The Seduction of an Earl (14 page)

A moment more and he would need to get them out of the water. Already the ends of his fingers were showing signs of wrinkling, and despite the heated condition of his own body, the water was cooling quickly.

Not able to push herself up and not necessarily wanting to, Hannah lay with her head resting in the small of Henry’s shoulder. Never could she have imagined the pleasure of a marriage bed ... or a bath, rather. No one had described being pleasured in a copper tub, not even Elizabeth. The thing wasn’t truly large enough to accomplish what she was sure Gisborn wanted just then, judging from the throbbing mass squashed into her belly, but surely he would help her out of the tub and onto the bed. She rather doubted she had the strength to do so on her own.

As if he could read her thoughts, Henry slowly straightened in the tub, repositioning Hannah so he could get his legs beneath him and stand up. Once he was out of tub and had a linen wrapped around his middle, he reached down to capture Hannah beneath her arms and pull her up and out of the tub. He grinned as he saw her skin turn to gooseflesh, her nipples tighten into tiny buds. Winding a linen around her shoulders and another around her bottom, he reached down and captured her knees in one arm while his other supported her shoulders. Grinning again when he heard her gasp of surprise, he easily carried her to her bed. The downturned linens left a large, white expanse on which to place her still wet body. The soft mattress gave way as they settled onto it.

Henry leaned down and touched his lips to hers. Hannah responded by opening her mouth a bit and meeting the pressure of his lips against hers. She felt his arms press into the mattress on either side of her torso, enclosing her body as the kiss continued. She inhaled the scent of him, a subtle musk that emanated from his entire body, and she breathed in the scent of the citrus soap from their bath. And the kiss! His lips were firm, but he was careful in how he held them against hers, at once tasting hers and pulling away slightly before pushing them against hers again and again.

When his mouth finally moved away from hers, it was to gently kiss her cheek and neck. “I have wanted to kiss you like this all night long, Hannah,” he whispered just before his lips took her earlobe into his mouth.

Hannah gasped at the sensation as his tongue caressed her ear. She was suddenly aware of how her body was responding to his kisses and his touch, sure her breasts had escaped from beneath the bath linen, and if they hadn’t, she wanted them out and in his warm hands. A shiver passed through her body as his lips moved to her neck and throat. Arching back, she took a deep breath as his tongue made its way down to the space below her collarbone, as his lips moved to hover over the swell of her breasts. Her thighs quivered, the heat between them making her very aware of the male that hovered over her. She could think of nothing but giving herself to this man. “Take me, Henry,” she whispered as she gasped for air.

Chapter 10

Gisborn and Hannah in the Middle of the Night

Despite Lady Bostwick’s insistence she would enjoy it, Hannah was still anxious about what was to come. Perhaps these waves of pleasure Henry was inducing were part of what Lady Bostwick had alluded to the week before.
Do not be afraid to take whatever pleasure your husband wants to provide you. You will return it ten-fold without doing much more than opening your body to him and giving him an heir
. 

Henry lifted his lips from her collarbone and stared at her for only a moment. He placed a hand against her cheek and brushed his thumb over her lower lip, caressing the fullness of it as she wrapped a hand around his wrist and rested another on his shoulder. Suddenly, his bare chest was of more importance to her. She’d seen it when it was soaking wet in the tub, but now, it glowed in the candlelight, the light dusting of black hair tickling her nose and the pads of her fingers as she kissed the area around his nipples. At his sudden gasp, she moved her lips to his upper arms and moved her trembling fingers to play over his back.

Henry shuddered at the sensations that coursed through his body.
She is truly giving herself to me
, he realized, his gaze traveling the length of her body before he placed his mouth against one of the round breasts. He suckled the nipple. Hannah gasped in surprise at the feeling of his wet lips and the tip of his tongue against her. A shiver of pleasure passed through her and settled just above her thighs. A whimper escaped her lips as the throbbing sensation deepened within her and suddenly demanded attention.

Moving his hand to the front of her body, he slowly felt her belly and breasts, his thumb extended so as to brush the tip of her engorged nipples as he continued his caresses. Despite the growing heat of her body, her skin shivered under his touch, and he heard her sudden but quiet gasps.

