Darcie stilled. The pressure was intense as he slowly breached her entrance. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move. All senses burned. She went tight and soft, hot and shivery all at the same time and moaned helplessly in the power of it. With a guttural growl Elias thrust hard and took total possession of her body. She gasped, both shocked and sated in that very second. He was there.Hers. And the sharp, stabbing pain disappeared as quickly as it had hit.
‘Okay?’ A strained plea from Elias.
She panted as she nodded. He kissed her—long and sensuous and still with that generous tenderness and time. Finally he eased from her only to press back deeper. Then harder. Then again. And Darcie looped her arms around his strong, slick back and held on. Held him close.
‘Elias...’
‘More?’
‘Yes.’ Her eyes watered—not from pain, but from the pure pleasure and the deep, deep emotion of this moment. ‘Yes.Yes.’
It was glorious.Soglorious as he showed her—shifting their angle, alternating the pace, teasing her.Pleasingher. She was breathless in seconds, instinctively rising to meet him with her hips, with hands, mouth. With everything she had. Her nipples were so tight and she loved the rub of his chest against them. Pleasure shot along every nerve ending and as he choked and changed up his hold to clutch her even more tightly to him and she began to shake.
‘That’s it. Oh, Darcie—’
Her name was lost in his throaty growl of pleasure while she could only shudder as the ecstasy hurtled her into oblivion.
She didn’t know how long it was until he moved. But she kept her eyes closed, not wanting to return to reality. She wanted to remain floating in this bliss. Only then she felt him walking two fingers up her belly. They moved slow but firm, gently bypassing her navel before reaching her sternum. She quivered, passion and energy trickling back. Those two fingertips moved an inch or two higher. Her nipples tightened in anticipation.
‘Do I go left or right?’ A deep, murmuring tease.
The giggle just bubbled up. She opened her eyes, looking to see him on his side facing her, his head propped on one hand. He looked flushed and dishevelled and yet still impossibly debonair. And the gleam in his eyes was pure satisfaction.
‘You must be pretty pleased with yourself,’ she murmured. ‘I didn’t know it was like that. I didn’t know...’ What she’d been missing out on for so long. ‘Is it always...’
‘So wonderful?’ he said gently. ‘No. I’ve never had it that wonderful.’
‘You don’t have to say that. Don’t ruin it by—’
‘Telling the truth?’ One eyebrow rose. ‘The truth is you’re gorgeous, Darcie. Just gorgeous. And honestly I can’t stop wanting to touch you.’
He stole her breath. Her words. Her mouth was his...her whole body was his all over again.
‘For the record, you can touch me anytime you like.’ He shot her a smile a whole lot later.
‘Anytime, anyhow?’ She couldn’t resist teasing.
‘Basically.’
She laughed.
His smile widened. ‘You’re going to take advantage of that permission, aren’t you?’
‘Possibly.’ She shrugged, as if not that bothered. In truth she was going to do that any chance she had.
‘I’m so glad.’ He pulled her to rest against his chest.
Warm, sleepy, yet still intrigued, she traced the parts of him accessible to her with light fingertips—sating her curiosity, savouring the freedom she now had to touch him all she wanted. She glanced up and caught him gazing at her with an odd expression.
‘What?’ She paused her explorations.
But he covered her hand with his and pressed it back on his skin, encouraging her to continue. ‘I’m struggling to understand how it’s possible you’ve never had a sexual relationship before now.’
‘You know working for you has taken up almost every waking moment for the last three years,’ she muttered.
‘But before that? You’re twenty-three, Darcie. Was there no first love in your late teens?’
‘Not for me.’ She wrinkled her nose, because this totally wasn’t a topic she wanted to consider right now. But at the same time she appreciated his interest and she couldn’t resist opening up to him a little more. ‘I wasn’t...’ She shook her head awkwardly. ‘Zara always had a boyfriend. She was stunning and confident. I was the nerdy sidekick, third-wheel best friend who wasn’t good at any of that stuff.’