Part 11 (2/2)
His skin was so blissfully warm to the touch.
He closed his eyes as she began to pleasure him in the way that Alexa had once informed her that the males of the species enjoyed being caressed.
Her brazen lady-in-waiting had demonstrated the technique on one of the fight sticks with which Leon made Sophia practice some of her self-defense techniques. But although she had collapsed in red-faced laughter at the time, the lesson came in handy now. Indeed, the solid size of Gabriel's straining phallus quite reminded her of the formidable bamboo rod with which she could break a person's kneecap when provoked.
She turned her face to his and sought his intoxicating lips once more, kissing him as she sought to give back every ounce of pleasure he had given her. His groans entranced her.
Good G.o.d, it was surely for the best that this delicious man could not belong to her, Sophia thought, for she knew she'd be horribly possessive of him with all her royal temper. If he even looked at another woman, she'd probably be tempted to have the girl thrown into some dungeon.
With another restless sigh full of desire, Gabriel rolled onto his back, pulling Sophia atop him. As her long hair swung down to veil them both in privacy, she smiled at him.
He did not smile back. His eyes were very serious, almost pensive.
”What is the matter?” she asked in a breathless whisper.
”I want to ask you a question, Sophia. And I want you to answer me honestly.”
She paused while he wrapped his arms around her naked waist. ”All right.”
”My brother, Derek.” He paused almost grimly. ”He's sent me a virgin, hasn't he?”
Her eyes shot open wide.
”Oh, G.o.d,” he groaned at her guiltily astonished look.
”Am I that bad at this that it shows?” she cried, pulling back a small s.p.a.ce.
”Of course not,” he said in a strangled tone. ”I've merely done this enough to recognize someone who hasn't. This has gone far enough, Sophia. I'm not going to make love to you, no matter how much I might want to.”
”Why?”
Letting out a low sound of frustration, he captured two fistfuls of her hair and hugged her to him. ”What am I going to do with you? What a silly question!”
”I don't understand. Are you angry at me?”
”No. I'm angry at Derek. For torturing me.” He opened his hands and let her hair sift through his fingers as she pulled back and gave him a crestfallen look.
”Don't you want me?”
He scowled at her. ”Don't be a fool. You should not be doing this. You should not be for sale.”
”You're lecturing me? Now?” she cried.
”Your virginity,” he specified through gritted teeth, ”should not be for sale. You can't be that desperate. Better you should keep to Gypsy ways and steal than sell yourself.”
”I beg your pardon, I can do what I want with my body!” But as her craving for him cleared just a bit, of course she saw the blasted man was right.
She could not make love to a commoner. Not for her first time, anyway. Sooner or later, she'd have to wed some foppish Continental prince. After all, her maidenhead was one of the most important resources that she had to keep in store to save her country.
Oh, blazes.
She felt horrible for starting all this. Selfish and rotten. And insanely frustrated.
”Are you going to pout now?” he demanded.
”I don't pout!” She glowered at him, then relented a little. ”I'm just not sure I understand.”
He shook his head. ”It's not that difficult. I'm not your husband.”
”What would I do with a husband?” she scoffed.
”You don't have to make this any harder than it already is,” he replied. ”You know d.a.m.ned well I'm going out of my mind for you. I wanted you from that first second in the barn.”
She lowered her lashes, then bent her head and kissed his throat. ”Oh, Gabriel. I want you, too. So much,” she murmured as she ran her hand down his side.
His skin burned as with fever to the touch and was moist with the lightest sheen of sweat.
”All the same, I don't deflower virgins,” he said stoically.
His rather pompous resolve irked and amused her simultaneously. Though she knew he was right, she still was not used to taking no for an answer.
”Very well.” With a show of obedience, she slid off his body to lie beside him. But then she reached down and took his throbbing hardness in her hand once more.
He shuddered.
”So, you don't deflower virgins,” she conceded in a wicked whisper, skimming her lips along his neck. She paused when she reached his earlobe. ”What do you do to them?”
Gabriel moaned aloud. ”That's it.” As his pa.s.sion broke loose, he flipped their positions with renewed ardor; in the blink of an eye, she was on bottom and he was back on top. His ma.s.sive erection glided against her teeming wetness-but not in.
Sophia panted, thrilled down to her toes as he flirted with the possibility of taking her. Do it, she thought, staring into his eyes.
But he wouldn't. The silken head of his member stroked the soaked threshold of her core, only stoking her fire, tormenting her. No mercy, indeed. The Iron Major would not yield to temptation, would not drive it in and fulfill her crazed need the way the beating drums of instinct yearned for him to do.
”Please,” she blurted out in spite of herself, unable to fight her desire.
”No.” His eyes burned like blue flames in the night.
The poor man had to fight both their l.u.s.t as she spread her legs wider, wanting him for all she was worth. But his control was such that he rationed out just a bit more of the dizzying pleasure-without satisfaction.
”I shall go insane,” she panted.
”Mmm, be patient, Sophia.”
”I can't. I want you. Why are you doing this to me?”
”You started it. Don't worry. It'll be worth it.” He sent her a sly, seductive glance, then kissed her chin. ”One day you'll thank me for this.”
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