Alex’s smile was one of pure masculine satisfaction. “You like that, don’t you, love?” As he felt her nipple harden into a tight little bud through the material of her dress, he squeezed the mound of flesh he held in his hand and watched Emma shiver with desire. He silently cursed the row of tiny buttons marching down the back of her dress that made it next to impossible to pull the fabric down off of her shoulders. With a ragged sigh, he resigned himself to the fact that he would not be able to gaze down upon the full breast and dusky nipple that were proving to be so intoxicating. This setback, however, was probably all for the best considering the vow he had made just moments earlier.

“Oh, Alex,” Emma moaned softly. “This is all so very strange.” She let out another gasp as she felt his hand creep under the folds of her skirts and caress her firm, sleek calves. Spasms of pleasure shot up her legs to the very center of her being and she sighed with abandon. “And so very nice.”

Alex’s hand stroked steadily upward until it reached the sensitive spot where the tops of her stockings met pale, soft flesh, and Emma nearly flew off the blanket from the sheer energy that seemed to pour forth from his fingertips. And then, although she could not quite believe it was happening, he moved further still.

“Alex?” she asked breathily. “What—what? Are you sure? I don’t know.”

Alex silenced her with a soft kiss. “Shh, darling. I promise you that I will not”—he smiled wryly at his melodramatic words—“ravish you right here on the blanket. When we make love, it will be perfect, with no hesitations or misunderstandings between us.” He continued to drop gentle kisses across her face to ease her fears as he slipped his hand beneath her undergarments and began to tease the soft thatch of hair that protected her womanhood.

Emma’s breath caught in her throat, and she tensed up against him, twenty years of proper upbringing flooding her mind and telling her that she ought not to be in such a situation. She pressed a hand against his chest, feebly trying to push him away. “Wait, Alex, I’m not sure…”

“Not sure of what, love?”

Her voice quavered with apprehension. “Of you, of this, of anything.”

“You’re not sure of me?” he asked, trying to tease her fears away. “Are you telling me you’d rather be here with someone else?”

“No!” she burst out. “It’s not that, it’s…”

“It’s what?”

“I don’t know!” Her mind was screaming that she ought to get up and walk away, but she could not deny the thrilling sensations that poured forth from his every touch. And even as her internal struggle raged, she felt herself relax against him, her body begging for what so frightened her mind.

“Don’t worry, love,” Alex murmured, relieved by her acquiescence. “I will keep the vow I made to you this afternoon.” He took a deep breath, laboring hard to keep his own desire in check. His need for her was painfully apparent, his hard manhood swollen and straining against his breeches. “I just want—I need to be inside you somehow. I can’t explain it. I just need to feel you right now.”

With that he slipped one finger inside her. She was hot and wet, just as he knew she’d be, but so very small and tight. He felt a surge of pride as he realized that he was the first man ever to touch her in so intimate a manner. He felt himself throb with need for her, his manhood begging to trade places with his wandering fingers.

Delicious waves of pleasure shot through Emma’s body, and she began to feel herself tensing in expectation of something she didn’t understand but somehow knew had to happen. “Alex!” she cried out. “Help me, please. I can’t bear any more.”

“Oh, yes you can, love.” As Alex’s finger continued to stroke her intimately, his thumb found the sensitive nub of flesh that was hidden beneath her soft curls.

“Oh, my God! Alex!!” Emma screamed his name in complete abandon. Every little wisp of desire that had been curling through her body moved to one tender spot in her abdomen, and she started to tense convulsively until her world simply burst apart, and she lay limp and exhausted on the soft flannel blanket.

Alex gently slid his finger out and laid his body down alongside hers, propping himself up on his elbow. “Shhh,” he murmured comfortingly, trying to ease her back down from her climax. As he stroked her hair, he gazed out over the countryside and began to will his body to calm down, for he knew that he would not be enjoying the same kind of release Emma had. Still, there had been an undeniable sense of satisfaction in pleasuring Emma. And although Alex had always been an extremely considerate and giving lover, this was the first time his own need had become completely secondary to someone else’s.

“Oh my,” Emma sighed, just as soon as she regained her powers of speech.

“Oh my, indeed,” Alex chuckled, running his forefinger along the elegant line of her jaw. “How do you feel?”

“I feel—oh, I don’t know how I feel.” Emma closed her eyes for a moment, utterly relaxed. A light smile touched her lips, and she reopened her eyes and fixed her gaze on the man before her. “You know more about this than I do. How do I feel?”

Alex laughed aloud. “You feel splendid, my sweet. Absolutely splendid.”

“Yes, I suppose I do,” she sighed, curling up against him. “Although I wasn’t too…vigorous?”

He bit back a smile. “No, darling, you weren’t too vigorous. You were just perfect.”