The Christmas Treasure Read Online Free PDF Page B

all he did was reach behind her head feeling for the comb that held her hair coiled loosely. He released the comb and pushed his fingers through the tangles of her hair, spreading it across the pillow. She couldn't take her eyes off his face. She had already seen that her husband was a handsome man.  Now, she realized just how beautiful his features were. The dark slash of his brows, the hawk-like nose, the mobile mouth. Her fingers curled as she resisted the temptation to trace the line of his jaw.  
    "Rilla," he whispered.  
    Her gaze returned to his as, with a gentle insistence, he wrapped his fingers in her hair, and slipped his other arm behind her.  
    Lacing his fingers through her hair, he tugged on one tendril, letting it twine around his fingers. He pulled it over her shoulder, seeming fascinated with the fat, reddish-gold curl. He released it and it fell over her breast, where the towel barely covered her. His finger followed its length until he touched the swell of her breast. Carefully, slowly, as Lorilla watched his face in fascination and fear, he pushed the towel away.  
    Then he cupped her breast in his warm hand, wrapping his fingers around the soft, sensitive mound of flesh. Lorilla gasped as a thrill shot through her insides. His thumb moved over her nipple and she felt it all the way down to her deepest core. Reflexively, she put her palms against his chest and felt it rise and fall with his deep steady breathing.  
    Gabriel's fingers left her breast and traced the contours of her neck up to her jaw, then her ear. She shivered involuntarily, and his expression changed, became sober.  
    "Gabriel?"  
    "Yes," he murmured. Then he caught her jaw in a gentle grip and bent his head. His lips sought hers, and claimed them.  
    Oh, God, it was just like before. His hot mouth on hers, his tongue darting out to urge her mouth open. And the feelings, oh the feelings. Lorilla felt overwhelmed, frightened, excited, as if she were losing control of her body.  
    His hair fell across her cheek like a silk scarf, as he angled his mouth over hers. He smelled like soap and wood and fresh air.  
    Lifting his head, he and stared into her eyes for a brief moment. "Are you ready?"  
    For what? She wanted to scream, but equal measures of fear and yearning fluttered in her breast, stealing her ability to talk. She nodded, and waited to see what her husband would do next.  
     
    G ABRIEL B ELTRAN STARED into the wide green eyes of his new wife. She was a lovely woman, with hair the color of the sunset, and eyes that put emeralds to shame. He'd been surprised and not entirely pleased. He had not even considered that the woman he hired to bear his heir would be attractive. Lorilla was younger than he'd expected too, with a wide-eyed innocence that was very convincing.  
    Damn her. Why was she playing with him, like some innocent virgin allowing a stolen kiss? He'd chosen her precisely because of her experience. He had laid out his specific requirements in the letters he'd sent to those who had responded to his advertisement. He had no time, nor inclination, to woo an unwilling partner.  
    He expected a certain amount of shyness in the beginning. After all, they'd known each other for less than a day.  But he was bemused by Lorilla's awkward responses to his lovemaking.  
    A black thought occurred to him. She was not attracted to him. Well, that was too bad. She'd known the terms of the marriage, and she would abide by them. He had never taken a woman by force and he never would. But Madre de Dios , he had paid a lot of money to this woman to bear his child, and he would insist that she abide by her side of the agreement.  
    Almost angrily, he kissed her again, this time pushing his tongue between her teeth the way he'd wanted to do ever since he'd first seen her. She opened for him, and his body tightened in immediate response to her yielding.  
    Her mouth was sweet, her tongue darting lightly, teasingly around his.