Invitation to Passion (8 page)

After Melissa left, Madeline sat caressing the book in her hands. She’d love to sit and devour it now, before her wedding night. But part of her didn’t want to spoil what was ahead. Richard had been an excellent teacher in other respects. Rheda had told her to have faith in Richard and that he would see to her pleasure.

She had a basic understanding of what occurred between a man and a woman. She had always lived in the country and had seen animals coupling. She rose with a nervous but excited sigh, and tucked the book into her traveling trunk. Tonight she’d trust in Richard. Trust that he would make this a night to remember. With a sizzle of suppressed longing, Maddy prayed he’d make it a bit more magical than it was with the animals.

#

“Nervous?” Richard asked as he held open the door to their honeymoon cottage. “You’ve been very quiet since leaving the celebrations.”

“A little. I’m just pleased to be away from prying eyes and all the good natured ribbing.”

He smiled. Maddy was putting on her brave face. He easily recognized the firm mouth and set jaw. In reality, she was a bundle of nerves, her fingers fiddling with the edges of her dress every few seconds.

Damned if he wasn’t slightly nervous himself. It had been unnerving, to say the least, to have had to stand in front of the vicar and say his marriage vows, binding him to Maddy for the rest of his life, particularly when he had always thought of her as more of a sister than a lover.

No doubt Maddy had felt the same. He’d caused this situation and now he wanted to make sure Maddy remained unhurt by the consequences.

Another woman to save
, as Anthony would say, flickered through his mind.

His gaze lingered over her as she stood by the fire removing her gloves. The day was warm so goodness knows why the staff had laid the fire, probably it was because they’d left for the night. They were all alone in the cottage. A light super had been laid on the table, and Richard hoped there was plenty of wine to go with it. He needed a drink.

As he’d watched Maddy walk towards him in the church, the raw emotion he’d experienced at seeing her on Rufus’s arm had rocked him to his core. An unpredicted, but not unwelcomed desire for her, had surged to the surface. She had looked so beautiful. And so innocent. He’d known years ago that she would be a beauty men would prize, but as he had watched her glide down the aisle, her large eyes reflecting everything she was feeling—fear, excitement and trust in him—it had thrown him off balance. She was his for eternity and ripples of pride had engulfed him.

You could have done a lot worse, old boy.

The image of Sarah entered his mind’s eye and was quickly banished. This was Madeline’s night. His night. Their night. He didn’t want the ghosts of lovers past intruding.

“I assume you’re not hungry but perhaps you’d like a drink?” He moved and began pouring her a glass of champagne. He poured himself a very large brandy and downed it before pouring himself another. Christ, he
was
nervous. He turned and found she’d settled herself on the settee. He stood staring at her until her face started to redden and he quickly handed her a glass.

“You looked beautiful today. My beautiful bride.” Her blush deepened. “I knew when you were a young girl you’d turn into a stunning beauty,” he said, watching her breasts rise with a very deep breath.

“But I bet you never imagined you’d be forced to marry me,” she murmured faintly. “I suspect if you had, you’d have left me to the Chesterton bullies.”

He moved and made himself comfortable on the fur throws set strategically on the floor before the fire. He took in her sad stare and his heart missed a beat.

“You know I will never regret our friendship, Maddy. I never had a sister growing up, or my brother really. I treasure what we shared, and still share. We have a special bond, you and I.” He sent her a smile that usually melted any female. “So please, no more talk about regrets.”

Maddy simply cocked an elegant eyebrow at him.

They sat staring at the flames as they sipped their drinks. He could see the tension begin to leave her shoulders as the alcohol took effect. Her head lolled back. He took another gulp of brandy for courage. “Are you hungry?”

Madeline glanced at the platters laden with food and shook her head.

Perhaps it would be better for both of them, if he just got this first time over with. It was bound to get easier once they grew accustomed to each other. It would not be a hardship on his part. He’d made love to countless numbers of beautiful women who had never touched his heart. His throat tightened. Except that Maddy deserved more…. She deserved a man who would worship her. He wanted to deserve this honor—he would be her first.

He’d bloody well try to make the night magical!

