Part 14 (1/2)
”No.” She shook her head stubbornly. ”No, sometimes, as awful as it is, there isn't anything we can do. You're not at fault. You did everything you could for her.”
”I wish there was more I could have done.”
Another tear surfed down her alabaster cheek. ”I know, honey, but you did the best you could.”
”That's the second time you called me honey.”
She smiled through her tears. ”Yes.”
”I like being called honey.”
”Good.”
She took him by his shoulder and guided his head to lie on her chest. Night jasmine surrounded him, comforted him. Her b.r.e.a.s.t.s made excellent pillows, but he thought he'd keep that to himself. The odd thing was he felt exhausted. He should have been enthralled she had listened and not run, not judged him, and had especially not judged his beautiful Julia, whom he still protected even in her death. Further, Erva seemed to comprehend like no one ever had before. But he was mentally and bodily fatigued. He found his lids closing of their own accord, and soon enough sleep took him into a calm darkness, where he found Erva there, already holding him.
Chapter 15.
Erva woke to a dark room, yet silver-white moonlight poured through windows, allowing her to see she still slept on a couch with huge Will on her chest. He stirred, holding her tighter, adjusting his head against her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. Smiling, she pulled some of his dark hair away from his face. She'd never dated anyone with such long hair. It touched his shoulders when not tied in the fierce knot at the nape of his neck. Will lifted his head. Even without much light, she saw his blue eyes morph into dazzling azure when their gazes met.
”Darling,” he whispered and pulled himself up to kiss her.
Only his lips met hers. His body hovered too far away now. How she ached for him to be on her again. He was heavy, probably made from steel, but she had gotten used to it, had liked his weight considerably. She playfully slid her tongue along his bottom lip, then he opened for her. She plunged inside. He tasted of nutmeg and slightly of rum-the punch they'd had at the party. She'd watched him with the libation and noticed he sipped his one gla.s.s all night through.
How had the rumors started that he was a drunkard? Were they like the rumors of his being a rake? Were they completely false? Wait. Erva reminded herself, as Will's own tongue invaded her mouth. She didn't know about Miss Emma and Miss Lydia yet. Trying to focus on rumors though was difficult as Will began to kiss down her neck. Hot, sweet desire rushed through her body, warming her, chilling her, zeroing her awareness to what Will might do next. He kissed along her open neckline, then one of his large hands cupped her breast.
”Oh,” she gasped and arched into his hold.
His thumb rubbed her nipple until it made a high, tight peak. Erva kept glancing down at the s.p.a.ce between their bodies. His legs were between hers, but she worried he'd never lower back on her, which her body purred for. Will swept to the other breast, and she instantly arched into that caress as well. He was a tender man, so careful when he touched her. Almost too much so, because she needed his body on hers, needed more pressure. She could clearly see his tented breeches. He wanted her.
When he reached up and kissed her lips again, she desperately reached for him, pulling him closer, closer, until...
”Ah,” she moaned as his erection fit against her. Even through her skirts and his breeches, she felt his hardness. She rocked against him, making him emit a growl from deep in his chest.
The apex of her legs grew with moist need, so hot. One of his hands remained on her breast and caressed her at the same time he swayed against her hips. It was such blissful agony to feel his caress, yet have so many layers of clothes between them. She tore at his coat, finally unb.u.t.toning it and ripping it from his wide shoulders. G.o.d, he was burning inside it. Erva felt his too hot chest and arms, like molten steel, then unb.u.t.toned his waistcoat. It took an eternity, and, she surmised, it was no wonder he was so hot, he wore a million layers. He released himself of his collar and with one hand unfastened his s.h.i.+rt too. She tugged it free from his breeches, and in one move he lifted it over his head and threw it aside.
Oh, the beauty of his chiseled chest and the ridges of muscles down his stomach. Her fingers found the firmness of his pectorals and the bone valley of his sternum. She felt his heart thundering under her palm. Glancing up at him, she smiled. Softly, he lowered his pelvis to meet hers again, while she held his heart. He rocked into her and gave her a smile himself when she moaned.
”You're so beautiful,” he whispered.
