by Golden Angel
The kiss obviously took her by surprise, as he pulled her to him, and gave her a very thorough kiss to seal their marriage. Laughter rang out around them at the groom's passion, all of which would help Cordelia's standing in Society as gossip about the wedding day went round. That wasn't Philip's reason for showing his ardor, he just couldn't help himself, but knowing that it would increase Cordelia's cache with the ton was certainly a bonus. Her first husband had kept her practically estranged from Society; the vultures would be circling in her first days as his Marchioness, wanting to gossip about why the Baron had kept her away. Just showing his desire for her would make others take note of the fact that she was desirable.
When he pulled away, Cordelia wavered on her feet a bit, her eyes glazed as she stared up at him. Almost starry-eyed. Hopefully no one noticed the effect even a brief kiss had on him. He'd begun awakening her passions at the house party, but as yet there had been no culminating event - and no relief for him from the baser desires that dogged him. A glance over her shoulder showed that Gabrielle had gone from pouting to scowling, which helped a great deal in getting himself under control. Looking behind him, Philip gave Felix a significant glance, before turning to lead Cordelia down the aisle.
The receiving line of guests went smoothly enough. There were a few matrons whom had been piqued when he'd chosen Cordelia as his bride rather than - to their minds - the more appropriate choice of one of their daughters. The 'unseemly' kiss at the altar, and his obvious affection for Cordelia, had gone quite a ways toward soothing those ruffled feathers. He was sure there was already gossip about the 'love match' - seeing as there were no obvious advantages financially or socially to his choice of bride, and he could have chosen any younger, virginal lady if he all he wanted was a broodmare for heirs.
He and Cordelia weren’t in love, but he rather thought he might be falling into that tender emotion.
Certainly he had all the satisfaction of a conquering male who had claimed his female. Cordelia was no longer someone else’s widowed Baroness, she was his Marchioness.
And tonight he’d stake his claim in a much more primal manner.
******
The dinner following the reception was going by far too quickly. Conversation seemed to fly past her. Thankfully she'd been seated between Philip and Christopher, the Earl of Irving and her best friend, Marjorie’s, husband, who seemed to have combined forces to ensure that any gaps in the conversation because of Cordelia's distraction were quickly covered over.
"Sweetheart, make sure you try some of the duck, it's quite decadent." Philip lifted his fork to her lips, a piece of duck in red wine sauce speared on the end of it.
Feeling almost helpless to do anything but obey, Cordelia opened her mouth and let him feed her. A fission of excitement went through her as his eyes almost glowed, watching her chew.
She nodded. "It's very good," she said, her voice low, but she knew Philip could hear her.
Her new husband leaned in, his lips nearly touching her ear and making her shiver again. "Make sure you eat enough, darling. You've barely touched your plate."
"I'm just a bit overwhelmed, I think." She gave him a tremulous smile, the only kind she seemed to be able to summon at the moment.
"Don't worry, I'll take good care of you." There was something hot and hungry about the look he gave her, which made her feel as though she was missing something vitally important. That his words meant more than they actually said.
Cordelia was even more confused by the sensations running through her body. Philip kept touching her. Not just playing with the little curls on the back of her neck, but caressing her shoulder and then sliding his fingers down her back, laying his warm hand on her thigh... all of which were stirring at something inside of her that made her feel warm and antsy and somehow needy. She desperately wanted to lean into him for comfort and security, and to quell the tingling under her skin, but such a public display of physicality would never be condoned by the ton, wedding day or not.
On the other side of Philip, Gabrielle had being remarkably quiet after the first ten minutes of dinner, for which Cordelia was thankful. In her current state of physical confusion and mental distraction, she couldn't possibly have kept the young woman from saying things she oughtn't. She'd made a few snide comments at the beginning of the meal, and then Mr. Hood, as Philip had introduced his best friend to her, had leaned down and whispered something in Gabrielle's ear. She couldn't imagine what the darkly handsome man, who was remarkably charming, had said to Gabrielle to make her sit so ramrod straight and keep her less pleasant remarks to herself, but Cordelia was thankful for it.
