Chapter Seven #2
His mind went to an impure place from her words. And it had everything to do with a certain book that he’d spent all of last night examining. He drew a deep breath, doing his best to push that particular mental image aside.
“It’s far too dangerous with your father in town now, too. We shall be married soon enough and we can continue our lessons then.”
Diana waved a dismissive hand. “Elias dragged Papa to their club with Hudson. They shall never know I’m gone.” Her eyes sparkled with mischief. “Besides, you already agreed.”
Graham stared at her, realizing that there was likely never a single time in their lives that he would be able to tell her no to anything. “You’re going to be the death of me, aren’t you?”
“I certainly hope not,” Diana said with a grin. “That would make for a very short marriage indeed.”
Despite himself, Graham found his lips twitching with suppressed laughter. “You’re completely mad.”
“Perhaps. But I’m also determined to learn to ride.” She stepped closer still, close enough that he could see the gold flecks in her blue eyes. “Please, Graham? Just a short lesson?”
There was absolutely no way he would ever be able to deny this woman anything.
“A short lesson,” he said finally. “And then I take you straight home.”
Diana clapped her hands together in delight. “Thank you!”
Graham just shook his head, questioning his sanity for allowing himself to be talked into a situation that would only make her father hate him more. “Come then. I actually have a surprise for you.”
“What sort of surprise?” Diana asked, practically bouncing on her toes.
“You’ll see.” Graham couldn’t help but smile at her enthusiasm. He would give her anything she wanted if it kept her smiling at him the way she was.
They made their way to the stables, taking care to avoid anyone in Graham’s household seeing him.
With Diana’s hand in his, and her body pressed close to his when they paused before darting around corners, he became far too aware of her.
The memory of that damned book’s illustrations kept flashing through his mind, making him sensitive to every gentle touch.
When they reached the stables, they found Luna settled into a stall. The mare’s ears pricked forward at their approach, and she nickered softly.
“Oh,” Diana breathed, rushing to the stall. “This is a beautiful horse.”
That she was. She was solid black, almost identical to Midnight, but just a bit smaller.
“She’s yours,” Graham said, running his fingers along the horse’s neck. “I thought she would make a good wedding present. And I trained her myself.”
Diana’s eyes widened. “Mine? Truly?” She beamed at him, and the joy on her face made his chest tighten. “Graham, I… I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t need to say anything.” He moved closer, watching as Diana tentatively reached out to stroke Luna’s nose. “She’s gentle as a lamb but still quite spirited. Perfect temperament for a lady’s mount.”
“She’s absolutely perfect.” Diana’s voice was soft with wonder. “What’s her name?”
“Luna. She was born on the night of a full moon.” Graham smiled at the memory. “I thought the name suited her.”
Diana turned to face him fully, and there were tears in her eyes. “No one has ever given me anything so wonderful.”
The raw emotion in her voice made Graham’s heart do a little flip in his chest. Without thinking, he reached out to cup her face gently. “You deserve this, Diana. You deserve everything.”
For a moment, they simply looked at each other, the air between them charged. Something that felt dangerously close to losing control again.
“Thank you,” she whispered with watery eyes.
Graham brushed his thumb across her cheek, catching a tear. “You are indeed quite welcome.”
“Can we still have my lesson?”
Graham nodded, trying again to stop his thoughts from going to a place they shouldn’t. “Let’s get her saddled.”
Within minutes, Luna had been saddled by the groom that was nearby, who had insisted on taking over when Graham tried to saddle her himself. But he sent the servants away afterward since the fewer who knew about their lessons, the better.
“Ready?” Graham asked.
Diana nodded eagerly.
He gripped her hips and set Diana in the seat. “Up you go.”
Diana settled into the sidesaddle with growing confidence, and Graham adjusted her stirrups. When he looked up to check her position, she appeared to be the happiest woman in all of London.
“How does that feel?”
