Lily woke early the next morning. She smiled to herself, remembering the ball. She had enjoyed it, to her surprise. Lord Victor had been charming company, although she didn’t wish to encourage him. Somehow, she had to get him interested in Alexandra.

And the duke. His kiss and his dance edged their way into Lily’s mind more often than she desired. Consciously, she banished them.

Lily brushed out her hair and plaited it, letting the long braid hang down her back. She dressed in a morning gown of pale orange and put on her ankle boots. The men would no doubt be meeting to begin their hunt. She decided to give them a few more moments before descending. Most of the women would still be abed due to the late hour of the ball last evening. Lily intended to take her art supplies and do some painting. She gathered her leather case that held her watercolors and paper. She took out a pint-sized jar, filled it with water from the basin, and capped it and put it in her case. She dropped her writing journal into the case as well. Then she left the room quietly. Rose was still breathing steadily in slumber.

She enlisted a young servant to carry her supplies and walked toward the alcove. Servants were hurrying about on the front lawn, setting up tables and chairs for the ladies’ lawn party that afternoon. In about ten minutes, she found the rocky path she had walked across eight years ago, and in the distance the stony alcove beckoned. The bench was still there, although foliage had grown over parts of it.

Lily dismissed the servant and hummed softly to herself as she set up her easel, placed a watercolor board upon it, and tied an apron around her waist. She opened her jar of water and saturated the paper. Delving in to the case again for her colors, she spied the painting she had brought from home. She looked beyond at the landscape she had painted. Remarkably, it hadn’t changed much in eight years, except no color bloomed now. It had been early autumn during her last visit. She put the painting back in her case and decided to start fresh. She continued humming as she mixed color for the sky, which was scattered with wispy white clouds. A bird twittered in the distance, and Lily stopped in mid stroke. She jotted a few sentences in her journal describing the sounds in the alcove and then went back to her painting.

---

Daniel stood several yards back. He smiled as he watched Lily paint, write, paint, and write. He’d first seen her years ago, in this very spot. She had been lovely, her dark hair and eyes promising true beauty as she matured. She had not disappointed. She dipped her head a bit as she mixed more color, and then she added some lush green to the light blue of her painting. Her strokes were deliberate, leaving the color in silky caresses on the paper. She turned again to her journal and wrote for a few moments, and then went back to painting. She changed to a thin brush and drew some delicate brown lines on her board.

Daniel stole forward. “My lady.”

She turned, startled. He recalled with a smile how she had stood up eight years ago, spilling her tin of water. She remained seated this time.

“Good morning, Your Grace. What are you doing here?”

She sounded remarkably calm at his presence. For some reason, this bothered Daniel.

“It is my estate,” he said.

“Why aren’t you on the hunt with the others?”

“I have some business to attend to this afternoon, so I decided to skip the hunt.”

“What on earth are you skulking about for then? I didn’t think men of your station were inclined to rise before noon.”

Daniel chuckled softly. “It seems you have some rather interesting ideas regarding men of my station.”

“You haven’t done anything to make me cast my notions to the wind.” Lily reached for her journal.

“Perhaps I can change your mind about some of your generalizations,” he said. “What are you writing?”

“Nothing much. Just descriptions really. I find that my painting and my writing often go hand in hand.”

“Really? Which do you prefer? Painting or writing?”

Lily turned her gaze to the horizon. “I’m not sure I could say. I suppose I can never decide, which is why I do both at the same time.”

Daniel regarded her with amusement. “I don’t think I’ve ever known anyone like you.”

The porcelain skin on her neck pinked. “You don’t really know me.”

Good Lord, she’s beautiful. “I’d like to.”

The pink on her nape turned to crimson. “You would, would you? I suppose I should be flattered. However, I’m disinclined to associate myself with a gentleman—and I use the term loosely—of your reputation.”

An insult. Not many ladies would dare. She was a delight! Daniel reached to touch her. Her physical charms were overwhelming to any man, but what enticed him most was her loose-tongued sharpness. Clearly she cared little for propriety. He dropped his arm back to his side and ignored her comment.

“My lady, please, I must ask you again for your forgiveness for my behavior last evening.”

