Chapter Twenty-Seven
Lady Lillian, Duchess of Alton
I turned from my right side to my left on the large bed that dominated the luxurious cabin. Several portholes let in the moonlight. Night had fallen, yet there was still no sign of Kendrick.
My nightgown rode up on my calf, and I used my foot to push it down.
The bed had a luxurious coverlet, and the bedding smelled freshly washed.
I allowed my hips to settle back into the soft mattress, but a crease in the gown added to my growing discomfort.
I had left the dining room with my parents over an hour before.
Was Kendrick still with his mother, or had he and Colt run off for a tryst without me?
“Oh, dear.” I rolled onto my back, lifted my bottom, and tugged the material down. The new gown lacked the softness of my usual night rail. I pressed my wrist to my forehead. The waiting was killing me. I couldn’t think Kendrick would be that inconsiderate.
Life showed me multiple times that people aren’t always kind.
My usual flip between chills and flashes of heat plagued me even more since I was left to my own devices.
Usually, I would compose stories in my head, but I was too keyed up for that.
My choice of literature wasn’t conducive to distracting me from the marriage act.
“I really hate this gown,” I exhaled and tried to relax.
A slight creak sounded from behind me, and I turned my head.
“I’m not very fond of it myself,” Kendrick said, amusement lacing his comment.
A thrill raced along my every nerve at the suggestion in his words. I lifted my torso to see my husband standing in the doorway to his dressing room. The black robe he wore accented his shoulders and exposed a vee of his chest dusted with dark hair.
“It is rather fluffy, or should I say frilly? My mother thinks that if I wear something with ruffles, it will hide my, um, my um, less than ideal attributes.” My face flamed from my bumbling manner.
He must think I was the silliest sort of lady, unable to articulate words with any finesse.
I sat up, my arms moving behind my back to support me.
“You know what’s beneath, but I couldn’t tell her that, now could I? ”
Kendrick moved farther into the room, his bare feet peeking out from beneath the fabric. A thick Turkish carpet covered the floor surrounding the bed, and the plushness muted his footsteps.
“No, you couldn’t. Rest assured, I’m not opposed to the gown since I’ll enjoy taking it off you, ruffles and all.” He approached the bed with heavily lidded eyes. Desire rested in the depths. “I know what lies beneath, and I’m definitely not opposed to them either.”
My arms weakened, and I had a hard time keeping myself upright. I lifted my chin, anxiety warring with anticipation. A lazy smile curved his lips, and those adorable dimples showed in his cheeks.
He dipped his head and pressed a light kiss to my lips as he sat on the edge of the bed. “I’m sorry I’m late. I was arranging a very special gift for you.”
“A gift for me?” My mother had told me to expect jewelry from my husband as it was commonly given to wives.
She’d an entire box full of precious gems gifted from my father over the years to commemorate special occasions.
Kendrick had already given me a necklace, which I cherished simply because it came from him. “That is very kind.”
“No, it is well earned. However, I’ll not be presenting it to you until midnight.” He slipped one hand beneath the weight of my hair and palmed the nape of my neck. I felt his touch to the tip of my toes.
“It is nine o'clock, well 9:22 p.m. to be exact. Unless the clock isn’t right, I—”
The press of his mouth cut short my rambling. I lifted one hand and cupped his cheek. His jaw was smooth without a hint of stubble. The faint aroma of shaving soap mingled with the underlying masculine scent that was unique to him.
My nipples swelled, and the secret place between my legs tingled. “Will Colt be delivering it?” I asked between sultry kisses, my fingers moving to the bodice of my gown. The rushes of heat had taken over, and I unfastened the top two buttons before the third one stuck.
“You will have to wait and find out.” Strong fingers pushed mine aside, and with a jerk of his wrist, the buttons on my night rail popped free. The material fell open, exposing one shoulder and upper arm.
“Then it is a yes?” I asked, resisting the urge to right the gown. He was my husband, and he’d seen my sad excuse for a bosom, yet I sensed his eagerness to touch them once more.
Firm lips skipped over mine, each delicious sweep eroding my earlier trepidation.
He stretched out on the bed, pulling me over his body until my torso was twisted over his, my legs by his hips.
The gown once again climbed up my legs, but this time I welcomed it.
One powerful hand drifted over my hip until he found his way beneath the fabric
He left my mouth to spread kisses down the arch of my neck, his talented mouth seeking the spot where my neck met my shoulders. Need ignited a flame in my chest. He remembered my preferences, and my heart warmed even more. We were bound for life, this generous man and me.
The need in my blood increased. Physical desire was new to me, but I had faith he would make it memorable.
He pulled the white fabric off my arm, baring one breast. Eager eyes caught mine as he traveled ever downward, tongue flicking around my nipple before drawing it into his mouth.
Love continued to bloom inside my heart.
I shrugged off the linen from my other shoulder, and the fabric drifted to my waist.
His hand blazed a path under the night rail. Our encounter was proving to be headier than the finest wine. I lifted my hips to loosen the fabric, my movements pressing my breasts tighter to his mouth. He sucked on my nipple. I cried out, my entire body alert to my growing need.
Strong fingers found their way to the juncture of my thighs.
His robe had fallen open and I reclined against his muscular chest. I pushed my knee back to expose my cunny to his view, shameless in my need.
What had transpired the last time he explored me with such intimacy sent anticipation shooting through my veins.
The instant he touched the nub between my legs, the flicker turned into a flame.
“‘Lady X parted her thighs and gave the dark knight the greatest treasure she could give,’” I said, struggling to get the words out of my tight throat.
Rich laughter met my teasing, and he lifted his head, his mouth seeking mine once more. I kissed him without restraint, my tongue darting into his mouth. He slanted his lips, the silky length of his tongue dueling with mine. I loved his playful manner, the nervousness leaving me in a rush.
