Page 31 of The Butler's Forbidden Fancy
She grabbed a breath. “That is no explanation.”
“No?” He arched a brow. “How then is this?” He caught another finger and sucked it twice as hard.
She wiggled beneath him, saucy girl.
“Or this?” He took another.
She whimpered.
And another.
She shook. “Not fair.”
“But good, eh?” He seized her thumb and nipped it.
She moaned, but kicked him.
He—expert at wrestling and taming the little shrew in her—clamped her legs together with his own. “Quiet now. If we are to have a good marriage, then you must agree to listen to me.”
“Hunh! And what of you to me?”
He nodded, loving the pink in her cheeks and the dark green challenge in her lovely eyes. “I vow to always listen to you.”
“You do?”
“And love you, my darling.” He took one hand and wrapped it around her nape to hold her in place for a ravishing kiss of her lips. “Like this, I plan to love you.” He nibbled on her lower lip and she arched up into his body. “And like this, I plan to keep you happy.” He dropped kisses down the elegant column of her throat and nudged the bodice of the cursed chemise over the swell of one breast. “I plan to warm you…” He took one nipple between his lips. “And please you….” He licked the pink rosebud of her hard little nipple. “And consume you.” He sucked her high and hard into his mouth.
She gasped, her nails digging into his shoulder. “Octo.”
“Yes, my darling,” he crooned as he pushed up and took down the offending chemise all the way past her tiny waist. “All of you is mine.” He caressed her with big hot hungry hands and she undulated and curled her legs around his.
“Yes, I am. I have always been.”
He angled up and pulled the garment away. My God, would he ever have enough days and nights and years and eternities to tell her how utterly beautiful she was? She had curves and valleys of ivory and pink, luscious frothy red hair and frilly wet glistening folds, ready for him, eager to him. “I will be your husband, my sweetheart.”
She caught his jaw, fear harsh in her gaze. “Without reservation?”
He put his hand to her cheek. “Without any reservation.”
“Because?”
“I have finally rid myself of old rules. Useless things that marked our lives and parted us.”
“Like?”
“Titles. I have none to give you. Money. I have none of that, either.”
“I want or need neither from you.” She pressed against him, curled her arms around his shoulders and kissed his mouth passionately and ended it all too soon. “I want your honesty, your courage and your fine mind. I want your aspirations for a better life, free and equal, both of us.”
“I need that, too, my love.”
“Will you take me as I am?” She sounded young, vulnerable.
“How could I not?”
“Oh,” she said and glanced away, “Some wouldn’t.”
“They are fools.”
