With a bit of effort, she straddled him, her frothy skirt billowing over them both. His free hand made large circles on her back, then smaller ones as he got closer to her bum.
Acutely aware of the hot, thick length of his erection as it pressed against her, she began to move restlessly, craving friction. Craving an orgasm that wasn’t by her efforts alone.
“Are you wearing anything under this dress?” he asked against her throat.
“No.”
He reached between them, finding his way under her skirt with startling ease. She narrowed her eyes at him. “You’re very good at this.”
“I was always in demand for proms in high school and sorority formals in college, but don’t worry, I curbed my wild ways once I graduated,” he said right before his fingers came into contact with her mostly bare strip. “Ah, Duchess. You are a naughty woman.”
Before she could thank him for the compliment, he eased one finger inside of her, then another, and sucked a nipple back into his mouth. She rode him like that, with her wedding dress halfway off and him fully clothed. His thumb flicked at her clit, and she ground down on him harder.
“You want to come like this, or with me inside of you? I came prepared,” he said, licking the valley between her breasts. “I came prepared to fuck you, make love to you…whatever you want because that’s what I want too.”
She wanted it all, and she wanted it with him. Being with him like this made sense to her. She could lose control, allow him to lead, because this wasn’t about emotions. This was only about sex and orgasms.
Liar, a voice whispered in her head, but she ignored it. She couldn’t afford to want more from him.
He thrust up and she let out a cry, before she heard the sound of foil rip. Leaning back, she gathered up the skirt of her dress and watched as he tore his trousers open, freed his cock, and slid protection in place.
Grabbing her hips, he lifted her and said, “Ride me, Duchess.”
She was so wet for him, so slick that when the broad head of his erection nudged her, he began to slide inside immediately. She moaned at the sensation. His fingers tightened on her hips; hers dug into his shoulders.
She ground into him so hard that she was surprised the plane didn’t drop a few thousand feet.
As she moved, Noah whispered in her ear how good she felt, how deep he wanted to be, and if she could take a little more.
“Widen your thighs, baby, I have more to give you,” he said, his voice sinfully deep.
Obeying his command, she pushed her legs apart until she felt him slide in the smallest of distances. Noah cursed. Lowering his head a little, he clenched his jaw and began to thrust hard, making her breasts bounce.
“I can’t… Damn it. I thought…” The bridge of his nose flushed, and he shoved so deeply as he poured himself inside of her that she could barely take it. But she loved it. Oh my, did she love it. “I’ll make it up to you,” he swore as soon as he recovered.
Swiftly, he pulled out of her and pushed her back on the sofa. Drugged on lust and bewildered by his actions, she tried to sit up, but he gently held her down with one hand.
“Trust me,” he said, and then his mouth was between her thighs. His tongue was heavenly and hellish as he used it to both pleasure and tease. She let out a groan when he began to thrust it inside of her. His fingers soon replaced his wicked tongue, and his mouth covered her swollen clit.
He sucked hard and thrust into her even harder.
The beginnings of her orgasm bore down on her and she grabbed his hair, desperate to keep him in place. Her body melted, bones like rubber as she went over the edge. She writhed beneath him, her head thrashing back and forth as he continued to devour her. Another round of tremors racked her body as she came again and again, each orgasm blending into the next.
When at last he was satisfied he’d made it up to her, he stopped, kissed a path up the inside of her thigh, and then pulled her close to claim her mouth in a hot kiss that made her toes curl.
“I didn’t actually mean for this to happen. I’ve never wanted to be a member of the mile-high club,” he asked, his dark eyes searching her face as if he were seeking forgiveness.
“I’ve never allowed myself to even think of something like this,” she said and then settled against him, uncaring that her hair had come undone. There was no way she resembled the always-proper Kate Von Lichtenstein.
He kissed the top of her head. “I’m sorry.”
She glanced up, giving him a tender smile as she said, “I’m not sorry at all, and I’m especially not sorry I married you, Noah.”
*
Noah continued to hold and stroke Kate’s arm until she fell asleep. Despite the fact that he needed to get cleaned up, he didn’t want to leave her. He suspected she wanted him as much as he wanted her, but what had just happened between them was explosive.
Unexpected.
And he’d almost fucked it up by not only coming before her, but by screwing her in the cabin of a jet. Some husband he turned out to be.
Yes, he believed her when she said that she wasn’t sorry, but he’d put expectations on himself. He had standards to uphold. She deserved a man like that, even if she’d married a man whose background was no more noble than your average Joe.
He didn’t want to disappoint her. He also didn’t want her to regret marrying him. When he got back to Holland Springs, he would make her proud. He would take the money she’d given him and… Damn, he hoped to God he could do something more with it than just build houses.
Starting at the bottom again was an ego killer, and if he were honest, so was marrying a woman for her money. Kate made a small noise and he shifted her slightly, pulling the soft blanket that lay over the back of the sofa onto them.
Studying the woman in his arms, he brushed back tousled curls from her cheeks before running the backs of his knuckles along her jaw. This couldn’t be easy for her, to put herself out there like that. If he hadn’t come along, whom would she have turned to?
