The Paradise Will (28 page)

She nodded and unfastened his shirt with fingers that trembled slightly. The garment fell open and, finally, she could touch the warm skin beneath.

‘So many times I have dreamed of doing this,’ she echoed with a little sigh, as she let her fingers glide over his chest. Another searching kiss, full of sensual promise, followed and she arched closer, desire rippling through her as her breasts craved his touch without the distraction of barriers.

‘Slowly, my love,’ he said, smiling into her eyes, already dark with passion, ‘we have the whole night before us.’

A flush stole over her cheeks. ‘But Gil, I want….’ Her whispered request died away. It was impossible to articulate what she was feeling; her body ached for something intangible, an instinct her body understood perfectly even if her mind did not.

‘All in good time,’ he said gently. ‘I want to pleasure you first.’

She shivered again and then murmured, ‘How shall I bear more pleasure than this?’

‘This is only the beginning,’ he replied, trailing yet more kisses over her skin.

Entwined, they moved to the bed, and Gil dealt with the delicate pearl buttons of Alyssa’s silk chemise one by one. He let it slide to the floor before staring in frank admiration at her body.

‘Dear God, you are delectable,’ he said, in a husky voice. Her breasts, now fully revealed, were ripe and full with beckoning rosy tips, her skin luminescent in the fading light.

Alyssa looked away, suddenly self-conscious, but he placed a finger under her chin to draw her gaze back to his. ‘My love, you are perfect – from the top of your head to the tips of your toes. I could look on you forever and not be sated.’

Captivated, Alyssa watched as he removed his remaining clothing with lithe efficient movements. He too was beautiful: naked, his body was as lean and
well-defined
as a marble statue. Fine dark hair covered his chest and arrowed down his stomach but it was the expression in his eyes which quickened her heartbeat still faster.

He slid into the bed and gathered her close, and in the midst of so many new sensations, Alyssa discovered simply lying next to him – skin touching skin, the hard ridges of his body against her soft curves – was incredibly erotic.

Gil kissed her slowly while his hand caressed her body, skimming her leg from ankle to thigh, over the curve of her hip until he reached her breasts. He teased and honoured each in turn by cupping them gently and brushing their sensitized taut crests with his fingertips before lowering his head to lingeringly caress each pink tip with his mouth.

Alyssa gasped and murmured on a rapturous sigh, ‘Don’t stop….’

‘I won’t,’ he promised, huskily, ‘I want this to be as perfect as it can be.’

Her body shivered again with pleasure in response; she was lost to his
relentless
sensual exploration.

He ran his tongue tantalizingly along her lips, deepening his kiss before moving to capture the erect peaks of her breasts again as he made lazy circles on her stomach with his fingertips. Gradually, he drifted lower, and she drew in a breath and opened her eyes.

‘I love you,’ he whispered, against her lips. ‘Trust me, and relax.’

A smile curved her mouth and, as he continued to weave his beguiling aura, she surrendered to bliss on a long shuddering sigh, luxuriating in the feelings he was creating. Her hands strayed with increasing assuredness and Alyssa discovered by exploring his body she could give pleasure as well as receive it. Adrift in a sea of sensation, she barely recognized her own voice as it murmured rapturously on some distant shore.

‘Please,
Gil,’ she implored eventually.

Her murmurs of pleasure and the movement of her body against his made it increasingly difficult for Gil to control his own arousal. His breathing came fast and ragged but he fought to hold on a little longer.

Moving above her, he whispered, ‘Look at me.’

Her gaze found his. ‘I’ll try not to hurt you,’ he murmured. Her reply was a desperate whimper of longing and he entered her moist heat, every muscle and sinew straining as he fought against the desire to bury himself completely. He waited, allowing her body time to adjust and gritting his teeth against the exquisite feeling of it tightening around him.

Alyssa’s mouth sought his as she lifted her hips in eager welcome and her hands roamed over his shoulders urging him closer. Wave after wave of sensation began to radiate outwards from her core until she suddenly tensed.

‘Alyssa?’ His breathing was rasping and uneven as he searched the flushed face inches from his own.

Through a haze of passion, she whispered, ‘It’s all right … I….’ Another deep quiver ran through her body and she wrapped her arms around him tightly, saying, ‘Please, I need you so much.’

