Her breath caught as she finally understood what he wanted. She was not at all sure she could do what he asked.
“I had to, with Rayburn,” she protested. “I had to. There would have been nothing left of me.” A tear slipped from the corner of her eye, and he rubbed it away with his thumb.
“I know,” he said, kissing her forehead. “But you have no need to protect yourself from me. You can trust me.”
He believed he told her the truth. Resolving to believe it, too, she nodded.
He looked at her thoughtfully. Then, suddenly, he rolled onto his back. Was he giving up on her so soon?
“Sit up, sweetheart.”
Feeling uneasy, she did as he asked. She felt embarrassed and exposed—until she saw that his eyes were closed.
“Give me your hand,” he said, waving his arm blindly.
Curiosity vied with uncertainty as she gave him her hand. She felt his hot breath on her palm as he pressed it to his lips. Then he took her wrist and laid the flat of her hand on his chest.
“I want you to touch me.”
He guided her hand in a slow circular motion over his chest. The feel of the rough hair under her palm sent an unexpected sensation up her arm, right to her stomach. He released his hold and let his arm fall to his side. With his eyes still closed, he lay still, waiting.
Hesitantly, she skimmed her fingertips over his chest. The corners of his mouth turned up. Encouraged, she shifted her weight so that she could use both hands. His breathing grew shallow as she ran her fingers in increasingly wider circles. She explored the textures of his skin, sliding her fingers over the dip below his collarbone, the coarse hair of his chest, the smooth skin at his sides.
Because he relinquished control to her, the urge to escape did not overtake her. In fact, she was surprised to discover she liked touching him. He seemed all golden muscle beneath her hands.
After assuring herself his eyes were still closed, she allowed herself a good look at his member. It was, after all, sticking out right in front of her. She kept her eyes on it as she drew her fingernails from his sides to the center of his belly. His sharp intake of breath startled her, and she looked up at his face.
“Feels good,” he said on a long breath.
Feeling more confident, she trailed her fingers over his hip bones, on either side of his shaft. She smiled when he shivered, enjoying the power of her touch.
Leaning over him, she rubbed firm hands up over his chest and shoulders and sent featherlight strokes down his arms. His whispered, “God in heaven,” told her what she needed to know.
She kissed his shoulder and was rewarded with a sigh. Pleased, she trailed kisses along his throat and rubbed her cheek against his chest. This time, it was she who sighed. Letting her hair drag over him, she inched her way down toward the flat of his stomach, dropping kisses along the way.
She felt William’s hand rest lightly on her head, touching her for the first time since the start. As he ran his fingers through her hair, she rested her head against his hip, enjoying the sensation. Tentatively, she slid her finger over his shaft. He jolted half upright, jostling her head.
She sat up straight and stared at him.
“Sorry,” he said, touching her cheek. “I was not expecting it.”
Her face hot with embarrassment, she averted her eyes.
“Catherine, please,” he said, taking her gently by the shoulders. “I would not have you feel shamed about what we do in bed, not ever. And certainly not for something that felt so good.”
He gathered her into his arms and pulled her down to lay beside him. His breath was hot against her skin as he kissed her forehead, the side of her face, her hair. When he sucked on her earlobe and breathed in her ear, she pressed closer against him.
“Here, touch me again,” he said, taking her hand.
Before she could pull away, her hand was on his shaft again. Gingerly, she explored the surprisingly silky skin over the firmness underneath. His breathing changed as she ran her hand up and down its length. Breathing a little hard herself, she did it again. And again.
He groaned and pressed his mouth to her neck, sucking against her skin. Her head fell back. Of its own accord, her body moved against his in rhythm with the movement of her hand.
He grabbed her wrist. “No more. I cannot—” He broke off, apparently unable to form more words.
She understood it was not displeasure that made him ask her to stop. If she had had any doubt, the deep kiss he gave her next removed it. She felt herself merging into him as she focused with every part of her being on that kiss, on his tongue sliding in and out of her mouth.
She held on to him as he rolled her on top of him. When she lifted her head to smile at him, her hair fell in a curtain around his face. He kissed the tip of her nose. The feel of his chest against her breasts and the hardness of his shaft against her belly made it difficult to breathe.