The Pleasures of Autumn by Evie Hunter Read Free Book Online

nuzzled the tender part of her neck where it met her shoulder and bit down gently. ‘Say my name.’
    The rough command in his voice sent an unfamiliartingle through her. She didn’t want him to stop. ‘Niall.’ His name came out in a breathless plea.
    His fingers pumped her aching wetness slowly, drawing moisture from her before he brushed her clit again, sending a pulse of pleasure zinging through her. ‘Oh yes. Like that.’
    She clenched her inner muscles, trying to draw him inside her again. He stilled and she huffed an impatient breath. ‘Please. Please, Niall.’
    He traced over her tender nub, building sensation with every touch. She was so close and it had been far too long. His other hand caressed her breasts, pinching the sensitive peaks between his fingers until she was breathless and achy.
    Her pulse raced, every nerve ending tingled. Tiny fireworks exploded behind her eyes. She was there. Her words an incoherent jumble interspersed with his name, always his name.
    He bit down lightly on her shoulder again and it was enough to send her over the edge. She was a floating, boneless, trembling creature on a stormy sea of pleasure and he was her anchor; holding her close as the waves of ecstasy crashed over her and ebbed away.
    Finally she was able to open her eyes again. The bedside clock still ticked out its steady rhythm, but her world had shifted on its axis. She wanted to say something, to thank him, but her voice didn’t seem to work.
    Niall dropped a kiss on her shoulder. ‘You go shower while I make us some breakfast.’
    He climbed out of bed and paused beside the door. ‘Sinead, can I ask you something?’
    She rolled over and caught her breath. Holy hell. Had she just spent the night with him? Niall in a pair of boxer shorts was too much man for someone who hadn’t had a lover for a while. For anyone female. She realized that she was staring and he was still waiting. ‘Yes,’ she said, hoping it was the right answer.
    ‘You were having a pretty bad dream last night. Want to talk about it?’
    She forced herself to smile. ‘Thanks, but I’m fine. It’s just an old nightmare.’
    He nodded and shut the door behind him.
    Sinead ran her hand along the warm part of the bed where he had lain. Her first sexual encounter in more than a year but he hadn’t kissed her or permitted her to touch him in return. Everything had been about her. Niall had been in total control and while she wasn’t sure if she liked that, her languid body certainly had.
    How long had that taken? Minutes? Sinead cringed as she realized how wanton and needy she must have seemed. She flushed, wishing she had behaved with more dignity.
    She must have had the nightmare again. Usually she woke in a sweat, battling with the sheets, trying to remember what had left her throat raw and her face wet with tears. This time, instead of spending the rest of the night staring at the ceiling, she had spent it in his arms. She inhaled his scent from the pillow and smiled.
    Only then did she catch a glimpse of the bedside clock. 7.30. She had a moment of panic that she was late, before she remembered. Instead of being due at her desk that Monday morning, to work on plans for the exhibition, she was on bail. She was jobless and the highlight for the nextweek would be meeting her lawyer and wondering how quickly the Swiss authorities would try her for stealing the Fire of Autumn.
    They were convinced they had arrested the right person. She knew they were wrong and she had an incentive to find who really did it. She couldn’t lie in bed all day. She had a thief to catch, but at least she was no longer alone.
    After a quick shower she went to the kitchen to find that he was using every saucepan she had. ‘What are you doing?’
    ‘Eggs,’ he announced. ‘Boiled, scrambled or fried. Take your pick. You don’t have any other real food here.’
    ‘I don’t eat in the mornings.’ It was true. Most days she ate a piece of fruit on the way to