Gil whispered her name again, this time as a benediction, and immersed himself in her warmth with a guttural moan. It felt unbelievably, astonishingly good but not nearly enough to sate his desperate need – or hers: she clung to him, breathless with yearning. Love overwhelmed and consumed him. He wanted to pleasure her, possess her, and never let her go. With another fevered groan, his mouth captured hers as he moved in the age old rhythm, slowly at first and then with relentless urgent passion as her movements and gasps of pleasure matched his. Bound together, their desire soared to impossible heights and to that dizzying explosion of ecstasy. Her cry of joy was followed a second or two later by his, as he relinquished the last shreds of restraint to reach his own shuddering release.

The quiet that followed was broken only by their unsteady breathing.

Slowly, by degrees, Alyssa floated back to reality, still entwined with Gil, still with his warm weight above her. Lying in dreamy contentment, she realized this was how it felt to be truly loved. He had been the gentle and considerate lover she knew he would be, arousing feelings she was unaware she even possessed until tonight.

Stroking a strand of hair back from his forehead, she sighed with pleasure and said simply, ‘I love you.’

He moved his weight on to his elbows to gaze down at her. In the aftermath of their lovemaking, her pupils were dilated, the wild silken mane of her hair was spread over the pillow and a flush tinted her cheeks; she glowed with sensual satisfaction. Arms around her, he rolled on to his side, taking her with him. ‘You are breathtaking,’ he said, a look of wonder on his face. Then, kissing the tip of her nose, he whispered, ‘I hurt you, didn’t I?’

‘A little but I wanted you so much the pain was fleeting.’

‘Next time will be even better,’ he said, brushing his lips against hers.

‘Then I shall think I have died and gone to heaven,’ she murmured
incredulously
. ‘I can scarcely believe the pleasure we have just shared exists, let alone imagine it could be transcended.’ Alyssa felt him chuckle at her words.

‘So how do you feel now, my darling?’

‘Wonderful,’ she mused, smiling. Then, trailing one fingertip down his chest, she added softly, ‘And very glad you obtained that licence.’

‘An infinitely preferable arrangement to waiting three weeks until you could share my bed!’ he said, kissing her again with consummate thoroughness. ‘Your description reflects my own feelings; there is no happier man than I now we are truly man and wife.’

They lay in each other’s embrace and enjoyed long wordless minutes of communication as lassitude engulfed them. Through the window, Alyssa could see that the sun had almost disappeared below the horizon and above the
spectacular
red and gold streaked sunset sky a few stars were already visible. It was the perfect end to a perfect day.

Sated with love and contentment, she felt her eyelids growing heavy. ‘Gil?’

‘Hmm?’ he replied, his eyes closed and his voice already mellow with sleep.

Seeing he too was drifting off into slumber, she snuggled closer, saying, ‘Never mind.’

He tightened his hold, and asked, ‘What were you going to say?’

‘Oh,’ she muttered into his chest. ‘Well, I was going to ask – that is, I was just wondering when we can … when can you—’ She broke off, leaving the sentence unfinished.

He opened first one eye and then the other and, seeing her expression was one of blushing confusion, he grinned. ‘Love you again?’ he whispered.

‘Yes,’ came her husky reply.

His gaze ran over her possessively before lowering his head to bestow a passionate kiss. ‘I will be more than ready whenever you wish, my love.’

With a contented sigh, Alyssa tucked her head into the hollow of his shoulder and replied, ‘That is all I wanted to know.’

Two weeks later, Letty and Piers were scouring the hedgerows near Hawkscote. They had dismounted from their horses during their afternoon ride to search out early blackberries and cobnuts. This activity provoked a great deal of laughter from both, along with the occasional scold from Letty, who pointedly accused her grinning companion of eating more berries than he placed in her
handkerchief
which served as an improvised container.

‘Piers, you
are
eating them!’ she protested, laughing, ‘If you continue, we will only have a few to eat when we reach the top of the hill. Wretch! You will be well served if you suffer stomach pains.’

‘But I haven’t eaten any,’ he said, giving a guileless look as he placed his hand behind his back.

‘Truly?’ she asked, lifting one brow quizzically.

‘I would never lie to you, Letty.’

‘Then where have the berries you have just picked disappeared to?’

