Page 35 of Baby Nanny

“Whatever you feel like. Nothing you do will be wrong.”

“Show me how,” she insisted. “Show me what you like.”

Jack took her hands in his and guided them to his chest, pressed them there, close to his heart. Her fingertips danced across his flesh. Where once existed ice, each lingering stroke melted the coldness, turned it to warmth. Then to heat. He sank backward and gave himself up to her. Her undisguised pleasure and curiosity were a joy to witness. Little by little her inhibitions fell away and her stroking touch grew bolder.

She cupped him, then measured his length and width with her fingers and he closed his eyes, fighting to retain some vestige of control. This was a first for her, he reminded himself—her first memory of being with a man, of having free rein to indulge the sensuous side of her nature and explore to her heart’s content—and he wanted it to be perfect. When she’d driven him as far as he could handle, he gathered her up and flipped her onto her back, caging her within hisarms.

“Jack,” Annalise whispered, her voice rife with emotion. “Make love to me.”

He couldn’t help but smile. “I’m working on it.”

A soft laugh escaped. “Work faster.”

Jack didn’t listen. He took his time, not wanting to alarm her or do anything that might remind her of that long-ago event. He needn’t have worried. With each touch she loosened, opening more and more of herself, both physically and emotionally. Shards of moonlight caught in her eyes, allowing him to witness her intense pleasure.

He cupped her breasts, filling his hands with the delicious weight of them while he teased the tips into excited buds. Then he tasted, reveling in the unique flavor of her. He felt the pounding of her heart against his cheek and the swift burst of her breath ruffling his hair. Sliding lower, he delved across the tensed muscles of her abdomen to the protected delta below. Cautiously, he drifted inward. Her small gasp of pleasure provided all the encouragement he needed. He pleasured her until he felt the early ripples of impending climax. Only then did he pull back and settle himself between her thighs.

Cupping her bottom, he lifted her and slowly surged inward. Her hips shifted to meet his, fighting to find the appropriate rhythm. It took her only a moment to discover it. And then instinct kicked in and she followed the beat. Moved with it. Drove it. Caught within her rapture, she became sheer radiance. She rode them toward a peak, further and higher than anything he’d thought possible. They teetered there for an endless moment before the first tiny convulsions shimmered through them. And then they shattered.

As he flew apart Jack realized all the cold had disappeared, replaced by a raging fire he didn’t think could ever be doused. Annalise had done that to him. Had done thatforhim. Somehow, in some strange, unfathomable way, she’d freed himfrom the arctic wasteland in which he’d been living and brought him into the sun’s balmy light.

“Are you allright?” Jack asked much, much later.

Annalise stirred against him. “I think so.”

Her tentative comment alarmed him and he rolled over. Cupping her chin, he lifted it just enough so that the moonlight revealed her expression. Her mouth curved in a tremulous smile and a melting softness burnished her gaze. But he could also see a vague bewilderment that tautened her muscles and gave him a worrying sense of uneasiness.

“I’m sorry if it wasn’t all you hoped it would be,” he said. “It gets better with practice , Ipromise.”

“I can’t believe that’s possible,” she retorted with satisfying speed. She feathered a string of kisses across his chest. “That part was amazing. Incredible. And there’s absolutely no comparison between last time and this.”

Relief crashed over him. “I would hope not.” He gathered up fistfuls of her hair so she had no choice but to look at him. “If that’s not the problem, then what is?”

“It’s not a problem, exactly.”

“But…?”

She caught her lower lip between her teeth. For some reason the small gesture threatened to send him straight over the edge again. He wantedhisteeth on that lip. Wanted to give it a small nip and tug. And then he wanted to soothe it, kiss it endlessly while he sank into her honeyed mouth. Before he could act, Annalise spoke again.

“Will it be like that every time?”

“Like that… good?” he asked cautiously.

“No, not good.” His heart stopped in his chest, until she added, “That was incredible. That was amazing. That was…” She shook her head. “That was beyond belief . Ihad no idea. None.”

“Your previous experience isn’t a fair basis for comparison,” he explained gently. He waited for her to absorb that. Once she did, his smile turned wicked. “In my opinion, we need more practice in order to improve.”

Her eyes widened. “Improve? On that?” She lit up. “Are you serious?”

He didn’t bother to respond. There was a far more satisfying way to answer her question. He applied himself to the task with all due diligence. He planned to enjoy married life, he decided. He planned to enjoy married life alot.

The next fewweeks passed in a blissful haze, overflowing with days of constant laughter , aheartwarmingly joyousIsabella and a fat and sassy Madam. And the nights were even fuller, each moment spent in Annalise’s arms richer and more life-affirming than the one before. The changes served to solidify Jack’s certainty that he’d done the right thing, both for his niece as well as for himself. Even Mrs. Locke cooperated, delaying her final visit so the new family had an opportunity to settle into a comfortable routine.

Though Annalise continued to fuss because her father remained out of touch and she’d been unable to tell him about their marriage, Jack’s father had given his opinion in no uncertain terms.

“Have you lost your mind?” Jonathan Mason demanded. “You married your nanny? What were you thinking?”

“Wasn’t your second wife the au pair of one of your business associates?” Jack shot back. “Or was that wife number three? To be honest, I’ve lost track.”

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