“A touch.” She squeaked with surprise when he stepped behind a clump of birches at the far end of the orchard and set her abruptly down, so abruptly that she stumbled and landed with a thump on the blanket spread out at their feet.
It was hard to hide her amusement when Ballard yanked off his boots, gracefully sat beside her, and then tumbled her onto the blanket. There was a certain gleam in his eye that told her exactly why he had lured her there.
She looked around and saw nothing but trees: the neatly set out orchard in front of them, and theencroaching forest on the other three sides. It was a beautiful sunny day, warm but not hot, and a perfect place to make love, as Ballard so clearly wanted to. She did not feel even the smallest tickle of shyness or embarrassment over the thought of indulging in such intimacies in the bright glare of day. Instead, a swift, heady rush of excitement made her head spin.
Clover smoothed her hand over the blanket they were sharing and gave Ballard a look of sweet, wideeyed admiration. “I did not realize what a skilled farmer you are, husband. ‘Tis not every man who can grow blankets, ones already woven and seamed.”
Ballard gave her a disgusted look before he kissed her. After his meeting with Potsdam, he had been wandering through the orchard, checking the apple trees, enjoying the peacefulness and fine weather, and suddenly he had wanted Clover—badly. It had been easy to draw her out to the orchard, but he wondered if she would want to celebrate the beauty of their surroundings the same way he did. She was responding to his kiss with all her usual passion, but he was not sure if that meant what he hoped it meant. Although she rarely allowed modesty to disrupt their passion anymore, making love under a tree in the middle of the day was very daring, even for him.
He finished kissing her and rolled onto his back, tugging her up against his side.
“Potsdam invited us to his home for dinner a fortnight from this Saturday,” he said.
“That will be nice,” Clover murmured, a little confused. She had been so sure Ballard wanted to make love, but now he acted as if he just wanted to sit with her privately for a while and talk.
“Ye did a fine job of getting Willie out of Morrisey’s clutches. I was worried ye would come away empty-handed. I ken weel how that would have upset ye.” He rubbed his hand up and down her arm and wondered how long he should spend putting her at her ease before he let her know what he really wanted.
Clover caught him looking at her. That gleam was still there. Hedidwant to make love to her, but was holding back for some reason. She shifted slightly so that her body was partly sprawled on top of his and kicked off her shoes.
Ballard talked about how young Willie would fit neatly into their lives. She replied in all the appropriate places, but her focus was on how to turn his thoughts to more passionate subjects.
Ballard had never before been reticent when it came to lovemaking. In fact, he had freed her of the restraints of her own well-taught modesty, and she knew she had learned the lesson well. It was amusing now to realize that she was eager to make love in such a beautiful place while Ballard was hesitating.
She was just going to have to show him, she thought with an inner grin. Part of her was shocked at how daring she felt, but it was a good feeling and she wanted to revel in it. The only word she could think of to describe the mood she was in waswicked.She was not sure she had the skill to do so, but suddenly she wanted to put Ballard into such a state of passionate confusion that he did not know which way was up. All he would know was that he was thoroughly enjoying himself. Clover smiled faintly as she slowly began to unbutton his shirt.
Ballard tensed, not sure of Clover’s intention. He wanted to be sure. For once he wanted her to initiatethe lovemaking, with the same passion and eagerness with which he made love to her. He did not want to have to seduce her, cajole her, or even ask her. She had grown deliciously free in her lovemaking and now he wanted her to take that final step, to have the courage to ask him to share her desire.
“Did ye think I was feeling a wee bit warm?” he asked, a little surprised when she tugged off his shirt.
“I was rather hoping you were,” she murmured as she ran her hands over his chest.
“Actually, lass, it does seem to be getting a wee bit hot.”
As she touched her lips to his, she whispered, “Hot is very good, is it not?”
