A Widow's Salvation

by Becky Lower

  She quietly let herself into his room and moved to the bedside. Elijah was asleep, exhausted by the eventful day. His face was still thin from his illness, but he was much improved from when he’d first came under her care. Good food, a warm bed, and a competent nurse had gone a long way toward his recovery.

  They’d rushed the ceremony for the sake of propriety, and to thwart her mother’s attempts to make it a grand ceremony. It probably would have been best to wait until Elijah was completely healed, but Pepper had no doubt his body was on the mend and he’d soon be back to normal. She ran her fingers through his hair and gasped in surprise when his hand snaked out from under the covers and wrapped around hers. His eyes opened, and she caught their gleam as he pulled her onto the bed.

  • • •

  “I’ve been hoping you’d stop in to check on me. Is everyone gone then?” He cupped her cheeks and brought her to him, kissing her lips softly, hoping she’d not notice his galloping heart and think him still ill.

  “Yes, once the life of the party, which would be you, left, everyone else soon followed.” She sat on the edge of the bed as Elijah wrapped his arm around her waist. “How are you feeling? Did Mother’s insistence on a formal wedding wear you out?”

  “I’m fine. Just a little tired is all. But I could not deny your mother, especially once she made up her mind. Do you have time to lay with me?”

  “For a moment. But there is much to do to get the house back in order, and I do want to spend some time with the boys, so I can’t be long.”

  She removed her shoes but kept her dress on and raised the covers to lie beside him. He had removed his clothing for his nap and had on only his underthings. A shiver ran down his naked legs, but he wasn’t sure if it was from the loss of the blankets or the gain of her body beside him. He ran his hand down her arm before he drew her closer.

  “You changed from your wedding gown, I see.”

  “It’s much too fine a dress to wear when helping the staff set the house to rights again.”

  Her lips were but inches from his own, and he couldn’t resist. Nor could he resist running his hand over her swell of breast. She nestled next to him, her hand lighting a fire down his chest. A fire he’d held in check for too long. His kisses became deeper, more possessive.

  “I do believe I prefer this gown, anyway. Easier access to your loveliness. And I adore you in bright colors.” He began to unbutton the front of her turquoise dress as her hand snuck under his shirt to feel his skin. His body hummed in all the places she caressed him, and desire for this woman shot through him like a wildfire as his manhood sprang to life. He breathed a sigh of relief. As much as he’d wished for a wedding night with Pepper, he had been afraid his illness had sapped all his energy and he would disappoint her. With renewed fervor, he laid back the cloth of her gown, and her breasts were revealed. His gaze lingered on her as he ran a finger over one of her nipples, delighted to see it peak readily at his touch.

  “You have beautiful breasts, Pepper.” He placed the tip into his mouth and began a rhythmic gentle tug.

  “After three children? They are entirely different from when I was younger.” She laughed softly.

  “Well, I’m glad I didn’t know you then. I prefer them the way they are now. Beautiful, as is the rest of you. Inside and out.”

  She wrapped her hands around his head as he continued to pay attention to her breasts, dividing his ministrations between the two, stopping in the cleavage between them to take a whiff of her sensual musky scent. Her fingers wove into his hair as she held him in place. His hand moved lower on her body, searching for the apex between her legs. Her hand lowered as well and found his hardened shaft. She caressed it through his underclothes for a long minute, and Elijah relaxed for the first time all day.

  He tugged on the fabric of her skirt in an attempt to raise it to give him access to her sweet spot, but she stilled him with a kiss.

  “This is not our marriage bed, Elijah, and you’re not done resting.”

  He let her skirt go and wrapped his arms around her. “Sure feels like a marriage bed.”

  She laughed. “No, it’s much too small. This evening, after the children are put to bed, you and I will retire to my bedroom. That’s where we’ll consummate our marriage.”

  He gazed into her eyes as he held her close.

  “I wasn’t certain you’d want to have me in that particular bed, since it was the one you shared with Michael. I thought perhaps we’d buy a new one.”

