by Vanessa Lee
When they had gone from view, Erica settled back against the cushions of the carriage. Nick was sitting next to her and she was pressed up against his side. The whiskey had done its work and had taken the edge off. She wasn't afraid to be alone with him now. Taking off her bonnet, she smiled up at him.
Nick smiled at her, clearly wondering why her nerves, which she knew were obvious to see, had settled down. She sighed. “Nick, Abbie put whiskey in my tea.”
Nick laughed and said, “I had thought so. Needed a little something to take the edge off?”
Looking up at him now, Erica's breath caught in her throat. Her husband was the best looking man she had ever seen. She decided to tell him so. “My goodness, you are the most beautiful man.”
Nick's lingering smile faded into something darker, more intense. He looked at her with what she could only describe as longing. No man had ever looked at her that way before; with deep, burning desire. At that moment, Erica was happy that Nick desired her.
Holding her gaze with his own, he leaned down and kissed her. But it wasn't like the chaste kisses that he had given her before. This one was different, all together. He pressed his deliciously hot mouth against hers, kissing her again and again, coaxing her to return his kisses.
She did kiss him back. Erica loved kissing him. Nick deepened the kiss by lightly licking her lips, seeking entrance to her mouth. She had no idea why he would want to do that, but she soon found out, when he used his tongue to duel sweetly with hers. It was heaven.
Over and over he teased her with his mouth drawing her deeper and deeper into a strong grip of desire. She clutched at his shoulders, desperate for him now.
Nick broke off the kiss and pulled her onto his lap. Settling her into place, his mouth descended
onto hers once more. Kissing her more deeply and passionately this time, he took complete possession of her mouth, making love to it with his. His hands caressed her through her clothes, up and down her back, her stomach, over her thighs.
Erica could not get close enough to him. She pulled at him until there was no space between them.
Pressed up against him, she could feel her heart beat next to his.
He started kissing down her neck, trailing wet, open-mouth kissed down her throat. She moaned in sheer delight, loving what he was doing to her. When he reached her chest, he continued to press hot kisses against her skin. Soon, she was squirming in his lap, mindless to anything but his hands and mouth on her.
Suddenly, she was sitting on the seat opposite from Nick. Startled, she looked over at him. “Nick, what...?”
He was breathing hard and looking at her like he wanted to devour her alive. Well, she wanted that too. Desperately missing his touch, she started to cross over to him, but he stopped her.
“Erica, stay over there.” He instructed her in a sharp tone, leaving to doubt in her mind that he meant what he said.
She looked at him, not understanding why he wanted to stop. “Why? Did I do something wrong?”
That made his mouth kick up in a smile. “No, you did nothing wrong.”
Now she was completely exasperated. “Then why can't I touch you?”
His eyes heated at her question. He said, “Because we need to stop now. Tonight I'm going to touch you some more. And then I'm not going to stop.”
She considered that statement. He wasn't going to stop tonight. Erica knew what that meant. It meant the marriage act. If it went anything like it did just now, then she was certainly looking forward to it.
Settling back against the cushions, she sighed. He grinned.
Chapter 4
Upon returning to his home, Nick gently woke his sleeping bride. She had fallen asleep during the remainder of the trip. Opening her eyes, Erica saw him and smiled. Yawning, she asked, “Have we arrived?”
“We have,” Nick answered. The coachman opened up the carriage door for them and Nick stepped out. He turned to help Erica, lifting her into his arms to carry her into the house. She smiled up at Nick, loving this his gallantry. He answered her smile with a wry smile of his own. “Tradition,” he said. All of the Wellington grooms had carried their new brides into the estate.
Erica wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled up at him. “I do love a good tradition,” she said.
Nick chuckled, glad to have her near once more. The carriage ride had been sheer torture. Once he had a taste of her, he had completely lost control. He hadn't wanted to stop in the carriage. But he knew that he owed his beautiful bride a decent wedding night and he was determined to give it to her.