“Don’t give it a thought, Your Grace. I’m sure I’m not the first innocent maiden who found herself entrapped in your snare.”

“I wish you would stop joking.”

“I’m not joking.”

“Oh.” Daniel stepped backward. Oh, she was audacious, this one. And so beautiful and intriguing. “Then if you would allow me to make it up to you in some way…”

Lily put down her journal and stood, turning to face him. She wiped her hands on the apron covering her skirt. Daniel’s skin heated as her cognac eyes pierced his. She opened her mouth, but no words emerged.

“Yes?” he urged.

She bit her lip. “Your Grace, there is something that you could do for me.”

“Anything, my lady.”

“I would like to see your art collection.” She spoke quickly, her voice softening with each catch of her breath. “It’s rumored to be one of the finest in England, and my brother told me that it could only be viewed by private invitation. I have a passion for art, Your Grace, and Vermeer is one of my favorites. You do have a Vermeer, do you not?”

He grinned. “I do.”

“I know this must seem very forward, but I’ve been excited about this trip to Laurel Ridge for quite some time. To actually see a Vermeer! The thought of being close to something that he touched. I suppose this must sound crazy to you, but, well, to tell you the truth, I had planned to find it myself…”

“So you thought you’d do a little investigating, did you?” He smiled, enjoying her nervousness.

“No, of course not.” She blushed. The rosiness crept down her neck to the swells of her plump bosom. “Well, yes, actually.”

“Is that by any chance what you were doing last night, when I…caught you?”

Lily looked to the ground. “Yes, I suppose it was. I stole onto the terrace and was planning to go around to the front entrance and sneak through the house until I found it. Everyone was at the ball, so I figured it was a perfect time to have a look.”

“You would have found some beautiful pieces, but I’m afraid the Vermeer would have eluded you.”

She looked up. “Why is that?”

“Because I keep it in a very special place. A place you wouldn’t have dared to look.”

“Where?”

“My bedchamber.” He couldn’t help himself. He gave her his best rakish grin.

“Oh.” Her dark eyes radiated disappointment. “I suppose I shall never see it then.”

“Nonsense. I would be happy to show it to you.” Oh, I would indeed.

“I can’t possibly go to your bedchamber. It would be highly improper.” She bit her lip again.

That soft plump lower lip, so satiny against his own last night… Damn. His cock twitched. “My lady, you don’t strike me as a woman who would let convention keep you from something you want.”

“I don’t know why you feel it necessary to insult me, Your Grace.” Lily reddened again, but she spoke with eloquence. “After all, you are the one who has behaved abominably.”

“You are right, of course, and I meant no insult.” He touched her arm lightly and his cock jerked again. “But my lady, it’s just a painting, and it happens to hang in my bedchamber. If you would like to see it, I will show it to you. I did promise to do anything you wanted to make up for my unforgivable behavior last night.”

“Oh, I do so want to see it.”

“Would it help if I gave you my solemn promise to keep you at arm’s length the entire time we are there?”

“I’m not sure I would believe such a promise.”

“Just as well, since I’m not sure I can make it.” He winked at her.

Lily widened her beautiful eyes. “Goodness…”

“Come with me,” Daniel said. “I will escort you to the house, and it will be my pleasure to show you the Vermeer. It’s been a long time since a woman has wanted to come to my bedchamber for something other than—”

“Your Grace, please.”

She was absolutely lovely when she blushed. He waited a few seconds, hoping her passion for Vermeer would win over convention.

“All right, Your Grace.” She took his offered arm. “May I leave my art supplies out here?”

“I’ll have someone take care of it. They’ll be delivered to your chamber.”

“Actually, give me just a minute. I’ll get things in order. I don’t want to leave my journal sitting out here, and this painting isn’t finished yet, obviously. I would like to…but I can’t possibly finish it today, can I? By the time we get back, the light will have changed significantly. Damn.”

Daniel smiled at her curse. She didn’t seem to notice that she’d said it.

“I may as well put this all away now,” she continued. “I’ll have to come back out tomorrow at the same time.”

