by Vikki Vaught
He gathered her close and gently kissed her. As he stroked her hair, she sighed, contented with her decision. They remained in each other’s arms for several long minutes, and she loved the sense of closeness.
“As much as I’m enjoying this quiet moment, I have a meeting scheduled with Wilcox in a few minutes. I shall see you at dinner in two hours.” He stood. “We can retire early. Try to rest, because you shan’t get much sleep tonight.” Sending her a devilish grin, he strode from the room.
Helen sat, dumbfounded.
Oh, my. What have I done?
Although the tension in her body had her edgy, welcoming him to her bed was the right thing to do. She wanted to explore the passion burning between them whenever they were in the same room. She would just keep her emotions under control. She refused to fall in love. She’d made that mistake once, and she would not let it happen again.
Helen rang for her maid and had Sally prepare a bath. She had her add the rose-scented bathing salts she’d purchased in the village. She relaxed in the tub and thought of the night to come as she recalled what Melody had said and liquid heat burned in the place between her legs.
After fantasizing several more minutes, she finished her bath and dried off, then used lotion, massaging it into her skin. After Sally brushed her hair until it gleamed, her maid formed a small top knot. Of course, the shorter pieces curled around her face and along the back of her neck. As a finishing touch, Sally added a silver satin ribbon tied around the knot.
Once her maid helped her dress, Helen glanced in the mirror. The silvery blue gown with a pale gray underskirt enhanced her figure. Trying to hide her embarrassment, yet blushing anyway, she turned to Sally. “I shan’t need you tonight, so please take the evening off.”
“As you wish, my lady. I’ll see you in the morning.” Her maid dropped a curtsey and scurried from the room.
As she descended the stairs, Matthew walked out of his study and glanced her way. His eyes darkened. When she stepped onto the marble floor, he took her hand and brushed her fingers with his lips, while gazing into her eyes. “You look…magnificent. The others are in the drawing room. Let us join them.”
When they entered, she heard Margaret twittering as she conversed with Peter Boling. He was the most handsome of the three young men Gregory had invited to stay and a couple of years older.
Helen worried her sister-in-law had become infatuated with the young man. Suspecting Mr. Boling was up to no good, she whispered, “We should join your sister. I don’t trust that young man’s motives.” When they approached the couple, they stopped talking and guiltily looked up.
“Good evening, Puss. What are the two of you planning?” Matthew asked, as he stared intently at Boling.
“Just talking about the weather and how nice it’s been lately,” A guilty blush rose in her cheeks. “We’re going riding on the beach tomorrow.”
While glancing at Boling, Matthew reminded her, “Make sure you take a groom. You may run into Helen and me because we ride every morning.”
Margaret huffed, “Gregory’s coming with us, so I shan’t need a guard dog.” Wells entered and announced dinner, and his sister flounced away.
The creamy, buttery taste of the She Crab soup delighted her senses. It had always been a favorite of hers. As dinner progressed, Margaret covertly made eyes at Boling throughout the meal. Concerned by her behavior, she decided to talk to her again.
After the dessert course, she stood. “Gentlemen, we will leave you to your libations. Come Margaret, we shall wait in the drawing room for the men to join us.”
Once they arrived in the drawing room, Helen turned to her sister-in-law. “You seem very friendly with Mr. Boling. Please be careful and don’t go anywhere with him alone. I don’t trust him, and neither should you. You’re far too young to be flirting with him. It’s dangerous because it could send him the wrong message.”
“You…are not my mother and you…cannot tell me what to do. I’ll flirt with whomever I choose. And anyway, I’m not taking him seriously. I only want to have a little fun.”
“I don’t want to be your mother,” she replied, “but I would like to think we’ve become friends. I worry because men will take advantage of you if you let them. I know this because it happened to me.”
