An Unsuitable Match (26 page)

Clarice shook her head. ‘As I recall, I didn't agree to anything.'

He racked his brains for an answer, but his mind drew a blank.

She smiled and opened the second button. ‘Do you remember what you wrote in your love letter?'

He shook his head. It had been many weeks ago, and during that time the letter had been mostly in Clarice's possession.

‘Not exactly,' he replied.

‘Let me remind you,' she said, pulling it out of her coat pocket.

She opened the lowest button of her coat. Only the two middle buttons now remained closed. She unfolded the letter and he watched as her gaze ran over the paper, nodding when she found the passage.

‘
I would have you naked in my arms, loving you as a man should love his woman. In time you will reveal yourself to me and I shall know you completely.
'

She folded up the paper and put it back in her coat pocket.

‘I didn't understand what it meant when I first read it, but I think I do now,' she said.

She walked over to him, and undid the remaining buttons. Shrugging her arms out of the coat, she allowed it to fall to the floor.

David was certain his heart had stopped when Clarice rose up on her tiptoes and placed her hand seductively at the back of his neck. She pulled him down to her and whispered before offering up her mouth to his: ‘Know me tonight.'

David Radley, a man who prided himself on his strong self-discipline, knew he had reached the end of his tightly held tether.

As the heat of David's bare hands burned through the flimsy fabric of her nightgown, Clarice sensed she was close to victory. While their lips were engaged in a sensual embrace, she pressed the advantage.

Sliding a hand up his chest, she made short work of his shirt buttons, exalting when he swiftly pulled the shirt over his head and threw it across the room.

A gasp of surprised pleasure escaped her lips when he reached out and ran his fingers over her hardened nipples. He squeezed one and she whimpered.

‘Good,' he muttered.

They pulled apart, briefly looking into each other's eyes. He brushed the hair away from her face and she nodded in reply to his silent question.

‘Yes, I am sure.'

He stepped back, and she smiled as he took in the diaphanous confection before his eyes.

‘My compliments to the seamstress who designed that; she certainly knows how a man's mind works. I shall be certain to have an account arranged for future purchases by my wife, as something tells me one or two of these gossamer pieces may come to an untimely end.'

He smiled as he said
wife
and Clarice drew close to tears.

She laid a hand on his now-naked chest, running her fingers through the fine black hair. With her forefinger she traced a line down his chest, over his toned, taut stomach, stopping only when the trail of hair reached the top of his breeches.

‘What happened there?' she asked, pointing at a red scar on David's left side.

He shook his head. ‘Nothing.'

She bit down on her bottom lip as she placed her shaking fingers on the button of his pants. The hard bulge of his erection gave her reason to pause momentarily.

‘Would you like me to assist?' he offered.

She shook her head and steadied her hand. This was one gift she planned to unwrap all by herself.

She flicked open the placket of his breeches and slipped a hand inside. David's breathing became ragged, and looking up, she saw his eyes had closed. She gave his manhood a gentle squeeze and he reached out and laid his hand softly on her shoulder.

‘Now run your hand up and down while still holding on to me,' he instructed.

He took her mouth once more and as she slowly stroked him, he worked his tongue against hers.

‘Enough,' he finally murmured and, taking Clarice by the wrist, removed her hand from his member.

‘Was I not doing it right?' she asked.

A deep chuckle rose in his throat. ‘You were doing it perfectly, but toying with my emotions in such a way will only get us so far.'

He stripped off his trousers and tossed them aside, allowing Clarice to see the fullness of his sexual arousal. Her eyes grew wide as saucers. He was large, long and . . . 
oh
 . . .

He took her hands in his and kissed her fingertips.

‘This is the moment when I ask how much you know about the marital act. Having lost your mother at a particular age I don't expect you have been given
the talk
,' he said. The look of concern on his face was touching.

‘No. But we do have livestock on Papa's estate and I have heard things,' she replied.

I knew I should have asked Lady Alice when I had the chance. Watching cows and horses probably doesn't count.

He pulled her into his arms and kissed her once more: small, tender butterfly kisses on her face and lips.

