Seduction (18 page)

Your assurance of how this is all for my own good is having the same effect on

me as my special herb tea had on you at Eslington Park."

Julian stared at her, speechless for a moment. Then he stunned Sophy by giving a

shout of laughter.

"In danger of going to sleep, are you?" He moved with a suddenness that took

Sophy by surprise, sweeping her up into his arms and striding toward the wide

bed. "I certainly cannot have that. Madam, I swear I shall do my best to engage

your complete and full attention in this matter."

Sophy smiled tremulously up at him as she clung to his broad shoulders. A

glorious thrill of excitement shot through her. "Believe me, my lord, you have

my full attention now."

"That's just as it should be because you have certainly captured my complete

concentration."

He settled her tenderly onto the bed, tugging her dressing gown from her as he

did so. His sensual smile was full of masculine expectation.

As he stripped off his own dressing gown, revealing his hard, lean body in the

candlelight, Sophy no longer had any doubt but that he was doing this because he

felt genuine desire. Julian was fully aroused, taut, and heavy with his need.

She stared at him for a long moment, a last, embarrassed flicker of uncertainty

moving through her even as she felt her own body begin to respond.

"Do I frighten you, Sophy?" Julian came down onto the bed beside her, gathering

her into his arms. His large hands moved over her hip, feeling the shape of her

through the fabric of her nightdress. "I do not want to alarm you."

"Of course you do not frighten me. I have told you many times I am not some

simple-minded chit fresh from the schoolroom." She shivered slightly as his palm

warmed her hip.

"Ah, yes, I keep forgetting that my country-bred bride is well versed in matters

of breeding and reproduction." He kissed her throat and smiled again when

another tremor went through her. "I can see I have no reason to concern myself

over the possibility of accidentally offending your delicate sensibilities."

"I believe you are teasing me, Julian."

"I believe you are right." He eased her onto her back. His fingers found the

ribbons of her nightdress and he began to undo them with slow deliberation. His

eyes never left her face as he freed her breasts to his touch.

"So soft and womanly you are, little one."

Sophy was mesmerized by Julian's intent gaze as he looked at her. Fascinated,

she watched as the sensual laughter in his eyes converted swiftly into a dark

desire.

She reached up to touch the side of his face and was surprised by his reaction

to the gentle, questing caress.

He groaned thickly and his head lowered until his mouth captured hers. The kiss

was hot, hungry, and demanding, revealing fully the depths of Julian's arousal.

He caught her lower lip between his teeth and bit carefully. When Sophy moaned

softly, he slid his tongue intimately into her mouth and simultaneously brushed

his thumb across one rosy nipple.

Sophy reacted sharply to Julian's touch, covering his hand with her own as he

stroked her breast. She felt her body stirring into throbbing awareness and knew

she was rapidly losing control.

It was all right this time, she told herself as some small part of her called

out a distant warning. Julian might not be in love with her but he was her

husband. He had sworn to protect her and care for her and she trusted him to

uphold his end of the marriage bargain. In return she would be a good wife, a

proper wife.

It was not his fault that she was in love with him. It was not his fault that

the risk she took tonight was far greater than the one he took.

"Sophy, Sophy, let yourself go. Give yourself over to me. You are so sweet. So

soft.' Julian broke off the passionate kiss and tugged the nightdress free. He

tossed it carelessly onto the floor beside the bed, his eyes sweeping over

Sophy's shadowed body. He put his hand on her bare calf and slowly stroked

upward to her hip. When she trembled he leaned down to kiss her reassuringly.

The reassurance turned instantly back into demanding desire as Sophy laced her

fingers in his hair and held him tightly to her. Her legs moved restlessly until

he anchored one of them with one of his own. The action resulted in opening her

more fully to his touch and he immediately began to explore the silken skin of

her inner thigh.

Sophy's head tossed from side to side on the pillow. She heard her own small,

whispering gasp of excitement as she felt Julian's fingers moving in small

circles on her skin. His big hands felt so good on her body, strong and secure

and knowing. She felt safe and cherished.

"Julian, Julian, I feel so strange."

"I know, sweetheart. Your body makes no secret of it. I'm glad. I want you to

feel this way." He moved against her, letting her feel the shape of his manhood

as it brushed her hip.

She flinched at the power she sensed in him but when he caught her fingers and

guided them to his thrusting shaft, she did not resist. She touched him

hesitantly at first, familiarizing herself with the size and shape of him.

"You see how much I want you, Sophy?" Julian's voice was husky. "But I swear I

will not take you until you want me just as badly."

"How will you know when that time comes?" she asked, gazing up at him through

half-closed lashes.

He smiled fleetingly and deliberately closed his palm over the soft mound

between her legs. "You will tell me in your own way."

She felt the growing warmth between her thighs and moved impatiently once more,

seeking an even more intimate touch. "I think that time is here," she whispered.

He slid one finger slowly into her softness. Sophy stiffened abruptly in

reaction and then felt the moisture between her legs.

"Soon," Julian promised with deep satisfaction. His lips trailed over her

breasts. "Very soon." He inserted his finger again and withdrew it only part

way.

Hesitantly Sophy moved against his probing finger, her body instinctively

tightening around it as if she would draw it deeper once more.

Julian obliged with a low exclamation of encouragement and desire. "You are so

tight and warm," he muttered as his mouth closed over hers again. "And you want

me. You truly want me, don't you sweetheart?" His tongue slid between her lips,

imitating the provocative movements of his hand.

Sophy gasped and clutched at his shoulders, pulling him closer. When he used the

pad of his thumb to tease a small, exquisitely sensitive area hidden in the dark

nest of curls, she unwittingly scored his back with her nails.

