The Reclusive Earl

by Ruth Ann Nordin

  Surprised, she asked, “Do you plan to go to bed in your clothes?”

  His steps slowed and he looked down at his clothes as if he’d forgotten he was still wearing them. His gaze met hers, and his face went bright red.

  That was odd. Was he afraid of being in his nightclothes around her? She was wearing a chemise. Surely, he knew it was all right if he wore a nightshirt.

  “Will you turn around?” he finally asked and pointed to the wall behind her.

  She knew full well what he wanted, but she was taken off guard. “You want me to look at the wall?”

  “It would help,” he replied, his voice growing softer as if he was too embarrassed to say more.

  “Will I be able to turn back around when you’re done?” He couldn’t intend for her not to face him for the rest of the night, but she had to be sure.

  “Once I’m under the blankets, yes.”

  In that case, she figured she could oblige him. Without waiting for him to ask again, she did as he wished. Since it was quiet, she could hear him as he removed his clothes.

  She wondered if he was taking everything off or if he was only removing most of it. Would he put on a nightshirt, or would he go to bed naked? She couldn’t imagine he’d come to the bed naked. He couldn’t even undress in front of her. He was much too shy to sleep next to her without something on.

  In the past when she’d thought of getting married, she had only briefly entertained the part that included the wedding night. Most of her daydreams had focused on the wedding itself. What she’d wear, who would be there, what her future husband would look like, and what type of gentleman he’d be.

  Besides the gown she’d worn and the guests, nothing had turned out as she’d anticipated. And now her husband was asking her to look away from him as he got ready for bed. That, on top of the fact that he’d been hiding under the bed because he was afraid of making love to her, baffled her.

  With the way Warren kept warning her about the predatory nature of gentlemen, she had fully expected Landon to be more than willing to consummate the marriage. She knew he wasn’t going to run into her bedchamber with lust in his eyes and make mad passionate love to her through the entire night. But she had expected him to come to her bed and let her see what he looked like without his clothes on before he gently made love to her.

  She honestly didn’t know what to do about this. If he was too shy to let her see him naked and if he was too afraid to make love to her, how were they ever going to have children?

  She felt the bed give under his weight as he slipped into it. Though she was tempted to glance over at him to see what he was wearing, she kept her focus on the wall.

  “All right,” he said after a moment. “You can look.”

  She turned back to face him and almost burst out laughing when she saw that he’d pulled the blankets up to his neck. She bit on her tongue and waited for the urge to subside before she settled into a comfortable position that allowed her to face him.

  She considered getting closer to him, but she was afraid if she did that he might bolt out of the bed. As it was, he was staring at the ceiling with wide eyes, and he was as stiff as a board. Again, it was something she hadn’t expected. Just what was she supposed to do to help him relax?

  “Landon, why are you so tense?” she finally asked after a couple minutes had passed.

  “I…um… You’re not wearing much.”

  “That’s because I’m about to go to sleep. I don’t like to wear a lot in bed. I find it uncomfortable.”

  “It’th not that.” He groaned and glanced away from her. “A certain part of my body noticed how little you have on when you got into bed.”

  Her eyebrows furrowed. Exactly what was he getting at? “A certain part of your body?”

  She didn’t think his face could get any redder, but it did.

  “Can’t you tell?” he asked.

  She was ready to say no, but then her gaze went to the rest of him. Though he was under the blankets, she could make out the outline of his body and there was something between his legs that was standing out more prominently than his other body parts. She’d never seen a gentleman naked, and she’d never been told much of what to expect on this night. So she wasn’t sure what to make of it.

  He began to turn away from her, but she reached out and touched his shoulder. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

  “You keep looking at it,” he mumbled.

  Despite his embarrassment, she held onto his shoulder so that he remained on his back. “What does it mean when it sticks out like that?”

  This time, instead of trying to turn away from her, he pulled the blankets over his head. “I’d rather not tell you.”

  “Why not? We’re married. We should be able to tell each other anything.”

  He groaned again, and she wondered if she was pushing him too hard. Maybe she would be better off lying beside him in silence.

  After a moment, she lifted the blanket off of his face and snuggled up to him. “Would you at least hold me?”

  Iris had said one of her favorite things about being married to Warren was being held in bed at night. It was unfortunate Iris hadn’t chosen to say more about what her time in bed with Warren was like. It would certainly help Opal right now if this whole thing wasn’t such a mystery.

  Landon put his arm around her shoulders and drew her closer to him. It was then she realized he was wearing a nightshirt. Good. At least he wasn’t still in the clothes he’d been wearing earlier that evening.

  She wrapped her arm around his waist and settled her head on his chest. “This is nice,” she whispered. When he didn’t answer, she asked, “Don’t you think it’s nice?”

  Instead of answering, he only squeezed her shoulders, which she knew was meant to convey a yes, but the frustrated sigh that escaped his lips told her otherwise. The frustration must have something to do with that thing sticking out between his legs. She told herself she shouldn’t look back down at it. It was obviously a source of embarrassment to him. But try as she might, she couldn’t make her gaze stay above his waist. Sure enough, the body part was still straining against the blankets.

