Roman shut the door. He turned the key in the lock without looking and tossed it on the night table beside the candle.
Reverently, he moved toward his wife.
She watched with apprehensive eyes but did not back away.
Thiswas what he’d expected last night.Thiswas what he wanted to have happen.
They stood almost toe to toe. He bent his head and covered her mouth with his.
Their first kiss. Her lips were closed but pliant. She was not resisting him. She just needed coaxing. He slid his tongue along her lower lip. It must have tickled, because she gave a twitch, and he took full advantage, attempting to deepen the kiss. He pressed in, his hands on her waist. God, she tasted good... soverygood—
Roman was conscious that her eyes were open.
He opened his eyes and they both all but jumped back, startled by the impact.
“I’m sorry,” she said quickly as if she believed she’d done something wrong.
Roman placed a reassuring hand on her arm to keep her from falling back on the bed. “It is nothing. I was just caught off guard. Do you always keep your eyes open when you kiss?”
She turned red. “Was that wrong?”
“Wrong? No, I don’t believe there is a wrong way to do it.” He waited a beat and then offered, “Usually, I close my eyes.”
“Oh.” She shook her head as if she should have known. “I felt a bit dizzy staring at you so close. I had to look at the ceiling.”
Roman wasn’t certain how to take that statement. He was relieved of the responsibility of an answer when she said, “Shall we try again?”
“Oh,absolutely. But first, let me remove my coat.”
“That makes sense,” she said.
Dear God, could she see how tight his pants were? He could burst and he had no desire to scare her off before they started.
The thought was forming in his mind that Leonie might be more naive than he could have credited. Perhaps that was why she seemed unaware of her impact on men? Could she truly be without a clue?
Of course not. Even when she was seventeen she’d received more than her share of male attention. She had a good head. She knew.
However, when he took off his coat and untied his neckcloth, he took the opportunity to blow out the candle. Now the only light in the room was from the coals in the hearth. It cast a glow around the room. His movements in shadow danced against the wall.
Leonie watched the play of shadows. She glanced down to the apex of his thighs. She knew he was aroused.
“Do I frighten you?” he asked.
“I don’t think you will hurt me.”
“I won’t.” He reached out to smooth her burnished hair over her shoulder. “And this is not going to be something I dotoyou. What happens we do together. It is meant to be pleasurable.”
Her expression said she wasn’t certain. “I’ll be fine,” she whispered.
Roman wanted her to be more than fine. “Fine” was a flat word. Fine was keeping your shoes dry in the rain or a lukewarm cup of tea that wasn’t cold enough to reheat.
This room, the firelight—it was made for seduction.Hisseduction. He almost couldn’t remember the last time he’d been with a woman, and then, it had been a dissatisfying entanglement without any meaning other than a biological action.
This was different. He’d lusted after Leonie, but now, he was overwhelmed and honored to find this beautiful creature as his wife. He would care for her, protect her, and bed her.
She closed her eyes, her lashes fanning across her cheeks, and he was almost undone.
His lips found hers with a will of their own.
