“Yes,” she murmured.
He took her hand and moved it down between his legs. “Don’t be afraid. That’s how much I want you. It won’t hurt you.”
She nodded.
He lifted himself above her and braced both hands on either side of her head. Then he dipped his head and kissed her long and lovingly. “I love you, Sarah.”
“I love you, too, Christian.” She traced her fingertips along his cheek.
His manhood prodded at the opening of her body, but when he slid in, there was only the gentle glide of him and a soft pressure. No pain.
“Is that it?” she asked, biting her lip.
He barked a laugh. “Not exactly what one hopes to hear the first time one takes his wife to bed.”
“No, I only mean… It doesn’t hurt, Christian. It’s rather—”
He moved his hips then and she moaned. “Nice,” she finished, already panting.
“‘Nice’ is one word for it,” he said, already pulling out and levering his hips again. “But I can do better than ‘nice.’” He pulled out and pushed in again and again, closing his eyes and kissing her as though his life depended on it.
The pressure built within her again, and the intense pleasure rolled through her one more time. She cried out against his rough cheek.
“Oh, God, Sarah,” he cried when at last he pumped into her for the final time and spilled himself inside her.
Moments later, he rolled over and pulled her atop him, cradling her against his chest.
“What do you think?”
“You’re right. It was better than nice,” she said, tucking her head under his chin and kissing his chest.
“I’m infinitely glad to hear it.”
She slapped at his shoulder and laughed. “You didn’t have to make all this so very complicated, you know.”
“You didn’t have to almost give me a heart attack by nearly marrying another man, you know.”
Sarah laid her head back against Christian’s chest. “I’m only glad it worked out the way it has. It frightens me to think how close we came to ruining our happiness.”
He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed. “I’ll never take you for granted, Sarah.”
She returned his embrace.
“What were you knitting, by the by?” he asked her.
“A new sweater for Fergus.”
“The man or the dog?”
“The dog, though I wouldn’t mind making one for the man, too. I believe I shall begin after Fergus Two’s new summer coat is finished. Though Mrs. Goatsocks may well take exception to my making a sweater forMr.Fergus.”
“Mrs. Goatsocks? Is she still here?”
“Yes. She’s found work in town as a lady’s maid. Mr. Fergus visits her each Sunday, or so he told me. That’s where he is right now, in fact.”
“Is that so? I wondered where he’d got to.”
“I expect we’ll hear an announcement between them, shortly. He was infinitely pleased to hear thatwehad married, incidentally.”
