The Rake's Arranged Marriage (10 page)

Eliot's mouth was warm, and his tongue flicked out to touch hers lightly. The sensation sent a shiver of delight through her. She rested both of her hands on his chest as the kiss deepened. He was caressing the small of her back now, and Cara pressed her body closer to his. Soon, they were rising from the bed in unison. She had to stand on tiptoe, her head thrown back as his lips moved from her mouth to her neck. When his tongue brushed a sensitive place near her exposed collarbone, she couldn't help but moan breathlessly. He pulled out of the kiss immediately.

"Are you-? Is this...alright?" he asked.

"Yes!" she whispered breathlessly. "Please!"

His eyes searched hers, and they were full of earnest solicitousness. But she didn't need comfort anymore, though she was grateful for her husband's sensitivity. She needed to be held and protected. She wanted to give herself to him – to love and be loved.

She pressed her body closer to Eliot's, inviting him to take her. As her thigh grazed his, she felt a stirring hardness in his trousers. She couldn't help but gasp – it was so long and thick. Almost instantly, her most intimate place began to throb. She wanted that hardness inside of her, making her a woman, making her Lord Eliot's
wife
.

Her mouth found his again, and this time their tongues explored each other even more urgently. Her hands were on the buttons of his vest, and she began to undo them as they kissed and kissed. The heat in the room was building, swirling about them now as the fire crackled in the hearth. When all of the buttons were undone, Cara blindly began to push the vest off her husband. He broke from the kiss to help her and cast the garment aside. Then, never taking his eyes from hers, he quickly unknotted his cravat and dropped it too. In the next second, he was pulling his white shirt from his trousers and over his head.

His skin was smooth, and there was just the faintest dusting of honey-colored hair over his muscled chest. She stared in appreciation for a long moment at her half-naked husband, whose eyes were fairly burning with desire now. Without a word, she turned her back to him in a silent plea for help. Eliot took her meaning immediately, and his skilled fingers were soon undoing the Mother of Pearl buttons at the back of her blue gown. When he spread the fabric apart over her shoulder blades, the air hit her naked skin. She inhaled deeply as another thrill worked its way through her. Soon, she would let Eliot see all of her – and she would see him, too. Touch him.
Feel him inside her.

She turned to face him again and stepped back slowly. She let the gown fall to the floor. It pooled around her feet in soft blue billows. Stepping from it in nothing but her corset and petticoat, a warm blush rose to her cheeks, and she lowered her eyes. For the first time in her life, Cara felt a deep urge unlike any other. It was the urge to please a man. She hoped that she wouldn't be a disappointment to her husband, who must have so much more experience than she. She could tell that her cheeks were flushed quite scarlet now. In an effort to distract herself, she took her hair down quickly. The thick, brown locks spilled over her shoulders and down her back. Only then could she meet her husband's eyes once more.

"What's going on in that mind of yours, Lady Eliot?" he breathed.

"I...I was hoping that I will please you."

Eliot said nothing. He only stood from the bed, where he had taken a seat to watch her disrobe. Slowly, he approached her. When he stood directly in front of her, he looked down into her eyes with an intensity that almost made Cara look away again. But she fought to hold his gaze, for there was warmth in it – and
hunger
.

"Don't you know that you pleased me the moment I met you? Don't you know that since I laid eyes upon you, I've wanted nothing and no one else?"

As soon as the words landed on her ears, she realized that this was what she wanted to hear, but hadn't dared to hope was the truth. For, in all honesty, it was exactly the way she felt. Even if she hadn't been able to admit it to herself right away. He smiled down on her, drinking her in with his deep blue eyes. The candles flickered warmly.

"Kiss me, you fool," he breathed.

And Cara did.

His hands were on the stays of her corset now, loosing them swiftly. When it was completely undone, his lips left her mouth and began to travel down her neck again. Her breathing was shallow and quick, and her heart was racing. Lord Eliot pulled the loosened corset down quickly. As the thick material brushed over her nipples, she felt them harden, sending little currents of pleasure through her chest. But that sweetness was nothing compared to the sharp burst of sensation she felt when his mouth itself found her right nipple. His tongue flicked over it once, twice. Then he placed his lips over it and sucked gently. She cried out, letting her head fall back as untold pleasure worked its way through her, all the way down to her loins. It felt as though her nipple was attached to her sex by some strong invisible thread. Her breathing was ragged now, and she moaned as his mouth moved from one breast to the other.

