Page 31 of A Marriage of Necessity

Her knees weakened and she grasped his shoulders to keep herself upright. He laughed low and deep, then gently thrust his tongue between her lips and into her mouth. He tasted of scotch. His hold tightened around her waist, pulling her impossibly close. Her head swam. He broke the kiss and pressed warm kisses along her cheek to her neck. She shivered.

“Perhaps we should go to your bed chambers, my lord.”

“We would never make it there without being waylaid by a family member,” he murmured against her flesh, “and I have no desire to be interrupted.”

She cried out when he swung her into his arms. He laid her on the chaise lounge and came down on top of her. For an instant, he felt too heavy, though she found she liked the feeling. Then he levered up on his elbows and kissed her neck. He tugged her sleeve down and kissed her shoulder. An intense ache thrummed between her legs in rhythm with her heartbeat. She started at the realization that they were surrounded by glass.

“My lord, anyone can see inside the conservatory. Perhaps we really should return to the house.”

“At the very least, while I am making love to you, you could try calling me by my Christian name,” he said.

She blinked. Was he reprimanding her—now? “As you wish, Kennedy,” she retorted.

He froze, then slowly lifted his head and met her gaze. “Have I peeved you again, my sweet?”

“You seem to make a habit of it,” she said.

“This time, you may be as peeved with me as you like,” he said. “But we shall consummate our marriage.”

She should have been ashamed, but, in truth, that was exactly what she wanted.

Eyes locked with hers, he began inching up her skirt. She didn’t flinch, didn’t move. At last, his fingers made contact with her outer thigh. He flattened his palm against her flesh and slid his hand upward. His hand was so warm. No man had ever touched her so intimately. He slid off her onto the chaise beside her and continued his hand’s upward climb. When he neared the apex between her legs, she tensed. He gently kissed her cheek then nibbled her ear. She twisted slightly at the tickle. Then realized his fingers were brushing the intimate curls.Gently, he slipped a finger between her moist folds. She jammed her eyes shut and gripped his arm.

“Relax, love,” he said. “I won’t hurt you.”

She wasn’t afraid of being hurt, it’s just, she had never imagined a man would touch her there. However, to her surprise when his fingers brushed the sensitive nub, a tingle of pleasure rippled through her. She drew a breath. He began nibbling her ear again and the tingle traveled from her ear to the place where he brushed her sex. He applied a little more pressure and began massaging her.

“Good heavens,” she breathed.

The ache intensified. He flicked his tongue against her ear. The sensation was almost sinful. She started when he slid a finger inside her.

“My goodness, Kennedy, do you think you should be doing that?”

He laughed. “That and much more, if you will allow me.”

Much more? She couldn’t imagine anything more--then he began to slide his finger in and out of her. A strange sense of pleasure rippled deep within her. He swirled his tongue. Heaven help her, how could something so innocent illicit such a decedent response?

“You set me on fire,” he whispered, and her insides turned to jelly.

He quickened his movements inside her. She should be ashamed. But she liked the sensation, liked the slide of his warm digit in and out of her. Was she supposed to like this? Her mother had explained what took place between a man and a woman, but she hadn’t told Anne about this, about the need that made her want to close her legs around Kennedy’s hand and beg him to end the torture.

She became aware of his kisses moving down along her neck. His tongue flicked the sensitive flesh, then he gently sucked.

“Let go,” he whispered. “Give in to the pleasure.”

He nipped at her neck. A string of pleasure shot from her neck to the nub he massaged. She cried out with a pleasure that caused spots to race across her vision. Anne seized his arm and squeezed as the spasm rolled over her a second time.

Gently, he stroked her until the pleasure dissipated into a soft echo. She was still breathing hard as he unfastened the falls on his breeches. She didn’t look down at his manhood—she’d seen that and didn’t need to be reminded that it was much larger than his finger. When he levered over her, she knew a moment of panic. Was she supposed to look him in the eye—how could she—or was she supposed to close her eyes?

He smiled down at her. “Trust me, Anne.”

She nodded and kept her eyes open as he settled between her legs. The warmth of his thighs against hers was far more compelling than the warmth of just his hand. His length bumped her opening. He reached between them and slipped the head of his manhood just inside her folds and she tensed. He lowered his head and brushed his mouth against hers. When he breathed deep, she grasped his arms. Hard muscle flexed beneath her fingers and a thrill shot through her. His hips shifted—then he surged into her. A deep pinch came and went.

Kennedy lifted his mouth from hers and looked down at her. “Are you well?”

Anne nodded, though she wasn’t certain. He felt so strange inside her.

He drew back and she gripped his arms tighter in readiness for another pinch when he thrust into her again. None came. He pulled back, then thrust. Kennedy lowered himself onto her and kissed her again, then drove deeper. Pleasure mixed with a smidgen of pain startled her. His tongue slipped inside her mouth. Her head whirled as his thrusts increased speed. Pleasure rippled through her. He drove deeper and the pain increased a little. Still, she was shocked to find she wanted more.