How much should she tell her regarding her experience with the duke? While her behavior made her cringe, if it would help her sister-in-law see the danger, she had to mention it. “This past spring a gentleman spent time courting me and engaged my regard. I believed he planned to ask me to marry him. A few weeks later, he became engaged to someone else. It devastated me, and I decided to never give my heart again. I don’t want you to experience the pain of rejection.”
Margaret looked slightly puzzled. “I’m sorry you were hurt, but it worked out because now you’re married to my brother, and he holds you in high regard. Surely you know he would never hurt you. I’ll be careful, and I shan’t go anywhere alone with him.”
Knowing she’d given the girl sound advice, Helen changed the subject and soon they were discussing the latest fashions and talking of London. Margaret warmed up to her as she told her about the entertainments available in town. It was one of the nicest conversations she’d had with her.
After the men joined them in the drawing room, they agreed to play cards. She’d never played whist with her husband and found him to be an excellent card player. They were playing Gregory and Mr. Austin and easily won the set. After they finished the game, the young men took their leave. Once they left, Margaret excused herself and went to her bedchamber.
Matthew turned to her. “Are you ready to retire? I know you said you wanted me to visit you, but I’ll understand if you’ve changed your mind. I, of course, am more than willing. Although, I want you to be sure.”
Trying to emote the confidence in her tone she was far from feeling, she declared, “I promise you…I’m ready.”
He threaded her arm through his and led her upstairs. Perspiration trickled down between her breasts and her knees shook as they approached their suite.
Matthew opened the door to their setting room. “Do you need a few minutes before I join you?”
“Ten minutes should give me enough time.” Her cheeks heated. “Can you unbutton my gown and loosen my stays? I told Sally I would not need her tonight, and I can’t reach all my buttons.” Matthew gently turned her around. Prickles of sensation danced down her spine with each button he unfastened.
After he finished, he touched her shoulders. “I’ll see you in ten minutes.”
Helen closed the door and leaned against it, then inhaled deeply to steady her nerves. Once she removed her gown, she slipped on the beautiful ice-blue nightgown Melody had given her for her wedding night. The matching dressing gown of watered silk was so sheer, it almost looked transparent. She sat at her dressing table and brushed her hair until it shone. At a time like this, she wished she’d left her hair long. It would have helped cover her a little.
Her hands trembled as she laid her brush on the table. A knock echoed through the door and the knob turned. Matthew entered, wearing a deep green silk robe that matched his brilliant green eyes. It gapped open, revealing curly chest hair. A thrill of anticipation raced through her.
His eyes traveled from her slippers to her face. “Helen, if you’ve changed your mind I will understand. I want you to desire me, as much as I desire you, not see this as a duty.”
“I do…want you. I’m nervous because I don’t know what to expect. Melody talked to me, but I still don’t understand how this all works.” She wished he would kiss her, because her desire would flare and chase her nerves away.
He moved to the chair by the fire and smiled. “Why don’t you come here and sit? I’ll give you a back rub, to help you relax.”
She hesitantly approached the chair. He stood behind her and gently kneaded her neck and shoulders. Her muscles unraveled beneath his magical fingers. His large hands moved from her shoulders to her breasts, an
d he fondled them. Her nipples hardened, and the place between her legs began to throb. He moved around the chair and knelt before her.
Your breasts are perfect.” He groaned. “I’ve dreamed of touching and seeing them. They’re even nicer than I imagined.” Leaning forward, he buried his face and inhaled.
“Lovely,” he murmured.
He slowly kissed her and nibbled at her lips. She parted them and let him slide his tongue inside. Her pliant and hungry mouth returned his kiss. He nudged her legs apart and slipped in between. His sex probed her soft belly. A few minutes of drugging kisses had her eager and ready for more. Sweeping her up, he carried her to the bed.
After he positioned her on the sheets, he stepped away. “I’ll extinguish most of these candles.” After doing so, he returned to her side, slipped off his robe and dropped it on the floor. The bare chest of this gorgeous man before her set a hive of bees buzzing in her belly. The broad expanse of skin had a light dusting of brown hair between his flat male nipples. A pair of low-slung, silk sleeping trousers covered his slim hips and muscular thighs.
