Later, riding in the Sinclair family carriage with her new husband, Cassandra's stomach rumbled. Blaise raised an eyebrow at her. "I noticed you didn't eat much this morning. Are you nervous, my wife?"
Cassandra did not know what to say. Of course she was nervous. Her life was in total disarray. Not that it had been peaceful and calm before, but marriage to Colonel Blaise Sinclair had not been part of her grand plan.
Instead of sharing her anxieties with her new husband, she simply stated, "It has been an eventful couple of days."
Blaise squeezed her hand. "I think we have both had a few surprises recently." His chuckle and continued clasp of her hand sent warmth spiraling through her body. He held her hand in both of his, unbuttoned the closure of her glove, slowly removed the soft material. He placed a kiss on her exposed palm, then upon each finger, his eyes never leaving hers while he did so.
She squirmed in her seat while his sucked her index finger into his mouth and swirled his tongue along the curve of her delicate flesh.
By the time he finished attending to each digit, desire scorched Cassandra's nether region. A desire she did not know how to quench and didn't even understand, but something primal told her Blaise was the only man who could satisfy the pulsing need within her.
He gathered her to him and kissed her. Hard. She buried her hands in his hair and relaxed into him. He kissed her mouth, her eyelids, the curve of her cheek then moved down the column of her throat. Cassandra moaned and crushed her body to his. He tugged at the neckline of her dress, kissed along the slope of one shoulder and then the other before revealing her breasts. Cassandra's nipples puckered and pulsed, whether from exposure to the cool air of the carriage or in anticipation of Blaise's touch, she neither knew nor cared. When he lowered his face to pay homage to their creamy curves, she arched into him, willing him closer.
His fingers danced along her shoulder blades while his mouth ravaged first one aching breast and then the other.
Her hips bucked and swayed and she yearned to ask him to touch her beneath her skirts, but even if she had the courage, she didn't have the words. How did one ask for such a thing?
He laid her back gently against the upholstered seat of the carriage and gazed down upon her. Cassandra emerged from the daze of passion to realize the bodice of her dress was bunched around her waist, her hair had fallen into loose clumps around her shoulders, and her breasts were bared like a woman in a Greek painting.
Shocked, she covered her breasts with her hands.
Blaise, his eyes darkened by passion, smiled down at her while he gently removed her hands. "Oh no, little Cassie, you are mine. All mine. To look at whenever I wish it. And I expect to wish it very often, so you had better get used to it."
She ought to have been outraged. Yes, she ought to have been. Instead, the river of molten desire forming in her femininity heated up even more and she rolled her hips in invitation.
Blaise trailed a finger across her collar bone and then down to tease the tip of each breast in turn. "All in due time, my little wife." He suckled one nipple and then the other. "All in due time."
***
It took every ounce of restraint he possessed not to shuck his pants and take her right there on the carriage seat. She lay across the bench so compliant, so innocent. So his.
He imagined plunging into the soft folds of her maidenhead. Sliding in and out, taking her virginity. Teaching her the ways of men and women.
But no. The first time they made love, and he expected to do it as soon and as often as possible, would not be in the back of a carriage. Cassandra was his wife, not some two bit whore who trailed along after his troops.
Her creamy, innocent flesh called to him, as did the wild look in her eyes, but he replaced her clothing, lifted her to his lap, and attempted to repair the damage to her coiffure.
Embarrassed by her wanton display, Cassandra kept her eyes focused on the carriage floor. Blaise used his finger to tip her chin and force her to meet his gaze. "There is nothing to be ashamed of, Cassandra. We are man and wife. Soon we shall share our bodies in the ways married people do. I intend for it to be enjoyable for us both. But, you must trust me."
She had a hard time meeting his gaze and a charming flush colored her cheeks. "Do you promise to trust me, little Cassie?"
She looked into his eyes and paused for a moment. "Yes," she whispered.
Chapter Eight
Trust. Could she trust Colonel Blaise Sinclair? She wanted to, but her burdens, her duties and her responsibilities were too much to thrust upon another. She had been carrying them for so long, it was as though they were a part of her and the idea of casting them aside felt as foreign as removing a limb.
She watched the countryside pass by outside the window, though even the lush scenery could not distract her. How soon would she get word from her sister? Was her father still alive? Had her sisters been cast out of their home? Surely it was only a matter of time.
She peeked at Blaise from below her lashes. It felt disloyal to wish she hadn't married him. And dishonest. Yet, only someone with the wealth of Owen Tyndall could have saved her family, she was sure of it. She had lost that opportunity and though she ventured to hope she and Blaise could be happy together in marriage, that did nothing to assist her sisters.
She dared not even think about her father.
A single tear snuck out of the corner of her eye and rolled down her cheek. Before she could wipe it away, Blaise captured her in his lap again and kissed it away.
"Are you sad, little Cassie?" His soft voice coaxed. "On your wedding day?"
"I am sorry," she sniffed. "It is just that I am worried about my family." She inhaled a shuddering breath in an effort to stem the threat of more tears.
"Did I not just ask you to trust me?" Blaise ran a finger around the shell of her ear.
