Catherine’s Reviews > What Isabella Desires > Status Update

Where?

pg. 144 - 148

"Which is why I've come to collect my earnings right away."

Heat traveled through her, and stupid thoughts about pride and losing at chess fled.

"Oh?"

He uncurled from the doorway and sauntered toward her. "You don't object, do you? A kiss, I believe was my term for winning."

She couldn't say anything. The connection between her brain and mouth decided it was suddenly time for a break.

He stepped in front of her and took her hand in his, softly stroking her fingers through her gloves.

She leaned forward automatically and his fingers moved up her glove, up her forearm, blazing a continual trail upward.

He stroked the soft bare underside of her arm near her elbow. The small hairs stood on end and she shivered, pressing closer to his chest. He repeated the motion and her breast brushed against his jacket. She could feel the heat burning from him. She could almost imagine the hot skin beneath her fingertips, restrained under those clothes.

His long fingers caressed her upper arms, the tips of his fingers grazing the sides of her breasts.

The fire spread to her cheeks and her breathing grew ragged.

And still he hadn't kissed her. Her body was running way ahead toward the end of the race. And still his lips had not touched hers.

He seemed to catch the drift of her thoughts as his hands mover over her shoulders and into the hair at the back of her neck. He tipped her head back and lowered his.

His lips hovered about hers, Just a fraction of an inch. Cinnamon and spice, heat and promise. The air between their lips swirled, drawing them closer.

"You didn't answer my question, Bella." The tips of his lips brushed against hers on each word. It took everything she had not to close the gap.

"Question, Marcus?" She looked up through her lashes and brushed her chest to his.

"You don't object to a victory kiss, do you?"

His hands reached down and curled around her waist, the tips of his fingers brushing the top of her rear. He pulled her against him another inch so they were clasped together everywhere but at the lips.

"No, no, we must keep to the terms," she said breathily, barely even remembering what they had been playing.

"Very wise of you."

He kissed her. Deliberately. Forcefully. In a way that made her dizzy and giddy. That caused her hands o reach up and curl into the soft hair at the back of his neck. That had her arching up into him to be just an inch closer.

She kissed him with all she had and all she was. All the love and unsated passion she had been storing since she'd first fallen for him. This kiss was like eating the finest dessert or sipping the most expensive wine. A delicious heady experience that just made her want more, more, more. Nothing could compare with kissing Marcus.

He pushed her against a wall; which wall, she had no idea. She couldn't even remember what day it was. But the wall gave her excellent leverage to push back into him. To connect them in a manner that made him groan heavily against her mouth.

The heady feeling gave way to an exhilaration unlike any she had known.

He devoured her in a way that made her feel that maybe he felt that she was the finest dessert or most expensive wine.

His fingers skimmed over her breast. She gasped and arched, the sensations spiking through her, adding to the fire that lit her cheeks and spread downward--tentacles of heat lacing throughout her body.

If she died at this very moment, in this very hallway, she would die a happy, happy woman.

And people would wonder what had happened to Lady Willoughby to put such a smile on her face in death. The people in the room not twenty feet away most especially.

Hold a moment.

She was in a hallway. One of Marcus's hand's was wrapped around her breast, the other cupping her rear. Wantonly pressed up against a wall with no less than a dozen people a room away.

She pulled her head back, knocking it against the wall. She panted, echoing his ragged breathing.

His eyes captured hers, dark caramel and glossy. Heated. If she didn't move she was going to let him have his way with her right here, enjoying ever minute and probably ruining her for life.

"Thing! I need to get the thing from the what's-it."

She slipped from between Marcus and the wall and turned to back away from him, his eyes still hot as he rested one hand against the abandoned paneling. His molten gaze locked with hers.

A throat cleared. "Lady Willoughby, may I send a footman to retrieve your item?"

Isabella jumped and whirled expecting to see the Roth butler standing at attention, face perfectly blank. Perfectly blank in the way good servants observed their masters before heading down to the kitchens to gossip about them. To gossip about things like seeing their masters conquer a wanton woman against a wall. But the starchy man stood discreetly around the corner, only one shiny boot in view.

"Oh, no. It's breast--I mean best--that I retrieve it."

Dear. God.

"Wait, Lady Willoughby--"

Isabella stumbled out of the house. If Marcus kissed her senseless every time she lost a game, she'd never have to worry about being disgruntled again, for she wouldn't be able to string two sentences together anyway.

AH wrote: "Where?"

It took me a while to type!

OMG! *fans self* That was hot! I read it out loud to my husband and he asked "What book is this from?" and I said "does it matter?"

Thanks for a great update.

Wasn't that great? Very sexy! I just had to share it with all my friends. ;)

Haha, that's the same one I quoted! I loved that scene!! It was sexy AND hilarious!

Yes, that's exactly what made it so awesome for me!

There is something to be said for all the clothes they wore back then. Who knew that a touch at the edge of a glove near an elbow could be so sexy.

And the anticipation....*heavy sigh*

Thanks for sharing,Catherine! Love it!

AH wrote: "And the anticipation....*heavy sigh*"

Oh, the anticipation is my favorite. Sexual tension gets me every time in romance. I'm usually bored by frequent sex with no anticipation built up, so I love when I find a sexy one like this!

Nissie wrote: "Thanks for sharing,Catherine! Love it!"

Glad you enjoyed it too! ;)

Thanks for sharing this with us, Catherine! Like Katyana said, it was sexy and hilarious :)

It's the "Hold a moment" beat that cracks me the hell up every time I read it. I always hear it in my head accompanied by that sound effect where the needle scratches across the top of a record as it is being abruptly pushed off. Probably because, well, I am crazy. :D

Katyana wrote: "It's the "Hold a moment" beat that cracks me the hell up every time I read it. I always hear it in my head accompanied by that sound effect where the needle scratches across the top of a record as..."

No, that's exactly what I pictured as well!

Leah *~*Savitar's Surfer Girl*~* wrote: "Thanks for sharing this with us, Catherine! Like Katyana said, it was sexy and hilarious :)"

Glad you liked it! This book has a few of those sexy scenes so far.

Catherine wrote: "Katyana wrote: "It's the "Hold a moment" beat that cracks me the hell up every time I read it. I always hear it in my head accompanied by that sound effect where the needle scratches across the to..."

Yay! I am so glad it isn't just me!

Ooohhh...Another sexy Marcus, Catherine? Thanks for sharing that scene! It was sexy...and funny! "Thing! I need to get the thing from the what's-it." LOL!

There do seem to be a lot of sexy Marcuses running around, Lady Jane! I loved that line!

Feel free to share more of these scenes. I now see the appeal of these books. *steps back as mountain of to-read books topples*

They really are tons of fun. The banter in Mallory's books is hilarious and sexy.

Glad to contribute another book to your mountain! ^_^