Page 68 of Cherish and the Duke
Poets spoke of love eternal. Gawain could see himself feeling this way about Cherish.
“Ready?”
She nodded. “I have been waiting for you all of my life.”
Chapter Fourteen
Gawain bent hishead and closed his mouth over Cherish’s beautifully shaped lips with a heartfelt urgency and deep sense of satisfaction. He kissed her with possessive hunger, for he had finally found the one person who would always share his heart.
The one person he could alwaystrustwith his heart.
Cherish lifted on tiptoes and wrapped her arms around his neck, sighing as she surrendered herself to him. He deepened the kiss as she responded with warmth to the pressure of his mouth on hers.
Her lips were soft, and they tasted so sweet.
She moaned and melted against him, pressing her body to his with innocent urgency. He’d ached to feel her against him, to breathe in her intoxicating scent, that delicate hint of rose blossoms as their petals unfurled in sunlight. The roses in Fiona’s garden held a fragrant trace of lemon, which he also inhaled on Cherish’s warm skin.
This was what she was—a beautiful garden rose.
She leaned into him, the soft pillow of her breasts molding to his chest and setting his blood on fire. She fit so perfectly against Gawain, as though she were made just for him. He slipped the ribbon out of her hair and buried his fingers in her silken strands, aching for the moment he would see their golden shimmer against his pillows.
He felt a satisfaction he had never known before, a peace that had eluded him for all of his life until now. It had taken him all these years to understand what those romantic poets were going on about, this matching of one soul to another.
Truly, theirs had to be a love eternal, one that could not be measured merely by time. He had never believed such a thing possible. And yet here was Cherish Northam. Perfect, beautiful.
His.
He ran his hands along her body, allowing no more than a graze of her full breasts despite the urge to explore them with his hands and lips. Cherish had a woman’s body, and he looked forward to drawing out her hidden inner passion in the privacy of their bedchamber.
He knew she would not hold back, either. She was inexperienced but also a woman full grown and ready to be a wife. He could tell by the way she held on to him and arched against him that she was eager to embark on this journey of intimate discovery. He hadn’t a doubt they would suit each other in bed as well as in life.
One more night and he would claim her for his own.
Not that he wished to wait even another hour, but it did not feel right to take her outside of the bonds of marriage when he would have the lawful right to do so within a day.
Although she was not resisting his advances, he gently broke off their kiss when he heard others approaching. He wanted to do more than run his hands over the curves of her body, but an innocent first kiss would have to be enough for now. He had a marriage license to obtain still.
“This is what I hope for us, Cherish,” he said, his voice rasping as he ended the kiss. “To live truly as husband and wife.”
She nodded. “Perhaps in time a love match for us both. I know my feelings for you run deeper than those you have for me.”
He should have denied it, for he had known he was going to marry her from the moment they first met. It was sheer stubbornness on his part that delayed his admitting the inevitable. Well, it was also the brevity of their acquaintance.
Even though he felt as though they had known each other all of their lives, in fact it had only been a few days. What duke in his right mind would ever propose on such short acquaintance? Perhaps it helped that Fiona knew her so well and liked her as well as she would a sister. Indeed, Cherish fit in splendidly with his family.
Her smile shone in her eyes, revealing she was well pleased by their first kiss. “This has been quite a day, but all worth it for this happy end. I hope you shall kiss me often. This first was very nice.”
She had a way of looking at him that lightened his heart. He grinned, for he was quite willing to accommodate her request. “There shall be more, if you wish them.”
“Oh, I do wish them.” She laughed, but then turned serious a moment later. “Thank you for this. I am still worried this is a dream and I will soon wake up.”
“You did receive a bump on the head,” he said with a frown. “But your eyes look clear and you do not appear to be unsteady.”
“I am floating on a cloud, Gawain. Nothing can ruin this day for me now. Not a jealous countess or a cheating, scheming toad of an uncle. Are you sure this is not a dream?”
“No dream, Cherish. Nor do I need you to thank me for something I did as much for myself as I did for you. I’m sorry it was not more of a courtship.”
She shook her head. “A Silver Duke courting a young lady? Chaos would have erupted. To even hint at an interest in me would have caused a riot intoncircles.”
