Yearning For You: A Pride and Prejudice Novella (A Blissful Mariage, Book 1 - Hot Mush Series)

by Lory Lilian

  Darcy laughed again. “Not only improper thoughts. I also admired your brightness, your love of books, your affection for your sister, and your decided opinions. You were surely the most intriguing and admirable woman I had met until that moment. But many of my thoughts were improper, I admit. I began to desire you and to fantasize about you almost from the beginning of our acquaintance—long before I realised I was in love with you.”

  “But…you were so distant, so haughty, so silent. Was everything you showed outside only a mask to conceal your true feelings?”

  “Yes. During your stay at Netherfield, there was not a single hour I did not imagine how it would feel to embrace you, to kiss you, to touch you…and I tried to conceal my feelings…even from myself.”

  “But how can that be, my dear sir? Did you not tell me once that disguise of every sort is your abhorrence?”

  The moment she said the words, she regretted it. This was not the day to remember the most dreadful one of their acquaintance.

  Yet, he only smiled. “I said many things I should not have during that proposal, my love. However, those words were true—in every circumstance except those related to you. The more true and deep and strong my love and admiration became, the harder I tried to hide it. That is why I must compensate by proving it to you every single moment for the rest of our lives.”

  “There is no need to prove anything to me, my dear husband. Lately, I have learned to easily read the truth in your eyes, your frowns, and your little smiles. I have failed in the past, but no more. I shall also admit that, at that time, I did not know what passion and desire looked like. So how could I have seen them in your aloof expression?”

  “You are right. And do you now know what passion and desire look like?”

  “I most certainly do…you taught me.” She daringly lifted her face to meet his lips.

  He stole a brief kiss then caressed her face tenderly. “There is so much more to learn, my beautiful wife, and I am eager to teach you. But you must help me behave properly during our journey, and that will be a difficult task.”

  “I shall do my best. But I also learned that ‘properly’ might have different meanings, Mr. Darcy.”

  “Since we are now married, ‘properly’ should mean whatever we want, Mrs. Darcy.”

  “I agree. Therefore, you may behave in any way you like, Mr. Darcy,” she teased him.

  It took only an instant for Darcy’s arms to close around her, and he lifted her onto his lap. She was not surprised; they had done that before on their secluded walks. Her hands encircled his neck, and her face tilted towards his. They had waited for and craved such a moment for the last few days when they had not a single moment of privacy.

  “I am starving for your lips, my love,” he whispered. His thumb brushed over the objects of his desire and parted them gently. “And I do not need to worry about your lips becoming swollen and red from my kisses. Nobody will see them.”

  “True…” she replied weakly a moment before her mouth was sweetly captured in a desperate kiss, so much like yet so different from what she had experienced before. His tenderness was soon replaced by possession, and his tongue daringly tasted her mouth, playing with hers. His teeth tantalised her lips then bit them tenderly as though they were a tasty dessert.

  “Your flavour is intoxicating,” he murmured, and then his moans replaced the words. He hastily unbuttoned her cloak without breaking the kiss.

  “Let me know whether you are cold,” he said, as he removed her cloak and then slid the gown off her shoulders.

  For a moment, a sensible thought crossed her mind, telling her there were footmen outside the carriage. But his hungry mouth travelling along her throat made her forget anything but the tingling shivers that overwhelmed her senses. She reclined in his embrace, and his kisses became more passionate. Then her mouth was abandoned as he satiated his hunger by tasting and licking her face, neck, and shoulders. He paused a moment upon the line of her cleavage before he looked into her eyes.

  “My love, we have two more hours on the road. We should stop as I do not trust my discipline and self-control.”

  She daringly held his gaze. “I know we should stop. But do you wish to?”

  He was surprised. “You know my answer. Let me know what you wish, Mrs. Darcy.”

  “We are alone in a carriage for the first time, and we are married. I do not know what I could or should expect, but I trust you will show me. And teach me.”

