Page 64 of A Husband for Esyllt
“I’m sure it’s safe. Stop talking. Make love to me.”
Everything inside Connor roared. His wife wanted him to stop arguing and take her? He would do just that.
“Forgive me, love, but this is going to be fast,” he said, gathering the hem of her skirts in his hand. He already knew he would not last long.
“Good, because I need you now,” she rasped, opening her legs wide while he freed himself and settled his shaft between her thighs. He was glad to see that all fear about appearing wanton had disappeared. She wanted him and she wasn’t afraid to show him as much, without worrying about he would think. Finally, she had accepted the wilder side of her.
Nevertheless he didn’t dare flip her over onto her stomach and pound into her from behind, as he’d dreamed of doing for many a night. After what she’d gone through that day, he would have to be gentle with her. He could not resist telling her what he wanted to do, though. Words inflamed the body as well as the imagination.
“Next time I will show you all we can do together, my love.” He slid inside her, savoring both the hot tightness wrapping around him and the moan she gave. “I want to slide inside you while you press your delectable breasts into the mattress underneath.” Another thrust, more forceful. Another moan, even more arousing. “I want you to ride me like I ride my stallion and take your pleasure with me.” Thrust. Esyllt lifted both her legs to cradle his waist. “I want to bend you over and make you take me in all my urgency.” Thrust, thrust. “I want you to keel at my feet and?—”
“Connor, please! You are going to kill me with such talk,” she whimpered.
“Oh, no, I will never kill you, with words or otherwise. I’m going to make you come. Now.”
Right on cue, she erupted around him, spasming with delicious force. The feeling was so extraordinary that he had no choice but to follow her in ecstasy. Arms straight, chest heaving, head rolled back, he emptied himself into her softness, forgetting the past and all the hurt he’d ever felt.
Then he collapsed and allowed darkness to claim him.
Connor had no idea how long he’d slept when he woke up to a smiling Esyllt.
“Well, husband. All those things you want to do to me might have to wait if you cannot even muster the strength to take me in the normal way without passing out.”
“Witch,” he growled. “I’ll show you that it takes much more to floor me. Usually,” he added when she arched a brow in challenge. When she laughed, he drew her to him. “Which reminds me. I never asked you, but why did you allow me inside your body that night before our wedding?”
She didn’t have to actually let him take her to give anyone the impression that they were “coupling”, to use her delightful expression. But she had surrendered to his entreaties all too readily. He had always wondered why.
“Why do you think?” He guessed, rather than saw, that she had blushed. “Because I wanted you inside me. When you suggested it, I could not resist. I had never seen anyone like you. I was fair transfixed.”
“I know exactly how you felt,” he groaned. “It was the same for me. I could not believe my luck that the wife I had chosen at random could be so alluring. I know I should never have suggested making love to you, never mind actually possessed you but I could not resist, as you say.”
“I too have a question about that night.” Esyllt sounded shy. “Why did you not carry on until you had reached your release?”
He stared at her for long moment, not sure what to say. Why had he stopped? He had asked himself the same questions often enough. Eventually, he gave the only answer he could think of.
“Because I’m a fool.”
“Esyllt.”
Her name in Mathew’s mouth was so unexpected that Esyllt’s eyebrows shot all the way to her forehead. Had her disapproving brother-in-law just used her name in such soft tones? Yes, he had.
Behaving as if this was not an earth-shattering event, she turned around slowly.
“Yes, Matthew?”
“I never said... Well, I never apologized...”
She had never seen the man hesitate before, much less appear at fault in front of her. Was he embarrassed?
“Why should you apologize?” she asked, barely refraining from smiling. The devil in her refused to make this too easy for him, even if in her heart she had already forgiven him. There were worst crimes than indefectible loyalty. Besides, she knew from his behavior toward everyone else that he was a good man at heart.
The brown eyes gleamed. “I should never have doubted you. I know now why you let Gruffydd and his men into the castle, and I understand why you would have thought it better to gamble on my brother’s ability to survive the torment inflicted on him rather than expose your daughter to harm. What you must have suffered when you realized she was the Welshman’s captive doesn’t bear thinking about.” He ran a hand through his blond hair. “Well. I guess I’m trying to say I’m sorry.”
“You must be, to call me by my name,” she could not help but tease. This was rather enjoyable. “Although you are still a long way from pronouncing it properly, you know.” To her relief, he smiled at the provocation. “Don’t be sorry. I am reassured to see that Connor has such a loyal brother by his side. And it was thanks to you that we could get him back in the end. I owe you his life. Be sure I shall never forget it.”
“It was thanks to meandyou. Without you we would never have known where to search for him, and we might have reached him too late. It took courage to come face me in all my wrath.” He took her hand in his to kiss her fingers. Esyllt felt absurdly moved and she knew from then on they would be the best of friends. “I am reassured to see that Connor has such a steadfast, loving wife by his side. With a woman like you to watch over him, he has no need of me anymore.”
The wistfulness in his tone told her he was only half jesting. He did fear he would be left on the side, but she knew that would never happen.
