Caroline by Cynthia Wright Read Free Book Online

bits of coherent thought from her mind. His arms held her against the length of his body while his tongue parted her lips, exploring deftly until an answering response blossomed deep inside her. When his mouth branded her neck, Caro was flooded with hot waves of desire, conscious of nothing except his kisses searing her skin and the warm tingling between her thighs. She barely felt him pick her up and carry her to the bedroom; the brandy had done its work of destroying her inhibitions, and the hungry way she responded to him dispelled any lingering doubts Alec might have held about her true nature. She gave him no resistance at all when he began to unfasten her dress.
    "This gown was an excellent choice, my dear." He didn't see the confusion in Caro's eyes, which lasted only until he began kissing the soft curve of her shoulder. His mouth never left her body as he undressed her. She felt his face against her breasts and then his tongue on each taut crest, and the frissons of new sensation it evoked made her shudder. She hesitantly ran her hands through his shining hair as his lips traced a fiery pattern along the satiny surface of her abdomen until they reached her navel, then Caro felt him on top of her, his hard chest brushing her nipples. When she opened her eyes, Alec saw a desire in them to match his, and he kissed her ardently, bruising her tender mouth.
    Parting her slim legs with his knee, he slid his hand down to caress her slowly, expertly, until she moaned aloud. The sound only intensified his arousal. Unable to wait another moment, Alec shifted and nudged his hardness against her, entering gradually until he encountered a surprising resistance. Caro's eyes were suddenly wide, ablaze with fear and confusion. She opened her mouth as if to protest, but he silenced her with his own lips and gentle movements that coaxed a primitive response from her. Gradually, he felt her arms encircle his neck as her body arched instinctively to meet his, her resistance torn away with a firm thrust. Their motions were rhythmically united until the moment of his release and his low moan that filled the softly lit room.
    The violence of Alec's climax surprised him, as did the deep feeling of well-being that flooded him afterward as he buried his face in her damp neck. For a moment he couldn't move, then slowly he lifted himself away from Caro. She lay still for a long moments before opening her eyes. They were filled with tears of confusion. Alec propped himself on an elbow to touch her cheek with his free hand. The flashing grin she had grown to love was back, but at such cost!
    "Ah, love, there's nothing to be afraid of! You were wonderful. As a matter of fact, I'm tempted to believe you have cast a spell over me."
    Caro began to tremble, covering her breasts with her hands. Her face was pale, all her passion replaced by shock. Alec's smile faded and he sat up, thrusting aside the drapes around the bed to let in more firelight. When he turned back, he saw the stain beneath her thighs and stared in disbelief.
    "Oh my God, Caro."
    She shrank back into the corner of the bed like a wounded animal. Her hair fell all around her in a golden cloud, veiling her nakedness.
    Muttering epithets, Alec quickly pulled on his breeches and strode to the bureau. He found a long bedgown and went to Caro, lifting her arms and pulling it over her head. He swept her hair out gently, smoothing it back from her face and buttoning up the high ruffled neck of the garment. She only stared at him. Alec bent and lifted her in his arms, carrying her out to the parlor to sit before the fire. He quickly produced a plump quilt and tucked it around her legs, then poured a small amount of brandy in a glass and held it to her lips.
    "I know you must hate this stuff now, but maybe it will bring you out of that trance. Please take a sip, Caro."
    She obeyed him mechanically, and the liquor had the desired effect. She sank back against the settle, covering her face with her