Chapter Twenty-Two
If not for her nerves, Ainsley might have laughed at the stunned look on her husband’s face. As it was, her stomach was doing handsprings. She couldn’t decide whether kissing Royal was delicious or nerve-racking.
Of course, it was a combination of both, with the scales weighted in favor of delicious. So delicious, in fact, she’d best kiss him again.
When she moved closer, he grasped her shoulders and held her back.
“Hang on, lass,” he said, his brogue growing thick. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”
She sighed. Seducing her husband was turning out to be surprisingly hard work. “Do I really have to explain it?”
Amusement warred with heat in his gaze. “Just to be on the safe side.”
“What does that mean?”
“Ainsley, I’m about one minute away from flinging you onto that bed and having my wicked way with you, preferably all night. I simply want to be sure we’re on the same page about this. If not, tell me now.”
She loved him for being so careful with her, but the time for caution was past. Grabbing his side whiskers, she tugged his head down until they were nose to nose.
“Ouch,” he said.
“Don’t be such a baby. I’m not hurting you in the least.”
“I’ll have you know I’m very sensitive to pain. Ask anyone.”
“Ha. You’re the most stoic person I’ve ever met. Insanely so.”
“You’re too kind, madam. Now, why are you tugging so fiercely on my whiskers?”
“Because I want you to listen to me and truly understand what I’m saying.”
His gaze softened. “Love, I always listen to you.”
“You do, but sometimes you don’t hear what I’m saying. You hear what you think I’m saying.”
“Now you’ve lost me.”
“Then let me explain in terms you might understand. It’s midnight, everyone else is in bed, and I’ve snuck into your room dressed only in my nightclothes.”
“There wasn’t much sneaking. Barging in would be more accurate.”
“Stop quibbling,” she said, tugging again on his whiskers.
The laugh lines deepened around his eyes. “My apologies, wife. So, you’re saying that you crept into my bedroom because you want me to seduce you?”
“No, because I
want to seduce you
.”
His lips curled up in a slow smile. “Even better. I’m quite fond of nubile young women trying to seduce me, especially when I’m married to them.”
“As I mentioned in our last encounter of this nature, there are to be no more nubile young women but me. Not ever. Are we agreed?”
“Love, you’re almost more nubile than I can manage. Any more and I’d likely perish on the spot.”
“Dear me, is that a compliment? If so, it’s a rather obscure one.”
“Then allow me to show you exactly what I’m thinking.” He stroked her neck, brushing aside the triple layers of lace flowing down from her collar. “Good God. How am I to find you under all this fabric? It’s worse than a dandy’s cravat.”
Ainsley was too busy shivering at the play of his fingers over her collarbone to giggle. He reached for the ribbon that tied shut the top of her wrapper, tugging on it and slowly slipping it free of its knot.
“I’m sure you’ll manage just fine,” she said in a breathless voice.
His hand stilled. “Are you still seducing me, or is it now the other way around?”
Exasperated, she batted his hand away. “Royal, I’m beginning to think you don’t want me in your bed after all.”
He took her hand and pressed it over his heart. Underneath the fine weave of his shirt, she could feel its hard thump.
“Ainsley, you are my heart,” he said. “I want you so much I can hardly breathe.”
“Then why are you acting like a virgin on her—or his—wedding night?”
“Because this is turning out to be our wedding night—our real wedding night. So, yes, I’m a little nervous.”
She stretched up and kissed his cheek, her tongue slipping out to taste his faintly salty, bristled skin.
“Don’t be,” she whispered as she kissed her way along the slashing line of his jaw. “I promise to be gentle.”
She felt the husky rumble of his laugh as she caressed his chest. But then he curled his fingers around her shoulders, pushing her back a few inches.
“Now what?” she yelped.
“You’ve been avoiding me for the last several days, so why now?”
Drat the man. He was much too perceptive for his own good.
“I’m tired of this halfway between sort of marriage,” she replied. That, at least, was the truth. “And I think you are as well.”
“I will take whatever you can give me, Ainsley. But you know I want more.” He rolled his lips inward, as if struggling to keep in the words. “I want everything.”
