Rachel Carrington (20 page)

“I don’t want a glass of wine and I don’t want to think about this any more tonight. I do not have to decide tonight.” Her hands fell to his chest and she sought the steady beat of his heart beneath her palm.

The rhythm reassured her somehow. For tonight, this was real. He was here with her and she could pretend that it was forever.

He looked down into her eyes. “Then what would you like to do tonight?”

Her heart thundered within her breast. “I want to be with you…alone with you.” She took a deep breath and completed the thought. “I want to make love with you and before you say anything, I am not going to look upon this as a one-night stand. Should I decide to leave, I don’t want to leave here without knowing what it’s like to be with the man I love. Please don’t say no, Sinclair.”

He smiled down into her upturned face, a slow, easy smile that warmed her heart. “How could I say no to the woman who controls my heart?” He stepped back and extended his hand. “We will shut out the world for tonight, my love.”

Her hand slipped into his and she walked with him down the long, narrow hallway. Just inside his bedroom, Carla stopped and turned to face him, standing on tiptoe to press her lips to his. “There will be no regrets.”

His hands framed her face. “No regrets,” he agreed with a whisper.

As if prepared for their arrival, the soft candlelight bathed the interior of the bedchamber. The bed linens, folded back in blatant invitation, beckoned the man and woman who would become one.

In the shadowy realms of darkness, Sinclair reached for Carla, pulling her into his arms, testing the softness of her curves against the unyielding strength of his muscles. His hand cupped her chin and his lips sought hers, softness pressing against firmness.

Desire like none she’d experienced before swept over Carla, taking her into a whirlpool that spun her world out of control. Her hands clung to the breadth of his shoulders, holding on.

The kiss deepened, drawing the very breath from their bodies. Tongues met tongues as they tasted, stroked and devoured.

Carla couldn’t stop touching him. Her hands roamed over his hard muscles, the flat planes of his stomach before dipping lower to caress him boldly through the thin fabric of his pants.

Sinclair growled low in his throat and feasted on her mouth, sucking her tongue, nipping her lips. He thrust his hips forward, shoving the fullness of his erection into her palm.

One by one, he released the buttons lining her back, exposing the cotton chemise underneath. Carla shivered as masculine fingers traced the line of her spine. Her head tipped back. Sinclair’s lips covered the hollow of her neck, drawing a delicious path across creamy skin to the tops of her breasts.

She felt rather than saw the gown cascade to the floor, pooling at her feet, rich emerald against velvety red carpet. Jealousy had her pushing aside the waistcoat hiding his taut skin from her own questing fingers. His shirt joined her dress and her hands were able to explore the width of his chest in detail, moving across the hard skin lightly furred with hair. The small nipples budded beneath her fingertips and she heard the low groan that came from somewhere deep within his chest. She smiled, that small, womanly smile that bespoke of her power over the male animal.

Sinclair hooked an arm around her waist and dipped her back with a growl, his lips fastening over the material covering her breast from his gaze. Dampening the cotton, his tongue swirled over the covered flesh. Carla gasped and raked her fingers through his hair, tightening within the silky strands.

The chemise released with a loud ripping noise as Sinclair pushed the fabric down the length of her body, exposing her naked skin to his appreciative gaze. “Sweet heaven, I knew you were beautiful, but even my imagination was not this good. I’ve imagined you like this hundreds of time. Standing in front of me naked. Glowing in the light of the candle. And I’ve wondered what it will feel like to feel your quim close around my cock.” He palmed the globes of her breasts and brought them up to his face, licking each nipple in turn. A rush of liquid soaked her panties and Carla melted with his touch and the heat behind his words.

She stepped out of the gown anchoring her feet and slipped out of her panties before her hands reached for the waistband of his breeches. She ached to feel the silky length of his cock in her hands again, but mostly, she wanted to feel him inside her, watch the powerful muscle disappear into the damp valley of her pussy. She began to unbutton his pants with more desperation than grace, but Sinclair caught her wrists with a slight shake of his head.

She tipped her face upwards and gave him a stern look. “I believe, Your Grace, that it’s my turn. After all, you helped free me from my clothes, did you not? In fact, a trifle hastily, I might add.”

