A Sanguine Gem (A Marsden Romance Book 3)

by Dawn Brower

  "You're so alluring," he whispered. "I want to taste every inch of you."

  Gemma laughed as he crawled in bed next to her. Her nipples tightened into tiny nubs inviting him to bring them into his mouth. He ran his tongue across one as he pinched the other one between his finger and thumb. A moan of pleasure could be heard throughout the room. Gemma liked having him touch her beautiful bosom. Liam switched over and brought the other tight nipple inside is mouth and licked. He pinched it with his teeth and soothed it again with a gentle sucking of his mouth and lips. Trailing his other hand down across her stomach it rested at the apex of her legs. He caressed the curls he found there with the palm of his hand and stroked the sensitive nub with his thumb. Gemma's breathing became more ragged, and the sounds of pleasure coming from her encouraged him to explore even more. He slid down the bed and pushed her legs apart. With as much tenderness as he could he licked her core and suck the nub into his mouth. Gemma squirmed and tightened her legs around his shoulders. Liam kept licking and stroking her with his mouth, tongue, and fingers. It didn't take long for her to scream when she found her source of ecstasy.

  "That's amazing. We must do that again."

  Liam laughed and crawled up to lay next to her on the bed. Her face glowed with a languidness that showed the aftereffects of her orgasm.

  "We're not done yet."

  "I know, but I liked that. I'm not so sure I will like the next part."

  "I'll be gentle. It's only the first time that hurts. After that, it will be nothing but pleasure I promise."

  "I trust you, Liam."

  Liam kissed her as he stroked her breasts with his hands. He positioned his body over hers and pushed one of her legs up to accommodate his large size. She wrapped the other leg around his hips. One slow inch at a time, he pushed himself inside her. He could feel her begin to stretch and welcome his length. After a few excruciating minutes, he reached the barrier marking her a virgin. He looked down into her trusting eyes and gave her a moment to adjust to what was about to happen. She reached up and twined her hands around his neck and pulled him down for a sweet kiss. Liam decided to distract her with his lips while he pushed all the way inside of her. Gemma stiffened as he broke through, and he placed soft kisses across her face and neck. She needed a little bit of time to adjust to his size. Once she started to move underneath him, he took it as a sign to begin thrusting inside of her. Slow at first, he moved almost all the way out of her and then just as slowly, he went back inside. He had done that for several strokes before she thrashed with wild abandon. Liam lost control and moved at a much faster pace until he felt her channel start to tighten on him with tiny ripples and Gemma screamed as another orgasm wracked through her body. He followed soon after with an equally intense release.

  Liam rolled them onto their sides and withdrew himself from her body. He didn't want to leave her because everything had an incredibly right feeling while he was buried deep inside her.

  He had finally made love to his wife, and it had surpassed all of his wildest imagination. He couldn’t' wait to do it all over again. He pulled a bed sheet over both of them as he snuggled closer to her. Gemma's head rested on his shoulder a contented smile on her face. Liam didn't want to be anywhere else than in that room with her nestled beside him in bed. With that though drifting through his mind, he let himself fall into a deep sleep.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Gemma woke up, warm and comfortable, enclosed within Liam's arms. Lifting her head, she looked outside and saw the sky was still dark. Moonlight beamed through the window and bounced across Liam as she turned to gaze at his sleeping face. She couldn't have been asleep very long before something startled her awake. Her throat closed up tight with an unidentifiable emotion. Shallow, rapid breaths emerged from her mouth. She raised her hand to her chest as sharp pinpricks stabbed her. The panic that shot through her took root at her center and spread throughout her whole body. She needed air and to think. Staying in bed with Liam would not allow her that freedom. No decisions could be made with him sleeping beside her. It didn't make sense, but something had snapped inside her. Gemma needed to get out of this room and gain some distance from Liam...