  Getting up on an elbow so she could look down at his face, she asked, “Isn’t there something I can do to help you with that thing?”

  She thought he was going to try to turn away from her again, but his gaze went to her chemise. She glanced down at it and noticed that he had a good view of her breasts from where he was lying. It was then that she realized his embarrassment. The part of him between his legs was just as private to him as her breasts were to her.

  She was ready to apologize for pestering him, but he got up on his side, cupped the side of her face with his hand, and brought his mouth to hers. The action was so sudden that she didn’t respond right away. She really hadn’t expected him to go from avoiding her to kissing her without warning.

  But then she became aware of the warmth that swept over her body and relaxed against him. Sliding her arm around his neck, she returned the kiss. He, in turn, brought her closer to him.

  Finally, she had her first official kiss, and it was even better than she had hoped it’d be. Landon’s lips were soft and gentle. Not in the least bit rough as Warren had warned her. Earlier that year, he had told her, If the gentleman’s kiss is rough, then you need to avoid his suit. You need someone who is going to treat you like a lady at all times.

  Well, he’d be very happy with the way Landon was kissing her. But then, she wasn’t all that surprised since he had been a gentleman every other time she’d been with him.

  They spent considerable time kissing. She suspected Landon was working up his courage to do more, but she didn’t mind the wait. If anything, it only made her appreciate the experience all the more. This was her wedding night, and she wanted to enjoy every moment of it, especially now that Landon had finally made his move.

  He encouraged her to roll to her back, so she followed his lead. Still kissing her, he started to explore her. His
touch was hesitant at first when he cupped one of her breasts in his hand, but even so, a thrill shot straight through her at the intimate touch, despite the fact that the thin fabric of her chemise was between them.

  She wiggled closer to him in silent encouragement for him to keep exploring her. His fingers brushed against her breast, and his thumb ran over her nipple. She shivered in response. The action, though subtle, caused an unexpected ache to form between her legs. She’d never experienced such a thing before, and the more he continued to stroke her breast, the more the ache grew.

  She was beginning to think she was the only one who was getting excited, but then he parted his lips and brushed her lower lip with his tongue. When she accepted him into her mouth, she became aware of how aroused he was. There was a new urgency in the way he was kissing her. She wouldn’t define it as rough, but the hesitant gentleness that had been there before was long gone. She had no idea he had so much passion carefully concealed under the surface. But she loved it!

  She loved it even more when his hand left her breast to go further down her body. He traced her hip and then her thigh, and, upon finding the bottom of her chemise, he slid his hand under it. On instinct, she parted her legs, allowing his hand to go between them. His fingers brushed the inside of her thighs until they settled at the folds of her flesh.

  She moaned and wiggled against him, only briefly aware that in doing so her hip was settled right on the rigid part of him between his legs that had been straining against the blankets. In the next instant, his fingers were tracing her flesh, and she quickly forgot all about his erection.

  The only thing she could focus on was how wonderful he was making her feel. When two of his fingers dipped slightly into her, she lifted her hips and bought them deeper into her. He brought his fingers all the way inside. While he proceeded to stroke her, she rocked her hips, not sure where the urge was coming from but needing to follow it. And the tactic worked. She was heading towards something that would bring her intense pleasure. She just knew it.

  At one point, he withdrew his hand from her, abruptly stopping the increasing tension mounting in her core. She reached for his hand and brought it back between her legs. “I liked what you were doing,” she whispered. “Will you continue?”

  Without hesitation, he brought his fingers back into her, and once more, she was caught up in the moment. Everything else faded around her, and all that existed was the need to reach the peak. And finally, when she did, she cried out as wave after wave of pleasure crashed into her. If she’d known being in bed with him was going to be this good, she would have insisted they come up here as soon as they arrived at the townhouse.

  When she descended back to earth, she turned her attention to pleasing him. She wanted him to experience what she just did. Maybe if he understood how good it felt, then he wouldn’t be so reluctant to join her in bed in the future.

  She guided his fingers out of her, sat up, and removed her chemise. Then, turning back to him, she asked, “Where can I touch you so it feels good?” Before he could answer, she gestured to the area between his legs that was still covered by the blankets. “Will it feel good if I touch it?”

  “Yeth.” He winced. “It will.”

  Deciding not to tell him he didn’t have to worry about his lisp, she lowered the blanket and saw that his nightshirt was hiding the thing. “Maybe you should take this thing off,” she said with a smile. “It’s getting in the way.”

  He hesitated but then glanced down at her breasts, and that was all it took to prompt him to do it. That was curious. She didn’t know what it was about her breasts that got him to do something her words couldn’t. She wanted to ask him about it, but then her gaze went to his naked body, settling on the erect part of him.

  She was about to reach out and touch it when Landon brought her into his arms and proceeded to kiss her in earnest. Thrilled by his passion, she settled against him and returned his kisses. Soon, he had rolled on top of her, and, on instinct, she wrapped her legs around his waist.