“So do I. I . . . I love you, Royal.” Her words echoed the stuttering of her heart. “And I want to be with you, as a woman wants to be with the man she loves.”
His hands tightened on her shoulders. “You love me?”
“I know it seems rather sudden, but it’s been coming on for quite some time.” She gave him a weak smile, feeling foolish. “Rather like a case of the sniffles that doesn’t seem to want to go away, no matter what you do.”
A grin, dazzling in its intensity, transformed his solemn expression into one of joy. “I have been waiting for those words for a very long time, my lady.”
He stood and pulled Ainsley to her feet.
“You’ve been waiting for me to make a stupid joke about sniffles and loving you?”
Royal swept her into his arms with a dramatic flourish. “It was the perfect thing to say. You’re generally most truthful when you’re insulting me.”
“Oh, dear,” she said. “I am the worst wife in Scotland. Probably England, too.”
He plopped her on the edge of the bed, then leaned down and planted his hands on either side of her thighs.
“You’re the perfect bride for me, my angel.”
She rested her hands on his shoulders. “Truly?”
“I am yours, Ainsley. Now and forevermore.”
His quiet declaration made her throat go tight. All she could muster was a misty smile.
“Now,” he said. “May we commence with the mutual seduction?”
“Yes, please.”
When he started to untie her wrapper, Ainsley brushed his hands away. “Let me do it.”
She pulled her legs onto the bed and rolled up into a kneeling position. Her heart was pounding so hard it made her lightheaded, but she didn’t care. Despite the ugly images that still lurked in the darkest corners of her mind, she wanted this. She wanted Royal with a need that made her insides tremble.
And she wanted to please him. She wanted him to burn with a fire that could only be quenched in her.
A smile lingered on his lips, but Royal’s gaze was intent and smoky. “Need help?” he asked as she fumbled with the laces of her dressing gown.
“I’m quite capable of undressing myself,” she said, trying to sound pert.
Unfortunately, her wrapper sported an unreasonable number of laces and ties, each apparently determined to tangle itself into a Gordian knot.
Her husband rubbed a hand over his mouth, obviously trying not to laugh.
“I do hope I’m not boring you,” she said.
“That would be impossible. But while you’re divesting yourself of that very charming garment, I might as well get undressed too.”
Ainsley realized she’d never seen her husband entirely naked. “That makes perfect sense. Carry on.”
His eyes twinkled. “Logistically, it will facilitate the process.”
“Oh, blast.” She’d managed to utterly snarl the delicate ribbons that secured the waist of her robe.
Royal sat down to pull off his boots. “Do you want me to cut the ribbons for you?”
“God, no. Do you have any idea how much this outfit cost?”
He yanked off one boot and went to work on the other. “Here’s a thought. Why not just pull the damn thing over your head?”
Ainsley gave another fruitless tug on the hopelessly tangled ribbons. “I suppose that makes sense.”
“Or, you could just leave everything on.” He waggled his eyebrows. “I’m sure I could manage.”
“Don’t be silly. You’d likely get caught in the ribbons and strangle yourself.”
“Then over the head it is. Here, I’ll show you.”
He stood, and in one swift movement dragged his shirt over his head. “Now, doesn’t that look easy?”
Her tart reply died on her tongue. All she could do was stare at her husband, now clad only in breeches.
Firelight slid lovingly over his wide shoulders, making his skin glow like gold. His chest, broad and muscular, was dusted with black hair that narrowed down to his trim waist. Royal’s impressive physique was hard and utterly masculine, yet imbued with a grace that reminded her of ancient Greek statues. Not the ones of the gods, though, which were almost inhumanly beautiful. Royal was a warrior, lean and battle-scarred. Just looking at him made her heart pound with anticipation.
Especially when she saw the impressive erection tenting his snug-fitting breeches.
Obviously comfortable with his semi-naked, aroused state, her husband slowly raised his eyebrows in a silent dare.
Well.
Two could play at that game.
She bunched up her wrapper and dragged it over her head. There was quite a lot of it—yards, in fact—so it took a while. By the time she wrestled free, she was cursing under her breath while Royal was laughing.
“You needn’t be so smug. Men have it easy when it comes to getting dressed—or undressed.”
