He reached around her and deftly undid the ties of her dress. She broke off their kiss, breathing hard. “The wedding breakfast. We have to go to the wedding breakfast in a few minutes, and my dress can’t be askew.”
It was all he could do to keep from laughing. “I’m enough of a scoundrel that I was featured in theRake Review. Believe me, when it comes to rearranging women’s clothing, I’m as good as any lady’s maid.”
She scowled. “I’m not sure if you should have told me that on our wedding day.”
He made an appreciative sound as her dress sagged open. “What if I promised that you’re the only woman I’ll be using my ill-gotten skills on from now on? Because I don’t want anyone but you, Rosalie.”
She looked baldly skeptical. “Not even the Marchesa D’Arienzo?”
Lucian blew out a breath. So, she had read that section of theRake Reviewcolumn. Of course, she had. He should not have expected any differently.
“I did sleep with Isabella.” Rosalie looked away, and he placed his hand on her chin, turning her back toward him. “Once,” he said with emphasis. “Do you know why I did it?”
She rolled her eyes. “Probably some excuse about men having needs, and how I shouldn’t become hysterical when you take up with another woman a month from now.”
“No,” he said firmly. “I will not be taking up with another woman.Ever. Bear in mind that at the time, I honestly believed I would never see you again. I don’t mind admitting that I was in a bad state. I knew deep down that I would never find what I had experienced with you with another woman. After two months of ignoring Isabella’s flagrant flirtations, I finally gave in and slept with her in the hope that I would discover that I had been wrong. That what had passed between us hadn’t been as special, as earth-shattering, as I remembered. That it was possible to replace you with another woman after all.”
Rosalie drew in a shallow breath. “And?”
He brought his hand up to trace along her hairline. “And I discovered that I had been right all along. That no other woman could possibly compare to you.”
This seemed to be sufficient reassurance for Rosalie because she grabbed him by the lapels, pulled him to her, and kissed him. When he stepped forward into the vee of her thighs, she opened for him like a flower.
Lucian went back to loosening her gown about the neck and pushing it down to expose her stays. He loosened those, too, for good measure, and lifted her breasts from their cups. He palmed them as he kissed his way down her neck and was gratified when she shuddered. He tortured her next, kissing every inch of skin across each of her beautiful breasts before he closed his mouth around a straining nipple. He was rewarded with her gasp. He felt her nails digging into his scalp and relished the pain as a spur to his pleasure.
Not that he needed any encouragement. It was a good thing she was growing so obviously aroused, because Lucian was on fire. He hadn’t slept with any woman, hadn’t found release by any means other than his own hand, for a year and a half. And this wasRosalie, the woman he’d dreamed about every night for the last two years. He was so painfully aroused and so eager for her that he would be lucky if he didn’t spend in his trousers.
Sensing she was ready for more, he sank to his knees before her. She scooted to the edge of the little table, clearly anticipating what would come next. Lucian smiled. He loved how open she was about her desires.
As a practicality, he removed his handkerchief from his pocket, folded it into quarters, and slid it beneath her. If they did wind up consummating the marriage, it would be Rosalie’s first time, after all, and although he intended to make every effort to prepare her, there was always the possibility that she would bleed. If it were more than a few drops, the handkerchief wouldn’t save them, but he figured it was better than nothing.
He pressed a kiss against the inside of Rosalie’s thigh and began working his way toward her center. She gave a thrum of pleasure and wiggled her hips. Lucian couldn’t help but smile.
He started out with light, teasing flicks of his tongue over her bud, and was gratified when she whimpered. He was starting to get an idea how she liked to be fondled between her legs, and how best to make her come. But, considering that they were married now, and she had expressed a certain amount of interest in consummating the marriage, he decided to try something he’d never done before.
He brought his finger to her passage. Checking to make sure she was nice and wet, which she was, he slipped his finger inside of her. It slid in unobstructed, but Rosalie stiffened.
Lucian immediately froze. “Does that hurt?” he asked.
“N-no!” Her eyes were wide, with shock, Lucian thought, rather than pain.
“I’ll stop.” It had always been a mad suggestion, that they consummate the marriage here. He would wait until they were alone in his bed, and he could prepare her as thoroughly as humanly possible.
But when he started to withdraw his finger, Rosalie’s thighs clamped around his wrist. “Wait!” she cried. “It feels… I think…”
Her sudden motion caused Lucian’s hand to slide forward again. The tip of his finger brushed the textured spot where some women liked to be stroked. Rosalie’s eyes went glassy with what looked like pleasure.
He wiggled his finger experimentally. “Do you like that?”
“Lucian!” she gasped, clutching his wrist and holding him in place. “That feels…”
He continued rubbing her there as her eyes closed and her head tipped back. “How does it feel?” he prompted.
Rosalie opened her eyes. They were pleading. “Don’t stop.”
Lucian complied with a moan, pressing her thighs open once more and bringing his mouth to her core as he stroked that place inside of her. Rosalie cried out in pleasure, grabbing fistfuls of his hair so she could position him exactly where she wanted him. Lucian welcomed it. He relished the chance to do this. He was going to pleasure her until her eyes crossed and her legs spasmed, until she no longer knew her own name and collapsed in an insensible heap on the floor. He needed to give her one good reason not to send him away, and this seemed like his best bet.
He could sense she was getting close, but when he sealed his lips around her bud to push her over the edge, she yanked at his hair. He paused, glancing up.
