‘Just a few more mouthfuls.’
‘No more!’ Henrietta protested as Sebastian pushed his own, barely touched bowl of soup across the table towards her. ‘I’ve had plenty.’
‘Are you sure?’ He gave her an appraising look and then relented. She was looking almost like her old self again, he thought, her still-damp hair trailing over the front of her nightgown in silken coils as she sat by the fire in their chamber. Altogether too much like her old self, tempting him to forget that she was still weak and recovering. Both his thoughts and eyes already kept straying dangerously close to the bed, which had been stripped and then remade with fresh sheets, but it was much too soon to even consider anything like that.
He couldn’t forget how frightened he’d been just two days before, acutely aware of her breathing, of every soft inhalation and whisper of sound that passed her lips. He’d been terrified that the fever might attach to her lungs. His whole world had seemed to contract to that one bedchamber and the woman inside it.
‘Sebastian?’
‘Mmm?’
‘You look tense.’
‘Do I?’ He shook his head quickly. ‘It’s been a worrying couple of days, that’s all. I’m glad you’re feeling better.’
‘So am I. We can probably make a start back to Yorkshire tomorrow.’
‘No.’ He intended to stand firm on this point. ‘Not for another day at least. I don’t want you falling sick again.’
‘I’m sure I won’t.’
‘I’m still not risking it.’
‘Well, I’m not staying in bed all day tomorrow. How will I pass the time?’ She gave him a pointed look that turned suddenly speculative. ‘You know, you look different with a beard.’
‘I ought to shave.’
‘Do you have to? I quite like it.’
‘You do?’
‘Yes.’ Her expression turned faintly mischievous. ‘You look like a pirate.’
‘You know, that really isn’t a compliment for a naval officer.’ He rubbed a hand over his jaw with a grimace. ‘Have you met many pirates?’
‘None that I’m aware of, but it’s how I imagine a pirate might look. And I do mean it as a compliment.’
She tipped her head to one side and then sat forward, her eyes glittering with an expression he’d never seen in them before. It wasn’t one he recognised either, or at least not exactly. It seemed to be playful and inquisitive and sultry all at the same time, each one of which made him feel at least ten degrees hotter.
‘Can I touch it?’
‘My beard?’ He blinked, both at the request and the jolt of excitement that shot through him. ‘If you want.’
‘Thank you.’ She stood up and moved slowly around the table to perch on the edge of his chair. ‘Although it’s hard to know where to begin...’ She leaned close enough for one of her breasts to brush against his shoulder, making his breath catch and then quicken. ‘There’s just so much of it.’
‘If there’s one thing I excel at, it’s growing hair.’ He tried to swallow, but his face muscles felt unusually taut.
‘Maybe here.’ She skimmed her fingers across his cheekbone and down to his jaw. ‘It’s softer than I expected.’
‘Is it?’ Because the touch of her fingers was making another part of him quite the opposite. ‘Not scratchy?’
‘No.’ Her eyelashes fluttered as she bent her head and laid her own cheek against his, rubbing back and forth gently. ‘Not at all.’
Sebastian shifted in his chair, ordering himself to get up and go outside to cool down, but his legs seemed unable to move. Apparently only one part of him was still capable of movement and that wasn’t obeying his commands either. Meanwhile, Henrietta’s fingertips were trailing a path across his chest, making his body temperature soar even higher.
‘You know...’ she murmured, her cheek still pressed against his, ‘you never kissed me after our wedding. Isn’t the groom supposed to kiss the bride?’
Sebastian thought about flags. Naval flags. National flags. Any kind of flags... Maybe if he concentrated hard on remembering those then he could ignore the warm caress of her breath against his ear. It made his skin tingle, not just there, but all over, like ripples on a pond spreading outwards. He gritted his teeth to repress a shiver of pleasure, glad that she couldn’t see his face. Or vice versa. If she looked at him just one more time with those big blue eyes, then he had a feeling he might lose his resolve completely. He felt as if he might go mad if he didn’t touch her soon, but she was sick, she was recovering, she was...kissing his ear?
He couldn’t have identified a single damned flag if his life depended on it.
‘The bride was sick.’ Somehow he pushed the words out.
‘But she’s not any more.’ Her tongue touched his earlobe. ‘Or are you afraid of catching my fever?’
‘No.’ He turned his head slightly, catching a glimpse of her pulse at the base of her throat, just above the buttons of her nightgown. It appeared to be pounding almost as fast as his. ‘If I were going to catch it, I think I would have done so by now.’
‘That’s what I thought.’