“You’ve never tied a cravat,” he said, coming to join her.
She went to work on yet another set of stupid laces at the top of her nightgown. Royal covered her hands.
“Leave it,” he said in a gruff tone.
“But you said—”
“I like the way you look in this, Ainsley.”
From the heavy-lidded gleam in his eyes—and the state of his breeches—he clearly did.
“I’m glad, because it was frightfully
expensive,” she joked.
He played with the lace trimming on her bodice. “It was worth every shilling.”
Made of the finest mull, the fabric whispered over her body. Delicate as a butterfly’s wing, it barely concealed the dusk of her nipples or the dark nest of hair at the top of her thighs.
Royal cupped her breasts, rubbing his thumbs across her nipples. Instantly, they pulled into stiff little points.
“I’m hoping you’ll wear this or something like it every night for the rest of our lives,” he said as he continued to play with her.
Ainsley bit her lip to hold back a moan. “I’ll do my best to comply, dear sir.”
He smiled and drew the fabric tight across her breasts. Her nipples proudly jutted out, begging for his touch.
When Royal leaned in to suck one into his mouth, Ainsley let her eyes drift shut. Pleasure rose in the dark. As he gave her a gentle nip, she moaned and grabbed his shoulders, relishing the feel of his naked skin under her fingertips. He clamped his hand around her waist, holding her steady as he lavished attention on her breasts through the gauzy fabric.
As he teased her into a sensual frenzy, Ainsley’s hands began to wander, tracing across his shoulders and down his brawny arms. His body radiated heat, the skin smooth over muscles dense with strength. She stroked her hands over his chest, playing with the coarse, masculine hair before following the trail down to the top of his breeches.
When her hand brushed against his erection, Royal growled and sucked her nipple deep into his mouth. Ainsley cried out and arched against him.
With a final nip that she felt deep in her core, Royal pulled away. Dazedly, she opened her eyes to see him stripping off his breeches. His linen smalls did nothing to obscure the large erection straining to break free of its confinement.
It was an impressive, if rather intimidating sight.
Ainsley couldn’t help pressing a hand to her bedraggled bodice. “My goodness.”
He gave her a rather sheepish smile. “Sorry. I’ll keep these on for now, if it makes you feel better.”
“There’s really no hiding it, I’m afraid.”
He hesitated. “We can slow down, if you like.”
“I’m perfectly fine. Besides, I suspect you’ll be hurting yourself if we don’t take care of that.”
His laugh was rueful.
Ainsley pulled down the bedclothes and slipped under the sheets. “Come to bed, Royal. For once, let me take care of you.”
A look of intense yearning crossed his features as he joined her. He took her face between his palms and feathered a kiss across her lips. “I truly don’t know what I ever did to deserve you.”
Her eyes prickled. “It might have something to do with the fact that you’re the nicest man in the world.”
“That sounds rather boring.”
She scooted over to make room. “There’s nothing boring about you, as I believe you’re about to show me.”
Royal settled them in a comfortable cocoon of bed linens and blankets, tucking her securely against him. “Before I show you anything, I must ask you a question.”
She let out a mock groan.
He turned on his side, looking serious as he traced a fingertip down the length of her nose. “I’m just wondering how you want to do this.”
“Sorry?”
“Which position will be most comfortable for you?”
She blinked, disconcerted. “Oh. Well, I don’t know, actually. What do you think?”
He propped an arm behind his head. For a moment, his bulging muscles and the dark feathering of hair in his armpit distracted her. She had to resist a silly impulse to tickle him.
“There are a number of positions that might suffice,” he said, sounding rather professorial. “But for our first time, I suggest either you on top, or you underneath me, face-to-face. I am, however, open to suggestion. Whatever you prefer, love.”
She frowned. “I suppose either would be fine. Although. . .”
“Yes?” he gently asked as she hesitated.
Her anxiety flared, but Ainsley forced herself to ignore it. She understood why he was asking the question. As usual, Royal was taking gentle care of her.
“Actually, I would prefer that I not have my back to you,” she said.
