Chapter Twenty-One
Darius felt as if he were tasting his wife for the first time.
Everything he’d thought he’d lost was once again in his arms, and he needed to show her exactly how much he loved her.
Barely holding back his need to take her, he unpinned her hair from the back of her head and brushed his fingers through the long red strands, even as his tongue sparred with hers.
She tasted better than he remembered, and her unique, tantalizing scent filled his nostrils. It was her and a light fruit that he still couldn’t identify. Suddenly, it came to him, and he broke their kiss. “Apricot!”
Her eyes fluttered open. “Apricot?”
He grinned, very pleased with himself. “Your scent. It’s apricot, is it not?”
She broke into a wide smile. “It is! No one has ever identified it before. You have a most impressive nose.” She punctuated her statement by touching his nose with her index finger.
Immediately, he snatched her finger with his mouth and sucked.
“Oh.” Her eyes widened.
He slowly released her finger. “I wish to taste every part of you.”
She stared at her finger for a moment before a sly smile tilted her lips. “Not yet. I want to taste you first.” Her gaze moved downward between them.
A spike of need ran through his sac, causing him to harden beneath his pantaloons. “Why would you want to do that?”
She pulled from his arms and sat back on her heels. “Because I want to give you a Christmas gift, and I know you will like it.”
Doubt niggled its way into his contentment. “How do you know I will like it?”
Her chin lifted with pride, her smile rather smug. “I’m very well read.”
He raised his right eyebrow. Yes, she was intelligent and learned, but on such a subject? “You’ve read about how to provide fellatus?”
“I have indeed. Of course, the duchess doesn’t know that we ladies found a particular book that is very educational in this area, and none of us plan to tell her.
So, you must also keep our secret. For how would it be if Sophie or Georgie or Rose, or any of the other Curious Ladies, were to go to their marriage ignorant of the pleasures of the flesh? ”
He pulled his head back, not a little shocked, even as his body reacted to her words, making his pantaloons downright uncomfortable.
“Now, if you will be so kind as to sit back, I will be happy to release you.” She laid her hand on his erection beneath his clothing.
He barely kept from pressing her hand against him. Beyond pleased that she would wish to taste him, yet still in shock, he found himself unable to move.
Luckily, that didn’t stop his determined wife as she moved her hand to the buttons of his fall.
Recognizing her intent, he did as she asked and sat on the floor, his back up against the chair behind him.
He gritted his teeth as she unbuttoned him, brushing her hand against his erection, but as the material loosened, he was able to breathe a little easier.
That lasted but a moment before Ellie expertly cradled him in her hand and set her mouth to his tip. Her tongue encircled his head, licking at the top before stroking the underside from the base to the rim.
He sucked in his breath as hot pleasure filled him.
Then her lips encircled him, and she sucked him into her mouth.
He fisted his hands at the exquisite feel of her moist mouth upon him.
As she pulled up and moved down again, he ground his teeth, trying to stay in control of his release.
Not only did he need her, but his need to act immediately was still with him, despite his holding off a day to come home, which now drove him to take her hard. He couldn’t do that with his wife.
She continued with slow strokes before her gaze found his as she held him in her mouth.
He swallowed hard at her look. “Elle, you need to stop now.”
Her brow furrowed and she released him. “Why? Don’t you like it?”
He cupped her head in his hands. “I love it. So much so that I’m going to release in your beautiful mouth.”
She grinned. “I’d like that.” Her thumb continued to stroke him as she still held him in her hand.
He barely held back a groan. She may have read about what to expect, but he was quite sure the taste would be a surprise. “But my need for you is riding me hard, and I want to give you pleasure as well.”
Her eyes rounded. “Are you saying if I keep touching you that you will take me fast?”
He dropped his hands from her head, shocked by the hope in her eyes. “You wish to be taken in such a way?”
Instead of answering him, she lowered her head and sucked him into her mouth as far as he would go, then, as she pulled her head up, she dragged her teeth lightly along his skin.
It was too much. He pulled her atop him and rolled her over.
She squealed with laughter.
Her delight fueled his need, and he lifted himself to bunch her skirts to her waist. Quickly, he moved his hand between her thighs. Finding her ready for him, he positioned himself, still trying to hold on to some civility.
She grinned, then reached into the neckline of her dress and pulled her breasts out above it. “You can taste me too.”
He couldn’t have resisted if he’d tried. Bracing himself, he lowered his mouth to one luscious nipple and sucked.
She arched into his mouth, pressing her breast into his face. “More.”
He sucked harder as her moans of pleasure filled his ears, but his own control slipped away. Unable to resist, he plunged into her wet depths.
Her hands came down on his arse and she pulled him against her.
Somewhere in his brain was the fact that this was his wife and he should be gentler, but his body didn’t care what he thought. Unable to hold back, he let go of her nipple and moved to the other as he pulled out. As he thrust back into her, he sucked hard.
She grabbed his hair and pulled his head even closer as her hips met his, sending a wave of exquisite pleasure through his whole body.
He let go of her breast and lowered himself to capture her lips, sweeping his tongue inside to fully taste Ellie as he thrust into her.
She grasped his back, and her booted feet pressed against his arse, pushing him into her as fast as he pulled out.