Would her parents really have forced her into marrying someone she didn’t want? In this day and time, it seemed impossible, but stranger things had happened, and in some cultures, arranged marriages were still taking place.
He closed his eyes and exhaled. Yeah, he might have let his need to protect her guide his actions. But none of that mattered now.
She was his wife. He would protect her. Vows had been made between them, and he would honor them for the rest of his life.
*
What seemed like minutes later, Noah woke up to a very proper-looking Kate eyeing him from her old spot on the sofa across the way. Her wedding dress had been replaced with a sleeveless, khaki-colored dress that had a slim red belt fastened around her waist. Her black hair was once again in place, worn in a low ponytail. Diamonds the size of his thumbnail adorned her ears, making the ring he’d given her look tiny in comparison.
When he continued to stare at her, she finally gave him a tremulous smile. His very proper wife still wasn’t completely comfortable around him, and she wasn’t as cool as she appeared to be either.
An odd pang hit him. Had she always had to be like this?
“You were sleeping so soundly that I couldn’t bear to wake you,” she finally blurted.
“Thank you,” he said as he sat up. He realized suddenly that his pants were still unbuttoned and half his junk was hanging out, but at least she’d covered him with the blanket.
“We’re to land in a bit. If you’d like to freshen up, there’s a full bathroom towards the back.”
Rising to his feet, he somehow managed to walk out from the main cabin to the bathroom with his dignity intact and jump in the surprisingly large shower. Then he entered one of the bedrooms and happened to find his suitcase on the bed.
Unsure of how much time he had, he quickly dressed and headed back to the main cabin just as the pilot made the final approach announcement.
He sat in the nearest chair and put on his seatbelt, then glanced at h
is wife. Kate had already done the same.
“After we land, we’ll have to take a boat to the resort.”
He wished he knew half as much as she did about the place they were going. The only thing that kept him from being so ornery was the fact that he’d paid for the honeymoon.
What was wrong with him? Her money and his lack of it hadn’t bothered him before, and she hadn’t rubbed his face it in once. Then again, they were newlyweds, and who knew what she would do once they were back to the real world.
Would she even want to be seen with him? Every old fear, every insecurity of not being good enough, attempted to dig its collective claws into him.
“I hope you love it. Your friend Gabriel assured me you would.”
He sliced his gaze to her. “You asked him where to go?”
She glanced away, biting her bottom lip. “I wanted to make sure you were comfortable. I know that things are done differently in your circles than in mine, and that you might feel a bit… out of sorts travelling with me.”
At her confession, he felt lower than low. While she’d been considering him all along, he’d started to pout and go on an ego trip. This was ridiculous. He’d never defined himself by how much money he made before now, and a large part of him wondered if it would be an issue with her, if their roles were reversed. Wasn’t he man enough not be intimidated by a woman who had more money than she could spend in three lifetimes? And if he weren’t, then he’d sure as hell learn how to be real fast.
“Because you picked it out, I know I’ll love it,” he said softly.
Her head jerked up. On her beautiful face, he witnessed hope and joy. The sight made his gut clench.
Chapter Six
‡
Kate sat, legs to one side, and watched as dolphins played a few meters away from the bungalow. The resort was exotic and beautiful in every way imaginable, and if she didn’t have to worry about her severely fair skin burning to a crisp—even with SPF 1000—she would still be enjoying the infinity pool that was only a step away.
Taking a sip from her daiquiri, she smiled and enjoyed the balmy breeze as it swept through the open floor plan. She almost felt like a cat, wanting to curl up in the sun like one, too, and sleep the day away.
But she was waiting on Noah to finish showering so they could go to dinner. He’d spent the better part of the day diving off the barrier reef at the tip of the resort. She’d declined his invitation to join, needing some time to herself. Just like she’d declined his sensual invitation to join him in the shower.
She was completely overwhelmed by her growing feelings for him each time they had sex. It wasn’t staying purely physical. Her heart was attempting to get involved, and no matter how hard she tried to control those bloody feelings… She let out a shuddering breath.
What if things went wrong? What if once they left paradise, he decided that being with her was too much trouble, too much drama, and abandoned her? She wasn’t stupid—she knew that her wealth could very well become a point of contention between them.
For the most part, Noah was a self-made man who worked hard for everything he had while she’d been born into a life of privilege.
She shook her head and set down her drink, trying to clear her head.
Dwelling on what could happen wouldn’t do. She would have to focus on what she wanted to happen. Only she wasn’t sure what she wanted to happen.
When she’d revealed her plans to Noah, they hadn’t included sleeping with him, and now that she had… she couldn’t imagine them not making love.
Dropping her head into her hands, she attempted to be practical about the situation, to be modern and self-assured, and not want to run back to what she knew. Or what she’d been taught her entire life.
Self-indulgence was practically a sin in her parents’ opinion. And marrying Noah to save herself was the worst sort of indulgence.
“Duchess.”