Her lips curved against his skin as if she were smiling and he swallowed a groan. One of his hands was clenching the arm of his chair so hard he was afraid of snapping the wood, the other was lying in his lap, itching to curl itself around her waist and pull her fully into his lap. He could do it so easily, too. It would only take a second.
‘You still need to rest.’ It was actually becoming painful to talk.
‘I’m not tired.’
‘Henrietta...’ He tipped his head to one side, dragging his ear away with what surely had to be the last ounce of his self-control. Men had received medals for less. ‘We can’t do this.’
‘Oh.’ She sat back on his chair-arm, digging her teeth into her bottom lip.
‘It’s not that I don’t want to.’ His heart wrenched at the look of hurt on her face. ‘I just don’t want you to overexert yourself.’
‘I only asked for a kiss.’
‘It might become more than a kiss.’
‘I know.’ She released her lip again. ‘But...would that be so bad?’
Every muscle in his body seemed to go into some kind of collective spasm. ‘Do you know what that means?’
‘Yes.’ Her cheeks darkened as she nodded. ‘My sister-in-law told me.’
‘Ah.’ His chest heaved as his mind raced. If she knew what she’d be letting herself in for, then it wouldn’t be so bad, would it? But then knowing in theory was very different from knowing in practice...
‘You didn’t answer my question.’ She was holding her bottom lip between her teeth again. ‘Would it be so bad?’
‘Not bad.’ He swallowed. ‘In fact, I think it would be very good, but it’s just not a good idea at the moment. I think I should go down to the taproom and you should go back to bed.’
‘I’m not an invalid!’ She jumped up, taking a few steps away before whirling around again, arms folded around her waist. ‘You said that the past few days hadn’t affected how you saw me.’
‘They haven’t.’
‘The other day you couldn’t wait to kiss me and now you can’t wait to get away!’
‘Not because I don’t find you attractive!’ The idea was so absurd that it gave him the impetus to stand up. ‘I don’t want to leave, Henrietta, but I have to! If I start to kiss you, then I won’t want to stop.’
‘Then you don’t have to.’
‘Don’t say that. We should wait until you’re completely recovered and you’ve got all your strength back. Then we can—’
He didn’t get any further as she kissed him. She moved so quickly that he barely had time to react before her lips were pressed against his, and she wasn’t gentle about it either. On the contrary, she was rough, as if she were determined to show him just how recovered she was. It was the fiercest, most potent kiss he’d ever experienced, so unexpected and mind-spinning that it rendered him utterly powerless to do anything but kiss her back. And then she pulled away and stared up at him, hands gripping the front of his shirt as her eyes blazed a challenge and that was it, he realised—he was lost.
The next few seconds were a frenzied blur. He was vaguely aware of reaching for her, of catching her up in his arms as her own curved around his neck, until her feet were trailing along the floor and they were both stumbling towards the bed. And then his clothes were being discarded, scattered in all directions at once, and her nightdress was being pulled over her head, and they were lying side by side, only not quite side by side. He was lying half on top of her, one of his legs draped across hers while he kept his weight on one arm, trying to keep from crushing her.
‘Mmm...’ He kissed her again, one of his hands smoothing a path over her stomach and up her ribcage until he found her breast and cradled it. ‘Mmm.’ He slid his tongue inside her mouth as he drew his thumb across the bud, swallowing her moan of pleasure. She was a perfect handful, he thought, even more perfect than he’d imagined, and if she moaned like that again, she might just unman him before they could get any further...
‘Tell me...’ He broke the kiss. ‘If you change your mind. If you want me to stop...’
‘I will...’ she arched her back as his hand slid downwards again, curving gently around her hip ‘...but I won’t.’
‘But if you do...’ He almost growled the words, needing her to know she could trust him, before he moved downwards, placing his mouth where his hand had left off.
‘Oh!’
She cried out as his lips closed around her nipple and suckled. It was beyond any shadow of a doubt the most seductive sound he’d ever heard. It made him feel an even greater need to hurry, although he didn’t want to rush her or do anything before she was ready. Which meant that he was going to have to think of something powerfully un-seductive to hold himself in check, though frankly it was a wonder he could still think at all when all the blood in his body appeared to have sped straight to his groin.
Flags again?
‘Sebastian...’ She placed her hands on either side of his head, lifting his mouth back to hers, her breathing fast and erratic. ‘I want you.’
‘I want you, too.’ He rolled on top of her, nudging her legs apart and settling his body gently between her thighs. ‘But it might hurt at first.’
‘I know.’
He smiled. ‘You know a lot.’
