Anna set her fingers to Gilbert’s waistcoat the moment he tossed his coat aside, and then slid her hands up to his wide shoulders. As much as she should appreciate his consideration for her feelings and the beautiful bedchamber around them, she would rather appreciate him at close range. “I’m glad we’re finally alone together at last.”

He pulled her hands down from his shoulders, squeezed them, and drew her across the room. “I want to see you naked.”

Anna’s stomach flipped. Without clothes. In front of him. She wanted to touch him everywhere she could reach, too.

They stopped in a patch of moonlight near another window and kissed again. Gilbert cupped her face, and then she felt his fingers pulling pins from her hair rapidly.

Her hair tumbled down her back, and Gilbert grasped the long strands while they kissed. She felt his fingers at the back of her gown, tugging at the buttons next. “Shall I turn around?”

“We couldn’t kiss if you faced the other way,” he murmured against her lips. Another kiss and his large warm hand slid inside her gown, over her stays. Clearly, he was adept at undressing ladies. She didn’t care how he’d learned the skill so long as he only ever undid her buttons.

Anna shivered, not from cold but from desire. Soon he would touch her everywhere, and she could begin her exploration of him.

She searched for the buttons of his shirt, undid them and tried to push the garment aside. Unfortunately, she was less adept at men’s fashions than he was with hers.

“We’ll need to remove my waistcoat first,” he suggested in a soft rumble of laughter. “And my cravat too.”

Anna shivered again, closing her eyes momentarily. “Yes. Hurry.”

His answer was a soft chuckle and the rustle of fabric. When he drew close again, her fingers met bare skin. Anna slid her hands up his torso, breathless again, discovering his skin soft and so very warm beneath her palms. She encountered patches of coarse hair in the center of his chest and lightly teased her fingers through them. Gilbert groaned as her wandering hand encountered a flat male nipple.

She looked up into his shadowed face quickly. “Did I do something wrong?”

“Never.” He lowered his lips to her ear. “I happen to love how you touch me.”

She ran her fingers over his skin again, brushing out along his strong arms until she met his fingers. He caught her hands in his. “Let’s finish undressing and get into bed together,” he suggested.

“That might be a good idea. I feel so very strange.”

He turned her about, finished unbuttoning her gown and slid it down past her hips. “That means I’m doing something right, you know.”

Anna stepped out of the gown quickly and turned to face him. Even though she was still wearing stays, chemise and stockings, she felt utterly exposed. “You are?”

“I want you so damn much,” he told her. “I’m trembling, too.”

Anna exhaled. That made her feel better. She tugged on the laces of her own stays and pulled them over her head, but became trapped when her shift lifted, too.

Gilbert helped free her, laughing softly. She met his gaze and then leaned in to kiss him, quite embarrassed to be the only one naked but for her stockings, and not in bed. Gilbert pulled her into his arms, lifted her from the floor and wrapped her legs about his waist. He kissed her and moved them to the bed, where he gently set her down on the edge while still kissing her.

When he stopped, she looked up into his shrouded face and smiled. “Now what?”

“Now I’d better get out of these damn breeches and boots so I can make love to you all night,” he all but growled.

“All night?” she asked in surprise.

“Maybe,” he teased.

He wasn’t gone long enough for Anna to become cold or self-conscious. She eased down to lie on the bed as he turned toward her. She caught one quick peek at his nakedness before he moved over her, lying between her spread thighs.

He brushed her hair back from her face as he brought them closer together. He was hot against her side, exciting.

“My God, you are perfect,” he whispered as he trailed his fingers from her shoulder to her hip.

“I’m not perfect but you might just be,” she suggested, touching him in the same manner. She brought her hand back up and across his stomach. He sucked in a sharp breath as she slipped her hand downward. She smiled slightly. He was aroused and quite obviously so. “Did I do that?”

“Oh, yes.” He nuzzled her neck. “Every time we kiss. You have very talented lips.”

“I’ll add that to my list of accomplishments,” she told him, laughing along with him. She’d made the right choice in marrying Gilbert. He made her heart so happy.

He settled closer, wrapping her legs about his thighs until she felt his naked heat all over her front. Her face grew warm yet again and she was very grateful for the shadows that hid her blazing complexion. Propped up on one arm, he ran his fingers down her body from shoulder to hip again, a little more firmly.

Anna shifted restlessly beneath him. She could feel him, hard and burning hot between her thighs, and then he moved away.

He moved his hand toward her stomach and then down into the curls between her legs. Anna gasped aloud as he touched her there, gently at first but with growing firmness.

Slowly, she realized she was moaning to every stroke of his finger. She looked up into his face. “What are you doing to me?”

“Loving you,” he promised.

