His Fire Maiden

Chapter 28

A tomb. It was a fitting description. Vivienne shifted irritably Beneath the heavy weight of her bedding. The darkness was complete. She blinked, waiting for her eyes to adjust to some light, but there was none. Reginald had chosen a cloud-filled night to voice his request.

The reason for such utter darkness started mad thoughts racing. He'd called himself a horror. She shuddered, despite the warmth of the covers. What was Beneath the mask? Was he scarred? Worse? She couldn't imagine worse.

She turned to lie flat on her back, and the skirts of her peignoir slid over her thighs. The sound of her breathing and heartbeat grew overly loud in the silence. In truth, she could not dissect Reginald into parts. She saw him as a whole. She thought of Reginald not in pictures but with feeling. Reginald was warmth, laughter, kindness, and excitement. Her eyes prickled with unshed tears. She wanted him to come to her. She wanted to hold him, ease his pain. Above all, she wanted him to show her what it was that caused him such agony.

Something in the room changed. Vivienne realized with a start that he was here. The soft sound of his tread upon the carpet filled the silence. Without sight, she could only hear, and wait. The idea suddenly terrified her.

There was a pause. She closed her eyes and prayed for strength. The covers lifted gently, and her breath hitched. The featherbed dipped as he eased down onto it.

She turned her head and tried to make out his form. There was nothing to see. Nothing but the scent of the silk dressing gown he wore, and Beneath it, the delicious yet ephemeral smell of him. He might have been a ghost.

His breath fanned her face in soft bursts and she knew he was unsettled. "I will not harm you," he finally whispered in a voice raw with both fear and anticipation. "Never."

No, Reginald would never harm her. But what was to stop her from accidentally harming him? He had only to touch her, and she wanted to ignite. Unable to speak, she nodded even though he could not see. The bed dipped further as he leaned into her, and the faint warmth of his body caressed her. She inhaled in a rush. The brush of his lips upon her jaw set her pulse pounding, loud enough for him to surely hear it.

Her thoughts spun. Reginald in her bed, Reginald touching her, Reginald making love to her. Her breath stuttered, and Reginald pulled back. "It's still me, Vivi." Gently, he brushed her hair from her temple. "Only me."

And that was the problem. He was everything. He was her sunrise, sunset, and everything in between. Sweet pain wrenched her breast, and she found herself blinking back tears. "I cannot think of only in terms of you, Reginald," she whispered.

In the dark, his hand found hers, and their fingers linked. "That is where we differ," he said. "For me, there is only Vivi. And nothing else." Soft lips trailed over her earlobe and down her neck. His mouth brushed over her skin, nuzzling and tasting, down to her collarbone. Pleasant warmth spread along her limbs, and she closed her eyes with a sigh.

The hard line of his muscular length pressed against her. She fought the urge to turn into him and rest her cheek against his chest. He made no move to kiss her. She started to speak but stopped as she felt, with unmistakable clarity, his fingers grasp hold of the topmost satin ribbon that held her bodice in place. Her belly tightened painfully as he pulled with infinite slowness on the end of the ribbon. The bow came undone with a gentle tug, and the silky bodice slipped a fraction. A wave of heat washed down her limbs.

Reginald's breath released with a sigh. His hand went to the next bow. In a haze, she wondered over the accuracy of his touch. Surely he could not see.

Slowly, the long ribbon traveled through its tight loop, moving by inches until she bit her lip in anticipation. It caught at the end, holding a moment as though teasing her, then released. The bodice slid open with a whisper of silk. Her breasts lay exposed, her nipples hardening against the cool air. She took a shallow breath, acutely aware of her breasts trembling from the movement. Reginald groaned deep within his chest. Her belly quivered as he Bent over her.