‘I know that I trust you...’ her eyes were wide and intense ‘...and I can’t wait any longer.’
There was only one way he could think of to reply, holding her gaze as he pushed inside her. She gave another gasp, one that sounded like pain this time, and he stopped at once, counting to ten as he tried to remain completely still. He was only part way sheathed. Maybe if he pulled back, it would...
‘No.’ She moved beneath him suddenly, as if she’d sensed his retreat, pushing upwards until he was fully embedded.
‘Hen...’ He couldn’t even finish her name, pressing his face into the curve of her neck and breathing heavily as they both lay completely still for a few seconds.
She felt so, so good, her body moulded against his, her inner muscles clenching around him so tightly he could have groaned aloud. She was his, his wife, his Henrietta, and she fitted him as if they were made for each other. And then they both started moving, pressing together and pulling apart in an awkward and then less awkward and then almost flawless rhythm. He wouldn’t have believed the feeling could get any better and yet it did, so close to perfection that he didn’t think he could hold on for much longer. He tried stopping, pushing himself up on his arms to cool them both down, but her breasts were slick with a sheen of perspiration and one of her legs was around his hip and there was nothing he could do. He sank back into her, thrusting one last time before he found his release.
‘Sebastian?’
It took him a few oblivious moments to realise that she was speaking to him.
‘Are you hurt?’ He rolled quickly away from her.
‘No.’ She placed a hand on his chest and gave a low laugh. ‘Stop worrying.’
‘Says the woman who collapsed due to nervous exhaustion.’ He fell on to his back, raking one hand through his hair. He could still feel his own heartbeat, beating so hard it felt like a drum inside his chest. It was no wonder. The last half-hour—he hoped he’d at least lasted that long—had been the most intense experience of his life. He had a feeling it might take him the rest of the night and then some to recover.
‘Well, I’ve learned the error of my ways.’ Henrietta laid one arm across his chest and rested her chin on top. ‘That was as good as any medicine.’
‘It didn’t hurt at all?’
‘A little at first, but then I forgot about it.’
‘Good.’ He wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her tight. ‘Although I still don’t think the doctor would have approved.’
‘The doctor isn’t a newlywed.’
‘True.’ He laughed. ‘And given the circumstances, I think he would have understood. You’re hard enough to resist at the best of times, but in a nightdress it’s well nigh impossible. I thought that the first night I met you.’
‘You did?’
‘Yes. I remember being particularly taken with your ankles.’
‘These ankles?’ She kicked her legs up in the air behind her.
‘The very same.’ He regarded them thoughtfully. Exhausted as he was, the sight was irresistible. ‘I haven’t given them nearly enough attention tonight. Here.’ He sat up, turning her over until she was lying on her back with her legs draped across his lap. ‘I hate to be neglectful.’
‘Sebastian...’ She giggled as he ran a hand gently across her calf.
‘Don’t tell me you’re ticklish?’
‘No, it’s just...’ She drew the bed sheet across her waist. ‘I’m naked.’
‘I noticed. So am I.’ He bent her knee and pressed kisses all the way down to her ankle. ‘You know, I’ve never been seduced by a woman before.’
Her mouth dropped open. ‘I did not seduce you!’
‘I beg to differ. I offered to go to the taproom and let you recover in peace.’
‘All I did was kiss you.’
‘There was no all I did about it. There are kisses and then there are kisses.’
‘And the way you’re kissing my ankle right now would be?’
‘Definitely the latter.’ He pressed his lips to each of her toes in turn before putting her leg down gently. ‘But you’re right. It’s too soon.’
‘I never said...’
‘But it is. I’ll just have to dream of your ankles. Now close your eyes and I’ll tuck you back in.’
‘Oh, all right.’ She snuggled against him as he lay down beside her again, hoisting the blankets up to cover them both. ‘I suppose I did seduce you a bit, but you were going to seduce me at some point, weren’t you?’
‘As soon as possible, yes.’
‘That’s all right then.’ She smiled and yawned. ‘I only sped things up a little bit.’
‘I hadn’t worked out all the details yet, but it was going to be very romantic.’
‘How nice.’
‘You would have enjoyed it.’
‘I’m sure. Did I spoil things, then?’
‘What do you think?’
She laughed and snuggled closer. ‘Sebastian?’
‘Yes?’
‘Do I really have to spend the whole day in bed again tomorrow?’
‘Absolutely.’
‘Good.’ She pressed a sleepy kiss against his chest. ‘Because I’m looking forward to it now.’
