Page 50 of A Countess of Convenience

“What precautions?” He made no sense. “We are married, so that doesn’t matter.” The heightened heat in her belly had begun to cool. They needed to fan that flame again. “Come, my dear.” She tried to pull him onto her, but he resisted. “John, what is it?”

“Judith, we wed in so much haste and so soon after your husband and father died, I fear Society believes we married because we must.” He gazed directly into her face. “Because you are increasing.”

“But I am not.” Was John having second thoughts about consummating their marriage? And at such a time as this?

“If you become pregnant within the next month or so, they will still believe it. I am sorry, but I do not wish such a stigma to be attached to our marriage.” His tone was apologetic, but his eyes were like granite. “We cannot consummate our marriage tonight.”

Fuming, Judith threw herself back onto the bed. “If you didn’t intend to start a fire, John, why did you strike the flint?”

His chuckle took her by surprise and made her anger soar. She’d been waiting for this release, for a chance to lose herself in him and in the moment of completion. Of becoming one with him. How dare he decree they could not and then laugh about it?

“Couples can make a fire blaze in more ways than one, sweetheart. You know that.”

“I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Now chilly, she tried to pull the covers up over her, but he stayed her hand.

“Don’t be angry at me when you are the one playing games.” He peered at her so long Judith became even more annoyed.

She’d been so close to that ultimate pleasure she craved, and he had snatched it away. And then had the affrontery to speak in riddles. “If you do not wish to have marital relations with me, that is fine. Then we can sleep, but I swear I will be the only person in this bed.”

He’d continued to stare at her, his frown deepening as she spoke. “Do you truly not know what I’m speaking of, Judith?”

“If it is something other than what we were about to do just now, then obviously not.” She huffed out a sigh and crossed her arms over her breasts. The one hope she’d held out that her marriage to John would at least be physically satisfying was fading fast.

Suddenly, he was all smiles. Leaning over her, he kissed her passionately, slipping his tongue into her mouth, delving deep, soothing her anger. How could she be angry when his kissed rekindled that ache deep within her? But how could he satisfy that ache without the possibility of her increasing?

Leaving her mouth, he scattered warm kisses down her throat, across her breasts, across her stomach that pebbled her skin with goose flesh. “What are you doing, John?”

His lips strayed lower, over her abdomen.

“John?”

Lower still.

“John!” Judith gasped and sat up as his mouth met the tender flesh of her mons. Her whole body blushed, heat sizzling through her veins.

“Shh. Lie back and let me take care of you.” He snagged her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

Gingerly, she lay down again and once more his mouth began to move on her. Lips and tongue, laving, licking, tickling, teasing her flesh until she writhed and moaned, not caring who heard her. Why had she not known this pleasure existed? Had Simon not known?

John touched a single spot with his tongue, and Judith clutched the bedsheets in her fisted hands, screaming John’s name as she shattered in release.

Lying back, completely spent, enjoying the strong waves of pleasure that kept breaking through her, Judith turned to John, who lay beside her now, grinning. “I don’t want to know where you learned to do that, but I am so grateful you did.”

Grinning wider, if that were possible, he gathered her to his chest and snaked the covers up over them. “I thought you were in need of release, my love. I just didn’t know how badly.”

“Hmm. I’m so relaxed now.” Judith yawned and snuggled into his shoulder.

“I should think you would be. You may have cracked a windowpane.”

“I did not.” She looked up at him, a sudden realization making her tense once more. “Do you think anyone heard me?”

“Don’t think about.” He chuckled and kissed her forehead. “We are sanctioned by the Church of England, sweetheart. You may shout my name as much as you please.”

She rose up to brush a kiss against his lips. “I want to hear you shout my name.”

“You do?”

“Yes.” She sent him a seductive glance. “And I know just the way to do it.” Blowing him a kiss, she disappeared beneath the covers.