“You cannot.”
Tilting his head to the side, he lifted one eyebrow at her.
“Why not?”
“Because I have not done anything for you.”
A deep chuckle rumbled through his chest.“Did you not just finish telling me that you love me for reasons besides what I have done for you?”
“I…” Johanna’s chest tightened, and she blinked, rapidly trying to sort through her thoughts.Yes, she had just said that.And meant it.But that was about him, not about her.
“I love you for your sweetness.”He kissed her fingertips again.“The way you are always watching over your siblings.”He kissed the palm of her hand, and Johanna sucked in a breath.“Your courage.”He pulled her arm higher, so his lips could reach her wrist.“Your acceptance of me… not many people can accept me the way I am, but you see straight through me.”His lips moved back to hers.“When I flipped my coin at the auction house, I did not ask it if I should rescue you… My thought was whether or not I should marry you.”
Johanna closed her eyes as his lips brushed over hers.
“Even then, that was what I wished.”
“I am glad of it,” she whispered back.Warmth filled her chest—a happy, joyful feeling that made her feel both weaker and stronger all at once.“I love you.”
It felt so easy, so natural to say now.
She wanted to hear him say it back.Again.
Now, when she would be able to believe him.
“I love you,” he murmured.“My good girl.My sweet kitten.”
The emotion in Johanna’s heart swelled, her insides turning to melted butter at his endearments.
Their lips met.
Clothing began to fall to the floor.
“I love you.”He said the words over and over again, dropping kisses along her body as it was bared to him, whispering the words against her skin.Heat sizzled everywhere he touched her.Caressed her.Kissed her.
When they finally made it to the bed, she was whimpering from the desire that tightened her insides.She wanted to feel him within her, to be as close to him as possible.Matthew rolled onto his back, setting her atop him.
Blushing furiously, Johanna had to impale herself on his shaft, his hands full of her breasts, as he stared up at her, watching her move.It felt shocking… and at the same time, watching his expression as he strained and groaned beneath her, feeling him thrust up inside her, being able to control their movements… Johanna found herself reaching her pinnacle faster than she ever had before.
But he did not let her stop.His hands gripped her hips, moving her when she was already breathless and gasping from the flare of passion, sending crackling bolts of pleasure shooting through her.
“Matthew!”She did not know if she cried out in ecstasy or protest as the sensations became too intense to bear.Her nails raked over his chest, and he let out a sound somewhere between a groan and a growl before flipping her onto her back.His body was still between her thighs, his cock still hard inside her.She wrapped her arms and legs around him as he took control and thrust hard and fast into her slick heat.
Exquisite agony spiraled inside her as the onslaught of pleasure rode the fine edge of pain, leaving her caught between them in a tug-of-war on her senses until he finally buried himself inside her.He gasped against her neck as he rocked forward, rubbing his hard body against her sensitive flesh, throbbing as he emptied his pleasure within her.
Johanna shuddered beneath him, gasping for breath.His heavy weight pressed down on her, pinning her to the bed.Even though it made it a little harder to breathe, Johanna did not mind at all.She closed her eyes, turning her head toward him as she ran her hand down the center of his back.
There was no place she felt safer than in his arms, his body making a haven around her.
She wished they could stay like this forever.
ChapterForty-Four
Matthew
There was a small crowd of ladies around his mother-in-law.She’d begged off attending the Manchester Ball, but once she received her first round of new dresses, Grandmama had insisted she return to Society with them.So far, her appearance at Lady Jersey’s rout was a massive success.Lady Jersey and Lady Cowper had both remembered her and been thrilled to see her return to Society—Lady Jersey, particularly, chuffed that her event had been chosen for the honor.
Johanna was with her friends, only a small group of gentlemen willing to dare the group of young but powerful ladies.Lord Boyd was there, standing next to Rose and endeavoring her to talk.Across the room, Christian was glaring at Lord Boyd, but he was surrounded by a gaggle of young, pretty things all hoping to catch a duke.Matthew wondered if he was ever going to admit that he was far more interested in Johanna’s cousin than in the debutantes who were vying for his attention.