  He almost died because of her. She looked down at her husband’s sleeping form. He deserved better than her tumultuous feelings. How could she love him so much it hurt and still need to find some distance from him to think?

  Because of what her cousin almost did to him, he was probably better off without her in his life. What if Alfie escaped justice? He'd just keep coming after them. Gemma needed to make sure Liam would never come to harm again because of her. She didn't want to leave him, not really. She just needed to be sure of him and his professed love. If she could establish that once and for all, she'd be able to accept her place at his side.

  They needed to have a conversation that didn't involve him kissing her senseless.

  Gemma slowly extricated herself from Liam's embrace. A bedsheet tangled between her legs and Liam's arm held her tight against him. First she needed to find a way to unravel the sheet from her legs. Once that small task was accomplished, she could move out of her husband's arms. She twisted her legs until the sheet loosened and then as carefully as possible slid out of bed. Gemma knew that Liam's injury had been minor, but she still didn't want to interrupt any healing sleep.

  Perhaps it was a tad ridiculous when the wound hadn't even needed any bandage. The bleeding had stopped before the constable arrived, and it appeared to be no more than a scratch under direct scrutiny. She couldn't help from worrying about possible long-term damage. Any injury could lead to larger and more pressing issues. She didn't want anything to happen to Liam just because she couldn't sleep and developed an enormous case of anxiety.

  After crawling out of the bed, Gemma took a minute to assess the situation. Her dress lay in a green pool of satin and lace on the floor next to the bed. Her chemise lay shining like a bright white beacon a few inches next to it. She could put that on and sneak over to her room to grab her wrapper. Everyone in the household probably still slept, but the servants would probably be getting up soon to start their daily chores. She didn't want to give them something to gossip about. Gemma knew she was being unrealistic, but she didn’t like anyone talking about her. Her marriage to Liam hadn’t started out the best and she couldn’t deal with their wagging tongues. In time spending the night in her husband’s bed would become commonplace, for now, though it was something she wanted to hold close to her heart. It wasn’t the servant’s business when her husband made lover to her.

  Grabbing her chemise she put it on as quickly as possible, and tiptoed out of the room. She closed the door with a soft click and continued to her room. Once she arrived at her door, she pushed it open and hurried inside. The drapes were spread wide open at the windows in the room allowing the moonlight to highlight areas of the bed. Her wrapper lay on her bed next to her pearly-white silk nightgown. She grabbed both of the items and put them over her chemise. At least on the outside it would appear like she hadn't been sleeping naked for the past couple of hours.

  Making love with Liam had surpassed anything she could have anticipated. If she were honest with herself, she hadn't known what to expect, but she knew she loved him and wanted to express that with him. When he had told her he loved her, for a brief moment her heart stopped and her ears rang. Her whole body went numb and then she could feel the echo of her heartbeat against her eardrums.

  Liam loves me...

  She repeated that over and over inside her head and still didn't quite believe it. The whole thing just didn't feel real. The dreamlike quality forced her to pinch her arm. She squeezed the skin between her fingers, and the small stab of pain ensured her that everything happened.

  "Ouch." She let out a small quiet squeak.

  Gemma exited her bedroom took quiet steps down the stairs. She needed to find something to occupy herself with. Anything…as long as it wouldn't let her dwell too much on the things that kept her awake; she shou
ld be upstairs still asleep in Liam's arms. Gemma couldn't help but think that not everything was as settled as she would like them to be. Something still nagged at her, and she didn't know how to explain what it was.

  At the bottom of the stairs she realized she had a tiny problem. She had no clue what to do with herself. She could go to the library, but the light outside and inside wasn't exactly conducive to reading. The past couple of days had been filled with chaos and stress, and it started to affect her ability to reason properly. No matter, she could still relax on the settee in the sitting room and think about what she wanted or rather what she expected from her marriage. She already made her decision. It was not a matter of how to proceed with it. She would worry about the particulars later; right now, she could go to the library and have a glass of sherry to alleviate her anxiety. As she turned to stroll to the library, she bumped right into someone and knocked them down.