He frowned. “Of course not. Not for our first time—” He broke off, his mouth suddenly a taut line. The spark of anger in his gaze told Ainsley that he’d understood.
That’s how Cringlewood had assaulted her. When he’d hit her, the force of the blow had spun her around, sending her stumbling against a chaise. The marquess had then pushed her face down into the cushions and violated her.
She knocked about in her head, trying to find the words to lighten the moment, but they eluded her.
Royal studied her for a moment before nodding. “Definitely you on top, then.”
Ainsley gave him a tentative smile. “You’d like that?”
“It’s one of my favorite positions. Even better, you get to be in charge. I can be your helpless love slave while you do all the work.”
Relief had her laughing. Thank God she’d found a man who understood her so well, and who realized how much she loathed being an object of pity.
He wrapped his hands around her waist and lifted, helping her to straddle his hips. His erection nudged between her legs, sending a lovely jolt of sensation to her core.
“There is one stipulation to engaging in this position,” he said.
Ainsley wriggled, getting more comfortable. A gratifying moan rumbled from her husband’s throat.
“And that is?”
“You are not to go leaping or rolling off, as you did last time,” he said with mock sternness. “I don’t care if Angus and his entire pack of hounds come storming into the room. No more misplaced knees to the most delicate parts of my anatomy.”
Ainsley rocked a bit, enjoying the press of his erection against her aroused sex. “I promise. But I must point out that your anatomy currently feels anything but delicate.”
“No,” he rasped. “You’ve made me as hard as a standing stone.”
She started to chuckle at the silly description, but her amusement faded when Royal began kneading her breasts. He urged her to rock against him while he played with her tight nipples, and they pleasured each other for long, luxurious minutes. Soon Ainsley was shaking, poised on the verge of release.
“I don’t think I can wait much longer,” she gasped as she leaned forward to rub her breasts against the hard musculature of his chest.
“Nor I,” Royal growled. “Up on your knees, sweetheart.”
Since her legs were shaking, she was forced to brace her hands on his shoulders to push up. He slid a hand between them and unlaced his smalls, freeing his erection.
Ainsley glanced down, awestruck and slightly intimidated by the size of him.
Royal wrapped a hand around his shaft and pushed the tip against her sex, gently rubbing through her slick heat. She moaned, curling her fingers into his shoulders as the first spasms rippled out from her womb.
“Ready, love?” His voice was deep and rasping.
She nodded, rather astonished at how ready she was. Yes, she was nervous, and yes, she feared it would hurt. But she was done with being afraid. And as for the pain . . . well, that would eventually fade. And it was a small price to pay to make Royal happy.
“Look at me, bonny lass,” he rumbled.
They locked gazes as the head of his erection slipped into her tight entrance.
“If it hurts, tell me and I’ll stop.”
She clamped her hands on his cheeks and leaned over him. “If you stop, I’ll kill you.”
He choked out a laugh before moving his hands to her hips, holding her steady as he pushed farther into her.
Ainsley mentally braced against the pain. He was thick and incredibly hard, parting her in a slow, relentless slide. For a few seconds, she struggled to catch her breath. Her slick channel clamped around him, throbbing, as her body adapted to Royal inside of her.
And there was no pain. There was only him.
Amazed, she stared down at him. Royal stared back. His pupils were huge, and his cheekbones were flushed with heat. She could almost believe he’d been drugged.
“All right?” he gritted out.
She nodded.
“Can you say it?”
Ainsley took a deep breath and flexed her hips. Royal’s eyelids fluttered as he let out a groan.
“Better than all right,” she whispered, leaning down to kiss him.
He curled his hands around the back of her head, exploring her mouth with a thorough, determined passion. Then he gave a small thrust, and it was Ainsley’s turn to moan.
He pressed into her in a series of long, gliding strokes, his strong body lifting her with each thrust. She rocked to meet him, surprised by how easy and natural it felt. For so long she’d been afraid of this. But in Royal’s arms, with him buried deep inside her, she felt only incredible happiness.
She leaned over him, wriggling to increase the contact between their bodies. He clamped his hands around her waist, holding her still.
“What are you doing?” she yelped. “That felt wonderful.”
“I want you to feel even more wonderful. Sit up, love. Put your hands behind you and lean back.”
