She did as he asked though, without demur and welcomed him into her arms.
“Oh God.” He moaned the words as her heated skin met his. He slid between her legs, finding her more than ready for him, her skin slick with desire. “I need to be inside you.”
He gave her no more warning, no promise to be gentle or not to hurt. He never made promises he couldn’t keep, after all, and there was no possible way he could do anything less than sink into her.
She made a sharp sound, half protest, half surprise and he took her mouth, silencing her as he moved deeper, and oh, God, the feel of her, of this. He was lost, overwhelmed. Heat and pleasure and comfort and welcome, so many things that he had been denied, denied himself, for so long. And so he took more, quite unwilling and unable to restrain his own need. To his relief, his guilt at using her so was eased a little as she relaxed beneath him and then sighed. With each stroke she accommodated him, moving with him as she learned what was required in this strange and intimate dance.
Her hands moved over him, stroking him, her touch tender and gentle and loving. It was impossible not to respond, not to react, though fear at such intimacy had begun to prowl around his heart. He opened his eyes and immediately realised his mistake as he got caught in her expression. She was looking up at him, wide eyed with wonder, full of warmth and a desire for so much more than he was able to give her.
He closed his eyes and looked away before the moment became too intense; besides, his tenuous grasp on control was slipping, and he owed her some recompense for his shocking lack of care.
Sliding his hand between them he shifted slightly and found the tiny nub of flesh that would hurry her along in his wake. With all the patience he could muster, he began to caress her, hearing her breathing change, feeling the tension growing within her and praying she would not delay, as he could not hold back.
He cried out as her body tightened beneath him, her slender hands grasping at his shoulders, her own cry of surprise and pleasure a warm exclamation against his neck as they tumbled together into the decadence of release.
***
Belle sighed and burrowed deeper under the covers as the first fingers of dawn crept around the curtains, stealing into the room and pulling her from her dreams. She hovered for a moment in that pleasant place between wakefulness and dreams, feeling content and lazy as a well-fed cat. Little by little, however, she came back to the waking world and remembered the astonishing events of the previous night with a smile that only grew as her eyes flickered open.
She was truly a married woman now, and my goodness, it had been ... wonderful!
Belle turned, wanting nothing more than to return to the warm embrace of the man who’d given her such pleasure, only to find an empty space beside her.
“Oh.”
Her disappointment was greater than she could have imagined, and hurt wrapped itself around her heart. How could he just leave her, after last night?
She drew in a deep breath and tried to calm herself as tears prickled behind her eyes. Don’t be foolish, Belle, she scolded. As if it were ever going to be that easy.
And yet it had been that easy, for her. She had already begun to allow Edward a tentative place in her heart before last night, but now that place had grown wider and taken root, and she wanted, needed, to know that he had felt something too.
Well, it was safe to say he’d enjoyed himself, she thought with a bitter smile. But if he thought this was all their marriage was going to consist of, he had another thing coming.
Belle sat up in bed, suddenly very wide awake, and folded her arms over the covers. Crecy had been right. Getting him into bed was important, and she felt it must change things between them, but it was a hollow victory, if this was the only place they could find any common ground. So, she needed to cover all of the other points too.
There was a quiet scratching sound at the door and Mary came in, possibly looking as embarrassed as Belle was, as surely she must know her husband had spent the night, and wasn’t here any longer.
“Good morning, m’lady,” Mary said, bringing Belle a tray with a selection of fresh rolls and a pot of chocolate. Belle sighed with relief as she realised she was famished. “I hope you slept well,” Mary added, and then looked like she wanted to bite her tongue off as she turned scarlet and ran to pull the curtains open to hide her glowing face for a moment.
“Quite well,” Belle murmured, amused despite herself. “Mary, do you happen to know if Mrs Russell or Lady Russell have any plans for the day?”
“No, m’lady, can’t say as I do, but I can find out for you?”
Belle nodded, sipping at her chocolate. “If you would, Mary. Enquire if they would be interested in going to Bath with me. I intend to do some shopping.”
Chapter 21
“Wherein our hero is out-manoeuvred.”
Edward made himself scarce for the next two days and nights. It was better, he reasoned, that Belle not expect him to dance attendance on her. He couldn’t bear most people’s company for more than a few minutes at a time; even those he loved dearly like Violette could have him running for the hills inside of an hour, less if she decided to nag him. Charlie was the only one he could stand for anything above that, and only because he didn’t bat an eyelid if Edward swore and cursed - at him, or nothing in particular - until the air turned blue. Charlie was also too used to seeing him frozen up and staring into space when a black mood hit him to comment, or to find it strange. He didn’t need to mind his manners with Charlie because Charlie understood, he’d been there too, and had left a piece of himself behind. Charlie had his own demons, even if they were slightly less-demanding ones than Edward’s.
Making polite conversation about the weather, or some improvement to the house or garden, with his wife, however, made his blood run cold. No, this was better. They would live separate lives for the most part, and now and again he would visit her room to do his husbandly duty and produce the next generations of Greystons.
God help the little devils.