Lydia Dare - A Certain Wolfish Charm

***

Lily could feel the length of him between her thighs, touching her center but not entering her, not even pressing against her. He was content to lie there, to torment her. His breath brushed heavily against the side of her face as he asked, "Please what?"

He smiled when she arched against him. She didn't know what. She just knew she needed. She needed him.

His hand moved between her thighs, one finger swiping across her heat. She couldn't keep from crying out. Her center throbbed, like a fire waiting to be stoked. Like a pot that simmered, just before the steam.

"So wet," he breathed against her ear. She closed her eyes tightly, and he stopped the movement of his hand.

"What's wrong?" she nearly begged. Surely he wouldn't stop now. Surely he would ease this torment.

"Open your eyes," he said. She did, only to find his eyes, dark as night, staring into her own. "Know that it is me who takes you."

Lily's hand trailed down his chest, her nails raking his belly as she reached lower. And lower still. She took the heat of him in her hand and pressed him to her center. She rocked against him, but he didn't move. He didn't answer her thrusts. He simply looked at her. He watched her torment.

Lily wrapped her legs around him, her heels at his buttocks, pressing them insistently to pull him into her. And finally he did. He entered her slowly, inch by inch.

His arms shook on each side of her as he held himself above her, slowly sliding farther and farther inside. There was a moment of discomfort as he pressed forward. He slowed and kissed her eyelids, pulsing inside her. She bumped his buttocks with her heels again, and he pressed forward, seating himself fully inside her.

"I am inside you," he said softly.

"I know," she gasped out as he began to slowly withdraw. "No!" she cried. But he quickly surged back into her. He set a rhythm as old as time, moving in and out of her in quick strokes. Grasping her hips, he tilted her and went farther. He consumed every inch of space inside her and still asked for more. She graciously gave it.

He stoked the fire within her, taking her up and over the place where he'd taken her in the garden, making this oh-so-much-better simply because he shared it with her.

When she finally erupted, she called his name. He pressed his face into her neck, his arms sliding under her, holding her closer than she'd have ever thought possible, and then he joined her.

Twenty-Seven

Lily stirred in his arms, and Simon pulled her closer to him. With her eyes closed, she gently kissed his chest and then tried, once more, to pull away from him. "Stay where you are," he ordered softly, intertwining one of his legs with hers.

"Simon," she giggled against his chest. "Shouldn't we return to the others?"

He rolled her onto her back and pressed his lips to hers. "We could just stay here forever."

"We could," she agreed, grinning at him. Lily's gaze drifted across his naked torso and stopped. Her eyebrows drew together. She lifted one finger to touch a mark below his shoulder.

"What's that?" she asked.

"Birthmark," he said quietly as he nuzzled her neck.

"Oliver has one that's similar."

"As do Will and Ben, and even Daniel had one. Family trait." He lifted his head to look into her eyes. "Does it bother you?"

"Why would it bother me?" She looked puzzled. Then she did the unthinkable and lifted her face to press her lips to the moon-shaped mark. "I think it's quite handsome."

The warmth of her lips pressed against the very thing that marked him as a beast made him pause. Simon closed his eyes tightly and savored the moment. Never before had he felt so accepted.

"I believe Oliver's is on his thigh."

"Then he will be a very lucky man the day he finds a woman to kiss it, won't he?" Simon laughed.

"Oh, Simon," she punched his shoulder. "We should get up," she sighed, a contented smile hovering about her lips.

"You'd like to see about Oliver?"

Her smile vanished. "He seemed worried, didn't he?"

"Just overprotective," Simon growled.

Irritating

little pup.

Lily cupped his face. "No reason for that."

None that she knew about anyway. "Don't be so sure, love. I can be quite dangerous."

She giggled again. "You're not frightening in the least. I think that persona you wear like a cloak is all for show."

Simon nuzzled her neck. "Naïve wench." She was so soft and pliant beneath him, and he could easily take her again. He longed to do so, but it was too soon.

Lily caressed his back, and Simon groaned, not yet wanting this to end. But the time had come. He lifted his head and dropped a very chaste kiss on her cheek. "Get dressed, Lily, and go see about Oliver."

He slid from the bed and ran his fingers over her naked form. She was a vision, her hair tousled, her hazel eyes darkened with passion, her lips swollen from his kisses. God willing, he'd see this same vision every day of his life… with, of course, a few exceptions.

He picked up her rumpled green dress and inhaled her sweet floral scent. "I should take you to London with me."

"London?" she asked with a frown, sitting up and clasping the counterpane to her breasts.

"Yes, London," he replied. Why wouldn't she want to go to Town? "Do you not like it there?"

Lily shrugged. "I've not been that many times, Simon. But after…" her voice trailed off, and she looked away from him.

Concerned, Simon sat on the edge of the bed and brushed his hand down her bare back. "What is it, love?"

She worried her bottom lip and then tentatively turned to face him. "All the columns about your exploits… Well, I just thought we might stay in Hampshire for a while."

Simon bit back a smile. She was worried he'd return to his debauched haunts and forget her. That wasn't even a possibility. The only woman he wanted was her. The only entertainment he sought was her. He had no need of anyone else. Though he didn't know how to convince her of the fact. "Lily, I only thought I'd take you to Town so we could enjoy it together."

Her innocent frown lightened only incrementally.

He dipped his head and touched his lips to hers. "Let me show you off, Lily. Let me shower you with gifts. Let me order you an entirely new wardrobe. Let me drape you in jewels…"

Lily's hand moved to the delicate chain around her neck. "Thank you for the necklace, Simon. It is beautiful."

"Will you let me give you more?"

Again, she innocently bit her lip. "I don't need anything."

Simon's smile widened, and he pushed her back to the mattress, hovering over her. "Of course you don't

need

anything. That's why it's fun."

"Do you really want to show me off?"

Simon nodded his head and tugged the counterpane from her hands, once again baring her breasts. "But this is all for me," he murmured before closing his mouth around one peaked nipple.

***

Will closed the door to Simon's study and sat down across from Oliver. The boy had frowned the entire day thus far. In fact, when Simon kissed Lily after the ceremony, Will had been forced to keep his arm on the lad, as Oliver nearly charged Simon at that point. Perhaps, Will thought belatedly, he should have waited a while before giving the boy his books on Lycan lore. Of course, at the time, he hadn't thought Simon would marry Lily. At the time, he hadn't thought Simon would ever marry anyone.

"Maberley," he began in his most stern voice. "You are out of your league. If you'd like to keep your tail, you'll take a step away from Simon. He isn't going to put up with your insolence for much longer."

The boy's nostrils flared. "But Aunt Lily—"

"Is his wife. And there's not a thing you can do about it." Certainly not now. The marriage had been well and thoroughly consummated, Will had no doubt.