fingers were parting her thighs, exploring the sweet, scalding heat of her, his touch light, but almost agonisingly precise. Now gossamer, now fire.
And at the moment when the sheer agony of her need was threatening to overwhelm her Liam slid his hands under her hips, raising her slightly to receive him in one powerful thrust.
She responded instantly, fiercely, her hands gripping his shoulders, her legs lifting to enfold him and draw him even closer.
He moved rhythmically and without hurry, sinking his body deeply into hers. Taking her with him quite inexorably, it seemed, to some distant place. Somewhere she had glimpsed so many times, but arrived at so rarely.
This time, she told herself. This time…
She heard his breathing change, the pace of his movements quicken, and knew that, for him, the moment was there. But that once again it had passed, leaving her behind. So when his body shuddered its way into the ultimate rapture, and he flung back his head, calling her name, she cried out too, her panting voice rapturous.
She pulled him down to her, clasping him as he groaned out his release, her mouth seeking his with unassuaged hunger. When it was over for him he lay very still, eyes closed, his body slick with sweat.
At first she thought he was going to sleep, and that was something she was also accustomed to. But to her surprise he moved, lifting himself away from her. Clearly he did not plan to sleep in her arms, and the realisation gave her an odd pang.
For a few long moments there was only silence, and Cat lay motionless, not wanting to disturb him.
Then she felt him stir, and the next moment his hand reached out, gently but firmly taking her chin and turning her to face him. He was lying, propped up on one elbow, apparently replete and relaxed. He was smiling faintly, but his eyes were narrowed slightly as he regarded her.
‘ So, ’ he said quietly, ‘ how was it for you? ’
‘ Wonderful, ’ she said, and smiled back into his eyes. ‘ Surely you don ’ t need to ask? ’
He said slowly, ‘ If it was that great, why didn ’ t you come? ’
She swallowed. ‘ But I did… ’
‘ No, ’ he said. ‘ I ’ m not a fool, Cat, and I know you were pretending. You were with me almost to the last moment — I could feel it — and then I lost you somehow. You seemed to — drift away. ’
There was a silence, then Cat released herself from his clasp, biting her lip. ‘ I — I ’ m sorry. ’
‘ You have nothing to apologise for. ’ His tone was dry. ‘ Obviously I should have taken more time — been more considerate. ’
She didn ’ t look at him. ‘ I don ’ t think that would have made much difference. It just — doesn ’ t happen for me very often. ’
‘ Yet you wanted me, ’ he said gently. ‘ You weren ’ t faking that. ’
‘ I can ’ t explain it, ’ she said in a muffled voice. ‘ It ’ s as if I reach — and reach — but there ’ s nothing there. ’
‘ And is it like that every time? ’
To which the answer was, Pretty much, Cat thought. But she had no intention of saying it.
‘ I don ’ t think that ’ s up for discussion, ’ she said. ‘ After all, we agreed — no past, no future, just the pleasure of the present. ’ She paused. ‘ Or are you some kind of psychotherapist, wanting to delve into my subconscious? Because I ’ m not buying. ’
‘ No, ’ Liam said, a sudden harshness in his voice. ‘ I ’ m the man who ’ s just failed to satisfy you. But at least I can do something about that. ’
He pulled her to him, stifling with his mouth any protest she might have planned. But at the first touch of his lips Cat was beyond resistance, her surrender absolute.
His hands were travelling slowly down her pliant body, lingering, arousing. Making every sense, every nerve-ending quiver in this new awakening. And where his hands touched his mouth followed, feathering kisses on her vulnerable flesh.
His tongue teased her
And at the moment when the sheer agony of her need was threatening to overwhelm her Liam slid his hands under her hips, raising her slightly to receive him in one powerful thrust.
She responded instantly, fiercely, her hands gripping his shoulders, her legs lifting to enfold him and draw him even closer.
He moved rhythmically and without hurry, sinking his body deeply into hers. Taking her with him quite inexorably, it seemed, to some distant place. Somewhere she had glimpsed so many times, but arrived at so rarely.
This time, she told herself. This time…
She heard his breathing change, the pace of his movements quicken, and knew that, for him, the moment was there. But that once again it had passed, leaving her behind. So when his body shuddered its way into the ultimate rapture, and he flung back his head, calling her name, she cried out too, her panting voice rapturous.
She pulled him down to her, clasping him as he groaned out his release, her mouth seeking his with unassuaged hunger. When it was over for him he lay very still, eyes closed, his body slick with sweat.
At first she thought he was going to sleep, and that was something she was also accustomed to. But to her surprise he moved, lifting himself away from her. Clearly he did not plan to sleep in her arms, and the realisation gave her an odd pang.
For a few long moments there was only silence, and Cat lay motionless, not wanting to disturb him.
Then she felt him stir, and the next moment his hand reached out, gently but firmly taking her chin and turning her to face him. He was lying, propped up on one elbow, apparently replete and relaxed. He was smiling faintly, but his eyes were narrowed slightly as he regarded her.
‘ So, ’ he said quietly, ‘ how was it for you? ’
‘ Wonderful, ’ she said, and smiled back into his eyes. ‘ Surely you don ’ t need to ask? ’
He said slowly, ‘ If it was that great, why didn ’ t you come? ’
She swallowed. ‘ But I did… ’
‘ No, ’ he said. ‘ I ’ m not a fool, Cat, and I know you were pretending. You were with me almost to the last moment — I could feel it — and then I lost you somehow. You seemed to — drift away. ’
There was a silence, then Cat released herself from his clasp, biting her lip. ‘ I — I ’ m sorry. ’
‘ You have nothing to apologise for. ’ His tone was dry. ‘ Obviously I should have taken more time — been more considerate. ’
She didn ’ t look at him. ‘ I don ’ t think that would have made much difference. It just — doesn ’ t happen for me very often. ’
‘ Yet you wanted me, ’ he said gently. ‘ You weren ’ t faking that. ’
‘ I can ’ t explain it, ’ she said in a muffled voice. ‘ It ’ s as if I reach — and reach — but there ’ s nothing there. ’
‘ And is it like that every time? ’
To which the answer was, Pretty much, Cat thought. But she had no intention of saying it.
‘ I don ’ t think that ’ s up for discussion, ’ she said. ‘ After all, we agreed — no past, no future, just the pleasure of the present. ’ She paused. ‘ Or are you some kind of psychotherapist, wanting to delve into my subconscious? Because I ’ m not buying. ’
‘ No, ’ Liam said, a sudden harshness in his voice. ‘ I ’ m the man who ’ s just failed to satisfy you. But at least I can do something about that. ’
He pulled her to him, stifling with his mouth any protest she might have planned. But at the first touch of his lips Cat was beyond resistance, her surrender absolute.
His hands were travelling slowly down her pliant body, lingering, arousing. Making every sense, every nerve-ending quiver in this new awakening. And where his hands touched his mouth followed, feathering kisses on her vulnerable flesh.
His tongue teased her
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