"Yes, Thomas, always. But can it be so very special for you? I mean, I know you're not a virgin-"
"But nor have I ever been in love," he breathed against her ear as he began to nibble her lobe, and lick the pressure point behind it until she shivered. "It's more special than I can ever say."
"I'm glad," she sighed, lolling her head back to give him better access, rubbing her breasts against his bare chest.
"So come, darling, let's take those out of the box, and see what interesting uses we can put them to."
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
The next three days and nights passed Charlotte by in a haze of bliss. Thomas saw to it that she was completely indulged and pampered in every way imaginable.
She awoke the first morning together to find Thomas licking her all over her body absolutely everywhere.
She eagerly reached for him, but to her surprise he turned her onto her side and began nibbling the back of her neck as he rubbed his huge length between her thighs. His hardness massaged her slick core while his fingers teased her mound and breasts until she came in great panting sobs.
Only then did he enter her. The sensation was so different from him being atop her that she climaxed at once, biting the pillow to stop herself from screaming the house down.
Afterwards he bathed her like a baby and put her in a frilled nightgown that was positively sinful in its revealing laciness. He fed her breakfast, griddlecakes with fresh cream and hot strawberries running with syrup. He dabbed fingerfuls of the cream on various intimate parts of her body, and proceeded to lick it off until she sobbed against him. It was every bit as wonderful as his fantasy with the wedding cake at their reception, and his head spun with the giddy joy of it all.
When he had finished making love with her, he sat her up in the bed, and brushed and stroked her long fall of raven hair until it shone and she was sure she would die of pleasure. From him she learned all the joys of her body, and his, exploring their sensuality in a shy but avid way until she fell asleep, fully exhausted and sated.
The only time they left the house was to attend a ball at Stone Court on the third night, and even then Charlotte was exceedingly reluctant to go.
Thomas convinced her that the only thing more erotic than dressing her in all her silk finery and sapphires was the prospect of undressing her after the ball.
"You'll be able to feel the jewels against your bare flesh like the touch of my lips, my fingers. And you can recall all the things I did to you with them that first night. And imagine all the things I'm going to do to you tonight. Once I undress you slowly, worship you as you deserve to be--"
"Oh, Thomas, please, I don't think I can manage to even walk, let alone dance," she panted, her whole body on fire.
"You will. I'll hold you close and you'll feel my desire brushing against your--"
"Thomas, please, let's not go. Come back to bed," she begged, clinging to his waist.
"You greedy girl," he said with a happy laugh.
"Yes. I never imagined it could be like this. I want you so," she said in shy wonder.
"Keep that thought until later, my dear," he said holding up her new navy velvet pelisse for her to slip her arms into. "Then I give you free rein to indulge yourself and me as much as you like."
The carriage ride was exquisite torture for them both as they rocked over the rutted road with her sitting in his lap while he fondled between her thighs her boldly. She was flushed and disheveled by the time they ever arrived in Millcote. Charlotte immediately had to excuse herself to go into the cloakroom and set her undergarments to rights.
The other Rakehells noted the change in the couple at once, and toasted each other.
"They look splendid together," Clifford observed to Jonathan.
"Yes, thank God they worked it all out in the end."
"Ah, so I was right all along. There was something odd going on that caused him to marry her so quickly, though it's obvious that it had nothing to do with a child."
"It was Paxton."
"Pardon?" Clifford said, aghast.
"Paxton was angling for her. Tried to elope. Thomas--"
"Is she all right? She wasn't hurt?" Clifford demanded, so looking so appalled that her wife hurried over to him to see what was amiss.
"Good God, Jonathan, why did he not tell me? Or you tell me?"
"Tell you what, my dear?" Vanessa asked quietly.
"That Herbert Paxton tried to elope with Charlotte," he whispered.
The light of understanding dawned in her unusual violet eyes. "So that's why?"
"Apparently so. But if you look at the way they're gazing at each other, I would say that there was a lot more to it than that."
"Indeed," Jonathan said with a laugh. "I am of course delighted. But if you don't stop them from dancing with each other like that all night, this house is going to get a reputation as a den of iniquity."
Clifford gaped. "Er, quite. Come, let's offer them some refreshment, my dear. That might cool them down."
The dancing and continuous sexual tension nearly drove Charlotte mad. She had never felt so needy in her life before, as if she couldn't bear not touching her husband's bare flesh another moment.
They didn't stay long at the ball, but as bad luck would have it, they had little choice but to take home a few of the neighbors in their carriage. By the time they were alone and near the house, she was almost at her wits' end.
Thomas urged hoarsely, "Wait a bit longer, my love. I promise it will be worth it."
