So far things had been fine but hadn’t exactly gone to plan. She was here in his bed, unable to flee back to the office or the mansion, but his indulgent fantasies were still out of reach. The lights were still dim or completely darkened when they made love. And while they weren’t fully or partially clothed, she had packed a wide array of lingerie.
Normally, River would find lingerie intriguing. Silky straps, lacy panels, strategic cutouts... There wasn’t anything wrong with that. But on Morgan, it felt like a lacy barrier protecting her from something. Him, he supposed.
He’d offered to help her forget whatever was bothering her and the way she’d curled her leg around his hip seemed like an acceptance of his proposal. Her fingers were brushing over his beard and burying themselves in the thick waves of his hair. All signs pointed to her wanting him, and yet, as before, she was a little overdressed for the occasion. She’d put on a pale pink silk nightgown before she got into bed. It had to go. He’d just hold his breath to see if she stopped him.
He placed one open palm on her thigh and rubbed up her leg to her hip. River caressed the skin, skimming over her tummy and moving up beneath the chemise to cup one firm breast. He watched her reaction with curiosity, but so far, it was all okay.
Until he started pushing the gown up higher. That’s when he felt her stiffening the way she had just before she bolted from that town house. He eased back, afraid to push her too far. They weren’t in the middle of town where she could just jump up and leave. This time he was going to get to the bottom of it all.
“I need you to tell me exactly what it is that I’m doing that makes you nervous,” he said.
Morgan bit at her lip as she pushed up onto her elbows. She gently tugged the gown back down as she shook her head. “It’s nothing,” she argued.
“Okay. Then let’s take this thing off. It’s in the way and I want to see you. All of you.” River gripped at the hem to pull the silky slip of fabric over her head, but the fear in her eyes stopped him before she could argue.
“I’d rather not.”
He sighed and leaned back. “I don’t understand what you think you have to hide, Morgan. I could tell you that you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever had in my bed. I could tell you that I’ve done nothing but fantasize about you for ten years—and in all those fantasies, you were completely naked. I’m not sure it would make a difference with you, though.”
“Fantasies aren’t reality. I’m not nineteen anymore.”
“I don’t want you to be nineteen. I want you. Right now. Just as you are. And I want you to trust me when I say that I mean it. I don’t know what you could possibly be hiding. Did you get an ugly tattoo? Grow a big hairy mole? A gnarly scar? None of that matters to me. You’re beautiful, Morgan. Every inch of you.”
Her brow knit together in thought as she considered his words. “Give me a minute,” she said at last.
He considered arguing but thought better of it. If she needed a little bit of time to be comfortable with the idea, he shouldn’t push her. “Okay.”
Morgan left the bed, rummaging through her luggage for a moment and then disappeared into the bathroom. River laid back against the pillows and stared up at the skylight. A moment later, he saw a streak of light cross the sky. Maybe he would get his wish tonight and Morgan would stop holding back. The clothes and the lighting seemed like they were just a physical manifestation of the way she was resisting her feelings for him. He’d hoped getting her here away from the city and the Steeles might help.
When the bathroom door opened, all River could see was the nude silhouette of Morgan against the bright backlighting. The nightie was gone, with all of her curves on display. He could tell she was topless. The natural movement of her full breasts and their taut nipples were visible as she turned to face him, even from a distance. But as his eyes adjusted to the light, he noticed that she wasn’t entirely naked. Even after their discussion.
Morgan crossed the room, leaned over to the nightstand and flipped on the small lamp there. The light bathed the room in a golden glow that wasn’t too bright, but it was more light than he’d seen her in, as yet. Now he could see that she had on some clothing, but it was hard to complain about her choice of outfit. She had on a fire-engine red satin garter belt with red and black lace that stretched over her hips and tummy. The garters stretched down her creamy thighs and each clasp had a silk rosette that held up a sheer pair of black stockings. A hint of her bare skin was visible beneath the edge of the lace as she moved, and he was pretty sure there were no panties beneath the garter belt.
Then Morgan surprised him by turning around to give him the full view. Apparently, it wasn’t shyness that kept her partially covered. In the back, the lingerie had little more than a thin belt and another set of garters holding up the stockings. The plump curve of her bare ass was gloriously on display, confirming his suspicions about her missing panties.
“Damn,” he whispered as she turned back to face him. If she felt the need to wear something, River had to admit it was a great choice.
She pulled back the covers and slipped into the bed. “Is this okay?” she asked. “There shouldn’t be anything in your way.”
River could hardly speak for the lump in his throat. He only nodded and reached for her. “Come here,” he said at last with a rough voice.
Morgan immediately curled beside him, letting River cover every inch of her body with his own. He ran his hands over her stockings, loving the feel of them against his rough skin. She didn’t hesitate to part her silk-clad thighs as he moved higher, letting him seek out her heat with his hand.
She gasped and arched her back off the bed as he gently stroked her center. He teased at it at first, applying more pressure gradually until she was pressing her hips against his hand. He slipped one finger, then another inside of her, grinding harder until she was panting and squirming anxiously beneath him.
“I need you now, River,” she cried. “I don’t want to come without you.”
He stilled his hand, considering sending her over the edge anyway, but opted to give her what she wanted. With a condom in place, he nestled between her thighs and found his home there. He bit his lip and surged forward until he was buried deep inside her. He closed his eyes and savored t
he feeling of her heat wrapped around him. The soft stockings rubbing against his hips as she pulled up her legs to cradle him, the rough tickle of her lace garter belt against his stomach.
Even with that last scrap of clothing left behind, it seemed like a victory. He’d never felt closer to Morgan than he did at that moment.
She must have felt the same way, because they moved together as though they were one person. River refused to rush this time, slowing the pace to taste her mouth, her throat and her breasts. Tonight, they had all the time in the world together to enjoy this. He reveled in the sound of Morgan’s soft cries and the press of her fingertips into his shoulder blades. After the last few weeks together, he could even feel her release building up inside as her muscles tensed around him and her breath moved rapidly in her chest.
“River,” she gasped with an edge to her voice.
She was so close. He knew she would be after he’d taken her so far before. This time he wasn’t going to stop until she was screaming his name. “Don’t hold back, baby,” he whispered against the outer shell of her ear. “Just let it happen.”