‘You took the first step and brought us this far, but I think from this point onward I should take the lead. Consider tonight as your first lesson in the art of pleasure, and me your master,' he whispered hotly into her ear.

A shiver ran down her spine.

‘Teach me how to please you, how to be your woman,' she replied.

With his mouth in possession of hers, he took hold of her breasts and gently kneaded. Their lips moved over each other in a rising spiral of passion.

She realised her gown was open when David pushed the two front panels apart and exposed her naked breasts to the cool night air. He had somehow managed to unlace the gown while locked in their fierce embrace. He slid it off the back of her shoulders and down her arms, pushing it over her hips until with a
swoosh
it fell to the floor. Lifting her up, he spun her toward the fire.

‘We cannot have you catch a chill so early in the proceedings,' he said as he stood her down with her back to the warmth of the flames.

Instinctively, Clarice attempted to cover her breasts and the thatch of hair at the juncture of her thighs. David gently pulled her hands away.

He took a step back and she heard the gasp of air as it escaped his lungs.

‘You are so beautiful, my love. Perfect in every way. Never be ashamed of your natural form, Clarice, for I shall always worship it,' he said.

He came to her once more and kissed her mouth. Then slowly, the kisses moved down her neck and across her chest. He sank to his knees and, taking hold of a breast, took a nipple into his mouth and sucked. A pool of heat formed low in her belly as her senses swirled.

When David rolled her nipple between his teeth, she sobbed.

‘Oh David, oh God.'

She felt his hand begin to slowly slide up her leg, stopping when it reached the light brown thatch of hair between her legs. They were moving into unchartered territory. Needing to steady herself, she reached down and placed a hand on his head. He slipped a thumb inside her moist folds and began to rub gently around the tiny, nerve-filled nub.

‘You want to learn to pleasure me, Clarice? Let me tell you, the first thing a man wants is to hear his woman scream as she reaches climax.'

Standing before him, Clarice frowned. She knew nothing of the pleasures between a man and woman. But whatever it took to make her his woman, she would do it.

‘Just tell me how,' she said.

His fingers separated her wet, slick folds and, kneeling further down, he set his lips to her heated entrance.

She put a hand to her mouth and bit down on the flesh as wave after wave of magnificent pleasure crashed through her body. His tongue circled and stroked her increasingly tight bud. She felt herself on the edge of madness when he began to thrust his tongue deep into her sex.

Her hands fell and took hold of his shoulders. The deeper his rough tongue tortured her, the harder she gripped.

Her breathing became ragged as sob after sob escaped her lips. Finally, when she was on the brink of she knew not what, he released her. Sitting back on his haunches, he stared up at her. The fire of unbridled lust burned fiercely in his eyes.

He got to his feet and brushed a hand on her cheek. Whatever she had done, David seemed more than pleased with his pupil's progress.

‘Come,' he commanded, and carried her to the bed.

On the bed, he placed her on her back and spread her thighs wide. He knelt between her legs, and inserted two fingers into her tight, wet sheath. Taking hold of her hand, he placed it over his manhood and she began to repeat the earlier stroking action.

‘That's it. Grip me tighter and pull a little harder,' he said. When he closed his eyes and groaned, Clarice knew she had the rhythm right.

He grew harder in her hand. Each time her fingers reached down to brush over the soft head of his erection, he thrust his fingers deep into her. He leaned across and took her mouth in a searing kiss. His tongue thrust in time with his fingers. She felt the heat begin to build once more, the growing desperation to reach the end.

His fingers left her body and he whispered, ‘Let go.'

Rising up over her, his strong masculine body slid between her legs and he set the head of his erection to her swollen folds.

‘Listen to your body, move to make it feel good. Don't stop until you reach the end,' he said.

Gazes locked together, he began to push slowly into her body. When she stiffened, he took her breast into his mouth and sucked. She closed her eyes and let out a groan. This was pure ecstasy.

As he pushed further into her, the pressure began to build once more. She looked up at him, searching his face. Surely this could not be right? She was being stretched beyond her body's capacity; something had to give.

With his breathing ragged and his chest dripping with sweat, David thrust his tongue deep in her mouth. She rose up to greet his hungry lips as he thrust his hips forward and broke through her maidenhead.