Then he knelt and began to move his lips down over her ribcage. As he pulled her corset and petticoat down further, she made no effort to stop the dance of her hips. She wasn't even quite aware of it. She was losing herself in the heat and desire of the moment, her eyes closed, her hands in her husband's thick honey locks. When his tongue brushed a place just below her hipbone, Cara clutched the back of his head and moaned thickly.

"Oh, Eliot..."

Finally, he worked the petticoat and corset down over her hips. She didn't dare move. She stood before him now in her shoes, stockings and pantalettes. Lord Eliot washed no time in hitching his fingers over the latter and pulling them down smoothly.

Feeling nothing but a wild, urgent need, Cara looked deeply into his eyes as he exposed her sex. He sighed in appreciation to see her nakedness, and the sound gratified her more than words could say. As he helped her step out of the pantalettes, she felt as though her sex was slick and swollen, begging to be touched. Hurriedly, she kicked her shoes off and bent to push down her stockings. All this time, she never took her eyes from Eliot. His mouth was open just a bit, and she could see that his breathing was fast, like her own. His chest rose and fell with each intake of air, giving her ample opportunity to appreciate his body – its strength and masculinity.

When she straightened and stood completely naked before him, a ragged sigh escaped his lips. Quick as wink, he was on his feet and Cara just had time to see the thick bulge at the front of his trousers before he scooped her up and carried her to the bed. He deposited her on it gently, meeting her eyes again.

"I have to have you. I have to be inside of you, love," he growled.

The words sent a wild thrill through every part of her being.

"Yes!" she moaned breathlessly, reaching for him. "Yes!"

Eliot hoisted himself over her, settling between her legs quickly. He began to kiss her wildly. Her mouth locked to her husband's, Cara reached down between them. She wanted to feel every inch of him – to touch him where she had never touched a man before. She let her instinct and her passion guide her, and when her fingers grazed the fabric over his hard length, he groaned into the kiss. His pleasure at her touch was evident, and it spurred her on. She began to help him undo his buttons, but suddenly she was trembling so much that she couldn't seem to manage. Tenderly, he drew her hand up to his lips and kissed the tips of her fingers.

"Let me. I've had more practice, after all."

She nodded, looking deeply into his eyes. With a steady hand, he finished the work she had begun. When the warm, hard length of him sprang out against her thigh, Cara gasped. His manhood felt so large, so impossibly large. But he was also warm, and his skin was soft. An undeniable new hunger rose up in her. She could barely breathe as he guided himself to the center of her need. When his tip brushed against the sensitive folds of her sex, she shuddered longingly, never breaking her husband's intent gaze. She knew her life was about to change in this moment. And, she wanted the change very,
very
badly. She wrapped her arms over his back, entwining her fingers in his damp hair, willing him to go on.

 He began to push inside of her. She felt herself tight around him. There was no pain – not yet – only the sensation of being stretched. It was
delicious
. Soon, though, she could tell her husband was meeting with resistance: her innocence. He stopped.

"Cara, I..."

"Don't stop, Eliot! Please!"

"I love you. I love you," he said, his voice breaking with emotion, and then he pushed all the way into her in a single hard motion. As he took her virginity, Cara cried out with sharp pain and pleasure into the silence of the rectory. Eliot stilled above her, kissing her neck softly. She knew that he was giving her time to adjust to the new sensation, to let the pain die down, but it subsided quickly.

"Take me," she whispered, spreading her fingers over his back and pulling him close. "Take me, husband."

He drew himself slowly out, almost completely, and then pushed in again. For a moment, the stinging pain rose up again, making her cry out. But soon, it was gone. And when he thrust a third time, he seemed to touch some deep, sweet place inside of her. Warm pleasure began to course through her loins.

