He feathered another kiss at the corner of her mouth as he fought the urge to drive himself into her more deeply. He heard her sigh as her eyes fluttered closed.
Brandon tightened his embrace and intensified their kiss, claiming and wooing. All he could think about was burying himself inside her wet, tight heat, yet he commanded himself to go slowly, sinking farther with great care, until he was fully embedded inside her.
He remained that way for a score of heartbeats. Then wanting her to respond with passion, he began to move, deliberately advancing the pace, coaxing her with his body and mouth and hands as well.
She seemed to accept his increasing urgency, welcoming him. Moments later, Kate whimpered feverishly, her nails digging into his shoulders as she instinctively matched his rhythm, a sign of the hot longing he knew was clamoring inside her.
When soon she bucked and writhed against him, Brandon clenched his teeth, striving for control, trying desperately to keep his savage need in check.
When her release came suddenly, however, it was too much for him to fight. A great shudder moved through his frame as at last he let himself fill her with the hot desire that he’d felt for Kate since his very first moment of meeting her.
It was quite some time before Brandon regained his senses. Breathing heavily, he tried to ease his weight off her, but Kate tightened her arms about his neck, as if never wanting to release him.
He peered down at her, wondering what to expect. She was gazing back at him steadily.
“Are you all right?” he asked, his voice husky with passion.
“Yes. That was…” She paused, as if searching for the right word. “Magical.”
“It was indeed.”
The shy smile she gave him touched him even more than her praise of his lovemaking.
Yes indeed, Brandon repeated to himself, shifting to one side and gathering her against him. When he pulled the covers up over them both, Kate gave a contented sigh and nuzzled her cheek in the curve of his shoulder and neck. They lay twined together, listening to the ebbing storm, their arms and legs braided.
“Thank you,” she finally murmured.
“For what?”
“For making me forget my fear of sinking in the ship. I am not afraid anymore.”
Brandon pressed a kiss against her forehead. “I should be shot for taking advantage of your panic.”
“If I recall, I gave you little
choice.”
“That is hardly an excuse for claiming your innocence.”
Pulling away, she pushed herself up on one elbow. “You are not to blame. You said you would wait to make love until I invited you. Well, I invited you. And I don’t regret it for one moment.”
Her eyes were bright, raw with feeling.
A man could drown in the light in her eyes.
Brandon raised his hands to cup her face, drinking in her beauty. Her hair was rich and unruly, her skin like gleaming ivory, her lips damp and passion-bruised.
Pushing his hand gently through the fiery cloud of her hair, he brushed some errant curls back from her face with his thumbs and drew her down to him. His lips found hers tenderly before he settled her beside him once more.
As Kate lay curled against him, he let himself relax into her warmth. The urgency in his body, the hard ache in his loins, had subsided, yet he didn’t want to let her go. On the contrary, he wanted to remain just like this for hours, nestled with her, luxuriating in her warmth, her scent, her special glow.
Absently he stroked her bare arm beneath the covers, his thoughts drifting. He had taken Kate as if he had the right. And as far as he was concerned, he did have the right. She was his wife-to-be.
His wife. The title gave him an extraordinary feeling of satisfaction. He’d had other lovers, but this time was somehow different. And more dangerous. The rigid control he’d kept over his emotions had fallen away.
A remarkable change in so short a span—although perhaps it was not so short after all. This moment had been seven years coming, since his first glimpse of her.
In truth, he was more shaken than he cared to admit. Their lovemaking had been unique in his experience. He’d felt joined to Kate, as if she were a part of him. Complete.