Page 75 of Burning Secrets of a Lady's Pen
“That’s it,” Corin whispered against the side of her face, only then moving his hips once more. It was slow, at first. Only pulsing in and out of her, waiting for her to adjust. And then, as that desire in her grew and she felt herself falling toward the edge again, he moved more.
He pulled back until he was almost out of her, her whole body lifting to try and keep that from happening, and sank back into her once more so quickly that the backs of her hips dug into the ground.
“Imelda,” he groaned, his teeth scraping her jawline.
The sound of his voice was her undoing.
The peak she had been reaching for crested, her whole body stiffening as wave after wave of pleasure hit her. Her vision blurred, her fingers digging into his back as she cried out his name and felt his hips increase their pace until suddenly, the space between them was so warm that she could almost see it.
Like waves of color cresting over them as he slowed to a stop, the whole earth vibrating from the force of it all as he rested his forehead into the crook of her neck, and they lay entangled in one another’s arms.
She didn’t know how long they lay like that, soaking up the remnants of what they had shared. At some point, he shifted so as not to crush her, his arms banding around her as she turned, so that she could rest her cheek against his still fast-beating heart.
“You’ll have to get dressed soon,” Corin murmured after some time, sweeping her hair back from her face.
Imelda’s nose scrunched up, her face lifting up to his in surprise.
“I can’t very well ask for your father’s blessing with you as you are now.”
And just as quickly all worry was dispelled once more, the both of them lapsing into laughter at the very thought.
Her father’s blessing. God. They were engaged.
Epilogue
August 1818
“You look quite happy, Lady Salthouse.” Spencer laughed as he made his way to his sister’s side.
It was a funny statement, seeing how happy he looked as well. He grinned at Corin as he came alongside them, his hazel eyes sparkling in the sun.
Imelda, catching sight of first him and then Charlotte, grinned right back. Her fingers tightened on Corin’s arm, the same way they had every time someone addressed her by her new title. They had only been married for a few weeks, but they’d had little time to actually go about hearing any sort of anything about it after the wedding given how closeted they had been in their honeymoon period.
“And you as well, Mr. and Mrs. Merrit,” Imelda returned as Charlotte came up to stand alongside her recent husband.
It had only been their wedding that had pulled Corin and Imelda from their self-imposed exile.
“Youalllook quite happy,” Aunt Lydia declared as she joined their group on the lawn.
Corin didn’t think that Salthouse had seen so many visitors since his youth; all of their family come to wish them well before their journey.
“A sign that we did very well, indeed,” Lady Merrit pointed out as she wound her arm through her friends and smiled fondly at the lot of them. “Do you not think so, John?”
Sir John snorted, his lips twitching as he shook his head. “A sign that they did very well, don’t you mean?”
“Let the women have their victory.” His brother, the elder Mr. Merrit chuckled. Despite the grief that still lurked in his gaze he was smiling as well, looking between his son and his daughter with the kind of peace that could only come from business finally being settled.
“It is always best to allow women to win,” Romeo chimed in rakishly from the sidelines.
He was the one point of sobriety among the gathering.
His joke was received well, everyone laughing as the women in question began peppering both Charlotte and Imelda with questions, but Corin was stuck staring at his brother.
There was a grimness behind his eyes, despite the face that he put on, and he realized that in his own happiness he had neglected to check on his brother.
“Give me a moment,” he whispered to Imelda, leaning down to kiss her temple before pulling his arm out from beneath her hand and stepping off to the side, one hand gripping Romeo’s shoulder to pull him with him.
“You’re all packed and ready to go then?” Aunt Lydia called out before Imelda could intercept her and allow Corin and Romeo a moment off from the others.
