of his open mourn tasting deeply of hers. He was drinking of her, savoring her. It was tantalizing, the warm stroke of his tongue inside her mouth.

She could feel herself softening, her breath quickening in steady arousal, but her simple pliancy still was not enough for him.

He left off kissing her long enough to murmur in a husky voice, "Kiss me back, sweetheart," before his mouth found hers again.

Dazed, she let her tongue shyly move to meet his and was rewarded by his low, guttural sound of approval.

The pressure on her mouth deepened. A heavy ache began forming in her lower body as his intoxicating lips and tongue taught hers about kissing. His hands stroked down her back, bringing her hips even closer to his, exciting her further.

For long moments they lay together, tasting each other in the heated silence. Aurora lost any perception of time, any sense of herself. There was only the captivating awareness of Nicholas, of his raw masculinity and his sensual, drugging kisses, of his hard-muscled body beneath hers.

Eventually his caresses became more ardent; he claimed her mouth fully, dragging her into his kiss and sending delicious liquid sensations flooding through her defenseless body. Of their own volition, her fingers moved from his shoulders to curl in the waving silkiness of his hair. His mouth was a searing flame that stole her breath.

Helplessly she pressed closer to him, longing for something she couldn't name. She felt boneless, on fire… She felt as if she were falling…

It was only Nicholas, nudging her onto her back on the soft mattress.

Her eyes fluttering open, she stared up at him. She was trembling, her cheeks hotly flushed, her senses spinning.

His eyes watched her as his hand moved to the empire-waist bodice of her gown; she felt herself drowning in their shadowed depths.

When his fingers curled over the low decolletage, she tensed, but he bent to her again, his mouth hovering just above hers, heating her lips. "Don't be afraid to feel, angel. Tonight you can abandon reason and just let your senses rule."

When she made no protest, he gently tugged on the neckline of her bodice, then drew down the edge of her chemise over the top of her corset to expose the swell of her breasts that were pushed up by the stiffened fabric. With expert skill, he bared her nipples to the night air, making her shiver. When his bold fingers found one hardened bud that quivered there, she moaned involuntarily at the delicate-sharp sensation that shot through her.

"Has no one ever touched you like this before?" he whispered in her ear, his breath warm.

"No…" The word was a breathless gasp as his thumb moved slowly over the sensitive crest, circling and teasing.

Aurora shut her eyes, giving in to the pleasure he was determined to rouse in her. His warm, commanding mouth returned to claim hers as he gently tormented her aching breasts, leaving her whole body fiery with shame and excitement.

She was scarcely aware when he slowly drew up the hem of her gown or when he reached beneath the edge of her chemise. But then his stroking palm moved higher, brushing the soft, swollen flesh at the apex there, lingering.

Aurora went rigid. When she tried clamping her knees together, he insinuated his hand even deeper between her thighs.

He was breathing deeply, his lashes a dark sweep against his tanned face as he cajoled in a husky voice, "Open your legs for me, siren, and let me touch you."

Unable to deny him, she did as she was bid. Coaxing her further, he stroked the soft curling thatch of her womanhood. A moist, aching weakness pulsed to life in the secret place between her legs. She felt so strange, melting, throbbing… Instinctively she whimpered and arched her back, longing for some fulfillment that seemed to elude her.

Yet he seemed to know exactly what she wanted, needed. With exquisite care, his finger slipped between her cleft lips and penetrated her.

She gasped into his mouth, but he continued his tender assault, exploring, probing, learning her secrets. He was wooing her, his fingers sheathed in her pulsing warmth while the rough pad of his thumb brushed the now slick bud of her femininity.

She clutched at his shoulders, not certain she could bear any more, but he went on stroking, surging and withdrawing rhythmically, driving her on to greater heights, until instinctively her hips lifted and sought to match his pace.

Almost desperate now, she moaned and twisted under his hand, the coiled tension inside her growing more urgent with every stroke that rubbed against the bright center of sensation. All she knew was the devastating heat of his mouth on hers, the hot pounding of her blood, the fierce delight of what he was doing to her.

Suddenly the pleasure was too keen, too fierce to be borne. Frantic, she writhed beneath his possessive hand, yet the glowing spark grew till it seemed to shower her with burning embers. Aurora felt wave after wave of hot, shameful sensation wash over her helpless body.

His hand rose to cradle her throat, soothing her thundering pulse beat, while his mouth feathered kisses over her flushed face.

