“I apologize, but you must remember I am used to being on my own, without a keeper.”
“And you must remember you have a wife now,” she snapped, narrowing her eyes, anger flashing in them. Her chin tilted up. “And clearly, I have reason to worry.”
“This has never happened before.” Hell, he was the careful one. Josie was the one always getting into scrapes. “I am fine, and I can prove it to you.”
Reaching out, he caught her around the waist and pulled her flush against him, eliciting a gasp from her lips. Her robe and nightrail were gossamer thin between them, and she squished very nicely against his harder body, which hardened even more at the contact. His blood was already racing, heated from the dangers of this evening and Josie’s presence. Her eyes widening as her head tipped back to stare up at him, she smacked his chest, aghast.
“I do not want to do…that! I am angry with you! And you are injured!”
“Trust me, I am not injured enough to stop me from wanting to do this.” Leaning down, he caught her lips. He thought she would pull away, but after a moment’s hesitation, she wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him fiercely with all the pent-up frustration and anger she had accumulated.
Chapter 23
Josie
Men!And Elijah was the most infuriating of them to boot. The nitwit.
Unfortunately, she had become attached to him and had to admit there was something to be said for transmuting her anger into passion. It was hard to hold on to her temper when she was so relieved he was all right. Footpads! He was lucky he had not been injured worse.
The thought gave an extra intensity to her kiss. She clutched him, trying to find the balance between how badly she wanted to feel every inch of his body pressed against hers and the knowledge he was injured. Though, as he had said, he seemed perfectly fine now. If he was in any pain or discomfort, he was doing a good job hiding it.
When he tried to pick her up, her legs squeezed his sides, and he winced, then stumbled. Thankfully, they were close enough to the bed, they fell upon it, and he let out a low groan.
“Perfectly fine, indeed.” Josie snorted.
“I am mostly fine,” he conceded. “But maybe you should do the bulk of the work.”
Curious, Josie rolled to her side as Elijah took off his boots and pants, enjoying watching him disrobe. He really was a fine figure of a man, even more perfectly built than the Greek statues at the museum and far more attractive in face and form.
He carefully laid back against the pillows and crooked his finger, a small smile curving his lips. Josie crawled up the bed, allowing him to direct her, so she straddled his hips as if he was a horse. Except he was not a horse, and his very large, very erect manhood was rubbing between her thighs. Squirming, she tugged at the silky material of her gown, pulling it from between them.
“We should take this off,” he murmured.
Pushing the robe off her shoulders, she tugged the nightrail over her head, leaving her completely naked atop him. Josie’s cheeks pinked as he ran his gaze over her appreciatively. Her nipples puckered with interest, and her womanhood dampened as the length of his cock nestled between her lips.
Cupping her breasts, Elijah fondled them, making her squirm. He pinched her nipples, and she gasped at the little spurt of pain, arching her back and thrusting her breasts into his hands. Her insides clenched emptily as hot need slid through her, rising higher as he caressed her.
“Now, what do I do?” she asked hesitantly. He seemed content to play with her breasts while she remained perched atop him, but she thought she should be doing something.
Elijah
She really was an anxious little thing. Amused but aroused, Elijah cupped her breasts and squeezed. He loved the way she wriggled atop him, stimulating both while satisfying neither of them. The tease was its own satisfaction and highly erotic.
“You let me enjoy myself.” He gave her nipples another pinch and a twist, then took mercy on her—not by loosening his grip but by giving her further direction. “Put your hands behind your head and link your fingers together.”
Her breath hitched when she realized how the position pushed her breasts out, giving him further access.
Elijah grinned, enjoying every moment of her sensual torment. Truthfully, it gave him time to catch his breath. Despite his boasting, when he’d tried to lift her, and her legs had pressed into his side against his injury, it had been pure agony. It still throbbed, though the growing need for his passion was beginning to diminish the pain by comparison. Playing with her breasts was arousing both of them.
“Elijah…” She breathed out his name as he pinched her nipples harder, head tipping back, squirming even harder against his cock, coating his length with her slick arousal. The tease of being between her lips but not inside her body was its own sweet agony and far preferable to the actual pain from his injuries.
“Take the pain for me, minx.” He pinched harder, making her whimper, and her eyes fluttered shut. His cock pulsed against her wet folds, aching to be buried inside. He needed the validation he was here, alive, hale and hearty when at one point tonight he really had thought he was done for. “I want to see you writhing on my cock.”
Another whimper, more squirming, then she panted for breath when he released the tender buds, and they plumped up again, redder and more swollen.
Sliding his hands down to her hips, he gripped and lifted her.
“Up, Josie. You are going to mount me.”