  "Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't know you were there." Gemma apologized.

  Janie sat on the floor looking up at her. Her skirt fanned out around her as her legs peeped out from underneath it. Gemma reached down and offered her hand to help her to her feet. Once Janie was standing, she smoothed her skirt and addressed what was on her mind.

  "No, the fault is mine, ma'am. I should have made my presence known. I saw you walking down the stairs and thought you might need something," Janie said.

  Gemma thought about it and maybe it was a good thing she bumped into Janie. She could help her with a few things. Food being one of them as she suddenly .

  "I'm a bit hungry and thirsty. I thought everyone would be asleep still." Gemma bit her lip after the words spilled out of her mouth.

  "Everyone has been asleep for hours. I woke up about a half hour past to start my day. Pemberly usually awakes around the same time. He should be rousing soon. What can I get for you?"

  "I'd love something light to eat. And some milk? Whatever you can find available is fine."

  "Would you like me to bring it up to your room? Or perhaps another room?"

  Janie no doubt referred to Liam's room. She was too good of a servant to be so indifferent about the situation. What she wanted to know was if the new lovers, her and Liam, wanted a meal to share after their strenuous lovemaking. She was wrong, of course, not about them finally consummating their marriage, but that she wanted something to share with Liam. No, he needed to rest, and she would not disturb him for anything. Maybe she should have thought about his possible health before they fell into bed together, but sadly all she could think about at that moment was how much she needed him. While deep in those incredible moments, her feelings brimmed over the top and she rejoiced being alive. The rest was all second thoughts and worries for a later date.

  "My room is fine. When do the servants awaken for the day?"

  "Everyone should be up and moving in about a quarter hour."

  "Oh really, that soon?"

  "Yes. We do get up early to run the house."

  "No, that's not what I mean. I just didn't realize how late or early it is depending on how you look at it…"

  "Ah, I think I see what you mean. I will have a maid bring you up a tray to your room."

  Janie turned to leave to do as Gemma wished. Her back was fully to her when Gemma had an idea.

  "No, Janie wait. Can you just send my maid up without the tray? Have something sent to the library in an hour. A light meal like we discussed and plan on joining me. I have a few ideas I want to deal with for the dinner party tomorrow evening. I will need your thoughts on it."

  "Very well, ma’am. I shall see you in an hour in the library." Janie turned on her heels and left.

  Gemma strolled up the stairs to her room. She wanted to make the dinner party something even more special than she had already planned. It could be the wedding dinner they hadn't had. It was perfect because the most important people in their lives were already going to be there. The only person that wouldn't be in attendance was Liam's sister, her other best friend, Lily.

  She wished Lily could be there with them. Gemma missed her a lot. It couldn't be helped though, and she wouldn't dwell on something that could not be changed. Liam promised her a, and she intended on holding him to that promise. With a little help perhaps she could make the arrangements herself.

  The door opened, and her maid peeked her head into the room. She looked a little surprised to see Gemma awake at such an early hour.

  Her eyes were wide, and her mouth opened up as if to let out a small "oh".

  She didn't remark on whatever thought crossed her mind. The maid fully entered the room and stated her reason for being there.

  "Ma'am Janie said you needed me."

  "Yes, I need you to help me dress for the day. My hair is a mess, and I will need my maid to help me brush it out so it can be plaited. I have a lot to do today, and I need to get started on it right away."

  "All right. Where would you like to start first? Dressing or your hair?"

  "Let's work on my hair first. It will take the longest to get through, and I told Janie to meet me in the library in an hour."

  Her maid nodded, and Gemma walked over to sit down at her vanity table. Gemma grabbed one of her combs, and the maid grabbed the brush. They both started the long process of untangling her hair. Once all the knots were out, the maid quickly plaited her hair and twirled it into a bun at the nape or her neck. Her hair done Gemma walked over to her armoire and pulled out a dress. She stepped out of her nightgown and threw it on her still made bed along with her wrapper.