“Perfect,” Diana said softly, her eyes meeting his. “Everything about this feels perfect. I love her.”
Graham’s hands lingered on her leg longer than necessary, and he saw Diana’s breath catch. And she didn’t look away from him.
“We should begin,” he said, though he didn’t move away.
“Yes,” Diana whispered, but she was looking at his lips now, and Graham felt his control slipping.
He forced himself to step back. “Let’s start with some simple movements.”
Diana guided Luna with Graham’s instruction. She improved each time she did so, and became more confident in the saddle.
“Excellent,” he said as she completed another circle in the alley and returned to the mews. “You’re a natural. Although I do believe we are going to have to get you a proper riding habit.”
“Thank you.” Diana beamed. “I’ve never had a riding habit before.”
He took the reins and tied them to a wooden beam. “Here, let me help you down.”
Her hands came to rest on his shoulders as he reached up to help her from the saddle. But instead of setting her down quickly, he lifted her down slowly, her body sliding against his until she was standing pressed against him.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him even closer.
“We shouldn’t,” he breathed, even though he made no effort to back away.
“I know,” she whispered back, but she also did not attempt to move. “But I must thank you properly.”
“Diana—”
She silenced him by pressing her lips to his, and Graham was lost. His hands tangled in her hair as she kissed him with a sweetness that quickly turned desperate. When she made a soft moan of pleasure against his mouth, he just about came completely undone.
Her hands moved from his shoulders to his chest, and he groaned against her mouth. Every touch, every soft sigh she made, wound him tighter. This was dangerous, this overwhelming need that threatened to consume every shred of his control.
But Diana was pressing closer, and he knew he was already lost. His lips moved to her throat, tasting the salt of her skin, and she arched against him with a gasp.
“Diana,” he managed, his only attempt for one of them to come to their senses as he backed her deeper into the mews where they would be less likely to be seen.
She pulled back just enough to look at him, her eyes dark with desire. “Don’t stop.”
The breathless plea shattered his control completely. He captured her mouth again, more urgently this time, his hands exploring her back. His control had evaporated and all that remained was an overwhelming need to have her in his arms.
He backed her against the stable wall, his body caging her in. And she did nothing to discourage him, her fingers fisting in his shirt.
Before he could stop himself, he seized her bottom and pulled her against the hardness of his desire for her. Graham knew one for certain: he would want this woman every day of his life. The tighter that she clung to him, the more his nerves about his inexperience dissipated.
Graham slid his hand up her body, exploring her curves until he reached her breast. She gasped and held onto him tighter.
He tenderly squeezed her breast through her dress.
With another gasp, she arched her back, pressing her chest against him.
The scent of lavender that he’d forever associate with her took over his senses.
Her body responded to his touch, and her nipple hardened beneath his palm.
Delighting in her reaction to him, his cock bulged as he teased that precious nipple through the fabric.
How he longed to touch her skin, to glide his hands along her softness and warmth.
She made the sweetest moans of delight and leaned her head back, exposing her neck to him, and he responded by placing light kisses from her jaw to her neck.
His lips trailed along the neckline of her dress, running his tongue just under the edge of her neckline.
“Graham,” she whispered.
Hearing his name on her lips in that moment was the loveliest sound he’d ever heard. And he longed to make her do so over and over again.
He ran his hand along her hip and then gripped her skirts, bunching them in his hands to raise them, making her gasp.
“Do you want me to stop?” he ground out.
“No.” Then she kissed him again.
He shifted his hand so it was beneath her skirts and then brushed his fingers along her thigh. “Have you ever touched yourself here?” he asked against her lips.
Her cheeks pinkened as she shook her head. “I…I know very little. But I know that I don’t want to stop.”
He slid his hand higher and fingered the soft, slick folds between them. Then he almost lost his breath entirely.
“Tell me if you change your mind,” he murmured, but hoping that she wouldn’t. Touching her, his first time to every touch a woman in that way, had consumed him.