The shadows couldn’t hide his smile. “Take my word for it, Miss Morgan, when I tell you that you should skip your turn. This is best left for me to handle.”

Carla tugged her wrists out of his grasp and dipped her head, looking at him underneath her lashes. “I think I can handle it quite well, Sir.” Her fingertips walked up his hard thighs before sliding over his swollen cock. “In fact, I don’t believe I need any help at all.”

Sinclair laughed on a curse and held his hands away from his body. “As you wish then.”

She released the catch on his breeches and slowly slipped her hand beneath the material. She tested the familiarity and dropped to her knees. “I wonder if my memory still serves me correctly. Do you taste the same?”

Before Sinclair could catch her, Carla dropped to her knees and lowered her face to the moist tip of his cock. She caught a drop of liquid on her tongue and Sinclair’s breath hissed out from between clenched teeth. His eyes darkened to a glittering ebony before his lashes sheltered the orbs from her view.

“Carla,” he whispered her name on a plea.

She continued to swirl her tongue over the quivering tip and as his cock jumped, bumping against her cheek, she murmured her approval. “How could something so hard be so soft is beyond me.”

Sinclair gave a strangled curse and reached for her arms, dragging up her from her knees. “I don’t have time for that, woman. If I don’t fuck you soon, I fear I’ll explode.”

Standing on tiptoe, Carla pressed her lips to the pulse beating at the side of his throat. “Well, we can’t have that, can we?” She nipped his ear. “The only exploding I want you to do is inside me.”

He needed no further encouragement beyond the whispered demand. His arms closed underneath her thighs and he lifted her against her chest, carrying her the short distance to the bed. Placing her gently atop the mattress, he didn’t give the cool air time to kiss her skin before he covered her body with his own. His hands caught hers and raised them above her head as he kissed his way over the planes and curves. He lingered over the tips of her breasts, at her belly button before finally gliding his way down to her dewy lips.

Carla moved restlessly on the bed, spreading her legs to welcome him. When he didn’t move, she raised her hips to firmly seal the invitation. Sinclair chuckled and pinched her lightly on the ass.

“Don’t be in such a rush, my sweet. We have all night.”

“That’s not what you were saying a moment ago,” she panted.

“Ah, yes, but my control is scant when your lips are on my cock. But here—” he trailed a finger down her slit, “—I can find scads of patience.” He dropped his head and kissed her.

His tongue swept out to glide between her swollen lips and he French-kissed her, sparring with her clit like it was her own tongue. Carla gave a gasp of surprise and propped her knees up, drawing them close to her chest.

“That feels so good,” she encouraged.

“Mmm, you like that?” he murmured.

In response, her hands fisted in his hair and she began to pump her hips. God, the sweet sensations were killing her. The thrill of his tongue, the rasp of the day’s growth of hair on his face, and the pleased sounds he made were driving her over the edge.

And when he drew her clit into his mouth, savoring it like a fine piece of chocolate, her heartbeat slammed out of control, the blood rushing through her veins to flood heat and wetness to her pussy.

Just the way he liked it.

She squirmed against his face, her body tingling, her muscles quivering. Her abdomen tightened with a curl of desire and the tempo of her breathing increased as her lungs begged for oxygen. He lifted her hips off the mattress and dipped his tongue into her opening, drinking of her juice. He lapped at her as a cat would a bowl of milk, the strokes endless, unceasing. Carla’s hands searched for a grip, whipping wildly over the coverlets beneath her. Her thighs clenched and the orgasm broke free, swamping her, wringing cry after cry from her lips.

Sinclair rose over her before the orgasm fully released her and he met her gaze, ebony on sapphire. “I want to see your eyes when I fuck you. God, I’ve waited for this for so long. Do you know how much I’ve wanted to feel your pussy clench around my cock?” He stroked his hand down her cheek. “I’ve ached for you, Carla.”

She swallowed hard and shivered at the intensity behind his words. “I’ve felt it, too.” He pushed her knees open wider and dropped his hand between them. His fingers tested her, pushing open her folds while she thrust against him, her cunt slapping against his palm.

