Julian stood at the threshold of the door to the guest bedchamber. He knew there were a couple of guest bedchambers in this townhouse. He had assumed he’d be getting one while Ophelia would be getting another. The maid, however, had led both him and Ophelia to the same bedchamber when it came time to retire for the evening.
Ophelia went in first. She sat in the chair and starting unpinning her hair.
“Will you need assistance this evening?” the maid asked her.
Ophelia shook her head. “No, I can do this myself.”
The maid nodded, set the candelabra on the dresser, and went over to Julian. “Is there anything you require, Vicar? I can summon the valet.”
“No, that won’t be necessary.” He hadn’t had a valet in years, and even if he did, he wouldn’t feel comfortable using one now that he was used to taking care of himself.
The maid nodded and walked past him.
That left him with only one thing left to do. He was going to have to enter the bedchamber. Lewis and Marcy were still downstairs. He could go to the drawing room and ask if Lewis would get another bedchamber ready for him, but that would be a bit on the embarrassing side. No gentleman wanted to admit that he felt uncertain about sharing the same bed with his wife.
After a moment, he stepped into the room and shut the door behind him. There. He was done with the first step. Now all he had to do was get undressed, as if he did this all the time in front of Ophelia, then get into bed.
He glanced over at her to make sure she wasn’t looking at him. But she was. Only, she was watching his reflection in the mirror. He grew still and waited to see what she’d do.
She turned around in the chair. “I thought it would be easier if the maid wasn’t in the room. Do you mind that I had her leave?”
He swallowed. “No, I don’t mind.”
She seemed relieved. “Good. It’s just that when we’re in the cottage, we had no one to help us undress in the evening.”
Yes, but they also undressed in different rooms. He wondered if he should point this out to her, but she started brushing her hair.
“It’s nice of Marcy and Lewis to let us stay here for a couple of days,” she continued. “London has so many interesting things. Marcy mentioned a park. Would you take me there?”
“You’re not in any position to take a walk through the park.” When he noticed the disappointment on her face, he added, “We could take a carriage, so you can see it. We might even be able to find a bench so you can get out and enjoy the sun.”
Her expression lightened, and he was glad he’d thought of it.
“There’s some things you can do that don’t require walking,” he added. “We could go to the theatre.”
“The theatre? What happens there?”
“We could watch people on the stage act out a story.”
“You mean, instead of reading a story?”
“Yes, that’s exactly what I mean.” An idea came to him. “If you want, we could get started on your reading. That is to say, I can start teaching you. Lewis has a lot of books in his den, and there might be one that interests you.”
“I’d like to learn to read. It’d be nice to return to the cottage and be able to pass the time with a book while you work.”
“Oh, well, you won’t learn to read in a couple of days. It’ll take time.”
She frowned. “How much time?”
“I don’t know. It depends on how quickly you pick things up.”
“You mean it could take me a week?”
“I’m pretty sure it’ll take longer than a week. I figure it will be a couple of months to read a simple story. To read one of my books, I’m guessing will take a year or so.”
Her frown deepened, and he immediately regretted disappointing her.
Forgetting his shyness, he went over to her and gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “It’ll be all right. Just because something takes time, it doesn’t mean it’s not worth learning. I think you’ll enjoy reading books. The nice thing about them is that you can go anywhere and do anything. There’s no limit to what you can experience. I have an idea; I’ll read a book to you while we’re here. Then you’ll know what’s inside one.”
Her frown disappeared. “That sounds like fun.”
“It will be. All we have to do is find a book you’re interested in. Reading is only pleasurable if you’re enjoying the story.”
“I’m not sure what book I’ll be interested in.”
“Tomorrow morning, we’ll search through Lewis’ books, and I’ll tell you what each one is about. You can decide which one you like from there.”
Realizing he was still touching her shoulder, he released it and started looking for a place where he could safely change into his nightshirt. He saw a room off to the side of the bedchamber. He picked up his valise and went to open the closed door, but it was locked.
That was odd. Why would it need to be locked? No one else was in the bedchamber.
Was there?
He knocked on it. “Hello?”
Ophelia put her brush down and looked over at him. “Is someone in there?”
Since Julian didn’t hear anything from the other side, he shook his head. “No. It’s empty.”
