“You look far too pleased with yourself.” She teased him, bringing a soft chuckle from him.
“I am rather.” He confessed before leaning toward her and kissing her. She could taste herself on him, but it didn’t last. Soon, he lifted up again and reached for his trousers, kneeling between her legs. “Remember, you can stop me at any time.” He held her gaze as he uttered the words.
“I know,” she whispered, but still, she didn’t stop him.
When he undid his trousers and took them off, Julia found herself rising a little, staring agog. The length between his legs had hardened. It wasn’t something she had ever pictured. As he moved it toward her core, bracing himself above her body with his hands either side of her on the bed, her trembling grew worse. She even wondered if he was about to press inside of her, how he was supposed to fit!
“Trust me?” he whispered, leaning down toward her again.
“I do.” She confirmed and reached up to kiss him. She was so lost in that kiss, feeling his lips against her own that she was unprepared for him pushing himself inside of her. Something felt natural about it, until she felt pain.
She dropped back on the bed, away from the kiss and clung to his arms that were braced beside her, trying not to make a sound at the pain.
“I am so sorry,” he murmured, reaching down and kissing her forehead. “It only hurts the first time and should fade soon.” He didn’t move, he just held himself there inside of her, placing small kisses to her cheeks. When one tear escaped her eye, he kissed that away too.
As his lips found hers again, Julia kissed him back with eagerness, finding that the pain had gone. She lifted her hips up toward him, experimenting. The pleasure that shot through her must have been the same for him as he moaned, pulling back from that kiss.
With his hands braced either side of her on the pillows, he began to rock them together. There was something so animalistic about their bodies moving together in such a manner, that Julia was hypnotized. She couldn’t look away. She could only look between what Edward was doing to her and his face, red and beading with sweat in pleasure.
She soon moved her hands, so consumed by this new kind of pleasure that was somehow deeper than what she had felt before. She reached up toward him and pulled him down to her, kissing him again. With that kiss, her offered her more touches. Sometimes he held his hands either side of her, holding his weight to move. Sometimes, he used one hand only for that, then he touched her waist, her breasts, then her legs, holding them wide.
Julia felt that pleasure beginning to build once more. It was a slow build this time, but she was losing control rather quickly. His name fell repeatedly from her lips. He must have sensed her end, for the moment it hit her, he bent down toward her, kissing her to muffle the moans she so badly wanted to make. She felt her body clamp down around his. It made him swiftly part from her kiss and rear his head back, his own moan escaping him. She felt something quiver in their connection, realizing that just like her, he had hit that peak of pleasure.
“Edward… I…” She didn’t know how to put it into words. They were both breathless as they came down from their high. Edward lowered himself to her, adoring her with such soft kisses that she lifted her arms around his back and held him to her. “Is it supposed to be like that?” she whispered.
“I never knew it could feel that good,” he said softly, and kissed her again. “Now, you know how I feel about you.”
His words made her close her eyes and cling onto him, just as he buried his head in her shoulder. The two of them stayed there for some time, lost in each other’s touch, completely connected.
That is what he meant by stolen touches then!
She began to realize why so many people did such things out of wedlock. How could they wait when such happiness was promised sooner?
“I have to go soon.” Edward raised up above her another time, connecting their gazes through the candlelight. “Though believe me, it is the last thing I want to do.”
“I do believe you,” Julia said softly. “Just, stay a few minutes longer.”
“As you wish.” He leaned down to kiss her again.
As Julia kissed him back, she made a decision. This was not something that she thought would ever happen to her. She didn’t know she could love a man so much, or experience such a thrill with him. She was not going to give up their chance of happiness together, not for Lord Gillet.
When morning comes, I will not stay here and wait for news of what happens in their duel. No, I will do everything I can to persuade Edward there has to be another way.
As he parted their bodies and they curled up together, holding onto each other, with his fingers trailing up and down her sides and her hands exploring his chest, she told him as much.
“You cannot duel tomorrow, Edward.”
“I must. I will live to tell the tale, Julia. Believe me.”
She prayed he was right.