Page 52 of Suddenly a Bride
“Where is everyone?” she called, as he loosened the saddle and pulled it off The General’s back.
“Probably in the great hall, waiting for the storm to pass.”
“Then we’re alone?”
He glanced at her and looked away, leading the horse into his stall. “Perhaps.”
Gwyneth eyed the large mound of fresh straw piled between the stalls. She waited for Edmund to emerge, and then she gave him a hard push. She must have caught him unawares, because he fell backward, and she let herself fall with him. She landed on his long, hard body, and felt a thrill as their legs twined together.
She grinned into his surprised face, propping her arms on his chest. “Oops. That was an accident.”
Suddenly he rolled them over until she was on her back. For a moment she thought he would leave her, but then his body covered hers, his hips holding her down. He braced himself with his elbows on either side of her.
“That was an accident too,” he murmured.
Her smile died as she absorbed the overwhelming feeling of having this man’s body touch every bit of hers. She didn’t feel crushed, only sheltered by the pleasurable weight of him. Her restless legs wanted to part, to let him slide between them, but her skirts trapped her.
When Edmund did nothing but stare down into her eyes, then at her mouth, she reached up and framed his face with her hands.
“Will you do that again?” she whispered.
“Fall?”
“Smile.”
But he didn’t. If anything, his eyes darkened with an intensity that might have frightened her if she hadn’t felt so drawn to him. When he leaned down and gently kissed her cheek, she gave a little moan.
“Raindrop,” he said. He kissed her other cheek. “Another one.”
He pressed tantalizing little kisses all over her face until she tilted her chin and whispered, “I’m very wet.”
His mouth trailed down her neck, and she felt his tongue tease behind her ear. She pressed her face into his hair, kissing him, holding him against her. Of its own volition, her body moved against his, rubbing, needing more of this incredible sensation.
He shifted, and suddenly her skirts gave a bit and she could spread her legs. His hips settled between them, and his hands caught her face only a moment before his mouth covered hers.
She was better prepared this time and gladly parted her lips to meet his tongue with hers. She felt selfish in her need to explore his mouth, to suckle his lip between her own. The kiss was hot and greedy in its speed, and the lack of gentleness only made it more wildly exciting.
Edmund couldn’t get enough of the taste of her, of flowers under a spring rain. He’d spent the whole day remembering how she’d looked with bath water sparkling on her face. It had taken every ounce of his control to keep from touching her, but he could resist no longer. He had one hand grasping her ribs, and he was moving slowly higher, while she breathlessly moaned and squirmed against him. He rubbed his hips into hers, wanting to pull her skirts up and thrust himself inside her.
Instead, he rolled off her and lay on his back for a moment, breathing deeply, raggedly.
Gwyneth came up on her elbow and grinned at him. “That was very enjoyable.”
Straw stuck out of her long blond hair like the spines of a porcupine he’d seen in France, and her mouth was swollen from what he’d done to her. There was even a red mark below her ear. Quickly he sat up, running his hands through his hair.
“I must dry off The General, and you need to get out of those wet clothes.”
With her eyes she seemed to be imploring him to help with that task.
He turned away. “Go on.”
“Shall I see you at supper?”
“I’m not sure. I’ve been gone too long.”
She stood up, and to his surprise, leaned down to kiss the top of his head. Frustrated, aching, he watched her saunter away. At the stable door, she paused and looked up at the sky. Before she could take another step, Geoff came running across the courtyard with a cloak over his arm. He ducked into the stable, bowed to Gwyneth, then spread the cloak wide with a dramatic flourish.
Edmund found himself slightly irritated, then grew even more so when Gwyneth giggled. She allowed Geoff to place the cloak around her shoulders. When her back was turned, Geoff winked at him.