He grinned. ‘I assure you I haven’t eaten them.’

‘Oh? Then perhaps you are hiding some to eat later,’ she said, with a gurgle of mirth. ‘Let me see!’

Letty tried to peek behind his back where he now held both hands, rolled into loose fists.

‘For the price of a kiss, you may,’ he announced, moving out of reach.

She shook her head and cast him a prim look. ‘You must think me shockingly
volage
to agree to that! Will you show me, Piers? Please?’ she begged, with
laughing
eyes.

Unable to remain impervious to this plea, he declared, ‘Only if you take pity and grant me one small kiss – before I go out of my mind.’

She nibbled on one fingertip, giving the matter some thought. ‘Very well, but a kiss on the cheek will have to suffice.’

‘Is that all?’ he said, crestfallen.

‘No more until I see what you are hiding.’

He sighed, and said in an anguished tone, ‘You force a hard bargain.’

Piers kissed her cheek and opened his hand to reveal five large blackberries, announcing with a grin, ‘I was saving these as a surprise, my love.’ His face fell in ludicrous dismay when he realized two of the fruit were squashed and his hand was liberally smeared in blackberry juice. ‘Deuce take it, how did that happen?’ he exclaimed, staring at his palm in disbelief.

‘You held them too tightly, you goose!’ said Letty, laughing. ‘Never mind, it was a sweet thought. Here, put the remaining berries into my handkerchief and we’ll eat them together when we reach the top.’

He did so, joining in her laughter as he wiped away the sticky residue from his hand. They tethered their horses and climbed the remaining distance to stand in silence admiring the vista before them. The hill overlooked the slight valley where Hawkscote was situated and in the late afternoon September sun, the mullioned windows and fine architecture of the house displayed to advantage against the tapestry of the countryside.

‘Come and sit down,’ said Letty. Rearranging the skirt of her riding habit, she patted the grass invitingly, a flush rising to her cheeks as she smiled up at him.

Piers’s heart turned over at that dazzling smile. He needed no second invitation and, tossing his whip aside, sat down beside her.

They studied the landscape while they shared the blackberries and cobnuts.

‘A wonderful view,’ exclaimed Letty. ‘It was well worth the effort to get here. I’m sure I can just see Eastcombe in the distance. Do you see it?’

Piers, narrowing his eyes against the sun, looked in the direction she was pointing. ‘Yes.’ Then, he indicated another landmark and said, ‘That collection of buildings to the south must be Frampton Manor.’

‘Of course.’ She turned to study his profile, and enquired, ‘Did Squire Nash speak to you about what happened with Draper?’

‘Lord, yes!’ he admitted, ‘and I was mightily relieved when he had finished.’

‘Oh dear!’ An anxious furrow clouded her forehead as she covered his hand with her own. ‘Was he very angry and unpleasant?’

He glanced down at her. ‘No, quite the contrary – he gave me a glass of port and spent a full hour dispensing the most convivial tongue-lashing I’ve ever endured,’ he said, grinning ruefully as his fingers stole around hers. ‘Plenty of jovial tut-tutting, shaking his head, and saying “very foolish of you, m’boy” and “what were you thinking of?” and “don’t want to hear of you being involved in any tomfoolery like this again” until I felt five years old again, and utterly
chastened
.’

She began to laugh. ‘There’s a clever man lurking beneath that easygoing exterior.’

‘The squire is a good sort. I can see why Gil and Alyssa like him so much; he’s nowhere near as much starch as his daughter, or his wife.’

Letty agreed and they sat in companionable quiet until she ventured, ‘Dorset is beautiful. I shall be sad to leave.’

Piers’s expression changed instantly. A crease appeared between his brows and his eyes were troubled as they scanned her features. ‘So you still intend to go to London for the winter and stay until the end of the Season?’

‘Yes – I leave in two days.’

‘Two days,’ he uttered, faintly. ‘Must it be so soon?’

‘I’m afraid so. Alyssa and Gil travel to the Continent shortly and I could not stay here. It was good of Melly, my old governess, to keep me company at Hawkscote since Alyssa’s marriage – she is naturally spending a great deal of time at Eastcombe while she and Gil sort out their affairs – but I want to visit my aunt, and have at least one London Season.’