He moved closer to her.
She gulped. His arousal was apparent under the linen, jutting forward as if at attention. He wanted her. She’d never seen the male anatomy in person, but she’d done her share of reading illicit literature. He was ready. And by God, so was she.
“Do not take this any further, Alexandra,” he warned, his eyes ablaze, “or you will be sorry.”
Oh, she’d never be sorry. Her passion grew as the tickle between her legs became unbearable. To have him, to truly have him…this beautiful man…
“All I asked for was a kiss,” she said softly.
“You want a kiss?” He forced her to her feet.
“Y-Yes.”
He crushed his mouth to hers.
Ally never considered refusing. She was petrified, no doubt, but she wanted this. His lips were warm and unexpectedly soft. He nibbled at her mouth and enticed her lips to open.
And then—she was lost. Wentworth’s kiss had been disgusting, Mr. Landon’s enjoyable, but this—this was something new entirely. As Evan’s tongue swirled around hers, her legs trembled beneath her. He gripped her shoulders and pulled her closer. How she ached to drive into him, to deepen the kiss, but fear overrode her desire. Perhaps she wasn’t as ready for marital relations as she’d thought.
She pulled away.
But his strength was unmatched. “Kiss me back, Alexandra,” he whispered against her chin. “You wanted this, and now so do I.”
Lord. Her knees weakened, and she nearly collapsed in a puddle on the dusty wooden floor. Her toga had loosened, and only time would tell how soon her body would be exposed. She no longer had any will to resist. She wanted this man. Evan Xavier. The most amazing man she’d ever laid eyes on. And he wanted her.
He cupped both of her cheeks and gazed into her eyes. “Please.”
“Oh my God,” she whispered. “What have we started?”
He smiled. “I don’t know, sweet, but I really want to finish it.” He lowered his lips to hers once again.
As their tongues tangled together, she slid her hands upward, his muscular arms and shoulders sleek and hard under her fingertips. She toyed with the roughness of his night beard, the strength of his jawline.
Her breasts crushed against his chest, her nipples rubbing against something soft, creating friction. Pleasure surged through her. Lord! Her linen had fallen, and they were crushed together—bare chest to bare chest!
Her nipples tightened into hard nubs.
He trailed his lips across her cheek, down her neck, and to her ear, tracing it with his tongue, nipping the soft lobe. “My God, you’re lovely.”
She let out a soft breath. His words tantalized her, plummeted straight to her core, filling her with passion and longing.
“You smell like juicy berries,” he said. “Lord, you are driving me mad.” He inhaled as he kissed her cheek, her neck.
His erection pressed into her belly, hard and enticing. Boldly, she grasped it with her right hand.
Evan gasped. “Alexandra…”
“Ally. Please.”
He gazed into her eyes. “No. Alexandra. It fits you. It’s beautiful, just like you are.”
And suddenly her hated name became beautiful. It was no longer her father’s middle name, but her own special name. Evan had made it her own. She would never forget him for that.
Under his appreciative gaze, she was Alexandra, and she felt beautiful. She let go of his erection and clasped her arms around his neck, her lips finding his. She kissed him with all the beauty, desire, and gratitude surging through her at that moment.
Unrestrained passion took her over, and she thrust her hips against him, the strength of his arousal apparent against her belly. She imagined him inside her, filling her, pleasuring her with that muscular body. She had never wanted Mr. Landon or anyone else like this. Her fear abated, she ached only for completion with Evan.
He broke away. “This isn’t right,” he said.