Page 19 of A Raven Reformed

It seemed silly that they’d been wed for several weeks, he’d just spanked her and brought her to orgasm, and they were now lying together in his bed, and yet kissing her was somehow the most intimidating thing of all. A frisson of excitement filled him as he leaned in, pressing his lips gently against hers.

She was untutored, but not afraid. If anything, she was eager. After a moment, he traced her full lips with his tongue, encouraging her to open for him. When her lips parted, a groan escaped him as he dipped his tongue inside to find hers.

He was shocked by his own eager response to a simple kiss. He pushed himself over the top of her in order to better plunder her mouth. When she responded with a whimpering moan, his manhood came roaring back to life. Slowly, he began to wind the kiss back down. If he didn’t stop now, he may not stop at all, and she still wasn’t ready. He needed to do more to earn her trust first. He gradually pulled his lips away, both of them slightly breathless. Resting his forehead against hers, she smiled warmly.

Michael closed his eyes just savoring this moment. It was incredible how much had changed between them in just a few short hours. He’d started to wonder if she’d ever even speak to him. Never had he imagined they’d share an evening as marvelous as this had been. He pressed one last brief kiss to her lips. “You’ve had a long day, Belle, and you need sleep.” He rolled onto his back on his own side of the bed. After a moment, her hand slipped tentatively into his. He squeezed it and looked over at her. Her tender smile soothed his soul.

“Thank you, Michael.”

His heart warmed finally hearing his name from her lips. “For what?”

“All of it,” she said simply.

He wasn’t sure how or why, but those honest words made him wonder if perhaps one day he would be able to forgive himself for all the bad decisions he’d made. “You’re welcome, Belle. Now sleep, before I pull you out of this bed and spank you again.”

She was supposed to blush and shyly acquiesce, but instead she looked at him excitedly, daring him to do it. He chuckled and raised her hand to his lips before lifting the blanket and tucking it back under where it would be warm. “Sleep.” His little temptress of a wife might just be his undoing.

* * *

Belle stretched and sat up in the bed. Sunlight was creeping in around the curtains. She’d slept like a baby and her heart felt lighter than it had in a very long time. Somehow, she wasn’t surprised that Michael was nowhere to be seen. It was strange thinking of him as Michael. Before last night, he’d only ever been her husband or Lord Dalinridge, but Michael was something completely different. Tender, patient, attentive, thoughtful, all the things she’d believed her husband wasn’t. All things she would have listed if someone had asked her what she hoped for in a husband.

He probably had some important business to attend to, and who knew when he’d be back. Belle threw back the blankets and climbed out of bed. She might as well get dressed while she waited for him to return. She certainly wouldn’t be wandering off on her own again and making him worry. Not that she’d be opposed to the consequences that might follow now that she knew what they might be.

She hadn’t often dressed herself, but she’d done it enough to know it was easiest to put her shoes on before her corset. She was bent down in the process of fastening them when Michael walked through the door behind her.

“My God, woman. Are you trying to do me in?”

She straightened and whipped around, her heart startled into a sprint inside her chest. He had a devilish grin on his handsome face that made her heart race for a whole other reason. He quickly moved the tray he was carrying to his right hand and wrapped the left arm around her, his warm palm reaching down to squeeze her backside. His lips came in for a searing kiss. She was breathless and filled with the familiar desire she’d experienced last night, by the time he pulled back. He gave her bottom a little pat before leaving her to set the tray on a small table against the wall.

“Good morning, Michael.” Was this how it would always be now? Is this how it always would have been if she’d not been such a brat to him in the beginning?

“Any morning that starts with that view of your backside is definitely a good morning.” He came in for another kiss, squeezing her bottom with both hands this time, and pulling her tightly against him. She copied his tongue’s movements with her own, boldly swooping into his mouth. With a groan, he pulled away from her.

Unable to stop herself, she looked down at the hard ridge that had grown against her belly. What exactly did it mean?

“I’m sorry, Belle.”

She inhaled sharply and looked up, embarrassed that she’d been caught staring. She nibbled nervously on her bottom lip, but then tamped down her timid feelings. “I don’t really understand,” she admitted.

“Don’t be embarrassed. It’s just something you haven’t learned about yet. This is what will probably always happen when I see your beautiful body, or kiss you, or”—he breathed in deeply through his nose—“smell you. I could go on, but basically, it’s what happens when I’m aroused and want to make love to you.” Her heart stuttered at those words. Make love to her.

Her eyes flicked down to it again. “May I…” she hesitated. “May I touch it?”

“Oh,” he groaned. His cheeks puffed out as he blew out a breath before nodding. “Yes.”

Belle took a step toward him and carefully cupped her palm around it. It gave a small twitch, and she jerked her gaze up to his face. He smiled, but a muscle ticked in his jaw. “Am I hurting you?”

“No.” He spoke the word, but his strained features said otherwise. She removed her palm and ran one finger lightly along the hard shaft. His whole body shivered and he took a quick step back, grabbing her wrist.

“That’s enough for today.” He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply before letting out a long, calming breath.

“Are you sure I didn’t hurt you?”

“Let’s get you dressed before I lose my last thread of composure and ravish you right here and now. Then we’ll talk more about the details of all of this.”

“But I think I might want you to ravish me.”

He had already returned to the table and started pouring tea. “‘Might want’ isn’t good enough,” he said over his shoulder. “Get dressed.”

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