A small sting, followed by the overwhelming release of pressure and the deed was done.

He stilled and she heard him say, ‘Thank God.'

‘Was that it?' she said as her head cleared. He shook his head. ‘No, but the hardest part is over. Now you shall know only ecstasy.' He pulled his hips back slightly and then thrust forward once more, seating himself fully within her.

‘Did that hurt?' he asked.

She shook her head. ‘No, it's fine.'

David began to slowly thrust in and out, grinding his hips against hers. With every deep penetration she sensed a rhythm taking form. Tentatively she thrust her hips up to meet his, emboldened when he groaned and begged her to do it again.

As the pace of their coupling increased, she gripped tightly to his chest. When he tilted his hips, allowing his manhood to rub hard against her clitoris, a bolt of pleasure tore through her and she cried out.

‘David!'

He thrust once more, taking his cue from her increasing sobs and whimpers. Faster and harder he drove into her, until finally, with a soul-deep groan, she shattered.

Wave after wave of hot pleasure crashed over her as he continued to ride her. With every stroke, he would withdraw to the point of leaving her body, before thrusting deep and hard into her once more. She lay back on the bed, and watched with fascination at the passion etched on his face.

His movements now became frenzied, his hands holding the bedclothes in a vice-like grip as he rode her ever faster. When Clarice tilted her hips a fraction more, he moaned.

‘Lift your legs, wrap them around me. Take me deeper,' he commanded her.

She did and was immediately rewarded. As he sank into her a second time in this far more intense position, he let out a roar and stilled. He closed his eyes and bent his head.

Clarice reached up and placed a hand on David's chest, over his pounding heart. He opened his eyes and smiled down at her.

‘I love you, and now you are truly mine,' he said.

He slowly withdrew from her body, never taking his gaze from her. He sat back on his heels and Clarice sat up. She knelt in front of him and, taking his face in her hands, reverently kissed him.

‘Thank you. I expect not every young lady has such a wonderful time when she is ruined by her captor. Nor does she fall in love with the rogue.'

He raised an eyebrow.

‘Am I a rogue? Remind me again who it was who came to my room and offered herself so willingly?'

He took hold of her hand and placed a kiss on the inside of her wrist. ‘I would wish that our joining is always good for you. A man may find his release more easily than a woman. Promise me, my love, you will demand all I can give in the pursuit of your sexual pleasure.'

Clarice blushed, which, considering she had been engaged in a heated coupling with him only a moment ago, struck her as absurd. Staring into each other's eyes, they shared a soft chortle.

‘Come, let me be your lady's maid,' he said.

David ushered Clarice to the small washroom that ran off his bedroom. A bowl of water had been placed there in preparation for David's nightly ablutions. She blushed more than once as he went about the task of removing the evidence of their lovemaking from her body.

Back in the bedroom, she picked up the nightgown and her coat. He frowned and shook his head. ‘You won't be needing those until the morning,' he said and threw back the bedclothes.

With David on his back, Clarice laid her head on his chest and he wrapped his arms around her. The soft hairs on his chest tickled her cheek, but she did not mind. When he blew out the last candle, the bed became a warm, dark love nest.

‘I shall have to return to my room before the servants are up and about,' she said.

‘Don't worry, you will be safely tucked up in your bed before your maid arrives. Now sleep, my love; we cannot have you sitting with bags under your eyes at breakfast.'

Sleep took David first. In the dark, Clarice could hear his breathing slow and the thud of his heart settle into a sedate rhythm. The events of the evening had been far more than she had expected. The snippets of information she had garnered from overhead conversations in ladies' rooms had left her largely unprepared.

The memory of David setting his lips to her flesh had her stifling a nervous giggle. She was certain no-one had ever mentioned
that
aspect of matrimonial matters at a society ball.

And it had been good; wickedly so. She had heard enough stories of disappointed young brides to know that not every girl's first time was a pleasure.

David stirred in his sleep.

She snuggled up closer to him, surprised when a single tear found its way to her eye.

‘I will never let you go. Whatever I have to do, my father must be made to see reason,' she whispered against his chest.

‘He will; now go to sleep,' David murmured.