"I've been waiting hours, darling. I can't bear it. Please, if you touch me again I won't be able to-- Ooooh."
All her skin burst into flames at the tiny caress of her mound. Unable to resist him any longer, she launched herself into his arms, kissing him like a drowning woman sucking in her last breath. Forgetting any lingering virginal restraint she might have had, she began to yank at his clothing like a woman gone mad.
Thomas was stunned by her ardor. He had hoped to find a measure of sensual happiness with his wife. But he had no idea how hard she had struggled against the temptation he had presented. Now he gentled her hands even as his loins surged against the fine broadcloth of his trousers.
"Easy, love. Take your time. We have all night--"
"No, I need you now. Oh God, oh God," she moaned, like an animal in pain, almost rending his waistcoat to rags as she tore it open, taking several of his shirt buttons with it as well.
"It's all right. Just calm yourself, my love. We'll be there in a moment."
She gave a short hysterical laugh. "A moment is too long. I need you so."
Charlotte never stopped until she got to his bare flesh. She began to plant hot fevered kisses all over his chest, and fascinated by his suddenly erect nipples, suckled one eagerly as well.
Her urgency and innocent wonder at his body nearly unmanned him. He eased the almost unbearable pressure with a firm tug to his tightened velvety purse and then raised her chin to look at him.
"As I need you, my darling," he murmured, gazing deeply into her eyes. He stroked her full lower lip once with his thumb.
Her lips parted. She raised herself up onto her knees to straddle him, and with a little cry tugged his head down the rest of the way to meet her mouth.
Then Thomas was truly lost. He pulled her up to rest against him full length, leaving her in no doubt of his desires. She could feel the heated bulge practically begging for release.
She slid one hand between them to work at his trouser fastenings, heaving his shirttails out of the waistband.
"Oh God, we're here."
"Here?" she echoed vaguely, kissing down his belly.
He flung open the carriage door, scooped her out into his arms, and ran through the foyer and up the stairs, thanking God that the falls of his trousers were trapped between their bodies. Otherwise the garment would have slithered down his legs and tripped him, leaving them in an undignified half-naked heap for all the servants to see.
At last they gained the priv
acy of their suite and he hurried in with her and locked the door.
Thomas set her down on the floor once more, gliding his hand over her supple waist, the gentle flare of her hips, wanting to take his time.
To his surprise she shoved him backwards onto the bed and wasted not an instant in following. She was half prostrate on his chest and fit herself to him as though she belonged attached to his body.
"Darling, please, you don't have to--"
"I do. God, don't you see?" Her voice was trembling like a leaf in the wind. "I've never wanted anything in this lifetime more than you."
"But you need me to be more tender--"
"It will be perfect. Bliss. It can't be as hellish as I feel now. Like I'm about to explode into a million pieces if I can't touch you, taste you..."
She knelt up on one knee and heaved his trousers right down past his knees.
His eyes widened. She was as good as her word, and her lack of experience in no way diminished the impact upon him.
"Charlotte, no, please--"
"I want you to let yourself go. Do it," she murmured around his straining flesh.
He couldn't have resisted even if he wanted to. He saw and felt the final surge and clutched her hair, trying to drag her away even as she clung on like a limpet. The sight of her thus nearly drove him insane with need.
But it was too late. The climax crashed through them both, leaving each prone with shocked delight.
As soon as he was no longer paralyzed by his climax he hauled her up his chest and kissed her saturated mouth. He had never tasted himself like that before, but at the thought of making her completely his own, leaving no part of her without his taste or smell or touch, he became even more aroused.
His erection stirred eagerly and bored through the thin silk of her gown. She began to wriggle and squirm.
At first he thought she was trying to get away, but when he released her he discovered she was already divesting herself of her under things. They fell to the floor in a whisper of silk, and then she was surrounding him, clenching her thighs around him so that he could feel her dampness against the whole length of his shaft.
"I need to make you more ready," he protested.
"I am. I am ready," she panted.
He reached down to find her soaking. It was as if she had been possessed by a demon. He could feel her nipples peaking, felt her whole body quivering and clenching with desire.
"Yes, please, touch me, just like that. This is killing me!" she pleaded softly, the edge of desperation in her voice like a knife through his heart.
"What is, darling?" he whispered against her hair.
She moved to gaze at him, her eyes glazed and unfocused, her lips parted breathlessly. "This tightness in my body, this surging need. Please, Thomas, take me now. Fill me with all of you. Unleash the power I've just seen right up inside me. Fill me with your throbbing flesh, your delicious seed. I can't think about anything but you. Fill my senses. Love me."
"I do. Oh God, if only you knew how much," he half sobbed, the weight in his heart lifting as he told her the whole truth without an ounce of regret or compunction.
