She would have given more attention to how odd this was if his lips weren’t so warm and his hand so gentle. No one had ever been this tender with her. Yes, her mother had held her when she was a child, and other family members had hugged her over the years, but this was different. The action came from someone who’d been living apart from the rest of the world. He was reaching out to her. He needed the connection, and yet, he was almost afraid to make it.
She touched the side of his face and ran her hand along his jaw. It was strong. There was a little stubble on it, letting her know he hadn’t shaved since earlier that day. She let her hand drift to his hair. It wasn’t long. It reached the end of his collar, though, which meant he didn’t cut it often. But it was soft to her touch, proof he washed it on a regular basis. He even kept it combed.
She then studied his clothes. He was wearing a shirt with a frill at the neckline. Over the shirt was a waistcoat with solid, cool buttons. He probably didn’t wear a frock coat because he wasn’t going anywhere. He did, however, have clothes on that were clean. He probably left his dirty clothes at the bottom of the staircase and then took up the clean clothes when the maid finished washing them. Or, perhaps, the butler saw to it that his clothing was taken care of. If the servants didn’t see him, he probably made it a habit to cut his own hair. She reached up to touch his hair again, and this time, she noted it was uneven. It wasn’t wildly uneven, but it was definitely uneven.
So, he took the time to groom and wear clean clothes every day. He was concerned about his appearance. Even though he stayed here all day, he took care of himself. She didn’t know what to make of it. Nine years had passed since he imprisoned himself, and yet, he got ready for each new day as if he might leave the attic. Maybe it was because, deep down, he wanted to escape. He just didn’t have the courage to do it.
She didn’t notice the way he was caressing her neck at first. At first, she thought it was her imagination since the touch was so light. But then, she became aware of the pleasant warmth spreading through her body. When her third Season had come to an unsuccessful close, she had given up on the desire to ever know what it might be like to be held and touched by a gentleman who was romantically interested in her.
It just now occurred to her that she was finally getting to experience how nice these things were. Evander had been kind and gentle with her since the moment she married him, but the way he was touching her no longer seemed like the polite gesture it’d been before.
And that excited her. She wanted to find out where the more intimate touches led.
She felt his jaw and then found out where his cheek was so that she could kiss it, wondering if it would prompt him to continue.
The ploy worked. He turned his head and kissed her on the mouth. The kiss was a question, and since she wanted him to keep kissing her, she pulled him closer to her and responded to him.
The timidity that had held him back fell away, and he grew bolder in kissing her. She brought her arms around his neck and gave herself to the moment. It was a thrilling experience. It was one, just earlier tonight, she hadn’t ever expected to share with him, especially not after what Tabitha had told her.
But she was here now, in Evander’s arms, and he was opening an entirely new world to her. It was a world filled with something she’d never been able to have in the past: romantic love. It was a world she very much wanted to explore. She wanted to know what it was wives shared with their husbands. Yes, she realized not all of them shared loved matches, but some did. Lady Pruett, for example, loved her husband. Viola didn’t have to be good at figuring people out to know that. All she had to do was watch the way Lady Pruett looked at Lord Pruett to know she loved him. And he, in turn, loved her. Just how would it be to experience something as wonderful as that?
Viola ran her fingers through the hair at the base of Evander’s neck and leaned into him. He responded by tightening his embrace. Then he brushed his tongue along her lower lip. She wasn’t sure what he wanted until his tongue flicked between her lips. She opened her lips for him and accepted him into her mouth. His tongue met hers, and it was then she realized why he wanted to kiss her this way. This kind of kissing created unexpected sparks through her. Excited, she brushed his tongue with hers, and again, she noted the sparks.
Then she became aware of the way he was exploring her with his hands. He had started with a simple touch on her back. Then his hands slid down her back and over the curve of her behind. That alone thrilled her, but then he brought his hands back and up over her breasts.
He let out a low moan and left a trail of kisses from her jawline to her neck. Her pulse raced. She wanted more of this. She needed to find out what else there was to experience. She whispered his name and squeezed his shoulders.
He released her breasts, and for a moment, she was disappointed. But then he lifted the gown over her head and tossed it to the floor. She might have asked him to put it somewhere easy for her to find later if she hadn’t been so eager to find out what was going to happen next.
He brought his hands to the back of her corselet and untied the laces. The action in his movements let her know he was just as caught up in the moment as she was, and this excited her all the more. It was nice to be desired with such passion. Once he removed the corselet, he let that fall to the floor and then lifted her chemise over her head. The attic air felt cool on her bare skin, but she was too hot from the excitement of the moment to care.
He lifted her in his arms and carried her across the room. She had no way of knowing how far he took her before he settled her on the bed. In the darkness, things like space almost ceased to exist. And besides, the only thing that really mattered was that he had taken her to his bed. He intended to make love to her. Soon, she would truly be his wife.
She thought he might start kissing her again, but he focused on removing her lace stockings and slippers instead. Those were soon tossed to the floor as well, and there was a series of sounds next to her that notified her he was removing his clothes.