Stepping over the threshold of his home, he entered the foyer, where his cheering employees stood waiting for them. He had given his surprised employees the news this morning that he would be coming home with a wife.
Bentley, his butler who had been with the estate since before Nick was born, came over to offer his congratulations. “Good evening, Sir, and may I offer you my most sincere congratulations on your lovely new bride.”
“Thank you Bentley,” Nick said. Putting Erica down, he introduced her to his staff. “I present you with my wife, Lady Erica, the new Duchess of Eastham. Staff, please make your mistress feel welcome.”
He turned to order the men carrying Erica's trunks into his bedroom. Nick caught Erica's glance, and she blushed. Good, he thought to himself. He wanted her to remember her desire from this afternoon. It would not be long until he had her moaning in desire, once more.
Nick ordered a bath for Erica, instructing her to relax while he saw about the household affairs.
Erica sank deeper into the hot bath water. The heat did a lot to sooth her nerves, which were threatening to make her start hyperventilating again.
Nick was gone for a long time. During that time, she mostly contemplated what was going to occur this evening. She knew the basics of the marriage rite, but not the specifics. Abbie hadn't wanted to completely taint her virgin friend.
She knew she should just do as Abbie had advised, and let Nick lead the way. If he was like other men, then he had done this before. Erica really didn't want to think of him with other women. Now that Nick was hers, she sincerely hoped that she would have him all to herself.
With that thought, she got out of the bath and dried off. She put on her new white satin robe, a gift from Abbie. Walking into his bedroom, she looked around. The room was neat and clean, and filled with beautiful mahogany furniture. The furniture looked slightly older, but it added elegance and charm to the room.
Sitting down on a chair next to the small fire that had been built, she started drying her hair, brushing it into curls.
It was almost completely dry when Nick joined her in the room. He closed the door behind him and locked it. Leaning against it, he stood there looking at her. “Good evening,” he said.
“Good evening,” she responded softly.
Nick took in the sight before him. Erica sat in his chair before the fire, dressed in just her dressing robe. The smooth creamy skin on her chest exposed above the top of the robe was begging for his mouth. He was itching to take it off of her, and expose the rest of her, seeing the prize that he had claimed. He mentally calmed himself. Erica was a virgin and this was their wedding night. She needed him to be slow and gentle with her now.
Erica was looking at him like he was a wolf, preparing to swallow her whole. He smiled inwardly.
Well, he supposed that he was.
Heat was beginning to spiral low in her belly. Nick had washed somewhere, his hair was still damp and he had taken off his shirt. His muscled form captivated her. He looked so strong and tempting. Erica had no idea where to even start. Recalling that it was Nick who was going to lead, she waited to see what he would do.
Slowly pulling away from the door, he walked over to stand directly in front of her. Reaching down, he held out his hand to her. When she placed her hand in his, he pulled her to stand in front of him. He drew her close to him and breathed her in. “You smell nice.”
She sighed as he nuz
zled against her hair and put his arms around her. “I had a bath.” she said.
Hoping to distract him, she asked, “Where did you get this enormous ring?”
“It has been in my family for generations. All the ladies of this house have worn it.” “Oh,” Erica said, awed by the special tradition. “It's certainly beautiful,” she said.
“Just like you are,” he answered, nuzzling her neck.
Erica's head fell back, and she gasped at the delicious sensations his mouth was bringing to her neck.
Nick led her back towards the bed. Breathing deeply, Erica followed him, but she wanted to pull away. She was not sure she was ready for this.
“Nick, wait!”
He turned to her, and she was comforted by saw the concern on his face.
“What is it, love?” Love? Had he just called her 'love'? Erica's heart beat hopefully at the thought.
“I've never done this before.” “I have,” he grinned.
“You have? That's all you have to say to me, husband?”
