The Serpent Prince (Princes #3)(69)

He toed off his shoes and nearly ripped the buttons from his waistcoat. “I can’t. I’m sorry. I need you too much right now.”

“Does what I feel not matter?”

“At the moment?” He tore off his shirt. “Frankly, no.”

God, couldn’t he stop talking? He seemed to have completely lost the art of prevarication. All his finesse, all his elegant words were gone, and what remained was primitive and essential.

He advanced to the bed, but with a great act of self-control didn’t touch her. “If you want me to leave, I will.”

Her eyes searched his for a long minute during which he died several times over, and his cock reached monstrous proportions. Then, without speaking, she pulled open the ribbon on her chemise. That was all he needed. He fell on her like a starving man at the sight of a Yorkshire pudding. But despite his urgency, he was careful. Though his hands shook, he pulled her dress from her shoulders slowly. Tenderly.

“Lift,” he instructed her, and somehow his voice was hushed.

She raised her hips, and he threw the garment on the floor.

“Do you know how much that cost?” He didn’t even care that she sounded amused.

“No, but I can guess.” He worked at her slippers and stockings. “I’ll buy you a hundred more, a thousand, in every color of rose. Have I told you how much I admire you in rose?”

She shook her head.

“I do. Of course, I admire you even more in nothing. Perhaps I’ll let you wear nothing at all. That would solve the expensive dress problem.”

“And if I object to such a chilly law?” Her brows arched dangerously.

“I’m your husband.” He took the chemise off her at last, revealing her white breasts. For a moment his eyes caught on the shallow cut on her side, and he felt fear again chill his soul. Then his nostrils flared at the sight of her nude. He wasn’t altogether successful in keeping the possession out of his voice. “You’ve promised to obey me in all things. For instance, if I bid you kiss me, you must.”

He bent and brushed his lips across her mouth. She responded dutifully, her lips moving under his erotically. He was conscious all the time of her breasts, white and bare and undefended, beneath him. His lust rose, shaking his muscles, but he reined it in. The last thing he needed was for her to see how out of control he really was. How very base he really was.

“I bid you open.” His voice was nearly hoarse.

She parted her lips and he at least had that—the warm, moist hollow of her mouth to feast on. His arms suddenly trembled. He drew back and closed his eyes.

“What is it?” she whispered.

He opened his eyes and tried to smile to hide the demons inside. “I need you very badly.”

Thankfully, she didn’t smile. Instead she looked at him with solemn golden eyes. “Then take me.”

He inhaled at her simple, explicit offer. “I don’t want to hurt you. You’ve”—he looked away, unable to meet her gaze—“been hurt too much already tonight.”

Silence.

Then she spoke slowly and clearly. “You won’t hurt me.”

Ah, such trust. It was frightening. If only he could be as confident. He rolled to his back. “Come here.”

Those intelligent eyebrows went up again. “Aren’t you wearing too much?”

His breeches. “I’ll take them off later.” Or merely unbutton them.

“May I?”

He gritted his teeth. “Fine.”

She rose to her elbow beside him, and her breasts swung with the movement. His cock jumped. Delicately she began unbuttoning him. He felt each small pull of her fingers. He closed his eyes and tried to think of snow. Frost. Sleet. Ice.

A soft sigh.

His eyes popped open. She was leaning over him, her white breasts nearly incandescent in the candlelight. Her gaze was fixed on his ruddy-tipped penis, standing foolishly erect from his breeches. It was the most erotic vision he’d ever seen.

“I wondered if you’d ever let me see him.” She didn’t move her eyes from his groin.

“I beg your pardon?” He nearly squeaked on the last syllable as she touched her forefinger to his crown.

“I’ve met him, yes, but never seen him. He’s been very shy, this fellow.” She ran her finger around the rim.

He nearly came off the bed. She should be shocked, she’d been a naive, country miss. Instead . . .

“And look, here are his companions.” She took his balls into her small palm.

God’s blood. She was going to kill him.

“Lift.”

“What?” He blinked at her dazedly.

“Lift your hips so I may undress you,” his budding houri said.

What could he do but obey? She slid off his breeches and made him as naked as she.

“Now it’s your turn.” Thankfully his voice had returned. He couldn’t stand much more of this.

“What would you have me do?” she asked.

“I bid you come here.” He held out his arms and tried not to groan when the soft inside of her thigh brushed against his erection.

She climbed over him and carefully sat. His cock bobbed in front of her, touching her belly with each pulse. He wanted nothing more than to bury himself in her, but he had to go slowly.

“I bid you offer your breasts to me,” he whispered.