But it was locked, and that was strange. He would have to ask Lewis about that tomorrow. He glanced around the room and found a dressing screen. Thank heavens! He hurried to take it from the wall and unfolded it. Now he didn’t have to worry about seeing her as she undressed, and she wouldn’t have to worry about seeing him as he undressed.
He was in his nightshirt within a few minutes, but he spent a long time behind the screen as he waited for her to get into the bed. He was determined to stay put until she was under the covers. Even though he was tempted to peek around the screen, he refused to do so. He would be good.
He kept waiting for the sound of her walking across the floor, but it didn’t come. Instead, she ended up calling out to him.
Eyebrows furrowed, he peered around the screen, surprised to see that she was still sitting at the vanity. Yes, she had changed into a nightshirt she’d gotten earlier that day, but she hadn’t moved to the bed.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“The bed is higher than the one you have,” she replied. “I don’t think I can make it there without help.”
He hadn’t thought about how the height of the bed might impact her ability to get into it, but when he looked at it, he realized she was right. The thing was so high that she would have to practically jump into it.
Well, at least she was already in her nightclothes. At least he didn’t have to undress her. He went over to her, and slipped his arm around her waist, as had become his habit. She put her arms around his neck. She hadn’t done that before, but then, she was used to using the cane. He supposed the easiest way to get this over with was to carry her.
In one swift motion, he bent down and put his other arm under her legs. It was easier to carry her when she was fully clothed. The clothing she had on right now was much too thin, and he was acutely aware of the way her body, specifically her breasts, felt against him.
Doing his best to ignore the pleasant sensation, he took her to the nearest side of the bed.
“It’ll be nice when my ankle heals,” she commented.
She was telling him! He placed her on the bed and then realized he hadn’t bothered pulling down the covers. He picked her back up and sat her on the end of the bed. Then he lowered the covers.
“I think I can do it from here,” she said.
He stepped back and watched as she crawled over to the headboard. All right. So maybe he should have picked her up again and placed her under the covers himself because there was no way he was getting this image out of his mind. Her cute little rear end was up in the air, and that gave him ideas he didn’t need to be entertaining.
He quickly averted his gaze and went to the other side of the bed. He would sleep on a daybed if there was one, but there wasn’t any other bed except this one. Now that he took a good look around, he realized there was only one chair in the room, and that was the small one at the vanity.
What was going on here? Shouldn’t a bedchamber have more furniture than this? Sure, it was for guests, but still…
With a sigh, he got under the covers of the bed and settled on his back. Thankfully, there was enough space between him and Ophelia so that he didn’t have to touch her. That would probably be his undoing. It was bad enough he’d already been subjected to everything else. He might be a vicar, but he was still a man. He could only hope his erection would go away soon.
He brought the covers up to his chin and closed his eyes. He wasn’t in the habit of reciting old poems he’d grown up memorizing, but they required a good amount of concentration. This might just be the thing he needed to fall asleep.
“Julian?” Ophelia asked.
Drat! He’d just gotten through the first stanza of the most difficult poem to recite. Keeping his eyes closed, he replied with a, “What?” in hopes he could return to the poem within a few seconds.
“The candles are still lit.”
He opened his eyes and glanced at the dresser. Sure enough, they were.
“I hate to trouble you about this, but I have a hard time sleeping with the candles lit. Do you mind blowing them out?” she asked.
He glanced over at her and saw that she was propped up on her side and facing him. His gaze went to the outline of her breasts. She was right. They should sleep in the dark.
He jumped out of the bed and hurried to the candelabra.
“What’s that?” she asked.
Thinking there was something on the floor, he scanned the area. “What’s what?”
“That thing under your nightshirt? It’s sticking out.”
Startled, he turned his back to her and blew out the candles. “Nothing. Now, go to sleep. We have a busy day tomorrow.”
Though she couldn’t see him anymore, he ran back to his side of the bed and hopped in. He pulled the covers up to his chin, glad she couldn’t see how red his face was. He hadn’t thought she’d been watching him. It was so embarrassing that she’d seen him fully erect like that. Hopefully, she would go to sleep and forget all about it.
“Are you all right?” she asked, touching his arm.
Alarmed, he bolted straight up into a sitting position. “I’m fine.” He shifted away from her and cleared his throat. “I’m tired, that’s all. The hour’s late. We need to sleep.”
“So that thing sticks out when you’re tired?”