Suddenly, she tightened around him, and he couldn’t hold back any longer. His release was powerful and long. Every fiber of his being filled with a bliss he’d never experienced as he spent himself deep inside the woman he loved.
She broke their frantic kiss, and her scream of rapture echoed around him, filling his heart with pure joy.
He wasn’t quite sure when he stopped moving, their bodies were so in rhythm with each other, but he did notice that she ran her hands lightly over the back of his head and shoulders. Lifting his head, he gazed into her bright-blue gaze. “I love you, Ellie.”
Her hands moved to each side of his head and her gaze turned soft. “I love you too. You make me feel wanted just as I am. Thank you for showing me how much.” Tears gathered in her eyes.
Concerned, he rose up on his elbows. “I do want you. I want you like this. I want your heavenly body. But I also want your thoughts and kind actions, your laughter and your wise counsel. I love everything about you. Tell me why you cry, and I will fix it.”
She sniffed. “Oh, Darius. My tears are not of sadness but of joy. You make me happier than I ever thought possible, more than I thought I deserved.”
His heart constricted at her words. “You deserve a better husband than I, but I promise to try to make you happy every day.”
“You already do. I’m beginning to think that we are perfect for each other.”
He nodded. “I do believe you’re right. If this is the case, then—”
A loud knocking on the door interrupted him, and he froze.
Ellie’s brows rose.
“My lord! Is anything wrong? The maid said she heard a scream coming from this room!”
Ellie touched the chair near her head and grinned.
Darius gave her a nod. “Everything is fine, Beacham. I was just moving furniture. Lady Ferncroft isn’t sure which way she likes it.”
Ellie giggled, and for some reason it had him growing hard inside her. Surprised, he almost forgot his butler. Almost.
“Would you like me to send up a footman to assist you?”
“Beacham, this kind of furniture moving is strictly between me and my wife.”
Ellie clapped a hand over her mouth, even as her silent laughter vibrated around him, making it even more difficult to remember that the door might open at any moment.
He wished Beacham gone, but he didn’t hear footsteps. What was the man waiting for? After what seemed like an interminable time but was probably less than a minute, the butler responded.
“I do hope my lady finds an arrangement that she enjoys.”
She let out a bark of laughter at that. It appeared the butler had finally realized what they were doing, yet instead of turning red with embarrassment, Ellie grinned. “Don’t worry, Beacham. I’m sure there are numerous arrangements I will like.” She laughed outright, which just made Darius harder.
As footsteps finally moved away from the door, he shook his head at his wife. “I will never be able to say the word ‘furniture’ again.”
“That won’t be a problem. I’ll be happy to bring it up when appropriate. For instance, now.”
“Now?”
“Yes. While I like this arrangement. I believe I would like to be on top, but this time with you on this piece of ‘furniture.’” She wrapped her hand around the leg of the chair near her head, much like she’d wrapped her hand around him.
His body immediately responded, and he growled low in his throat. “I can make those arrangements, but only if we completely strip the furniture.”
It took them a long while to fully undress. He couldn’t stop kissing her, whether it was her neck, elbow, or back, but eventually they were unclothed, and he was seated in the chair. He held his hand out to her. “I am at your service.”
“So you are.” She stared at his erection, which jerked at her look. Then, instead of taking his hand, she walked behind him and hugged him around the neck, placing a kiss on his head. “I suppose we’ll have to keep Beacham now that he knows our secret.”
He frowned. “Keep Beacham? Why? Was he leaving?” He didn’t want to train a new butler, especially one entrusted with his secret.
Her hands moved to his shoulders. “It was a possibility. I did threaten to dismiss him and Mrs. Torbett.”
“What? Why?”
Ellie moved to stand in front of him and set her hands on her hips. “They refused to tell me why you were in the wood. That is highly unacceptable.”
It had never occurred to him what a position he’d put his servants in.
Beacham hadn’t said anything to him about it when delivering food at the old bathhouse after Ellie had found him.
That the butler was loyal to both of them proved how trustworthy he was.
“I understand your concern, but I believe that now we can rest assured Beacham will continue his loyalty to both of us.”
“I know. That he was so loyal to you to keep your secret means a great deal. And now we must hope he keeps this secret as well.” She held her arms out.
At the sight of her fully naked body standing before him, he gazed his fill.
From her long red hair to her large breasts and full hips, he couldn’t believe she was his.
“My love for you will never be a secret, whether from the servants, our neighbors, or our children. I want everyone to know that I love you and am the luckiest of men that you love me in return.” He held his hand out once again.
Her eyes shimmered. “You make me so happy, Darius.”
“Then allow me to make you even happier.” He patted his thigh with his free hand.
She gave him another sly smile. “I don’t doubt that at all.”
His wife straddled him and slowly lowered herself until she was fully impaled. “Oh, I think I’m going to like this arrangement very much.”
With her nipples before him, he grinned before looking up at her. “I know you will.” Then he latched on to a nipple and gently nibbled.
She grabbed his shoulders and started to rock.
As the friction built and their pleasure grew, a contented feeling settled deep in his soul. Though he would take her to the stars, he would always come back into orbit about her. She was the center of his universe, now and forever.