"A man like me?" He was no saint, but he was far from the worst of the sinners. "I do not take your meaning. I thought you liked me these days. Or at the very least, tolerated me."
"I do like you, Evan. You are my friend if nothing else, and I enjoy what we share. Otherwise, I would not have agreed to this." She swallowed hard again. "But you are not what I envisioned for a husband. Instead, you are a strong, virile man. A man who is not afraid of anything. One who is more..." she tilted her head and then shook it as if to clear her thoughts. "More physical, I suppose you could say." Then her glance strayed lower and he knew what direction her thoughts were heading in. His prowess at bedsport was well known and he had no doubt that at least some of the tales of his sexual appetites had reached Cassandra's ears. "I have never even been kissed beyond that chaste peck on the cheek in the chapel earlier today. Therefore, when I contemplated tonight and what you might do with your...er...thing? It terrified me. I should not be afraid, I know. For this is you and I know you better than perhaps any man in my entire life." She shrugged. "But I cannot seem to help it. I am afraid."
Cassandra ducked her head then and Evan felt a twinge of pity for the normally strong and defiant young woman. Her mother had died in childbirth when Cassandra was six and from that point on, the only woman in her life other than the sometimes quite mad Aunt Mimsy had been her Aunt Ellie who was hardly a paragon of womanly virtue or motherly actions either. If anything, given the previous marchioness' scandalous past, it was likely that any advice regarding the marital bed she would have chosen to impart to her niece would have also included various ways to avoid lying with one's husband.
After all, a woman did not bear another man's bastard when she was lying in her own marital bed, as Ellinor Haddington had done.
Therefore, all of the things that a mother should have taught Cassandra about lying with a husband now fell to Evan. Strangely, he did not mind as much as he thought he might. As a rule, he did not dally with innocents. But Cassandra was no longer an innocent as such. She was his wife. She needed to be taught how to both take and give pleasure. To not fear her physical desires, nor his. Therefore, who better to teach her than him, her husband? No one.
Oh, yes, this could be rather enjoyable and suddenly, Evan saw a whole host of possibilities spread out before him.
Reaching up, he grasped Cassandra's hands in his. "First of all, my 'thing' is called a cock. Men use it to fuck their wives, among other pleasurable activities."
She blushed furiously as she swatted at his shoulder and Evan had to suppress a chuckle. There was the Cassandra he knew or at least a part of her. Yes, he would enjoy teaching her about the pleasures of the flesh. There was little doubt in his mind.
"Must you speak like that?" she hissed, though he noted that she did not pull her hands from his.
"Must be you be so missish?" he challenged in return. "For that is not the Cassandra I have come to know so well over the last year. That woman is not afraid of much and certainly not a crass word now and then."
For some reason, his words seemed to bring her to life and she perked up, the familiar fire flashing in those magnificent eyes of hers. "You think you know me so well, dragon, now that we are husband and wife?"
"No." He rose from the floor and joined her on the bed, deliberately allowing his banyan to gape open a bit so that she might finally get a glimpse of her first cock. Given the way her eyes had widened at his use of the word, he doubted that she had ever seen one before. "But I know the woman who has challenged me every step of the way over her partial ownership of the Gray Ladies."
"Full ownership," Cassandra corrected and Evan was pleased to see that she also seemed to forget that she was clad only in a thin chemise that hid very little of her delightful body. "Full ownership now that we are wed and nothing more. We have..."
Evan brought a finger to her lips. "And there, finally, is the Cassandra I know. The one that is full of passion and fire, who will argue a single word with me for hours without backing down or giving in. The one who does not give a fig what Society thinks of her. That is the Cassandra that I see now before me and the one I did not even so much as glimpse when I entered this room." He tilted her chin up with his finger. "I want that passion of yours, Cassie. Here. In the bedchamber. I will not settle for a woman who merely lies beneath me like a board while I fuck her, experiencing no emotion other than a grim satisfaction of having done her duty. You are full of passion, Cassie, and I will have it, not just out there but in here while you are riding my cock and taking my seed deep within your body so that we can beget an heir."
"You ask much, Evan," she replied, but Evan was pleased to note that her voice was stronger now and far less fearful. "How do you know that I am even capable of that sort of passion?"
He moved a little closer to her. "Because you have a passion for life, Cassandra. Once you let go of this fear, I am certain you will enjoy the passion of bedsport as well. No matter what stories you have heard in the past."
Finally, she uncrossed her arms from over her chest, allowing him another glimpse of those delectable breasts. "Very well. How do you propose I go about overcoming this fear? I hope you have a suggestion, for I surely do not."
This time when he moved, Evan placed his hand on her thigh. She shivered but she did not move away, which was an encouraging sign. "Oh, I do, Cassandra. I certainly do. I plan to seduce you, just as I would any woman that I wished to bed."
She smiled then and Evan relaxed a little. Until this moment, he hadn't been certain she would agree to his plan. "Somehow, I doubt very much that you have difficulty coaxing a woman into your bed, dragon."
