Chapter Twenty-Three
Hugo began to play, and she watched his fingers dance upon the ivory keys. The melody was tender. Poignant. It tugged upon her heartstrings, knowing that he had taken the time to create this song just for her.
When the last note sounded, he gazed up at her anxiously. She framed his face in her hands and bent, pressing a soft kiss upon his lips.
“No one has ever given me a greater gift, Hugo. It is a haunting melody. Is it difficult to compose a song?”
He rose, his large hands cradling her cheeks, his thumbs caressing them. “Not when I have such wonderful inspiration. This song, I hope, will be the first of many which I hope to write for you.”
His lips touched hers briefly. “I never expected to wed this Season, Tia. I certainly never dreamed I would fall in love, but it is the most wonderful feeling in all the world.” He hesitated a moment. “Are you ready to go upstairs and truly begin our life as man and wife?”
She gave him a wicked smile. “I thought you would never ask, Husband.”
Laughing, he swept her into his arms, easily carrying her up the stairs to her new bedchamber. She reached down and turned the doorknob, pushing the door open for him.
Her new maid sat in the corner, waiting for her. She smiled at the couple and rose. Hugo set Tia onto her feet.
“I will come to you soon, my love,” he promised, giving her a quick kiss on the lips.
Anticipation filled her as she was dressed in one of her new night rails.
She had tried on a sample one at Madame Laurent’s shop, Lia accompanying her.
Tia thought it almost indecent, but her sister and the modiste had smiled knowingly, telling her the flimsy material was exactly what she needed.
She glanced down, seeing the night rail left little to the imagination, hoping Hugo would approve of it.
And her.
“Shall I leave your hair up, my lady?”
It had taken a good hour to create the hairstyle she now wore, and she thought it would be good to keep her hair pinned.
That way, it would not interfere with whatever they did in their bed.
Lia had told her that she and Rupert actually shared a bed, sleeping together each night.
Lia only used her bedchamber as a dressing room since Rupert preferred keeping her with him.
Tia wondered what Hugo’s preference would be.
It seemed almost scandalous to sleep all night in a man’s bed, even if that man might be her husband.
The maid excused herself, and Tia paced, nervous energy filling her. Then she heard a tap on the door and went to it.
No one was there.
Confused, she closed it, only to hear the same noise again. This time, she realized it was coming from another door. She moved toward it and when she opened the door, Hugo was on the other side.
“Our rooms adjoin?” she asked.
“Yes. There is a bathing chamber between them, with our bedchambers on each side of it. You also have a place to store your wardrobe.” He caressed her cheek. “But you can investigate that later. Right now, I wish to explore you. All of you.”
He stepped into her room, closing the door behind him. She wet her lips, knowing some of what was to come, but still not certain how it would play out.
Hugo took her hands and lifted her arms to the side, his eyes moving up and down her body, drinking her in.
“You are breathtaking,” he said, awe in his voice. “But I would ask for one adjustment to be made.” He paused. “Might . . . I take your hair down?”
“If you would like. I thought having it pinned up would keep it from being a distraction.”
He brought her hands to his lips, pressing a fervent kiss against her knuckles. “Your hair is one of the things I cherish most about you. The color is so unique.”
“Ariadne calls it strawberry blond.”
“That is a good description. It is a lovely shade of red, with blond strands kissing the red.”
She went and sat at her dressing table. Indicating a jar, she told him, “Place the pins in this.”
With great care, he removed each pin, and eventually, her waves tumbled past her shoulders and down her back. Then Hugo took up her brush and ran it through her tresses. His touch was light, bringing tingles rushing up and down her spine.
Their gazes met in the mirror, and he said, “I love you, Tia. Just saying the words aloud . . . brings a thrill to me.”
“I love you, too. I feel we have joined some exclusive club. Only a handful of Polite Society make a love match. My family has been blessed with several. All my siblings. Lucy and Judson. Dru and Perry.”
“How many more cousins are yet to wed?” he asked.
“Con, whom you know. He is the only one of the Alingtons left to do so. All three Fultons still remain unwed. Tray is the eldest. Verina is the middle child. And Justina is the youngest.”
He bent, his lips grazing her nape. “I look forward to making their acquaintance.”
Shivers ran through her as his lips moved against her skin.
Then Hugo helped her rise, and he took her in his arms. They kissed, heated kisses, ones which declared their desire for one another. Her pulse began to race as his fingers ran through her locks.
Breaking the kiss, he asked, “What do you know of love play?”
“A little. All from Lia. She said passion would guide us and that whatever we enjoy is what we should do together. She mentioned sometimes things would grow unorthodox, but pleasing one another should be our ultimate goal.”
