CHAPTER12
Edward couldn’t stop the kiss, for he didn’t want to. He didn’t care if the bickering had brought them to this passionate moment, or the happiness of seeing Esther smile, either way, he couldn’t even consider ending this kiss.
Julia has changed everything.
Her hands gripped his arms as he turned her toward the desk, moving her body against his. Lifting her gently, he placed her on the very edge of the desk, the better to kiss her, loving the way she gasped into that kiss. It was a battle, their tongues fighting for dominance. It was a battle she was winning until she suddenly retreated, pressing her hands into his chest.
“Wait,” she begged breathlessly. He stopped, as she asked, and removed his hands from her. He placed them either side of her on the desk, listening to her pant and try to catch her breath. “Why do you kiss me like that?” she asked.
“Because I wish to. Is that so awful a thing?” he asked, his voice quiet.
“No.” She shook her head a little and reached up with her arms. When her hands wrapped around the back of his neck, he sank into that touch, adoring the way she was clinging to him. He leaned down, resting his face in the crook of her neck. He placed a single kiss there, soft and gentle, listening to her breath hiss in surprise and pleasure.
“I’ve noticed, you keep kissing me back, Julia,” he whispered, lifting his head a little, so that their eyes met.
“It’s because I wish to, as well.” Her confession was enough for him. He moved toward her.
“May I kiss you again?” he asked.
“On one condition.” She held up a finger between them.
“Anything.” He rested his forehead against hers, feeling the temptation to kiss her so strong in the air that the gap between them practically sizzled.
“Show me something of what you meant, by stolen touches.” She bit her lip, almost nervous, turning those pink lips pinker. He lifted his head off hers, staring into her eyes to make sure he had heard her right.
“You wish to know?” he asked softly.
“I do. Would you show me something of what you meant?”
It was everything he had wanted, and everything he had dreamt of in the past few nights.
“You can tell me to stop at any time,” he whispered to her, and she nodded.
When he returned his lips to hers, there were no more words, only kisses and heated touches. Her hands drifted down from his neck to his jacket. He took off that jacket, encouraging her to help him, so that the tailcoat was dropped to the floor. Next, he reached for her. Gently, with his hands resting on the curve of her waist and hips, he drew her to the edge of the desk. She arched against him for another kiss, making his body tremble with desire, before he softly took her knees through the gown and parted them.
Their kiss halted as they held each other’s gaze. Her blush had now grown greater than he had ever seen it, as he began to slowly draw her gown up her legs, revealing more and more of those long legs. When he first touched her, her breathing heaved and she clutched the desk beneath her, anchoring herself to it. He moved the fingers of one of his hands up her leg, watching as she closed her eyes and moaned.
“Stolen touches,” she repeated in an intoxicating whisper. He leaned toward her as he listened to those memorized words, placing his lips near her ear.
“There is more to come,” he promised. Placing his lips to her neck, he found a sweet spot. Detecting that it made her moan and gasp, he gave it due attention, playfully nipping and kissing her there as his hand raised further.
Gradually, his hand disappeared beneath the hem of her gown as he reached for her center. The moment he touched her, there was a change. Her hands gripped to his arms instead of the desk beneath her and her legs quivered.
She was wet and warm for him, making him bold with his touches. He lifted his face from her neck, just enough to watch her expression. He wanted her to enjoy this moment as much as possible. He had dreamed of it too much for it to be anything else!
“Edward…” she moaned his name repeatedly, arching her back all the more as she leaned back on the desk. She was giving him more access to her. He slipped his fingers inside of her, rather than staying outside, then looped his other arm around her waist, the better to hold her close to him in this passion. Her moaning grew bolder. He looked to the shut door, thankful he had turned the lock, then he pressed his lips to hers, quietening her moans.
Within minutes, he could feel her body tightening around him, yet it was different to anything he had ever felt before. She truly gripped to him, as if he was the thing that mattered, more so than the pleasure. When she hit that peak of pleasure, their kiss parted, and his name fell from her lips another time. He rode out her wave, feeling every last inch of her tremors. Never once did he stop moving, though he pulled his hips back from her a little.
His body had risen with the passion and desire for her, but he would not take her. That was not what this moment was about. This was about Julia and about her pleasure, not his.
She leaned back on the desk, still panting as she came down from her high. When their eyes locked, she smiled, and he removed his fingers from her.
“I didn’t think it would be like that,” she said softly, shaking her head a little.
“Believe me, it can get better than that, Julia.” He was finding it hard not to touch her, and still trailed his fingers down her legs, watching as she quivered all the more at his touch. It was the best feeling he had known.
“We probably shouldn’t have done it,” Julia said a few seconds later, biting her lip. Her words made him stop touching her and sigh. He leaned forward, placing his hands either side of her on the desk and moving his lips to hover of hers. “Our betrothal is fake, Edward.”