The Irresistible Rogue (Playful Brides #4)(75)

“I want you, too.”

“You’re right. No one will interrupt us tonight. There’s no need to rush.” Rafe moved to his side and Daphne traced her fingertips along his muscled chest. She admired his wide shoulders and narrow hips. She moved her hand along his hip and dipped it behind him to rub along his backside. His eyes widened a little.

“I dreamed about touching you there for an age,” she admitted.

Rafe kissed her again. “By all means, touch all you like.”

She let her hand move up to his lower back and gasped when she felt the puckered skin. She leaned up and over and looked at the scars crisscrossing his back. Tears filled her eyes. “I’m so sorry, Rafe. I’m sorry they did that to you.”

He pulled her hand away and kissed it. “It’s nothing, Daphne. Your brother paid a far greater price.”

“It’s not nothing,” she insisted, pushing up to her knees. She kissed the tops of his shoulders and ran her mouth down his back. She ran her fingertips along the scars. “You were so brave and strong to withstand this.”

Rafe’s breath caught in his throat against the lump that had unexpectedly formed there. He’d never felt such emotion from another person before. Never felt such caring. Certainly not when bedding a woman. But this was different. This was Daphne. He turned over, gathered her into his arms, and rolled atop her. His cock was nestled between the heat of her legs but he didn’t want to scare her. He stayed there, unmoving, sucking at her bottom lip and nuzzling her neck until he felt the tightness leave her shoulders and the rest of her body.

“I’m shaking,” she whispered.

“I am too a little,” he said with the hint of a laugh.

She slapped lightly at his shoulder. “You are not.”

“Feel this.” He took her hand and placed it on his chest over his heart. The pounding there made Daphne’s eyes widen.

“I’m excited,” she whispered, “and a little frightened.”

“Don’t be frightened, my love. Don’t ever be frightened with me.” He slowly moved down to her breast and covered it with his mouth.

Daphne arched her back. “Oh, Rafe, yes.”

His other hand came up to play with the nipple of her opposite breast and she arched even more, her back coming off the bed. “I never knew anything could feel this way,” she whispered, pushing her fingers through his hair and holding his mouth to her breast.

He tried to move his mouth lower, but Daphne stopped him. “What is it, love?”

“I want to do it this time,” she whispered, peeking up at him from beneath her impossibly long lashes.

At first, his brow furrowed, but then his eyes rounded when she began to shimmy down the front of him. “Daphne, how do you—” But his words were completely lost as soon as Daphne’s small, pink, torturous mouth closed around his cock.

“Jesus Christ,” he whispered fiercely through clenched teeth.

Her mouth moved up, then down, again and again, and Rafe clenched his fists into the bedsheets. He had no idea how or where she’d learned this since they’d last been together but at the moment he sure as hell didn’t care.

As if she’d read his mind she momentarily pulled her mouth away from his tender flesh and said, “Lucy allowed me to borrow a pamphlet she’d read called Secrets of a Wedding Night. I learned quite a lot.”

Rafe groaned. “It sounds like a wonderful pamphlet.” He placed his hands under her arms and pulled her sharply up to kiss him. “But I can’t take any more of that. Not now.”

“Later then?” she asked with an impish smile on her face.

“Much later,” he breathed into her fragrant hair.

He kissed down her neck and collarbone to her breasts again and plucked at her nipples with his thumb and forefinger, enjoying the gasp of delight it elicited from her.

She lowered her hand and closed it around him. “Two can play at that game,” she said.

“I see,” he murmured. “But I meant what I said. I can’t take it. Not tonight. Not our first time.” He pulled her hand up to his mouth and kissed it. He laid it near her head on the pillow, then he moved his hand back down and stroked between her legs. Daphne parted her thighs and one of his fingers slid deep within her. She moaned.

“Daphne,” he whispered in her ear. “I can’t wait. I must have you. Now.”

“Yes,” she breathed.

That was the only word Rafe needed to hear. He rolled over atop the gorgeous woman beneath him and braced his forearms on either side of her head. He kissed the tip of her delectable nose. “It will hurt but only for a moment.”

Daphne nodded. She was certain Rafe knew exactly what he was doing. Perhaps that was the benefit to loving a rogue. But she couldn’t be angry with him. She was so glad it was him. So glad it was him and not Lord Fitzwell or some bore. She nearly cried.

Rafe nudged her knees apart and Daphne held her breath. Rafe’s thick hotness pushed at her most intimate space and it felt so good she nearly cried out.

He pushed into her, just a bit, then a bit farther. Her tight passageway expanded for him. “Yes,” she breathed again against his neck.

Rafe pulled back once more and then pushed all the way inside of her. Daphne cried out and clutched at his shoulders. The pain was quickly replaced by the wonderful fullness of him. He rocked against her and Daphne wrapped her arms more tightly around his neck, fiercely kissing his heated shoulder.