A Gentleman Never Tells(104)

Her head fell back and her chest arched forward. He kissed her shoulders, her neck, and her chest before finally letting his mouth cover her breast. She sighed contentedly, knowing she had wanted him to share this intimacy with her. His tongue circled her nipple, bathed it, and then gently drew it fully into his mouth. Gabrielle felt the most wonderful sensation bloom and blossom inside her, and her senses reeled in delight.

“Mmm,” he mumbled. “I love the scent and taste of your rain-washed skin.”

Her breasts tightened and her abdomen quivered with anticipation. Tremors and shivers tingled along her spine again, down her abdomen to settle and gather between her legs. She wound her arms around his neck and head, hugging him to her, and gave herself up to the exquisite feeling he was giving her.

“I never knew I could feel this way,” she whispered.

He raised his head and sought her lips. “Just wait,” he breathed into her mouth. “There’s more, so much more. I wish I had the time to show you all I want to, my darling.”

He gently laid her on her back on the softness of the rug. He stretched his warm body beside her. He rose on his elbow and let his gaze drink her in. He looked into her eyes for a long moment before his gaze drifted down her face and lingered over her breasts before sweeping back up to her eyes again.

“There’s still time to say no. We can wait until we are married.”

She smiled as she reached up and ran her hand across his muscular chest. “I don’t want to say no. Just kiss me, my love.”

And he did.

Brent rose over her and seared his lips to hers. He propped himself up with one hand while the other slowly inched her skirt and shift up her legs, bunching the cloth around her waist. He found the waistband of her drawers, and on instinct she lifted her hips and helped him slide the garment to her feet to kick away. Suddenly his hand found the warm spot between her legs and he cupped her.

Startled, she jerked.

He stopped kissing her and gazed down into her eyes. “Do you want me to stop?”

This was the man she loved and wanted to marry. She touched his cheek with her fingertips. “No.” In answer, she lifted her hips and pressed into his hand. “I don’t know what you are doing to me, but I don’t want you to stop.”

“It might hurt the first time,” he said as his hand and fingers continued to fondle her, stroke, soothe, and excite her all at the same time.

She sank her teeth into her bottom lip and nodded, but wondered how such heavenly sensations could turn into pain. “I’ve heard that.”

“And you’re sure you want to go forward?”

“Have no worries on that, my love.”

Brent smiled and lowered his head and caught the rosy tip of her breast into his mouth. With his tongue, he sampled her heated skin over and over again, and she delighted in every touch and each new and building sensation.

Her hands roved over his back, his shoulders, down his buttocks, and back up again. She eased her hands around to his chest, to his nipples again, where she teased them by raking her thumb across them. She explored his narrow hips and firm, rounded buttocks. With eagerness, she then moved her hands down to the front of his trousers and was amazed by the hardness she felt beneath them.

Brent murmured his delight. “I love the feel of your hands on me,” he whispered. “Unbutton my trousers. Slide them off my hips.”

She slipped the garment past his lean, warm hips.

Gabrielle smiled and gave herself up to the worshipful way he caressed her, kissed her, and treated her. She savored every sensation, every tender caress. The gentle, gliding movements of his hand on her body thrilled her, and she never wanted him to stop. Suddenly, Gabrielle gasped and arched into his hand with a jerking motion. She buried her face into his shoulder as waves of explosive sensations tore through her with gripping speed before fading into pleasant, languid ripples.

“Brent.” She whispered his name softly before collapsing back down onto the rug with no breath left in her lungs, no strength in her muscles.

With no time to catch a breath, Brent settled his body over the length of her as his mouth covered hers. His lips were moist, hot, and demanding. He kissed her deeply, roughly, crushing her body and her lips beneath his. With his knees, he opened her legs and then pushed inside her.

Gabrielle jerked and gasped loudly, not expecting such sharp pain. She trembled and twisted beneath him.

“It’s all right,” he whispered against her lips. “Remember, you knew it might hurt the first time.” He kissed her gently and moved slowly. “Stay with me, Gabrie, and it will get better. I promise.”