"The most marvelous thing in the world. Your husband has offered me a splendid new post in London." She more gushed than uttered the words in her enthusiasm.
Julia blinked her astonishment. "He did?"
Aurelia nodded. "I am to be a spy of sorts for his cloth guild. It shall be my duty to go about in the ton and report upon the latest rages in fashion, so as to enable the guild members to properly cater to society's cloth needs. Your husband has offered me a handsome salary, fine quarters, and all the trappings necessary for me to enter the ton."
It took several moments for her aunt's words to penetrate Julia's surprise, but when they did, she could not contain her elation. "Then you will no longer be in charge of my sisters?"
"As much as it pains me to leave the darlings, no," Aurelia replied, though, of course, she looked and sounded anything but pained by the prospect. "But never you fear about them. Your husband said that he would write your parents and request that the dears take up residence here. As he pointed out, country air is much more healthful for children." She gave Julia's shoulder a pat, gazing at her with something strangely akin to approval. "I must say that your Mr. Harwood has turned out to be a stellar husband. Not that I am surprised, mind you. I always thought him to be far and away your most promising suitor."
Had Julia not already been hopelessly in love with Gideon, he would have won her heart in that instant. Not only had he brought her siblings to Critchley Manor, but he had also rid them of Aurelia in a manner that ensured that she would not be reclaiming her old post anytime soon. Feeling as if she would burst with gladness, she bid Aurelia a hasty farewell, then rushed off to find Gideon, eager to express her gratitude.
She found him in his study standing before a bookcase with his back to the door, running his index finger along the leather-bound spines of the volumes it held as he searched for a particular title. Apparently she made a sound as she entered the room, because he turned, his lips curving into one of his fascinating smiles when he saw her.
Smiling back, she stopped several feet from where he stood, struggling to find words that would adequately express her appreciation for what he had done. When she could find none, she followed her heart and ran to him. Flinging her arms around him to seize him in a fierce hug, she exclaimed in a babbling rush, "You wonderful . . . marvelous man! Thank you! Oh, thank you for bringing my siblings here and ridding us of Aurelia . . . not that a mere thank you is enough for what you have done. Words alone can never express my gratitude. I-I-" She broke off then, rising up on her tiptoes to press her lips to his, letting them say everything she felt inside.
There was no shyness in her kiss, no hesitation or virginal reserve as she claimed his mouth with hers. There was nothing but a joyous abandonment of her fears, a rush to show him how much she loved him. And her love was all that truly mattered now. It strengthened and empowered her, giving her the courage to trust his passion. Indeed, how could she not trust it? For all that Gideon was of common birth, he had proved to be the very embodiment of nobility. And somehow she just knew that he would be the caring, considerate sort of lover Bethany had described, the kind of man who would temper his primitive urges and do everything in his power to make certain that the marriage act was as pleasurable as possible for her.
Emboldened by that belief, she began to move her mouth hungrily over his, brushing and melding and showering them with kisses, now and again running the tip of her tongue teasingly along the parting of his lips, coaxing them to open for her.
He froze beneath her sudden amorous assault, as if stunned and uncertain what to do. Then he emitted a soft, strangled growl and crushed her into his embrace. Encouraged by his response, she molded her body to his, undulating against him in her mounting desire as she caught his lower lip between her teeth, now nibbling, now softly sucking and licking it. He groaned into her mouth and grasped her buttocks, dragging her yet further up onto her tiptoes to deepen their kiss.
His lips were hard and urgent as they ground against hers, his tongue hot and ruthless as it plundered and probed her mouth. Something deep in her belly began to stir and twist, coiling into a pulsing knot that made the secret place between her legs grow damp and tingly.
