His Wicked Seduction novel Chapter 16

Lucien began with her silver slippers, sliding them off and setting them on the floor. His palms slid up the length of her calves and along her thighs to unfasten her stockings and unhook her garters. He removed her stockings with ease and kissed the sensitive skin behind each ankle. He could feel every tremble, every shiver as his hands explored her body.

He forced himself to focus solely on Horatia and not his own arousal. Her pleasure had to come before his because he could not have her fully. He would push her to her limits, but he would not take her innocence. Not in the way that mattered for dowries and weddings at any rate.

Kneeling between her parted legs, he coaxed her to bend her knees up and widen. He needed to have her open for his tasting. He slowly slid his hands under her gown up to her hips and assessed her undergarments. Usually women in the Garden did not bother with much in the way of underclothes, but Horatia had enough petticoats on underneath to decorate a castle's battlements.

"A little overdressed for the occasion, aren't we?"

Horatia blushed. "I'm wearing what a proper lady should..."

"A proper lady? I have no interest in that. Not tonight, my dear. These petticoats must go." He slid off the bed and retrieved the small paring knife from the loveseat and returned to her. Her eyes widened and her chest began to rise and fall with frightened breaths. Her gaze narrowed in on the knife.

"Are you..." she began.

"I'm not going to hurt you. I don't wish to remove your gown, so I am going to cut the petticoats open." He brushed a hand along her waist. With quick precision, he split her petticoats up the middle until they fell open onto either side, but he didn't remove them. He dug his hands into the fabric and ripped them a little higher. Finally she was bare to his gaze, her gown pooling around her hips in a shimmering haze.

Lucien settled his hands at the top of her raised knees, gazing down at her sex. She was wet, swollen, and perfect. He enjoyed looking upon a woman's body, but never had there been such a strange sense of euphoria accompanying it. It made him hurt deep in his chest, to know she wanted him like this. This was perhaps the only time he could be with her, and he would savor every moment of pleasure he intended to give her, no matter how it agonized him later.

He began a slow trail of kisses along her inner left thigh. Her breasts jerked up against her bodice. He almost smiled, enjoying the jolt of panic he'd caused. She knew he wouldn't hurt her, yet she was excited and anxious as to what he might do. That was where the pleasure in bondage lay. He could do wonderful things to her and she had to accept it, couldn't rush it or demand it, merely accept it as it came. Though begging was always welcomed.

"What are you doing?" The bravado of her question weakened against the trembling of her voice.

"Why, you surprise me! Have you never been tasted?" He knew the answer full well, but he enjoyed the game of ignorance they played.

"T-tasted?" She jerked beneath his grasp, trying to dislodge his hands now holding her spread open beneath him.

In answer, he flicked out his tongue against the sensitive skin mere inches from her core. She trembled and tried again to push him away, but his shoulders were level with her knees, stopping her.