Goddess of the Hunt (The Wanton Dairymaid Trilogy #1)

A strangled laugh tore from his chest as he rose to his knees. “With great effort.”


She rolled onto her side and reached for the fastenings of his breeches. Her hand brushed over the stiff, straining bulge in front. It jumped. Lucy was fascinated. She rose up on her elbow, working the buttons loose with her other hand. He finally took the task from her, freeing the last few buttons, pushing the fabric down over his hips. Leaving her hand free to explore.

And what she discovered, she would have never imagined. The hardness and strength, yes. He was hard and strong, in general. But the delicate softness, she could have never dreamed. Velvet soft, and lightly ridged. Like a kitten’s ear. She let her palm glide over his length. He jerked away from her hand, and she curled her fingers around him tight. So he couldn’t get away.

He exhaled forcefully. A rough, faintly dangerous sound. “Lucy, we don’t have to do this. We can wait.” He closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again. “Ican wait.”

“Whatever for?” She stroked him again, and he made a low growl in the back of his throat. “You want me, don’t you?”

Brushing her hand away, he kicked out of his breeches and lay down on his side, facing her. Staring into her eyes with a look so deep, so intense, Lucy’s whole body came alive with tingling. The narrow space between their bodies crackled with electricity, and when his hand shot out to cup her face, the shock sparked to the soles of her feet. “God, Lucy,” he said roughly. “You can’t know how I’ve wanted you.”

“Can’t I?” She slid closer to him, until her ni**les just grazed his chest. “Tell me,” she whispered, gliding her hand down his muscled back and over the taut swell of his bu**ocks.

He shuddered as she gently squeezed. “Not enough words.” His hand slid around to fist in her hair, and he angled her head back to trail hot kisses along her neck. “I would need more than several,” he murmured, his tongue weaving a wicked path downward. “Thousands might not be enough.”

“Then show me.” Lucy hooked her leg over his, tightened her grip on his backside, and rolled onto her back, pulling him with her. He settled between her legs, grinding his hard, pulsing heat against her mound. Pleasure echoed through her as she arched against him, and their moans mingled in an urgent kiss.

He rested his forehead against hers. “Lucy, I can’t—” His breath rushed over her face, hot and thick, like steam. He swallowed hard. She could feel himthere , pressing against her entrance. Poised to make her his.

“There is no going back from this,” he said, his voice strained. “If it isn’t … If you aren’t …” He nudged closer still, sliding into her a bit. She ached around him. Achedfor him. He gritted his teeth. “Just push me away.”

She slid her hands to his hips and pulled. “Never.”

And then he was in her, swift and sudden and strong. Filling her, stretching her.

He stayed there, motionless, atop her. In her. His chest struggling against hers as they each fought for breath.

“You aren’t hurt?” he asked.

She shook her head. “Should I be?”

“I … I don’t know.”

This admission sent Lucy into a bit of a panic. “What do you mean, you don’t know?” she asked, pushing on his shoulders until he rose up to meet her eyes. “You said you were a rake! Don’t tell me this is the first time you’ve—”

“Of course it’s not.” Jeremy clenched his jaw. “But I’ve never bedded a virgin before. And I had been given to understand it’s painful.” Lucy regarded him quizzically. “For the woman,” he clarified.

“Oh.” Lucy closed her eyes and fell quiet, assessing. Sifting through the myriad overwhelming sensations to judge if any qualified as pain. As if they sensed themselves the subject of enquiry, her intimate muscles tightened around him. He groaned.

“I’m not hurt,” she said. “I feel …”

He sucked in a ragged breath. “You feel what?”

“That’s all.” She opened her eyes. “Ifeel.” She uncurled her fingers from around his arms and skimmed them up to his neck. “I feelyou.”

He rocked against her gently. Exquisite pleasure washed through her body. Yes, she felthim . And he felt like heaven.

He withdrew slightly and thrust into her again, deeper this time. Into the very heart of her. She clutched his neck and cried out against his ear.