Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 95222 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 476(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95222 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 476(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
My jaw tightens as I level up and advance, entering her on a long puff of air. I choke, falling to my forearms, my eyes on hers. I’m shaking terribly.
‘Are you all right?’ she asks, bringing her hands to my shoulders and holding me.
I swallow, gathering myself. ‘I am all right.’ Except for dying from pleasure. I swivel and grind deeply, withdrawing and driving forward again. She sucks in air and holds it, as I find a meticulous pace.
Our bodies move like they know each other soul-deep, have mastered the art of each other, our eyes never moving. Her fingers dig into my shoulders, her cheeks balloon. Her hand slides onto my neck and pulls me down to her mouth, and I uphold my rhythm, circling my hips onto her, kissing her like there will be no more kisses. Fighting off the notion that there might not be – her brothers are an obstacle, as is society’s expectations – is harder than I want to admit, because that would be facing our reality. I am not supposed to have her. She is a lady, born to marry a lord or duke. I’m taking something that I am not entitled to.
‘God dammit,’ I growl, frustrated. My pace speeds up, dousing my tormented conscience with a pleasure like no other, and Taya moans. ‘There it is,’ I murmur, swallowing down her groans, sinking my teeth into her bottom lip, as the pleasure takes over.
‘I can feel it,’ she breathes, as I seize the tell-tale pressure, locking it down. ‘Faster!’
‘Bugger!’ I pick up my pace and thrust in and out, our gentle love-making turning manic as we both search for release. I jack myself up on my arms to find more leverage, my face dripping, my heart about to burst out of my chest from the strain it is under. Her eyes are wide with wonder. I can feel myself expanding within her, and her muscles grip harder as a result. My head drops back, and I release a supressed yell to the ceiling, stilling suddenly above her, as I jerk, convulse, choke and explode. My vision fails me, along with my hearing, but I just detect her yelp followed by a low, strangled moan. My face twists as I retreat and slowly push forward, her legs lock around my waist and she pulls me down, until our sweaty faces are touching, nose to nose. Our moans stretch out for an age until both of our bodies go lax and we’re heaving against each other, trying to catch our breaths. I feel totally overwhelmed, relieved that this was as intense as the first time we shared. Powerful, emotional and mind-blanking. This isn’t lust. This is so much more.
And terrifying.
She buries her nose into my neck and tightens her arms and legs around me, clinging on to me. It feels so very natural. My God, I am so in love. The feelings are new to me, as is this odd protection instinct I have developed. I should have resisted her, but my self-control vanishes at the sight of her.
‘I love you, Frank.’ Taya whispers.
I smile, thrilled, and withdraw to find her eyes, but I am somewhat alarmed to see they are full of tears. Oh no. My happiness was short-lived, it would seem. ‘Taya, why do you cry?’
She swallows, her lip wobbling. ‘I am to leave at dawn once Sampson has seen to business.’
The news is like a dagger to my heart, but I find myself nodding even though I am mentally swearing that I won’t allow it.
I have not yet had the time to consider how I stop Sampson taking her away from London, away from me, but I will, you mark my words. If His Grace, the Duke of Chester, can have my sister, a female with no title, albeit beautiful and intelligent, then he would be a hypocrite to forbid mine and Taya’s love, and I will happily point that out to him. Again. Except this time, he will listen.
‘Johnny is right, Frank,’ she says quietly, pulling my eyes to her. What? If she thinks that, then why is she here? ‘It is reckless and unwise to pursue outlaws.’
I exhale, smiling. She’s worried about me. It’s quite endearing. ‘I’m afraid I have little choice, my love.’
‘Why?’
‘Well, you see, remember I told you about a business deal?’
‘I do.’
‘I must discover the identity of the highwaywoman as it is part of a deal I have in motion with a rather unpleasant man called Fleming that will take The London Times national.’
‘Oh, I see,’ she says quietly. ‘That is very unfortunate.’
‘Indeed, for our business will be ruined without the deal.’ I reach over and drop a kiss on her sweet lips before I push myself up, peeling our bodies apart, and slowly lift my hips, slipping free of her on a hiss. I roll to my back beside her and stare at the ceiling, one arm splayed over my head, my other resting on my pumping stomach, my knee bent, my foot wedged into the mattress. How do I approach all of this? Business, Taya? How do I achieve what both Taya and I wish for without ruining everything or getting myself killed? First, I will talk to her brother. Reason with him. Beg him, if I have to. I drop my head to find her. We are in love. He has to listen to me. I reach over and kiss her lips chastely and stand, dressing, full of fortitude. ‘I must go, I have work to do.’ A very tough job indeed, and I have limited time in which to do it. Time is of the essence. ‘You will deny any suggestion that we may have been intimate.’ If I am to stand any chance to winning her, I must act with honour and integrity. Or, at least, appear to.