mouth as he swoops down to kiss my very breath.
With his tongue still in my mouth, he unfastens my hands and elbows, then, with a swift, sharp jerk that snaps the lace like a cobweb, he wrenches the thong from between my legs and replaces it with his fingertips. His gentle fingertips that love me to a swift, sweet, pain-stealing orgasm.
I moan into his kiss, pleasure sluicing through my loins, rising through my body and my soul and soothing my aching heart. He touches me so tenderly, coaxing me to the peak again and again. As I twist beneath his touch, I realize, distantly, that Iâm clinging on to him for the dearest life, yanking at his dark shirt and digging my nails into his back, perhaps inflicting a tiny percentage of the pain Iâve just experienced.
Finally, we both lapse into silence and stillness. He holds me. I hold him. Weâre two breathless survivors of a whirlwind.
How long we sit like this, I have no real idea. My entire world is his strength, his scent, his sure, steady breathing and the beat of his heart in his chest where I huddle against it. After a while, though, another physical factor begins to impress itself on me.
Iâm on the marquessâs lap, and in the cradle of that lap thereâs the hard knot of an erection.
I start to feel hot again. My cheeks flush with shame at my own selfishness. This spanking was something he wanted to do, but it was really as much my idea as hisâ¦and Iâve had the pleasure of itâseveral timesâand heâs had nothing in the way of sexual release.
Heâs been stiff all through this strange interlude and Iâve made not the slightest offer to do anything about that. Even though heâs seen to my satisfactionâ¦repeatedly!
I wonder how to broach the subject. He seems to be quite content for the moment just to hold me, despite the fact that he must be in a fair degree of discomfort. Something thatâs dramatically illustrated when I shift my position slightly and he draws a swift, sharp breath.
âUmâ¦Your Lordshipâ¦erâ¦shouldnât we do something about that?â
Not exactly eloquent, but I drive my point home by moving again, cautiously rubbing my sore bottom against the solid bulge thatâs stretching his jeans.
If Iâve been expecting a positive response and an enthusiastic segue into the next delicious stage of the proceedings, Iâm completely wrong. He remains silent, perfectly silent, for several long moments, and when he does utter a sound itâs a soft, regretful sigh.
âThatâs a sweet offer, my lovely Rose, and Iâm very tempted.â I gaze into his face and suddenly discover that he looks quite sad. âBut perhaps itâs not the best ideaâ¦not really.â
âWhy not?â I demand, my submissive role suddenly a thing of the past. His eyes widen, and for a moment I wonder whether I should apologize and grovel a bit, but then he smiles and shrugs, the movement of his shoulders transmitting itself to me more through his erection than anything else.
âIâ¦â He looks away, distant for a few seconds, and then returns his gaze to me. He looks rather sad, almost wistful, andthen he smiles again. âI prefer to just touch and play and give pleasure, rather than receive it.â
What?
âButâ¦umâ¦donât you need to come?â
He laughs. âOf course I do. But Iâll deal with myself later, Rose.â He tips his head back, as if looking heavenward for inspiration, his night-black hair sliding away from his face with the movement. âItâs hard to explain, but basically, if I get too intimate, I want too muchâ¦and Iâm not really a good prospect for relationships.â A heavy sigh lifts his chest. âIâm a widower, but I wasnât much good as a husband. Or even a boyfriend. Too wildâ¦too selfishâ¦. Iâve settled down a lot now, of courseââ he makes a vague