"I rarely do, as you well know," he agreed easily, "but you are not just any woman. You are my wife and until just recently, you did not even consider the true mechanics of the marriage bed, I am certain."
"I have wondered about mating," she replied, "and certainly imagined what it is like, especially after Aunt Mimsy's rather graphic tales, but, having never even kissed a man, I am certain that what I imagine and what the act is in truth is very different."
Evan reached up to cup her cheek, a far more tender gesture than he had ever thought he would make towards Cassandra. This would apparently be a learning experience for him as well. "You have seen animals mate, I am certain, so you should know that the act is not so much different in humans."
"It looks unpleasant." There was doubt in her voice now.
"If done correctly, it is not. In fact, it is rather quite delightful, especially if your partner is skilled in the art. There is pain the first time; I will not lie to you about that. But after? Only pleasure, some of the most exquisite pleasure you can find, in truth. And I can promise you that I am very, very skilled in that regard." As they had been speaking, Evan had been moving just a little closer to her with each word. Now they were almost nose to nose and she had yet to pull away. "I'm going to kiss you now, Cassandra. In the future, I will not give you warning so be aware that I might do this at any moment I please. But this first time? I would not frighten you in that manner."
Shifting closer so that his body almost covered hers, Evan cupped Cassandra's face fully now and brought her lips to his for her first true kiss.
At first, his lips merely brushed over hers, the lightest of caresses meant to tease rather than demand. Over and over, back and forth the same light, almost nonexistent brushes of skin over skin until she sighed and he felt her body soften a bit in his hands. Then, he kissed her a little harder, nothing to frighten her, but a press of his lips to hers that allowed him to taste her sweetness and feel the softness of her lips beneath his.
When she tilted her head a bit so that she could get better access to his mouth, clearly enjoying the kiss, Evan took advantage, tracing the tip of his tongue over the seam of her lips. When she gasped, he took advantage again, this time darting his tongue inside of her mouth briefly to caress hers. There was a moment when he feared that she might slap him but instead she reached up and clutched at th
e lapels of his banyan, opening for him in a way he hadn't anticipated.
She was fire, his Cassandra. A tamed fire for the moment, but he could feel the need burning hot within her. She might be afraid of that fire, that passion, now, but in time, she would not be. He could and would make certain of that.
This was the passion he had craved from her he realized as she began more daring expeditions with her lips, darting her own tongue out to lick at the corner of his mouth in experimentation. He had known she was capable of this, which was why he had pushed her, had vowed to seduce her. Because somehow, a part of him had known that the passion that she used to argue with him could be harnessed for other, far more pleasurable pursuits.
Evan had no idea how long they kissed, only that by the time he drew back for air, Cassandra's lips were swollen from his kisses and her hair was thoroughly tousled. Her skin was flushed as well and she looked delightfully rumpled. The thin straps of her chemise were nestled down by her elbows, nearly baring her breasts to him, and his own banyan had slipped off his shoulders to rest about his waist. Rather than appearing frightened any longer, Cassandra now looked relaxed and just a bit pleased. Not to mention more than a little bit eager for more.
"That was delightful." There was no fear in her voice now, only the curiosity he had come to expect from her when faced with a new situation. "I had no idea..."
"So you will allow me to seduce you?" Evan asked, his own voice thick with desire as he moved closer to her, unwilling to allow her to get away from him just yet. He would take her now if he thought she would allow it. He was so aroused that he ached with the need for release. Yet something held him back and he did not press her for more intimacy, though he desperately wished to.
Cassandra nodded. "Yes. But on one condition."
"Which is?" Whatever it was, Evan was likely to give it to her just for the promise of one day feeling himself plunge into her sweet, womanly heat.
"Let me see your cock. Now. Tonight. So that I will know what to expect and not be afraid."
Out of all of the things that she could have requested from him, viewing his naked body had not even been a consideration. However, Evan would not deny her either. Not when the end result promised to be such exquisite pleasure. And especially not when she smoothly uttered the crass word he had used earlier, hardening his erection even more.
"I will warn you that I am aroused, Cassie, for I find that merely being around your delectable body this evening is enough to excite me," he cautioned her and was pleased to see her blush again, though not pleased to see her pull up the straps on her chemise. He had been hoping for more than a shadowy glimpsed of her dusky - and likely delightful - nipples. "I am also a large man, though rest assured that when the time comes, we will fit together just as was intended." Then, he rose from the bed and dropped his banyan to the floor, allowing Cassandra her first look at an aroused, naked man.
He wasn't certain what sort of reaction his actions might elicit from her, but he had not expected such bold curiosity. Though perhaps he should have. Her eyes widened and her breath hitched though she did not look away. Instead, she stared at him for a long while and a part of him had to wonder if she liked what she saw.
Finally, she reached out as if to touch him but then drew her hand back just as quickly. "Are all men as... I mean are their...cocks as large as yours?" She stumbled on the one word, as he had expected but she had spoken it again just the same. Brave girl. Then again, he had known from the first that she was.