She swallowed back the sudden bout of shyness that swept over her. She wanted to do this. Yes, she was nervous about how they were going to make love since she’d never done anything like this before, but more than anything, she wanted to proceed forward.
After she heard the last of his clothing come off, she felt him settle next to her. “Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked.
She almost laughed since he’d just removed all of their clothes and taken her to his bed. But then she realized he was giving her the option to stop. He wasn’t going to let his passions override what she wanted. She turned toward him, and though she noticed another ripple of shyness creep over her when she felt her bare leg press against his, she touched his arm and pulled her toward him.
“I want to be with you,” she whispered.
He cupped the side of her face and then brought his mouth to hers. This time, she parted her lips right away, and she was rewarded with a moan. His tongue swept across her mouth in unbridled enthusiasm, and once more, she was eager to find out what was going to happen next.
She explored his chest. He wasn’t smooth like she was. She had expected him to be. But she knew nothing of the male body, so all she had to go by was what he was like, and judging by the spattering of hair on his chest, she would now assume all men were like this.
As she explored him, he explored her. He cupped one of her breasts with his hand and then traced the ridge of her nipple with his thumb. She found his nipple and did the same, noting his nipple was smaller than hers, but then, his chest was flat, so perhaps that was why.
He ended the kiss and left another trail of kisses down to her neck, except, this time, he didn’t stop at her neck. He continued on down until he reached her breast. His tongue flicked along the tip of her nipple, and she gasped in pleasure as a spark went straight to her core. She squeezed his arms and urged him to continue.
He did, and soon, she became aware of the ache between her legs. She didn’t know what t
he connection should be between her breasts and the area between her legs, but the ache was steadily growing stronger. She groaned and spread her legs further apart.
He shifted so that he was between her legs. He didn’t lie directly on top of her. Instead, he knelt in front of her. He took a moment to trace her legs from her feet up to her hips. And then he leaned forward and brought his mouth back to her nipple.
He brought his hand between her legs and caressed the folds of her flesh, an action which felt so good that she instinctively raised her hips to encourage him to enter her. He accepted her invitation and slid a finger into her.
She moaned again, and she was sure he moaned along with her, though it was hard to be sure since she was having trouble concentrating on anything but how wonderful he was making her feel. In this moment, everything else ceased to exist. Nothing else mattered. All of the fears, the doubts, and the sorrows were gone. The only thing that existed was the feeling of sheer bliss she was sharing with Evander. Here, at this moment, it was just the two of them, and she wanted nothing else but to be consumed by him.
He slid another finger into her and proceeded to stroke her. Even as he soothed the ache in her core, it grew stronger. She became aware that this was leading somewhere, and though she had no idea where that was, he must’ve known because he continued his ministrations with certainty and skill. At one point, he brought his mouth between her legs, and his tongue teased her sensitive nub in the same way he’d teased her nipple.
This action was all it took to bring her to the brink of release. She felt herself hurling headlong into it, and as wonderful as it all was, as much as she wished it could continue for much longer, she couldn’t stop the need to give into it. At once, a burst of pleasure exploded in her core. She gasped, and wave after wave of pleasure crashed into her.
She dug her nails into the sheets under her and cried out, barely aware that he kept up his ministrations. After a few seconds, she realized by keeping up his actions, he was ensuring that she remained caught up in the state of bliss for a while longer. And she was grateful for it since she couldn’t think of anything as satisfying as this.
When she finally descended from the heights of heaven, he shifted over her so that something rigid pressed against her entrance. She was so lightheaded that she barely had the energy to lift her hips to take that part of him into her. He moved forward and entered her. She only felt a mild resistance, but her body yielded to him.
He moaned and embraced her. He brought his mouth to hers and gave her a lingering kiss. This time she traced his lower lip with her tongue. He brushed her tongue with his in a way that struck her as far more sensual than their kissing had been up to this point. He was at the point she’d been just moments before. He was caught up in the passion swirling around them.
She wrapped her legs around his waist and lifted her hips to take him further into her. He felt good. That rigid part of him filled her so nicely.
He brought his mouth to her ear and whispered her name. She squeezed his shoulders and whispered his name in return, letting him know she was enjoying this just as much as he was.
He began moving inside her with slow, purposeful thrusts. She sighed in contentment. She tightened her legs around his waist and urged him to go faster. He did, and before long, his thrusting grew more insistent. His groans grew louder. His body grew tenser. And she knew he was getting close to the peak, that his body was about the burst forth with the same pleasure she’d just received.
“Yes, Evander,” she whispered. “Don’t stop.”
He cried out and stilled. He throbbed inside her, and she held him, glad he had found completion in the act. After a few seconds, he collapsed in her arms. She pressed her cheek to his, aware of how fast his heart was beating with hers.
Everything about this moment had been perfect. This was what lovemaking was like. This was what ladies who enjoyed being with their husbands experienced in bed. They felt inexplicably connected with their husbands because of the act. Viola had never felt closer to anyone in her entire life. If it was up to her, she’d never go back down the stairs again. She’d spend the rest of her life right here with Evander in this attic. With a smile, she relaxed and closed her eyes.
