He then proceeded to wash her other breast with the same care he’d spent on the other one, which further aroused her. When he was done, he lathered up the washcloth with more soap then lowered the cloth to her stomach. She squeezed the edges of the tub and bit her lower lip. He would go lower. Certainly, he wouldn’t stop at her stomach. He’d want to wash the area between her legs as well. Her core ached in anticipation.
The cloth went further down, and she let out a soft moan. Ever so slowly, he washed her abdomen, his patience serving to make her that much more anxious for the moment when he’d finally touch her in her most vulnerable place.
She spread her legs further apart in silent encouragement. He must touch her. She needed him to touch her. If he didn’t touch her, she just might not be able to bear it. He paused just above her curls, and she was afraid he wasn’t going to continue.
But then, he proceeded to go further down, and dismissing the cloth, his bare fingers brushed the folds of her flesh. Letting out a moan, she lifted her hips, inviting him to enter her. Then to her utmost pleasure, he inserted two fingers into her. Oh, but he felt wonderful.
“You feel better than I expected,” he murmured as he stroked her core.
She let out a groan. The ache building up inside of her was overwhelming. She wasn’t a stranger to orgasms like some virgins. She hadn’t been shy about exploring her own body in the past and finding out what pleasure she was capable of experiencing. But there was something far better in having someone else touch her this way.
Plus, she hadn’t climaxed in a couple of weeks. With everything going on, she’d forgotten all about satisfying her needs. And the way he was touching her now only emphasized how much she needed this. There was no way she could leave this tub until he finished what he’d started.
In a bold move that even surprised her, she took his thumb and pressed it against her sensitive nub. Then she instructed him on how to caress her nub in a way that would bring her the greatest pleasure.
He followed her lead, and before long, he established a rhythm that was making her moan in earnest. Either he was lying about having never been with a lady before or he was a quick learner. At the moment, she didn’t care.
On their own accord, her hips started rocking in time to the thrusting of his fingers. Water splashed around her, some of it going out of the tub, but she didn’t care. Nothing else mattered except reaching the peak. Then, finally, just when she thought she couldn’t take it anymore, she was at the peak. Crying out, she grew still, savoring every single wave of pleasure as it crashed into her. It was so intense she almost couldn’t take it all in. She had no idea an orgasm could be so wonderful.
Afterwards, once her head cleared, she realized he was kissing her neck, an act which sent shivers of lingering pleasure through her. She let out a soft moan. If she’d been relaxed before, she was much more so now.
“I knew you were going to be a passionate lover,” he whispered then kissed her ear. “Just wait until we finally come together as husband and wife. It’s going to be better than this. But we won’t do that today. Today, I wanted to give you a foretaste of what’s to come.”
He gave her neck another kiss before he pulled his fingers out of her, and she couldn’t help but feel some disappointment. Though the urge to climax had been satisfied, she missed the feel of them inside her.
He grabbed the crutch and, after a moment of finding his balance, pulled himself to a standing position. She didn’t know what to say. Before he started touching her, she’d felt like she had a moral obligation to reject him because she’d been forced into this marriage. But now… Well, she wasn’t sure what to do now. For some reason, the things he’d just done to her made her less resistant to him.
He shot her a smile that had a hint of cockiness and desire. Her gaze lowered to his crotch. He was fully aroused. She was sure he had no control over the evidence in front of her. But he didn’t act on his passions. Instead, he retrieved her neatly folded towels and set them within her reach.
“You are exquisite when you’re naked.” He scanned her body one more time with his heated gaze, causing another thrill to go right through her. Returning his gaze to hers, he added, “I look forward to seeing you at the morning meal.”
She swallowed as he left her bedchamber. He wasn’t asking her to go downstairs once she got dressed. He was telling her to do it. And a part of her was looking forward to seeing him again, which was a contradiction she couldn’t quite explain.
Chapter Six
It had taken all of Sebastian’s willpower to leave Celia’s bedchamber, but it was necessary that he did so without trying to get her to consummate the marriage. This morning, he had taught her that when he touched her, he could bring her pleasure. Next time he approached her in an amorous manner, he hoped she would encourage him to keep going. He didn’t fool himself into believing one dalliance in a tub was enough to make her come to his bed.
But sooner or later, she would. He had no doubt about that. It was just a matter of patiently waiting for her to do so, and fortunately for her, he was a patient gentleman. He hadn’t spent years at sea waiting for a whale to emerge out of the waters without learning how to be patient.
And when she did come to his bed, he suspected that she was going to be a very passionate lover. He certainly was looking forward to that aspect of their marriage. He’d heard stories of ladies who were—for lack of a better term—lackluster in bed. All they did was lie still and wait, probably in boredom, while the gentleman made love to them. It was one of the reasons gentlemen took mistresses. Not the only reason, of course, but one, nonetheless.
Such would not be the case with Celia. When Celia gave herself to something, he bet she did it with great enthusiasm. Why, look at how much energy she’d exerted in protesting their marriage yesterday! He couldn’t recall a time he’d seen such passion in anyone.
