“Sweet Claire,” Simon whispered, regaining his feet.
She knew he was looking at her, but she had no strength to open her eyes. He kissed her, and her body stirred to life. He left her briefly and Claire heard him blow out the candle, and then she was in his arms.
“Simon?”
He brushed another kiss on her lips. “Sssh, Claire. We are safe from detection, and I have your nightdress.”
She didn’t speak again, just laid her cheek on his chest and let him carry her through the quiet house. Tomorrow there would be questions to answer and futures to discuss, but for now, there was just them.
His door was open, and he walked inside and closed it with his foot. Carrying her to the bed, he lowered her onto the edge and then moved away to pull off his breeches and shirt. He’d left his curtains open, so she could see him as he approached her, see the hard muscled planes of his stomach and long legs. He was the beautiful one, and she wanted to touch him again, feel all that strength in her hands.
Standing, Claire moved towards him, then lifted her hands and placed them on his chest. “I-I want to touch you again, Simon.”
He took one of her hands and kissed it. “I want to touch you more.”
His fingers stroked her hair as she ran her hands over his chest, and when she leant forward and placed a hot, open-mouthed kiss just above his heart, the fingers clenched briefly. Moving to his nipples, she circled and sucked, causing the breath to hiss from his lips. She smoothed a hand down his stomach until she felt the jut of his arousal. Trailing her fingers down the rigid length, she caressed him.
“Ah god, Claire, that feels so good.” He wrapped her hair around his hands and tugged her head back for a kiss as she stroked him. Soon, he began to thrust against her fingers, and then his hand covered hers and he eased hers free and lifted it to his neck. “I cannot take much more, sweetheart.” Leading her back to the bed, he sat on the edge and then urged her to straddle his legs. “Now, Claire, take me inside you.”
Claire let him guide her onto his lap, her knees straddling his thighs, and she felt the tip of his arousal push against her.
“There will be pain, sweetheart.”
She didn’t speak, instead, slowly eased herself down onto him. Claire could feel him stretching her, filling her. She felt Simon’s hands on her breasts as he began to caress her again, the sensations stirring her passions. Lowering herself, she felt the sharp stab of pain, and then he was inside her.
“Easy now, love–adjust to me.”
His jaw was clenched and his body tense beneath her. Claire knew he was trying to remain still until she was ready to move, and she loved him all the more for thinking of her. Slowly, her body adjusted, so she rose up and lowered herself again, enjoying the feel of him sliding deeper inside her. It was wonderful. It was as if they were one, and the sensations had her doing it again and again. He moaned beneath her, his hands gripping her hips, and suddenly she was lowering as he was thrusting upwards, and lord, it was magnificent.
“Claire, Claire.” Her name was a chant on Simon’s lips as he drove up into her, creating sensation after wonderful sensation inside her. Suddenly, he rolled and placed her beneath him, and she was surrounded by his big body. Her legs wrapped themselves around his hips, and suddenly she felt the wonderful sensations of before begin to build inside her again.
“Let go, Claire–I’ll catch you.”
She did, and a low, keening sound came from her lips as she scaled the heights of ecstasy once more, and with two more thrusts, Simon followed, then slumped down on top of her. Their limbs were tangled; their bodies, dampened by sweat. Claire kept her arms wrapped around his neck as their hearts thudded against each other.
“Let me go, Claire. I’m too heavy.”
She did so reluctantly. He pulled the covers over them and then settled her onto his chest.
“Sleep now. Tomorrow is soon enough to think again.”
She felt him relax, and soon, the gentle rhythm of his breathing told her he slept. Of course she would not do the same, she thought with a big yawn.
Claire woke as the sun began to rise. Turning her head on the pillow, she looked at Simon for long minutes, committing his handsome face to her memory. He had given her so much already, but last night he had shown her the wonderful things a man and a woman could experience. She loved him, of course, and could acknowledge that to herself here in his bed. However, it was now time to set him free.
Slipping from the bed, she pulled on her nightdress and then hurried back to her room. She would never regret making love with him, yet in doing so, she had complicated matters more. He was an honorable man, and she had no doubt he felt something for her, especially after what they had shared. However it was not love, and whilst she was once prepared to settle for less, she would not do so now, not knowing she loved Simon. It wasn’t a startling revelation. She had simply avoided acknowledging it until last night. However it was because she loved him that she would not allow him to settle for less in his future wife.