He patted the fur beside him and huskily issued his invitation. “Why don’t you come and join me?” He watched in amusement as she blushed and took a very large gulp of wine. “Stop over thinking everything, and come here.”

She hesitated.

“You did pledge before God to honor and obey,” he said cheekily.

His words had the desired effect. “In that case, I’ll definitely stay where I am.”

He crooked his finger, and smiled enticingly. “Don’t make this hard for us, sweeting. It’s our wedding day, and your husband wants to make love to his beautiful wife.”

Her eyes widened. “Here?”

He beckoned her again. “Certainly. I want to make love to you. I want to share all of myself with you. I want to give you pleasure the like of which you’ve never dreamed of but, most of all, I want to make you mine.”

On the word mine, Maddy rose and came and knelt down beside him. He reached up and stroked a finger down her cheek. “So lovely…” He felt her shiver, and with a soft whimper, she closed her eyes.

His hand cupped the back of her neck and as he gently pulled her down toward him, he brushed her lips softly, touching her mouth with the tip of his tongue while skimming the seam of her lips.

She was trembling and when he used his other hand to pull her down on top of him, she didn’t resist him. Instead, she slid her arms over his shoulders and sunk her fingers deep into his hair.

His lips began moving over hers. At each sweep, the pressure became more demanding. “Open for me,” he whispered.

Eagerly, she acquiesced and he experienced his first taste of her. She tasted of innocence and the sweet essence of wine. Both were highly intoxicating. His hands found the tiny row of fastenings at the back of her gown. When his hands slipped between the unhooked sides of her gown to touch bare skin, her lips parted with a soft sigh and she met his tongue with her own, entering tentatively into his mouth.

Holy saints.

Her tongue ignited a river of fire sizzling rampant through his veins. His groin hardened as each stroke tantalized him beyond reason.

He pushed the gown from her shoulders, his fingers gliding over her satin skin, down to her waist, as he kissed her ever more deeply. It surprised him to feel her tremble under his hands. He’d done this once before. He’d already initiated an innocent, Sarah. It had been the night they were supposed to elope, but later, caught by her brother, and faced with her father’s wrath, Sarah could not do it. She’d married Charles instead.

As if Maddy sensed where his thoughts had gone to, she broke the kiss, and a worried look crept into her beautiful eyes. They glittered like gems in the firelight, their color a mid-summer forest green.

“What’s wrong,” she asked tentatively.

“Would you believe me if I told you I was nervous?”

She giggled and shook her head.

“Well, I am. I want this to be special.”

“It
is
special. I’m with you. You’ve taught me practically everything else in this life…”

He dropped his gaze from her adoring eyes, ashamed to have allowed Sarah to intrude on their moment. Sarah was in his past. She was out of his life. Madeline was his life now. She was his to protect and cherish. And by God, he would. He silently vowed that nothing would ever come between them.

He rolled her beneath him, the gown slipping from her shoulders. His gaze flew to her breasts partially covered by a chemise that clung to her. With a hungry gaze, he drank in the hardened nipples now clearly visible, jutting out against the fine silk. Brushing the pads of his thumbs across them, her nipples stiffened further as her fingers curled more tightly in his hair.

A soft moan escaped her swollen lips, red and plump as summer strawberries. He craved a further taste. As he sank his tongue into her warm and enticing mouth, he hoped to high heaven he would have the strength and fortitude to hold back on his needs until it was right for her. He’d never before felt such a driving need to claim and conquer.
His wife!

She moved beneath him, pushing herself against his hardness.

She tore her lips from his and arched her head back. “You make me feel… make me want…more…”

“I’ll give you more—I’ll give you everything…”

It would be both their pleasures. He pushed the silk of her shift away and claimed one swollen nipple. Her eyes flew open with a gasp. The bewildered hunger in her eyes penetrated his consciousness, and sent a heat swirling through him, pushing down to the flames already licking out of control at his groin. God give him the strength to be patient while his body screamed to claim her; it was now damned near impossible to think of her innocence above his own sudden raging need.