It was to his benefit the gentlemen in London were afraid of her. Not only was he going to end up with an enthusiastic bed partner, but he was going to secure a good amount of money when all those gentlemen lost the wager they were about to make with him.
Whistling, he went to the drawing room and waited for Celia so they could share the morning meal together. To his pleasure, she didn’t keep him waiting for long. He thought she might, only because she was a lady, and being a lady, she wouldn’t want to come downstairs until she’d taken great care in picking out the right gown and styling her hair. But in less than thirty minutes, she was coming down the stairs.
He stood up, slipped the crutch under his arm, and went to the hallway so he could meet her. “I take it you had a pleasant bath this morning,” he said, unable to hide his grin.
She chose not to answer, nor had he expected her to, given the private nature of just how pleasant the bath had been. But there was a slight blush that turned her cheeks pink, and that was all he needed to be satisfied.
“You’ll be happy to know that breakfast is ready,” he said.
She started walking down the hall, so he cleared his throat. She stopped and turned to face him.
“Since I’m your husband,” he began, “I would like to escort you there.”
“Very well.”
He had expected her to protest or give some sly little comment that he wasn’t her husband by choice. But she didn’t. She simply waited for him to catch up to her, and then she walked beside him.
Whether she realized it or not, this was progress. It was further progress when she let him touch her elbow. He thought she might brush his hand off, but she didn’t. She only slowed her steps so that he could keep up with her.
For the life of him he couldn’t understand why the other gentlemen couldn’t figure her out. She was surprisingly simple. As soon as she realized someone wasn’t going to let her get away with something, she accepted his lead fairly well.
“Why do you insist on using a crutch?” she asked. “Why don’t you use a peg leg?”
“I haven’t decided if I want to h
ave a peg leg or not.”
“What’s there to decide? If you had one, you wouldn’t need the crutch.”
“Does my crutch bother you?”
“I don’t care if you have it or not. I’m not the one who has to go around with it. If it was me, I would have a peg leg. I’d think it would be more comfortable, and it would get me to where I want to go quicker.”
Yes, he supposed that was true on both counts. The doctor had suggested one for those reasons, adding it would probably also give him a better sense of independence. But he wasn’t ready to make the decision. Not today at least.
She remained silent the rest of the way to the room. But as soon as the plate full of food was in front of her, she asked, “Will you make me stay in this room until I eat everything on my plate?”
He couldn’t tell if she was being serious or joking, but he said, “Yes. I don’t believe in wasting food. If you had ever been on a ship for months at a time, you would appreciate why. I suggest you take a smaller portion than what you think you need when you start eating. You can always add more to your plate if you’re still hungry.”
“It is to my grave misfortune I have never been cursed with a single day at sea,” she replied. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t have spent so many years wasting food.”
Catching the sassy tone in her voice, he inwardly smiled. The chit had spirit. He’d give her that. “It is a shame. Had you ever been at sea, you would realize how much waste goes on in London. The amount of clothes, the excessive parties, the amount of food being thrown out… I don’t blame this on you. You are a result of the lavish lifestyle you grew up in. You don’t know any better.” He picked up the hot roll on his plate. “But you have no need to worry. You’ll learn that things shouldn’t be wasted.”
“If we have the money, then I see no harm in spending it.”
“There is no harm in spending what one has, but one must be diligent when doing so.”
She grimaced.
Not surprised, he proceeded to eat the hot roll.
They ate most of the meal in silence, and he was happy to note she was eating everything she had put on her plate. Toward the end of the breakfast, he wiped his mouth with the napkin and cleared his throat.
She glanced over at him. “Am I not eating fast enough?”
He chuckled at the sarcasm in her tone. He was sure she hadn’t intended it, but he found her comment witty in light of what had happened yesterday after the wedding breakfast.
“What’s so funny?” she asked.
“You. I happen to love your sarcasm. I don’t know if you’re trying to be difficult or if it’s the way you’re used to talking so you can get your way, but I love it.”
“If I was trying to be difficult, I’d be throwing my food at you. If I wanted to get my way, I’d be sweet.”
“So you were sarcastic because…?”
“Because I was sure you were going to criticize the way I was eating.”
His eyebrow rose. “I wasn’t going to criticize you. I happen to be very pleased you’re my wife.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “Now you’re talking to me as if I’m a simpleton.”
“No, I’m not. I mean it. I don’t know what’s wrong with the gentlemen in London.”
She put her fork down, a frown forming on her pretty face. “What’s wrong with the gentlemen in London?”
“They live in dread of you.”
By the expression on her face, he could tell she didn’t believe him.
“Didn’t you notice the way Lord Edon and Mr. Robinson bolted on out of here yesterday when you barged into the den?”
“I thought they were being polite. I thought they wished to let me have a word alone with you.”
“Well, you thought wrong. They thought I was too stupid to figure out a way to win the argument you wanted to have. They thought I would lose control of the situation and that I would end up cowering in the corner of the room in fear. They didn’t wish to watch it happen, so they left.”