Unbidden, her hands began to move over him, clutching at his broad shoulders, caressing his strong back and arms, and finally grasping his firm buttocks. They bunched and tensed in her hands, a hoarse cry tearing from his throat as he arched back and then slammed forward, driving his manhood against her. She could feel the violence of his arousal, the heat and size of him. By now the place between her legs had begun to throb and ache. Wanting him to touch her there as he had on their wedding night, to pleasure and relieve her, she rubbed against his hardness, mutely begging for his intimate caress.
Gideon sucked in a hissing breath, the feel of her luscious body squirming against his stimulating him with an intensity that brutally gripped and tightened his groin. The way she jerked and surged against his inflamed sex-dear God! It was almost more than he could bear. And yet he could not pull away, though he knew that he should do so before he completely lost control and again terrified her with his passion. How could he leave her arms when he wanted to go on kissing her forever? Heaven help him, but he could not seem to get enough of her, of the sweet taste of her mouth, the womanly smell of her skin, the feminine softness of her body, or the titillating sound of her muffled moans.
Wanting yet more of her, he clasped her tighter against him, his breathing growing harsh when he felt her breasts swell and spread against his chest, her hard nipples seeming to burn his flesh through the thin fabric of her gown and his shirt. In that instant it took every ounce of his willpower not to ease her back onto the floor, to resist his urge to spread and mount and take her. The way she was thrusting her sinuous hips against him, fast and frenzied-he groaned and trapped them in his hold, clutching them tight in an attempt to tame her wildness.
Her hands began to move over him now, kneading and caressing him, recklessly slipping here and sliding there, feeding his carnal madness. Then one of them squeezed between their bodies to grasp his sex, giving it a soft tweak. The raw shock of the resulting sensation served to drag him back to his senses, and he violently ripped himself from her embrace, knowing that to tarry there could only lead to disaster and disgrace. Trembling all over from the intensity of his need, he quickly put distance between them, forcibly resisting his urge to fall to his knees and nurse his painful erection.
"W-what is wrong, Gideon? D-did I do something wrong?" Julia asked in a bewildered whisper. She was staring at him with stricken eyes, tiny furrows forming between her elegant brows.
"That depends entirely on what your intentions were," he gritted out, wishing that she would go away so he could shift his sex to a more comfortable position in his fashionably tight breeches, if such a position were indeed possible to achieve, considering the degree of his arousal.
She looked away, but not before he saw the beginnings of a blush stain her cheeks. "I-I was just trying to show you how grateful I am for what you did for my siblings," she stammered.
Gideon's eyes narrowed at her response, understanding dawning in his mind. It appeared that she sought to tender what she viewed as payment in arrears from their wedding night, apparently believing it due since he had given her what she had sought to gain in her misguided attempt to seduce him. Incensed that she would think him base enough to expect such a payment, that she could believe him so utterly lacking in character as to use such a ploy to force her between his sheets, he growled, "I did not do what I did to manipulate you into bedding me out of gratitude. I-"
"You did it because you are the kindest, dearest, most thoughtful and generous man in the world, and you knew that it would make me happy," she interjected softly. She moved forward then to cup his cheek in her palm, tipping his face down to force him to meet her gaze. "Gideon, please believe me when I say that I never once suspected your lovely deed of being anything other than an example of your fine nature. How cou
ld I when I consider you the most honorable man I have ever known?" She tilted her head to one side, her lips forming a faint smile. "Are you truly so very blind that you cannot see how I feel about you?"
Gideon returned her gaze in silence for several beats, searching her beautiful amber eyes for signs of those feelings. When he found what he sought, his breath stilled in his chest. There was tenderness, admiration, respect . . . and desire.
Desire? He exhaled sharply. Oh, yes. Her eyes were sparked by the unmistakable gleam of desire. She was looking at him with the smoldering eyes of a woman who very much wanted the man who stood before her. Barely able to believe what he was seeing and wanting to be sure of her feelings, he hoarsely whispered, "Are you saying that you have learned to care for me a little?"
She laughed, a warm, throaty ripple. "More than just a little, Gideon. I care for you very much, enough that I must confess to having fallen in love with you."