His eyes glinted and he drew her closer, all the way against him. Something had changed within him. Something primal. “What?” she breathed. “I like how you call me 'husband.'”
She gifted him with a brilliant smile.
His eyes darkened even more, his jaw going taught.
He lowered his mouth, so that it was hovering over hers. His deep voice heavy with desire, he said, “Do you recall how you kissed me in the carriage today?” She nodded her head. Oh, yes. She certainly did.
“Kiss me again, Erica.”
Her eyes flew to his. He was giving her control? His hands circled her wrists and he brought her arms around his neck. Nick instructed her once more. “Kiss me, wife.”
She looked at his mouth, his beautiful mouth, which she very much wanted to kiss again. Leaning in slowly, she pressed her lips against his in a slight caress.
“Again,” he instructed. She complied, deepening the kiss, pressing her lips firmly against his. He let out a stream of hot air against her lips, which she found absolutely thrilling.
“Erica,” he ground out, “kiss me again.”
Pulling him down to her, she pressed against him and kissed him just the way she had this afternoon. Her mouth opened to receive his tongue and he kissed her with erotic abandonment, throwing her into a wanton frenzy of desire. She clung to him, rubbing herself against him, mindless to doing so.
She felt him untie her robe and open it and she put her hands on his to stop him. But she paused when he started kissing her neck, making her gasp in pleasure as he suckled her skin.
Nick pulled her up against him once more and she jolted against him in shock as she realized that they were both naked. How had that happened?
Before she could ask him, Nick placed her on the bed and he got in beside her. Rolling on top of her, he gently settled against her. Erica arched up against him, loving the feel of his warm body against her sensitive skin. He fastened his mouth to hers, encouraging her to kiss him back. He moved to lie in between her thighs, with his upper body pinning her torso to the bed. His hot skin pressed against hers made her throb in the places that were pressed intimately against him.
Erica kissed him back, wrapping her arms around his neck. He moaned into her mouth and deepened the kiss. Sliding his hands up her sides, they stopped to caress her breasts, exciting her nipples into hard peaks. She tore her mouth from his and groaned as he teased her sensitive nipples. She arched against him, rubbing her hips against his. Her reaction sent an inferno of lust spiraling into his body and he lost all control, grabbing the hair at the back of her head and holding her still for his feasting mouth.
She couldn't think as he kissed her. All she could do was wrap her arms around his back and hold on to him. She loved the smooth feel of his back beneath her hands. His mouth was driving her crazy, eliciting sweet responses from the rest of her body.
He drew back and looked down at her. The fire she saw in his eyes burned into her very core. His mouth fastened to her neck once more and she turned her head to the side to allow him better access. Nick continued down to her chest, pressing hot kisses against her skin, and taking her nipple into his mouth and suckling it. He continued to devour it until she was moaning and writhing.
He moved to her other breast and paid the same attention. Her eyes clenched shut as delicious currents of pleasure raced through her body. Moving down, he nibbled and kissed his way down her stomach, paying special attention to the sensitive parts of her that he was discovering. She was really moving against him in sweet torment now. Moving down lower, he placed a kiss on her mound. Her eyes flew open and she looked down at him, settled between her legs. His eyes stared back at her, his gaze hot and determined.
Lowering his head to her once more, his tongue parted her folds on the most intimate part of her. Erica knew she must stop him, surely such a thing wasn't done!
“Nick, you mustn't!” Her hands flew to the back of his head, but she did not attempt to lift him off of her. And he did not listen. With every lick and kiss of his mouth on the core of her being, she lost all rational thought and pressed herself against him, aching and throbbing all over her body. Nick continued to drive her higher until she felt that she was reaching for something, she didn't know what.
When she was certain that she would go absolutely mad, he lifted his mouth from her, leaving her feeling empty and aching. She tried to move him back there, but he got off the bed, and removed his pants. Her eyes widened as she saw his member, having never seen one before. Abbie had told her what he would do with it, but she really didn't think that was going to work. He was too big. Extremely concerned about how this was going to happen, she sat up and tried to pull the covers over herself. He easily drew the covers back and got back on top of her, removing every thought from her mind when he kissed her with open abandon, his hands roaming everywhere, as if determined to savor her.