And she felt it. For once, she felt that in his eyes she radiated femininity, but it was more than that. She felt beautiful because he'd accepted her. Well, what she'd told him of herself, she admitted. But even so, there were many a man in her own time who, once they'd found out she worked at Harvard and not as a secretary, had walked away. Not only had Will accepted her, he seemed to like that she was well educated. G.o.d, that was s.e.xy, to have a man actually want her to have brain too.
He kissed her, letting his breath and tongue meet hers. Lingering over her lips for a moment, he thrust against her again. Slowly he found a rhythm, and she clung to his shoulders as his swaying increased in tempo. He kissed her ear, then down her neck, biting once. She arched her back and laughed at the way his teeth sc.r.a.ped against her sensitive skin. He lifted himself and smiled at her.
”Like that?”
”Yes,” she answered breathily.
He found the other side of her neck and kissed and licked her, until she started to wiggle and thought about protesting, but finally he bit her there too. Then he nibbled her again. She rocked and arched and mewled and pulled him closer all at once.
He lifted himself again. ”The pretty lady likes to be bitten, hmm?”
She didn't answer, but smiled as she combed her fingers through his hair. She pulled slightly, and he closed his eyes with a growl. He leaned down and nipped and licked at her neck and around her chest. Cupping her breast, he took her nipple in his mouth, through all her clothes as he had in the carriage, and she whispered, ”Will.”
She'd never done that before. Never had a man's name been on the tip of her tongue, ready to say when she least expected. It only amped his ferocity of suckling her breast, and she lifted her back off the couch in response. He released her and tried to pull down her dress's neckline. But she'd been sewn in, and it wouldn't budge. After a few frustrating seconds she said, ”Just tear it off.”
He lifted himself again, his head c.o.c.ked.
”Please,” she trembled with her need for him. ”Just tear it off.”
He braced himself away from her, which made her body feel dull and almost in literal pain without his so close. Then he gripped around the stomacher and pulled. Hearing the fabric tear was surprisingly erotic, and with each rip her hips reared to meet his. With a little more effort, she was free from her dress, but her idiotic corset was in her way now. He reached around her, fiddling with her laces.
”Tear it off too. Tear it all off.”
He looked down at her and slowly smiled. Pulling, straining, he rent something. She heard the laces popping off her loosening corset. In a couple more jerks, she was free. He threw the corset down and set to work on her flimsy s.h.i.+ft, which ripped as if it were no more than paper. After chucking that to the side too, he then glanced at her.
His nostrils flared. His eyes darkened. She was nearly nude, except for the stockings, and with him between her legs, she felt more naked than ever before. He stared, his jaw punching.
”Oh my G.o.d,” he whispered.
She awkwardly tried to cover her b.r.e.a.s.t.s and stomach, but he drew her hands aside.
”Darling, I'm sorry, but now I'm certain you're a figment of my imagination. You're too d.a.m.ned beautiful to be anything other.”
She giggled, and he groaned.
”Even that was the most lovely sight I've ever seen.”
She reached out for his hands. Catching one hand she pulled until he maneuvered to linger over her again. With the one hand she held, she placed it over her breast.
They both moaned.
”You're so soft, so silky,” he whispered.
”Touch me.”
He ma.s.saged her breast, then found her nipple and pinched. She arched into this new sensation of her skin against his. Almost out of her mind with need, she stopped breathing when his mouth found her other nipple. He sucked and then rolled his tongue over her bud. Her hips rocked up, and met his stomach. He lifted his head and found her other breast, switching his hands too. She swayed up again, and felt his hard torso, but not quite what her body sought. The hand that had been on her breast, slowly moved down, finding her hip, caressing her leg, then tilted to inside her thigh.
She moaned, feeling her spine tingle in antic.i.p.ation. Hot golden liquid poured from her, and when he finally slid his hand over her center she cried out his name again. First he explored, then he found her c.l.i.toris and made tiny, tight circles, making her close her eyes and feel that all she was, were the parts of her body he touched. He left her breast and found her lips again, kissing her senseless while his finger kept rubbing between her legs.
She huffed on his face, finding kissing hard to follow as he accelerated his rhythm. He stopped kissing her to hover over her.
”So beautiful.” His voice was so low and part growl, part groan.
She couldn't respond with words. She could hardly control her moans any longer, listening to what felt like another woman pant and whimper for him. His fingers slid between her folds and found her opening.