Page 49 of The Earl's Forbidden Governess
Catherine let out a strangled laugh. “I have… I have, you fool. God help me, but I do.”
For a moment, they stood there, the air between them crackling with tension. Then, with a growl of frustration, Edward surged forward, capturing Catherine’s lips in a searing kiss.
Catherine gasped against his mouth, her body instinctively arching into his. Edward’s arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her flush against him as he deepened the kiss. All thoughts of propriety, of duty, of the insurmountable obstacles between them fled in the face of their overwhelming desire.
Edward’s hands roamed her back, tracing the curve of her spine through the thin material of her nightgown. Catherine’s fingers tangled in his hair, pulling him closer as if she could meld their bodies together through sheer force of will.
When they finally broke apart, both were breathing heavily. Edward rested his forehead against Catherine’s, his eyes closed. “We shouldn’t,” he murmured, even as his hands tightened on her waist.
“No,” Catherine agreed, her voice breathless. “We really shouldn’t.”
For a moment, neither moved. Then, as if by mutual agreement, their lips met again, this time with a desperate urgency that left no room for doubt or hesitation.
Edward’s hands fumbled with the ribbons of Catherine’s nightgown, loosening them just enough to expose the soft skin of her shoulders. His lips trailed a path along her jaw, down her neck, eliciting a soft moan from Catherine that sent shivers down his spine.
Catherine’s own hands were not idle. She pushed Edward’s coat from his shoulders, her fingers working swiftly to undo the buttons of his waistcoat and shirt. When her hands finally made contact with the warm skin of his chest, they both gasped at the sensation.
“Catherine,” Edward groaned, his voice rough with desire. “Are you certain? If we do this...”
She silenced him with another kiss, pouring all her longing, all her frustration, all her love into the gesture. “I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life,” she whispered against his lips.
That was all the encouragement Edward needed. With a swift movement, he lifted Catherine into his arms and carried her to the bed. He laid her down gently, his eyes roaming her form with a hunger that made her breath catch in her throat.
As Edward joined her on the bed, Catherine reached for him, pulling him close. Their kisses grew more heated, hands exploring newly exposed skin with a reverence bordering on worship. Each touch, each caress was a revelation, a silent declaration of all the words they’d left unspoken.
Their lips met in a searing kiss and her legs fell open as he positioned himself over her. “Catherine,” Edward growled, his eyes meeting hers. “Are you sure?”
There was no turning back—of that much she was certain. There was nothing she could do, but nod and when Edward finally entered her, Catherine felt as though her world had shifted on its axis. They moved together in perfect harmony, their bodies speaking a language that transcended words. Her legs wrapped around his hips, and she arched her back to press her chest against his, her nails pressing against his back and creating crescent shaped indentations on his skin.
As they approached their peak, Catherine clung to Edward, her nails digging into his back. “Edward,” she gasped, her voice filled with wonder and desperation. “Oh, Edward...”
“Catherine,” he groaned in response, his movements becoming more urgent. “My Catherine...”
They rode the wave together, crying out in shared ecstasy. As the aftershocks rippled through them, Edward collapsed ontoCatherine, burying his face in the crook of her neck. She held him close, her fingers gently carding through his hair.
For a long while, they lay there in silence, the reality of what they’d done slowly seeping back in. Edward rolled onto his side, pulling Catherine with him so that they lay face to face, limbs still entwined.
“What have we done?” he murmured, though there was no trace of regret in his voice.
Catherine traced the line of his jaw with her fingertips. “Something wonderful,” she replied softly. “And terrible.”
Edward caught her hand, pressing a kiss to her palm. “I don’t regret it,” he said firmly. “I could never regret this... regret you.”
“Nor I,” Catherine whispered. “But… it changes nothing.”
Edward looked down, conflict playing across his features. “I want… I want things to be different,” he whispered. “Oh, how I wish I were free… but…”
Catherine nodded, tears pricking at her eyes. “You’re still engaged. Still the Earl of Wessex. And I’m still just a governess.”
Edward pulled her closer, as if he could shield her from the harsh realities of their situation through sheer physical proximity. “You could never be ’just’ anything, Catherine. You are... extraordinary.”
They lapsed into silence once more, each lost in their own thoughts. As sleep began to claim them, Catherine pressed herself closer to Edward, trying to memorize every detail of this moment. The steady beat of his heart, the warmth of his skin, the way his arms tightened around her even in sleep.
She knew, with a certainty that ached, that this night would have to last her a lifetime.
Hours later, Catherine awoke with a start. The room was still dark, the first hints of dawn not yet visible on the horizon. Beside her, Edward slept peacefully, his face relaxed in a way she had never seen before.
Gently, so as not to wake him, Catherine extricated herself from his embrace. She stood by the bed for a long moment, drinking in the sight of him. In sleep, the weight of his responsibilities seemed to lift from his shoulders. He looked younger, unburdened.