Her hands urged his mouth toward her other breast and her whimpers of need fanned the flames even higher. He moved above her, his hands and lips gliding over her silken skin as he freed the rest of her body from her clothes. He crouched between her thighs as his fingers trailed up silk-stocking clad legs to reach the soft inner skin of her thighs. He gazed ravenously at her body.

“You’re even lovelier than I had imagined.”

“You’ve imagined me like this?”

He nodded. “I have ever since I saw you walking up the aisle toward me.”

She had goddess legs, long and shapely, with hips flaring delicately from a tiny waist. A dark patch of curls at the apex of her thighs momentarily held his gaze, before he let his eyes roam higher to pert breasts tipped with dusky nipples.
What had he done to deserve her?

She didn’t even try to cover herself, but she swallowed nervously. “I feel like a wanton lying here wanting your eyes to feast on me.”

He nibbled at the flesh above her garter and saw the ripple of nerves under her skin. He murmured against her thigh, “What a scrumptious feast it is too.” He winked. “And you?”

“I, unlike you, sir, am still imagining.”

She made him grin like a naughty schoolboy. “Shall I reveal all?”

She leaned up on her elbows and stretched before him. “Please do. You won’t believe what I’m currently imagining,” and she gave him a smile worthy of many a courtesan, that saw him rip the neck cloth from his neck, and claw at his jacket, waistcoat and shirt until they had been removed.

He heard her indrawn breath and he slowed his undressing, remembering that this was her first time. What would she think? Vanity arose like a winter’s storm. He wanted to please her.

He was breathing heavily and before he knew what was happening she was on her knees before him pressing small kisses over his bared chest. Her hands roamed over his naked skin as if seeking for some hidden trinket.

“
You’re
beautiful,” she whispered.

When her hands ventured to the placket of his trousers he sucked in a deep breath. As she began to undo the buttons, she added, “It’s like I’m unwrapping my wedding gift.”

This time it was him that shuddered as her tiny hands freed him from the tight confines of his clothes. Her hands lightly traced his length over and over, until he was gritting his teeth. Finally, she closed her fingers around his hardness and he groaned.

She immediately released him. “Did I hurt you,’ she whispered.

He shook his head unable to speak, and guided her hand back to where he wanted her touching him.

And she quickly learned from him and her touch was magical. While she was occupied, he bent to kiss her breasts, taking one taut nipple fully into his mouth, nipping the peak with his teeth, and swirling his tongue around it. He massaged the other breast until the pliant flesh grew equally firm in his hand, then he shifted and paid further homage with his mouth. Her grip on him tightened.

Madeline had perfect instincts. She began to move her hand upon him and he stifled a harsh sound deep in his throat, not wanting to scare her. Instead, he used her distraction to float his hand down her belly and between her thighs.

Her hand stopped its wicked explorations but only so she could investigate the fluid at his tip. She wiped her finger across the tip of his cock and then brought her finger to her mouth to taste him.

Merciful God, he’d never survive this—he was perilously close to exploding as it was. He pulled her roughly against him and kissed her as if he might never kiss her again, and let his fingers skim her inner thighs, tangling in her dark curls to finally stroke her silky wetness.

Maddy lurched at his touch. Her breasts were pressed firmly against his chest and her head fell back revealing her slender neck as he deliberately explored the heat between her thighs. He pressed light kisses down her neck as his fingers delved deep within her, stretching her, preparing her for him. He was not a small man.

Gently, he used his body to push her back onto the furs. He quickly removed his boots and trousers and leant over her. She looked down and studied his masculine shape.

“Don’t be afraid. I’ll try not to hurt you.”

He pressed down on her, reveling in the feel of the silken skin of her belly against his erection.

Maddy rose up to meet him. She placed her hand on his heart. “I trust you to make it good for me. Rheda told me I’d likely have some discomfort the first time.”

He prayed Rheda’s faith in his abilities had not been in vain. He was barely able to control himself now.

He rained kisses over her neck and continued down her body. He wanted Maddy incoherent with need, wet with raging desire before he finally took her. The pain would hopefully be less if she was well prepared, and besides, he wanted to devour her in his urgent need for her.