  The tip of his erection dipped into her. She adjusted her hips to allow him to go further in, and in one thrust, he was all the way inside her. Not expecting the sudden pain, she grew stiff as he proceeded to move inside her.

  She barely had time to register what the pain meant when he groaned and grew taut. There was a gentle throbbing inside her, followed by something wet trickling down between her legs. He relaxed against her, out of breath, and as his erection grew soft, the stinging sensation receded.

  Did she dare tell him that his thing had hurt her? No. She couldn’t. He was so terribly worried about everything. It’d taken a lot for her to get him to consummate the marriage. She couldn’t undo all the progress she’d made by telling him this. What she needed to do was talk to another lady who’d been through this experience and see if this was normal. And if so, was this going to happen all the time?

  He lifted his head and looked down at her. He brushed aside a few strands of her hair from her face, his action so tender that she knew the last thing he’d ever want to do was hurt her.

  “Are you all right?” he asked, a flicker of concern on his face.

  “Yes, I’m fine,” she replied. Yes, it was a lie, but the last thing she wanted him to think was that she thought he was bad in bed. Instead, she gave him a lingering kiss. Afterwards, she smiled at him. “Do you mind if I stay here with you tonight?”

  He returned her smile, looking both relieved and happy. “I want you here. I like being with you.”

  “I like being with you, too.”

  “Good.” He brought his lips to hers for another kiss and then slid out of her.

  At once, she felt empty, and part of her wanted to take him back into her again. Which was ironic, given the pain she’d experienced just moments ago. But there was no denying how intimately connected they’d been when he was inside her.

  After he rolled onto his back, he encouraged her to settle in his arms. As she did, she settled her head on his chest and snuggled up against him. This was nice. She did enjoy being held by him. She had also gotten immense pleasure from all the kissing and touching they’d done, too. She’d like to also enjoy having him inside her if it was possible.

  She’d visit Iris tomorrow and ask her about the wedding night. Maybe Iris would find some words of reassurance to give her that would make her feel easier about her next time with him. Closing her eyes, she released her breath and soon drifted off to sleep.

  Chapter Ten

  Landon didn’t know when he fell asleep, but when he woke up, it was already mid-morning. His first thought was that he must have fallen asleep under the bed and dreamt that Opal came to his room, and from there, they had consummated their marriage. But when he felt the mattress beneath his body and the blankets wrapped around him, he realized he hadn’t been dreaming at all. The entire thing had really happened. Excited, he opened his eyes and turned to where she’d been the night before, expecting to see her sleeping next to him. Except she wasn’t. The bed was empty.

  Disappointed, he rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling. She had been in here, hadn’t she? He knew he had a good imagination, but it wasn’t that good. In his imagination, a lady wouldn’t coax him out from under the bed and then make love to him. Even now, he could feel the curve of her breasts in his hands and the way she’d felt as he slid into her. Warmth flooded to his loins, and his penis let him know that it wanted to be with her again.

  Well, it was going to have to wait. Married couples probably didn’t do it during the day, and besides, she wasn’t even in the room. He got out of bed, washed up, shaved, and got dressed. Ordinarily, he would have called for a bath, but he was much too excited by the prospect of seeing her to do so.

  From the chiming of the clock in the hallway, he realized it was already ten. He’d known it’d been late, but he hadn’t realized it was that late. The stress of the day before must have caught up to him. No wonder she hadn’t waited for him to wake up before getting out of
bed.

  He started toward the door connecting their bedchambers, but then he thought she’d probably been up for hours already. She was most likely downstairs. So he went to the drawing room, and sure enough, she was at the desk. Her chin was resting in one hand, and she was holding a quill with her other hand. Though a parchment was in front of her, she wasn’t looking at it. No. Her attention seemed to be focused on the wall in front of her.

  He walked over to her, and upon reaching her, he saw that she had only written Iris’ name down.

  “I can write well,” he spoke, breaking the silence. “Would you like me to write that letter for you?”

  Opal jerked and turned to him.

  “I apologize,” he said, offering her a smile. “I didn’t mean to...” He paused. He didn’t want to say startle or scare. “I didn’t mean to alarm you.”

  She relaxed and laughed. “The floors are so quiet. They squeak in my brother’s townhouse. You can always tell when someone is coming.”

  He hadn’t noticed how soft his footsteps had been. Glancing around the room, he noticed the rugs that were spread out across the floor.

  “I was thinking of writing to Iris, but I think I’ll visit her instead,” she said.

  “When will you go?”

  “Today.”

  “Today?” He hid his disappointment. He had hoped she’d want to spend the day with him.

  “I have something I need to ask her. It’s something that’s best kept between ladies.”

  He debated whether or not he should ask her about it. He couldn’t even begin to guess what ladies discussed that were so private that gentlemen couldn’t be in the room.

  She put the quill back in the inkwell, folded the parchment, and put it in the drawer. “I’ll save this in case I need to write her in the future. I don’t like to waste things.” She stood up and gave him a reassuring smile. “I hope you don’t mind that I came down here without you.”

  “No,” he said. “I figured you got tired of waiting for me to wake up.”