Oh, good heavens. Was she going to keep asking about his erection? He supposed it was only proof of how innocent she was, but he’d rather she forget the whole thing.
She moved closer to him, and he was surprised to find out she was sitting up, too. Now that his eyes had time to adjust to the darkness, he could see her silhouette. She was looking at him in interest.
“You shouldn’t touch me while we’re in bed,” he finally told her.
“Why not?”
“Because…” He swallowed. “Because it only makes me want to do things I shouldn’t.”
She gasped. “What kind of things?”
“I wouldn’t hurt you,” he hurried to assure her. “It’s just that… Well…” He shifted away from her. “Didn’t a lady, like your mother, tell you about what happens between a man and his wife when they’re in bed?”
“My mother died when I was five, and there was no other lady who told me this. What happens between them in bed?”
It was just his luck that she was completely naïve. “I don’t want to offend your delicate sensibilities, but when a gentleman’s in bed with a lady, he gets certain…” How should he word it? “Desires. He wants to do things that would never be appropriate in public.”
“You mean like hugging?”
Recalling how he’d mentioned that it was inappropriate for the footman to hug him in public, he decided that was a good way to explain it. “Yes. Like hugging. Or kissing. Those kinds of things encourage a gentleman’s mind to drift in areas it shouldn’t. I’m not strong enough to stop things if you get too close. You’re better off going to the other side of the bed.”
She didn’t answer right away, but when she did, she asked, “Do you want to hug and kiss me?”
He was definitely thankful it was too dark for her to see his face. He had to have the deepest shade of red a human’s face could get.
“Can those things be pleasant?” she continued, not aware of how uncomfortable she was making him. Her tone was only curious, much like a child who wanted to learn something.
“Yes, they’re very pleasant, but they must be done at the right time.”
“Is it wrong for a husband to hug and kiss his wife?”
“No, of course not. It’s just that both the husband and wife should want them.”
“I’d like for you to hug and kiss me. You’re a kind person, and I feel safe with you. I want to know if I’ll enjoy hugging and kissing with you.”
He shook his head. “You don’t know what you’re asking. If I start doing those things, I won’t want to stop. I’ll want to keep going, and one thing will lead to another and then another until I’ll want to do everything. It’s best that we don’t start.”
“I don’t mind if we keep going. I like you. I’m comfortable with you. I’ll let you do whatever you want.”
The male part of him urged him to do what she wanted, and as much as he hated it, its will was much stronger than the practical side of his mind. He leaned toward her and brought his lips to hers, gently testing how much she really wanted to do this. She responded to him, hesitant at first as if trying to decide if she liked this or not, and then she wiggled closer to him and pressed her lips more firmly against his.
Any restraints he’d managed to hold onto quickly faded away, and he brought her into his arms. He’d kissed a few ladies in the past, but it’d never gotten further than that. He’d always been mindful of how easy it’d be to get one in the family way, and that was something he hadn’t been willing to risk. So he’d stayed out of any area too private. The possibility of getting caught at any moment had enabled him to keep the kisses short. There was no one here, though, who would catch them. They had complete privacy. He could do whatever he wanted with her, and no one would be the wiser. And she had given him permission. Also, as his wife, it was perfectly fine if this act resulted in a child.
With a groan, he left a trail of kisses from her mouth to her neck. She sighed in contentment, put her arms around his neck, and tilted her neck so he could continue kissing her.
“This is nice,” she whispered.
It was more than nice. It was arousing him to the point where he couldn’t focus on anything but her and this moment they had together. He was finally going to make love to a lady, and better yet, he was going to make love to his wife.
He removed her arms from his neck, and she asked, “Are we going to stop?”
“No,” he said, aware his voice had taken on a husky tone. “I’m just removing our clothes.”
“Oh, all right.” To his surprise, she shifted away from him, pulled her nightshirt over her head, and tossed it aside. “Is that better?”
In the dim light, he could make out her round perky breasts. The covers were at her hips, hiding the rest of her from view, but he didn’t mind that. It only teased him into wanting to see more. He cleared his throat. “Yes, it’s much better.”
Then he threw his own nightshirt off and hurried to resume their kissing. He urged her to settle onto her back and took a couple of minutes to enjoy simply holding her while kissing her. This would be their first time together, and he didn’t want to rush it. He wanted to take his time to savor every kiss and caress, and, likewise, he wanted her to savor it as well. It was important that her first time be just as significant to her as it was going to be for him.
