Sinful Nights(24)

A man could be in danger of forgetting that he's only mortal under a  look like that,' Blake told her throatily, sliding his hand round her  throat, his thumb under her chin tilting her face up to meet his.

Passion blazed into life as they kissed, her mouth opening willingly to  admit the penetration of his tongue, seeking, taking all the warm  sweetness she gave up so willingly.

Blake's free hand was resting possessively against her thigh, a heavy  warm weight that tantalised and excited her, her own fingers stroking  and cajoling the strong muscles of his back, sliding round to  investigate the sharp angles of his hips, moving in restless, roving  urgency as she responded to the hunger in Blake's kiss.    

 



 

He released her to tease a chain of moist caresses in a line that  investigated the valley between her breast and the slight well of her  stomach.

The restless urgency in the pit of her stomach increased and in  obedience to its commands Sapphire brushed her own lips against the  firmness of Blake's belly, thrilling to the sudden tension in muscles  finely tuned to her light touch. His skin tasted warm and slightly  salty, its flavour almost addictive. Lost in the veil of pleasure  touching him had revealed to her, she let her lips travel where they  wished barely aware of Blake's harsh groan of protest until he snatched  her up, rolling her beneath the constraining weight of his body, parting  her legs with his thigh, muttering her name like a litany as his  fingers touched her intimately, making her yield and ache for his  possession.

Far beyond remembering the accusation that had preceded their  lovemaking, Sapphire wasn't ready for the unexpected burst of pain. Her  muscles tensed immediately, shock mingling with hurt as she fought to  understand the too-swift transition from pleasure to pain.

Above her she heard Blake curse, a fiercely bitter sound, his body  withdrawing from hers. Suddenly the pain was gone, and shamelessly she  clung to him, refusing to let him go, her eyes pleading mutely with him  as her fingers dug into his shoulders, her soft, Blake, please  … '  dragging an anguished mutter of response from his throat as he tensed  and then shuddered and her body melted in welcome to his, her senses  singing with pleasure.

Never had pleasure seemed so tangible, her body was awash with it,  glowing, so supremely fulfilled that she wanted to tell the whole world.  Stretching indolently she turned her head. Blake was lying inches away,  his eyes open, his expression sombre. Of course, this wasn't the first  time he had experienced such feelings-not by a long way.

There's never been anyone else, has there?' he asked the question in a  flat voice that drained her pleasure as effectively as a tap being  turned on. Sapphire shook her head.

Then for God's sake why didn't you say so?'

No need to ask if he was regretting making love to her. It was there,  written all over his face, etching into his scathing voice.

I didn't think you'd listen.' She turned away from him, not wanting him  to see how vulnerable she was. Neither of them had mentioned love  …  but  silently in her heart she had told him how she felt about him, just as  her body told his how much it worshipped and adored him,

So you decided to let me find out for myself?'

I didn't think I could have stopped you.'

Half-a-dozen words or so would have done it-"I'm still a virgin", for instance.'

Sapphire arched her eyebrows, turning back to face him. And you'd have  believed me?' She turned away again. I'd better get dressed  … '

No.' Blake's voice was sharp. He swung himself out of bed. No, stay  here and rest for a while, I'll go down and make you a drink.'

I'm not an invalid, Blake,' she protested, flushing as his eyes studied  her pale skin and slender body. Still bathed in the warm afterglow of  their lovemaking she hadn't bothered to cover herself, but now she felt a  need to do so, chilled by the way Blake was studying her. Was he  comparing her to Miranda? She felt sick at the thought.

You're not exactly in the peak of health either,' he told her still  watching her. There was a dark, brooding quality to his look that  saddened her. Was he already regretting what had happened?

She reached out towards him, her eyes unconsciously pleading, Blake, I  … '

Stay here and rest.' He had his back to her and was already getting  dressed. Feeling dejected, Sapphire huddled beneath the bed-clothes.  Plainly Blake didn't want to talk to her. She closed her eyes, knowing  she should regret what had happened but knowing that she did not. Where  was her pride? When Blake left the easy, weak tears of physical release  flowed for a few seconds and then stopped. By the time he came back with  her tea Sapphire was fast asleep. He stood watching her for several  seconds with shuttered eyes, before turning to leave, his face grim.





