“Excellent!” enthused Robin. “Velvet and Pansy will be most comfortable and well-rested for the ride from Edinburgh toDun Broc.It’s settled then, eh?” He looked at his sister and brother-in-law.
“Well,” said Willow, “I for one will be delighted to ride toHill Housein your fine coach, Robin. You’ve never offered it to me, and ’tis the best-sprung vehicle I’ve ever ridden in. But how will you and Angel get home?”
“We are leaving tomorrow,” came Robin’s reply. “There will be time enough for the coach to get us toLynmouth, and then return to London for you and Alex and Velvet.”
“In that case,” said Velvet sweetly, “I shall be quite content to leave for Scotland.” She smiled mischievously at her husband.
“Ye’ll drive me mad, woman, if I don’t kill ye first,” Alex grumbled at her darkly.
“Have you grown tired then of the making-up?” she murmured.
Alex’s eyes suddenly grew warm again, and his mouth, which had been compressed into a thin, angry line, softened. Crossing the space that separated them, he swept her up laughingly and walked from the room carrying his precious burden. Behind him he heard the gasps of surprise from Willow and Angel and the indulgent chuckles of his two brothers-in-law.
Velvet nuzzled her husband’s ear as he exited Lynmouth House and moved across the garden that partitioned it from their own house, Greenwood. He stumbled a little as she nibbled thoughtfully on his tender earlobe.
“Wanton,” he growled. “Ye’re naught but a shameless wanton.”
“And you’d have me no other way, my lord,” she whispered boldly as he entered their house and mounted the stairs to their private apartments. Two young housemaids dusting in the hallway gaped, stunned, after them. Velvet ran her tongue around the shell of his ear, and he shuddered.
“I’ll drop ye,” he threatened, but she only laughed.
“Nay, you won’t, Alex. You’re too hot to take your pleasure with me and too much the gentleman to do it here before the servants.” She blew softly into his ear.
“Ye’re as hot to fuck as I am,” he muttered thickly, kicking their bedchamber door open and entering the room.
“Aye, my lord,” she drawled slowly, “I am.”
He put her down and, hooking his fingers into her low-cut bodice, yanked the fabric downward, tearing her gown away to bare her breasts. Pushing her back upon their bed, he deftly tossed her skirts up with one hand while loosening his own clothes with the other. Then, falling atop her, his mouth found a tender and tempting nipple. Slowly his tongue encircled it while his left hand imprisoned her hands above her head, and his right hand found the sensitive little jewel of her womanliness. Gently he stroked it, his mouth all the while suckling her breast. Beneath him, Velvet quivered with excitement, loving his touch and his insistent lips on her nipple.
“Aye, ye’re naught but a shameless strumpet,” he muttered against her flesh, “and were I not sure ’twas I who took yer maidenhead, I should wonder about yer unseemly eagerness. Knowing the truth, however, I can only assume yer wild passion for me is the cause.”
Velvet laughed low. “Aye, my lord, but I wonder if my passion will ever be satisfied with all your talk. Ahhhhh! Oh, Alex, yessss!”
His mouth descended on hers as he thrust deep within her warm sweetness. He moved upon her with maddening slowness, teasing her lovingly until Velvet sank her teeth into his muscular shoulder to ease some of her swiftly roused passion.
“Vixen! My hot, honeyed little vixen,” he crooned.
Amid the tangle of her bunched-up skirts, she strove to meet his every downward stroke. She almost laughed remembering how fearful she had been of this marvelous part of marriage. Then she wondered if all women craved the loving their husbands gave them or if she were indeed the wanton he teased her about being. But suddenly it didn’t matter, for she was being swept up in the powerful and magnificent storm that their lovemaking created. With a soft cry she clung fiercely to him as their rapture built in intensity until finally the raging fire between them hurled both Alex and Velvet into an exquisite world of perfect pleasure from which neither was anxious to return too quickly.
“Ah, lass,” he finally said, “never will there ever be another woman for me but thee. I adore ye!”
“And I thee, my lord husband, my beloved lover!” she responded.
They lay quietly for a time, entwined together upon their bed. The shadows of late afternoon lengthened, and soon the room was dim. Finally Velvet said softly, “ ’Tis another gown you owe me, my lord, and I’ll have it before we return to Scotland.”
He laughed lazily. “Ye’re well worth the price of a new gown, lass.” Then he leaned over her and kissed her bared breasts again with slow, warm kisses.
Velvet felt a delicious tingle race down her spine, but then she caught at his hair and pulled his head away. “Oh, no, Alex! You’re forgetting the queen’s masque!”
“To hell with the queen’s masque,” he muttered and captured a pert nipple between his teeth, worrying it gently.
“No! No!” she fussed at him, laughing now and helpless in the face of her own rising desires.
“Yes,” he insisted. “We’ve time for one more sweet tumble, madame, before I must dress myself in some silly fanciful garb and dance the evening away simply to amuse an aging queen.”
“Alex! You must not speak so against the queen!”
“Aye, lass, ye’re right,” he said, and blew softly in her ear as his strong hands caressed her breasts and moved down to stroke her silken belly. Then his mouth found hers once more in kiss after long, sweet kiss until Velvet’s lips ached with his loving. His body hovered over hers but a moment and then he was entering her gently.
