She pulled away from him and went to the door of the room and made sure it was locked. She turned back around and caught a furrow of fear on Phineas’ forehead before he recovered his normal grin. He ran his hand through his hair.
“I, uh, . . . I thought you were leaving.” His laugh at himself was uncertain, almost choked.
Her devil-may-care, smooth-as-silk husband, who had surely bedded dozens, if not hundreds, of women in his lifetime, had been worried she was going to walk out of the bedchamber and leave him alone on their wedding day.
“N-no.” She crossed to him and pulled at one end of his cravat. The elaborate knot collapsed.
His grin widened. “Are you going to undress me?”
“Yes.”Yeth.
As she got to work on his waistcoat buttons and he took off his tailcoat, she realized he was wearing his spectacles. He had joked many times during their betrothal about putting them on for her, but he had never done so, not since the day she had agreed to marry him.
But now he had put them on. He must have done it while she had her back to him, looking at the painting.
“Spectacles.”Thpectacleth.She pushed his waistcoat over his shoulders.
“For you, darling.”
And then she couldn’t believe herself, she was clawing at him, moaning into his mouth just as she had in the library when she had first seen him in his spectacles.
She was aroused, yes, she was aroused, she had a throb between her legs that had started as soon as he had come up behind her and touched her. But it wasn’t just her throb driving her.
He had put on spectacles for her. He had given her a painting for her birthday. He had sent her roses every day for three months. He had given her the courtship and the ball and the dancing she had always wanted.
And he had been scared she was going to abandon him on their wedding day.
She must give him something back, and there was only one thing she could give him. She wanted him in no doubt about the fact that she wanted him. Because she did. And blessedly she could show him that without saying a single word.
She tugged at his fall and a button came loose from its moorings and fell to the floor.
“Shall I rip your clothes, too, darling?” he panted.
She grunted. She didn’t care what he did to her dress. She had a hand on his beautiful cock and was rubbing him into full hardness, pulling up her skirts with her other hand.
“Let me take your lovely dress off, Caro,” he said soothingly. “We have all the time we want. We’re married. And Phin wants to see you.”
“B-b-be quick.”
“Yes, darling. Turn around for me now.” His strong arms spinning her, his sure fingers on her buttons. “I want to see all of you and touch all of you. All of your beautiful skin.”
She pulled her arms out of her sleeves as he untied the knot of the lace of her stays.
“I’m going to have you as many times as you let me.”
Her stays were off, her dress pushed down. She lifted her chemise over her head and turned back to him at the same time. His hands were at her waist, untying her petticoat.
“So lovely, Caro, you’re so lovely.”
He put his face to her breasts and sucked a nipple into his mouth. She moaned and sank her fingers into his hair. Then her petticoat was on the floor and he was backing away from her. She took a step toward him, but he held up his hand.
“Can I look at you? Let me look at you.”
She stood in just her silk stockings and garters and her slippers. He turned his head on its side and his eyes peered over the top of his spectacles and ran from her head down to her feet and back up again. He made a low whistling sound.
“You are the most exquisite woman I’ve ever seen.”
She felt very warm.