When the meal was over - how did the time pass so quickly? - Cordelia could feel herself winding tighter, as if her tension was pulling her through a grinder. She didn't understand exactly what was happening to her body as it reacted to Philip's touches, but she did know that she wasn't looking forward to performing her marital duties. So far, everything with Philip had been so wonderful; it wasn't fair that something so necessary as consummation should be the painful downside of marriage to him.
Marjorie shooed them out of the dining room, assuring Cordelia she would see to sending off the rest of the guests. When Gabrielle made a move to intercept them, a dark and stormy look on her face, Eleanor was suddenly at her side, taking Gabrielle's arm and tugging her in another direction. Mr. Hood stood nearby, watching, as if standing guard.
"Don't worry, they'll keep an eye on her," Philip said as he led Cordelia toward the stairs. The idea that she could hand over responsibility of Gabrielle completely, even just for a night, was such a relief that she couldn't resent Philip's desire to retire to bed. After all, she was given to understand that men enjoyed the marital act, although the Baron had always acted as though it was just another duty to be performed. Even if it was painful, at least it would be over with quickly, and if it brought Philip pleasure, then she couldn't begrudge him that. Not after all he'd done for her and all that he continued doing. "You and I have much more pressing matters to attend to."
Cordelia let out a little gasp as he swung her up in his arms, one braced behind her back, the other beneath her knees. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she clung to him as he started up the stairs. "Philip!"
The strength of his body was evident as he climbed the stairs, chuckling at her weak protests that she could walk perfectly fine. He was all hard muscle and sinew, not even breathing hard as they reached the top.
"You're in good hands, sweetheart, I would never let you fall," he reassured her, dropping a tender kiss to her head as he strode down the hall. Cordelia nuzzled into his neck, loving the feel of being in his arms and dreading the moment when she would be in his bed.
******
Feeling the trembling of his bride in his arms, Philip wanted to curse the late Baron. He'd known that Cordelia's passions had gone unawakened during her previous marriage, but he hadn't realized she was actually frightened of sex. Philip wished he could bring the man back to life just so he could kill him again. Cordelia was the kind of woman who needed both gentle coaxing and a firm hand, one whose passions were buried behind her modesty, but which flared to life beautifully when teased.
He knew he'd had her on edge during dinner, but now she was quivering like a little mouse before a cat. As hot and needy as he was for her, he knew he was going to have to go slowly.
On the other hand, there was something greatly appealing about being the first man to show her how good sharing pleasure could be.
"Wait! You passed my room!"
Philip almost snorted. "You won't be spending much time there, sweetheart." He didn't add that as far as he was concerned, she'd be gracing - and sleeping in - his bed each and every night. Considering her anxious state, he doubted she'd find that a reassurance at the moment.
"But I need to undress and put on my nightgown..." Her protests faltered as he carefully shifted her just enough to turn the knob on his bedroom door, just one room down from hers.
&
nbsp; Carrying her inside, he set her down as he pushed the door shut behind them, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. Her bridal finery was slightly rumpled after being carried, her cheeks pink from blushing, and he thought she looked absolutely delicious. Or, at least she would if she didn't look so frightened as well.
"I want to help you undress," he said, hooking his arm around her waist and pulling her to him. "I want to peel each piece of clothing from your body, like I'm unwrapping a present. And when I'm done, I absolutely do not want you to put on a nightgown."
Something flared in her eyes. Despite never having known sexual pleasure, Cordelia responded to him. And he knew she liked his kisses. Lowering his mouth to hers, he kissed her the way he'd wanted to when the minister had pronounced them man and wife. Deeply. Passionately. Intently. And with his hands starting to roam her exquisite curves.
She clung to him, her tongue meeting his shyly but eagerly. Before today, he'd spent quite a bit of time kissing her, despite the havoc it wreaked on his body. This was something he knew she was used to, although he'd never taken any further liberties.