Pulling away a bit to look at Hannah, Henry’s gaze took in her entire body before returning to her face. “You are so beautiful,” he whispered urgently. Naked, now that the linens were unwrapped from around her shoulders and waist, she was the most erotic sight he’d ever beheld. This was not the body of a fairy tale princess, but that of an enchantress, ripe and ready to cast her spell over him. She had already done that, he realized, when she’d played mermaid in the tub. His arousal was proof of it, his cock becoming uncomfortable in its unrequited state.

Bending down a bit, he kissed her other nipple while Hannah slid her trembling hands down the side of his body. Her touch was tentative, unsure.
Where am I allowed to touch?

“Anywhere you wish,” Henry managed to get out between kissing her breasts and the inside of her elbows.

She gasped, her fingers stilling on the front of his hips. Had he read her mind? Or had she spoken aloud just then? Suddenly emboldened, she traced a fingertip toward his manhood, explored his erection with her fingers. The silken skin, tight and already wet at the tip, throbbed against her hand. She marveled at the feel of it, surprised that it did not frighten her as she expected and relieved it was not quite as large as she had feared. Sliding her forefinger down along a pulsing vein, she gingerly touched his balls and then cupped them with several fingertips. Releasing his grip on her nipple to catch his breath, Henry closed his eyes and placed his face next to her shoulder, his hand moving down the front of her, across her hips, and down as far as he could reach along one leg and then slowly up to the dark space between her thighs. Hannah could feel her entire body trembling in anticipation, and then she inhaled suddenly as he slid first one finger and then another through her dark curlies and between her thighs. The warm moistness spread over his fingers as felt for the nub that, if rubbed just so, would send her into ecstasy once again.

Startled by his intimate touch, Hannah inhaled and clung to him, her hands moving to his arms, her fingernails digging into his flesh, branding him with a series of half moons in his skin. At Hannah’s instinct to clench shut the opening to the space between her thighs, Henry coaxed her legs apart as he continued to massage the engorged nub just inside the honeyed folds. Hannah breaths came faster as a sharp but exquisite sensation gripped her. She cried out, her back arcing so that her breasts were within reach of his mouth. He licked one hardened pebble with the side of his tongue before pulling it into his mouth. Hannah cried out his name as her body convulsed against him. Even before she had recovered from the pleasure, a pleasure so intense and sharp, it was almost painful, she felt his slick fingers stroke the tender folds of skin. There was a pause in their exploration as Henry lifted himself and moved his kisses from one peaked nipple to another, his tongue playfully licking the other hard pebble. When he slid a finger inside her, Hannah jerked, clenching instinctively around the intruder. Henry held his breath as he watched her eyes widen, her bee stung lips parting slightly. When he felt her relax from around his finger, he pushed it in a bit further and used the pad of his thumb to circle her swollen sex.

Whimpering a bit, Hannah lifted her hips slightly, forcing his finger to bury itself deeper inside her. Her breath catching, she slid a hand down the side of his body, pausing when she realized his manhood rested against her thigh. She gingerly touched the taut silken skin, feeling a great deal of satisfaction when her ministrations elicited the same reaction from Henry that she’d expressed only seconds before.

Henry closed his eyes, fighting the urge to simply allow himself the release his body was demanding. Realizing Hannah was as ready as he could make her, and hoping he wouldn’t hurt her too terribly, he slowly removed his finger from inside her. He lifted his hips over hers and placed the tip of his throbbing manhood where his finger had just been. “Wrap your legs around my back,” he whispered, nudging himself into her just an inch or so. As she watched him through lowered lashes, the euphoria from her climax still on her face, Henry entered her slowly. He felt her entire body trembling – in anticipation or fear, he did not know – he merely knew he had to have her. “This may ... hurt a bit,” he whispered, his lips brushing against hers. He was aware of her nod of acknowledgment, and when he lifted his head a bit so that he could see her face, he saw desire in her eyes. Lowering his lips onto hers, he kissed her gently and then slowly pushed into her, his manhood demanding he thrust while what was left of rational thought told him he had to take it slow. This was her first time; there would be pain. When his manhood reached her maidenhood, Henry paused, pulled himself out a bit, and then thrust his cock deep into her.

Hannah winced at the pinch of sharp pain, but stifled any sound as the warm sensation of fullness filled her lower body. Her husband’s motions were careful and deliberate – Henry pushed into her quickly and then slowly pulled out, repeating his movements rhythmically as if he wanted to make it all last as long as possible.

