Chapter Twenty-Three
Without a word, she lifted a lantern off the wall and led him out of the kitchen to a door in the servants’ corridor.
He opened it for her, and they traveled along the back of the house before coming to a narrow stair.
She let go of his hand and started up. Once at the top, she moved to the right, into the student wing of the house.
After passing one other corridor and two doors, she stopped and put her finger to her lips.
Opening the door, she peeked out. The lanterns on the walls of the corridor gave just enough light to prove it was empty.
She looked back at Tam and waved him forward.
Quietly, she walked past Georgie’s door and then opened her own to slip inside.
As soon as Tam was in, she closed and locked it, a surge of triumph running through her.
He took the lantern from her and set it on her dressing table. “You truly are a Rosalind.”
She couldn’t have wished for a better compliment. “And you are truly my knight.”
He gathered her in his arms and kissed her until her limbs felt like flowing water.
Then he scooped her up and dropped her on her bed, only to follow her down, lying atop her, yet keeping some of his weight from her as he stared into her eyes.
“I must ask again, while I still have control over my actions. Are you sure you wish to become my wife tonight before we are properly wed?”
“I do. Please, Tam. I can’t wait any more. I want to show you how much I love you.”
He shook his head. “You don’t have to. I know you love me as much as I love you.”
She gave him a coy smile, worthy of Rosalind. “I want to show you. Unless you wish to wait. Then, of course, I would respect your wishes.”
“Respect my—I’ll show you exactly what my wishes are.” His mouth came down on hers and his tongue swept inside her mouth, taking her for his own.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back with a like passion, wanting all of him. Grasping his thick hair, she moaned into his mouth as a fire started deep in her belly.
As if that sound was all he waited for, he left her mouth and kissed her neck, then moved down to the top of her breast, but the neckline of her dress did not give as he tried to pull it down.
The next thing she knew, he had rolled her over to make short work of her ribbon and buttons. As soon as the dress loosened, he pulled her to a sitting position, which caused the neckline to fall to her waist.
“Come, let me get you out of those clothes.” He left the bed and had her stand, so he could lift the material over her head. He threw it on the settee then turned her around to untie her stays. They followed her dress.
As he made to pull her shift over her, she stopped him. “I want to see you.”
He didn’t answer. Instead, he untied his cravat and threw it to the settee. After unbuttoning the fall of his pantaloons, he pulled his shirt from them and over his head, to land on her clothing as well. “Better?”
She gazed at his broad chest that tapered to a thinner waist. He must be built differently than the typical lord, as he had the muscles of a laborer, though she knew him to be a scholar.
Just thinking about touching his strength had her body heating, but she pretended to ruminate on his question, and tapped her chin with two fingers.
“No, I think there’s more I need to see first.”
He looked uncertain, which she found endearing. “Did that book of yours tell you what to expect? I do not wish to scare you.”
She dropped her hand and grinned. “Not only do we learn about anatomy and procreation here, but my book also shows exactly what a man looks like and the positions he uses to take a woman.”
His nostrils flared at her words, but he didn’t respond. Instead, he pulled off his boots and then yanked down his pantaloons. After turning behind him to drop them on the rest of the clothing and giving her a view of his taut backside, he faced her.
“Oh.” At the sight of his erection, a shock of desire raced through her so hard, it caught her breath.
She was quite sure she also felt moisture at the juncture of her thighs.
Licking her lips, she examined him, fascinated by his shape, the shadows in his thighs where muscles met, and the perfection with which he was made.
His erection jumped, and she found herself moving closer. Knowing she’d caused this in him had her feeling powerful, something she’d never felt before. She reached out and touched him. He was silky smooth, but stiff. She curled her fingers around him, and his hand grasped hers.
“Rosalind, if you wish me to take you with some semblance of caring, you’ll need to refrain from touching me any more.”
She hadn’t yet finished The Illustrated Pleasures of Seduction, so she wasn’t sure what he meant exactly, but she trusted him. “After we’re married, then?”
“Yes.”
She nodded, and he released her hand, so she let go. “Why?”
“I’ll explain later. For now, let me show you how much I love you.” His gaze, which had an intensity in it before, had softened.
“Show me.”
He walked to her and lifted her shift from her, leaving her in her stockings only. But he didn’t bend to take them off, instead walking her back to the bed, where she lay down.
He remained at the side of the bed, looking at her.
Though she was known for being patient, she found with this, she couldn’t be. She held her hand out. “Tam, love me.”
Taking her hand, he climbed upon the bed, knelt beside her, and licked at her palm.
She squirmed, surprised at the tingles of excitement that ran through her. Then he was kissing her, his mouth coaxing her as his hands found her breasts and lifted them.
When he broke their kiss, she swallowed a moan, not unhappy that he’d moved his mouth lower to gently suck on a nipple.
She ran her hands into his thick hair and held him there until he sucked harder, causing streams of desire to converge in her sheath.
He released her nipple to move to the other.
She arched as he nibbled lightly at it with his teeth. “Tam. I need more.” Her whole body felt hot.
