Page 54 of Gone With the Rogue
Garrett slid his arms around her waist and caught her up against his chest. “I have the money from the sale of the fabrics for you.”
“Yes, that is what I wanted,” she said, knowing her words could be referring to his embrace or the sale. She knew they were for both. “That’s good news. Did you get a good price for the sisters?”
He kissed down her cheek again and over her jawline to nestle his nose in the warmth behind her ear. His strong hands massaged up and down her back.Curls of pleasure moved inside her. “I think they’ll be very pleased.”
“Brina and I will plan to take it over one day next week. If she—” Julia trailed off her sentence. She realized she had no idea what Brina’s feelings were right now concerning Pilwillow Crossings or what they would be next week.
Garrett seemed to sense the change in mood. He lifted his head again, and asked, “If she what?”
“Nothing.” Julia shook her head and looked straight into his eyes. “It’s a private matter for her that I can’t share. But if you don’t mind, I do have another favor to ask of you.”
“You can ask anything of me, Julia. Being with you makes my life interesting. You are an adventure for me. I never know what you are going to do or say, but I’m ready for whatever you want.”
His words pleased her more than he would ever know. “I would like for you to take the money and give it to Brina for me.”
Garrett’s hands stilled on the back of her shoulders. “Julia, I have no interest in Mrs. Feld.”
She smiled and wove her hands around his neck. “I know that. She knows it, too.”
He eyed her warily. “You have to admit it’s a rather unusual request when she’s your best friend and I have the money in my coat pocket ready to hand to you right now.”
“I know.” Julia sighed. “I have a very specific reason for asking you to do this. She has a difficult decision to make. It may make no difference at all in her determination, but it might help her to further reason out what it is she needs to do. It would mean a greatdeal to me if you could see your way to do this and not ask further questions.”
“I’ll see it’s done.”
His answer made her heart full. “Thank you.”
“Do you feel better now?” he asked huskily.
“Yes,” she whispered. “It seems you have now rescued me twice—from a tree and from a smoking oven. Now if only—”
Garrett’s lips came down on hers, cutting off her sentence. The contact was delicate and feathery. Shivers of anticipation swirled through her.
Julia closed her eyes and reveled in his slow, languid kiss.
Chapter 18
Julia abandoned caution and fear, freeing herself of the concern she’d felt when they were in the duke’s book room in the middle of the night. Right now, there would be nothing in her thoughts but Garrett.
It wasn’t yet midday and they had all afternoon before the housekeeper would return. She wanted their coming together to be natural, flowing, and reverent. Julia led Garrett up the stairs to one of the bedchambers, where he locked them inside. But there was no changing nature. Their kisses and touches were just as eager, jubilant, and frantic as they had been the first time they were together. Neither of them could deny the desperate release their bodies demanded and wait until they were undressed. They braced against the door and kissed and touched until she trembled and he shuddered in the aftermath of their frenetic passionthat left both of them breathless, happy, but nowhere near satisfied.
Only then did they disrobe. They wanted more. Julia pushed the coverlet aside and they lay down on the bed together.
The air in the room was cool. She shivered until Garrett stretched out his body, facing her, and gathered her close in the warmth of his embrace. He ran his hand down the plane of her hip, and then up to her waist, over her breasts, and back down to follow the same path all over again.
“I’ve been waiting for this,” he said. “Me and you together. Alone. On a soft bed. With hours, not minutes, to be together.”
“I’ve wanted it too, but there was always the worry—”
He kissed her softly, cutting off her words. “There are no worries right now. Just you and me.”
She smiled. “Then kiss me again and again.”
Garrett captured her lips in a deep passionate kiss. Julia moved her hands over him. His body was hard, lean, and magnificent to look at in the bright light of the afternoon sun shining through the windows. His skin was warm, smooth, and taut. She felt power in the breadth of his shoulders as her hands skimmed along their width. Muscles in his back and upper arms were perfectly defined and tight. His hips were slim and the swell of his buttocks firm.
Garrett became familiar with Julia’s form, too. She’d ached for his touch, and that ache was eased when his hands glided down to her breasts, feeling the roundness before sliding down her ribs to her waist where he caressed the indention and pulled her even closer to him. His open palm moved over to her innerthigh and he touched her softly. He seemed to know where to touch her, what she wanted and needed without her saying a word. Each seductive stroke on the center of her womanhood was exhilarating, intoxicating, and deeply moving.
His fingers were gentle and sure as he quickly brought her to the peak of satisfaction once again and then allowed her to bask in the irresistible finish before he rolled her on her back and rose over her. She whispered his name over and over again, and each time he answered with a tender, “Yes.”