Though she had pleasured him so thoroughly he thought he had been turned inside out, he was already more than roused for a second round of delight.
"Then show me," she urged, her whole body trembling against his as she reached down for him. "Take me now."
"Yes. Oh yes."
All resistance crumbling to dust at last, he tugged off her whole dress with one abrupt yank over her head, and rolled her onto her back. He slid up the length of one thigh, drenched with urgent need. His engorged head instinctively found her entrance, and slipped a fraction into her blissful tightness. She began to climax almost at once.
He tried to drag back for another stroke, but she grabbed his buttocks with both hands and surged her hips upwards right into his own with such force he was impelled ever onwards. By the time he was buried in up to the hilt he had already climaxed with a roar which was echoed by the cry wrenched from deep inside Charlotte's body.
Terrified that he had hurt her, he stilled, but her whole body convulsed around his. Hardly daring to believe she could feel still more pleasure after that soul splitting thrust, he moved a tentative half inch out and in again.
"Please, more," she gasped against his neck in a near sob. "More. All of you."
Though no longer fully hard he was still tumescent, and angled himself to drag against her rosebud of desire. She opened to him like a flower greeting the sun. Her muscles spasmed and rippled, more powerful than even the caress of her mouth had been. He could already feel himself hardening once more.
He thought he had experienced it all in his younger days, but nothing could have ever prepared him for the bliss he found inside Charlotte's pulsating body.
"Oh, Lord, I'm going to come again. If I don't leave you pregnant now--"
"I don't care. It doesn't matter. I trust you. I want you. Please. Give me all of you."
"I don't understand," he said, raising his head to look at Charlotte's flushed features, her almost pained expression which was like a dagger in his heart. "You didn't have to do this to prove--"
"All of you!" she pleaded. "It's so close."
He watched her expression change from the frown of seeming pain to the glow of joy as he moved again inside her. "Yes, that's it. All of you, now. Come with me. Come with me to heaven."
"Yes," he panted, "oh yes."
Her eyes opened fully now, blazing darkly as she threw her head back and let out another keening cry. It was his name, and he felt so full of pride he thrust even harder and more urgently.
"I love you," she gasped. "Love you so."
Charlotte's next sounds were incoherent burbles as her whole body coiled and released, wringing the orgasm from him until he thought he had been drained dry of every ounce of fluid in his body, including his saliva.
For his tongue withered in his head as his own climax left him gaping and mindless, speechless, overwhelmed. His hands cupping her bottom heaved her even more tightly into him. He stroked her legs upwards to loop around the backs of his thighs. He kissed her as though about to devour her as he pounded into her with such aching need he thought it could never be assuaged. Even inside her, he still wanted and needed her so badly it was terrifying.
One hand at the nape of his neck soothed him, while her other on his buttock drove him ever onwards. The light pressure of her fingertips against his most sensitive orbs enhanced the driving sensation. With one last desperate cry he gathered her right up into the cradle of his hips and gave a final thrust which splintered all sanity.
"My love!" she cried out.
The whipcrack of desire flicked out and back again. They both collapsed in a quivering heap on the mattress, one body, one soul, one breath as he turned his head to rest his cheek against hers and slept the sleep of the dead.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Charlotte stretched as luxuriously as a cat the next morning as the sun streamed in the window. She felt too content to get out of bed, and every movement gave her a twinge in a most sensitive spot.
She smiled happily to herself. She might have had to wait five months for her husband to become her lover, but they were certainly more than making up for lost time. And with a breathtaking inventiveness that left her eager for more.
She smiled again happily. She wasn't in the least ashamed of her needs and desires, or the deliciously daring thing she had done to him last night. He had made their loving all seem so perfect, so very right.
Well, he was the one who had said everything was permissible when they were in love and married.
She rolled over with a glowing grin and reached for him eagerly. She longed to wake him up as he had done her each morning, with his head level with her thighs.
But Thomas's side of the bed was empty, only the merest trace of warmth lingering in the silk sheets, and a hint of his own uniquely alluring scent. She gathered a pillow to her and breathed deeply,
trying to assuage her longing.
She tried not to feel distressed by his absence, and called to him through the bathroom door, certain he would tell her he would just be a moment. But when there was no reply, she could not help feeling a trifle put out.
Perhaps she was just getting too spoiled, used to the warm pampering in the mornings from her ardent husband. She had suspected that marital relations would be at least tolerable with such an alluring man as Thomas. She had never dreamt of anything as soul stirring as what she had experienced in his arms. With him inside her, possessing her so completely she had forgot even her own name at times.
The Rakehell Regency Romance Series Boxed Set 1 Page 63
