My chest heaved with the force of my gasps, threatening to tip my breasts over the stays. Then my legs were shifting, readjusting with the help of his hands. We moved together, bringing our bodies as close as possible on the chair.

I settled onto his hard, powerful thighs, straddling his hips—all of which gave his mouth better access to mine.

With my fingers in his hair, and his arms holding me tight, he kissed me through vast, unexplored eternities.

I poured everything into the union. Every part of me filling with heat and giving it back to him ten-fold. He mated with my mouth as though the connection was all he wanted, all he needed. I sank into his passion, welcoming his hard body between my legs as he rotated his hips and ground against my aching.

He felt wonderful, so solid and male and him, the man I’d slept next to for a week. I flicked my tongue against his, whirling, teasing, tasting the sky and the sea and every desire between.

“Touch me.” He panted against my mouth, his hand sliding down the front of my stays.

His lips feasted, and his palm covered my breast, encouraging me to explore.

I didn’t slow at setting my fingers upon the muscled meat of his abdomen, but glided my touch downward, reaching into the space between our spread legs. There, I clutched his throbbing response.

“Christ.” His sharp grunt fanned against my lips, and his hand tightened on my breast.

Holy mother, he was enormous. I traced the swollen outline through his breeches, following the hard curve along his thigh. The length of him stretched from my wrist to my fingertips and farther still. He was thick, too. Thick enough to feel for days after he impaled it.

“Are you pleased?” He grasped my arm, holding my hand against his erection.

“What?” I didn’t like the sudden clip in his tone or the meanness in his grip.

“Does the size of my hunger meet expectations?”

“Exceeds, I should think.” I pulled on my arm. “If you unhand me, I’ll show you my appreciation.”

His fingers opened, and I lifted my hand to cup his face.

“You feel incredible, Ashley.” I searched the chilling blue of his eyes. “Not just the hard parts of you. But the tender ones.” I leaned in and tasted his full sweet lips. “I find your softest parts the most pleasing.”

His gaze warmed, his chiseled features losing their sharp edges as he kissed me back. He molded his hands around the back of my head and rubbed his mouth against mine, watching me between the unhurried, languid rolling of our joined tongues.