"My love!" she moaned, her whole body opening to him, blossoming in pleasure, her sex throbbing and wet. She was vaguely aware of his body becoming rigid above her, his manhood buried to the hilt in her sex. He shuddered in her arms, his hips making little involuntary thrusts. Cara felt herself filled with his warm seed – never had anything been so good.

After a moment, he collapsed over her. She welcomed the weight of his body, the feel of his sweat-drenched brow against her neck. His curly golden hair was damp as she wound her fingers through it, their bodies relaxing as they rode the last waves of their climax out to sea.

Chapter Eight

"You're always blushing in my presence, Lady Eliot."

Cara knew it was true. She could feel the hot flush in her cheeks. It was morning and she was lying naked on the rectory's bed. Eliot had gotten up to wash his face, but instead of coming to back to bed right away, he was standing at the foot of it, gazing at her intently. Of course, she was blushing.

"I like it when you call me that," she said.

"What? 'Lady Eliot?’"

She nodded, covering her eyes with the back of her hand and smiling.

"Well, as of last night, it
is
your name."

And then he pounced onto the bed, jostling her and making her laugh breathlessly. He came to lie very close to her, propping his temple on his right fist and looking down into her eyes. His left hand found one of her breasts and began to lazily caress it. His touch made her nipples harden instantly, and she could feel her desire awaken like a morning glory opening at the sun's first kiss. She sighed and stretched, arching her back up to better meet his fingers. Never had she felt so relaxed, so at ease.

And then the knock came on the rectory's door. Cara rushed to pull the covers up to her chin, and Lord Eliot flung the sheet about his waist as he called out.

"Come in!"

A second later, the door pushed open and Father Matthew's young face appeared in it. When he saw the couple in bed, he made Cara quick company in blushing.

"Umm, oh, excuse me, my Lord, my Lady," he stammered.

"It's quite alright, Father," Eliot said blithely. He folded his arms behind his head and leaned back. "Please! Come in! This is
your
rectory, after all."

"Oh, no, no, no!" Father Mathew replied hurriedly. Then he cleared his throat.

"Was there something you wanted to tell us?" Eliot inquired when the pause became uncomfortable. Cara had to smile. The young priest's awkward embarrassment was utterly charming.

"Erm, yes! I just wanted to inform you of the lateness of the hour. It's past eleven o'clock, sir."

"Damn!" Eliot cried, glancing out the window for confirmation. Cara did so, as well, and the angle of the sunbeams streaming in the through the glass told her that the hour was, indeed, quite late. Without further hesitation, Eliot tossed the covers aside and sprang up, lunging for his shoes and clothes, which were piled in a heap in the corner.

"I'll leave you, then!" Father Matthew squeaked, obviously shocked by his Lord's lack of modesty. When the door closed behind the young priest, Cara couldn't help the guffaw of laughter that came from her.

"What?" Eliot asked slyly. He was bending over to pull his trousers on. Cara had an excellent view of his shapely bum, and her giggling only increased. Now his face grew stern. With mock seriousness, he approached the bed, towering over her.

"What is it, you silly woman?" he asked chidingly. But she could tell that he was having trouble keeping a straight face.

"Nothing," she murmured, biting her lip to stop the laughter. "Only that...my husband has such a lovely backside. No wonder the priest was shocked!"

He leaned in and gave her a playful kiss on the mouth. Then he pecked her hard on each cheek.

"Ow!" she cried.

"Pleasure is always the better for a little pain, love," he said with rakish grin.

"I think I found that out last night," she replied, her blush intensifying. He kissed her once more – this time softly and sensuously upon the lips. Then he pulled back.

"Hurry up! We're already late to our own reception!"

"Must we go?"

"I'm afraid we must," he said in a commanding tone. "After all, I did go to a lot of trouble to plan it. We should at least put in an appearance. Aren't you shivering with anticipation to see their reactions when we tell them that they've missed the wedding?"

She rolled her eyes. "You and your surprises. Tell me, husband, why do you love to spring things on people so very much?"

He stopped pulling his boots on for a moment and looked off into the distance, really considering the question. "Well...I suppose it's because it gives me a feeling of power."