Page 153 of Snowbound Surrender
“Oh!” she cried out, having been previously unaware of the wondrous sensations his actions could provoke. He paused momentarily to divest her of the rest of her gown, flinging aside the gold and green creation.
“That,” he said, “Is the loveliest packaging I have ever unwrapped.”
Her chemise seemed to entirely disappear without her even noticing, and it seemed his hands were everywhere at once — from her breasts, down her ribcage, back up to her neck, in her hair, before grasping her hips. She arched toward him, needing something more to quench this fire that was burning within her. The rough fabric of his breeches scratched against her legs, and she began clawing at his fall to try to be rid of the material. His fingers brushed against hers as he took over, quickly shedding his breeches and stockings until they joined the growing pieces of clothing strewn about the room.
Any thoughts remaining fled when one of his magical hands came to her center, beginning to work all kinds of wonders. Something was growing, building inside of her, but she didn’t want it like this. She yearned to know him, to be one with him.
“Hunter,” she groaned. “I need you to … to…” She knew what it was, but she wasn’t entirely sure how to put it into words. Fortunately, he seemed to understand, for his fingers left her, to be replaced by something much harder stroking against her entrance.
“Scarlett,” he groaned as he began to slide inside of her. “Scarlett, I love you.”
CHAPTER 16
Scarlett froze.
She could blame much of her momentary stillness for the pain. While it certainly didn’t hurt nearly as much as others had told her, all the same it was a shock that she needed a moment to become accustomed to.
But more than that, it was Hunter’s words of love. Did he mean it? Did he love her? Or was it simply words spoken in the throes of passion? Did she believe it? For if she did … well, then she might have to admit the full extent of her own feelings, and she wasn’t sure she was quite ready to do so, if she ever would be. For that was crossing a line she had told herself she was never going to cross. Did he expect her to say something in return? Her thoughts fled, however, when he began to move.
He was gentle at first, a slow in and out, but soon his pace picked up in a rhythm as old as time itself, and she allowed the ecstasy to overcome her. He reached down between them, finding the most sensitive spot of her body, playing with her until all of the sensations she had felt before he had cut into her consciousness with his words of love came roaring back. Her hands dug into the strong muscles of his buttocks as she ground herself against him, until finally the fire exploded within her,sparks shooting out through every part of her. She cried out on a half-sob, half-shout as Hunter quickened his pace before finally stilling, seeming to shake as he found his own release.
They stayed joined together for a moment more as they each recovered their breath, though Scarlett wasn’t sure that her heart would ever return to its regular pace.
Eventually, he rolled off of her, coming to his back, arms spread wide on the bed. One reached out to her, curling around her shoulders as he brought her close to him, wedging her into his side. She rested her head on his chest, a hand coming up to feel the springy curls dusting over him.
She closed her eyes and swallowed, not wanting to admit her thoughts out loud, hardly able to even think them herself. She was falling in love with her husband.
Hunter woketo sunshine streaming across his face, entering the room from the slight crack in the curtains. What time was it? He was typically awake and in his office reviewing the day’s correspondence and background documents he needed knowledge of long before the sun arose in the winter months. He was, however, considerably tired this morning. And all because — because of her.
He looked down beside him. Scarlett’s long, slightly wavy hair was strewn out over the pillow behind her head like a halo around the face of an angel. The sun danced across the scattering of freckles that covered her nose. Her mouth was open just slightly in sleep, enough that he could see the crooked bottom teeth through her plump lips. She was perfect.
Hunter reached out, running a finger along the soft, porcelain skin of her collarbone, across the locket she still wore, over her shoulder and down her arm, until he came to her hands, and he intertwined her fingers with his. She grunted a little in sleep, and he chuckled, smiling as she instinctively drew closer to him, throwing an arm across his torso.
Thisis what he had longed for since he had married the woman over three months ago. Despite the cold front she had initially presented to him, she was as warm as anyone he had ever met. She had held him at arm’s length for so long, and he did understand her reasoning — she was wary at first, as was he. He had feared her rejection. When she refused to accept him, he had left as quickly as he could, unwilling to suffer the same denial of love he had his entire childhood. He should have given it more time, been more patient with her. For she had proven to be someone entirely different than who she had initially presented to him.
He thought back to the previous night. She had opened herself up to him, in more ways than just by giving him her body. And he had — had he told her helovedher? He thought perhaps he had, though a slight niggling of worry crept into his heart as he certainly didn’t recall her saying anything back.Thathe would remember. Perhaps she had simply been too overcome to respond. That must be it. She would tell him how she felt in due time, he was sure of it.
Not wanting to wake her, Hunter eventually extricated his hand, finding his robe and pulling it on before leaving the room, shutting the door softly behind him. He made his way down the steps and was startled when a figure surprised him in the hall.
“Ah, Miss…”
“Parker, my lord.”
“Miss Parker,” he said, addressing Scarlett’s maid. “Your lady is still sleeping but at some point she will require a change of clothes.”
“Very good, my lord,” she said, and just when she began down the corridor, the maid’s sitting room door opened, and out stepped his valet.
“My lord!” Spicer said, running a hand through his hair. “I, ah, that is, I?—”
“Good morning, Spicer,” Hunter said, happy his valet had found love just as he had himself. He continued down the hall, whistling a tune. It would be a fine day today. A very fine day indeed.
Hunter didn’t knowhow long he sequestered himself away in his office, pausing only long enough to change quickly, finding Scarlett gone from his bed. The post had finally come through. The snow had paused, momentarily at least, though the freezing temperatures remained. Soon enough it would be time to return to London, and for the first time the thought was accompanied by a sense of melancholy rather than excitement or even impatience. His time here with Scarlett had been a pause in his regular life, and Hunter wasn’t sure he wanted to go back.
But he had no choice. For there was much to be done, from discussion of the war with Boney to the changes he wanted to take action on, which he couldn’t do if he did not convince others to support him. Too many people were dependent upon him, upon the decisions that the lords would make. Scarlett would understand. And she would accompany him now, would she not?
He was just finishing his last piece of correspondence, signing it with a flourish, when there was a slight knock at the door before Abbot’s graying head appeared.
“My lord, Lady Oxford has requested all of the staff to gather in the Stone Hall,” he said. “I thought that perhaps you may be interested in joining.”