His mouth quirked into a stunned smile. "Indeed?"
"Indeed. And I am ready to be your wife in all ways, if you want me." She was tracing the line of his jaw with her thumb now, her touch almost excruciating in its erotic gentleness.
If he wanted her? Gideon groaned and pulled her back into his arms. "How can you even ask if I want you, sweetheart? A man would have to be mad not to want you." His erection, which had started to subside during their conversation, returned with a groin-wrenching vengeance as she nestled against him. His hips gave an involuntary jerk in needful response, jabbing her with his hardness.
She drew back with a laugh, fixing the culprit with a wicked look. "My, my. I see that you were not lying when you said that you want me."
Gideon glanced down at himself as well, making a wry face. "As I said, a man would have to be mad not to want you. However, this particular man does not intend to be intimate with you until he is satisfied that you are indeed ready to accept his husbandly advances. In view of your fear of the marriage act, it might be best if we discussed the matter first, so that I can explain-"
"Could you not just show me instead?" she interjected, snuggling against him in a manner that brought him precariously close to spilling himself.
"Julia," he groaned, determined to make her see sense.
But again she interrupted him, this time stunning him by guiding his hand between her legs, compelling him to touch her through her gown. "I want you to pleasure me like you did on our wedding night, and I want to learn to pleasure you in return. While you are correct in that I fear having you stick your male part into my female place, I am willing to trust you to make the experience as wonderful as you said it could be." Now rising up on her tiptoes to kiss him, she seductively pleaded, "Please?"
Emitting a feral growl in reply, Gideon swept her up into arms, his stride long and purposeful as he carried her to the door. Flinging it open with a force that sent it crashing into the abutting wall, he stepped over the threshold and marched down the hall.
"Whatever are you doing, Gideon?" she exclaimed on a musical laugh, clinging to his neck.
"Taking you to my bed. It would hardly be seemly for me to pleasure you on my study floor in the middle of the day, though I must confess that the thought did cross my mind."
"But what will the servants think when they see you carrying me off to your bed like this?"
"They will think that we are finally behaving like a newlywed couple." With that, he started up the white marble stairs, his long legs taking them two steps at a time.
They fell silent then, remaining so for the rest of their trek, though Gideon could not resist stealing a kiss or two as they went, promises of passion that Julia eagerly accepted. They were approaching their destination when they encountered Roger, the fourth footman, who was going about his duty of trimming the wall-sconce wicks. He stopped abruptly at the sight of them, casting them a startled look, his mouth flapping open as if to make an inquiry. In the next instant it snapped closed again to form a knowing grin, and he rushed ahead to open Gideon's bedchamber door.
Gideon spared him a nod. "Thank you, Roger. Now go away, and tell the other servants to keep away as well." Their privacy thus secured, he entered the room, kicking the door shut behind him.
This was the first time Julia had been in Gideon's chamber, and she could not help gaping in awe at its foreign splendor. It was a spacious room, decorated in an array of jewel-bright colors and accented with gilding that appeared to be pure gold, filled with the most wonderful things she had ever seen.
There were fabulous Indian tapestries on the walls, some portraying fantastical myths, while others depicted strange cities, all revealing the rich heritage of the land from which they had hailed. On the floor lay several beautifully loomed carpets, each different yet harmonious in pattern. And scattered about on display stands and tables were ancient-looking artifacts and sculptural figures, the history of which Julia hoped Gideon would someday share. As for the furniture . . .
Oh my! She had never seen anything so very lovely in her life. It was like lace carved out of teakwood, every table, every chair and chest a masterpiece of flowing arabesque foliage, inlaid with enameled floral designs. The bed, too, was almost beyond imagination. Both the headboard and footboard had been carved to resemble pairs of elephants, which stood back to back, their trunks raised to support a tent like canopy of gold-embroidered and -fringed red silk.
