Page 66 of A Raven Reborn

“Will you do that for me?”

She nodded, not entirely sure what she was agreeing to, but suddenly his fingers were gone from between her thighs. He gave her one more brief kiss, and her other nipple a quick flick, then he shoved the door to her room open, and he was gone.

Rosie stood with her back against the wall, not quite sure what had just happened. She wasn’t even sure when, or how, he’d opened her robe, but she quickly closed it and tied the sash. Her entire body was trembling, and the place where his fingers had been, throbbed unrelentingly. Letting out a shaky breath, she pushed away from the wall and went into her room. Daisy was working tonight, so it was dark and silent.

She closed the door and leaned back against it. Could she really do what he’d asked of her? She nibbled nervously on her lip. Her body certainly wanted her to. She’d always believed the pleasure she found with him to be shameful. Deriving pleasure from the marriage act was something only whores did, surely. Patrick obviously didn’t seem to think that to be the case, though. He’d practically begged her to pleasure herself in his absence.

With shaking fingers, she untied the sash at her waist. She closed her eyes before tentatively touching the tip of her finger to her nipple and giving it a light flick. She gasped at the foreign sensation. It wasn’t the same as when he did it, but it was almost as good.

Rosie swallowed and moved away from the door, shedding her robe and draping it over the back of her chair. She climbed into her bed. In spite of her newfound daring, she still needed the privacy a blanket would provide. Slowly, she slid both of her hands up to cup her breasts, massaging, and then gently squeezing both nipples. A moan escaped her lips before she could stop it and she froze, listening for any indication that someone could have heard her. Complete silence. Clamping her lips shut, she began alternating between pinching and flicking, pleasure building within her until she could no longer resist the desperate need between her thighs. She hitched up her nightgown and plunged her finger into her folds. She nearly cried out from the pleasure that rushed through her. Experimenting with different motions, she eventually settled into slow circles. Pleasure throbbed more exquisitely with each revolution. It built and expanded within her until at last, like a tidal wave, it washed through her entire body, sending her over a cliff of ecstasy. She opened her mouth wide in a silent scream. It took everything she had to keep the sound in.

Gradually, the maelstrom of sensation began to calm. She breathed in deeply and let out a long breath, her lips slowly turning up in a satisfied smile.

Oh Patrick. What have you done to me?

ChapterTwenty-Two

The next ten days were like torture for Patrick. To show support to Rosie’s mother they did attend a small, brief service for Mr. Sheppard. The other, even more wretched man had eventually succumbed to the injuries Patrick had dealt him and was buried next to his father. Patrick had simply explained to authorities that the man would have been hanged for stabbing him and stealing from him anyway, and the police happily agreed that he had simply done them a favor. There were some advantages that came with being Lord Patrick Woodcombe.

In a private moment with Rosie, Patrick asked her if she’d done as he’d requested and pleasured herself. She hadn’t answered, but her cheeks had turned an alarming shade of red. Imagining her doing that was an exquisite kind of torment. But tonight, he would finally have all of her.

Ash had insisted that there should be some celebratory drinking and dancing after the wedding ceremony. He’d had all the tables moved out of the way and turned The Raven’s Den into a makeshift ballroom. The decorators had done an excellent job. Even Patrick hardly recognized the place. He stared across the room as Rosie danced with his brother, of all people. He never thought he’d see the day that his pompous brother would be dancing, in his night club, with a woman not of the aristocracy. Wonders would never cease.

Michael appeared at his side. “We’ve been summoned up to the office for a private toast.” Patrick followed Michael through the curtain in the back and up the stairs to their office. On the desk sat their usual drinks, two glasses of brandy and one of barley water.

Ash handed them each their glasses and raised his own. “To the first of us to fall into the clutches of marriage. May his days be filled with happiness and his nights filled with pleasure. We don’t want to see the wrath of Rosie if you ever tire of having her in your bed.” A harmony of laughter broke among them. “All the best. To Patrick!”

“To Patrick!” Michael echoed. The three of them clinked their glasses and downed the liquid inside.

“Thank you. Both of you, but especially you, Ash. I know I’ve been a pain in the arse these past weeks, so thank you for putting up with me. And even more importantly, thank you for keeping her safe.” Patrick let out a reluctant sigh. “Even from me.”

“You owe me, my friend,” he said, and clapped Patrick on the shoulder.

As Patrick turned to leave, Michael placed a hand on his arm. “I know this is a terrible time to talk about business, but before you disappear with your bride, I just need to make sure that you really aren’t going on a honeymoon.”

Patrick shook his head. “Rosie insisted traveling is the last thing she wants right now. But why do you ask?”

“Well,” Michael hesitated. “It’s time.”

Patrick’s eyes grew wide. “Has it really been that long?”

Michael nodded. “Fifteen years. Time for me to go and collect my bride.”

Patrick chuckled softly. “I may have been the first to fall, but not by very much.”

“Yes, well,” Michael set down his empty glass. “I don’t need reminding. I just need to make sure you’ll be here to cover for me while I’m away.”

“Of course. And now,”—he pointed at both of them—“I plan to spend the next two days in bed, with my beautiful wife. If either of you bothers me, there will be hell to pay.” Patrick heard them laughing as he trotted down the stairs.

He was done waiting. It was time to take his bride home. She was standing with her mother and a few other ladies, a brilliant smile on her face. He leaned into the middle of them and simply said, “Excuse us.”

Her expression brightened even more as she looked up into his eyes. He grabbed her by the elbow and led her away. She blushed slightly when she realized what was happening and she waved back at her friends.

There was a carriage waiting to carry them the short distance to his apartment. Their apartment. It provided just enough time to pull her onto his lap and kiss her soundly enough to make her breathless before they arrived.

He kicked the bedroom door shut behind them and immediately got to work getting her out of that gown. It was beautiful, but he wanted her naked. As soon as it was off her shoulders, he ran his tongue along her collarbone. He would never tire of the taste of her skin.

When she was down to just her chemise, he couldn’t wait any longer and took one of her nipples into his mouth, fabric and all. She groaned loudly, but quickly covered her mouth. Patrick stopped and pulled her hand away. “Don’t hide your pleasure from me, Rosie.”

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