“If you would like to complete your work, we can see the Vermeer later.” Daniel ran his finger lightly over her forearm. God, he loved touching her. “I can think of nothing I would rather do, actually, than watch you paint.”

Lily whisked her arm away. “Surely you have better things to occupy your time, Your Grace.”

“Not really.” He leaned against the bench as she covered her watercolor palette.

“As much as I would like to finish, I really want to see the Vermeer. So I shall continue this on the morrow.” She hastily packed her supply case. As she bent to slide in the unfinished painting, the edge of another piece caught Daniel’s eye.

“What is that one?” he asked.

“Oh, this? I actually painted this same scene when I was last here. I brought it with me to see how the landscape had changed. However, it seems my perception is what has changed.”

“May I see it?”

“I suppose, if you want to. But my technique wasn’t really up to par then. It’s not very good.”

“Let me be the judge of that.” He regarded the painting. “My lady, this is truly lovely. I remember you painting it. Do recall our first meeting?”

Lily blushed again. “I believe so. I was just a child.”

“I remember thinking that you had a remarkable gift. I can see that I was correct.”

“Th-Thank you,” she stammered. “But I’m a much better painter now. That work is just, well, yes, it’s pretty, I agree, but—”

“Nonsense, it’s wonderful. May I?” He pulled out the unfinished watercolor and compared the two. “Yes, your technique has definitely improved, but this one shows your talent when it was raw and untamed. There’s an innocence to it, yet a wildness as well.”

“I’m…glad you appreciate it, Your Grace.”

“I do, my lady. Perhaps you should return to Laurel Ridge more frequently and paint the same scene. It would be incredibly interesting to see how your perception changes over time.”

“Certainly, I would…love to return sometime. I’m sure my family would appreciate another invitation.” She fidgeted. “May I have the painting? I’m almost finished putting everything in order. I cannot wait to see the Vermeer.” Lily put both paintings away.

“Please, allow me.” Daniel took her supply case but set it on the bench. He moistened his thumb in his mouth and rubbed it across Lily’s jawline. Her skin was warm and oh so soft.

“Your Grace?”

“You have the most adorable smudge of blue paint on your lovely face.”

There went the rosy flush again. “If it’s so adorable, why are you removing it?”

Daniel warmed and gave a half smile. “Are you flirting with me, my lady?”

“Your Grace, of course not.”

“Folly. I was hoping you were.” Daniel lifted her supply case and led her out of the alcove toward the main house. “You know, I don’t usually escort a lovely lady to my chamber during midmorning. What will the servants think?”

Lily cleared her throat. “I would appreciate discretion, Your Grace.”

“Of course, I was only teasing. No one will know that you’ve been to my chamber. I promise you.”

---

When they reached the house, Daniel handed Lily’s supplies to a servant with orders to deliver them to her chamber and then led her through the dining hall and kitchen where cooks were busy preparing the luncheon. She felt extremely conspicuous, but no one seemed to notice them. He led her up a back stairway to his suite on the third floor.

They entered a large sitting room decorated in an eastern style. A large sofa covered in a fiery red brocade graced one wall. An intricate Oriental rug covered the floor and was so plush that Lily’s shoes sank down at least an inch as she stood on it. Two leather armchairs surrounded a mahogany reading table, and two tall elegant barristers’ bookcases lined one wall, housing gilt edged leather bound volumes. Oriental prints adorned the walls, framed beautifully in black lacquered wood. Lily stopped, her feet sinking into the soft fibers beneath her, and looked around the room, taking it all in. Daniel nudged her forward to a door on the far wall, and she entered his bedchamber.

His four poster bed was solid cherry draped in burgundy silk. An elegant sitting window housed a chaise longue and settee, both covered in a burgundy brocade. A small table sat between the two seats. On it were several crystal bottles filled with a dark liquid. Probably brandy, Lily thought. A lush leather armchair sat opposite the bed, next to a door that undoubtedly led to a lavatory with modern plumbing. For some strange reason, Lily was curious to see the duke’s bath chamber. She must have been staring, for he came up behind her, lightly touched his hands to her waist, and slowly turned her to the left.