CHAPTER NINE


SAPPHIRE, we have to talk.'

They were sitting in front of the log fire she had lit just before  dinner. Blake had suggested they have their coffee there and now she  tensed dreading what he might be about to say. She had been awaiting  this moment with mingled apprehension and anguish ever since she had  woken up this afternoon. Had Blake guessed that she still loved him? Was  he going to tell her that what had happened between them had been  caused by some mental aberration. That he would never have made love to  her had he been in his right senses? Was he going to tell her about  Miranda?    

 



 

She risked a glance at him. He was sitting opposite her on a chair, his  upper body leaning forward, elbows braced on his thighs as he dropped  his head into his hands and pushed weary fingers through his hair.

A wave of love overwhelmed her. She wanted to reach out and touch him;  to wipe away the lines of exhaustion fanning out from his eyes; to touch  and caress him, to  …

Sapphire!' The tone of his voice warned her that he knew her thoughts  were wandering, his fingers steepled together as he watched her over  them, the liquid gold of his eyes dulled, their expression almost stark.

I never intended what happened this afternoon to take place,' he began  abruptly, causing a thousand sharp knives to tear jaggedly at Sapphire's  aching heart.

I know that,' she interrupted curtly. I do have a memory, Blake, I'm  well aware of the fact that you don't find me desirable. When we first  married  … '

Don't be ridiculous, of course I find you desirable.' Angry fingers  raked through his hair again. Hell, Sapphire,' he growled impatiently,  you're not that innocent. If I don't desire you what the hell do you  think that was all about this afternoon?'

Colour flamed momentarily in her face as she recalled the fierce  intensity of their lovemaking; the feeling she had had at the time that  both of them were suffering from the same driven compulsion; the same  starving hunger. Quickly she reminded herself of the past, of the early  days of their marriage. You may desire me now, Blake, but when we were  first married, you couldn't bear to touch me; you  … '

I don't want to talk about the past.' His voice was clipped and  brusque, defying her to continue the subject. We're living in the  present now, Sapphire, and despite everything we said before we  re-married, it must be as obvious to you now, as it is to me, that we  can't live together platonically.'

Her muscles seemed to be seized in a paralysing grip, her body totally  unable to function, and then as the great wave of pain crashed down over  her Sapphire knew her immobility was simply a defensive measure; a way  of stopping the pain, only it had failed miserably. It seemed to fill  every corner of her, drowning out pride and reserve. She wanted to cry  out to Blake not to send her away; she wanted to plead with him to stay  with her, but instead she remained unspeaking, dreading opening her  mouth in case she voiced her anguished thoughts.

Well?'

Blake was plainly waiting for a response, and when she didn't make one,  said tersely, Come on, Sapphire, I know you  …  you were a virgin-and  that fact alone merely reinforces what I feel-but you must know that  sexually we're extremely compatible, almost explosively so,' he muttered  half under his breath.

His words were so totally at variance to what she had expected to hear  that Sapphire simply stared at him. Come on,' Blake demanded  half-aggressively, Admit it Sapphire, when I made love to you, you  enjoyed it. You  … '

Yes.' Her simple admission seemed to rob him of breath. I did enjoy it, Blake.'

Colour lay dark red along the ridge of his cheekbones, his eyes the  flaming gold she remembered from that afternoon, their gaze trained on  her, tracking every betraying expression that crossed her face. He  breathed deeply, exhaling slowly, his chest rising and falling with the  effort.

Why were you still a virgin?' He was looking directly at her, and  Sapphire knew an insane desire to laugh. Pure nerves she told herself,  taking a deep breath of her own to steady her.

At first when I left here I felt too bruised mentally to even think of  loving anyone. Later  … ' she shrugged, Well, there just wasn't anyone I  wanted, and then I met Alan  … '