This was nothing like she'd ever known. The candles were lit! They were on the floor! He bucked beneath her and her head fell back in pleasure. To hell with the candles and God bless the floor!

Her chemise slid to her waist, pinning her elbows to her sides. Gemma shrugged her arms free, too impatient to take care for the costly silk batiste. She heard a tearing sound, her own fault, but it brought a gasping growl from the man she rode.

He reached a large hand and ripped the chemise from her. Gemma gasped at the slight burn left by the wrenched fabric but then moaned as his mouth soothed the pink skin.

At last his mouth returned to her nipples, as she'd wanted so badly. He sucked and tongued them, twirling them in his mouth until she cried out in pleasure. Every sound she made seemed to bring him closer to the brink. He moaned and rolled her beneath him, catching the back of her head in his palm as he stretched her body out before the fire.

"No." She reached for him, she needed him, she ached so!

But he backed away and stood up, looming over her. Gemma realized that she was entirely naked. He was still mostly dressed.

"Well, that won't do," she grumbled and scrambled to her knees. "Take off your shirt!"

A gasp left his lips, somewhere between a groan and a laugh. "Yes, milady."

His deep murmur made her belly shiver, but Gemma had work to do. She'd undone a few buttons in her day and his breeches were no issue for her. The sound of tugging fabric came from above but Gemma was very focused on easing the waist of his breeches down over the fascinating prominence held therein.

His drawers hung loose on his hips and it was no trouble to tug it all down at once. His rigid erection sprang free before her eyes.

Goodness me.

Well, she'd never been one to do things half-heartedly, and she wasn't about to begin now. It'll be an adventure, she told herself. A grand, long, thick adventure.

Absently, she pulled the legs of his trousers down and off, never taking her gaze from her latest challenge. Realizing she was staring, she blushed and looked away.

"Touch me," he whispered. It was as much a plea as a command. His need throbbed in his voice and Gemma's apprehension melted away. Yes. We will care for each other and all will be well.

AT THE FIRST TENTATIVE touch of Gemma's cool fingers on his cock, Lysander curled his fists tightly at his side and stood completely still. Nothing on this earth would make him so much as twitch, for fear of ruining this moment.