As he began undoing the buttons along her spine, he felt her tense, but she didn't stop kissing him. If anything, her kisses became more passionate, more desperate. He could only guess that she was trying to distract herself from what she feared by indulging in something she enjoyed. Poor darling. He didn't bother to reassure her that he would make her feel good - she had no reason to believe him, after all. Instead, he was just going to have to show her.
His fingers slid under the fabric of her dress, peeling it from her body just as he'd promised. Cordelia trembled, but when he pulled away from the kiss, her eyes were hazy with arousal, even if she didn't understand what it was. The confused look on her face just made him want to kiss her again.
Instead, he helped her step out of her dress, shucking off his jacket as he moved them toward the bed. As soon as she realized his direction, she tensed again, and he pressed his lips to the side of her neck. A shudder went through her body that had nothing to do with fear. Grinning, Philip pressed more hot, open-mouthed kisses to her neck, enjoying her little gasps and moans as he explored her silky skin with his lips and tongue. Meanwhile, he busily pulled at the strings to her corset, until he could pull it free from her body.
Dropping it to the floor, he stepped back and looked at her. Cordelia blushed, trying to shift her arms in front of her to hide, as her chemise was quite transparent. The tightly budded peaks of her nipples were revealed to him, and he quickly took her by her arms, just above her elbows, to keep her from hiding them again.
"No, sweetheart, I want to look at you."
The pink in her face turned a beet red as his eyes traveled down her body, drinking her in. Her breasts were just a bit more than a luscious handful, her hips and stomach nicely curved, and he swore he could see just a hint of the dark curls covering her mound through her drawers.
"You're so beautiful," he said reverently, and her eyes widened in surprise.
"Thank you," she whispered, before nibbling on her lower lip, seemingly at a loss for words in such a situation.
Groaning, Philip pulled her to him again, finding her lips with his, his hands sliding under her chemise to touch her silken skin. He pressed his fingers against her back, massaging her tense muscles. Cordelia moaned into his mouth, shivering again in his arms, but this time he knew it was because he was awakening her body, arousing her passions, and not because she was afraid.
Maneuvering them towards the bed, he pulled the tie on her drawers, and they dropped to the ground. Just before they reached the bed, he pulled away again so that he could divest her of her chemise; leaving her completely naked while he was almost fully clothed. Picking her up, he tossed his lust-dazed bride onto the bed.
******
Cordelia was a mass of confusion and anxiety and some kind of need... she desperately needed something, she just didn't know what it was. There was an ache inside of her she didn't understand, coming from between her legs, and it frightened her because she'd never experienced anything good in that area before. Some part of her worried that something was wrong with her, but at the same time she couldn't truly worry or be frightened because she felt so... so... muzzy.
The sensation of Philip's hands on her bare skin, so different from the Baron's, as he caressed and stroked and left a tingling trail in his path, had her trembling. The hot, wet kisses he planted on her neck made her knees feel strangely weak. Her breasts ached, her womanhood throbbed, and she could barely think, much less worry.
It was only in the moments when he wasn't touching her that all her fears and anxieties would start to rise up again. When she landed on her back on the bed, they hit her hard and fast, but Philip was already there, climbing between her knees and forcing them apart- and making her more confused than ever. He'd stripped her down to her skin, but he was fully clothed!
When the Baron had done his duty, he'd always come to her in the dark, pulled up the skirt of her nightgown, opened his robe, and pushed inside of her. Cordelia wasn't entirely cognizant of what exactly happened, but she knew Philip couldn't do it when he still had everything but his jacket on.
Before she could open her mouth to ask, or protest, Philip bent his head down to her breast and pulled her nipple into the hot, wet cave of his mouth. Cordelia's words came out as a gasp, as her head fell back and the incredible sensation coursed through her. It felt... good. So good. Even if the strange throbbing between her legs increased to something almost like pain, at least there was pleasure to go with the hurt.