He had no chance to respond before she began to kiss him. Her kiss was deep and hungry, and Ballard wrapped his arms around her to hold her close. She was acting very boldly, far more boldly than he had imagined she would, but he had no inclination to stop her. Although it was what he wanted, it was a little confusing, for it was as if she had become someone else, and he could not be sure what she would do next. Her daring behavior had his passion running hot, but he struggled to restrain himself and see just how far she would take them. However, he could not resist undoing her bodice so that he could feel her silken skin beneath his hands.
She ended the kiss and sat up, straddling him. As she held his gaze, she unpinned her hair and shook it free until it tumbled around her shoulders. His hungry, surprised expression encouraged her. She slipped out of her bodice and tossed it aside. As she stood up, she untied her skirt and petticoats and let them fall, kicking them away. She rested her foot onhis chest, untied her garter, and slowly rolled her stocking down. Ballard’s breathing visibly increased as she did the same with the other stocking. After shimmying out of her underdrawers, and laughing softly at Ballard’s groan, she sprawled on top of him again. It felt good to see that hot desire on his handsome face and know that she had caused it. She wondered when she should take off her chemise, trying to decide what would be the sultriest way to go about it.
Clover kissed Ballard, but when he tried to put his arms around her, she grasped his wrists and pinned his hands to the blanket. He could break her hold easily, but he did not try. Often when he stared at her as intently as he was now, she began to grow uncertain, wondering if she was doing something wrong. This time his look only inspired her. She slowly began to kiss her way down his lean body.
He shifted restlessly beneath her soft, warm kisses and caresses. He groaned and tried to speak his pleasure when she drew idle designs on his stomach with her tongue. She began to undo his breeches, and when she started to tug them off, he shifted his body to help her. As she slid her hands up and down his legs, then placed shy kisses on his inner thighs, Ballard feared he would soon lose the ability to lie calmly and enjoy her every touch and kiss. He ached to touch her.
When she placed her warm lips on his erection, he gave a hoarse cry and reached down to thread his fingers through her thick hair. He lost control rapidly as she caressed him with her lips and tongue. The last thread of that control snapped completely when she took him into her mouth. His body bucked from the force of the pleasure that ripped through him. Cloverhesitated, but cupping her small face in his hands, he silently urged her to continue. He had the strength to savor that delight for only a moment before he grasped her under the arms and tugged her up his body.
To his surprise, Clover still kept control of their lovemaking. She eased their bodies together and then grew still. Ballard was breathing hard and fast as he watched her seductively shed her thin linen chemise. With her delicate hands on his chest, she began to move. He tried to keep some rein on his needs, but his body wanted no more of his self-imposed restraints. As his release tore through him, he gripped her slim hips and held her tightly against him as he tried to bury his body as deeply within hers as he could. Her cry of satisfaction quickly followed his, and he held her close when she sagged against him.
For a long while Ballard just held Clover, staring up at the sky, listening to their breathing slow to a normal rhythm and feeling the lingering tremors of their sated bodies begin to fade. When she eased the intimacy of their embrace, he allowed her enough leeway to shift into a comfortable position, still keeping her close. He suddenly wished he had some skill with pretty words so that he could tell her how much pleasure she had given him.
Clover peeked up at Ballard and caught him watching her. She expected to suffer at least some embarrassment over her wantonness, but she did not. Today she had wanted to be bold and daring, and she had heartily enjoyed herself. Making love to Ballard had soothed something else inside her.
From the moment she had recognized how much she loved him, the words to tell him so had sat on the tip of her tongue. Every time she talked to him, shewas afraid she would say those words. Theirs was a marriage of mutual convenience, with the welcome addition of a strong passion. He had not spoken of love, however, and she could not bare her heart and soul to the man until she had some clue that he wanted or even sought such an emotion. But in their lovemaking, she could show him how much she loved him. She did not need to keep her feelings locked away.
“Weel, loving,” Ballard murmured, “‘tis clear ye can be powerfully inspired by a fine, sunny day.”
She laughed. He appeared extraordinarily content.
Her desire for brazen lovemaking might not come upon her often, she mused, kissing Ballard again, but when it did, she could be sure he would eagerly accommodate her.