  “It’s a perfectly nice bed I shared with my husband. Which is what I want to do again. Share the bed with my husband.”

  She stared at him a long moment and shared one more kiss before pushing herself up from the narrow bed and buttoning the front of her dress. She rose and turned to face him, with a wicked smile on her face.

  “Get some rest, Elijah. I want you to be ready for this evening. You will not be getting much sleep then. Husband.”

  Elijah’s manhood jumped at her words, forming a tent of the blanket. He stared at the bump in the covers and then moved his gaze to her. “I’ll be more than ready.”

  She laughed again, and then leaned over and kissed him before leaving the room. Elijah sunk into the mattress and pulled the covers over him. He had a wife who loved to laugh and who loved her place in the marriage bed. Life, and love, didn’t get any better.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Pepper hoped her show of calm and certainty in front of Elijah that afternoon calmed him so he could get some much-needed sleep. However, she had known it was false bravado. She was going to allow another man into the bed she’d shared for many years with Michael. Where she’d lost her virginity, where she’d birthed their three children. Thoughts pinged through her mind all afternoon, while she directed her staff as they set the house to rights again. Could she do it? Could she move on past the ghost of Michael in this house? Past the ghost of Michael in the marriage bed? Could she have a chance at happiness in her life once again?

  Evening brought no answers to her questions. The lamps were lit when shadows crept into each room. The children hadn’t put up their usual fuss about going to bed, since they’d been as worn out by the excitement of the day as Elijah had been. Pepper had been mildly dismayed at her boys’ willingness to hop under the covers. She’d hoped they could be the reason her evening with Elijah would be delayed. But after reading only one book to them, they went quietly to their beds.

  So here she was, with her massive case of cold feet, letting Molly remove the pins from her hair and brushing its tangles out in preparation for the evening. For her wedding night. Molly had set out a number of nightgowns on the bed from which to select, and Pepper’s attention focused on them while Molly brushed her hair. She immediately discarded half of them, since they were from her initial trousseau. She didn’t want anything that would remind her of her other wedding night. A few of the others were merely serviceable, the type a widow would wear, not fit for a woman as she entertained a new husband for the first time. Which left a meager two from which to choose, neither appealing to her. Good Lord, if she couldn’t even choose an appropriate nightgown, how could she possibly face Elijah? Her stomach knotted, and she ran her hand over her eyes.

  “Oh, ma’am, I nearly forgot. Your mother gave me a box this morning when she arrived for your wedding. She said not to show it to you until tonight. I’ll go fetch it now.”

  Molly returned with a large box, which she placed in Pepper’s lap before she removed the lid. Inside, wrapped in muslin, was a sapphire blue wrapper and nightgown. The gown was delicate, so sheer it was almost transparent. The thin straps and scooped neckline were revealing, and the empire waist gathered under her breasts further emphasized her bosom. The wrapper was a gorgeous shiny silk. Pepper stood and held the garments up in front of her. The color exactly matched her eyes, which had clouded over. Leave it to her mother to understand.

  “This is perfect. Put all the others away. And I’ll finish getting ready myself. Thank you,
Molly. Once again, you and Mother have saved the day. Please tell my husband he can come up now.”

  Once Molly exited the room, Pepper donned the nightgown and stared at her reflection. Despite having birthed three children, her stomach was still flat and her breasts were firm. Maybe not the breasts of her youth, but her appearance pleased her. The gown’s material was dark enough to hide most of her body, yet when she moved, glimpses of her naked legs and bosom were displayed. She had no doubt her mother and her sister Jasmine had managed to have a lot of fun deciding on the material for the nightgown. She smiled as she envisioned the two of them with their heads together, clucking over the fabric choices. She’d have to return the favor soon. But right now, she had more important things to take care of. She donned the silk wrapper, cinched it around her middle, and waited for her husband.

  The knock startled her, even though she’d been expecting it. The stopper from the bottle of toilet water she had been playing with crashed to the floor. She leaned over to pick it up, catching her breath before she replied, “Come in.”

