rough,’ he said. ‘Hold on to me.’
She did so, and felt his arm go beneath her neck, then tighten, to draw her closer to him. In the darkness his mouth touched hers and she thrilled at the sensation, moving her lips against his, inviting him eagerly.
She felt his hand at the front of her blouse, pulling the buttons open, finding the slip beneath, moving further, discovering that she wore nothing under the slip, leaving him free to caress her breast with fingers that were both gentle and skilled.
He knew exactly the right touch to give maximum pleasure, and he used it ruthlessly to tease her nipple to hardness, after which he laid his lips between her breasts. She knew he must be able to feel her heart pounding. There was no way of concealing what he was doing to her, and she didn’t try.
Instead, she paid him back in kind, letting her fingers find the place at the back of his neck where she knew he was sensitive. She’d learned it last time and now she used it to the full, relishing the sensation of his response, which he could no more hide than she could hide her own. He drew back a little, gazing down on her, his breath coming harshly.
‘Don’t stop,’ she whispered.
At once he dropped his head so that his mouth was against her neck, leaving a trail of heat and excitement wherever it moved. Her neck was long, swan-like, and he paid it the tribute of total attention, taking his time, not moving on until he was sure of her pleasure.
‘Helena…’ His voice sounded as she had never heard it before.
‘Yes,’ she murmured.
But suddenly there was a slight bump as the gondola came to a halt.
‘We’ve reached the hotel,’ Salvatore said raggedly. ‘We have to become respectable citizens again.’
She clutched him. ‘I’m not sure I can manage that.’
‘Neither am I, but we’ll have to pretend.’
He began to fasten her buttons. His hands were shaking.
‘I think I’m just about ready,’ she breathed.
‘Then come with me.’
Somehow they managed to walk sedately into the Illyria and across the lobby. In the elevator they stood side by side, not daring to touch each other until they were safely in her room. Then it was unsure which of them moved first, but they were in each other’s arms, kissing fiercely, desperately.
He began pulling away her clothes, tossing them onto the floor. The buttons on his shirt opened easily, revealing the chest beneath, thickly haired, rough to the touch, exciting.
There were no lights on in the room but outside the room lightning was beginning to flash. Boats passed, their lights gleaming through the windows, then gone again. Here in the bedroom her body flared into new life with every touch.
She leaned back until she could feel her own long hair touch her waist, while his kiss went lower, between her breasts, and she clasped her hands about his head, unable to suppress a groan of pleasure.
The warmth that suffused her went to every extremity, melting her will, making it one with his own until she had nothing left to hope for except that this should last for ever.
Which was exactly what he’d wanted.
The words were like a shriek in her head, warning that this was still and always a struggle for supremacy, and their fierce sexual attraction was simply another weapon for each to use against the other, at its most deadly when at its most glorious.
Her violent excitement began to die as a chill of doubt went through her. It was so long since a man had taken her to bed that now she faced the prospect like a virgin. She’d enjoyed the mounting passion, the teasing and enticement, but as she neared the moment of truth she knew she was afraid.
‘What is it?’ he asked, feeling her grow tense.
‘Nothing, it’s just-give me a moment. No-no!’ The cry was drawn from her as she felt his lips against her skin again. ‘Let me go.’
He released her so suddenly that she staggered and had to clutch him to avoid falling. Desperately she realised that her legs were now too weak to
She did so, and felt his arm go beneath her neck, then tighten, to draw her closer to him. In the darkness his mouth touched hers and she thrilled at the sensation, moving her lips against his, inviting him eagerly.
She felt his hand at the front of her blouse, pulling the buttons open, finding the slip beneath, moving further, discovering that she wore nothing under the slip, leaving him free to caress her breast with fingers that were both gentle and skilled.
He knew exactly the right touch to give maximum pleasure, and he used it ruthlessly to tease her nipple to hardness, after which he laid his lips between her breasts. She knew he must be able to feel her heart pounding. There was no way of concealing what he was doing to her, and she didn’t try.
Instead, she paid him back in kind, letting her fingers find the place at the back of his neck where she knew he was sensitive. She’d learned it last time and now she used it to the full, relishing the sensation of his response, which he could no more hide than she could hide her own. He drew back a little, gazing down on her, his breath coming harshly.
‘Don’t stop,’ she whispered.
At once he dropped his head so that his mouth was against her neck, leaving a trail of heat and excitement wherever it moved. Her neck was long, swan-like, and he paid it the tribute of total attention, taking his time, not moving on until he was sure of her pleasure.
‘Helena…’ His voice sounded as she had never heard it before.
‘Yes,’ she murmured.
But suddenly there was a slight bump as the gondola came to a halt.
‘We’ve reached the hotel,’ Salvatore said raggedly. ‘We have to become respectable citizens again.’
She clutched him. ‘I’m not sure I can manage that.’
‘Neither am I, but we’ll have to pretend.’
He began to fasten her buttons. His hands were shaking.
‘I think I’m just about ready,’ she breathed.
‘Then come with me.’
Somehow they managed to walk sedately into the Illyria and across the lobby. In the elevator they stood side by side, not daring to touch each other until they were safely in her room. Then it was unsure which of them moved first, but they were in each other’s arms, kissing fiercely, desperately.
He began pulling away her clothes, tossing them onto the floor. The buttons on his shirt opened easily, revealing the chest beneath, thickly haired, rough to the touch, exciting.
There were no lights on in the room but outside the room lightning was beginning to flash. Boats passed, their lights gleaming through the windows, then gone again. Here in the bedroom her body flared into new life with every touch.
She leaned back until she could feel her own long hair touch her waist, while his kiss went lower, between her breasts, and she clasped her hands about his head, unable to suppress a groan of pleasure.
The warmth that suffused her went to every extremity, melting her will, making it one with his own until she had nothing left to hope for except that this should last for ever.
Which was exactly what he’d wanted.
The words were like a shriek in her head, warning that this was still and always a struggle for supremacy, and their fierce sexual attraction was simply another weapon for each to use against the other, at its most deadly when at its most glorious.
Her violent excitement began to die as a chill of doubt went through her. It was so long since a man had taken her to bed that now she faced the prospect like a virgin. She’d enjoyed the mounting passion, the teasing and enticement, but as she neared the moment of truth she knew she was afraid.
‘What is it?’ he asked, feeling her grow tense.
‘Nothing, it’s just-give me a moment. No-no!’ The cry was drawn from her as she felt his lips against her skin again. ‘Let me go.’
He released her so suddenly that she staggered and had to clutch him to avoid falling. Desperately she realised that her legs were now too weak to
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