Page 44 of Brazen

The flex of his fingers on the back of her neck sent a shiver across her shoulders. His free hand grasped her waist and her heart raced as he flattened his palm and slid it around to the small of her back. He drew her close. Mia inhaled a breath when his hard length pressed her abdomen. Good Lord, did the man walk around in a constant state of arousal?

Something flicked her mouth. His tongue, she realized with surprise. Another flick. The sensation started a pleasurable warmth between her legs. His tongue gently slid between her lips. What in the world—

His tongue touched hers and she tasted the clove powder her must have used to clean his teeth that morning. His tongue tangled with hers. A dizzying rush of excitement tightened her stomach. This was nothing like what she’d observed with animals on the farm.

Tentatively, Mia grasped his shoulders. She hadn’t forgotten the feel of his solid chest, but to wrap her fingers around the hard muscle of his shoulders was a heady experience. Dared she try more? She slid her right hand along his shoulder to his neck. The edge of her hand brushed the hair at the nape of his neck and she slipped of her fingers into the thick, velvety soft mane. He groaned.

Mia jerked her mouth from his. “Did I do something wrong?”

“To the contrary,” he said in a strangely hoarse voice. “Everything you are doing is perfect.”

He swept her into his arms. Mia shrieked and flung her arms around his neck. In three long strides he reached the divan and sat down, settling her on his lap. Before she could consider, his mouth covered hers again. This time, she immediately opened when his tongue touched her lips. He hugged her tight and it seemed he devoured her mouth. The unfamiliar throb at the apex between her legs intensified. What it would be like to feel his hard length touch her there?

The hand resting on her hip slid down along her outer thigh to her knee. Mia realized he was tugging up her skirt and petticoat, and panic mingled with unexpected anticipation. Could she really allow…allow what? Just what did he plan to do? Whatever his plan, it entailed pulling her dress above at least to her knee where the hem now lay. He slipped his hand beneath her skirt and petticoat and— Oh my, the warmth of his hand on her knee was so strange.

His hand slid upward. There could be no doubt. He intended to touch her in her most intimate place. To her surprise, his flattened palm continued up to her abdomen. So he didn’t intend— His fingers turned and gently cupped her mons. Mia broke the kiss and buried her head in his neck.

“Are you frightened, lass?” he asked.

Honestly, she wasn’t, and shook her head.

Mia became aware of the thrum of his pulse against her mouth. Was he as excited as she? Given the bulge pressing her hip, she would guess so.

The fingers cupping her gently probed. Unexpected pleasure rippled through her. He gently slipped a finger between the moist folds and found the sensitive nub. Her head whirled. The finger began to massage.

“Lord,” she breathed.

He gave a low laugh.

The massaging continued. His head shifted and his mouth pressed against her ear. His teeth found her lobe and nibbled. She shivered.

“You are making it hard to think,” she whispered.

He laughed again. The sound reverberated in her head and she found herself wanting to rock slightly against his fingers. Lord, what he was doing with those fingers. Was this a sin? She couldn’t refrain from arching just a little.

“There you go, lass,” he whispered.

He massaged a little faster. His mouth slid down her neck. A tickle snaked up her neck when his tongue flicked the sensitive area were neck met shoulder. Need began to build between her legs. He kissed her collarbone then the rise of her breast just above her bodice. His tongue thrust between the edge of her half corset and her flesh and circled her hardened nipple. Pleasure streaked through her. If this was seduction, she now truly understood why people became swept away. Passion was, indeed, a powerful force.

Mia relaxed her head against his shoulder as his tongue continued to tease and his fingers massaged faster in tandem with her rocking. She wasn’t certain how long she could take the exquisite torture, but she was so glad she had managed to entice him into seducing her.

She suddenly wanted very badly to close her legs around his fingers. Might that not impede his massaging? Embarrassment washed over her. That she didn’t want. He abruptly laid her back against the divan cushion and pulled down her bodice and corset, exposing her right breast. His mouth closed over the nipple and when he suckled pleasure burst from her sex. Mia cried out and arched into his mouth. She seized his shoulders. He suckled harder. Her pleasure intensified, wave after wave. She clamped her legs together. Emotion swirled through her like a storm. His kisses gentled. The pleasure subsided to a soft throb.

Magnus removed his hand from between her legs and scooted her back on the divan. He rose on one knee on the couch, a foot bracing him on the floor, and undid the falls of his breeches. His engorged manhood sprang free and pointed in her direction as if to attack and the haze of pleasure vanished. Good Lord, here is where she paid the price for her pleasure. He intended to fit the large member inside her. His eyes locked with hers and she read a hint of laughter.

“I promise, we will fit,” he said.

She flushed. He bent and gently kissed her. The tension in her body began to relax.

He broke the kiss and cupped her face. “You are quite beautiful, you know.”

“You are quite handsome,” she replied.

He grinned, gave her a quick kiss, then pulled her dress up to her waist. His gaze fixed on the apex of her legs and she wanted to melt into the cushion.

“So beautiful,” he murmured.

Magnus gently parted her legs with his leg, then gripped his length and positioned himself at her opening. Her heart pounded. There really would be no turning back after this. Was there any turning back now? Yes, perhaps, for with her maidenhead intact, no one would know she had been intimate with a man.