He hadn’t known what to expect, only what he’d read and imagined, but the heat and slickness as his fingers slid deeper between her legs was nothing like he’d ever dreamed.
She gasped and clung tighter to his shoulders. “Graham…”
He traced her carefully, his thumb circling the little nub at the peak of her folds, something he learned from the book in his study. Her hips jerked against his hand. The sound she made, something that was a half gasp, half whimper, made him groan.
“Does that—does that feel good?” he asked, trailing kisses along her neck.
“Yes,” she whispered, tilted her head to the side, giving him greater access. “Don’t stop.”
He slid a finger inside her, and the tightness nearly destroyed him. He already imagined what it would be like to truly be inside her. The thought alone made his cock strain painfully against his breeches.
Her body clutched around his finger as he worked it gently, then added another, stretching her, filling her. She moaned, her thighs quivering, hips pressing shamelessly against his hand.
“You feel perfect,” he ground out. “Do you feel something building?”
She nodded frantically, breath catching. “Yes—oh, yes—”
He curled his fingers, desperate to wring more of those sounds from her.
Her nails dug into his shoulders as her breath grew ragged.
He pressed his body tighter against her, his cock rubbing against her hip as he continued to pleasure her.
The pressure provided a bit of relief from the way he ached from how hard he was.
His thumb worked over her nub again and again until her whole body trembled. It was the most exhilarating experience he’d ever had in his life.
Suddenly, she cried out and lost herself in his arms, her core clenching around him in hot, pulsing waves.
The sight, the feel, the sound of her release broke him.
The intensity of the moment was overwhelming.
His cock jerked against the confines of his breeches as he reached his own climax, filling them with his seed as he came with a muffled groan against her throat.
He had never come so hard before, and he wasn’t sure he’d survive how intense their wedding night would be.
Graham held her tighter as his seed soaked the fabric, praying she wouldn’t notice.
She slumped against him, her body still quaking. “I didn’t know it could… feel like that,” she whispered, flushed and breathless.
Graham eased his hand from her, smoothing her skirts down so she was covered. His heart still hammered with the enormity of what had just happened.
Diana’s head rested against his chest. “Graham,” she whispered after a long pause, “what was that?”
He swallowed hard, brushing a hand over her hair. “It’s called many things.” He gave a shaky laugh. “But a climax is one word for it.”
“My body felt as though it had no choice but to… to break apart. It was terrifying and wonderful all at the same time.”
Graham practically puffed out his chest in pride. “I’ll show you more soon.”
“Is that…what happens during our wedding night when you enter me?” The innocence of her questions made him feel much better about his own lack of experience. At least they’d learn these things together.
“Yes. I mean…I hope so.” He paused, trying to find the right words. “If you want to, that is.”
“Anything that feels that good, I must do again.” Suddenly her expression shifted to one of concern. “What about you? Was it… pleasurable for you too?”
His seed in his breeches was a sticky reminder of just how much. He cleared his throat. “Every moment of it,” he admitted, the truth tumbling out before he could stop it. “Touching you… feeling you… I didn’t know it could be like that.”
She eyed him curiously. “You didn’t?”
He hesitated. He hadn’t meant to tell her, but she deserved to know the truth. “Uhh…well…I actually haven’t ever been intimate with anyone before. So I’d actually never done…that.”
“You haven’t?”
He shook his head. “I never wanted to be like my father.”
She tenderly cupped his cheek. “I must admit that the thought of you being with anyone that way would drive me mad with jealousy. So I am glad you have never done so. It’s always been such an unfair, hypocritical way of men.”
“I am inclined to agree.” Graham released a silent breath, feeling relieved that he had told her. He didn’t need any additional secrets from her. “But I do swear to you, Diana, I’ll learn everything I can to please you.”
A shy smile touched her lips. “We can learn together.”
The words nearly finished him a second time.