Tis the Season to Be Sinful by Adrienne Basso

heel of his palm to cup her intimately. Juliet’s head tipped back wantonly and she closed her eyes, breathing deeply as his fingers slid inside her. He set a rhythm that soon had her sobbing and surging toward him. The sweetness continued to build, higher and higher, and then suddenly Juliet heard herself cry out loudly as release came, rippling through her with shattering power.
    It took a few moments for her to regain her senses, and when her eyelids fluttered open, she saw Richard watching her, his gaze hot and intense. He reached out and gently touched her face, and a rush of tenderness enveloped her. Feeling the tears gathering behind her eyes, she quickly turned her head and kissed his palm.
    The mattress dipped as Richard shifted. Cupping her chin, he turned her head and captured her mouth with his. When the kiss ended, she could feel his warm breath on her cheek, harsh and ragged. Gathering her courage, Juliet finally opened her eyes.
    He loomed over her, his expression tight. Picking up her limp hand, he whispered hoarsely, “Touch me.”
    She found the request infinitely arousing. Eagerly Juliet reached down between their bodies and wrapped her fingers around his penis. Moving her hand slowly up and down his full length, she soon discovered the rhythm he preferred. The skin was silky soft, but underneath, the thick shaft was rigid, letting her know he was more than ready to possess her.
    Juliet shifted her position to accommodate him, but he surprised her again by turning away.
    “What are you doing?”
    “Protecting you from getting pregnant,” he answered, reaching for something he had left on the rug beside the bed.
    She caught a fleeting glimpse of a small, red velvet envelope before his body rolled on top of her. “I can’t wait any longer, Juliet,” he said, in a strangled, harsh voice.
    As he spoke, she felt him slide the length of his rigid penis along her entry until her dampness coated him. He shifted his body to rest his weight on his forearms and she spread her thighs wider. He made a rough sound deep in his throat at the gesture and gave a powerful thrust.
    Juliet gasped loudly as a sharp fullness burned through her. Not a pain per se, but a deep, low pressure that made her feel possessed.
    She relaxed and opened to him instinctively, sliding her palms to his muscled thighs, urging him closer. He pushed farther and farther into her and her dormant flesh opened and stretched, taking him eagerly inside.
    Just when she thought him seated to the hilt, he grasped her bottom with both hands, tipped her hips, and plunged deeper. Her shoulders arched and she stared up into his face, finding his expression fierce and intent.
    She felt herself pull away from the rough, gritty look in his eyes. He stilled, sensing the change in her. “Am I hurting you?”
    The gentleness in his voice instantly calmed her fears.
    “No. I . . . no.”
    She bent her knees to cradle him, suddenly shy. She had fallen so easily into their intimacy, savoring the closeness. He was her husband, and in the eyes of God and man that made it all right, yet it still felt strange.
    She pushed upward and Richard groaned, his movements quickening. He drove in hard and fast and she was surprised to feel the stirring of a second climax begin. But it had no time to fully develop. Suddenly, deep shudders rocked him. She waited to feel the hot surge of his seed pour into her, yet it did not come. Curious, she flexed her inner muscles to see if he had withdrawn and felt the solid proof that he was still deep inside her body.
    “Sorry, I couldn’t wait for you,” he murmured, circling his hips and grinding himself against her.
    Startled, Juliet felt a jolt of pleasure. She moved her hips, searching for the right pressure, the needed friction. Richard kept pace with her, their bodies sliding together. The sensations built quickly and then the spasm took hold, not as violent or intense as before, yet still totally satisfying.
    Richard rested