With a muttered oath, he undid his trousers and shirt, shrugged it all off and let it lie on the floor so he might face her in his proud, muscular nakedness. Do not be afraid, she told herself. This is how men are made, and he looks very fine for all that. His cock was hard and pointing toward her, as if in challenge, but she would not let it shake her. She untied her chemise and let it fall open to her waist. Drawing in a breath, she let it drop to her feet, so she stood in her stockings.
“By God, you’re beautifully made.” His praise helped her keep her hands at her waist, rather than using them to hide her body. Still, she rather wanted to hide.
“Shall we go to bed?” she said.
His expression deepened into a broad smile. “It feels like I’ve been waiting an eternity for you to ask that.”
She crawled onto the bed, not gracefully, she feared. He came behind her and guided her back onto the sheets. His eyes were so intent, so green and bright even as daylight faded.
“Don’t be afraid,” he said, taking off her stockings and setting the garters aside. “You must trust me.”
“I’ll try.” She reached for him even as she turned from his gaze, because they were suddenly so close to one another. “Shall we pull up the blankets? I’m cold.”
She meant I’m shy, but he pulled the blankets over them as she wanted.
“I don’t know what to do,” she said again. “Maybe it would be better if you…if you told me what I should do now, before we begin.”
He kissed her, tenderly, with feeling. “We’ve already begun,” he said when he drew away. “And your body will know what to do, even if your mind feels nervous. I promise that won’t last very long.” He pushed his hard shaft against her front, letting her feel his arousal. “But we can go slowly and take our time. We have all the time in the world now.”
“Should we put out the candles?”
“Oh, no. I want to see you.”
She gazed at him, tangled up with emotions. She was anxious, yes, but curious too, and perhaps a little flustered by his size and nearness. When he held her, her feet barely reached his shins. Her toes curled as he kissed her again, forcing her to open her lips to him and respond. She clung to his shoulders and moved against his front, against the hard part of him, because it seemed the right thing to do.
She was rewarded with a pleased—and tormented—groan. “How lovely you are when you trust me,” he said against her cheek, between kisses. “I want to make you feel so good.”
She soon remembered he was very skilled at that. His hands roved over her, bringing her body to life. He massaged her buttocks, which made her think of being spanked, but then he insinuated his fingers between her thighs and massaged another part of her that felt sinfully good and sensitive. To her embarrassment, she gave a wanton, avid twitch of her hips.
“Ah, you’re understanding now,” he said. “What a good, courageous wife you are.”
“I should not…” She stopped speaking long enough to gasp as he brushed a finger over one of her nipples.
“You should not what?”
“I should not be like this, should I?” She tried not to squirm beneath his touch. “So wanton. It’s not proper for a wife, is it?”
“It’s very proper, Ophelia. You are exactly as you should be in your wedding bed, exactly as I hoped you would be. I always wished for you to respond to my touch.”
That was a relief to hear, because she couldn’t help responding. He slid down in the bed to kiss her nipples as he’d kissed her lips, with passionate force that made her throb between her legs. Then, dear God, he went further still and kissed her right upon her quim, licking and teasing until her hips bucked restlessly.
“You mustn’t,” she said, even as she gripped his head and tangled her fingers in his hair. “It’s too much.”
He ignored her half-hearted pleas, caressing and plying her there until the throb in her middle became a pressure she couldn’t bear. “Please,” she said. “I can’t stand much more.”
He left off his sensual torment to kiss her lips again, so she tasted herself upon him. Her middle felt drawn up tight, ready to explode. He took her hand and placed it on his shaft.
“You see how I respond to you, Ophelia? I can’t wait to come inside you. Are you ready for me, love?”
Yes, I need you. It was a thought at first, but then she voiced it in a slightly hysterical tone. “Yes, I need you. Please…”
He spread her thighs and positioned himself between them. She remembered this from the night of the fire. She’d been carried away then, not knowing where such play would lead. Now she was ready to receive him. Perhaps it would soothe the ache inside her. She hoped so, for every part of her body was tingling now in anticipation.