  “Dear Lord, I shall lose my mind with you, my love,” he said, his eyes as black as the afternoon sky that, although it was not late, continued to darken.As Elizabeth sat there—her gown around her shoulders, shivering both from cold and expectations, her hair in disorder, her lips red and wet—Darcy seemed undecided for a momentThen he hastily put a blanket on the opposite bench, arranged a pillow, and helped Elizabeth lie down. She smiled and blushed, her hands tightly encircling his neck. He knelt by her side and placed soft kisses on her forehead and her sparkling eyes.

  “The pillows were my idea, you know,” he confessed. “I said you might need to rest during the journey.”

  “Did you lie, Mr. Darcy? Again? You, of all people,” she said, laughing.

  “I did not, madam. You absolutely need to rest, but I am not sure I shall allow it. What are your wishes?”

  “You cannot put the entire decision on me. But I confess that I am not at all tired. On the other hand, you, sir, cannot possibly travel the entire journey to London in such an uncomfortable position.” Elizabeth teased him daringly and blushed.

  “I assure you I can travel in more uncomfortable positions than this as long as I am with you.”

  He suddenly became completely serious, caressing her face with gentle fingers. “You cannot possibly know how happy you make me every single moment, Elizabeth.”

  “Of course I do, my love. Your happiness cannot be different than mine.” She tenderly returned the kisses to his handsome face.

  As heavy clouds obscured the daylight and rain fell on the carriage with greater power, it became colder, but they were protected both by the warmth of their tenderness and by the other’s nearness.

  “You shiver, my dear,” he said. “This will not do. I cannot believe I am so thoughtless as to expose you to danger due to my selfish desires.”

  She kissed his words away, barely whispering, “I am in no danger with you, but I do shiver because of you.”

  Her hands cupped his face, and she resumed the kiss. His tongue readily tantalised her lips, moved to her throat, and then gently bit her ear. One hand touched a bare arm, ran over her ribs, and lingered on a breast. His fingers felt its firm curves then brushed slowly, tenderly, barely touching her. She sighed, and his mouth returned to trap hers, covering her moans.

  “It is good the rain is loud enough to cover other sounds,” he said hoarsely; then he groaned when he felt her teeth gently bite him back.

  He broke the kiss briefly, aware that things might go too far, but her hands were tightly clasped around his neck. She seemed unwilling to separate, so he returned to her lips until their need for air became stronger than their hunger for each other.

  He was eager to taste more; his lips slowly traced warm kisses on her chin, her jaw, her throat, then to her ear, and finally back to her thirsty mouth. He lowered her gown further, and quivers overtook her; she moaned, and he stopped, trying to read in her eyes what she wanted. His stare increased her breathing, and her heart beat wildly. His eyes lowered with passionate greed upon her soft roundness. It was dark and cold in the carriage, but she felt strangely warmed. Her breathing increased as his fingers—slowly, gently—brushed a line of fire around her left breast, again and again, then cupped it in tender possession. It fit perfectly in his palm, and their moans combined. Her back arched against his hand, increasing the sweet capture, while his thumb daringly cares
sed her hard nipple. She released a cry, covered by the storm outside and silenced by another kiss. His hand moved to her other breast, beginning the sweet, unbearable torture again. Her moans increased with her breathing, and her body began to move as though of its own will.

  “I want to taste you,” he whispered, but she barely heard his words. She just sensed his mouth abandoning hers and following the trace of his fingers.

  She shivered as her mind knew what would come an instant before her body actually felt it. His lips soon reached the place where her heart beat wildly, and her skin welcomed the torturous touch of his mouth, which licked, tasted, savoured, and then closed around her nipple. She covered her mouth with her hand, muffling another cry. He suddenly lifted his head to look at her and kissed her lips softly. But his hand returned to her breast, reluctant to abandon its softness.