"No." Evan reached down and took himself in hand, careful not to press too hard for fear that he might spill himself like a green youth. "As I said, I am rather large and I make no apologies for it. When I am not aroused? My cock is much smaller. But even then, it is not exactly a little thing."
Cassandra bit her lip and he could almost see her mind working intently. There was his Cassie, and he was surprised to find that he was more than a little relieved to know that she was finally no longer quite as fearful. "I see." Evan rather doubted that she did but he did not correct her either. "And that shall fit inside of me?"
"It will," he assured her, moving closer, almost tempting her to reach out and touch him now. "And it will be so wonderful that I cannot even find the words to describe the pleasure."
She still seemed doubtful but she did not question him further on the matter. Instead, she looked up and with a bit of fear in her eyes, asked another question that he did not expect. "May I touch you? There? As you are doing to yourself."
"If you like." Evan had the feeling this was a very bad idea, but he could not refuse her. He wanted a willing wife who would allow him to bed her at his will, take her in any number of places and in any number of positions. If this was the first step to bringing Cassandra to heel in that regard, then he would do as she asked. No matter the cost to himself.
Gently, she placed her fingers around his cock and slowly he pulled his own hand away. Unlike his own hot grasp, hers was cool and soft, and Evan found himself beginning to lose control after only a moment. As she slid her fingers up the length of his shaft and around the very crown of him, pausing only to tease the drop of moisture that had already pooled there, he wondered how long he could keep up this self-torture. He did not wish to frighten her by spilling himself, but he also did not know how much longer he could endure her touch without demanding more from her. When she reached out her other hand to cup his sac, his hissed and closed his eyes, the need for release becoming almost too much.
"I am so sorry," Cassandra whispered, the fear returning to her voice. "I did not mean to hurt you, Evan, I swear. I was merely curious."
"It does not hurt," he ground out as he reached down and gripped her wrist, keeping it in place when she would have otherwise pulled away. He also opened his eyes, eager to take in the sight of her with her delicate hands wrapped around him. "It feels so damn good that I can't help myself. I'm going to come and I am afraid I will frighten you."
She shook her head. "I won't be afraid. I swear it. Let me do this for you, Evan. In exchange for all that you have done for me, especially tonight. This is not the wedding night you imagined and that is my fault. The least I can do is this." Then she began to stroke him, her actions a bit clumsy but powerful all the same.
He wanted to tell her that this wasn't an exchange or an expectation, that this bedsport between them would not be repayment for some debt that she believed she owed him. It wasn't even a demand. However, her hands on his cock felt so damn good that he couldn't get the words out. Instead, all he could do was hang on for just a little longer as she stroked him. He wanted to make this first moment with her last but soon he felt the familiar tug at the base of his spine.
"Cassie, please don't stop! Oh, God!" He ground out those words as if he was in pain but they worked as intended, for she did not stop her caresses, instead instinctively quickening her pace until he could take no more.
Evan came with a groan as he spilled himself in her hands, though she did not shy away from him and this display of maleness. Instead, she watched, fascinated, as he emptied himself into her cupped hands.
Some of his seed splashed upon her delectable breasts and he came again at the sight, this time with an anguished cry. He closed his eyes and did his best to bring his wayward body under control. She did this to him. She made him lose control, something that had never happened before.
In the past, Evan had been in complete control in the bedchamber. His lovers had followed his lead, and yet with her unskilled touch, Cassandra had wiped away his precious control, and to his amazement, she didn't flinch or look away even once. Instead, she seemed a bit in awe and more than a little curious. Then again, this was Cassandra. The woman who challenged him at every step. Did he really expect anything different?
"Did I do it right?" she asked, her eyes a soft greenish brown in the flickering firelight. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"
"No, my lovely, Cassie," Evan sighed with contentment as he reached over to snag a towel from the n
earby stand so that he could clean her hands. "You did everything right. In fact, I would dare say that you were perfect."
And that single admission scared Evan far more than he wanted to admit.
Chapter Nine
Over the next week, Cassandra roamed Brambly Fields as she always had, riding Marigold and exploring the estate that was truly her home. However now, as a wife, she never knew when her new husband might appear and whisk her away for a few stolen kisses - or perhaps more. He never pushed her for more than she was willing to give, but, to her amazement, it was clear to her that he desired her, and that, in turn, led to a matching desire flickering to life inside of her as well.
The change in her was gradual, so slow and innocent that she barely even noticed it at first. The day after their wedding, Evan sought her out only once for a kiss or two. However by the end of the week, he had advanced to caressing her breasts through the thick woolen garments she wore and once, when she was investigating the old gamekeeper's cottage, he had slid his hand beneath her skirts and stroked the insides of her thighs until she quivered with something that felt very much like desire and became so wet that she nearly embarrassed herself - though to her relief Evan seemed aroused at her dampness rather than angry.
All of those touches and caresses made Cassandra remember Aunt Mimsy's tales, and also made Cassandra wonder what truly came next. And when Evan was finally going to demand that she be a proper wife to him. For that day was coming and Cassandra truly had no idea how she felt about that day just yet.
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