“Truly?” His admission was quite something to absorb and she felt tingles all over her body. Having imbibed too much champagne did not help maintain her composure, for in addition to those tingles and the giddy whirl of excitement, she was feeling quite a bit tipsy, too.
He smiled and said no more as he led her into her bedchamber.
She watched him set the candlestick atop the bureau and then turn to her with a wry arch of his eyebrow and another melting smile. “I thought I would take over the task of helping you out of your gown this evening, but I can summon a maid to assist you if you feel uncomfortable disrobing in front of me.”
She shook her head. “Not at all. What you just mentioned about my being a part of you, it is the same way I feel about you. I never imagined two people could feel so strongly connected to each other, certainly not in so short a time.”
He laughed softly. “I know. Believe me, no one was more surprised than I. You blasted quite a hole through my protective barriers that very first day. Until you came along, those thick walls had been impenetrable.”
“I have no barriers whatsoever. Every unkind remark I endured in my first Season struck straight through my heart. I expected the second to be the same, then you came along and everything changed.” She smiled up at him. “I could go on for hours telling you how I feel, but that will likely drive you insane. So I will stop talking now and let you get on about the business of undressing me. But I must warn you, there are lots of buttons and laces. Donning this gown was quite the affair, much like a knight being placed in his suit of armor. It may take you a while to get me undone.”
“Less time than you imagine,” he said with a chuckle and removed the veil from her hair. “I am up to the task. However, we are in no hurry. We have the entire night to ourselves.”
As they would from now on, Adela marveled, still not quite believing this man was hers. After so many years of being irrelevant, first to her parents and then on the marriage mart, this felt like a miracle.
“You seem lost in your thoughts,” he said, now working on her laces. “What are you thinking, Adela?”
Since she had her back to him as he undressed her, she turned her head slightly to smile at him. “Goodness, so many things. Do you really want me to keep talking?”
He kissed the curve of her neck. “It will put you at ease.”
“All right. But you will believe me foolish.”
“Not at all, love.” He took little time managing the laces and began on the full row of her buttons which were tiny in addition to being delicate. “What’s on your mind?”
She could hardly fashion a thought while his hands were on her body, a knuckle grazing here and fingers stroking there. Each light touch had her heart beating faster and her legs turning to butter. She was already feeling warm and tipsy, unable to cool herself while he stoked her flames.
“Well, on my mind?” She ran her tongue along her lips while attempting to compose a thought. “Um…in the stories I’ve read, the man is usually in a hot frenzy and the couple are soon tearing off their clothes and tossing them everywhere. But you are being quite methodical about your seduction of me.”
“Ah, and that disappoints you?” He kissed her once again lightly along the curve of her neck, the soft sensuality of his lips wreaking havoc on her concentration.
“No,” she said, releasing a breath as fire shot through her when he began to lightly suckle her neck.Dear heaven.Did he think she could string a complete sentence together? “Ambrose…”
“Yes, love.”
“You are making me forget what I wanted to say.” She sighed as he kissed her throat. “Whatever you are doing is quite effective. Is it all right if I ask you questions?”
“I would expect nothing less from you,” he teased and kissed her again in another sensitive spot along her neck.
She was the expert on skulls and bones, but his knowledge of the female anatomy was clearly far superior. “How are you getting on with those buttons?”
“Almost done, love. Does it feel slow to you?”
“Yes…no. I am anticipating the rest of what’s to come, but enjoying what you are doing. Mostly it feels wonderful.” She clutched the gown to her bosom as it began to slip off her shoulders. “Oh, you’ve finished. Quite well done of you.”
“Thank you,” he said in a husky murmur.
“What happens next?”
“I slowly peel the rest of the garments off you.”
“Slowly?”
“Yes, love. There are two reason why I am taking my time with you,” he said, drawing her into his arms and seeming not at all put out by her questions or impatience. “First, this is your wedding gown and something you might treasure enough to pass down to our daughter, should we be so fortunate as to have children. Do you really want me to tear it off you?”
“No.”
He trailed more kisses along her shoulder as he eased the gown off her. “Second, this is your first experience. I would scare you if I went too fast. What might be thrilling when read in a book would put you off if it actually happened to you, at least until you trusted me.”