“This,” he whispered into her ear, “is, I believe, what you wanted to see.”

Lily gasped. The gilt-framed painting graced the wall, positioned so that it was visible from the bed. The picture was of a maiden, gowned in vivid crimson, holding a crucifix and cleaning blood from a dead man behind her. Her expression was one of serene contemplation, despite the vile task she undertook. Lily moved closer to the painting, reaching toward it.

“Don’t worry,” she told Daniel. “I won’t touch it. I know better. I just want to… God, it’s wonderful. I want to look closely at his strokes.”

“I know what you mean. It’s almost a psychic touch, isn’t it? You can feel the texture in your mind if you put your fingers close to it.”

“Yes, exactly!” He understood. The duke actually understood how she felt. Lily gazed, drinking it in. “Who is it, do you suppose?”

“St. Praxedis. It’s one of Vermeer’s earlier works. There are some skeptics who don’t think it can be attributed to him, but there has never been any doubt in my mind.”

“St. Praxedis…from the early Catholic Church?”

“Yes, she was elevated to sainthood for her services to the dead bodies of the martyrs. Do you see how she’s holding the crucifix as she cleans the blood from the body? That symbolizes the martyr’s blood mixing with the blood of Christ.”

“My God, he was a genius,” Lily whispered. She couldn’t tear her eyes away. “I wish I could paint like that.”

Daniel moved closer behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, encircling her. Lily absently settled her hands on his and continued to admire the painting.

“Have you ever tried oils?” Daniel asked.

“No, but I’ve always wanted to. My father has had a hard time indulging my artistic side. He would rather I stitch samplers and find a husband. He allows my dalliance with watercolor; however, he feels that oil painting is for more…masculine endeavors. I was never allowed to try them.” She leaned back against him. The nearness of his hard muscled form warmed her through. His breath tickled her cheek. Being in his arms felt…good.

“That’s a pity,” he said. “I’d love to see what you could do with them.”

“So would I, Your Grace.”

He gently turned her around to face him. “Daniel,” he said softly.

“I’m sorry?”

“I want you to use my name. My Christian name.”

“Oh, I couldn’t. It wouldn’t be proper—”

Then his mouth was on hers, slowly sliding over her lips, coaxing them open. He nipped gently at her lower lip, teasing her with his tongue. She sighed as he licked her softly. She was kissing him again. In his bedchamber. She should be fleeing, but her legs wouldn’t move. Didn’t want to move…

He trailed to her cheek and covered it with soft fluttery kisses that felt like the wings of a butterfly, and then slid to her ear and nipped lightly on the lobe.

“Say my name,” he whispered. “I want it to drip from your ruby lips like a fine Bordeaux. I want to feel the silky caress as you whisper it against my neck. I want to hear you sob it into my mouth as I kiss you. Please, Lily. Say my name.”

She shuddered. His husky voice made her knees tremble. Was it possible that underneath this renowned blackguard lurked the soul of a poet? Or was this just a practiced technique in seduction? As he slid his lips over her neck and face and her heart thumped wildly, she couldn’t bring herself to care.

“Daniel,” she moaned softly. “Oh, Daniel.”

He groaned. “Oh yes, love. Kiss me.”

Despite her better judgment, she responded with innocent eagerness, finding his mouth with hers and letting her tongue wander apprehensively into his warmth. He took her tongue, mated it with his, sucking it gently and then freeing it to explore him. She let it roam over his full lips, sucking them and biting them gently, as little moans escaped from her throat. His lips were firm yet soft on hers, and he tasted of honey. Mmm, delicious. Her blood boiled as his lips meandered over her cheek to her neck.

“God, you smell so heavenly.” He covered her smooth skin with kisses. “I haven’t been able to think about anything but this since last night. I couldn’t eat. I couldn’t sleep. All I wanted was to see you again.”

He pressed his lips to her neck and covered it with gentle little bites while he roamed his fingers over her hips and up towards her breasts. Gently he slid his hands over her bosom. She gasped as her breasts swelled and her nipples tightened into hard little knobs. He trailed kisses down to the neckline of her gown and then back up to her lips again. Lily panted, trying to get closer to him. When his arousal nudged against her body, a stabbing desire ran through her womb.