"Y-yes." His finger distracted her briefly. "But I cannot expect you to take on all of my problems." She stared out the window of the carriage before continuing. "It is all too much."
"You forget, my dear. We are married now. You are not alone."
"No," she said. "I must bear these burdens myself. 'Tis shameful enough that I bring nothing to this marriage, I cannot further shame myself by taking from you as well."
"Is that not what you intended to do if you married Owen?"
"Yes, but Lord Tyndall's wealth is so vast, the needs of my family are a mere pittance in comparison."
"And what of my wealth?"
"I am sorry," Cassandra said for the second time in as many minutes. "I do not want to appear ungrateful, but a soldier's salary will barely support the two of us, let alone my sisters."
"Do you not recall promising to trust me? It was mere moments ago. Have you already forgotten?"
Cassandra smiled ruefully. "No," she said. "I am just trying to be realistic."
He tucked her chin into his chest and wrapped her firmly in his arms. "It is time to let me do the worrying."
***
She must have fallen asleep, again, snuggled in his arms. In fact, she did not waken until she felt herself laid atop a strange bed.
Blaise had said it would take several days to reach their new home so she assumed they were at an inn. She had never seen such elaborate accommodations. The bed was soft and the linens were nearly as opulent as those she'd slept in at Hadley Hall.
Could he afford such a room? Ought she to suggest more modest arrangements would suit her just as well?
She glanced up at Blaise who stood next to the bed and all thoughts of leaving the room left her head. She struggled to find something to say in response to the intimate feeling of being alone in a room with him as his wife. "I must have been tired."
He sat on the edge of the mattress and took her hand in his. "Life has been very busy for both of us recently." He scanned her from head to toe, his gaze stopping at the swell of her bosom before returning to her eyes. "I am glad you are resting."
Cassandra blushed at the obvious meaning b
ehind his words. She ought to have been shocked by his forward comment, but with Blaise, it seemed natural.
There was a soft tap on the door and she drew back, fearful of being seen, though fully clothed, on a bed with her husband. Before he responded, Blaise set up a screen to partition the room so although the help would surely know where she was, she would not be seen by them.
Who would have expected an army officer to be so considerate? Curious about the happenings on the other side of the screen, she listened carefully and surmised a bath was being prepared.
Once the servants left, Blaise removed the screen to reveal the largest bathtub she had ever seen.
He lifted her from the bed and set her feet on the floor. “Ever since I saw you in the bath at Hadley Hall, I have wished to go back to that moment and show you how I wish it had played out…or at least how it has played out in my fantasies.”
Cassandra's groom stood behind her, his breath warm on her nape, and worked the closures of her dress. His fingers brushed against the sensitive skin of her shoulders, sending a thrill of anticipation down her spine.
"We are husband and wife, now, Cassandra." He kissed the curve of her neck while he lowered her dress to the floor. "I believe we shall be very happy together."
His words sent a trill of happiness through her. Yes, she had failed in her mission to secure a husband of sufficient wealth to save her family from ruin, but for just one day, she would indulge herself in the pleasures of being a bride.
Blaise trailed his lips up the curve of her neck while his hands gently covered her breasts. Cassandra tilted her head back to expose more of her throat to the caress of his lips. His fingers plucked at the tips of her breasts and she pressed her bottom against Blaise's groin in an unwittingly erotic move. Her backside rubbed against the firm length of his member, but rather than being shocked, Cassandra brushed the naked flesh of her buttocks against her husband's arousal.
He nipped her neck then growled. "You had best behave little wife, or you'll find yourself over my knee."
Cassandra giggled and stilled her movements, though when Blaise's hands moved from her breasts over her stomach and into her femininity, maintaining her composure became impossible.
She moaned and ground her backside against Blaise again. "'Tis my own fault," Blaise husked against her throat, "I cannot keep my hands to myself when you are near." He stroked her slit and delved into her depths before withdrawing and taking a step back. "Your bath is getting cold," he said, leading her to the tub.
When she saw her nude body reflected in the water, Cassandra flushed and reached to cover herself. "Oh no, you don't." Blaise thwarted her efforts at modesty. "I told you, you are mine to look at and enjoy." He eased her down into the scented bath. "And mine to take care of."
Cassandra nestled into the water, the implication of his words washing over her like the warmth of the water. Someone to take care of her. For as long as she could remember, she had been the one to worry over everyone else. Did she even know how to let someone take care of her?
She closed her eyes and decided for that day she would at least give it a try.
***
Cassandra's golden lashes fanned across her cheeks as she relaxed against the basin of the tub. Blaise took in the sight of her, hardly believing she had been so compliant.
His wife's fair little body fit neatly into the large tub. Doffing his clothing and joining her held a fair amount of appeal, but he did not wish to move too quickly for her. Truth be told, he had been in turmoil since he first laid eyes on her, his only desire to bed her properly and thoroughly. He reminded himself that as husband and wife, they had a lifetime ahead of them, but that still did little to calm his libido.
He pulled a stool close and sat next to the tub, adjusting his pants to more comfortably accommodate the swell of his manhood. He rolled up his sleeves, soaped his hands and lathered the delicate curves of his bride's body.