  “Are you well?” he whispered. She only nodded, her gaze blurred with passion.

  His hand finally separated from its sweet captive and slowly moved down, resting a moment on her belly, then lowered to her legs and lifted the dress towards her waist. Her heart’s beat was louder than the rain. Patiently, tantalisingly, his hand found its way above her stockings and touched the bare skin of her thighs. Then, with gentle moves, it glided between them. A deep moan escaped her dry lips, and she licked them while her legs parted. He raised his head again, and his eyes met and locked with hers. His gaze burned her as much as his hand, which slowly moved along her inner thigh. A smile lit his face as though telling her what would happen.

  “Please look at me, my love,” he begged her, and she struggled to keep her eyes open.

  His caresses grew more daring, more demanding, more determined. His fingers tantalised her thighs for some time then moved up slowly and remained still, pressing on her most intimate place. She gasped and looked at him in wonder, ceasing to breathe. His smile widened, and his fingers found their way to the core of her body with gentle, tender caresses. His mouth captured hers again, possessively, his tongue dueling with hers then conquering her mouth while his fingers continued their torturous, daring strokes. She could hardly believe what was happening as her body melted under the fire building inside. She felt her mouth abandoned as the kiss travelled down her neckline and stopped at her breasts again, conquering her skin with his lips, his tongue, and his teeth, satiating his urge while his fingers conquered the spot—warm and moist—where all her senses were gathered. Everything disappeared around her, and there was nothing left but the rain outside and a storm of fire and ice within her that blew her senses into countless pieces.

  ***

  Several moments later, Elizabeth struggled to regain her breathing and comprehend what had happened while, sitting on the floor by her side, Darcy tenderly stroked her forehead. She needed some time before her senses recovered and she dared to open her eyes and meet his.

  A smile softened his face, and she briefly thought how shocking she must look. What must he think of her?“How are you, my love?”

  “I do not know…I…”

  She averted her gaze but noticed the worry on his face, and she smiled to cover her embarrassment and put him at ease.

  “I am overwhelmed…and spent…I never imagined anything like this…such sensations…such pleasure…I can hardly believe what you did. I fear that I fainted,” she whispered.

  He briefly kissed her swollen lips. “I did nothing but show you how ardently I love and desire you, Mrs. Darcy. And this is only the beginning; there is so much more to show you.”

  “Much more? That cannot be! If I could explain to you what I felt…how can there be more?”

  “Much more, my love. I promise you. I can hardly wait to arrive home to prove it to you. Your beautiful face glowing while you took your pleasure was the most wonderful thing I ever saw. And I cannot wait to see it again—many times, as soon as we are in the privacy of our apartment.”

  “I wholeheartedly believe your promises, my husband, as I know you never break them,” she answered, swallowing the sudden lump in her throat.

  He laughed, kissed her hand, helped her to stand, and arranged her clothes. She smiled in embarrassment and delight, assisting him in return until their appearance was more decent. They should be within an hour of London.

  Darcy embraced her tightly and put blankets around them. Now they could feel the cold and hear the storm outside.

  Chapter 3

  Darcy pulled the curtains and tried to see what had happened. A knock on the door startled them; outside was Stevens, his valet.

  “I apologise for disturbing you, master. A creek has overflowed the bridge ahead, and we can go no further. Several carriages are waiting ahead of us. We must stop and look for shelter. There should be an inn about a mile away; you have stayed there several times.”

  Darcy looked at his man, dumbfounded. “What on earth are you talking about, Stevens? We cannot stop. We must reach London tonight.”

  “I am afraid that will not be possible, sir—not until the rain stops and the creek recedes. Should we go to the inn? We must be quick since there is the danger of not finding a spare room.”

  Darcy nodded, struggling to find a solution to their impossible situation. He glanced at Elizabeth then smiled to dissipate the concern on her face.

  “Do not worry, my love; all will be well. But I am afraid we shall not arrive home tonight.”

