She meant to tell him something else, but what she said was, "Don't stop, don't stop, please don't stop."
"I'm not planning to," he said, and nipped her ear. Stole another inch. Waited, let her feel him, adjust to the invasion, his thickness, his possession. "I'm sorry," she said, gasping again.
"Princess, you have nothing to apologize for." There was a kind of raw truth in his voice that made her feel so ecstatic that she arched, and he came home. All the way. His groan ripped from his lungs, and she would have done the same but she couldn't breathe; it felt that good.
And then he was sliding back, and it was like silk, easier the second time, better the third, dizzying the fourth... she lost track. He was braced against the rock on either side of her, kissing her deep and sweet, and all the time his hips were pumping back and forth.
Little thoughts floated through her mind and then were lost in a sea of pleasure. This was what it was like making love to a man, rather than a boy. It was all different: the heat, the strength, the—
She couldn't even count the ways it was different.
They were both sweaty now, and flames were licking at her legs, her stomach. She was arching against him, feeling every time he pushed back, but it wasn't quite happening.
Not quite.
And yet she couldn't—she didn't want to say anything. To direct him. To be—to be what Gideon thought she was.
But then he said, "Eleanor," and his voice was harsh and pleading at once, and she suddenly realized how ridiculous she was being.
"Here," she said in a gasp, and hooked one leg around his hip so she was just a bit higher, so that when he pumped it wasn't just pleasurable but pure, unadulterated paradise. "This way," she said, flinching because she was doing what she swore to herself she would never do again.
But it was Leopold, and he didn't look scandalized, or insulted; he just thrust. She actually cried out.
She heard him grunt with satisfaction but she couldn't think, couldn't speak, because he was hard and fast now, and a tidal wave of pleasure curled her toes and swept up her legs and threw her back onto the rock.
Her cries floated into the high blue sky and disappeared. His growl probably frightened some sleeping forest animal.
And then...
And then she found herself standing in his arms, her knees weak, her breath harsh in the quiet air.
"God damn," he said quietly. He had his arms around her but his forehead against the rock.
After she and Gideon had made love, all ten times, they had both been riddled by guilt afterwards.
He would swear that they would never do it again, not until he was of age and they were married.
And she would know that she had lured him to it, and feel guilty and slightly sick.
With Leopold there was none of that.
He finally lifted his head off the rock, and the look on his face had to approximate the grin on hers.
"We're good," he said. Then, "You're good."
She felt the smile fall from her face. "No," she said, "I'm not good at this. It's not a skill that I've developed. I just—"
"Hush," he said, putting his lips against hers. "I wasn't implying you were the Whore of Babylon. I was just saying that it was the best sex I ever had in my life."
It was a flat statement.
"Really?" she asked, hearing the incredulity in her voice. "Isn't this what—" She waved her hand.
"What I have all the time?" It was his turn to grin at her. Had she ever thought his eyes cold? They were full of laughter now, laughter and something else, the echo of desire. No, the presence of desire. He wanted her. Still.
It was something to think about. Gideon had always panicked after they made love, growing snappy and anxious.
Of course, he'd been just a boy, and it was years ago.
"You're thinking about him, aren't you?" He bit her ear, and not nicely either.
"It was so different," she said.
The nip turned into a kiss. "Yes."
She remembered suddenly. "Oyster?"
He didn't need to look so he must have already checked. "He's still asleep. How much does that dog sleep?"
"Most of the day. Every moment that he's not running in circles."
They should return to the house. People might be wondering whether they were. Lisette might notice...No, Lisette wouldn't notice. But someone else might.
"We should move," she whispered. His cheek was just beside hers, and he smelled potent and male, so she ran her tongue carefully over his skin. He tasted wonderful.
"You're right," Leopold said.
Some tiny part of her heart registered disappointment. Of course he was right. Gideon had always been right, too.
But standing straight just meant that she was in full contact with his body. And at least part of him was interested in...