A long moment passed before the sensual reverberations waned. Her limbs felt weak, limp, her senses dazed by the bewildering surge of fire through her body.

Opening her pleasure-hazed eyes, Aurora stared up at him. Nicholas was lying on his side, supported on one elbow, watching her. She was sprawled inelegantly on the bed, her legs dangling off the edge, her skirts hiked up to her hips, totally exposed above her stockings and garters. His heated gaze drifted over her – her bare breasts with their peaked nipples, and lower, to the juncture of her naked thighs.

Her face flushing with awareness, she reached down to put some order to her dishevelment, but Nicholas stopped her by covering her hand with his own.

"There is no need for shame or shyness between us, angel."

She averted her gaze. "I behaved like a wanton. I am not usually so… licentious."

"Only because you never before had the opportunity. I suspect you are quite a passionate woman at heart. There is a fire inside you that you keep hidden…" When she remained silent, he raised his fingers to her chin and forced her to look at him. "A man finds an aroused woman incredibly desirable."

Her flush deepened. "I never imagined…"

"How pleasurable lovemaking could be?"

"Yes."

His half smile was indulgent. "That was only a taste, sweeting. There is more – much more – for you to learn about carnal desire. And with your permission, I intend to spend the rest of the night showing you."

Aurora returned his gaze solemnly. She wanted Nicholas to teach her about passion. She wanted to feel that bewildering fire again. Tonight could be her only opportunity, this her sole experience with lovemaking. She might very well never marry again. If so, she would never again know a man's touch, or know what it was to be a woman. Yet there could be complications…

"Jane said… there could be a child from our… union."

His gaze never wavered. "Jane is very practical, it seems."

"Yes. She wanted me to know the possible consequences of being with you."

"There are ways to prevent conception, but it is possible a child could result from our union. Would that be so very undesirable?" he asked.

A strange longing filled her at the thought. "No." She would want his child, she realized. To keep some part of him after he was gone. "It wouldn't be undesirable in the least."

His expression softened. "Then there is nothing for you to fear."

Nothing except losing my heart. But the thought fled when Nicholas surprised her by sitting up.

"I suppose we should begin by shedding all these unnecessary layers of clothing."

When he reached down to help her, she reluctantly accepted his assistance. "The light," she murmured self-consciously, rearranging her bodice to cover herself. The lamplight was too bright to be merciful.

Nicholas hesitated a moment, but then obligingly turned down the lamp, leaving only firelight to illuminate the room. "Is that better?"

"Yes, thank you."

He took her hand and brought it to his cravat. "You may do the honors, love."

"You want me to undress you?"

The faint curve of his lips was devastatingly sensual. "That seems a fitting place to begin if we are to conquer your nervousness. It's only unfamiliarity that makes you apprehensive, sweetheart. When you become accustomed to me, you'll find you have nothing to fear." His compelling eyes held hers while his husky voice cajoled. "You may take the lead, set the pace. I won't force you to do anything you don't wish to do. You are in complete command."

Reassured in some measure, she tentatively did as she was bid, removing first his cravat, then his coat and waistcoat and linen shirt. His boots and stockings he removed himself. When she hesitated, he followed with his breeches and drawers.

When he stood before her, his tall, nude body lean and hard and well-muscled, she stared spellbound.

"I am your husband, Aurora," he said, his voice a velvet murmur. "You needn't fear me. I am just a man, flesh and blood like you."

He was not at all like her, she thought skeptically, viewing his naked, sun-bronzed flesh and taut sinews. He possessed a broad chest and narrow hips and powerful thighs, like the statues of Greek gods she'd seen. And the alien hardness springing from the curling, dark gold hair at his groin made her heart beat erratically. She didn't fear him exactly, but neither was she in the least at ease.

"Now your turn," he murmured. When she hesitated, he smiled. "Of course you are accustomed to a lady's maid. Would you like my assistance?"

"Yes."

"It will be my pleasure."

He began with her hair, pulling out the pins and letting the pale gold mass cascade down her back.

"You have beautiful hair," he murmured, his fingers gliding through the silken tresses. "Like spun gold."

After a moment, his hands slid beneath her hair to the fastenings at the back of her gown. Well-bred and shy about her body, Aurora stood silently as he dispensed with her gown and corset and stockings. Her chemise was the last to go. Feeling the cool night air caress her nakedness, Aurora shivered.

"Your body is exquisitely lovely as well," he said, turning her to face him. "I intend to show you all the pleasures it was made for."