“Lily,” he whispered. “Please, Lily.” He urged her toward the bed.

No! This was no love-struck adolescent stealing kisses. This was the Duke of Lybrook, rake extraordinaire and seducer of women. Her heart pounded against her sternum. How had she let this get so far? She pushed Daniel away, the suction of their kiss breaking with a loud smack.

“I can’t do this.” She backed away from him, keeping her hands behind her. She fumbled for a table or a chair, anything to help maintain her balance.

“I didn’t mean to frighten you.” Daniel edged toward her slowly.

“Your Grace, I came up here to see your painting. I-I…apologize for any part I may have played in this…mistake. I…”

“It’s not a mistake. None of it has been a mistake. Please don’t back away from me.”

“I…” She couldn’t finish.

He stood close to her, staring at her with those wonderful eyes. As if it had a mind of its own, her hand shakily reached up to his honey locks, smoothing them. God, his hair was beautiful. It was the color of burnished gold, with highlights of amber, brown, and just a few silvery strands near his temples. It felt like raw silk beneath her fingers.

She snatched her hand away. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry.” He took her hand. “You can touch me. I want you to touch me.”

She pulled her hand away. “No, I can’t. I…need to leave. Thank you, Your Grace, for showing me the Vermeer. I’ll never forget it. It was one of the most precious things anyone has ever done for me.” She turned toward the door.

Daniel touched her arm lightly. “Please don’t go,” he said, his voice low and husky. “Will you have lunch with me? I’ll have a tray sent up.”

“It’s not lunchtime.” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. His warmth pressed against her back. “Please, you must let me go.”

“Do you want to go?”

“I want…”

She trembled as he placed his hands on her shoulders. She wanted him. She couldn’t help herself. Something about this beautiful, dangerous man called to her in a way she never thought possible. Unfamiliar emotion and desire flooded her body, her soul. She wanted more of his kisses. She wanted his hands on her skin…her bare skin.

She turned to face him. “I don’t know why you want me,” she said, willing her voice not to crack. “I’m likely to be a frightful bore for you.”

His green eyes sparkled. “Love, there is nothing boring about you.”

“What I mean is…for a man of your experience…an untried maiden would be…”

He chuckled softly.

“Damn it, you know what I mean!”

“Lily, I want you. I’ve never wanted a woman this much.” He crushed her to him and inhaled. “God, you smell good. What scent is that? I’ve never smelled anything like it before.”

“It…it’s just clove oil,” Lily said, escaping from his grasp. “I get it from the apothecary. I can’t abide those expensive French perfumes. They make me feel like a powder puff. So I just dab a little clove oil…”

He chuckled again, the skin around his eyes crinkling.

“What is so funny?”

“Nothing. I’m sorry. You’re just…you’re not like any other woman I’ve known.”

“I should hope not.” She tapped her foot. “Likely the women you’re acquainted with are mostly strumpets.”

“Touché. Perhaps it’s time I elevated my standards a bit.”

“And…you want to elevate them with me?”

“God, more than anything.”

“Then you should know,” she said, her pulse racing, “I-I’m not like most women my age. I want different things. I’m looking forward to the coming season about as much as a case of the pox. I have no desire to marry, as I have little use for men.”

Daniel’s full pink lips curved into a half smile. “I wasn’t proposing marriage, love.”

Lily’s skin heated. “Of course not. I didn’t mean to imply that you were.”

“As for your feelings about men—” He winked. “Is it that you prefer the fairer sex?”

Clearly the duke expected to embarrass her. She was quite aware of the writings of Sappho and others and knew some women and men preferred the same sex for intimacy. Lily was inexperienced, yes, but not naïve. She let out a husky giggle. “No, Your Grace. I assure you I have even less use for women. I can’t abide the bubbleheaded idiots who fawn at my brother’s feet, and at yours.”

Daniel laughed softly. “I see, then. If you don’t want a season or marriage, what do you want, Lily?”

