Miss Lavigne's Little White Lie (26 page)

She nibbled her bottom lip. “I don’t know what to expect, is all, but I am ready. I want you here.”

Daniel’s lungs filled on a deep inhale. He’d been holding his breath without realizing. “I want you, too, Lis.”

When he reached for the bow at her neckline, her hand covered his and halted his fingers. Her searching gaze bore into him. “Are we truly married?”

Was this the source of her hesitation? She feared they were not legally wed? Of course. Lisette wouldn’t know the laws governing his homeland. “I assure you we are bound forever in matrimony. Nothing can challenge the validity of our union.”

Her hand cupped his cheek. “But it’s not too late to undo the vows, correct?”

It bloody well was too late. She couldn’t willy-nilly decide to toss him over and escape her promise. She had married him without any coercion, and she was of sound mind. Lisette was good and married whether she liked it or not.

He checked his ire and forced himself to speak in a patient tone. “I’ve not changed my mind since I offered for you this morning. Am I to assume you are suffering from regret?”

“No…”

Daniel’s gut roiled. There was so much meaning behind that one word, an unspoken question. What was it she needed from him?

He buried his fingers in her hair and urged her forward. “Lisette Hillary, I desire you above all women. I’m pleased you are my wife, and I will endeavor to make you happy to have married me.”

Her dark lashes fluttered and lay against her cheeks. She released her breath on a broken sigh. “But will you ever love me like you loved Cecily?”

God, no.
Cecily was an illness, a plague upon him. She had possessed his mind and wrecked his peace. Lisette was everything his first wife was not.

“I will love you better,” he promised, believing it in his heart.

The crease between her brows eased, and her eyes rose to meet his gaze again. The soft glow there warmed him inside. “Then I’m already happy I married you.”

Their mouths brushed together, hers moist and plump, and a jolt struck his lower abdomen. He had experienced the same thrill every time she’d allowed him to kiss her. And, as with every other time, he forced himself to hold back for fear of overwhelming her.

Her kiss seemed cautious as she tested the waters. He invited her exploration by allowing her to initiate each touch—chaste pecks then firmer kisses and finally the tip of her tongue tentatively touching his lips. Each loving caress heated his blood.

He cradled the nape of her neck and swept his tongue into her hot mouth. Lisette stiffened for one moment but soon opened to him. By the second sweep, she melted against him then followed his lead. Her actions were bolder with each pass of her tongue, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her curves against him.

He grinned. This was more of what he had expected from his wife. Lisette was anything but meek. Her courage had impressed him from the moment he’d met her in The Abyss, and she didn’t disappoint him now.

His fingers found the end of her bow and tugged, untying the top of her nightrail. A small triangle of luminous skin peeked through the opening, and he placed a kiss there, marking her as his. A rapid pulse beat at her collarbone. The pounding repetition mesmerized him.

He placed his lips against the spot and savored her essence. Her breath grew heavy as he nibbled her elegant neck. A couple of licks and her head rolled back. His kisses followed a path to the delicate place behind her ear before he captured her earlobe. Her soft moan nearly broke him.

Lisette’s heart thundered in her chest. Had Daniel truly promised to love her better? His reverent adoration of her body went a long way in convincing her of his sincerity.

Grasping the hem of her nightrail, he tugged it over her head in one swift movement, leaving no time for trepidation. His gaze roved over her bare breasts, his eyes blazing. Lisette fought the urge to cover herself. She had never felt as vulnerable as she did with all her flaws uncovered. Heavy breasts, full hips, and rounded thighs. There was nothing delicate about her appearance.

Daniel slid a finger along the side of her breast. “You’re beautiful.” Heat unfurled in her belly when his fingers caressed the tip of her breast. “Lie back on the pillow.”

She hesitated, uncertain what he wished of her. Was she to climb under the covers?

His hand pressed gently against her chest. “Just lie back, darling.”

She scooted toward the middle of the bed and eased back; her head sank into the pillow. Her breasts tingled as his hungry gaze roamed over her.

“Amazingly perfect,” he murmured. “I underestimated your charms.”

How completely embarrassing, and yet thrilling, to be devoured by a look. When she began to fidget, Daniel ripped his shirt over his head then bent over to remove his boots. Taut muscles rolled under his tanned skin. A strong tug between her legs made her gasp.

He glanced back over his shoulder. “Are you all right?”

She nodded. “Yes.”

His smile scattered her nerves.
Mon
dieu.
Would she always feel this anxious when he visited her bed?

Daniel climbed on the mattress and stretched out beside her. She rolled toward him into his arms and their lips met. Kissing was the most amazing activity ever. Nothing could ever compare. She felt certain of this.

His fingers closed on her nipple. She jumped and Daniel released her. The sensation had been like a pleasurable tickle, teetering on the edge of annoying, but also delightful. She wanted to feel it again. Thrusting her breast forward a little, she hoped he would touch her again, but instead, he rolled her to her back.

“Daniel.”

He chuckled. “You think you might like more? Let’s see, shall we?” Lowering his head, he licked her nipple, one long brush of his velvety tongue that made her hips buck. He stroked her again, and her hips rose from the bed. Splaying his hand across her abdomen, Daniel held her in place and closed his mouth around her hardened bud.

His tongue drew circles on her breast and suckled until a violent storm stirred down low. With each lick and graze of teeth, it was harder to swallow her moans or stop her hips from writhing. She ached between her legs like nothing she had ever known. It was excruciating.

“I can’t take it anymore,” she said with a whimper. “I hurt.”

