The Panther & the Pyramid (Khamsin Warriors of the Wind) Read Free Page A

give her pleasure first. His tongue flicked hers in rhythm to the small strokes his fingers made. Dewy moisture soon coated them.
    He slipped one finger inside her, pleased at her response. Her feminine passage was tight, oh, so very tight. The thought of his member inside her damp, slick sheath nearly drove him crazy. His finger found a barrier—her maidenhead. He drew in a deep breath and thought of something innocuous, as Kenneth had instructed.
    Finances. Stock futures they had in the American railroads. He thought of steam locomotives chugging merrily along as she writhed and sobbed and wriggled beneath him as his finger thrust in and out of her, accompanied by wild strokes of his thumb.
    He increased the tempo, encouraged by her tiny, excited cries. Then suddenly she tensed and arched. Her flesh convulsed about his finger. Clutching his head to her, she sobbed out.
    Jillian gulped down deep breaths, feeling so worn and dazed that she couldn't move. She felt Graham shift, part her thighs with his hands.
    He mounted her swiftly, covering her naked body with his. The roughness of his thick chest hair rasped her tender breasts. Dawning fear mingled with wondrous pleasure as he raised himself above her, his intent gaze locked to hers.
    Then he lowered his head, planted a singularly sweet kiss on her brow. She felt an enormous hardness probing the sensitive hollow between her legs and gulped down a steadying breath.
    "I'm sorry," he said quietly. Then he pushed into her. The pressure between her legs increased. It felt like a thick iron bar invading her body.
    Breath fled her in a startled sob. She tried relaxing, but the sudden pain caught her unexpectedly.
    "Hold on to me," he whispered, touching his forehead to hers.
    She did, gripping his back, digging her nails into the hard muscles as he pressed deeper. He pushed and pushed and then gave a mighty thrust, sundering her maidenhead.
    Jillian gave a small cry. Madame had urged her to, warning gentlemen who liked virgins expected it—but this had not been pretend. Her nails burrowed into Graham's back. A tear slipped from her eye.
    Warm lips descended to her cheek, chasing the droplet, kissing it away. The tenderness of the gesture touched her.
    Graham remained utterly still. Waiting. Deep, ragged breaths and coiled tension in his muscles warned her how far he'd been pushed. How much control he exerted.
    Experimentally, she rotated her hips and felt herself relax around him. Graham let out a rough growl and began moving.
    His heart wanted to explode as he sank into her. Ah, God! Never had he felt such raging bliss. Never would he forget it, either.
    She was hot wet satin encasing him, so tight and warm he wanted to die with shuddering pleasure, as if the sun had wrapped around him, coating him with molten heat. Graham groaned with the effort to remain still. Male instinct nudged him to move, to push and thrust. But concern for her stilled him.
    And then he felt the tiny muscles gripping him so tightly relax the slightest bit, and he could wait no longer.
    With a strangled groan, he thrust forward once and the floodgates burst. He hoarsely cried out, pumping his seed deep inside her.
    The man lay upon her, his muscled weight pressing her into the bed. Deep breaths filled the pillow where he rested his head beside hers. Jillian shifted slightly, marveling at the newness of the experience. Her limbs felt languid and heavy. A burning soreness throbbed between her thighs.
    Finally, he lifted his head. His heavy-lidded eyes, gleaming from spent passion, regarded her with pleasure, then widened. "I'm afraid I'm crushing you," he murmured.
    "It's quite... all right."
    Rolling off, he lay beside her. Jillian felt a sticky dampness between her legs. Her blood and his seed. She felt naked and exposed and suddenly chilled, stricken by a wild longing for him to take her back into his arms. But this was a business arrangement and not love, she firmly reminded herself.
    To her shock and