It seemed to shock her. Just a blink of surprise before she resumed their little gaze. Her lips parted, ready to answer him when their carriage came to a stop in front of the grand hotel. Before she could sit back in her seat, Richard moved forward and kissed her on the cheek.
Just enough to make her blush before the carriage door opened, and he moved out of it. He reached a hand back for her, and then the moment that she started to exit the carriage itself, he lifted her clear off of her feet.
She was going to get more flair and drama than she had strictly asked for, and he did not feel badly about it in the slightest. It was for a purpose, despite how much he enjoyed the little hiccup of surprise that left her perfect lips before she wrapped her arms around him.
Wholly indecent but still believable as he carried her toward the entrance of the hotel, his eyes only trained on her. The staff pulled up the doors, and he was met with a pair of attendants right away. One, holding a polished tray with their room key on it.
The other explaining the room that had been selected on their behalf and the various amenities awaiting them. Richard could not have cared less what they were offering or how much the room cost. He was perfectly content to admire the stunning creature in his arms.
“If we do not make it to dinner in a timely manner this evening, could we have dinner sent up to our rooms?” Richard only tore his focus from Catherine long enough to wink cheekily at the attendant, who seemed flustered. Slowly, he set Catherine on her feet and instantly took her hand, twining their fingers together.
“Of-of course we can, my lord,” the servant assured him.
Already, he could hear the rest of the staff whispering about the couple and speculating. Good. That was exactly what he wanted them to do. They spent the afternoon in their rooms, speaking about their plan. Just to ensure that everything went the way that was needed before they finally strolled down to dinner. Bits of Catharine’s updo were purposefully askew, and they both were smiling at one another as if nothing else in the entire world existed.
It was hard to keep reminding himself that it was nothing more than an act. It was harder still to think that it was a deception that would fade the moment that their work was done. He hardly tasted his food.
Certainly could not focus on ensuring that the proper sort of gossip was being started about them when Catherine kept reciting the most nonsensical haiku in his ear. It was hilarious enough that he was tempted to tickle her and see who was going to break character then!
Though, he did find that each and every time that he referred to her asLady Landry,she fought the urge to smile. A genuine smile. He was going to choose to take that as a good sign.
When they finally left the grand dining room a good hour or so later, it was too many of thetonwishing them well and then instantly turning to speak about them in hushed tones. Their goal had been to make a grand impression, and that was exactly what they had done. For better or for worse.
Their room was a honeymoon suite. The furnishings were all designed with the specific intention of being lavish but comfortable. For whatever a newly wedded couple would choose to do in the privacy of their bedroom. This was the only step that had not been meticulously planned out.
No, the subject had been brushed over and alluded to. Consummating their marriage was the only sure-fire way to ensure that the duke could not go behind Richard’s back and seek an annulment. Even then, Richard would not put it past the man to make a grand attempt anyway.
But now that the moment was finally here, he was at a loss for words.
Where to begin? He admired her too much to simply proposition her like a common harlot. He would not demean her by attempting to use lines or abundant flattery.
He spun, unsure of what to say, only to find that her hands were already working over the ribbons and lace closure of her gown.
“I would not have presumed that you would have been the one to make me initiate things, husband of mine,” Catherine said in a perfectly steady tone as her hands loosened her gown little by little. “I would have thought that given the reputation that I was so wary about, these sorts of scenarios would have been second nature to you.”
“I would not have imagined mywifeto have been so bold either.”
“Is that a problem?” she asked, her voice softening as a sliver of skin was exposed. She turned her back to him, the gap of her dress open to him to either finish undressing her or to step away. She left the choice in his court. He would have been a fool, a damnedfool,not to take such an opportunity.
And he was no fool.
Chapter 19
Catherine could have sighed at the soft brush of fingertips over the bare skin she had exposed on her back. The warm air in the room kissed every further inch of skin that he exposed. She was thankful that her act of bravado had worked. She felt as if she were trembling with anticipation. Try as she might to appear forward and comfortable in her skin, now that the moment was actually here, nerves were assaulting her.
She had dreamed of this night, of this very moment, nearly every single night since she had met him. Various different scenarios, of course. But in each of the times that he took her to bed as his wife, he had started by undressing her. So very few times in the course of her life had reality even approximated her dreams, but as he reached the buttons on the middle of her back, right below the inward curve of her spine, she felt him step closer to her.
Her breath hitched as the rustle of his clothes preceded the ghost of his lips against her shoulder. She brought her arms up to her chest as the gown nearly fell away. It was not modesty, per se, but the need to ensure that she brace herself—something to hold onto as a rush of new sensations came over her.
Anticipation, thrill, and excitement blended into a potent warmth that spiderwebbed like bolts of lightning to each place that he kissed until the buttons were completely undone. He stood behind her, his hands braced on her hips as if ready to spin her, and he paused. He lifted one hand, a bent knuckle running down the length of her spine as he leaned nearer to her ear, his tone deeper than usual. “Are you certain?”
Was she? She could not allow her bravado to slip now, not when she was so close to having what she had wanted so badly. Her shoulders rolled back as she glanced back at him with a flutter of her lashes. Her hands lowered, and the wedding dress fell around her waist in answer to his question.
It was all the permission that Richard seemed to need.
He spun her and pulled her in close to him, her chest pressed against his own as he hooked his fingers into the skirt of the gown and pushed to liberate her from the layers of restrictive fabric. A low, appreciative groan vibrated from his chest into hers before it was silenced with his lips on hers. Something inside of her changed. It grew and manifested.
The latent desire unleashed itself, and she was upon him. Her arms wrapped around his neck, letting her body do what felt best as she surrendered herself in his kiss. Wanton and desperate formore,he gave as quickly as he was given. He scooped her up into his arms, his knees buckling for only a moment as he cupped her rear and lifted her up to wrap her legs around his waist.