Daniel lifted his head and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek. “Forgive me, darling. I quite forgot myself. I’ll ease your ache.” The hand on her stomach inched into her curls before caressing her sensitive flesh.

“Oh,” she said on a gasp. “Oh!” Her mind turned to bread pudding and all she could utter was a single letter of the alphabet.

Mon
dieu.
She had been wrong. This was much nicer than kissing. Daniel’s mouth sought her breast again while his finger eased inside her then out again to glide over her heated skin. She felt wicked with him touching her down there, and damnation, she took to wickedness straight away. His moist digit continued to stroke her.

Her eyes flew open. She couldn’t have—
Sweet
Mary, Mother of God.
“Am I
wet
?” Her voice squeaked in alarm.

“Very wet,” Daniel confirmed; his blue eyes twinkled with amusement. “Just as you’re supposed to be. Now, do be quiet and calm yourself. I’m trying to make love to you.”

Lisette rested her head back on the pillow and closed her eyes. How was she to relax when her body behaved with complete unpredictability? Who knew what embarrassing thing might happen next? But her concerns vanished when he dipped his finger in and out of her again then circled this incredible spot down there she hadn’t known existed.

“
Oui
,” she said on a sigh.

His continued caresses between her legs and his hot breath on her breast triggered a vibration in her lower belly. Her body tensed and quaked. She gasped and held her breath as the pleasing sensation grew in strength with each pass over her special place and draw on her nipple.

The vibrations shook her, narrowing her awareness to the building pressure inside her. She panted. She was going to explode. She gripped Daniel’s wrist, thinking to stop him, but abandoned the idea. She had never felt so alive. The pleasure grew in intensity, and her hips bucked as she surrendered to whatever power overtook her. Another stroke of Daniel’s hand and a cry burst from her, then another and another. Her wits fragmented and scattered to the unknown while pinpricks of colored lights flashed behind her closed eyes.

Mon
dieu. Mon dieu.

Whatever had gripped her let her go to float back to earth. Her heavy limbs sank into the mattress.

Daniel rolled her onto her side and gathered her to him. Her cheek rested against his bare chest, her breath slowly evening out. The contrast to their bodies tweaked her curiosity. His muscles were tense whereas she had never felt so fluid.

“What just happened to me?”

“You came.” He snuggled her and kissed the top of her head. “Promise you’ll remember this feeling later.”

Lisette smiled lazily. “It will be impossible to forget.”

His hand cupped her bottom and pulled her closer. A hard ridge pressed into her belly. “I fear you may have some discomfort the first time we couple.”

She sucked on her bottom lip instead of asking what the devil he meant. Now that the fuzzy feeling had begun to recede, her modesty reappeared. Lisette crossed her arms over her breasts and cuddled close to hide his view of her.

“You’ve seen all of me,” she said, “and yet you still wear trousers.”

“Fair enough.” He released her and rolled from the bed.

“Wait.” She snatched her crumpled nightrail and clutched it to her chest.

Daniel grinned and unfastened the waistband of his pants. She averted her gaze when they fell to the floor, but soon her curiosity demanded satisfaction. One quick peek didn’t quench her curiosity, so she had to look again.

By
the
saints.
She had never guessed men could hide anything of such consequence inside their trousers. “It appears a bit unwieldy.”

Daniel grinned as he climbed on the bed and advanced toward her. “I’ve learned to manage it well enough.”

Lisette scooted backward until she came up against the headboard. Her eyes rounded. Daniel grasped her hips and tugged, stretching her out beneath him, then snatched her nightrail and tossed it on the floor.

“Do you wish to come again?”

Again?
A thrill shot through her at the same time her cheeks flushed with heat. He saved her the humiliation of answering and kissed her with more force than the first time.

Lisette’s body responded with eagerness, arching into him when his mouth nibbled a trail down her neck. He stopped to lick the hollow of her collarbone before returning to her breasts. Her fingers burrowed into his wavy hair while he stroked her bud with his tongue. The familiar twinges started between her legs again.

“Touch me again… down there,” she whispered.

Daniel met her gaze. “You want me to touch your quim.”

“Oh.” No one had ever mentioned a specific name for down there. Of course, it wasn’t like an elbow. Not everyone possessed one, only ladies. Odd a man should know the name and not her.

Daniel waited for her response while his fingers tweaked her nipple and sent waves of pleasure to her toes.

“Will you touch my… quim, please?”

He winked. “With pleasure.”

But instead of using his fingers to relieve her ache, he kissed his way down her abdomen and settled between her thighs. He caressed her legs, eased them apart then kissed her down there. Lisette gasped. His tongue passed over her special spot and she gasped again.

Tension coiled in her belly, tighter and tighter until she writhed underneath his lips. It was happening again. She was about to unravel any moment, but he ceased his decadent attentions before she hurtled over the edge.

“Not yet,” he chided as he crawled up her body and kissed her cheek.

His bulky member touched her, startling her.

“Shh, everything is all right.” His deep blue eyes stared into hers and radiated with warmth. His member brushed against the place where he had put his fingers. “I’ll go slowly.”

Now Lisette understood what he meant to do, and her heart thumped violently. She gritted her teeth in preparation for what could only be an abysmal idea. Her spine stiffened as he surged inside her, but no pain flooded her senses, overwhelming her as she had expected.

Her eyes popped open wide. “Why, I barely feel anything at all.”

Daniel issued a strained chuckle. The cords in his neck stood out as he braced his weight with his forearms. “You do know how to prick a man’s pride.”

“I don’t under—oh!”

Her breath hitched when he pushed deeper, receded, and then seated himself fully. He stilled. The position seemed awkward and the full sensation strange, but not unduly painful.