Winter Sunlight

by Susan Alexander

  He smiled at her. 'I know from what has just happened here that you are the perfect mistress for this castle. No one I know could have coolly assumed responsibility for my grandmother as you did, overriding my household without a moment's hesitation. And from what Frau Glaser tells me, the staff here regard you already as their new mistress. So you see how selfish I feel in asking you to marry me? I'm taking—your warmth, your generosity of spirit and your courage. The selfishness is all on my side. That I will adore you and care for you seems a paltry return.' He bent down to kiss her hands. 'Do you still feel you can take me on?'

  Sophie blinked away her tears and returned the pressure of his hands. 'I love you, Max,' she said unsteadily. 'Whatever your life, I want to share it—all of it.' He lifted his head, and his eyes darkened with emotion. He said no more. There was no further need for words.

  Carefully he released her and got up to close the curtains, turn out the light and put on the bedside lamp. Locking the door, he came back and kissed her softly on the mouth, his hands lightly on each side of her face. Then he lifted her on to the bed and, with infinite care, undressed her.

  Sophie tensed, suddenly afraid. It was so like that other time. She was even wearing the same dress.

  'No.' Max leaned forward and kissed her again. 'Nothing like the last time,' he whispered, and throwing off his own clothes, he slipped into bed beside her. His body was warm, and he held her against him, his lips on her jaw, at the corners of her mouth and trailing across her eyes.

  His hands moved on her skin, his fingers conveying the pleasure he felt. One arm beneath her, he caressed the soft skin of her neck while his mouth travelled down her throat. She was tense, almost fearful of her own emotions, holding on tightly to her self-control.

  Slowly his lips moved down to her breasts, his mouth open to take her nipples, and she gasped as pleasure coiled through her. His mouth trailed down across her taut stomach, and she expelled her breath in a long sigh, closing her eyes, conscious only of the tantalising touch of his lips against her skin.

  When his mouth reached her thighs, her control faded. She arched her body towards him and reached her hands to his shoulders. Parting her legs, he bent to touch her in the most intimate kiss of all, and shock ripped through her as pain and pleasure exploded inside her.

  Her whole being was concentrated on the devastation of his mouth on her skin, her body writhing and arching beneath his touch, her voice crying out for release.

  At last he moved, his mouth taking hers with burning passion, and she clutched at him, feeling the hard desire of his body, her mouth responding wildly, her body lifting to his.

  Slowly and with infinite care he moved inside her, and she cried out at the heavenly feel of it.

  'Sophie!' he gasped, his breathing harsh, and she raised her body to his, dizzy with pleasure and out of control.

  When it was over he stayed inside her, his face buried in her neck, his arms round her.

  'Oh, Sophie,' he breathed, 'you're so beautiful. Made for me, created to fit only me.'

  They slept, but twice more in the night he woke her, and each time they found new ways to touch each other, Max showed her how much he desired her and taught her how to pleasure him in turn. And the night seemed endless till they finally slept as the morning light crept through the curtains.

  No one disturbed them, and it was almost noon when Sophie woke. One leg lay heavy across her, and his arm rested on her waist. She sank back, blissfully content, watching his face in sleep. Briefly she wondered if it would always be this good, and then she marvelled at how differently she felt.

  It was true what he had said. She knew now that he loved her, felt it deep inside her and sensed she would not doubt him again.

  Of Dorothea she thought suddenly with pity. How unhappy she must be to fantasise about Max.

  'And this is only the beginning,' a sleepy voice teased her. 'Go on, admit it. You were thinking of poor old, ugly Dorothea.'

  'Max!' she protested laughingly.

  He grinned and turned her chin to look into her eyes.

  'Well, Madame wife, are you quite sure you don't love me?'

  Sophie thought for a moment, a frown on her face.

  'Mm…' she teased. 'I think I'll have to spend more time with you before I can answer that.'

  'You will, will you?' he demanded. 'I can see the sooner you're shackled the better.'

  'Possibly,' she mocked him, smiling widely into his eyes. 'But I think I might prefer an affair. After all, marriage might not be as good as this.'

  'It was good, was it?' he laughed. 'So are we to have no more nonsense about who else I might love?'

  'Well—not today, anyway.'

  'Come here,' he growled, and pulled her into his arms. 'I can see I've succeeded in what I set out to do.'

  'And what was that?'

  'Driving out your demons,' he said calmly. 'This morning you look like a woman who's been thoroughly loved,' he added huskily, and watched her blush. 'And now I'll have a battle on my hands with an impudent wife.'

  'Or mistress?' she suggested.

  He hauled her over to lie on top of him.

  'Now try that again,' he threatened.

  'Yes, Max. Certainly, Max. Whatever you say, Max,' she said meekly.

  'You're learning.' He twisted her arms down her back and held her. 'Now, wench, will you marry me? I still haven't had a straight answer. And it's time to get up and have breakfast and deal with our responsibilities before we get back into bed.'

  Sophie looked down at him with grave speculation.

  'Well?' he demanded.

  'Last time you offered me your money to spend,' she pointed out. 'What's on offer this time?'

  'My body?' he suggested hopefully.

  'Done,' she said promptly, and bent to kiss him.