Her heart pounded, her pulse raced.
Matthew turned his back to her and the trousers fell; his taunt buttock came into view. Before she could catch her breath, he slipped between the sheets and pulled her into his arms as he kissed her tenderly.
Her breasts grew heavy and swollen as he stroked and squeezed them through her gown. Lowering his head, he nudged the silk fabric out of the way and captured the tip of one of her breasts, sucking it into his warm mouth. Marvelous sensations coursed through her body.
He softly ran his hand down her belly and pulled her gown to her waist. His fingers traveled lower, then parted between her thighs. A finger slid inside her, and as his thumb stroked the spot between her thighs, her passage tightened. A second one joined the first, and
he increased his stroking. Wave after wave of blinding sensation raced through her. Tingles raced from the tip of her head to her toes and continued to build.
He pulled his hand away, and she immediately became frustrated, then he settled between her splayed thighs, allaying her fear he would stop. Pulling her nightgown over her head, he tossed it to the floor. Her body quivered as their bare skin came together for the first time.
Rocking slowly, his hard manhood brushed against her thigh. He fondled her breast again, and a rush of sharp, tingling pleasure raced to the center of her sex. Placing his shaft at the entrance of her body, he nudged the tip inside. She felt stretched as he slid further in. So far, it did not hurt. She tensed anyway, preparing for what was coming.
“Relax, I promise to be gentle so I don’t cause you too much pain.” He took his thick shaft out and rubbed it back and forth across her moist heat, and she began to relax and open for him. He slid in further and stopped. “Darling, be brave.”
In one quick thrust, he pushed past her barrier, all the way to her womb. She cried out as an instant stab of pain shot through her, a searing moment that had her clenching her teeth. But as quickly as it came, it passed.
“From here on out, you’ll only feel pleasure,” he assured her.
Raining soft kisses on her face, Matthew kept still, and her body relaxed and adjusted to his size. He began to move, and her entire body tingled. The place between her legs began to throb again. Soon, she picked up his rhythm and met him stroke for stroke. He thrust in and out, faster and faster, and her muscles tightened around him. She splintered apart into a thousand pieces and fell beyond the realm of reality.
Once she’d found her release, he plunged in faster and harder, until his body tensed and shuddered as his seed filled her for the first time. She relished the feel of him inside her, overcome with the most sublime sensations, greater than she’d ever imagined possible. She almost felt deprived as he gently pulled out, rolled over, and held her close. They lay still as their breathing slowed and their hearts stopped pounding. “I tried to be gentle. I promise it will never hurt again.”
Helen lay in what could only be described as a state of euphoria. “It was only a little pain. I never imagined making love would feel so…so…I have no words. Has it felt like this every time you’ve made love?”
He caressed her shoulder. “You experienced what the French call ‘La petite mort,’ and that’s only the beginning. I can honestly tell you this was the most amazing sexual experience of my life. So, no, it’s hardly ever like this. Let me show you again.”
CHAPTER 13
When Helen awoke the next morning, Matthew was already gone. As she hugged his pillow close, she smelled his spicy citrus scent, the essence of him and immediately felt that tingling sensation between her thighs.
Oh, my, what an amazing feeling.
She stretched and climbed from the bed. The lingering soreness between her thighs reminded her of all she’d experienced the night before. He’d made love to her two more times, and each time had been better than the last as he’d promised.
When she went behind the privacy screen, steam rose from the water in the basin. She wiped the traces of her virgin’s blood from her thighs. Her cheeks burned, but now she was his wife in every sense of the word, and her heart skipped a beat. Oh, dear, that would never do. She had to detach to protect herself.
Helen went to the breakfast room and filled her plate with coddled eggs, sausages, and buttered toast. As she took her seat, Margaret entered. After she filled her plate, she sat across from her.