His large hands easily spanned her torso and made clear to him just how diminutive she was. "How old are you, my Cassie?"
"Nineteen."
Even younger than he had thought.
"How long have you been responsible for your household?" He held her tiny hand in his, carefully soaping each finger.
"For as long as I can remember," she said and his heart ached for the loss of her childhood. When he was her age, the most significant concern he had was which of the local barmaids to bed. He cringed at his boorish ways, but determined to move forward as a dutiful and faithful husband to his little bride.
He tipped her forward to soap her shoulders and the slender slope of her back, then poured handfuls of water over her and marveled at the rivulets as they cascaded over her porcelain skin.
"I am sorry so much responsibility fell upon you at an early age." Blaise assisted her to stand in the tub before he thoroughly washed her breasts, with special attention to the tiny pink nipples. "Life will be different for you now. I shall take care of you."
He felt his new wife stiffen beneath his touch. "But what of my sisters? My father, if he still lives? I cannot ask it of you. They are my duty, not yours."
"You are my family now and so are they."
He wrapped her in a towel and carried her to the bed where he laid her with all the care of a fine China doll. The pins had fallen from her hair, and her blonde curls spread across the pillows like a halo.
His little Cassie.
So sweet, so innocent.
She smiled up at him, a brave smile that belied the anxiety he knew she must feel. Her life had been turned topsy-turvy and he felt responsible. Responsible for the turmoil and responsible for eliminating it. His brave little Cassie. She'd had too much placed upon her diminutive shoulders and he meant to ease her burden.
But first, he intended to claim her as his and his alone. As a roguish second son of whom little was expected and then as a colonel in the army, Blaise had spent his youth indulging his whims with an assortment of women, many of whom, especially in the beginning, had taught him how to please a woman and how a woman could please a man.
He had never had a virgin.
Her innocence and trust enflamed his desire in a way no painted woman of the world ever could. Much as he wanted to rush into taking her, he knew her first experience would set the tone for their entire marriage and so he proceeded as thoughtfully as a man on the verge of exploding could.
Removing his boots and shirt, he reclined next to her wearing only his pants. He saw her eyes widen at the sight of his naked torso. Though he had seen, and taken liberties with, her nude body, she had never seen him other than fully clothed.
He took her hand and placed it against his chest. Her fingers were cold against his flesh. "Have you ever seen a naked man, Cassie?"
Eyes lowered, she shook her head from side to side.
Blaise tipped her chin up and forced her to meet his eyes. "There is nothing to be embarrassed about. We are married. Husbands and wives share their bodies. They make love."
An adorable flush covered Cassie's face and neck, but she held his gaze. "Yes," she said.
***
Just for today, my wedding day, I will surrender my worries and allow myself to be a happy, blushing bride.
Cassandra repeated the admonition over and over in her head like a mantra. Blaise had such a commanding presence and his confidence reassured her. In some ways it was not so difficult to pretend he could take care of her problems, though she knew it to be impossible. It was easier to simply crush the thoughts of her family from her brain and indulge in the once in a lifetime luxury of being a bride.
She laid her hand flat against Blaise's bare chest. The whorls of hair tickled her fingers and once she became accustomed to touching him, she twirled her fingers in it.
Blaise took hold of her hand and guided it across his chest and then down the muscled contours of his torso. It was rude to stare, but she could not help herself. The expanse of his chest, the flat planes of his stomach and areas further sou
th mesmerized her.
A swirl of warmth spun through her nether region and she peeked up to see her husband watching her as she explored his body. He placed her hand over the bulge in his pants. "Do you see what you do to me, little Cassie? My body yearns for you. Only you."
A whimper slipped from her throat and she pressed her hand over his arousal. It moved against her palm and she stroked a finger along its length.
Blaise let go of her hand to remove his pants revealing the hardness of his manhood. He reclaimed her hand and guided it to his shaft. "This is my cock. I plan to use it to pleasure you in many different ways. Will you trust me to do that, Cassie?"
She glanced down at the imposing member. She had vague ideas about what men and women did together, but her mother had died before she could explain such things to her and the idea of her sweet and gentle father discussing anything so intimate with his daughter was laughable.
Blaise would be leading her far into unknown territory, but it was territory she yearned to explore. "Yes, Blaise."
He held her hand against his manhood and slowly moved it up the length of it and down again before he removed his guiding hand. "Now you do that."
Unsure of how to handle this delicate part of the male anatomy, Cassandra moved her hand gently up then down. A low moan from Blaise made her glance into his face. "That feels so good, Cassie. Please do it again."
Emboldened by his praise, she complied, a little more firmly and slightly faster this time. "Oh heavens, Cassie." Blaise removed her hand and laid her back on the bed.
"Did I do something wrong?" Was it over? Had she hurt him?
"No, my Cassie, you did everything right." He gazed down into her face with an expression that might have been—dare she think it—love. "But a man can only hold out so long when he's with a woman, particularly a woman as sweet and beautiful as you."
Embarrassed, she looked away from his intense gaze. "Thank you," she whispered.
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