She closed her eyes and inhaled. “I want to paint and write and travel. I want to sail around Venice, dine in Paris, spend an entire week in the Louvre. I want to stroll through the vineyards in Burgundy. I want to listen to Mozart in Vienna, climb a mountain in the Swiss Alps. I want to buy silk in the Orient and swim in the Mediterranean sea. I want to see everything Vermeer ever painted.”

When she opened her eyes, Daniel was grinning at her.

“Damn it, I don’t have to explain myself to you.”

He moved toward her and cupped her face in his hands. “You don’t have to explain anything to me.” He kissed her mouth lightly, caressing her cheeks with his thumbs. “I want you just as you are.” He kissed her again. “My God, you’re beautiful.”

“Thank you,” she murmured. Jumbles of thoughts crowded through her mind. She wanted to stay with him. It was improper. She wanted his golden hands on her body. She would be ruined. Her virtue was at stake. But did it matter? She didn’t wish to marry. Yet she wanted every experience life had to offer. Sleeping with the duke was just one more experience, yes? Who better to introduce her to the pleasures of the flesh than a man she was attracted to and who probably had the knowledge and experience of ten men?

But it would hurt. And people might find out and shun her. Her family deserved better.

She looked down at her feet. “I’m afraid.”

“Lily, look at me.” He tilted her chin up to face him. “You have nothing to fear from me. I promise you.”

“It…will hurt.”

“It may. But I’ll do everything I can to help you. It doesn’t have to be unpleasant.”

“I-I will require discretion.”

“Of course. No one will know. You have my word.”

“And I don’t want to… That is, I have no desire for you to get your brat on me.”

She regretted the harsh words, but they didn’t seem to faze him.

“Don’t worry. I can take care of that.”

“How?”

“Just leave it to me. There are several ways to—”

“I don’t want to know,” Lily interrupted. “Just take care of it. Lord, I can’t believe I’m going to do this.”

Daniel pulled her gently into his arms. “I’ll be so good to you. I’ll take care of you. I want to give you pleasure unlike either of us has ever known. Kiss me.” He guided her lips to his.

As she melted into him, she was vaguely aware of his hands working the buttons on the back of her gown and easing it down over her shoulders until it was in a heap on the floor. He turned her around gently, untied the strings of her corset, and carefully removed her stockings and her drawers. Soon she stood before him wearing only her chemise, which left nothing to the imagination.

“You’re absolutely lovely,” Daniel whispered.

He turned her away from him again as he slowly lifted her arms, caressing them lightly, and eased the chemise over her head. He leisurely ran his fingers over her arms, bringing them back to her sides, and then slid one finger up the curve of her spine and back down. She shivered. He untied the ribbon that held her long hair in a braid and gently untangled her thick locks. They fell into waves around her shoulders. He turned her back to face him.

“I want you so much,” he said, his bewitching eyes taking in every inch of her. In one swift movement he gathered her into his arms and carried her to the bed, where he laid her down gently on the silky burgundy.

He undressed himself, leaving his garments in a heap on the floor next to the bed. His stomach was lean and rippled, his chest covered with a smattering of tawny curls. His arms were strong and muscular, and his shoulders, oh, his shoulders. How she wanted to run her hands and her tongue all over the sleek tan warmth of them.

As he came to her, she widened her eyes. His cock was thick and hard…and huge. She wrapped her arms around herself, shivering.

He grinned and winked at her. “It will fit,” he whispered.

Then his mouth was on hers again, and he sank his tongue into her and moaned softly. His sweet honey flavor devoured what little was left of her resistance. She couldn’t get enough of the silkiness and fire of his mouth. She sucked on his tongue, trying to taste every part of him. He moved his lips along her cheek, to her ear, down her neck, nuzzling and nipping her gently, and then not so gently. When he reached her breasts, he cupped them in his large hands and stared at them for a moment.

“Beautiful,” he said, his voice smoky.

He buried his face between the soft mounds, running his thumbs over her nipples. Slowly he covered them with kisses, easing toward one rosy circle. He licked it gently, swirling his tongue around her nipple until it was a tight bud. God, so good… Then he softly breathed on the wetness, and a sweet chill rushed straight to her womb.

“Please,” Lily heard herself moan. “Please.”

