"Oh no you don't"

As Isabella stood staring into Alexander's indecipherable gaze she realised that the brandy she had consumed was having disastrous effects on her ability to think clearly. This was exacerbated by the fact that she had ingested it onto a nearly empty stomach. Thus, instead of quickly removing herself from between Alexander's outstretched arms, she remained cocooned by his sturdy frame. Seconds that felt like minutes past between them, with neither breaking the interminable silence. Alexander then moved his gaze to look at her rosy lips for a fraction of a second before coming to stare into her eyes once more. The brief movement registered with her addled mind and her heart sped up in response, causing a blush to suffuse her cheeks. It seemed that his senses were inexorably entwined with hers, for as soon as her body reacted in the slightest way, his eyes took on a knowing look and he head tilted down before his lips touched hers in a searing kiss. His right hand left the door to clasp her waist as he moved his lips over hers, drawing out a muffled sigh from her.

His kiss left her breathless and as soon as she opened her mouth to draw breath his tongue delved in seeking out her own. The taste of brandy further imbued her taste buds and as his skilful tongue undulated with hers he moaned a deep guttural sound that caused a wave of longing to engulf her. This man is like a drug she thought fleetingly before his right hand moved slowly from her waist up her body until it rested over her left breast. Her nipple hardened in response and it seemed he felt it, for he advanced his hand to her shoulder and slowly began to pull down the fabric in an attempt to free her to him. The fabric was drawn down until most of her breast was exposed to him, without thought his mouth suddenly moved from hers to trail over her nipple instead. Isabella whimpered in a mix of shock and need as his wet tongue stimulated her sensitive flesh. She was completely absorbed in the exquisite sensation and moaned involuntarily at this new delicious feeling. The sound seemed to spur him on, for he pressed his tall muscular frame against her body, moulding her to him. He then moved one leg and nudged it between her legs until her core was pressed against his muscular thigh. She arched her back on reflex and could soon feel the increasing moistness that was growing between her now parted thighs.

Moving his other hand from the door he grasped her skirts before drawing them up slowly. This compromising move snapped her back to her senses and she stilled his exploratory hand in hers. His lust filled eyes ascertained the expression of unease that was apparent on her face and he murmured "Shhh trust me" in a breathless tone. The sensible thing to do would have been to dislodge herself from his embrace and scurry away, however on hearing his words she found that her body wanted nought else but to do just what he asked- trust him.

He had never caused her any harm, in fact his actions thus far had been mostly for her benefit. But regardless of this, she found that she was spellbound in his embrace and her body yearned for something she could not comprehend. She watched him lift her skirts and move his hand to touch her most intimate area, while she attempted in vain to slow her hurried breathing. His skilled fingers pulled aside the delicate fabric that covered her and before she could fully register his movements, his digits touched her drenched core. His eyes bored into hers then and he raised one eyebrow giving her a look filled with desire and knowing. He moved to play with the sensitive bud of nerves at the apex of her thighs, his wet fingers wreaking havoc on her. She gasped loudly as he applied more pressure there and her hips began to move back and forth as her body chased some unknowing pleasure. On seeing her responsiveness, Alexander grinned perceptively before he impulsively groaned "Yes that's it". She chased the sensation he was creating within her and writhed against his expert hand. Soon she felt one of his fingers entering her, stretching her open to him. She moaned loudly at this exquisite contact before Alexander captured her mouth in a plundering kiss once more, muffling her unruly cries. Her yearning built in intensity until heat flooded though her body and she arched forward as a wave of unbridled pleasure coursed through her, the crescendo of sensation causing her to buck against his hand in waves of release.

Never in her life had Isabella felt anything like the pleasure he had just awoken in her. Her lungs ached and she suddenly moved her mouth from his and tried to pull some much needed air into her. Her wound up senses began to relax and with that change, the full realisation of what had just transpired hit her with uninhibited force. She looked into Alexander's hooded gaze with wild eyes before quickly dislodging herself from his embrace. Remedying her dress she turned about and grabbed the door handle before his hand grabbed hers and he turned her to face him. Alexander opened his mouth to speak, however on seeing the look of unconcealed embarrassment on her face he quickly decided that now was not the time to bandy words. Sighing he unclasped his hand from hers and as soon as he did she flung open his study door and marched toward the grand staircase before she all but ran towards her bedroom.

Alexander closed the door and rested his forehead on the cool wood, his mind beginning to fully register what had transpired. How did a meeting about my troublesome aunt turn into well...that, he thought shaking his head. A groan escaped his lips, the sound being caused from both the nagging feeling in his nether region and the stark realisation at how much he had changed their already perplexing relationship, in one small act. After that one short deed, he now knew that she desired him as much as he did her, and that her body responded to his touch with abandon. That knowledge was everything.

Things will never be the same between us now, he thought resignedly, I either have to have all of Isabella or none at all. With that thought weighing down on him he returned to his forgotten brandy glass before gulping the contents back in one sure mouthful once more. Smiling dejectedly he placed his glass back on his desk thinking: One thing is for sure, at least if things change my brandy decanter will see less of me. Turning on his heel he called for Alfred to have Midnight saddled, the object of such a request being that he believed a hard gallop might clear his mind and settle his errant body.