“Why are you telling me this?”
“Because today, I’m going to White’s. Would you like to know why I’m going there?”
She shrugged and poked the last egg with her fork. “I assume you’re going there to play some silly games like other gentlemen do.”
“I suppose you could say that, but there’s nothing silly about the game I’m going to play. I am going to make a wager.” Leaning forward, his smile widened. “A very interesting wager.”
She slowly chewed her food as she studied him, probably trying to guess what he was getting at. He could make her wait, but in the end, he decided to just come out and say it.
“The wager has to do with you,” he told her. “The gentlemen are all going to bet that I’ll be sending you back to your brother’s within six months. They believe you’ll terrify me just like you terrify all of them.”
“You’re lying. There’s going to be no such bet.”
“Oh, but there will be, and I’m going to earn a substantial amount of money thanks to the little display of outrage you pulled yesterday when Lord Edon and Mr. Robinson were here.”
Her frown deepened. “It wasn’t my intention to put on a display of outrage. Yes, I was angry, but I only wanted to talk to you.”
“I know that, and you know that. But it works to my advantage that they didn’t. You can be a very sweet lady when you want to be.” Shooting her a wicked grin, he added, “You were exceptionally sweet an hour ago.”
Her cheeks grew pink again, and she glanced at the butler as if to determine whether or not he picked up on Sebastian’s meaning. Not that it mattered. Sebastian wasn’t overly concerned with being a gentleman any more than Celia worried herself all that much over being a genteel lady. In some ways, it was a shame she hadn’t been born a man. He had a feeling she would have made a good crewman on the ship. Not afraid to speak her mind. Not afraid to go after what she wanted. She was definitely a challenge, and she was a very attractive one at that.
“You have some admirable traits,” he told her. “In due time, others will come to realize that, too. I’m very satisfied with this match.”
He finished the rest of his meal and then placed his napkin on the plate. “I’m going to get ready for my meeting at White’s,” he said. Offering her a wink, he rose up from the table.
“Am I expected to stay here all day, or am I allowed to leave this townhouse?” she asked him.
He slid the crutch under his arm. “You’re not a prisoner here. You’re free to come and go as you wish.”
She arched an eyebrow as if she didn’t fully believe him. “Really?”
“Sure. The butler will go with you and make sure you come back, just as he makes sure you eat everything on your plate.”
“I don’t appreciate being treated like a child.”
He shot her a pointed look. “Are you telling me you wouldn’t try to run off and abandon me?”
She didn’t answer, which was really an answer in itself.
“That is why the butler will assist you in all your endeavors outside the townhouse,” he said.
Then, since she didn’t argue, he left the room.
***
Celia groaned in frustration as she went through her wardrobe. What should a lady wear when she felt like a child? The butler would be escorting her every place she went? It wasn’t enough he had to stand by and make her eat everything on her plate, but he was going to have to make sure she returned to this townhouse, too?
She hadn’t thought to ask Sebastian if he intended to tell the gentlemen at White’s that he was going to do all of this to her. If he did, she’d end up being the laughingstock in London. She wouldn’t have minded being the laughingstock so much if she had been successful in getting Corin, but having failed in that regard, she didn’t want anyone to know Sebastian had ordered his butler to watch over her like a nanny was to watch a child.
She heard a noise come from Sebastian’s bedchamber. He hadn’t left yet!
She hurried to the door separating their bedchambers and opened it. He was leaning against his dresser as he was putting on his breeches. When he saw her, he jerked in surprise and, had he not put his hands on the top of the dresser, he might have fallen to the floor.
“Now you know what it’s like when you’re not fully clothed and someone barges in on you,” she said, unable to resist the urge to remind him of how he’d barged in on her while she had been taking her bath.
He stared at her for a moment, and she thought he might be appropriately contrite for startling her while she’d been bathing. But he dropped the breeches so they fell at his ankle and said, “If you’re here to pleasure me the same way I pleasured you, then I won’t stop you.” He gestured to the bulge under his drawers. “Do whatever you want.”
Though she had seen a gentleman naked before, she felt heat rise to her cheeks. “That’s not why I came in here.”
“Maybe not, but it can be why you stay.”
He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at her, and she almost lost her nerve and bolted back into her bedchamber. Which was ironic since she didn’t think of herself as a prude.
She cleared her throat and forced her gaze back to his face. “I came here to tell you that I don’t think it’s necessary for the butler to follow me around London like some kind of nanny. I am a grown lady. I’m fully capable of returning to this townhouse all by myself.”
“Will you return here instead of trying to run away from me?”
“Of course, I’ll return here.”
“Judging by how opposed you were to this marriage yesterday, I have no assurance that you have any intention of coming back here.”
He made a move to lean down to grab his breeches, but since he was having difficulty maintaining his balance, she hurried to help him. Kneeling down, she gathered the top of his breeches and pulled it up over his legs.
“I’ll make you a deal,” she said. “If you don’t make the butler watch over me, I’ll come here when I’m done socializing with my friends.”
Taming The Viscountess Page 6