He moved to kiss her neck just below her ear, where she discovered she was most sensitive, and her whole body quivered with need. She lifted her hips toward his brushing fingers but that only made him slow his movements until he stopped. Anna wanted to protest. She widened her legs a little more, hoping to entice him back to touch her.

Gilbert shifted over her again, one arm braced beside her head.

He slid his other hand beneath her hip and grasped her bottom firmly. He tilted her hips up.

A little adjustment and he was there, at her opening at last.

“I’m afraid this may hurt,” he whispered.

“I know it will,” she promised. “I’m innocent.”

“Not for long.” He pushed her thighs a little wider. She felt pressure at her sex, a sharp sting followed, and then there was a little more discomfort to be endured. He withdrew a little then pressed against her sex again.

“That’s it,” he whispered. “Just relax.”

She was trying to. She blew out a breath as Gilbert settled fully over her, resting his weight on both arms.

She put her arms up around his neck, shifted her body a little against his invasion, seeking relief from the strange sensation of pain and pleasure.

But he was inside her. She was a wife now.

She flexed her hips again and discovered the pain had diminished.

“Anna?”

“I’m all right,” she promised, a little amazed by that. For the last two seasons, she and her friends had heard whispered stories about the wedding night horrors. It wasn’t as bad as everyone made out, if that was all the pain she’d suffer.

He kissed her gently. “I’m going to move again now.”

She gaped at him. “There’s more?”

“Yes, that was only the beginning.” He moved again, and she felt the strangeness of him being inside her. There was no pain now but an odd fullness. She squirmed a little and found she liked the sensation better.

She moved her hands down to his chest, discovered him warmer than before and his skin slightly damp with perspiration.

He groaned as she brushed over his nipples accidentally. “Put your arms about me again,” he begged.

Anna linked her arms about his neck and drew him down for kisses. Gilbert moved against her firmly, jolting her with each short thrust. She was beginning to feel warm all over, too.

Gilbert was so close, becoming so much a part of her, that she almost couldn’t breathe. The intimacy between husband and wife was overwhelming.

He eased back to push his hand between her legs. When he touched her there again, an unladylike moan tumbled from her lips. She sealed them shut as her body trembled anew.

Everything he did to her just increased her restlessness.

“That’s it,” he whispered.

She looked up at him as he began to thrust slowly while he toyed with her sex. She lifted her hips, seeking more of that sensation.

He thrust harder, and she struggled for breath. She was so hot, so desperate for more of this feeling.

“Come for me, Anna,” he whispered.

Anna had no idea how to do that.

But when Gilbert moved one of her hands to her own breast, closing her fingers over her nipple, she shuddered. She squeezed her own breast as Gilbert thrust again, much harder than ever before. His fingers moved quickly over her.

Anna arched under him and suddenly cried out.

Waves of heat and pleasure rolled through her body and she had to close her eyes as Gilbert thrust frantically within her. He came to a shuddering halt, buried deep inside, and groaned against her ear.

He hovered over her. Panting loudly against her ear still. His fingers slipped from her sex slowly and she flinched a little. Gilbert eased her legs open and then gently slipped from her body. Anna hissed in pain and drew her legs together tightly.

“I’m sorry. There will be a little pain for the next day or so, I hear,” he whispered. “It won’t always be that uncomfortable for you.”

He eased to the bed beside her and after a moment, she rolled onto her side to look at him, naked in the moonlight. “I was told to expect some discomfort at first and afterward, but not how I would feel while you were making love to me. That was unexpectedly good.”

“I’m glad to hear it.” His fingers were gentle as he caressed her face. “Do you need anything?”

He sounded so concerned her heart melted a little. “Only a little rest now, I think.”

“I’ll go then?”

Anna reached for his hand before he could move. After that experience, she didn’t want to be abandoned immediately. “No. Don’t go yet.”

Reassured, he settled at her side again. “I’ll stay until you fall asleep.”

Anna rolled close to him and inhaled the scent of her husband. This was her gentleman, the man who’d claimed her body and her innocence. She wasn’t yet ready to be without him.

“Stay until morning?” she asked, knowing already that many married couples only came together for pleasure and children. She hoped their marriage could be different. So far it had been.

He smoothed her hair back from her face. “You wouldn’t mind if I slept here, too, on occasion?”

“No. At least I don’t think I will. Ask me in the morning though.”

He kissed the top of her head. “I’d like to stay but do kick me out when you don’t want me sleeping here anymore.”

“I will,” she promised, but as she cuddled up to him, contentment filled her. She did not think she would send her husband away just yet. She thought she could easily get used to seeing him naked by moonlight every night, too. She couldn’t tell him of course. She didn’t want to seem too bold yet.