He pulled me down to his chest with a strong arm and flipped me onto my back. I stared up at him and stretched my arms over my head, aching for him to pay homage to my breasts once more.
Smoky eyes locked with mine as he tugged the gown off my hips, leaving me naked. He stripped his robe off, exposing the thick muscles of his chest and shoulders. The sheer beauty of his form held me enthralled.
“‘The dark knight accepted her generous gift and vowed he would always treasure it, for Lady X tempted him like no other woman. She was his light, his moon, his stars.’” He kissed his way down my belly, each press of his mouth a bit of heaven.
I licked plump lips, each word a boon to my pride. “And you told me you couldn’t write.”
He knelt between my legs, his palms pushing my knees apart until I had no more secrets from him. “You inspire me.”
Kendrick was a dynamic man who drew me in with a simple touch.
Dexterous hands clasped my bottom as he licked a path along my cunny. Sensation hit me, each stroke of his tongue stealing more than my breath. I tangled my fingers into the thick strands of his hair, unable to keep my hips still.
The sensations continued to build. I wanted to touch him in return, except the pleasure eclipsed everything.
He inserted a finger into my body, and I latched onto it with my inner muscles.
Soon, he would make me his wife, filling me with his cock, just like in the works I had read.
My mother had been blunt about coupling for the first time and begged me not to judge my husband too harshly if I suffered undo pain. It was to be expected.
My husband was seeing to my needs first, and I was grateful for his generosity. The books I had read were eye-opening, but most were about two men. My other lover would join us at midnight. The memory of Colt and Kendrick pleasuring each other added to my burning need.
The pleasure in my core increased until I rolled my head on the pillow, my hips grinding into his talented mouth.
I was the most fortunate woman to find such a generous man.
The dam broke as my cunny erupted with pleasure.
It was more intense than I recalled, every inch of me alive.
I shook from its force, collapsing back onto the bed, panting.
“‘The dark knight ... looked deep into her eyes as he claimed his bride ...’” He climbed up my body until we were chest to chest.
His cock lay cradled against my cunny, soft skin over hardened flesh.
I had seen him aroused before, but I hadn’t been able to touch him.
My fingers drifted down the muscles of his back, the tips exploring the heavy sinew.
His art had honed his body to perfection, and I flattened my palms on his lower back, itching to touch every inch of him.
“‘Lady X bid the dark knight take his pleasure in payment for the pleasure he brought to her.’”
Sultry eyes met mine before he guided his cock into me. A new excitement took hold, except it wasn’t one of passion but of connection. He buried his face in my neck and sank deep into my weeping channel.
The effects of my earlier release helped dull the discomfort of losing my virginity. I waited for him to move, but he remained still. He lifted his head and met my inquiring gaze. Desire etched lines on his forehead, along with concern for my welfare. My heart grew lighter with love for him.
I trailed my palms from his back to his bottom and nipped at his firm jaw. “‘Lady X grew impatient with the dark knight’s refusal to do her bidding in a timely manner. ‘Ignore her at your peril, knave,’ she said in her sternest voice.’”
“‘As you wish, Lady X.’” He rolled his hips, and with each thrust, my distress dissipated. I looped my arm around his neck, my mouth seeking his parted one. He kissed me with slow, lingering kisses, each matching the rhythm of his cock as the kindling continued to ignite.
For the moment, we moved as one, with me parrying each of his thrusts. He drifted a hand between us, his fingertip finding the nub between my legs and working his brand of magic on the eager flesh.
The kisses turned from sultry to downright desperate.
Instinct told me he was nearing the end, and I wished to drive him over the edge.
I dug my heels into the mattress and rocked into his forward movement, unabashed by my own need, when it hit me once more.
I cried out, the sensations shooting from both inside and out.
Kendrick clasped my hips, his strong body bowed, every muscle in high relief before he collapsed onto the bed beside me.
What a magnificent man I married.
Joy encompassed my entire being. He pulled me against his hard frame, and I curled next to him, unable and unwilling to move any farther.
There was nowhere else I would rather be.
My hand splayed on his chiseled waist; I listened as his breathing slowed.
The ship rocked, and I could hear the sound of a foghorn off the starboard bow.
My body was in a state of deep relaxation, and I fought sleep. “Lady X is finding it difficult to remain awake. Will her gift be waking her when it is delivered?”
He traced a lazy path along my bare shoulder with his thumb, his temple pressed to mine. “The dark knight never reveals his secrets. However, he will concede to his own need for rest to prepare for the gift-giving ceremony.”
“An entire ceremony? It must be a grand gift, indeed.” I traced my finger along the depression of his ribcage. He’d a trail of hair that ran down his stomach to his cock. Thickly muscled thighs covered in dark hair were spread out on the mattress.
Kendrick personified masculinity and cut a magnificent figure, all angled muscles, and stimulating planes. As much as I wanted to drink in the sight of him, my eyelids grew heavy, and I closed them. I was aware of him placing the linens over me.
“It is the kind of gift you deserve, Lady Lillian,” he said, holding me tight.
Secure in his embrace, I vowed to remember this night.
I had known that I loved him before, but now I was deeply, hopelessly in love with my husband.
It was exhilarating but bittersweet. I prayed one day he could return my affections.
Regardless, I had vowed to stand by his side through the good and the bad.
He was my husband, my friend, and my lover.
And in a few short hours, my other lover would join us. Colt was a complication I hadn’t anticipated. Even the thought of him leaving bore a hole in my chest. He was a part of my life, the same as Kendrick. In my mind, the two were often inseparable. Except he had his own destiny to follow.
As I drifted off to sleep, I vowed to enjoy every second I had left with him before I had to say goodbye.