“Easy, easy,” he soothed, his thumb pressing against her swollen clit. Sweat broke out over her body and Carla dug her heels into the mattress.

“Sinclair, please.” She didn’t know what else to say.

He withdrew his fingers and swung his legs over the side of the bed. He stood at the edge of the mattress, his cock thrusting upward. Carla rolled her head to one side to look at him but before she could ask questions, he hooked his hands underneath her thighs and dragged her closer to him. He lifted her hips until only her shoulders remained pressed against the mattress.

Carla felt helpless, wanton and more excited than she had ever been before. “Fuck me,” she demanded.

“Fuck me now.”

Sinclair’s hands dug into her hips and he thrust into her cleft with a low, guttural groan. “Sweet mother of God,” he exclaimed. “I knew you would be this tight. This perfect. Ah, God. I don’t know if I can hold out.”

Carla struggled to keep her eyes open, but the sheer perfection of his cock stretching her, stroking her, and his hands now massaging her ass, proved her to be her undoing. Her breaths became ragged and she couldn’t think beneath the haze of passion clouding her vision. She’d never had perfect sex, the complete joining of mind, heart and soul…until now. Sinclair had been right, he was claiming her and she did belong to him. At least at the present moment. And she didn’t want to be anywhere else.

Sinclair’s hands slid up to her hips as he set the pace, his thrusts deep and devastating. He took his time, sliding his thickness in and out of her tightness with agonizing slowness. His black eyes never left her face.

He saw the flush of her skin, the way her lips parted in surprise as he stroked her core. And he heard the quick intake of her breath as she neared the edge. He smoothed one hand over her flat stomach and down to the damp triangle between her legs. While his hips forced his cock deeper into her pussy, his thumb found her clit again. He worried it, stroked it and pushed in deeper.

Carla’s hands clenched and unclenched against the bunched coverlet. Her muscles tightened around his cock, holding him, squeezing him. She felt the orgasm begin to wrap itself around her and she whispered his name on a broken breath.

“I know, my sweet. I can feel you.”

“Come with me.” The request came out sounding like a plea.

The words were enough. Sinclair pumped once more and then he came. He tossed his head back and called her name on a long, drawn-out cry.

Carla held him, tumbling over the edge and falling into a spiral of emotions that sapped her strength and left her breathless and deliciously tired.

Sinclair pushed her back up against the mattress and collapsed next to her. He didn’t release her, drawing her into his arms and rolling to take her with him. Carla felt the fine sheen of perspiration covering his body or perhaps, it was her own sweat. She touched her forehead to his and breathed in his scent.

Sinclair kissed her cheeks, her eyelids, her mouth and pressed her head against his chest. One hand stroked her hair, pushing the damp strands away from her face. He tried to think of something eloquent to say, something that would convey the depth of his feelings, but words failed him. He hoped that he’d shown her how he felt about her.

Tears fell from her eyes, running down across her cheeks to drip onto his chest and then the sobs came, tearing through her, shaking her body as she clung to him.

Sinclair closed his eyes and tightened his embrace, offering support in the best way he knew how. His own throat tightened and the crack in his heart widened a notch. How could he have known that making love to her would turn his world inside out? He’d made love to other women since his wife died, but nothing had prepared him for this. She belonged with him and he wanted her to stay. But he was helpless to prevent her leaving if that was the choice she made.

His eyes burned as Carla lifted her head. “I love you, Sinclair.” Her voice choked on his name.

He felt the moisture on his cheeks and knew it wasn’t hers. Without a sound, he tugged her back down against his heart, not trusting his voice. He wanted to tell her how much he loved her, that this was more than what she had referred to as a one-night stand, but he couldn’t speak for fear the words would come out in a tumble of broken sounds that mirrored her own sobs. His hands resumed stroking and he kissed her forehead.

“No matter what happens after tonight, I won’t regret this.” Carla rubbed a hand along his chest wall.

Sinclair placed his hand atop hers to stop its motion. “Neither will I.” Thankfully, his voice returned. “I will always love you, Carla.”

She closed her eyes. Could she make it in his world? But the most important question was could she make it in her world without him?