“Did you have a restful night?” Helen asked. “After I go riding this morning, I thought we could take a walk with Christina and Catherine. I make sure I see them for a few hours every day, so they can get used to me. I think it’s working, because we had a lovely time yesterday, and Christina even gave me a hug.”
“I’m not sure I’ll be back from my ride with Mr. Boling. We’re going to explore some of the caves along the shore.” Helen’s expression tightened, and Margaret rolled her eyes. “Oh, for goodness sake, don’t take on so, Gregory will be with us. I shan’t be alone with him. Honestly, you worry too much.”
She relaxed. “I’ll try to stop, although I’m not sure you should be using his given name. I very much doubt this young man is interested in courting you. Both of you are far too young to have deep feelings for one another.” Realizing that if she pressed any harder, Margaret would become angry, she dropped the subject and prayed the young woman would keep her wits about her.
* * * *
When Helen arrived at the stables, Matthew had Ginny ready for her. As he helped her up into her saddle, she blushed a lovely shade of rose when their eyes made contact, and he grinned as he mounted his horse. She must have recalled their lovemaking, and that thought sent a jolt of electricity straight to his loins.
Once they were on the beach, they gave their horses free rein, and soon they were racing along the shore. After riding for a while, they slowed to a walk. “I hope you aren’t in any discomfort from last night. Are you sure you’re up for our ride?”
“Of course. I feel marvelous today.” She lowered her eyes, and her embarrassment sent sparks to his anatomy that needed no encouragement. “I promise I’m fine.”
“I’m glad you allowed me to come to you last night. I’ve been fighting temptation ever since I met you. You looked so beautiful with your face flushed from our lovemaking.” He caught her peeking at him from below her lashes and grinned. “I suspected you would be a passionate woman, and I was right.”
“I’m glad you found me pleasing.” Her voice came out breathy. “Melody told me making love was beautiful when shared between two people who care for one another. I’m glad we took some time first. It made the experience richer and more meaningful.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” he murmured. “As our friendship deepens, our lovemaking will become even more enjoyable.”
They rode along in companionable silence for a bit, then dismounted to walk along the shore. It was so peaceful with the waves gently rolling in and the sea gulls flying above. It was such a pleasu
re to share this place he loved with every fiber of his being with her. Matthew pulled her against his body and kissed the nape of her neck.
A gentle breeze blew her pretty curls around her head; her beauty left him barely able to draw a breath. He slowly released her, but kept her hand, lacing their fingers as they returned to their horses. He gave her one last tender kiss before he helped her mount, and they returned to the house.
At the stables, he helped her dismount. He leaned in close and whispered, “If I didn’t have a meeting with my steward, I would take you upstairs and keep you in bed all day.”
She giggled. “I wish we could, but I understand we must take care of our obligations before pleasure. And anyway, I’m not ready to make love in the daylight. I thought that activity was reserved for the dark.”
Laughing, he reveled in her innocence. “I promise you’ll enjoy daytime dalliances. The visual aspect adds an enticing element.” He stepped away, putting distance between them as it should be in front of an audience of stable hands, and bowed. “I must meet Wilcox. I’ll see you this afternoon for tea.”
Matthew had difficulty paying attention to his steward. His mind kept returning to the events of the previous night and their walk along the beach that morning. His little spitfire was every bit as passionate as he’d hoped. Oh, he’d had much more experienced bed partners before, but knowing another man had never touched her was arousing. He could not wait to introduce her to other delights of the flesh.
Of course, it was much more than sex. He was in love with her. That made it such an incredible experience. Now, if he could figure out how to make her fall in love with him. If he could only discover why she did not want love, he could overcome her objections.
While she clearly desired him, he wanted her love. He would make sure they continued to spend time with each other and take his daughters out again. The more she saw him in a good light, the more likely she was to fall in love with him.