Page 112 of Aurelia

As he had done that night all those weeks ago, he proceeded to drive her to climax with an ease that spoke of years of experience that she did not want to think too closely about.

Instead, she relaxed her clenched thighs and gave herself up to pleasure.

When she cried out and came apart, he eased first one, and then two fingers inside her. The stretch was vaguely uncomfortable, but when her inner muscles clenched around him the exquisite sensations intensified, drawing out her climax.

Roland watched her like a hawk, his lips red and slick as he caressed every part of her except that which was too sensitive. And then, after the last wave had washed over her, he withdrew from her and laid her out on the narrow settee kneeling between her spread thighs, lowering over her until his erection nudged at her entrance.

Suddenly, he chuckled. “I could have planned this seduction a bit better. This settee is a bit of a squeeze. Am I crushing you, darling?”

“No. Not… crushing… urgh,” she grunted when he pressed harder, his thick crown breaching her.

“Do you want to wait, my love?” he asked, smiling down at her with such warmth that Aurelia could almost believe that she really was his love.

And then something her mother had told her long ago came back to her. “A man always believes himself to be in love when he is rutting in a woman. It is the best time to ask for something you want, Aurelia. Only for a short time are they ever vulnerable.”

Roland cocked his head. “What is it? Why do you suddenly look so… sad?”

Aurelia hated that her mother’s poison had invaded this moment. She shook her head and spread her legs wider in invitation. “I have not changed my mind.”

Passion flared in his eye and he pressed himself against her. “Fast is better,” he murmured, and then entered her in one long thrust.

The sudden stretch was startlingly sharp and she bit back a yelp.

“Breathe, sweetheart,” he said, holding still inside her.

Aurelia hadn’t realized she was holding her breath until he’d spoken. She took a gulp of air and waited for the stabbing pain to resume, but it didn’t. In fact, there wasn’t any pain at all. She was filled with a thick, throbbing erection that made the lower part of her body ache, but it wasn’t unpleasant.

Roland pulled back enough that their eyes locked. “Aurelia? Are you in pain?”

She shook her head. “It only hurt for a few seconds.”

He began to withdraw slowly and she caught her lower lip with her teeth.

Once he was almost all the way out, he slid back in, slower than the first time. “Better?” he asked, again pausing so she could adjust.

She nodded, her eyes drawn to his shoulder, which was scored with more black lines like the ones on his face.

Aurelia put her fingers over each groove, needing to spread them wide to fit.

She looked up at him. “You could have died.”

“But I didn’t. It is almost as if Fate wanted to save me for this moment.” He grinned.

Aurelia laughed.

I have a man inside my body and we are laughing and jesting.

The thought was so startling that she was momentarily stunned.

There were no tears, no wishing she was dead, no shame—none of the things the countess had warned her about.

“What is it?” he asked, his voice strained as he again withdrew and then sank back in, but faster this time. “You’ve got that fierce look again.” He stilled when he was almost all the way out.

“Don’t stop.” She slid a hand up to cup his jaw. “Please, Roland.”

His nostrils flared at the sound of his name and he slid back in, harder this time, no longer pausing between strokes but rolling his hips smoothly, taking her deeply with each thrust. He propped himself up on one elbow and wormed his hand between their bodies, gently stroking her engorged nub.

Her sex began to tighten the way it had earlier, except this time, she had something large and hard and hot inside her. “Oh,” she murmured. “That is—that is—” Aurelia tilted her hips, suddenly needing more.