When instinctively she moved her arms in front of her body to hide from him, he gently pushed them aside.

"No shyness between us, siren." He ran a finger along her throat to the tip of her breast, the erotic feel making her draw a sharp breath. "What does it matter if I see your charms? Whatever secrets you share will be safe with me."

Her vision clouded at the reminder. Come tomorrow, he would be gone. Whatever intimacy they shared would go to his grave. But tonight was what mattered now. Tonight he was her husband, her lover. She could give herself to him without fear or shame. She could abandon her inhibitions, her natural reserve.

She reached up to touch his sensual mouth with her fingertips. "You said you wanted to forget," she reminded him, her voice soft. "Nothing exists, before or after this moment."

"So I did." Tender flames warmed the depths of his eyes.

He had beautiful eyes. Eyes that took possession of her wherever they touched.

He took a step closer then, bringing their skin in contact. The heat from his body leapt into hers, shocking, scalding.

Aurora trembled at the erotic sensation, feeling her breasts graze his chest, and below, the hot, throbbing maleness of him press against her stomach.

"Have you never wondered what it would be like to lie with a man? To feel his hard flesh deep within you?" Nicholas bent his head, his lips kissing a path along her cheekbone.

Yes, she had wondered, Aurora reflected dizzily. In the most secret corners of her heart, she had dreamed about a nameless lover who could rouse her to passion -

"But if you had," he answered his own question, "you could not properly admit it."

That brought a faint smile to her lips. "No. A lady would never admit to such things."

"No, never. But if you ever have wondered… now is the time to indulge your curiosity." Capturing her trembling hand, he enfolded it around the throbbing shaft of his manhood. "Touch me, love. Feel my flesh…"

Holding her breath at the alarming size of him, she accepted his bold guidance, learning the unique feel of him. The smooth velvet skin of his phallus. The granite hardness. The swollen marble head. The soft curling hair and heavy sacs beneath. He really was not so frightening. Not any longer. If she were honest, she would admit she found the differences in their bodies thrilling. His sheer masculinity called out to everything feminine in her.

His hands rose to her breasts then, cupping their lush swells. Aurora closed her eyes and sighed. How expert he was, she thought dazedly. His hands were a murmur against her body, his fingertips gliding over her flesh, fanning over her breasts in deepening strokes.

"You are enchanting."

He was the one who was enchanting, Aurora thought, unable to resist the exquisite languor that had stolen through her limbs. He had bewitched her.

Voluntarily her mouth sought his while she moved closer, straining to feel his flesh against her. A gratified murmur sounded deep in his throat.

He kissed her for the space of a dozen heartbeats, his lips at once soothing and arousing. After a while, though, he lifted her in his arms and settled her on the bed, then followed her down to lie beside her.

His eyes half shut, his gaze sensual and compelling, he began to stroke her aching breasts again, his palms rubbing the tautened globes, his fingers kindling arrows of impossible rapture in her tight nipples.

Aurora surrendered fully to him. It was magical to lie in his arms like this, to breathe in the warm, masculine scent of him, to feel his incredible touch. Then he bent his head, savoring her stiffened nipple with his mouth, and her breath lodged in her throat.

She wanted him, she realized. Wanted to experience the spark and fire between a man and a woman that he had shown her once before. His tongue flicked over the rosy bud, rasping slowly, before his lips closed to suckle the swollen crest. Aurora arched against the scorching heat of his mouth, her hands blindly seeking his hair.

He wanted her also, she knew it. She could sense it even before his erect manhood stirred heavily against her soft belly.

And then his wonderful, teasing fingers slid down once more between her moist thighs.

"You're wet for me." His voice was husky. "Your body is flowing with honey."

It was true. Her feminine cleft was sleek with wetness, her body aching shamelessly for him. She said his name, in a voice that sounded shaky, as he stroked the soaked bud. She should have been scandalized by his brazen passion, by her own wantonness, but all she could focus on was the magical caresses of his fingers and mouth.

She was trembling with desire by the time he left off arousing her breasts and shifted to cover her with his body. Sparing her most of his weight, he settled between her thighs and began kissing her again, holding her attention. She was hardly aware of his intentions until he began easing the velvet smooth head of his manhood inside her.

When she tensed, he kissed her more deeply, his tongue penetrating her mouth like his shaft was doing. Not allowing any resistance, his powerful thighs kept her own thighs parted as he slowly, slowly sank lower, pushing forward with inexorable pressure.

