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The peak of her breast was already tightly contracted as Leo took it into his ue across the gathered point, relishing the helpless sounds that cli a hand behind her neck, pulling herorders," she protested breathlessly
On iant sive orders, and you’ll follow the his brows "Understood?"
Catherine stiffened Leo had never enjoyed anything so e and arousal He felt the heat rise in her, the excited thruooseflesh rose on her arms And then her body see "Yes," she finally whispered, not quite able to irl," he said thickly "Now spread your thighs so I can feel you against s widened
She looked dazed, a little lost, her gaze turning inward as if to contelittered, an involuntary welling of pleasure and confusion, and the sight sent a tide of lust through hi, discover and satisfy every need
"Put your hand beneath your breast," he said, "and bring it to my mouth"
She leaned over hi And then he was the one as lost, fiercely absorbed in the sweet softness of her He lost awareness of everything but instinct, the primitive intent to claim, conquer, possess
Hesalt-scentedwith his tongue, he traced and licked until he felt the long, finerhythmically
With a hoarse murmur, Leo eased her away and helped her to straddle his hips He fit hiainst the soft slit and clasped her waist to steady her She quivered as she understood what he wanted
"Slowly," he murmured as she eased onto hionized groan as he felt her clenching around hi had ever felt so good "Oh, sweet Jesus … take it all"
"I can’t" She writhed and went still, looking disgruntled
It was inconceivable that Leo should have found any amusement in the moment, when his body was tortured with desire But she was so adorably aard astride hi hands on her, arranging and stroking "You can," he said huskily "Put your hands on my shoulders, and lean your sweet little body forward"
"It’s too much"
"It’s not"
"It is"
"I’m the experienced one You’re the novice, ree the fact that you’re too … oh"
Somewhere in the midst of their debate, he had pressed upward the last crucial distance, and their bodies slid together fully
"Oh," she said again, her eyes half closing, new color sweeping over her
Leo felt an explosive clax rolling up to hi only a hint of stihtened around him, a voluptuously contained rhythm that threatened to drive hi theh dry lips
"I can’t, I can’t…" She ain, and he arched as if on a torture rack
"Be still"
"I’ainst hiroaned and took up the rhythasps, and as he felt the spasms overtake her, the sensations rushed too powerfully for him to withstand
With a herculean effort, Leo withdrew and spilled his pleasure on the sheets, while his breath hissed through his clenched teeth Everydeprived of the lush warainst a shower of sparks, Leo felt Catherine curl up against him
One of her hands ca heart She pressed her lips to his shoulder "I didn’t want you to stop," she whispered
"Neither did I" He wrapped his arainst her hair "But that’s the problem with coitus interruptus One always has to exit at the station before one’s final destination"
Chapter Twenty-one
Leo proposed twice more to Catherine on the way to London She refused both times, determined to proceed in a sensible manner and discuss the situation with her brother first When Leo pointed out that running haruht could hardly be characterized as sensible behavior, she allowed that perhaps she shouldn’t have acted so impetuously
"As e rolled along the post road, "I haven’t been in ht mind since the ball It was a shock to see Lord Latimer so unexpectedly And when he put his hands on ain, and all I could think of was getting away" She paused reflectively "But I found co I had Harry to run to"
"You also had me," Leo said quietly
She stared at hiaze held hers "You know it now"
Letbrother, Harry had told Catherine at their lastit clear that he wanted to attempt the kind of familial relationship they had never been capable of before With no small amount of unease, Catherine reflected that she was about to test his claim far sooner than either of theers
But Harry had altered greatly during the short tie to Poppy He was far kinder and war to think of Catherine as soanywhere
Upon arriving at the Rutledge Hotel, Leo and Catherine were shown immediately to the sumptuous private apartments that Harry and Poppy shared
Of all the Hathaways, Poppy was the one Catherine had always felt thewoman who loved order and routine Hers was an essentially sunny and accepting nature, providing a necessary balance to Harry’s driven intensity
"Catherine," she exclai back to view her with concern "Why are you here? Is so? Is everyone well?"
"Your family is quite well," Catherine said hastily "But there was … a situation I had to leave" Her throat becaht
Poppy looked at Leo with a frown "Did you do so?"
"Why do you ask that?"
"Because if there is trouble of any kind, you’re usually involved"
"True But this time I’m not the problereen eyes narrowed "If you’re the solution, Raave Cat an alert glance, and astonished her by bringing her against him in a protective embrace "What is it, Cat?" he asked near her ear "What’s happened?"