Frustrated by the interruption, she grumbled, which made him chuckle. But when she shifted, following his murmured guidance, she understood. The new position opened her up even more, and he slid in another inch. Now, it felt like he was touching the deepest part of her.
“Good Lord,” she whispered.
His smile was wicked. “You should always listen to your husband, Mrs. Kendrick.”
“I will take it under advisement, Mr. Kendrick.”
When he started thrusting again, she arched her back with a moan. Royal wedged a hand between their bodies, and his fingertips found her throbbing bud.
“Oh, oh,” she gasped as fire shot through her.
He stroked her inside and out, his body hot and hard beneath her. Desperately, Ainsley rocked against him, straining for the release that danced just out of reach.
“That’s it, my beautiful lass. You’re almost there.”
His hands roamed over her curves, tangling in the fabric of her nightgown. His erection touched her deep inside, in her most intimate part, and yet there was still a barrier between them. Suddenly, Ainsley knew she wanted that gone, too. She wanted nothing between them but their bodies, their hearts, and their love.
She batted Royal’s hands away before grabbing the hem of her nightgown and whipping it over her head. She tossed it to the floor, then boldly met his gaze.
For a moment, he looked stunned. Then his hands came back to her body, settling on her hipbones with careful reverence.
“You are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” he whispered in a voice choked with emotion.
“Take off your smalls,” she ordered.
His grimace was slight. “I don’t think you want—”
“I don’t care about your scar, Royal. I don’t want anything between us.”
He gave a tight nod.
She lifted up, breathing a small sigh of regret as he slipped out of her. She’d been so
close, and it had been better than anything she’d ever felt. But it didn’t matter. She needed all of him.
Carefully, he helped her shift onto her back. He stripped off his smalls, dropped them to the floor, and then turned to her, magnificently naked. She stroked her fingers over his scarred thigh, trailing her hand up to his twitching erection.
“My beautiful warrior,” she whispered.
He took her hand and pressed it flat over his heart. “Your warrior, my darling. I will always protect you.”
She smiled mistily up at him. “I know.”
Then she opened her arms, silently encouraging him to come to her.
Royal eased between her spread legs, slowly parting her flesh and slipping deep inside. As he started to move, Ainsley wrapped herself around him, burrowing her face into his neck, wanting to hold him forever.
His strokes came long and hard, his thick length rubbing her with delicious friction. Once more her passion spiraled, building to even greater heights. Now that there were no barriers between them, nothing to keep them apart, joy shimmered like the most beautiful star, close enough to touch.
When Ainsley’s body trembled on the edge of climax, Royal slid a hand beneath her bottom and tilted her up. He stroked one more time, going impossibly deep.
She clutched his broad shoulders, crying out. Fire raced through her veins, dissolving the last stubborn shards of ice that had gripped her soul for so long. In Royal’s arms, she felt free again. She felt loved.
She felt safe.
With a loud groan, her husband poured his release into her body. Ainsley clung to him through the aftermath, making a silent vow to love and protect him to the very ends of the earth.
With a shuddering sigh, Royal rolled onto his side, taking her with him. Ainsley ended up in an inelegant sprawl on his chest, but she was too exhausted and happy to care.
After a minute or so, he craned up, inspecting her with a gaze that still shimmered with heat, but now also held more than a hint of concern.
“All right, lass?”
She propped her chin on his chest. “Never better.”
His let his head fall back with a quiet sigh of relief. “I’m glad.”
They lay quietly for a time, listening to the hiss of the fire and letting the peace of the moment settle around them.
“Royal,” she finally whispered.
“Hmm?”
“Thank you for loving me.”
A big hand moved to caress her bottom. “Och, lass, you’re easy to love.”
“No, I’m not. I’m a difficult, annoying person with far too many secrets.”
Again, his head came up, a tiny frown marking his brow. “There’s nothing between us now, though, is there?”
She forced a smile. “Apparently not, from the looks of things.”
His gaze softened with understanding, and he once more stroked a hand over her bottom. “I love you, Ainsley. I will always love you, no matter what.”
She nestled closer and silently prayed it would be so.