Brides & Bargains. Maureen Child

off my body this much when two other people reside on the property.”

      “Two people who’ve been instructed to give us complete solitude.”

      He had supported his arguments much too well, drat him. “All right. I will join you in a swim.” She pointed at him. “But only for a swim. Heaven knows I wouldn’t want to be caught doing anything else.”

      He gave her a winning grin, the one that had always won her over. Patently sensual, and slightly wicked. “Yes, dear. Only a swim.”

      As much as she would like to trust him, Nasira was not sure she should. Trouble was, could she trust herself?

       Seven

      The moment Nasira stepped onto the deck and slipped off the robe, swimming was the last thing on Sebastian’s mind. The suit fit her to perfection, from the low cut of the bodice to the bottoms secured by two ribbons at her rounded hips that accentuated her long torso. Her hair flowed freely, straight and sleek, begging for his touch. When he honed in on the diamond hoop at her navel, her attempt at rebellion during her brief university days, he had fond memories of playing with the bauble with his tongue...as well as other more intimate places now covered by a small fabric triangle. That alone caused him to move down one stair to conceal the result of his sinful thoughts.

      He had to remember to take it slowly, let the evening progress with no expectations in terms of lovemaking. He needed to concentrate on making his wife feel appreciated and respected, even if it meant using his tongue solely to talk for the time being.

      Unfortunately his randy libido seemed to be speaking much louder than his honor. He would simply have to quiet the urges and not appear as impatient as a lustful schoolboy.

      Down, Henry.

      When Nasira stuck her toe in the deep end of the pool to test the water, even that seemed overtly sexy to Sebastian. And when she executed a perfect dive, surfaced not far from him and slicked her hair back from her gorgeous face, he gritted his teeth to keep from going after her like a lion and a gazelle.

      “Bravo,” he said as she waded toward him. “You’re a regular little mermaid.”

      She lifted her hair to secure the tie at her neck. “I almost had equipment failure when I dove in. Could you have not found something a bit more modest?”

      At the moment he realized that might have worked better in light of his burgeoning erection. But then again, probably not. She could be wearing a heavy trench coat and he would still want her, especially if she were nude beneath it. He would like very much for her to be nude beneath him. Or perhaps on top of him. Standing up against the deck would also work to his satisfaction...

      “Have you been rendered mute, Sebastian?”

      For the most part, yes. “I’m sorry. Did you ask me something?”

      “Never mind.” She joined him on the step, keeping a relatively safe distance between them. “The housekeeper turned down my bed. Did you notice if she is still here?”

      No, but he did notice that if the bikini were a bit lower, he could possibly see her nipples. “I’m almost certain she performed those tasks while we were away.”

      Sira leaned forward, causing the top to gape and allowing him the view again. “It would probably behoove us to check.”

      “That might be breast.” Dammit. “I mean best.”

      She sent him a mock scolding look. “I have barely been in here five minutes and you are already misbehaving.”

      Guilty. “It was only a verbal faux pas, Sira.”

      “Then take care to mind your mouth.”

      And he did...by planting it on her mouth, disregarding his earlier cautions about going slowly. He expected she might shove him away, or perhaps push him into the water, yet she joined in as if she needed this as badly as he did.

      After they parted, she tipped her head against his forehead. “I hate that I am so helpless around you.”

      He lifted her chin and forced her to look at him. “You are not helpless in the least, and you are not an innocent. You are as drawn to the devil in me as I am the vixen in you.”

      “So you think.”

      “So I know.”

      He loosened the ties at her neck but paused before he went further. “Tell me you do not want me and I’ll stop.”

      “I... cannot.”

      Which was all the encouragement Sebastian needed to continue. He removed her top, tossed it aside and then toyed with the band riding low on her hips. “Stop now?”

      She released a ragged sigh. “No.”

      After he slid her bottoms away and draped them on the chrome railing, he led her into waist-deep water and kissed her, his hands roving over her breasts. She soon pulled away, moved back and smiled. “The vixen says take off your bathing suit.”

      “Far be it for me to argue with her,” he said as he shoved down his trunks, stepped out of them with effort, and hurled them onto the deck.

      She crooked her finger at him. “Come here, devil.”

      They came together in another blast of heat, of that passion they’d known from the beginning. She scraped her nails down his back, while he attacked her neck with kisses and brought her legs up around his waist. It would be so easy to take her here, take her now, yet the nagging concerns over pregnancy prevented him from doing so. He should have brought the blasted condoms with him.

      “Do it,” she whispered with desperation as she reached beneath the water, took his erection in hand, and guided it inside her.

      Driven by pure lust and need, he thrust into her, twice, before he gathered every ounce of strength and pulled out. “The bedroom,” he managed around his labored respiration.

      She looked at him and blinked twice. “Why?”

      “More privacy.” A lame excuse but the only one he could provide without completely destroying the mood.

      “All right,” she said as she lowered to her feet. “But hurry.”

      That request he could categorically fulfill, and he did as he took her by the hand and led her to the chaise on the pool deck. They wrapped up in the towels he’d brought, periodically kissing and intimately touching as they headed into the house. Once they reached the corridor leading to the guest suite, he paused and backed her against the wall immediately outside the door to his quarters.

      He wanted her to remember this, to know how badly he wanted her, to make her want him as much. He parted the towel and suckled her breasts, first one, then the other, before sliding his lips down her torso.

      Then he went to his knees, nudged her legs apart and sent his mouth on a mission between her thighs. He used his tongue to divide her warm flesh, tracing circles around and around that intimate spot, intent on driving her wild.

      She bowed over him, running her hands over his scalp, her breaths coming in short pants. She dug her nails into his back so deeply, he thought she might have drawn blood. He didn’t care. Giving her pleasure was well worth the pain.

      “Sebastian.” His name came out of her mouth in a harsh whisper as he stroked her with his tongue softly, then harder as he covered her completely with his mouth and suckled that sweet spot.

      Her legs began to tremble and a low, sexual sound filtered out of her as she began to orgasm. He didn’t let up until he had ridden out every pulse of the climax, then he kissed his way back up her beautiful body.

      She reached for him again and demanded, “Now.”

      “Not yet,” he said as he clasped her wrist to still her hand. Otherwise the act would be over in short order.