He didn’t disappoint. He reached down and nudged her legs apart, crawling between them even as he continued his sweet torture on her breast. When his hand found the juncture of her thighs, she opened for him, knowing now how wonderful it would be.
Releasing her breast, he moved his head lower, but before she could lift her head to see what he was about, his fingers came up to play with her nipples, squeezing them and then letting them go.
The feelings grew intense, causing her to ache as she released soft cries of pleasure.
That was when she felt his tongue upon her most sensitive spot.
She arched at the lightning that hit her core, sparking a flow of live flame that built with every flick of his tongue.
He replaced his tongue with his fingers, circling her and rubbing, causing her fire to rage out of control.
She moaned with desire until she was engulfed in an inferno of ecstasy.
She let out a scream only to have him capture it in his mouth as he covered her, which just seemed to make the feelings stronger.
She held on to him. He was her anchor as her body was swept up in the heat of completion.
Even as she began to cool, grasping him tight, she felt him nudge the opening of her sheath.
She had no breath to speak, even if he weren’t kissing her, so she tilted her hips to welcome him inside.
He pulled his mouth from hers and stared into her eyes as he lowered his hips, spreading her, pushing slowly into her, continuing until his pelvis met hers.
She stared in wonder at the fulfilling feeling of being his in all ways, of having him inside her where she felt as if they were fused together. It was both a heady and exciting sensation.
He brushed back her hair with his hand and set a gentle kiss against her lips before gazing into her eyes. “Wife.”
The word sent a thrill of satisfaction into her belly just before he started to pull back, but then he moved in again and her world changed. As if instinct was all she’d ever needed with him, she waited for him to recede, then met his hips as he thrust in. Yes.
*
Yes. Christopher sank deep into Sophie as her hips met his. Her natural movements made what he’d hoped to be a slow introduction to lovemaking a much faster process. It was as if she’d been taught by a courtesan, but he knew her to be innocent, her tight sheath attesting to her lack of experience.
And it was that very tightness that he couldn’t resist. That, her hips meeting his thrusts, and her nails digging into his shoulders as her whimpers of pleasure grew louder.
Her very body seemed to pull at him, coaxing him to release himself into her.
He fought hard to hold back, wanting her with him when ecstasy hit.
And then it came, her release, her sheath convulsing around him, demanding he come with her. As he finally let go, his last lucid thought was to kiss away her scream as her hands gripped his arse and they soared to the heavens together.
As he thrust the last time, completely spent and satisfied, he felt her hands stroking his back as if to soothe him. Remembering it was her first time, despite her actions, he tensed. Lifting his head from her shoulder, he studied her.
She gave him a soft smile. “I like being your wife.”
Relief almost had his arms collapsing, but he held his weight off her, not unaware that her breathing had not quite returned to normal. “I will always seek to make you happy.” He couldn’t help brushing back her silky hair, spreading over the pillow and beyond.
Her gaze moved down to where their bodies met before she looked up at him from beneath her lashes. “I look forward to that.” He laughed, and her hand came up to cover his mouth. “Shh, or we’ll be forced to make that ride to Gretna Green after all.”
He licked at her palm, and she pulled back her hand. “I’m thinking I want you in my bed every night from now on. Maybe the ride would be worth the inconvenience. It would be much shorter than waiting three weeks.”
At her serious consideration, his heart leapt, but then she shook her head. “No. We need to make everything official. And didn’t you say the betrothal contract still needs to be agreed to and signed?”
He let out a heavy sigh, knowing she was correct. “It will be difficult being away from you. I must get Stoneleigh House ready.” Doubts assailed him. “I’m not sure it will be comfortable for you.”
She took his head in both her hands. “As long as I can sleep in a bed beside you and have a single chair in which I can read, I will be content.”
That she truly meant what she said had him counting himself very fortunate to have found her. “There will be more than that, but if you don’t mind sleeping in the same room, we can start on your library instead of your bedroom.”
Her eyes lit with anticipation. “I’d like that very much.”
He lowered his head and kissed her, slowly withdrawing from her warmth.
She broke the kiss. “Oh, I didn’t know how unsettling that would be.”
He moved to her side and lay on his back. “Come.” He pulled her close, and she set her head on his shoulder. “Did you not yet finish that book you read?”
She lifted her head to look at him. “No. I put it aside after my mother visited. I didn’t want to know what I would miss.”
His heart constricted at how close he’d come to losing her…twice. “I think you should finish it while we wait to marry. Then you can show me all you learned.”
“You mean tell you about it?”
He lifted her chin with his fingers and whispered, “No, show me.”
At her indrawn breath, he kissed her, tasting her as if it were the first time all over again. As he deepened the kiss, she moaned and her hand found his already-growing erection. He pulled away, sucking in his own breath.
Sophie smiled up at him. “You said you wanted me to show you.”
“And did your book show you this?” He moved his hand between her legs and slowly inserted two fingers. As he expected, her hold on him loosened.
“I haven’t read that far.”
He moved over her. “Then allow me.” As he brought his soon-to-be wife to the pinnacle of ecstasy once more, he determined to make the most of every minute with her. She might not realize it, but the next three weeks were going to be torture.