  Elijah opened the door but stood in the doorway for the longest time before he took a step forward. Pepper glanced at him. “Is anything wrong?”

  “No, everything’s perfect. I just want to always remember this moment.” His voice was husky as he closed the door behind him.

  Pepper crossed the room and took his hand, leading him into the bedroom. Her cold feet had magically disappeared. “I’m glad you agreed to become my husband, Elijah.”

  “My pleasure, ma’am. You smell divine.” He leaned down to capture her lips. The kiss went deeper as he toyed with her lips and his tongue entered her mouth. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. The outside world ceased to exist. It was the two of them, finally getting to know each other as husband and wife.

  Pepper’s heart rate sped up as she melted into the kiss. For nearly two years, no man had graced her bed. Elijah realized the significance of tonight and would be gentle with her, if that was what she wanted. But she wasn’t sure gentle would be enough for her.

  He played with the belt of the wrapper, undoing the cinch around her waist. As he slid the silky fabric from her shoulders, Pepper held her breath. Elijah stepped back a pace with the wrapper in his hand and stared at her. His intake of breath made her smile as she opened her arms to him.

  “You are beautiful.”

  “So says the handsome man.” She moved up against him, feeling his heat and his rising manhood. Her mouth went dry. His hand found a breast, which peaked in delight at his touch. Other parts of her body went damp.

  His other hand ran over her long locks and down her back. A trail of heat erupted in her body everywhere his hand touched her. She whimpered as he led her to the bed and lowered her to the mattress.

  “You’ve cared for me so well over these past months, even when I wasn’t sick. Now it’s your turn. Let me take care of you tonight.”

  She sighed and let the last vestiges of her wall of doubt release. Her new husband lay beside her, and she couldn’t be happier with her choice. The nightgown inched up over her legs slowly as he caressed each exposed bit of flesh. Pepper thought she’d explode as the sensations he was causing in her body tumbled over her. When the fine cloth of the nightgown finally was tugged off her and she lay completely nude beside him, Elijah still lingered over her body. His hands mapped her contours, memorizing each curve and angle. His tongue played with hers before he moved lower and took a nipple into his mouth, laving it to plumpness. Her breathing came out in tiny gasps as she wondered how she possibly could have foregone such blissfulness for so long.

  “I want to see your body, too, Elijah.” She began to tug at his trousers.

  “There will be time for that, love. Right now, I want to pleasure you.”

  “Believe me, you are,” she murmured as she caught his mouth again.

  His hand dipped lower, to the apex of her thighs, and moved in small circles near her bundle of sex. Yet he didn’t touch her most intimate area. She nearly screamed in frustration as his fingers found her labia and tugged gently on her curly hair. The roving fingers finally entered her, while his thumb caressed her clitoris. Within seconds, she crested, and with a small scream of satisfaction, plummeted over the edge. His finger lingered inside her, and she could feel her muscles surrounding him, pulsating with her climax.

  She reached out to him and kissed him gently. “Thank you, Elijah.”

  “I loved the expression on your face as you climaxed.”

  “And I’d love to see the expression on your face as you do the same.”

  “That can be accomplished.” He undid his trousers and began to remove them. Their evening had just begun.

  Pepper’s breathing returned to normal as Elijah stood beside the bed and undressed. He was still very thin from his bout with pneumonia, despite her cook’s best efforts. But Pepper caught a glimpse of the power of the man underneath the flesh as his arms moved and his muscles bunched. His long legs, with their sinewy muscles, were unveiled as his trousers slid to the floor.

  He turned toward her, and she opened her arms to him. He crawled into her embrace and stretched out beside her. For several minutes, they simply laid side by side, running their hands over each other, getting to know one another’s bodies. Elijah was taking his time, for which Pepper was grateful. Not only did she enjoy the slow display of love, she also was mindful of Elijah’s still fragile health. Soon enough, though, his hands teased and enflamed her body. Her core tightened when he brushed his hand over her sweet spot, sending a jolt through her. She wanted so much more. More urgency, more intimacy, more of him.

