Page 22 of A Husband for Esyllt
Her eyes widened. “I?—”
“Open. Or I will do it for you.”
For a dreadful moment he feared she would not comply. But despite the threat he’d just uttered, he didn’t want to force her. It never came to that. Slowly, her gaze still locked with his, she eased her thighs apart. As she was only wearing her shift, it was easy to expose her to his gaze—and mouth. The hem was lifted in a hurry and her maddening scent hit his nostrils. Under the floral bouquet he had smelled in her hair, he detected a headier, spicier scent. Arousal spiked through his spine, causing his eyes to close.
He started to salivate in anticipation of the softness he would feel against his mouth. He extended his tongue and groaned. This was it, finally, the first taste of his infuriating Welsh wife, the woman who had haunted his nights while at Sheridan Manor. How many times had he brought about his release while imagining this moment? More than he was comfortable admitting.
“No!” Esyllt closed her legs—or tried to. Connor placed his hands on her thighs to prevent her from doing so. Now that she had surrendered, he would not allow her to retreat.
“Yes,” he said ruthlessly, pinning her in place. “I told you I would give you what you deserved, and this is it. Open for me.”
He waited, knowing she would not be able to resist.
When she did, he gave her everything he’d dreamed of giving her. His mouth to kiss her wet folds, his teeth to nibble at herhidden pearl, his fingers to squeeze with her intimate muscles, and then finally his tongue to soothe when she spasmed so fiercely he thought she was going to pass out. The whole thing was beautiful, perfect. She squirmed, she bucked, and surrendered in a long agonized rasp. Her release coated his lips and he knew he was perilously close to coming himself. For a moment, he considered tearing at his braies and plunging into her but then sanity prevailed. He had only meant to make a point, not to get carried away. Tonight was not the night to consummate their marriage. He refused to do it like this, after an argument, while he was half-crazed with lust.
At last the world quietened and his groin stopped throbbing.
With regret, Connor removed his fingers from her softness. Desperate to prolong the moment, he put them into his mouth and sucked. A mistake. His desire, momentarily mastered, leapt to life again. He nipped it in the bud, determined to be sensible.
Slowly he crept up Esyllt’s sated body, leaving her legs spread open and her womanhood exposed, and came to speak into her ear.
“Every time you feel like putting words in my mouth, remember that the only thing I will ever allow you to put there is your delectable little pussy. It is not only women who can use their mouths to pleasure their lover.”
Esyllt gave a squeal and hid her crimson face in her hands. Connor growled and closed his eyes. This had been a close cut. Smelling her arousal, seeing her writhe for him, hearing her moans, tasting her release, had almost pushed him beyond what he was capable of enduring. Had he not called on all his inner strength, he would have taken her in a frenzied assault he would only have regretted later. Forcing her to accept pleasure was one thing, showing her a side of him he wasn’t sure he liked, quite another.
Still fully dressed, he lay on his back and stared at the ceiling. Even exhausted by the long ride, he knew it would be a long time before he could will himself to sleep.
Chapter Six
The deep voices talking in English could only belong to two men. Esyllt stilled before she entered the solar. She had no intention of seeing Connor right now. After what had happened last night, she wasn’t sure how to face him, least of all in the presence of his brother, who would no doubt see straight through her embarrassment and enjoy every minute of it. The traces of what her husband had done to her were surely etched on her face for all to see. He had buried his head between her legs and what was worse, or better, or at least, more shocking, was that he had seemed to enjoy it as much as she had. Though she had been the one being given pleasure, he had sounded as if he was the one benefiting from it.
How were they to behave after sharing such intimacy? It had been bad enough when he had made her hold his manhood. But this was a thousand times more unsettling.
Oblivious to the fact that someone was behind the door, the men carried on their conversation. Unable to stop herself, she listened.
“So you really intend to stay in Wales?” Matthew didn’t sound pleased with this development, which didn’t surprise her.It wasn’t hard to guess he only wanted one thing, to go back to England as soon as possible.
“Aye, for a little while at least. I mean to make this marriage work and gain the people of Esgyrn Castle’s respect.”
“Well then, you’re a braver man than I am.”
“I am. But we’ve known this all along, haven’t we?”
While the men laughed, Esyllt considered. Her husband had come back, as promised, and he’d just announced that he wanted to take his responsibilities seriously. She had no time to wonder whether this decision made her happy or not, because what she heard next froze the blood in her veins.
“There is only one problem. If I am to remain here, then you will have to go and get Jane for me. I cannot be without her for so long.” There was a pause, during which her heart almost failed her. “And, Matthew... My wife need not know about it just yet. There will be ample time to introduce her when she arrives.”
The closing of the door indicated that her brother-in-law had left, thankfully using the exit at the other end of the room. It would not do for her to be caught eavesdropping.
A moment later, she heard the sound of boots in the bailey below, heading toward the stables. Clearly, not a moment was to be wasted to go and get this precious Jane. Red hot fury washed through Esyllt, replacing the hurt she’d felt at hearing that in England there was a woman her husband could not be without. How could she have been so naïve? Of course Connor had a mistress, perhaps even more than one. He had not married her to find love or build a family but to further advance his king’s political ambitions, and he did not love her. In the circumstances, it was not to be marveled at that he should wish to carry on with his life as if nothing had changed.
Had he not all but told her the previous evening that he considered her a wanton creature governed by lust? Hardly a suitable attribute for a wife, as everyone knew. Wives werethere for the breeding of legitimate children and, if they were competent enough, the management of the domain. Passion and tenderness were reserved for mistresses, women who had actually been chosen for their allure.
Although... Esyllt frowned. Had Connor not pleasured her in a selfless manner last night, forgetting his own needs, behaving as if he could not resist the desire she inspired in him?
No, he had stamped his authority over her, nothing more. That he had chosen to do it in such an unusual manner did not change the intention. She would not be grateful for an act that only proved his high-handedness.
Before she could think on the wisdom of her actions, Esyllt stormed into the solar. She would not have known how to behave in front of the decadent lover, but she had no problem facing the secretive adulterer. Fury helped overcome any lingering embarrassment over what they had done the night before. Now she understood why he was so knowledgeable about brazen, lustful women, how he knew about the scandalous ways men and women pleasured each other. Because he had a leman who opened her legs to him whenever he lay over her, a mistress with whom to enjoy shocking, decadent lovemaking, the likes of which he had introduced her to only the night before.