With the combination of her body clenching on his manhood with each thrust, and her lips taking purchase on one of his nipples to gently suckle it, and her fingers lightly stroking down the sides of his torso and around his hips to hold onto his buttocks, Henry could no longer hold back. With Sarah, this would be the time he would pull out of her body, spill his seed on her belly or on the bed linens. But this was Hannah. This was his
wife
. He could take his pleasure while deep inside, her wet warmth gripping him, inviting him to spill his seed within her. As he pushed into her as hard and as fast as he could, the release he felt was intense, consuming his entire body in a spasm of pure pleasure.

He nearly yelled out as Hannah arched her back in response to his body’s wave of pleasure, her thighs gripping him tightly. He forced his mouth onto one of her shoulders to stifle the growl emanating from his throat. He felt Hannah’s body shudder under him and he slowly relaxed, all his energy expended and the last vestiges of his climax waning.

Lowering himself onto her and collapsing in exhaustion, Henry allowed his head to rest on Hannah’s shoulder as he felt her fingers wind themselves into his hair on the back of his head and lightly stroke his back. He felt her kiss the top of his head as he continued to lie on top of her. When he finally stirred, it was to kiss her and slowly roll off of her body. He repositioned them both so their heads were on the pillows, tossing the damp bath linens from the bed as he did so. A blood stain on one was proof of her virtue, he realized, his comprehension slowed from the lovemaking. With his last ounce of strength, he covered them both with the bed linens before pulling Hannah closer to his body. He felt her head come to rest on his shoulder. He kissed her hair. “Now, you’re my wife,” he murmured sleepily.

Hannah purred in response, not quite sure what to say. She didn’t even know what to think of her first time. She had felt the warm wetness spread deep inside when he’d spilt his seed. That was the moment his body had suddenly stilled, his eyes closing while his face contorted and his muscles tensed. She hadn’t realized a man could appear to be in such agony when he was apparently experiencing his ultimate pleasure. “Are you ... well?” she asked in a ragged whisper. Her body still trembled a bit; her skin was still sensitive to touch, and a new warmth radiated from it.

She felt rather than heard his chuckle. “God, yes,” came his equally ragged reply. Overcome with fatigue, Henry fell asleep with his nose in her hair and a slight smile on his face.

Hannah sighed as she realized it was better that they had waited to consummate their marriage. She could not imagine doing what they had just done in her bedchamber back at Devonville House. Her cries of pleasure would have been heard by the entire household staff. She would have been the source of below stairs titters for weeks to come. Here, the room seemed to swallow up the sounds they’d made. Even the solid bed never protested under their weight or Henry’s violent movements.

The cool mattress was soothing beneath her heated skin. The soreness between her thighs seemed almost a pleasant sensation. And her husband, rather than removing himself to his own bedchamber, had drifted off to sleep. Hannah smiled at the thought of their shared nakedness. This part she knew she could get used to, welcome, even. “Good night, husband,” she whispered.

Chapter 11

Life at Gisborn Hall

The coach loaded with Hannah’s three trunks, her maid, and Murphy arrived at Gisborn Hall at four o’clock in the afternoon the following day. Murphy was all business as he unfolded himself and stepped from the coach, waiting a moment to hand down Lily.

Lily stepped from the coach and inhaled the scent of early spring grass and horse manure. As much as she looked forward to getting back to Oxfordshire and to her true love, there were some things she decided she hadn’t missed when she was employed at Devonshire House. She wrinkled her nose but quickly recovered her impassive facial expression. She was a ladies maid to a countess! Or, at least, she would be for a day or so. She had other plans for her future.

From his place at the front of the horses, Billy O’Conlin watched as a young lady emerged from the coach. She was wearing a cloak and bonnet that concealed her honey brown hair, but he didn’t need to see that to recognize Lily Parker. His heart stutter-stepped as he tried to keep his gaze from being noticed by the maid. She was here. She was back. She was ...
gorgeous
, he thought, wondering if perhaps his sleepless nights thinking of her had somehow caught up with him and he was seeing an apparition of Lily instead of whoever had really stepped down from the ancient coach. Giving his attention back to the horse that was growing a bit impatient, he concentrated on the task at hand before stealing another glance in the young woman’s direction. It was Lily. There was no doubt. And from the greeting she was receiving from the earl’s new wife, Billy realized almost at once that she was Lady Gisborn’s maid!