Henrietta lay back against the pillows and stretched her arms above her head, feeling like the cat who’d got the cream and was basking in sunshine to boot. As horrified as she’d been by her sickbed appearance the previous day, she was starting to think that perhaps having Sebastian as a nurse wasn’t such a bad thing, after all. All things considered, she would be perfectly content to lie in bed all day long. Not only was he extremely attentive, but his methods of keeping her there were surprisingly pleasurable. She didn’t think there was a single square inch of her body that he hadn’t kissed that morning, though he’d paid particular attention to her ankles, she’d noticed.
She supposed she ought to feel embarrassed by some of the things they’d done, but instead, every time she looked at him, she felt a fresh flurry of stomach tingles. They were beyond friendship now, quite a long way beyond, and, although neither of them had mentioned love, they had a new kind of relationship. One based on honesty, affection, respect and undeniable mutual attraction. And if that didn’t feel like quite enough, a tiny voice at the back of her mind argued, it was still better than a lot of marriages.
No, she had no regrets, she decided, watching the ripple of Sebastian’s shoulder blades as he drew a knife across his cheeks and frowned into the mirror on the dresser that had given her such a shock. None except that she hadn’t been able to persuade him to keep the beard, but he’d claimed it was too itchy, promising to compensate in ways that made her imagination run riot.
‘There.’ He put the knife down and rubbed a piece of cloth over his face. ‘All done. What do you think?’
‘I think I miss my husband.’
‘Ah, I forgot, you like pirates.’ He placed his hands on his hips. ‘I’ll just have to save that look for special occasions. Now, am I allowed to get undressed and come back to bed?’
‘I don’t know.’ She tapped a finger against her bottom lip. ‘I would say yes, but I thought I was supposed to be recovering?’
‘That was yesterday.’ He was already removing his trousers. ‘The doctor’s given you the all-clear today.’
‘Oh, yes.’ She giggled. ‘He said I looked quite invigorated.’
‘I hope you didn’t tell him why.’
‘No, although he did tell me I was most fortunate in my choice of husband.’
‘And you agreed?’
‘I might have.’ She glanced at the window. ‘What’s the weather like outside?’
‘Wet and cold.’
‘No more snow?’
‘Not at the moment.’ He gave her a quizzical look. ‘You sound disappointed.’
‘I am a little. Part of me was hoping we’d get snowed in.’
‘That sounds blissful.’ He jumped on to the bed and climbed on top of her. ‘Although I thought you wanted to get back to Feversham as quickly as possible?’
‘That was before I discovered what we could do indoors.’ She smiled provocatively. ‘Besides, if we were snowed in, then it wouldn’t be our fault, would it? A delay would be out of our control. And we’d have to fill in the time somehow.’
‘I see.’ He nuzzled the side of her neck. ‘You wouldn’t be trying to seduce me again, would you, Mrs Fortini?’
‘No. It’s your turn.’
‘Challenge accepted.’ He grinned wickedly and dived under the covers.
‘Sebastian?’ She let out a squeal of surprise. ‘What are you doing?’
‘Ankles.’
She laughed at his muffled reply and settled back against the pillows again. Only it wasn’t just her ankles he was kissing, she realised quickly. It was her toes, too, and her calves and the backs of her knees, the insides of her thighs...
‘Sebastian!’ She thrust her hands under the covers, grabbing his shoulders. ‘You can’t!’
‘I can.’ His hands wrapped around her waist, pinning her down again.
‘But what are you doing?’
‘It’s much better if I show you.’ His head appeared from beneath the covers, one eyebrow raised. ‘Let me?’
She hesitated briefly and then nodded, squeezing her eyes shut as curiosity battled with modesty. She probably ought to protest some more, she thought, only she couldn’t quite bring herself to do it, not when everything he did, every way and place he touched her felt so good, and even better when he slid up the bed and entered her, thrusting gently until she gave a low moan and started to rock against him, too. It was better than the first time, as if they were truly one body, moving together in total harmony.
And then he reversed their positions, holding on to her hips and rolling them both over until she was positioned on top of him, naked and exposed and feeling more powerful than she ever had in her life. For a moment she wasn’t quite sure what to do, but then the sensations seemed to intensify until she was moving to her own rhythm, sliding back and forth, faster and faster until at last she felt a trembling, shuddering sensation in her abdomen as if something had burst inside her, leaving her whole body quivering and shaking. It was a few minutes before she rolled over and came back to herself.
‘You really do like my ankles.’ She stared up at the canopy in wonderment.
He gave a ragged laugh, though she could tell he was staring at the canopy, too. ‘You have no idea.’