He paused, seemingly content to gaze into her eyes. And then, “Natalie Josephine Spencer, will you make me the happiest of men and consent to be my wife, the mother of my children, my countess?”
She released his hands and placed both of hers on the sides of his face. “Oh, Garrett, yes,” she whispered. “And I have wanted to tell you something.” It had bothered her for some time now. “When I met you in the park last spring, when I failed to speak to you and then ran away, do you remember?”
Furrowing his brow, Garrett nodded. “It is no matter, love, I understand. I understood then?—”
“But no, you didn’t. You thought I did not wish to speak with you. In fact, I did. But I was nearly late returning home, and my father had threatened to send me to Scotland if I didn’t follow his rules. If you can imagine! He would not have, really, but I was in so much trouble already. I just wanted you to know that.” Her eyes were earnest now. “Iwantedto know you. Even then. I truly did.”
“I was a brute,” Garrett said with a tender smile.
Touching his lips, she nodded. “You were. But I just wanted you to know…”
“I do,” he said against her fingertips. “And now…”
The next thing she knew, he placed one arm under her knees, another around her back, and lifted her into the air. Hespun her around twice before laying her on the bed and climbing in next to her. And then his mouth covered hers.
The hunger that had gnawed at them both for so long unleashed itself at last.
The belt on his dressing gown loosened, and Natalie took advantage to let her hands roam over his chest freely. His skin felt warm and smooth and muscled. She combed her fingers through the black hairs on his chest as his hands caressed her, slowly, leisurely. Her arms, her waist, her thighs. He covered her with his body. She arched her back to be closer to him and he groaned.
Pushing himself up, he sat back on his knees and watched her. Why had he stopped?
Without looking away from her face, one of his hands trailed down her leg and then grasped the hem of her nightgown. He slid it up, past her knees, her hips, her shoulders. She raised her arms and allowed him to pull it over her head.
Completely naked, she ought to feel embarrassed. She ought to move her hands to cover the place between her legs, to cover her breasts. But she did not.
Instead, she removedhisdressing gown.
He was hard contours where she was soft. As he moved to lie atop her, the muscles under his skin rippled. He urged her legs apart and settled himself between them. She was acutely aware of the rigidity of his manhood pressing against her. Ah, yes. His hands explored her while she arched and twisted in approval. His mouth trailed along her skin with as much enthusiasm as his hands. Her trust in him complete, she joyfully surrendered her person to his onslaught.
This was her husband. This was Garrett. Yes.
Letting her knees fall apart further, she set her heels upon the mattress. Finally, Garrett reached between their bodies to touch her, there. Yes, there. His fingers explored and drew lazy circles around her opening. This caused her to want to drawhim inside. She was all too aware of an emptiness that only he could fill.
And then he shifted so his sex poised to enter. Reaching down, she wrapped her hand around him and squeezed very lightly. He was all silken hardness. Holding himself above her with his arms, Garrett gazed down at her with half-closed eyes. “If you keep touching me like that, this isn’t going to last very long,” he said hoarsely.
She gave him one more gentle squeeze and then removed her hand.
And then he pressed himself inside her.
She let out a whimper. For she’d experienced a flash of pain when he’d pushed through her barrier. Hearing her startled cry, Garrett stopped moving and kissed her eyes and temples gently. He would wait. “Oh,” Natalie said softly.
He pulled himself back out and before she could move, pushed himself in again, this time deeper. But he still hadn’t entered fully.
“Oh,” she breathed again.
Once more, he withdrew and then entered her completely with one firm stroke.
“Do you want me to stop?” he asked softly. “Tell me if we need to stop, sweetheart.”
“Oh,” Natalie replied, feeling an overwhelming tenderness. “No.” And she pushed up with her hips, as though she could bring him deeper. He required no further encouragement.
His movements were long, and deep, and oh, so satisfying. She allowed his rhythm to guide her own. It was the ultimate surrender. She would have permitted him to do whatever he wished while she clung to him wantonly.Garrett, my husband.Her head fell back as he pressed his face into the side of her neck, both of them nearly panting.
The waves of pleasure building inside her were not sounfamiliar this time. She knew what was coming, and she welcomed it. She focused on his movements, how he seemed to have become an actual part of her physical person. He moved himselfinside of her!
“Oh,” she cried out as the sensations engulfed her. “Garrett, please.” She clenched her inner muscles around him as his thrusts grew more powerful and more intense. The raggedness of his breathing increased as did the pace of his strokes. Her entire being overflowed with his passion. It was as though he would touch the innermost core of her body. A place only she and God knew existed.
And just as Garrett pressed forward with one last thrust, a surge of ecstasy pulsed from her loins to every inch of her skin. Good heavens. Garrett! Good heavens!
