Page 18 of A Very Roguish Boxing Day
Gwen froze, pondering.She had assumed she would die a spinster, that she would never get the chance to have children of her own.It had seemed like such an impossibility, she honestly hadn’t given the question of whether she wanted them much thought.
But she had always liked children.She had hoped Joseph might have some someday, had looked forward to being a doting aunt, if he would let her.
If there was a child, everyone would assume it was Maurice’s.His family might even try to take the baby away from Gwendolyn.
But she doubted they would.Her impression of Maurice’s family was that they had too many children and not enough money to go ’round for everyone.They would be disappointed to find she was with child because that would mean that the baby, rather than one of Maurice’s siblings, would be his next of kin and, therefore, inherit the portion of his estate that did not go to Gwen.
But they would not want the expense of raising another child, and she suspected she could buy them off with a moderate lump sum.
Cheeks burning, Gwen said, “I don’t mind.If there’s a baby, that is.”
Tom studied her.“You’re sure?”At her nod, he dropped the white tube back in the glass, then regarded her steadily.“You’ll let me know if you find yourself in the family way?”
Gwen nodded tightly.“I will.”
“All right, then.”He turned back toward the nightstand, taking up a little bottle.He poured some clear oil into his palm and began slicking it up and down the length of his member.
Gwendolyn marked the change in his eyes as he did this, realizing that his own touch felt good for him in the same way the things he’d done earlier had felt good to her.
“Could I try that?”The words were out of her mouth before she’d realized her intention to speak.
Tom chuckled.“By all means.”Taking her wrist in his clean hand, he rubbed her palm against his, transferring some of the oil to her.He then guided her hand to his length.
Gwendolyn began to explore him with eager fingers.He was so firm and smoother than she had expected.As her curious fingers traced the shape of his tip, he pulsed in her hand, jerking up toward his stomach before settling back into its original position.Gwen laughed, startled.
“Wrap your hand around me.”Tom’s voice had a breathless quality, and when she glanced up at him, his eyes were unfocused.“Stroke me up and down, like this.”He proceeded to show her how he liked to be touched.
She picked up on the rhythm.She could tell she was doing it right, because his head lolled back.“Christ,” he groaned.“That feels so fucking good.”
Gwen giggled, pleased by his profane response.Tom glanced down at her, and she watched as heat flooded his eyes.“If you could see the picture you make right now…”
He trailed off, but Gwen wanted to know how that sentence ended.“Then what?”
He shook his head as he filled a hand with one of her breasts.“You cannot imagine the things I would show you if you were my girl.”
Maybe it was all an act, part of what she got for her two hundred and fifty pounds.But it didn’t feel that way.He seemed sincere, as if this were pleasure, not business.As if he really longed to have Gwendolyn in his bed.
An unfamiliar sensation swept over her.It was a feeling of lightness, as if a weight was being lifted from her shoulders.It started in the center of her chest and spread fast as wildfire, through her shoulders and arms to the tips of her fingers, down her legs all the way to her toes, and up through her neck until it coursed over her scalp.
She felt…beautiful.Beautiful, and desirable.
Suddenly, it was difficult to speak.Because she had never felt this way before, not once in her life.
Tom’s hand on her wrist interrupted her joyful haze.“We’d better stop that, bun.Otherwise, this’ll be over before we’ve started.”
Gwendolyn had no idea what he meant, but she allowed him to draw her hand back.He positioned her on her back in the middle of the bed.Having some idea of what was to come, she opened her thighs.
Tom groaned.“Fuck me.Just look at you, Gwen.You’re perfect.”
An instinctive protest rose to her lips.She bit it back.Tom hadn’t done anything to suggest his words were less than sincere.Much to the contrary, his physical response to her seemed difficult to feign.
For once, Gwendolyn was not going to put herself down.Just this once, she was going to allow herself to feel beautiful.
Tom moved to kneel between her legs, then slowly lowered himself down on top of her.He felt heavy, but pleasurably so, and Gwen adored the feeling of all his naked skin pressed against hers.
His face was tense with concentration as he reached down and positioned himself.Gwen could feel his member at her entrance, but to her surprise, he didn’t thrust his hips.
Instead, he kissed her again and returned his thumb to that little nodule between her legs.He caressed her until the pleasurable sensations started to build again, and only then did he press forward.
