Page 38 of Unmask Me My Love

Hal climbed up until he lay next to her, head propped on one hand, drinking in the beauty of the woman beside him. He skimmed his hand down her body, light as a feather, until she shivered. Encouraged, he licked the sensitive dark peak of one nipple, while he traced a finger around the other until her skin pebbled beneath his touch and Gabriella moaned and clutched him. “Oh, mon Dieu.”

****

Everything Maman had told her simply had not prepared Gabriella for the wild sensations Hal’s mouth was causing all over her body. Her breasts had grown pleasantly taut with each stroke of his tongue, which was such a lovely feeling she wished he would never stop. Also deep inside her, an ache had begun that increased each time his finger grazed the tip of her nipple. The more that ache increased, the more she wanted Hal inside her, where he was supposed to be. Once he did that, somehow, he’d assuage this ache that didn’t hurt but made her long for it to end. She’d been assured, after a brief pain, there would be much pleasure for both her and her husband-to-be.

Gabriella moaned again and cupped his cheek. “You will come inside me now, mon amour?”

He nodded and slid his hand down the length of her body, causing wave after wave of the most delightful shudders to wrack her. When he reached the apex of her thighs, Gabriella slid her legs open, and gripped Hal around the neck. Excitement warred with fear, but she wanted only the anticipation of what was to come to fill her mind now.

His fingers wandered down to the opening of her sex then stroked upward, making Gabriella catch her breath. Her body seemed to be aflame everywhere, like molten fire was pulsing through her veins. Again, his fingers stroked, this time dipping inward.

“Oh, mon Dieu.” Gabriella could scarcely speak, the sensation was so strange and wonderful.

“There is more, ma chère.” With a smile, Hal slid down until his face was pressed against her curls, his fingers poised at her opening. Then he pressed one finger inside her, making her gasp at the burn. Which was forgotten immediately when he set his tongue against her little nub, and Gabriella cried out as the ache within her throbbed uncontrollably. He pumped his finger in and out as he laved her nub, until she exploded, pulsing around his finger as she clutched his shoulders, not wanting the incredible pleasure to stop.

At last, however, her body stilled, and she sank into the mattress, completely spent.

Hal withdrew, rolling over to lie next to her again, his gaze sharp on her face. “Did I please you, Gabriella?”

She opened her eyes and cupped his dear face. “Oui, mon amour. Tu m’as beaucoup plu.”

“I believe that was a yes.” He smiled and rolled onto his back, his arm over his face.

“Very much a yes.” Gabriella snuggled next to him, her gaze straying down Hal’s wonderfully sculpted body, until it fell on his member, standing almost vertical. “What is wrong, Hal?”

He removed his arm from his face, followed her gaze, and shrugged. “It will take care of itself shortly.” He turned toward her, a softer look in his eyes. “I decided I wished for you to remain an innocent—or mostly innocent—until our wedding night. But luckily, I know ways to give my wife-to-be exquisite pleasure without the ultimate act of love.”

Gabriella stared back at him, torn between love for the man who wished to be honorable, and pique that he had not consulted her on the matter. That would be a topic for discussion in the near future. In the meantime, however…

She pushed him onto his back and sat up.

“What are you doing?” His look was half puzzled, half wary.

“Giving sauce to the goose, I believe Celinda said.” She grasped Hal’s cock lightly, thrilling when it struggled against her grip. “You are not the only one, monsieur, who knows how to give another kind of pleasure.” With an impudent grin, Gabriella slid down the bed until she was next to his almost fully erect member. Another look at Hal showed his eyes wide and staring as she put her lips around la bite and engulfed him.

Chapter 15

The bell of St. George’s had been pealing for a solid hour, its music calling all the guests to witness the somewhat sensational wedding of the Marquess of Halford to Gabriella d’Aventure, recently acknowledged daughter of the Duke of Rother.

Walking sedately down the aisle on her father’s arm, seeing Hal standing at the end of it, Gabriella thought her heart would burst from happiness.

Her father slipped her hand into Hal’s, kissed her cheek, and whispered, “I love you, Gabriella.” His duty done, he made his way to the second pew, where Maman, the new Duchess of Rother, waited for him, eyes shiny with tears.

The ceremony that made them man and wife sped by too quickly for her to savor it.

Luckily, she would have plenty of time to savor her marriage, which would be long and happy if Gabriella had anything to say about it. As she and Hal returned down the aisle, she nodded to the few friends she’d made, searching for the one face she longed to see.

Lady Celinda sat toward the middle, her escort a handsome, dark-haired man in an elegant morning coat. Beaming at her, Celinda mouthed something as they passed that Gabriella didn’t catch.

As she and Hal left the church for the wedding breakfast at Rother House, she turned to Hal, kissed him long and lovingly then asked, “What did Celinda say to you?”

“Quid pro quo.” He laughed and kissed her again.

****

The wedding breakfast had seemed interminable to Gabriella. She would much rather have gone straight to Halford House, but the English must make merry after insisting on such a long, drawn-out affair as their betrothal. And if it pleased her papa, she supposed that was all that mattered. But now she and Hal were at last on their way to their own chamber, their own bed, and their wedding night.

They had managed no other trysts in the past two weeks. Perhaps her Maman had had a change of heart where her daughter’s debauchery was concerned, or perhaps her glowing face the next morning had given something away to her father. Whatever it was, both her parents had remained watchful when Hal came to dinner, and they were not able to exchange as much as a kiss that was not chaperoned.