“I agree. If I do something you enjoy, tell me. I will do the same,” he promised.
He began kissing her again, his kiss demanding.
Deep. Causing desire to ripple through her.
He guided her to the bed and removed her night rail before helping her onto the bed.
She watched him untie and shrug from his banyan.
He wore nothing under it, and she admired his lean, hard body, the muscles sleek.
For an endless time, they explored one another’s bodies, their hands gliding, their mouths following.
She thought Hugo would kiss every inch of her, so thorough was he.
Then as he kissed her deeply, his hand ran across her belly, going lower.
Her core anticipated his touch and began pounding, as if to signal him where to go.
One finger stroked the length of her seam, and Tia whimpered.
“You like that?”
“Yes,” she whispered. “Do it again.”
He did.
The third time he ran his finger along her, it stopped mid-point, then pushed inside her.
She moaned as he began stroking her, the caresses deep, causing her to tremble.
His motion was steady. Teasing her. Tempting her.
Then he shocked her, lowering his mouth to her belly, gliding his tongue along it, then going lower.
She knew where it headed but still could not fathom what he was about to do.
As Lia had explained, he parted her with his fingers and slipped his tongue inside her. She let out a groan, clutching the bedclothes as his mouth made love to her most secret place. Her hips began rising as a thick anticipation suddenly blanketed her.
“Something’s coming,” she said, panting.
He paused a moment, looking up at her, their gazes connecting. “Let it come.”
Hugo returned to her, nipping and licking and thrusting until that unknown feeling exploded, washing over her. Her hips gyrated as waves of pleasure engulfed her. Whatever it was came hard and fast, completely controlling her.
When the feeling began to subside, he kissed his way back up to her mouth, once again drinking from her.
As he did, he hovered over her, and she felt something hard now between her legs, realizing it was his manhood.
As he kissed her deeply, he thrust into her.
The action brought a little fear because this was definitely the unknown, but the larger part was the wonderful sensations that begin to drift through her.
He broke the kiss. “May I continue?”
She loved him for asking permission. “You may.”
“Wrap your legs about my waist,” he instructed. “It will allow me to go deeper, which should add to your pleasure.”
She did as told, and his next thrust immediately set off beautiful sensations within her.
As he moved in and out of her, Tia caught on to the movement of the dance.
Her fingers pushed into his hair, and she kissed him passionately, giving everything she had of herself to this wonderful man.
He gripped her buttocks, kneading them, his kisses still demanding as they moved as one.
Then that lovely feeling began building within her again. She held tightly to him as it struck her with great force. The same must be happening with him, because they both cried out in unison, each calling the other’s name.
When it finally subsided, Hugo collapsed atop her, covering her face in kisses.
She unlocked her ankles and lowered her legs, feeling incredibly elated.
He pulled himself from her and lay on his side, turning her and pulling her toward him, her back pressed into his chest. Tenderly, he kissed her neck, his arms about her, and she knew he would protect her with his life.
“That was . . . incredible,” she said, stroking his arm. His leg had now wrapped around hers, and Tia felt as if she were in a cocoon.
“I thought so, too,” he said, his voice low and rough.
“Can we be any happier?” she asked.
“Can we love one another even more than we do in this moment?” he countered. “I believe so. I think every day with you as my wife will bring us closer together, and our love will grow beyond anything we might ever imagine.”
“I cannot wait to bear your children, Hugo. Watching you dance with Penelope today made me see what a wonderful father you will be.”
“I do yearn for children,” he told her. “And I want to be a father they can love. One they can come to and share their emotions. Their troubles and sorrows. But also their happiness and triumphs.”
“We will make mistakes,” she said. “Neither of us is perfect. My parents, Papa, in particular, was very cold and unapproachable.”
“You know my father was a monster. I want to be nothing like him. I will shower our children—and you—with love every day, Tia. Every single day.”
“I am so happy to be your wife and know that we have so much in common. That we look forward to the family we will build together. We will lead by example, showing our children what it is to love. To care. To do good.”
Her eyes grew heavy. “Oh, I am yawning. I can barely hold my eyes open.”
“Then close them, love. And know when you awaken, I will be here. I will always be here for you. Now—and forevermore.”
“Might we sleep together each night?” she asked.
He dropped a kiss upon the top of her head. “I would not have it any other way.”
“Then I can fall asleep. Because whenever I awaken, you will always be there. Goodnight, Hugo, my love.”
“Goodnight, my sweet Tia. The first of thousands of nights together.”
She snuggled into him—and drifted off to sleep, dreaming of him and the years to come.