Silent Night, Sinful Night Page 26
“You really don’t mind?”
She placed her hands on the outside of his where he still held the compass. “Honestly, I thought I would. Part of me is still trying to tell myself I should, but somehow, unbelievably, I don’t.” She shook her head, laughing at herself. “Besides, I know you’re a man who is not afraid to get his hands dirty, and I’m not the kind of girl who minds dirty hands.”
His mother was wrong. None of those simpering society ladies would have ever been right for him. Rosie was what he needed. Rosie, who he could tell all of his truths to. Rosie, who he accepted for who she was, good or bad. And first mate or gentleman, she accepted him. “That’s very good, because I’ve got big plans for us, Rosie girl.”
“I can’t wait to hear.”
The ball must have been hitting its stride below, because the music swelled louder than before with a lively dance tune. Winston carefully set the compass on the carpet beside them, then swept her off her feet by her waist, twirling her to the music. “First, we’ll have our Christmas dance.”
Her laughter warmed every inch of his body. “And after this?”
He set her back on her feet. Her breasts nestled against his chest and his groin snug against her hips, he held her close enough to feel his arousal. “I’m going to take you back to my rooms, then slowly and carefully unwrap the very best Christmas present of all. And I’ll spend a very long time enjoying every inch of it.”
Her breath hitched as he bent to place a kiss on the top of her breast, drawing a little circle with his tongue. “And then?”
He continued to place small kisses, licks, and soft bites along every inch of exposed flesh. “And after the last ball, I’m going to take you to sea and show you all the extra pleasures an ocean voyage can provide.”
“And then?” This time her voice shook a little with uncertainty.
He stopped what he was doing and looked into her eyes. He knew what she was asking, and he could only hope she liked the answer. “And then if you still want me, we’ll find our own way together.” Winston drew a quick breath. “You know, I did a lot of thinking today. If I hate the way my father has done things so much, then instead of running off to sea, maybe I should come back and try to do something about it. Maybe British Honduras does need another Matthews as governor-general. And maybe I could use your help to achieve that.” He cradled her lovely face in his hands when her eyes swelled with unshed tears.
“I think you are a good man, Winston Matthews. And I think that is a very good plan.”
With a groan of hunger, his lips latched on to hers in a heated kiss that seared him inside and out and shook him to the core. Relishing in the passion that instantly built around them so high it would drown them when it broke, his tongue swirled around hers, greedily devouring what she gave. He kissed her with everything he had, not caring at all who below might look up to see them. He poured all the emotions of the day into the kiss. Winston interrupted their feverish kiss and leaned back just far and long enough to draw much-needed air into his lungs. His tongue brushing over her lower lip, he tasted her shallow pants, soft moans full of passion, sighs that spoke of her desire.
She fisted her hands in his hair and pulled him close, moaning into his mouth. His heart quickened. His body tensed. He was on fire, but she ached for him, too, squirming against him as she did, her hips pushing into his groin, rubbing seductively against his already rock-hard member.
Only when he was in danger of throwing her down and taking her then and there, whoever heard them be damned, he pulled back, wheezing in another lifesaving breath.
“Is this what love feels like?”
Blinking her eyes open, she thought for only a moment before she answered, “I’ve never felt it before, but I’m sure that it is.”
He was sure that it was, too. “Merry Christmas, Rosie.”
“Happy Christmas, Winston.”
APHRODISIA BOOKS are published by
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Compilation copyright © 2011 by Kensington Publishing Corp.
“Wicked for Christmas” © 2011 by Edith E. Bruce
“Naughty or Nice?” © 2011 by Melissa MacNeal
“Stolen Chances” © 2011 by Chloe Harris
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