The Prince’s Forbidden Lover(22)

And damn it! Once again, they were in a place where he wasn’t able to follow through. “Joline, we have to try this again when we’re in a more private place,” he urged, lifting his head but he couldn’t stop his hands from touching her. She just felt too good, so soft and feminine everywhere!

Joline pulled out of his arms, trying hard to look around and get her bearings. “You have to stop doing that to me,” she told him with anger growing in her voice. “This has to stop.” She ignored the fact that she’d started the kiss this time around.

He laughed but there was a painful quality to the sound. “We’ll stop when we’re both satisfied.”

She lifted her hand. “I’m satisfied!” she exclaimed, pushing her hair off of her face. “I’m totally satisfied.”

He shook his head. “You aren’t right at the moment, but I’m guessing that’s because you’ve never been with a man who knows how to satisfy you. Is that correct?”

She was having trouble listening to him when his thumb was rubbing against her waist like that. She suddenly realized that his thumb was underneath her shirt! How had that happened? And when had it happened?

She grabbed his wrist and tried to pull his hand away, but his thumb wasn’t budging. “I’ve never been with a man!” she told him furiously, then froze when she realized what she’d just said. “I mean…I haven’t…I didn’t mean…”

Rais was still for all of five, maybe ten seconds as the import of her words sunk into his brain. “I’m guessing you’re not trying to tell me that you’ve been with a woman, are you?” he suggested. At the disgruntled look in her beautiful, hazel eyes, he threw back his head and laughed, thrilled to know that she’d never given herself to a man as she was going to give herself to him. She would be all his.

He grunted when he felt her jab him in the stomach even though it didn’t hurt him. She’d barely even punched him but it was enough to get his attention. “Sorry,” he told her.

“A woman admits that she’s…well…you know…”

“A virgin?” he filled in helpfully, ignoring her feeble attempts to get his hands off of her waist.

“Yes,” she hissed. “And you laugh? Is that really the right response?”

He chuckled again. “No. Probably not the best way to react. But I’ll let you know something,” he told her and bent lower to nibble on her neck, enjoying the way she shivered and leaned into him even as she still tried to grip his hands and pull them away from her. Not that it was working.

Joline grabbed each of this thumbs with her fists, trying to pull his hands away but it was impossible. The man was just stronger than she was. Perhaps her efforts weren’t as wholehearted as she should have mustered, but…even so! “You’re going to leave me alone and let me go out with Toby?”

“Hell no!” he told her and nipped her earlobe as punishment for suggesting anything so insane.

“What?” she demanded, hoping to distract him but then his hand slid up higher onto her ribcage and she bit her lower lip to keep herself from begging him to touch her breast. Closing her eyes, she unconsciously let her head fall backwards, eyes closed. All of her attention was on that hand that was so precariously close to her breast. She was aching to feel his hands there, right…yes! Just a little higher, she silently begged. She wasn’t aware of her fingers loosening around his wrist. Or the way his other hand was unbuttoning her shirt, releasing the clasp on her bra.

“Don’t move,” he told her, looking down at her breasts that were finally bared to his gaze. She had perfect breasts, he thought. Full and pert, her nipples pink and tight, just begging him to taste them.

Joline flinched when she felt the first touch of his fingers on her breast, his thumb rubbing against her nipple. When it moved away, she gasped and grabbed his hand, pressing his fingers against her breast.

“Move your hand, Joline,” he commanded, his voice deep and husky but his fingers didn’t move.

“Please,” she whimpered. Her eyes were still closed, but every muscle in her body was tense, waiting for his touch, needing that almost painful pleasure.

“I’ll give you what you want, but let go.”

Her fingers splayed out against his hand, begging him to stop and to continue. She’d had no idea that her body was this sensitive!

Rais waited, watching as she tried to decide. Was she going to hide her reactions and hold his hand? Or was she going to be brave and release him?

The seconds ticked by and he continued to wait, hoping she’d make the right decision.