Toni locked the suite door behind them, silent as she stalked toward Addie in the dimly lit room.
Trying not to react, Addie looked around. She saw her trunk had been delivered and set to the side, noted that the bed had been turned down, noticed the rising moon outside. She swallowed against nerves that made no sense. This wasn’t their first night together, and the wedding wasn’t real.
Publicity stunt.
Fake.
Then why does this feel so real?
Toni didn’t say a word as she unfastened the bodice of Addie’s dress. She took a moment to stare as she removed the bodice. She paused, looking at Addie’s chest. “You have the most perfect breasts I’ve seen.” Toni sounded almost reverent. She kissed the overflowing swell. “For all that I write about the 1800s, I cannot imagine the challenge of seeing such sights and being told loving women was wrong.”
Toni let the skirt pool at Addie’s feet and removed the tiny bustle—leaving Addie in only a corset over her underwear.
“Loving me isn’t wrong,” Addie whispered. That was exactly what Addie wanted: Toni’s love, forever and always.
“Thank heavens.” Toni stepped behind Addie. “You are a vision.”
Addie glanced over her shoulder at Toni, whose arms now wrapped around her. Toni slid her hands over the swell of Addie’s breasts. Even though removing these last layers had seemed essential for hours, Addie moaned at the position she was in.
Briefly, Toni’s eyes closed as if she was praying for mercy. Her lips ghosted over Addie’s neck as she unlaced the corset with one hand.Her other played over Addie’s nipples like they were an instrument to be plucked.
By the time her undergarments were stripped from her, Addie was shaking with need, but she pulled away. “Fair play, Toni. You don’t always have to wear the metaphorical pants.”
Toni said nothing, still, as Addie stripped away her elegant cravat, jacket, vest, and shirt. However, Toni was clearly not used to being passive; she reached for Addie a few times, tracing her hips and sides.
Addie didn’t resist, and Toni got bolder by the moment.
Addie divested her of her shoes, trousers, and very modern underpants. Then she pointed to the edge of the mattress. “There. Sit, please.”
When Addie knelt on the floor, Toni tossed a pillow down, ever considerate woman that she was. Addie slid it under her knees, and then she leaned forward. Gently, she bit her fake wife’s inner thigh, sucking to leave a bruise that only Toni would notice.
“What are you doing to me, Adelaine?” Toni murmured as her hands tangled in Addie’s hair.
“Making love to my bride,” Addie answered before leaning to lick the moisture beading on Toni’s sex. Addie gripped Toni’s thigh tightly, thumb on the bruise she’d just left, and Toni moaned.
Addie’s suspicions had been right. Toni’s prior remarks on liking it rough extended to a bit of bruising in soft places.
“Tell me what you like, Toni.” Addie looked up at her. “I’ve never done this.”
Toni let out a shuddering breath.
“I’m an innocent on her wedding night, yours to debauch.…” Addie trailed her tongue slowly over Toni’s slick flesh. “Teach me how to please you, Lord Darbyshire.”
This might be only a fake marriage for the weekend, but Addie wanted to prove to Toni that she someday wanted to make it real.
Chapter 28Toni
Seeing beautiful Addie kneeling between her legs made Toni feel complicated feelings. She wasn’t used to being the person women knelt in front of, especially almost innocent ones. There had been years when she was figuring out what she wanted, who she was, and she’d tried giving over control a few times. It had never worked out well.
“I need to touch you first,” Toni tried to explain.
“You did.” Addie tilted her head. “Earlier…” She motioned to the privacy screen, but she stayed where she was, kneeling while sitting back on her heels. “You put your mouth on me.”
“I did.” Toni reached down and cupped the curves of her wife’s breasts in her hands, thrilled as Addie leaned up. “I’m not sure I can do this.…”
“Which part?” Addie asked, sounding more curious than hurt.
“Let go of control this fast.” Toni felt self-conscious admitting it.
