CHAPTER8
A MORNING FILLED WITH PROMISE
Two hours later
Katherine awoke with a start, sure someone was watching her. She lifted her head, expecting to see her lady’s maid fussing with a selection of day gowns.
But the only other person in the bedchamber was Thomas, and he was regarding her with a wan grin. He was still under the covers, his head half-hidden by his pillow. “Morning, sleepy head,” he said before touching his lips to her forehead.
“Good morning, handsome,” she replied, one hand going to his forehead. Her brows furrowed as she flattened her palm over the area that wasn’t covered by the bandage. “You feel feverish,” she murmured.
“Ah, but I am. Feverishly in need of you,” he replied with a grin.
Torn between admonishing him and kissing him, she decided on disbelief. “Really? I must look a sight,” she remarked, lifting herself onto an elbow. A curtain of her dark hair fell onto the arm he had wrapped beneath her breasts.
“Oh, you are. A sight for sore eyes and then some,” he murmured, his lips covering one of her nipples.
She didn’t bother pulling away. Not when it meant giving up an opportunity to experience a few more minutes of pleasure with the duke with whom she had at one time expected to live her entire life.
Although she had pretended innocence and shock when he had first made love to her all those years ago, during an afternoon when he was allowed to take her for a ride on his high-perch phaeton in Rotten Row, she had secretly wished for a different sort of ride.
And he had provided it.
His possession of a town house so close to Hyde Park meant they could ride in public and then hurry off to spend an hour in his bedchamber, him teaching her what to do for him while he seemed to already know what to do for her.
His carnal attentions had been shocking at first. Shocking but so welcome. Soon, the two were spending nearly every afternoon at his townhouse, making love and sharing secrets. Making plans and sharing stories. Making merry and sharing gossip.
Right up until the day before their wedding.
When his hand waved in front of her face, Katherine gave a start. “Where were you?” he asked.
She glanced down, stunned to discover he was already atop her. Her legs were wrapped around his thighs, and her core throbbed with need of him. “I was remembering what you used to do to me after our rides in the park.”
“Fondly, I hope,” he responded, his manhood nudging at her entrance.
Inhaling sharply, she nodded in the pillow. “Always.” She lifted her hips, which had his cock entering her halfway.
Stunned at her move, Thomas chuckled as he pushed into her all the way. “I rather enjoyed teaching you how to make love. Now I’m hoping I don’t embarrass myself.”
“Why do you think you would?” she asked, once again lifting her hips in an attempt to make him begin the familiar thrusting she had come to appreciate.
“I haven’t bedded a woman in a long time, let alone three times in less than a day.”
She grinned when he finally pulled out and thrust into her. “After nearly freezing to death, no less,” she whispered.
“I thought to take it slow this morning,” he said quietly. He kissed her engorged nipples. “But—”
“Hurry,” she breathed.
He nodded, unable to form words to respond. He was already caught up in the maelstrom of what was about to happen, his every frantic thrust met by hers.
Neither lasted long, their pleasures cresting and crashing at the same time.
Thomas remained suspended above her for a long time before he gave into his sudden exhaustion, his eyes locked with hers.
Katherine guided his body down until his head rested on her pillow. Wrapping her arms around his back as far as she could, she held on, preventing him from rolling off of her. “Stay. Stay here with me,” she begged in a whisper.
“I’m not going anywhere,” he replied, his voice faraway.
