“My lords and ladies, I urge you to raise your cups as we celebrate this joyous union of two loyal houses. To the earl and his new countess, slainte!”
A booming, “Slainte!” erupted from the crown as Alexander pushed back his chair and held out his hand for her.
Marion took his hand and together they left the hall to much applause echoing through the hall. They walked slowly through the courtyard and onward to their chamber, each step loosing more sensations within her body.
The only thing stabilizing her was his warm hand holding hers. She was grateful for the silence as they ascended the stairs, as she didn’t trust her voice and she didn’t want him to think the shaking that would surely be present in her voice was from hesitation.
Outside of their chamber door, he placed his hands on her shoulders and turned her toward him. For a few heartbeats, he merely gazed upon her without speaking, making the tension within her draw even tighter.
“Are you cold?” he asked.
“Nay, Alexander, I am not cold.”
She was rather the exact opposite.
“I want to tell you something, but I do not really know how.”
Icicles of dread crept into her heart.
“What is it?” she whispered.
He opened the door and waited until she was inside before closing it.
“My passion for you,” he whispered, “is so strong, I fear—”
Alexander stepped back from her for a moment and raked his hands through his hair.
“What is it you fear?” she asked as she took a step toward him.
“I do not wish to hurt you, but it will be your first time, and it may be unavoidable.”
Waves of relief washed through her. She feared he was about to tell her he did not really want her or some such madness her tortured mind had created in the moment. Marion drew in a deep breath. She did not want half of him, just the reserved bit. She wanted to experience his passion unleashed as she wished to do with hers.
So, she did the only thing she could think of. She turned around and asked, “Will you untie my bodice, my lord?”
She smiled as she heard him draw a deep breath and step to her. He pushed her hair over one shoulder and kissed her neck as he tugged at the strings beneath her bodice. She was pleased he didn’t have to ask how or where the ties were located.
Marion imagined there were various kinds of torture one could endure while waiting for pleasure, but she had to admit to herself she had never known any such as this, as with each movement of Alexander undressing her, his lips found a new and more potent spot on her neck.
When her bodice and skirt were on the floor, he turned her around and reached for the fine ribbon that held her shift together above her breasts. He gazed deeply into her eyes as he pulled it, letting loose the knot and allowing him to slowly open it so that he could slide her shift down her shoulders. Her hard nipples were the only thing keeping the garment from falling to the floor. Alexander placed his thumbs onthem and drew tantalizing circles, making her body pulse in ways she’d never known possible.
Her head fell backward as he squeezed one nipple and reached to the small of her back to press her hard against him. His hot mouth on her neck and hard body tight to hers was her undoing. Marion dove her fingers into his hair and drew his head upward to find his mouth. She kissed him with such abandon, seeking and finding his tongue for a dance like he’d done with her before.
In the next instant, he hoisted her so that her legs straddled him as he carried her to the bed. Laying atop her, he drew her shift to below her breasts and cupped one, squeezing hard. Marion’s body bucked upward as jolts of pleasure washed through her body. Every movement he made brought her higher and higher on a plane she could not understand nor fathom.
Alexander shifted and took one nipple into his mouth while his hand slid down across her fluttering belly and on toward the source of her excitement. He grazed his hand across her slick heat and then drove his fingers inside her, curling them as he moved them in and out.
Marion was nearly wild with need. She tugged on his shoulders, wanting more and not knowing when and how this would resolve.
“Alexander, please,” she whispered.
“Tell me what you want,” he said.
“I want you, all of you.”
As he drew his fingers in and out of her, he placed his thumb on the most pulsing part of her and within seconds stars burst behind her eyes and a flood of the most delicious ecstasy washed through her veins. Her body bucked and trembled as the sensation continued for what felt like an age. When she opened her eyes, he was staring at her. His fingers were still inside of her and moving in tantalizing circles, coaxing her to continue to squeeze around him.
“Such passion,” he said in a voice that was almost a growl. Thesound of it touched something deep within her which grew her excitement to build yet again. How that was possible, she did not know, but she was more than willing to find out.
