Her world was so hazy and she was so caught up in the storm she had no idea what he was asking.
“Open your legs, darlin’. Let me feel your desire there, too.”
Feeding on his voice, she complied, and his bold touch followed. She then knew what he’d been asking. Bewitching fingers circled, dallied. She arched and panted softly, “Rhine.”
“You’re so wet.”
The storm gathering in her body grew stronger with each indrawn breath. “Rhine,” she cried helplessly.
“Go ahead, darling, let it come, baby. I have you.”
Her legs widened, his wicked fingers continued to bestow their enthralling magic. Suddenly, the storm broke, crackling through her body like summer lightning, and she was flung to the stars, hoarsely screaming his name.
Eddy didn’t know how much time had passed, but when she opened her eyes he was smiling down. Still breathless, she asked, “What in heaven’s name was that?”
“An orgasm. When your body can’t hold any more pleasure it explodes sort of like black powder. Did you enjoy it?”
Embarrassment heated her cheeks and she turned away.
He gently turned her chin so she was again looking into his eyes. “There’s no shame in anything we do together,” he informed her quietly. “Only pleasure. Please don’t ever be ashamed of enjoying yourself.”
She’d never felt anything like the orgasm before. Even now remnants lingered, slowly beating between her thighs in cadence with her heart and breath. “Do men have orgasms, too?”
“Yes, but doing it properly usually results in babies, and we don’t want that right now.”
“No, we don’t.” But she wondered what a child made by the two of them might look like. Turning her mind away from that, she noted how limp yet full she felt. The logical and levelheaded old Eddy was appalled at how free she’d been with him, while the newly awakened woman inside wondered how long she had to wait to experience it again.
He repositioned her skirt and righted her shift. She shrugged back into her blouse and redid most of the buttons. “Thank you for the lesson.”
“You’re welcome.” He slid a worshipping finger down her cheek and he took on a serious air. “Marry me, Eddy.”
Hearing that, she sighed. “You know I can’t. Please don’t spoil our evening.”
“I’m not trying to, but I’m serious. Marry me.”
She looked away for a long moment and wondered why he’d bring up such a subject after what they’d shared. Maybe she understood it but it changed nothing. Yes, she loved him, but that didn’t change anything either. Turning back, she picked her words carefully. “You know what we’d be facing. It might look to be an easy road from where you sit, but it isn’t. You’re not Colored and I’m not White. Us being together is against the law almost everywhere.”
“But I’m not White either.”
She chuckled and shook her head. She thought back on all the good she was told he’d done on behalf of the city’s Colored community. “Maybe not inside.”
“Not outside either.”
When he didn’t say anything else it was as if he wanted the words to sink in. She met his steady gaze and the hair rose on the back of her neck. Gooseflesh prickled over her and she stared, agape.
“I’d like to tell you a story.”
Filled with wonder, she thought it couldn’t possibly be true. A hundred different questions ran riot through her brain.
“May I?”
Stunned by the implications, she nodded horselike.
“I was born to an enslaved woman named Azelia. The man who sired me was her slave owner, Carson Fontaine...”
Enthralled, Eddy listened as he told her about his life as a captive, his sister Sable and half siblings, Andrew and Mavis. Her heart broke hearing that Azelia took her own life after the birth of his sister, to prevent Carson Fontaine from siring any more children with her. Hurt filled her to learn he’d been five years old on that awful day and had no memory of his mother. “Oh, Rhine. I’m so sorry.”
“No more than I.”