Page 99 of Scandalous Heiress
His lashes fluttered and he stared at the ceiling for forbearance.“How’s that?”
She undid his cufflinks and laid them aside.Then she reached up to unhook his stick pin from his cravat and drop it to the end table.“To arrange the wedding so quickly.”
He locked his eyes on hers.I had to have you.
She cupped his cheek, all too briefly, then resumed her work on his cravat.“How did you manage that?”
“I’d sent for the license when we were at Lady Fallon’s.The same day, I wrote to the archdeacon at St.George’s to secure the date.”
She slid away his cravat, the slip of silk a sensuous sigh against his skin.Then she rose to her feet to stand against him and run the tip of her nose from the bottom of his ear along the line of his throat to his collarbone.
He slipped his arms around her, her wedding gown satin beneath his fingers, and she soft willing woman in his arms.“You are seducing me.”
“Am I?”
He tipped up her chin.He was giddy with delight.“Do you think there’s a need?”
“No,” she said, her voice suddenly a husky tone lower.“I just want to please you.”
“You always have.”
“Is that so?”She leaned back and his hand came up to cup her nape and hold her there.She was a delicious scamp and he was such a fortunate man to have her.“How so?”
“I loved the sound of your laughter.It was the first thing I knew of you.”
She circled her arms around him and nestled her head against his shoulder.Her legs were long, tangled close to his.How had he never noticed that before?“What else?”
“The newspapers made me laugh.”
She snorted.“I haven’t read any lately.But I venture to say, they wouldn’t make you laugh today.”
He stroked her back.All those buttons were going to be the death of him.“The flowers intrigued me.”
“Mmm.”She kissed the hollow of his throat.“It’s what we have in common.”
He breathed heavily, his heart beating loudly in his ears.“I love the way you smell.”
She pulled away, her eyes blue flames.“And I you, my darling husband.And I you.”
He gulped.“I’m going to have to take this dress off you.”
“Why?”she asked quite frankly though her voice was a purr.“I rather like it.”
“Ada—”
“Why don’t I just remove my petticoats and my step-ins, hmm?The corset is a terrible bother.But if I get out of it, you can take off my stockings and my garters.”
“To leave it on is not proper, my darling.”
“We’re man and wife.We don’t have to be proper.”
He kissed her quick and hard.“Because I want you, all of you, not half of you.I want this first time to be complete.For you.For me.Nothing will resemble a tumble.Nothing.”
Her eyes said she appreciated that.And so she presented her back.“Then undo me.”
His clumsy fingers worked on the tiny satin-covered buttons that lined her spine and he grumbled.
“But you must do the same,” she said, hands on her hips.