Daniel took the nipple into his mouth, licked and sucked it lightly. Lily shuddered and arched against his hard body, grasping the silk of his hair, pulling him closer to her. He kissed his way over to the other nipple, sucking and tugging.

“Daniel, please!”

“Slowly,” he whispered. He trailed his lips down her abdomen to the triangle of glossy black curls. Gently he parted her with his fingers. “Tell me, love, is the rest of you as sweet as your succulent kisses? Your gorgeous breasts?”

“I-I don’t know what you mean.”

“Innocent angel,” he murmured. “Let me show you.”

She gasped as he parted her legs and pushed her knees up.

“Wet,” he said. “So wet for me.”

“W-Wet?”

“Your pussy is wet. It’s normal, love.” He smiled between her legs. “It means you want me as much as I want you.”

Then he was kissing her…there. She’d heard of such things, but a lady wouldn’t… It was disgraceful really. Try as she might, though, she couldn’t bring herself to stop him. As he swirled his tongue around the entrance to her body, he breathed fire into her.

“You’re so sweet,” he said, “and so amazingly pink and pretty. God, I want you like I’ve never wanted anything.”

Lily arched as he found a place that made her head spin. She quivered and moaned as his tongue danced over her hot flesh. More, she wanted more.

“Please.”

She had no idea what she was asking for, but he seemed to understand. Her tissues stretched as he filled her with a finger and stroked languidly in and out. The stretch, though uncomfortable at first, soon had Lily writhing as her body adjusted to the fullness. As his fingers danced inside her, ripples of flame ignited across her skin. Lily curved against him, grabbed his satiny hair, and pulled his face closer as pleasure rang through her in a rapturous wave of ecstasy. She cried out his name as she surrendered herself, while he continued to lick her and stroke her, nursing her through the waves. When a euphoria settled over her, he stopped, moved upward, and kissed her mouth slowly and deeply. The fruity musk on his tongue was different. Her. She melted into his kiss, her own flavor an intoxicating sensation.

“Oh, Daniel,” she whispered. “I had no idea.”

He stroked her cheeks with his lips. “My God, I love the taste of you, the smell of you, your touch, your kisses.” He nipped her earlobe. “Let me inside you, Lily. I’ll be so gentle. I’ll make it good for you, I swear it.”

His hard cock poked against her thigh. The desire to have him inside her body overwhelmed her. “Yes, yes,” she whispered. “Come inside me. Please.”

Daniel led her hand to his hardened shaft. She grasped its length, spreading her legs and leading it to her entrance.

“Rub it over your wetness, love.” He groaned. “That’s it, get it good and slick.” He clenched his teeth. “I’m going to enter you now. You tell me if you want me to stop. I don’t want to hurt you.”

“I don’t want you to stop.” Lily gritted her teeth, bracing herself for the pain.

He entered her slowly. She grabbed his shoulders, loving the feel of his hard muscle, as he slid all the way into her. Full. So full. The invasion hurt a bit, but not nearly so much as she had feared. Daniel’s shudders and groans of pleasure seemed much more important than the small amount of discomfort Lily felt. She arched against his hips, drawing him deeper into her body.

“Are you all right?” Daniel asked.

“I-It’s so big. I’m so full.” Her words were a breathless rasp.

“Do you want me to stop?”

God, no. “N-No. Don’t stop.”

“Oh, thank God.” Daniel’s body crushed against hers, nearly knocking the air out of her lungs.

“I c-can’t breathe, Daniel.”

“I’m so sorry, love.” He adjusted his body. “Better?”

“Yes, yes,” she whispered. “Show me what to do.”

“Just kiss me.”

He clamped his mouth onto hers and began to move within her, pulling himself out then pushing back into her in a rhythm she met with her hips.

“So sweet, so tight,” Daniel said against her neck.

The burning of his intrusion slowly turned from ache into pleasure as he nudged her sensitive peak with each sensational thrust. Her whole body throbbed, and soon the waves of pleasure rippled through her again. As she sobbed her climax, he thrust mightily, his entire body pulsating against her in a blazing explosion.

“Lily. My God, Lily.”