  She rolled onto her side and then straddled him.

  “What are you doing, Pepper?” He ran his hands through her loose, long hair.

  “I’m going to take care of you, as you have already done for me.”

  She lowered her head and kissed him before moving down his torso, dropping a scorching line of kisses along the way. She stopped momentarily at his nipple, teasing it with her tongue and teeth. When he groaned his delight, she smiled and moved on. His shaft was rigid and pulsing. She grasped it in her hand, the flesh soft, almost velvet to the touch. Velvet steel.

  Her fingers slid up and down, lightly at first, caressing his most intimate area. She cupped his balls in her hands and lowered her mouth to them. She hummed her appreciation as she moved from one side to the other. Elijah jumped at her touch and groaned his approval. His hands were still in her hair, anchoring her.

  She moved from his ball sac up to his hardened shaft, licking and kissing him. The tip had a drop of dew on it, and she licked it off before taking the head of his manhood into her mouth. He gasped in delight, which emboldened her. She took more of his shaft into her mouth and began to use her tongue to elicit more moans and gasps from him. His breathing began to hitch, and she could tell he was near a climax, so she shifted her body and centered herself over him.

  Staring at him, she lowered herself an inch at a time onto his frame.

  “My God, Pepper. You’re driving me crazy.”

  “And I plan to do so every night you’re in this bed with me.”

  On her knees, she pulled away from him, almost losing his penetration before she slid down his shaft again. Her breath became labored as she set up a rhythm as old as Methuselah. Soon, they were in sync with each other and moving as one. Elijah held her breasts as they swayed above him. Then his hands moved to her hips, holding her in place as their pace became more frantic. Finally, he flipped her over and thrust into her with all the strength he had. A half-dozen times, and he spilled his seed into her and cried out.

  Several minutes later, their breathing returned to a normal rhythm again. Still joined together, they lay side by side, wrapped in a cocoon of love. Pepper’s head was in the hollow between his neck and shoulder, and she inhaled the manly combination of sandalwood and sex. Heavenly.

  “How are you feeling, Elijah? I didn’t wear you out, did I?”r />
  His hand ran down her backside. “I feel as though I’ve died and gone to heaven. I hope you can wear me out every night.”

  She grinned. “I will do my best to fulfill my wifely duties.”

  He kissed her lips and cupped her jaw in his hand. “I appreciate the fact you know your way around a bed and what to do to make a man cry out in joy. You’re so much better than an ingénue.”

  “I enjoyed a healthy sex life with Michael. And I’ve missed that aspect of my marriage.”

  “I hope I can pleasure you as well as he did.”

  She kissed him before she sighed and laid back. “You’re pleasing me just fine. I don’t want you to tire yourself out, though. You’re still recovering from your illness.”

  “Well, if getting better means I can have you more than once a night, I’d better eat everything Cook sets in front of me. Build up my stamina.”

  “What a capital idea!”

  He slipped out of her but continued to hold her, their arms and legs entwined as they talked late into the night, never losing their contact with one another.

  • • •

  Elijah lay on the bed next to his sleeping wife. He had been nervous about this evening for a number of reasons. The pneumonia had sapped his strength, so there had been the worry that his body wouldn’t perform and he couldn’t pleasure his wife. And neither he nor Pepper had been with another partner since theirs had died, which posed another worry. The specters of their previous spouses might have prevented them from enjoying themselves.

  But neither worry had manifested itself. It was only now, with Pepper sleeping contentedly by his side, he allowed himself to think of his first wife. Elisabeth would have gotten along well with Pepper, maybe even become a good friend. Pepper was a bit more traditional than his first wife had been, but she also had children to care for, which Elijah and Elisabeth weren’t blessed with during their short marriage. He wondered how Pepper would feel about adding to her brood, since, as much as he was coming to love Michael’s children, he also wanted them to create one of their own, if he were able. If last night’s lovemaking was any indication of what lay ahead, they would have plenty of opportunity to create a new life.