Page 138 of The Secret Love of a Gentleman
‘May we go upstairs? I am tired.’
‘Yes, of course.’
‘All is ready,’ Beth said. ‘Your room is on the right of the stairs. Would you like me to come with you?’
‘No, we will manage.’
The bedchamber was a lovely large bright room, with two chairs and a chaise longue by the fire, and a large four-poster bed.
Rob put her down on the bed. ‘Your housekeeper has done a remarkable job of freeing everything from its covers and sprucing it up.’
Caro sat upright. ‘Look at the view, Rob. You can see some sort of ruins beyond the trees.’
‘It was an ancient abbey. The ruins are on the border of my uncle’s land.’
‘This house is perfect, Rob.’
‘I agree.’
‘Close the door, and take off your hat and coat, and your boots, and come and sit on the bed with me. Let us enjoy our new house,’ she proposed, patting the mattress beside her.
He smiled and did so, as she unlaced her short boots, left them on the floor then lay back with her hands behind her head.
He lay down beside her, smiling and reaching out a hand to caress the bulge of her stomach. He had begun calling the child Sarah. ‘You look beautiful like this.’
Caro felt a jolt. ‘She kicked, did you feel her?’
‘Yes, she said hello.’
Rob leaned and kissed Caro. Then he rolled onto his back, sighing.
She turned to her side, smiling. This was their marriage bed. She rested her head on her hand, as her other hand stroked over his trousers.
‘Is that wise?’ He smiled.
‘I think so.’
Her forefinger traced the path of his growing arousal, up and down, just gently running over the cloth that covered it.
They had done nothing more than kiss since she told him about the child. He must ache for more, and there was something she could give her gorgeous man. They had shared beds at night, kissing and holding one another but dared to do nothing more because of the child. But now there would be no more jolting carriages, and if the child had survived that…
Her fingers began freeing the buttons of his waistcoat.
His hand caught hers, stopping her. ‘Caro,’ he said. ‘Think of?—’
‘That is not what I intend. We need not have intercourse. Relax.’
He shook his head, but let her hand go.
The desire displayed in his trousers, aiming like a spear, was desperate to be known again as his hand held her head and brought her mouth to his.
She ran the heel of her palm down his length, pressing against the firm ridge, as his tongue pressed into her mouth. She loved him a trillion times more than she had loved Albert. She ached for his touch as much as he must ache for hers.
He rolled over her a little so she lay on her back, and then one of his hands covered her breast over her clothes. It hurt now her breasts were fuller, but in a delicious way.
Her fingers searched to release the buttons of his trousers, while his tongue pressed in and withdrew from her mouth and his fingers kneaded her breast.
After she freed him from the restraint of his clothes, her hand wrapped about him, and caressed, up and down. His hips followed her rhythm, then took over the work, sliding himself through her clenched hand. It felt like the act of sex, with hisweight half over her, and his breaths releasing into her mouth, his motion quickening.
