She would have. Anything to see more of him. She could have stared at him for days, studied him for years. His body was so beautiful. It had been honed and refined by hard work in India, tanned there as well, and she felt like a pale milksop beside him.
“Your trousers, my lord,” Josie said, pointing to the offending garment. “Turn around and take them off.” She could imagine the dips and planes of his back, glowing quietly bronze in the candlelight. She could imagine the whisper of wool against skin, and then the black material sliding over his round, tight bottom.
He stepped closer to her. “Haven’t you had enough of games, Miss Hale?”
“Not yet,” she murmured. “In fact, there is something I’d like to try, if you will allow it.” Here it goes, she thought. If he thought her the most wanton woman he’d ever met after this, she couldn’t blame him.
She glanced up at him. As she expected, he looked intrigued. “I’ll keep an open mind.”
She lifted her hand, ran it up his thigh muscles, then rested it on his hard erection.
“So far, I’m in agreement.” His voice was strained, and she noticed when she pressed against him harder, he had to gasp in a breath.
Oh, dear, but she was truly wanton because she loved this. She loved pleasing him, having this effect on him, driving him as mad with desire as he had driven her. Buoyed by her success thus far, she fumbled with the fall of his trousers, loosened it, then pushed the black material over his slim hips and down to his knees.
He didn’t move away, his expression still one of casual interest, but given another moment, she intended to change that expression to something more like passion. She scooted back on the bed, swung her knees around, and knelt before him. His erection, thick and hard, rose magnificently before her, and even though she wanted to draw out the anticipation, she couldn’t stop her hand from cupping the tip.
“I like that,” he said, reaching for her. “Let me show you—”
“No.” She held a hand up, and he blinked at her in surprise. “I want to kiss you,” she said.
He moved close again. “And I want to kiss you.”
She reached out, cupped the tip of him again. “I want to kiss you here.”
“Oh, God.” He shook his head, his expression one of agonized restraint. “Jos—Miss Hale—I don’t think—”
“Good. I don’t want you to.” And then she bent and kissed the tip of him softly.
He was velvet against her lips, warm and so smooth, and she took a chance and darted her tongue out to tease him. His breath hitched in and his whole body swayed for a moment.
She darted her tongue out again, and when his response pleased her, she bent lower and swirled her tongue around the circumference of him.
“Oh, God,” he moaned, and she felt his hand on her shoulder as he attempted to steady himself.
She swirled again, this time holding him steady by wrapping a hand along the root. At the same time, she opened her mouth and took the head inside. The hand on her shoulder tightened, and she knew she was expected to do more, but she paused, uncertain.
“Take more of me inside your mouth,” he whispered, his voice full of gravel. “Make me hot and wet.”
She did so, watching the way his leg muscles tensed and his back arched. At one point, she even slid her hands around to his buttocks and gripped the tense muscles there.
She kissed and licked, drew away, repeated, and she knew each tiny movement of her mouth brought him closer to ecstasy. His grip on her shoulder was almost painful, and he was all but rocking with her, when he suddenly pulled back.
She looked up, her mouth open in surprise.
“I don’t want to end it this way,” he said, gesturing to her. “I love what you’re doing.” He was panting, gasping for breath. “But I want to be inside you.”
Josie wanted the same thing. She loved touching him, but she missed the feel of his hands on her. In silent acquiescence, she scooted back on the bed and began to lie down.
“Oh, no,” he said, shaking his head. “Not this time. This time I lie down.”
She felt her cheeks heat at his suggestion. She knew what he wanted—well, she’d heard whispers that hinted at it—but she had no idea how it really worked. “But I—I don’t know what to do.”
Lord, this was mortifying.
“I’ll show you,” he said, kneeling on the bed beside her. “I’ll enjoy showing you.” He took her in his arms, held her against his chest, and she would have burrowed in if she could. He was so warm, and he smelled so good. His arms were strong and his breathing steady, though she could feel the hardness of his erection pushing insistently against her belly.
With gradual movements, he pulled her down on the bed until she was half spread over him. She leaned up on one elbow and looked into his deep blue eyes. “Your eyes are huge,” she murmured. “So dark. So blue.”
