Page 89 of To Woo a Wicked Widow

She tried to muffle her moans, but the hurt intensified as he continued forward.

“Charlotte? Is it that bad?” His concern endeared him to her even more.

She nodded, swallowing against a sudden ill feeling. “But that’s good, isn’t it? It wouldn’t feel like this if—”

“No, it wouldn’t. Until a moment ago, you were untouched.” He kissed her forehead.

So sweet.

“I’m glad.” It came out through gritted teeth. She didn’t truly feel glad at the moment. It still ached.

“So am I.” He smiled and brushed her hair back. “Try to relax, love.”

Much easier to give that advice when your insides weren’t burning. She let out the breath she’d been holding and the tension eased a trifle. “Nothing has been easy for us, has it?”

“It hasn’t at that.” He pushed forward a little more.

She tensed, but the hurt didn’t increase. When she relaxed, he slid deeper, filling her completely. Without the pain, the fullness inside her and the closeness of their bodies overwhelmed her.

“Is it better yet?”

“Oh, yes.”

He gave a little groan and began to move, slowly at first.

The sliding sensation started heat building inside her.

His thrusts picked up speed.

“Push against me, love.” The husky tone of his voice sent tingles through her as she lifted her bottom and dug her heels into the mattress. His rhythm steadied as he drove in and out, now deep, now shallow. New tensions began to build within, like the ones before that had given her so much pleasure. She moaned with delight.

“Now that’s a sound I love to hear.” He seized her mouth again, plunging his tongue into her, even as he did the same below. The movements coincided and the tension rose higher and higher until she exploded once more, moaning into his mouth, squeezing him as she released her pent-up passion.

He continued to stroke into her, pounding so hard she cried out when yet another climax swept through her. Nash gave one final thrust and a cry as he spilled himself within her. His heart hammered against her chest as he slumped onto her, then rolled away, panting like her team after a long run.

Her own heart gradually slowed to normal. A delicious lethargy stole over her. She rolled toward Nash, a smile on her lips.

He stared back at her, a deep frown over pensive blue eyes.

“What’s wrong, Nash?” She must have done something she shouldn’t have. But what? Everything he’d told her to do she’d done. Perhaps she should have done something else but hadn’t. Because she didn’t know to do it. Why hadn’t he told her?

“Charlotte.” He turned toward her, the distress in his eyes still evident. “I am about to do something dishonorable.” He took her hand and kissed it. “Please, forgive me.”

She began to tremble all over, as with an ague or illness. What could he do that would dishonor him? Did he intend to abandon her now? A sick dread twisted her stomach and she pushed the thought away. Perhaps he would tell her some confidence now that they were lovers. But what revelation would compromise his honor? Nothing that concerned her, surely. Still, an icy foreboding filled her, so devastating her vision wavered. At long last she had found the love and passion she sought, only to lose it within a span of minutes. She took a deep breath, summoning courage, and tried to smile at him. “What is it, Nash?”

Chapter 31

“Iswore I would not do this, but to my mind, circumstances have changed.” Nash rolled up onto his side to stare fiercely into her eyes. His jaw firmed and his mouth tensed. “I had no idea until you told me, Charlotte, that you were a virgin. And while it should not make a difference, somehow it does. I swore to you I would not repeat my offer of marriage, but having been the first man in your bed, I would ask to remain the only one.”

Her heart hiccupped, then took off like a racehorse.

“I love you, Charlotte.” His gaze softened, the blue of his eyes becoming an intense azure. “I want to wake up next to you each morning in this bed. I want to eat breakfast across from your beautiful face every morning. I want to fill this house with the sounds of our children. But I can’t do that if you will not marry me.” He glanced down and took her hand. “I know you crave your independence, but I will give you as much leave to decide things as is possible given England’s laws. We will arrange for you to keep the rights to Lyttlefield to run as you see fit.”

Of all the revelations today, that one may have been the most touching.

He looked into her eyes and hung his head. “I know you have been disappointed before and lost a dear love.”

She closed her eyes. She didn’t want to think of Edward now. She only wanted to think of Nash.