Unfaded Glory (27 page)
Authors: Sara Arden
O
NCE
ON
BOARD
the ship in Galveston and settled in a state room, Byron wasted no time pulling Damara into his arms.
“What are you doing?”
“Honeymoon was supposed to start when we left the reception. We're late. I'm just catching up.”
She flitted out of his embrace. “I thought you said once we left the reception it was all over.”
“I lied. Come here.”
“You'll have to catch me.” She twisted away from him, but he plucked her back easily and she laughed.
Byron had no words for how he felt about her. So he kissed her. He brushed his lips across hers softly at firstâreverently. Her lips tasted like sweet wine, and he wanted to drink her in. Byron threaded his hands through her hair and enjoyed the silky texture as it curled around his fingers.
Byron kissed her until her lips were swollen and bee-stung, and she rubbed her body against his with wanton abandon.
He moved down to her throat, where he suckled at the pulse and kneaded that tender bit of flesh lightly between his teeth until it was just a little sensitive; then he laved his tongue over that bit of skin.
It drew the first moan from her, her nails scoring his shoulders. It would be the first of many.
He peeled her clothes from her body, and each time was still like the first. Each time was still like unwrapping a gift that he couldn't believe was his. His hands moved over her, fingertips skimming flesh ever so lightly. She responded to every brush of skin on skin.
Byron rose above her and just looked, drank in the sight of her as he had the taste. She lay with her hair a dark halo around her head, those lips still so swollen and ripe. And then she smiled.
“What are you looking at?”
“The most beautiful woman in the world.”
She looked away, seeming almost embarrassed by the praise.
He dipped his head to her throat again, and, before long, she'd lost all sense of self-consciousness. Or so it seemed as evidenced by the naughty things she whispered in his ear, but he continued with his planned strategy. He wanted her strung so tight that all it would take would be for him to play the right note and she'd come undone.
Byron moved down to her breasts, taking one taut nipple gently between his teeth as he'd done with that tender bit of skin at her throat. He worked it softly until she was clawing at his back again and arching up to his caress, demanding moreâalways more. Then he moved to the other, his fingers replacing his mouth and plucking at the bud damp from his tongue.
By the time Byron finally moved to between her thighs she was right on the edge and begging. He touched his tongue to her in the most decadent of kisses, and she was so damn sweet, he just couldn't get enough of her.
She unraveled around his caress, shuddering and spasming as the jolts of pleasure rocked her. He'd missed this so much, not only the physical release but the physical connection. The mark of his touch on her skin, the taste of her, of knowing she was meant for him.
He slid into her while she was still trembling with her release, her sweet heat contracting around him. Byron pushed them both higher, hips rocking, hands still teasing her flesh until she was clinging to him like a life raft in a hurricane and screaming his name all over again.
Indeed, there was nothing more to life than this: his wife safe in his arms, and all the years of their life spread before them in the best mission he'd ever taken on. To give his princess happily ever after.
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ISBN: 978-1-474-00820-4
UNFADED GLORY
© 2014 Sara Arden
Published in Great Britain 2014
by Mills & Boon, an imprint of Harlequin (UK) Limited
Eton House, 18-24 Paradise Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1SR
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