Chapter Ten
The world finally stopped spinning around Evander once his orgasm waned. He wanted to stay inside Viola. He wanted to remain one with her until he was ready to make love to her again. But he didn’t want to make her uncomfortable by continuing to lie on top of her. He, after all, weighed more than she did.
Once he gathered enough strength, he got off of her then brought up the blanket so that it was over both of them. He gave her another kiss, settled on his back, and brought her into his arms. He had forgotten how powerful lovemaking could be. It united him to the lady he was with. And now, it had united him to Viola. She was now a part of him. She had been able to do what no one else had; she’d broken through his wall.
Tabitha had been right. He was weak. He hadn’t realized how much he’d needed to have a wife until he was making love to Viola. He hadn’t just married Viola so that Tabitha could have a chaperone. He’d also married her so he could have a companion, someone who would be closer than a mother, closer than a friend, closer than a step-daughter.
He brushed Viola’s arm with his fingers. He knew there was so much they had to learn about each other. Given time, they would. Tonight was just the beginning of the rest of their lives. They had just established a connection. There was more to look forward to. All he had to do was make sure she never saw his face. That was it. And if he could do that, they would have a lifetime together. Finally, the emptiness in his life would be gone. He wouldn’t have to suffer the never-ending abyss of loneliness.
His fingers went down to Viola’s hand, and he brought it to his chest where his heart was. “Tell me something about yourself.”
“What do you want to know?” she asked.
“Anything. Just as long as it involves you.”
After a moment, she said, “I’ve never been outside of London. I’ve only heard of the country, but I haven’t been there. Sometimes I think it would be nice to go there, if for no other reason than to see it. It wasn’t until my brother’s death that I learned we didn’t have a place out in the country. I grew up thinking my parents and brother just never wanted to leave London.”
He noted the hint of sorrow in her voice at the mention of her brother. “Death is a burden those who continue living must carry. I’m not sure there’s any way to ease the pain.” He settled his head on top of hers. “Was your brother a good person?”
“He was. I know he didn’t manage money well. Otherwise, he seemed perfect. I know he wasn’t. We all have our faults, but he was more than my brother; he was my friend.”
Her voice drifted off, and he guessed she was trying not to cry. Her wound was still fresh. She needed time to heal, and, unfortunately, there was nothing she could do to rush it. It was something that was going to have to take its own time. He, more than anyone, understood that.
“I know it’s little consolation,” he began, “but it’s good he was your friend. You have good memories of him. I like to think it’s better to have good memories of someone we lose than bad memories of someone we didn’t.”
She took a deep breath and released it slowly. “It’s hard to argue with that. My life is better because he was in it.”
And that was how Evander felt about his first wife. Looking back, those were the best times of his life. For a long time, he had spent considerable hours not only mourning her death but also reliving the moments he’d had with her. Viola would, undoubtedly, do the same with her brother.
“My brother’s name was Oliver,” Viola said. “We were so different. When we were children, he could talk to anyone, and I was so shy that I would run and hide. He managed to help me overcome a good deal of that. It’s because of him I can go up to people and talk to them.” She cleared her throat then continued, “For instance, I was able to f
ill Tabitha’s calling card this evening, and I did that within the first half hour. You would have been proud of her if you had seen her this evening. She’s a good student. She did all the steps right to the dances, and she conversed with all of the gentlemen she danced with. I made sure most of them were looking for a wife. I think a couple took an interest in her.”
“Was she happy?”
She hesitated to answer him, and that told him more than enough. No, Tabitha hadn’t been happy. She’d gone to the ball because she’d been told to go. She’d danced and talked with the gentlemen there because she’d been expected to.
“It’s all right. You don’t have to answer. I already know,” he said.
He didn’t know why he thought once Tabitha got to London and met people that she would embrace life. Tabitha’s mother had wanted her daughter to have a good future, and no matter what he did, he couldn’t figure out how to give that to her.
“I’ll talk to Tabitha,” he added. “Maybe I can say something to help. She shouldn’t shut herself off from the rest of the world.”
Not when she didn’t live under the heaviness of the curse. She could marry anyone, and she’d be able to see him face to face and live her life with him in a normal marriage. She wouldn’t have to restrict everything to an attic.
“I wish I could give you a normal marriage,” he whispered to Viola. “I know this marriage isn’t what you imagined when you entered your first Season, but we can make it work. We can have a future.”
“I want a future with you,” she replied. “When I was a girl, I dreamed of being a wife. It was only when I didn’t find a husband in my three Seasons that I gave up on it. After tonight, I know I no longer have to let the dream go.”
Encouraged by her response, he moved so that he was on his side and faced her. He brought his hand to her face, taking a moment to study the curve of her cheek. Then he traced her lips. “No, you don’t have to let the dream go. We’ll make a future together, and it’s going to be a good one.”
Fairest of Them All (Marriage by Fairytale Book 4) Page 11