Aurora stiffened, gasping for breath. She felt sure she could never accommodate his enormous size, and yet her body was opening for him, stretching painfully, his alien hardness filling her…

She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to catch her breath.

He was not moving now. "Look at me, sweet siren." There was tenderness in his eyes as he gazed down at her.

She lay rigid, feeling excruciatingly full of him. "It… hurts."

He kissed her temple. "Only the first time. The hurt will go away and all you will feel is pleasure." His gaze plunged deeply into hers. "Trust me."

Incredibly, she did trust him. He lay completely still, waiting for her to grow accustomed to his impalement and the feel of his thick member deep inside her. Eventually she felt a blurring of the edges of her pain.

He brushed back a tendril of hair from her cheek. "Better now?"

"Yes." It wasn't unbearable now. The burning had lessened.

After another long moment, she stirred her hips, tentative, testing. The discomfort was definitely fading.

He feathered a kiss at the corner of her mouth as he withdrew, but when he carefully slid upward once more, she felt the rise of heat in her again. He kept up the slow, deliberate rhythm, coaxing her with his hard body, until hot, urgent longing began to clamor inside her.

The hunger was as timeless as man and woman. She whimpered feverishly, her nails digging into his shoulders as she instinctively matched his rhythm. He squeezed his eyes shut like a man in pain, his breathing rough as he moved inside her, thrusting gently into her melting flesh.

When she was on the brink of climax, he reached down between their bodies to find the engorged bud of her sex. Stunned, she arched against him, straining, crying out as the shattering, burning tumult broke within her.

Nick captured her wild moans with his mouth but never stopped, using all his skill to prolong her ecstasy as wave after wave of rapture convulsed her slender body. When she bucked and writhed against him, he clenched his teeth, striving for control, trying desperately to keep his savage need in check as he lay buried deep inside her.

It was too much. A great shudder moved through his frame as Nicholas at last let himself fill her with the hot desire that he'd felt for her from almost the first time he saw her. A hoarse moan ripped from his throat as he plunged into an endless raw pleasure so intense it seared.

Finally it was over. He was shaken as he lay there in the darkness, yet eventually consciousness returned. When he felt her trembling beneath him, a fierce tenderness engulfed his heart.

Easing his weight to the side, he pulled the covers up over them and drew her into his arms. His body wrapped around her, warming her, calming her.

They lay there together, weak in the aftershocks of pleasure. After a long moment, he lifted his head.

In the firelight, she looked like a wanton angel, with her tangled cloud of hair, her pale ivory skin, her lush lips swollen and wet from his kisses.

It was amazing that she should have such an effect on him, Nicholas thought absently. She was physically inexperienced, totally virginal, and yet making love to her had created a tumult of feelings inside him that were entirely unexpected. The fierce sweetness of it had possessed him totally.

Perhaps the marriage vows they had spoken meant more than simply a cold business arrangement, bonding them together in ways he had never intended.

Wife. The word was strange, engendering even stranger feelings of longing and need. He wondered if he would leave an heir, if they had made a child. A son… or a daughter. The thought brought an odd ache to the vicinity of his heart.

As if she could sense his bewildered reflections, the woman in his arms stirred. She was watching him, Nick realized, her luminous blue eyes searching. Desire knifed through him again, sharp and insistent, but he clamped down on his lusts, reminding himself of her virginal state.

"Are you all right?" he murmured, pressing a kiss on her forehead.

"Yes." A sigh whispered from her. "That was… wonderful."

A smile touched his mouth as a fresh wave of tenderness flooded him. "I'm gratified you think so."

"Was that… was I… a disappointment for you?"

He lifted an eyebrow in surprise. "Quite the contrary, siren. I've never experienced lovemaking quite so delectable." At her slight frown of skepticism, he gave a soft laugh. "It's true. Perhaps you're too inexperienced to recognize the fierce control I had to exercise, but it was all I could do to keep from ravishing you." He leaned forward to brush a kiss on her nose. "I could make love to you all night long… but I suppose I must show some consideration for your innocence and let you sleep."

A look of sadness passed over her face, and she reached up to touch his mouth with her fingers. "I really don't want to sleep. If this is my only night with you, I want it to last as long as possible."

He gazed at her, wanting to chase away the shadows in her beautiful eyes. She was thinking of the morning to come, he knew.

Shifting his position, he eased over her.

"So do I, angel," he whispered huskily as his mouth lowered to find hers. "So do I."