Once he had thoroughly explored her mouth, he turned his attention to the rest of her body. He traced the soft curve of her breasts and ran his thumb along her nipples which hardened in response. She let out a slight gasp and drew him closer, assuring him that she liked what he was doing. So he continued with his caresses until his baser instincts kicked in, and he had to go further.
He let his hand slide down her stomach, and then he lowered the covers in order to expose the rest of her naked body. She helped him by kicking the covers aside with her good leg. He could make out the patch of curls between her legs, but his attention went to the bandages and splint. He would have to be careful not to aggravate her injured leg or ankle. The last thing he needed was for this evening to delay her healing.
She brought her hand up to the side of his face and turned it toward her so that she could kiss him. His tongue brushed hers as he let his hand settle between her legs. He traced the soft curls before venturing beneath the folds of her flesh. His finger slid into her with no resistance. He moaned. Oh, she was wonderful. Her flesh was wet and warm, and it closed in around his finger. He inserted another finger and was rewarded as her core clenched around him.
Ophelia ended their kiss and whispered, “I like this. Don’t stop.”
He thought about telling her he couldn’t possibly stop at this point, but she moved her hips, allowing him to go deeper into her. He didn’t know who was more aroused by all of this, but he supposed it didn’t matter. As long as they were both enjoying it, that’s what mattered.
He proceeded to follow her lead. He stroked her core in time with the moving of her hips. She tightened her hold on him, and before long, she let out the most beautiful cry he’d ever heard come from a lady’s lips. She grew still, and her flesh clenched and unclenched around him until her entire body relaxed.
“That was very pleasant,” she said, out of breath.
He grinned. “Good because it’s supposed to be.”
“Is there more?”
“Yes. You know that thing you saw under my nightshirt?”
“Yes, I remember. It was sticking out.”
He took her hand and brought it to his erection. “It’s the part of me that’s supposed to go inside you.” He dipped his fingers into her. “Right here.”
She spread her legs for him. “You have my permission to put it in me.”
If he hadn’t been so aroused, he might have found her matter-of-fact tone amusing. But as it was, he was too eager to be inside her to chuckle. He did manage enough good sense, however, to avoid touching her bandaged leg and the wounded ankle as he got on top of her. She brought her legs up to his waist and wiggled up against his erection. He shifted until his tip was at her entrance, and then, he thrust into her. He felt a little resistance from her core, so he forced himself to remain still.
“Did I hurt you?” he asked, doing his best to concentrate on her response.
“It was a sting, but I’m fine.” She moved her hips. “You can keep going.”
That was all the permission he needed. With a grateful groan, he moved inside her. This was even better than he’d expected. He couldn’t recall a time in his life where he felt even better than right now. And he wanted this sensation to continue for as long as possible. He’d keep doing this the entire night if he could. But it seemed he was hurling along too fast to the end, and before he could slow things down, he climaxed. He gave one last thrust and gave into the bliss of releasing his seed inside her body. This was so much better than having to deal with his needs himself.
When the waves of pleasure subsided, his head cleared and he could, once again, think of something other than what the male part of him was pestering him to do.
“Thank you for letting me do this,” he whispered. “I don’t know if I would have been able to sleep tonight if you hadn’t.”
“You mean, that thing could have kept you awake?”
Realizing she was talking about his penis, he chuckled. “Believe it or not, yes, it can keep me awake. It can be painful if I don’t do what it wants.” He lowered his head to hers and kissed her. “It doesn’t actually have a personality or anything. It’s just a part of me, but it’s a persistent part.” He got off of her and settled next to her.
“But it felt good when you were in me, didn’t it?” she asked.
He drew her into his arms. “Yes. Very good.”
“It was good for me, too. I have a feeling that’s because you’re the one I was with.”
“It was good for me because I was with you, too.” He kissed her again. “I’m glad you told me I could kiss you.”
She snuggled up into his arms. “You may kiss me whenever you want.”
“Don’t say that unless you mean it,” he teased.
“I wouldn’t dare.”
With a chuckle, he closed his eyes and settled his head on top of hers. Soon, he drifted off to sleep, and he couldn’t think of a time he’d had better dreams.