I’d never lain with an innocent before. Everything about Diana made it very clear I’d be her first. She hadn’t been lying when she’d asked me to kiss her. But her response made it clear that there was passion lurking beneath the buttoned-up exterior she presented to the world. A passion that I longed to explore.
Her hand was hovering over the sugar bowl and I shook my head. “No milk or sugar.”
She smiled. “Why am I not surprised?”
She handed me the cup she’d already poured then poured a second for herself. I watched as she spooned an alarming amount of sugar into her cup before adding a splash of milk.
When she caught me staring in amazement, she shrugged.
“I don’t recall you taking quite so much sugar when we stopped at that inn.”
“I’m curious,” she said. “I used to like it this way when I was younger, but Aunt Matilda insisted that I only use half a spoon of sugar.” She took a small sip of her tea and grimaced, setting it down again with a defeated sigh. “Deprivation has ruined my taste for sweets.”
I laughed. “I’m sure you could build up a tolerance.”
As Diana set about making her plate, I did the same. Silence settled over us as we ate in companionable silence. I suspected she needed this time to settle her nerves, so I wouldn’t force her to talk. When she finished her first sandwich, she put her plate down and took another sip of her tea, her face scrunching up again in a way that had me laughing.
She shook her head. “I’m afraid you’re going to have to help me. I don’t know what to do right now.”
I put down my plate and turned on the settee to face her. When she did the same, I held out a hand. She placed hers in mine without hesitation and I squeezed it. “Do you have any regrets?”
She shook her head. “No. This was always going to be unsettling, no matter who I was with.”
Somehow I resisted the urge to frown at the thought of another man daring to touch her. I stood and pulled her up. “If we had time?—”
She shook her head. “No, I don’t want to wait.” She licked her bottom lip, bringing my attention to her delightful mouth. “I want to do this, but I fear I’ll disappoint you.” Her voice lowered to a whisper despite the fact there was no one to overhear us. “Caroline told me a few things, and she assured me that it can be quite pleasant.”
Her voice was husky, and I found myself beginning to harden as I anticipated all the ways I could show her that her friend hadn’t been lying. But before we could proceed, I needed to put her at ease.
A few inches separated us, and I tugged her closer. She came willingly and, with the smallest amount of coaxing, wrapped her arms around my neck.
“I seem to recall that you were fond of kissing me.”
Her eyes turned heavy-lidded and I knew she was remembering the passion that had sprung up between us. That kiss had tested all my restraint, and I’d done my best not to think about it while we were en route to Scotland. But now I allowed myself to revel in the memory and in the fact I finally had her in my arms again.
“It wasn’t unpleasant,” she said.
I shook my head, amused. “If that is the best way you can describe it, I’ll need to redouble my efforts.”
I lowered my head, taking note of the way she lifted her chin to accept my kiss. This time when our mouths met, there was no tentative introduction. Her mouth opened under mine, and with a groan, I accepted the invitation.
It was as though no time had passed. We were back in that room, kissing one another with a hunger that had surprised me. But this time I wouldn’t need to stop.
I bent to sweep one arm behind her knees. She let out a small cry of surprise and tore her mouth from mine as I lifted her into my arms.
I stared down at her, my blood on fire. “I didn’t carry you over the threshold when we entered the cottage. I mean to correct that oversight by carrying you into the bedroom.”
Her gaze roamed over my face. “I think I would like that, husband.”
CHAPTER 19
DIANA
Clifton shook his head but I could see his amusement. “I shouldn’t like it that you call me that.”
A thread of hope blossomed in my chest, and I did my best to ignore it. Ours wasn’t a love match, after all. Not on his part. It was already too late for me. I was more than halfway in love with my husband, which meant that if I wasn’t careful, he could very well break my heart.
But that didn’t mean we couldn’t enjoy ourselves in the bedroom. I only hoped that when Clifton eventually grew bored of me, he’d be discreet with his outside dalliances.