Her head snapped up.
She turned just in time to see her husband emerge from the shower, his body delectably wet. Her mouth went dry, and she had to swallow.
Kate’s phone vibrated, but she ignored it. Instead, she stood and made her way to the man who had made her forget everything that had been wrong and disappointing her life. The man who was making her completely vulnerable.
“Did you forget your towel?” She flicked her gaze to his groin, smiling in appreciation as his erection grew.
“I forgot you,” he said as he pulled her to him and began to nuzzle her neck in a spot that made her eyes water and her toes curl. “Let me wash you, Duchess.”
How could he be so sexily sweet? How could he make her regret not showering with him? They didn’t have much time, and when this fantasy came to its inevitable conclusion, she didn’t know what she would do next. Or if she would ever have another chance to be with him. Life had a remarkably funny way of taking what she wanted and needed most from her and giving it to another.
There was no way she’d allow another to take him from her—at least not while they were here, she amended.
She trailed kisses up his wet chest, her hands following. His muscles were hard under her palms, his body lean and all hers. She cupped him, staring into his eyes as she did. He groaned, his dark eyes flashing, and that made her more daring.
“Don’t move,” she ordered.
He gave her a wicked smile. “Yes, ma’am.”
Dropping to her knees, she took the hot length of him into her mouth.
He whispered her name, furrowed his hands through her hair, and held himself still while she kissed and sucked and stroked him, used her mouth and teeth and hands to make him come undone. Like he’d done to her countless times in the past two days.
His thick erection was like hot silk in her mouth, salty and slick from the shower and her ministrations. Peering up at him, she watched as his face contorted in pleasure, his jaw working as his chest heaved. White teeth bit at his bottom lip.
She loved to see him like this. Loved the power she held over him. She also loved the way he looked at her, like she was the only woman in the world.
“Kate,” he said, his hands coming to her face. “I missed you.” He stroked her cheek.
She had missed him as well, which was why she wanted to do this. She wanted to take advantage of their time together. She wanted to still feel him, months later, when she lay all alone in her bed on Bayswater.
When his legs began to shake, he attempted to pull away, but she took him deeper, grabbed his thighs, and held him close until she knew he had no other choice but to stay.
He groaned her name and muttered a curse as his orgasm flowed from him and into her mouth. She rested her head against his thigh for a moment, then he pulled her to her feet.
“Hullo, husband,” she said, slightly shy and more than a little pleased with herself. “What were you saying about the shower?”
“Hello, wife.” His face was flushed and his dark eyes glinted as began to undo the ties holding the wrap dress closed. With a soft whisper, it fell from her and onto the floor. “Forget the shower. It’s your turn.”
Sweeping her up in his strong arms, he carried her to the sofa and laid her down, then grabbed a condom from the table behind it.
Within minutes, he was deep inside of her and she was crying out his name.
*
The next afternoon, Kate lay sprawled on her stomach in the bed with her eyes closed as Noah ran his hands up and down her back. She was utterly satisfied in every way, and it felt bloody good.
“We haven’t done much talking.”
“That’s a good thing, yes?” she asked with a laugh and opened her eyes. “Five days in my company isn’t enough for you?”
“The first three have already flown by, so hell no.”
“I feel the same way,” she admitted softly.
“There’s been something I’ve been meaning to ask you, but I didn’t want to bring it up before now,” Noah said.
“Oh?”
“How did you inherit billions of dollars? Your parents are still alive.”
“My grandparents.”
“I’m so sorry.” His tone was genuine as was the concern on his face. How did she get so fortunate this time? “You should have told me that’s why you were so upset the night of the wedding. Those reporters had it all wrong, which here lately seems to be a current theme with the press,” he joked.
“Thank you, but they died over a decade ago, when I was seventeen. I’ve only recently inherited the money due the stipulation in the will,” she said, purposefully ignoring his bit about the media. “It was being held in trust for me, and with a bit of fancy wording, everyone thought my parents were the recipients, not I.”
“Smart planning. If I’d inherited a ton of money at that age,” he let out a low whistle, “pretty sure I would have wasted every single penny on fast cars, women, and beer, and I would have wanted it broadcasted the world over.”
She wrinkled her nose. “That’s because you haven’t experienced what I have.”
“Maybe.” He cocked his head to one side. “People just follow you around because you’re rich?”
“Don’t they do in the same in America?”
“Not exactly. Most people who get followed around like that are also in the spotlight for something else they’ve done, or they pitch their lives to a cable channel. The rest just keep on doing what they’ve always been doing—working.”
“It isn’t only because of my wealth or my family’s wealth—although that’s why they began following me in the beginning, but it’s the company my family keeps. As far as peerage, no one cares to talk about a baron’s daughter, not when there are single princesses and a prince around who love the spotlight. Besides, I am purposefully boring.”
“Yet, you have some high-profile friends, like the Romanovs, that you hang out with,” he pointed out.
“Only because I’ve known them since we were very young. Their father’s estate bordered ours.”
The Billionaire Bride Page 5