  “I am not worried as long as we are together. It does not really matter. I am just pleased we were not caught in a more dangerous situation. We are close to a village, and we shall spend the night at an inn. I am perfectly fine with that.”

  Darcy kissed his wife’s hand without reply. He only wondered what he had done that fate laughed at his expense and tortured him on the most important night of his life.

  ***

  Minutes later, the carriage stopped again. Outside, raised voices and shouts accompanied the sounds of rain and wind.

  “Elizabeth, wait here while I see what is happening. Keep the blankets around you; it is very cold.”

  “But what about you?” Elizabeth asked with slight panic while her husband put on his hat and coat and exited into the dark storm.

  “Do not worry; I shall return in no time. Just stay safe in the carriage.”

  Although he believed they must be near the inn, Darcy was proved wrong. They still had not entered the village. A stagecoach was on the edge of the road, apparently abandoned. Stevens and another servant were approaching it carefully. The horses looked frightened and in danger of bolting at any moment.

  “What is the matter?” Darcy inquired, but Stevens only shrugged. The rain was falling in torrents, so all were soaking wet. Darcy opened the stagecoach door and frowned. Inside—wet, scared, and frozen—was a young woman with three children, two toddlers and an infant. Startled at the sight of three strange men, the children huddled in the woman’s arms.

  “Hello there. What are you doing here alone? Are you hurt?” Darcy shouted to be heard over the storm, but his loud voice only frightened them.

  “No, we are not hurt. The carriage has a broken wheel. We are waiting. The coachmen left some time ago, saying they would send help to take us to the inn. The other passengers went with them, but I could not leave with small children. They said they would come for us,“ the woman uttered tearfully.

  “Ma’am, I am Fitzwilliam Darcy, and these are my men. Let us help you. My carriage is nearby, and we can take you to the inn in safety,” Darcy offered.

  The woman withdrew in apparent panic then glanced at her children. A bolt of lightning followed by loud thunder made them all gasp.

  “Come; the master was kind enough to invite you. You cannot possibly get a better offer. Which is your luggage? We shall take it to the master’s carriage.” Stevens lifted down the little girl and boy then helped the woman with the infant.

 
“Stevens, release the horses before you retrieve the luggage. You will all be in danger if they remain harnessed to the carriage,” Darcy ordered as he guided the four unexpected guests to his carriage.

  ***

  Elizabeth met them with astonishment and concern. When the two young children entered, she immediately hurried to help them. Then Darcy helped a young woman with an infant into the carriage, which left her completely dumbfounded.

  “My dear, take care of them. I am going to help Stevens,” Darcy spoke quickly, his voice barely audible above the storm.

  Elizabeth needed a moment to recover. “Please rest here. Let me take your wet coats. Here are dry blankets; put them around you,” Elizabeth said, trying to encourage the frightened new arrivals.

  “Thank you, ma’am. I apologise for disturbing you…” the young woman whispered, trying to keep the children warm as she covered them with the blankets.

  “Do not worry. Would you tell me your name?”

  “I am Fanny Johnson, ma’am. These are my children: Tommy, Dottie, and Sammy.”

  Elizabeth smiled. “I am pleased to meet you. I am Mrs. Darcy. Would you like something to eat?”

  After a brief hesitation and with their mother’s approving glance, the children nodded. Elizabeth gave them some meat and bread from the full basket. At that moment, Darcy entered hastily, water dripping from his cloak and hat. Intimidated, the children withdrew to a corner. Darcy took a seat near his wife, removing his wet garments.

  “We shall be at the inn soon. I am glad you are unharmed. Please, eat.” He attempted an encouraging smile at the toddlers.

  “Thank you, sir. How can we possibly repay your kindness? We are so fortunate that you found us. God knows what would have happened if we remained in the broken coach.”

  “Are you travelling alone? With only the children?” Darcy inquired, ignoring the words of gratitude.