"Philip!" she gasped out his name, reaching up to slide her fingers into the long strands of his hair as he sucked, hard, on her nipple. "What are you doing?!"
She knew that she should be scandalized by the sensation, whatever it was, but... oh goodness it felt so amazing.
"Cherishing you. Worshiping you," he said, releasing the tiny aching bud and moving over to its twin. "Just as I vowed."
Cordelia was quite sure this was not what that particular marital vow meant, but she was in no position to argue as Philip's talented mouth repeated its assault on her other nipple. Her head thrashed back and forth as her body tried to comprehend what was happening to it. Moving her legs restlessly, her inner thighs and knees rubbed against his pants’ legs and, for some reason, she wanted to curl her legs around him... but it would hurt! Wouldn't it?
The throbbing building between her legs felt... good. Mostly. It kind of hurt too, though, but not in a way she'd ever hurt there before. She wanted to put her hand down there and soothe the ache, but she knew she couldn't touch herself there in front of Philip. It would be immodest and... and... wrong.
But at the same time, the more he touched her, the more his mouth sucked, the more her body seemed to need something indecipherable.
"Please," she whimpered, needing him to stop, because she couldn't make her body stop feeling this way while he was doing these things to her. "Please... Philip."
"Shh, it's okay, sweetheart," he reassured her, moving his head down her stomach as his fingers slid up her inner thighs. "I'm going to make you feel good. There's nothing to be afraid of."
Fear hadn't entered into her mind for the past several minutes, but horror did when his hand finally touched her womanhood. She was slick!
Immediately, Cordelia tried to sit up. "Oh my god, Philip, I'm so sorry... I didn't think it was time for my courses, I-"
He cut her off with a kiss, his hand cupping her mound of soft curls, his fingertips still pressing against her folds. His body weight pushed her back down to the bed, although she pressed her hands against his chest and tried to push him up. He couldn't possibly want to touch her when she was on her menses!
"You're not on your courses," he said, when he finally pulled his lips away. His fingers swirled in the wetness, pressing, and Cordelia gasped and her hips jerked as he pressed against something... marvelous. "You're supposed to be wet, sweetheart. It will make everything feel better. Yo
u'll see."
"I don't understand," she whispered, shuddering. Something was sliding inside of her - his fingers, his fingers were sliding inside of her and they... they didn't hurt. There was no pain. Just the opposite. They felt good. It felt incredible. "I don't understand."
"I know, sweetheart. But you will. And I want you to know that this is always how I will make you feel when you're in my bed."
The fingers pressed, thrusting, the heel of his hand rubbing against that marvelous spot he'd found earlier, and Cordelia cried out. Her back arched, thrusting her breasts up against his chest so that her nipples rubbed across the brocade fabric of his vest. The little nubs itched and burned and felt so, so wonderful.
His mouth moved over the sensitive skin of her neck as she clutched at him, her body on fire as his fingers moved inside of her. The sensation was exquisite, stirring that aching need that had built in her core, bringing her such incredible pleasure... she'd never guessed that anything inside of her could feel like this. The slick movements, aided by the wetness that her body had produced, had her writhing against him, whimpering and moaning as her passions grew exponentially.
All of those building sensations came to a head, quite unexpectedly, and Cordelia screamed as they exploded inside of her. It was like a sudden fountain of pleasure, as if she had gone to a great height and was suddenly dropped, with excitement and ecstasy and relief running through her equally. Her body rocked, burning, tingling, moving against Philip's knowing fingers as he moved her through the throes of her very first orgasm.
******
The utterly dazed expression on Cordelia's face as she went limp, made Philip smile in male satisfaction. His bride's passions had been everything he'd dreamed of. Already beautiful, she was utterly transcendent when gripped with ecstasy.
Quickly, he shucked off his own clothing, no longer needing the barrier to help keep himself under control. Between Cordelia's thighs, her sweet pussy was ripe and swollen, a gorgeous dark pink rose between her pouting lips and liberally dewed with her honey.