It was to that whimsical bed that Gideon took her, depositing her on the gold-and-red patterned damask coverlet. He then stepped back and began to methodically strip off his clothes. When Julia started to rise, thinking that she should follow suit, he commanded, "Sit, Julia. I shall not allow you to undress until I explain about my male parts and you see that they are not as fearsome as the Duchess of Hunsderry has led you to believe. If you remain clothed while I do so, you will be free to leave the chamber should you decide that you are not truly ready to experience the marriage act."
Though Julia felt more than ready at that moment, she remained perched on the edge of his bed, watching him with undisguised interest as his body was revealed. He was every bit as magnificently made as she remembered, all sleek sculpted muscle and smooth tawny skin, more perfect in form than any man had a right to be.
Captivated by the sight of him, she let her gaze roam over the torso he had just unveiled, admiring the dramatic contours of his powerful chest, the massive breadth of his shoulders, and the sinewy definition of his strong arms. If ever a man was the picture of masculinity it was Gideon .. . her Gideon . . . her husband.
A quivering thrill ran through her at the thought that this splendid man was all hers: hers to keep and hold, hers to love to her heart's desire. Now moving her gaze lower, she traced the tapering line of his waist, her pulse quickening as it traveled inward to scrutinize the rippling grid of his taut belly. As she stared, his hands moved to the buttons at his waist, clearly intent on removing his breeches. Not quite ready to be confronted with the reality of what she was about to do, she dropped her gaze to stare at the carpet beneath her feet.
After a moment or two of studying its pattern, during which she struggled to fight her sudden rush of panic, Julia forced herself to look up again and murmur, "Come here, Gideon," telling herself that she must meet her fear straight on if she were ever to master it.
He kicked aside his discarded clothes and did as she directed, moving forward to present himself to her in all his naked glory. As he came to a stop before her, she tipped her head back to smile up at his face, saying, "Do you know how beautiful you are, both inside and out?"
He grinned, a slow, rather wolfish grin that sent her pulse racing yet faster. "I am glad I meet your approval, my lady."
"I cannot imagine you not meeting with any lady's approval," she returned, wistfully wondering how many other women had had the privilege of seeing him like this, women who had no doubt known what to do with his lovely body.
As if discerning her thoughts, he cupped her face in his hands, his grin sobering to a tender half smile as he said
, "Ah, but you are the only lady whose approval matters to me. And if you are pleased, then I am happy."
She turned her head to kiss his palm. "Oh, I am pleased, my love. Everything about you pleases me."
"Then I hope that I shall continue to do so in everything I do." He moved his hands from her face then, reaching down to take her hands in his. "Now, sweetheart, I want you to look at my male member so I can explain how it works."
Hiding her reluctance to obey, Julia did as requested, heaving a silent sigh of relief at the sight of him. His sex was flaccid now. And while it still looked too large to fit inside her, it was not nearly as intimidating as when it was hard. She slanted him a querying look, wondering what to do next.
"Touch me," he instructed, guiding her hands to him.
She hesitated for a moment, then cupped him in her palms, her fingers trembling slightly as she wrapped them around him. As she held him, he began to harden and grow. Not certain if she should continue to hold him, she started to let go.
He grasped her wrists, stopping her. "It is an erection, Julia, and it is nothing to be alarmed about. An erection is a sign that a man is exceedingly attracted to the woman he is with. He must harden like this in order to be rigid enough to enter her."
Julia continued to hold him, watching him grow in fascinated silence. At length, she frowned and inquired, "How does it feel when you get an erection?"
"Tight and tingly and a bit achy. Probably the same way your woman's place feels when it needs to be pleasured."
The exact way her woman's place felt now as she stared down at him. He had become fully erect and had risen from the cradle of her palms to jut aggressively from the inky V of hair at his groin. Though Julia knew that she should be terrified at the sight of him, she instead felt oddly excited, titillated by her
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