Free The Secrets of a Courtesan by Nicola Cornick

and raised her face to his so that he
    could kiss her. He was within an inch of forgetting everything except his need for her. With a
    groan he lowered his mouth to hers and she opened her lips to him and he tasted her, hot, sweet,
    as seductive as she had always been except that his desire for her was so much more potent now.
    His tongue grazed hers and she gave a little whimper of pleasure. He scooped her up in his arms,
    still kissing her, his only thought now to take her to bed and claim her once and for all as his
    own.
    Eve stood on the rug before the fire in her bedroom, shivering. She was terrified. She had gone
    this far, recklessly, on emotion alone, and now a part of her was excited, wanting to luxuriate in
    the wonderful, wicked pleasure of rediscovering Rowarth’s touch, but she was also nervous, as
    gauche as a debutante.
    He had carried her through to the bedroom and placed her gently on her feet but now he did not
    touch her. The anticipation and the anxiety thrummed through Eve like a wire. She had thought
    he wanted her with a hunger that matched her own.
    “If you have changed your mind then let us forget the whole matter.” It was her pride talking
    because she could not bear for him to reject her now, after all that they had been through.
    He moved then, so fast that she was taken by surprise, catching her hand and drawing her close.
    “I have not changed my mind.” His voice was amused but with a rough edge to it now and the
    excitement flickered through her blood like sheet lightning to hear it. “I wanted you from the
    first moment I saw you again and I knew this would happen.”
    “How arrogant of you.” How she loved that confidence in him.
    Rowarth put a hand under her chin. His eyes scanned her face, eyes so warm, so tender. Eve
    shivered again, this time with longing as well as fear. She had always known deep down that she
    still loved Rowarth and tonight she did not want to think about the future. She wanted to banish
    the darkness, at least for a little while.
    He brushed his thumb over her bottom lip and Eve felt her body quiver in response.
    “You’re nervous.” His voice was low. “I swear I will not hurt you.”
    “I am not afraid of you,” she corrected him. At least there would be no physical consequences
    for her; there could not be when she could no longer bear a child. “It’s been a very long time for
    me,” she said.
    Five years …
    Tenderness warmed his eyes. “Then we shall do this very slowly and stop whenever you wish.”
    “I don’t think I am likely to want that,” she murmured.
    He was smiling and suddenly, fiercely, she wanted to kiss that smiling mouth, to taste him and
    lose herself in him.
    “May I kiss you?” he murmured.
    So sweet to be asked when most men would simply take.
    “Please do…” Her voice was husky. His mouth took hers deeply, fiercely, his tongue tangling
    with hers in intimate dance. Her skin came alive beneath his hands, recognizing him in the most
    elemental way, tingling with the need to be close with no barriers between them. She freed
    herself from his ardent grip only so that she could undress him, eager now, her fingers slipping a
    little in her haste. She unfastened his stock and then the neck of his shirt, and stood on tiptoe to
    press a kiss on the hot skin at the base of his throat. A groan rumbled in his chest. She could feel
    the pulse there beating against her lips with the same rhythm as his heart. His hand went to
    unbutton his coat and waistcoat. Eve was fascinated to see that he was shaking. He shrugged
    himself out of the garments and tossed them aside. They hit the bed and slithered to the floor.
    He caught her about the waist to press another kiss on her lips. Heat spiraled through Eve,
    twisting and tightening. Sweet desire flooded her down to the tips of her toes.
    “Let me finish…” She pressed her palm against his chest and felt the warmth of his body through
    the material of his shirt “…or I will