Slipping between her thighs once more, he held her to him as his mouth kissed hers, taking complete ownership of it. Suddenly, she felt a blunt object moving between her thighs. Knowing what was coming, and alarmed once more she looked up at him. He stared back at her, his gaze intense, but still gentle. She knew that he was taking great care with her virginity. He continued to open her and press on, until he had reached her maidenhead.
His brow furrowing in deep concentration, he kissed her. His hot, wet tongue swept inside to stroke hers, until she was mindless of anything but him, once more. With one quick motion, he buried himself to the hilt inside of her, breaking through her thin barrier. Every inch of his shaft was tightly surrounded by her hot, wet heat.
Erica tore her mouth from his and cried out. Abbie was right, it hurt! She tried to move him off of her, but he wasn't going anywhere.
She tried to persuade him, "Please Nick, I don't want this!"
He was in agony. Her recently plundered flesh was milking him deep inside her heat. He groaned, desperately trying not to move. "I promise love, this will get better for you in a minute."
Erica did not believe him. She felt like he was ripping her apart! Then he moved and unexpected shivers of great pleasure started to course up her torso, straight from her groin. He moved slightly again and her head tilted back in pleasure, groaning and wrapping her arms around his back once more. "Oh Nick, please,” she murmured. “You must move now," she instructed against his cheek.
Leaning up to see her, he looked into her eyes. When he found what he was looking for, he nodded and pulled back slightly, before entering her again. Erica was thoroughly delighted by this and groaned encouragingly for him to continue. Nick obliged and captured her mouth once more. He was sweating and tense as he moved in and out of her at a slow and steady rate. As his rhythm increased, she started moving against him and holding him tightly as she kissed him back with passionate abandon. She felt him lose his control when he kissed her like a mad man, thirsty for her, craving her.
His rhythm increased until suddenly the aching pressure
in her womanhood splintered apart and sent her spiraling into blissful oblivion. Nick drew back and looked into her eyes. Thrusting deeply into her twice more, he reached his own climax and poured his seed deep into her.
When he was spent, he withdrew from her and pulled her up against him. So exhausted that she could barely move, Erica closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
Nick looked down at her sleeping face with wonder. Erica's passionate reactions to his lovemaking had astounded him. He had hated to hurt her, but knew that it was necessary. The next time would be better and he would make sure that she experienced no pain. Tampering his thoughts from thinking about the next time, he kissed her forehead and fell asleep, as well.
Chapter 5
Erica slowly opened her eyes. The morning sunlight was shining through the windows. Laying still for a moment, she enjoyed the warmth that was wrapped snug around her. Suddenly, she tensed, remembering. She was now married to Nick and he was wrapped around her from behind. Sensing that she had woken up, Nick began to stir behind her. Oh goodness, Erica thought in a burst of panic. What would she say to him after the night they had shared together? He had touched her in all of the intimate places on her body. She had not only liked it...she had readily returned his caresses.
Squeezing her from behind, she felt the "Good morning," rumble up from his chest, and she shivered when he breathed it into her ear.
"Good morning, husband," she whispered shyly. Erica did not know how she was supposed to act this morning, especially after all that had transpired between them the night before.
She sat up with the covers pressed tightly against her and looked down at Nick. What was he thinking about their lovemaking activities the night before? Perhaps he thought she wasn't cut out to be a good wife after all. Erica really hoped that he wasn't regretting his decision to marry her. She knew that she was new to this, but given time, she hoped that she would become better at it.
Nick rolled onto his back and stretched his arms over his head luxuriously, as he yawned. Folding his hands behind his head, he grinned at her and said, "Did you sleep well?"
