Page 24 of The Forbidden Love of an Officer
She did not look like herself; the duke’s daughter who must always be perfect. The woman who faced her was Mrs Harding. Some strands of her hair hung to her shoulders, having fallen from the pins, and her habit was creased from days of travel. This woman would follow the drum and live on the edge of battlefields. She was the woman who would give solace to a soldier.
The bedchamber door opened behind her. She turned as Paul entered. He was followed by two of the inn’s attendants. He directed the men to clear the table. One carried their plates and leftovers away, the other folded the table and took that too.
Paul closed the door behind them. Ellen’s stomach somersaulted as her hands clasped together before her waist.
His smile said,don’t worry, trust me, you will be safe with me.
She knew that was true, but it did not prevent a rush of concern through her nerves.
He walked towards her, intent shining in his eyes, leaned past her and closed the shutter. Then he faced her, and the awe she saw in his eyes reflected the love she felt for him. He kissed her, his palm embracing the back of her head.
It was a brief kiss. ‘I am utterly in love with you,’ he said over her lips.
She smiled. ‘I also – I mean, I am in love with you also.’
His smile tilted sideways, then he looked down and his fingers began tugging the buttons securing the front of her habit loose.
Her heart pulsed so hard it pounded in her ears.
‘Relax,’ he whispered, as he looked up to her face, but continued freeing buttons.
She could not. Her heart beat far too quickly.
Beneath her habit she wore only her chemise. She had not been able put on the short corset alone.
The last button slipped free, then his hand reached beneath her habit and his fingers cupped her breast over the cotton. He looked into her eyes as his fingers held and then released her breast and his thumb brushed across her nipple.
A sharp little pain caught like a pin pricking through her nipple. But that pain felt pleasant.
His hands slid the habit from her shoulders and down her arms. It fell to the floor. The cold air touched her bare arms.
She shivered.
‘Are you cold?’
‘A little.’
‘We will get into bed soon, and then you will be warm.’
She nodded as her stomach did another somersault.
He kissed her bare shoulder and smiled as his hands cupped her buttocks over her cotton chemise and pulled her body flush against his. Then he kissed her again. A kiss like the one they had shared when they had first come into the room, his tongue pressing into her mouth.
When he pulled back all the air had left from her lungs.
‘Ellen…’ he whispered. It was a question but she didn’t know what he asked. ‘Take my coat off for me,’ he encouraged then.
She bit her lip, realising she was too naïve. Of course he would expect her to take part.
Her fingers worked on the glinting brass buttons of his military coat, but her hands shook too much to free them.
A sound of amusement left his throat as he took over the task.
Then he stripped his shirt off too…
She could not meet his gaze as he took it off. An aura of strength and masculinity radiated from him and it travelled through her flesh to her bones leaving her limbs as wobbly as aspic.
Heavens. He was beautiful. She touched his stomach and chest, where ripples of muscles defined his body, his skin was warm.