  "Oh, I left my corset in Liam's room. I am going to go without one today."

  Gemma was a bit embarrassed to admit she left clothing in her husband's room but decided to let that go. The servants knew anyway and she had nothing to be uncomfortable about. After her gown was laced up, she dismissed her maid. The maid wasn't needed at the moment for the rest of her plans. Gemma followed her out of the room and headed to the library for her meeting with Janie. As she descended the stairs, she could see the sun starting to rise through one of the hall windows. She smiled to herself knowing that she had a surprise in store for her husband. That is if she managed to pull it off in time for the dinner party. No matter what, she intended to make sure everything would go just right. She needed to tell Liam she still loved him, and this was the first step in making him know that it had never changed. Her heart belonged to him and it always would.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Liam woke up and reached across his bed to locate his wife. As he spread his fingers over the soft sheet, he realized his hands hadn't located what they were in search of. He opened his eyelids to mere slits and looked over to the other side of the bed. Yes, it was empty, and Gemma had once again vacated the bed before he had awakened for the day. Two days in a row, she had managed to sneak out of bed without waking him to her intentions. The first night he made love to her, after the ball, it had been wonderful. She needed to stop this insane habit of waking up at the break of dawn. He wanted her wrapped in his arms so he could love her again in the early morning hours. When he saw her later that day, he would let her know how much this practice of hers disturbed him. Her penchant for early morning hours was not the only thing that bothered him. It had not escaped his notice that she hadn't told him she loved him. Again that is… What she said in the past was irrelevant to the here and now. He didn't know if she still loved him. It made him a desperate man and he needed to hear her say the words once again.

  He might as well get up and start his day. Rolling over, he disentangled the sheets from around his body and crawled out of bed. He went to his armoire and grabbed the first pair of trousers he could find. After he pulled them on, Liam retrieved a shirt and pulled it over his head. Once he was fully dressed, he walked out of his room and went down the stairs to his study. He had a lot of work to do and a short amount of time to get it done. He had sat there for most of the morning before the overload took its toll on him. A sharp pain beat against his skull, as if a carpenter fast at wo
rk hammered away inside his head, making thinking a difficult endeavor. Liam rubbed his temples to dispel the thrumming deep inside his head. The last time this kind of pain visited him was when he’d had the idiotic idea to drink away his problems. He hadn't done that, so he didn't understand why the throbbing insisted on finding a home behind his eyes. Perhaps the stress of his life finally caught up with him and took up permanent residence.

  "Looks like something is troubling you."

  Liam looked up to see the Duke of Huntly, Noah walk into his study. His dark hair disheveled and his blue eyes twinkling with devilment. A lopsided grin on his face, the duke strolled over and sat down in a chair in front of Liam's desk.

  "I have a lot on my mind. What can I do for you?"

  "Are you sure you have time to help me. It looks like you have enough here to keep you busy for the next year or so."

  "I can make time. If not for your help the other night I would have been stuck at the Silverton Ball far longer than I would have liked. I do owe you a debt of gratitude for wrapping up the Alfie mess.”

  Liam really did owe Noah quite a bit for dealing with that. If he had had to stay any longer that night, he might have just murdered the new Earl of Devon. It still bothered him the man had the gall to try and kill him to get his hands on Gemma. He broke the quill he held in his hands while thinking about breaking Alfie’s neck instead. It snapped in two before he knew what happened.

  "A little frustrated still by it all, I see."

  "That's quite the understatement."

  "How are things with Gemma?"

  "Good. I think. Better at least."

  "Well, that is an improvement over the other day when you were drinking your troubles away. Have you finally told her that you love her?"

  Liam watched as Noah sat back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. His blue eyes pierced him with the question. That subject was the very one that troubled him the most.