"Julian."

"Yes. Oh, God, yes."

He moved on top of her, sliding one muscular thigh between her legs to make a

space for himself. Sophy opened her eyes as she felt him lower himself down

along the length of her. He was heavy, overwhelmingly so. She felt deliriously

crushed into the bedding. When she looked up into his stark, intent face she

experienced a racing thrill that was unlike anything she had ever known.

"Raise your knees, sweetheart," he urged. "That's it, darling. Open yourself to

me. Tell me you want me."

"I want you. Oh, Julian, I want you so much." She felt open and vulnerable but

curiously safe. This was Julian and he would never hurt her. He began to push

against her softness, moistening himself on the liquid honey that flowed from

her delicate sheath. Instinctively she started to lower her legs and tighten

them.

"No, darling. It will be easier this way. You must trust me now. I swear I will

enter you very slowly. I will go only as far and as fast as you want me to go.

You can stop me at any time."

She felt the rigid tension in his body and her palms slipped in the sweat on his

back. He was lying, she thought happily. Either that or he was desperately

trying to convince himself that he truly had sufficient willpower to stop on

demand. Either way she sensed instinctively that he was as close to being out of

control as she was.

The knowledge made her feel wonderfully wicked and womanly and strong. It was

good to know she could bring her powerful, self-contained husband to such a

pass. In this much, at least, they were equals.

"Do not worry, Julian. I would no more halt you now than I would try to hold

back the sun," she promised breathlessly.

"I am very glad to hear that. Look at me, Sophy. I want to see your eyes when I

make you my wife in every sense of the word."

She opened her eyes again and then sucked in her breath as she felt him begin to

enter her. Her nails dug into him once more.

"It's all right, little one." Perspiration formed into small drops on his brow

as he slowly eased forward. "It's bound to be a bit rough at first but after

that we will have clear sailing."

"I do not see myself as a vessel at sea, Julian," she managed even as she

wondered at the incredibly tight, stretched, full feeling he was creating within

her. Her nails dug deeper.

"I think we are both at sea," he ground out as he fought to slow the

penetration. "Hold onto me, Sophy."

She knew the frail thread of his self-control had just snapped. Even as she

gloried in the knowledge he groaned heavily and surged deeply into her.

"Julian." Stunned by the swift, fiery invasion, Sophy cried out and pushed at

his shoulders as if she could dislodge him.

"It's all right, love. I swear it will be all right. Don't fight me, Sophy. It

will all be over soon. Try to relax." Julian dropped tiny kisses on her cheek

and throat while he held himself still within her tight channel. "Give it some

time, my sweet."

"Will time make you grow any smaller?" she demanded with some asperity.

He groaned and framed her dismayed face between his large palms. He looked down

at her with gleaming eyes. "Time will help you adjust to me. You will learn to

like this, Sophy. I know you will. You feel so wonderfully good and there is

such passion in you. You must not be so impatient."

"That is easy for you to say, my lord. You have what you wanted out of all this,

I assume."

"Almost all of what I wanted," he agreed with a small smile. "But it will not be

perfect for me until it is perfect for you. Are you feeling any better?"

She considered the question cautiously. "Yes," she finally admitted.

"Good." He kissed her lingeringly and then he began to move slowly within her,

long, slow strokes designed to ease himself carefully back and forth in the

tight passage.

Sophy bit her lip and waited anxiously to see if the movement made things worse.

But it did not. In truth, she did not feel so uncomfortable now, she realized.

Some of the earlier excitement was returning, albeit slowly. Gradually her body

adjusted to the fullness.

She was just getting to the point where she could honestly say she might be

learning to enjoy the odd sensation when Julian suddenly began to move with

increasing urgency.

"Julian, wait, I would have you move more slowly," she said hastily as she

sensed he was abandoning himself completely to the force that drove him. • "I am

sorry, Sophy. I tried. But I cannot wait any longer," he gritted his teeth and

then he gave a muffled shout and flexed his hips, burying himself to the hilt.

And then Sophy felt the hot, heavy essence of him pouring into her as he went

taut. Obeying an ancient instinct, she wrapped her arms and legs around him and

held him close. He is mine, she thought with deep wonder. In this moment and for

all time, he is mine.

"Hold me," Julian's voice was ragged. "Hold me, Sophy." Slowly the rigidity went

out of him and he collapsed, heavy and damp with sweat, along the length of her.

Sophy lay still for a long time, absently smoothing Julian's sweat-streaked back

with her fingertips as she gazed up at the canopy over the bed. She could not

say she thought much of the final act, itself, but she had definitely enjoyed

the caressing that preceded it. She also found the warm intimacy of the embrace

afterward very appealing.

She sensed that Julian would never lower his guard to this extent in any other

situation with her. That alone was worth putting up with the business of

lovemaking.

Julian stirred reluctantly and lifted himself up on his elbows. He smiled with

lazy satisfaction and chuckled when she smiled back at him. He bent his head to

drop a small kiss on the tip of her nose.

"I feel like a stallion at the end of a long race. I may have won, but I am

exhausted and weak. You must give me a few minutes to recover. Next time it will

be better for you, sweetheart." He smoothed her hair off her forehead with a

tender movement.

"A few minutes," she exclaimed, startled. "You speak as though we will do this

several more times tonight."

"I rather believe we shall," Julian said with evident anticipation. His warm

palm flattened possessively on her stomach. "I have been kept waiting a long

time for you, Madam Wife, and I mean to make up for all the nights we have

wasted."

Sophy felt the soreness between her legs and a bolt of alarm went through her.