Page 55 of The Viscount's Diamond Bride
Ursula clutched at the front of his jacket, tilting her face up towards him.
“I don’t want that, either,” she whispered. “Will she pay heed to you?”
“I can’t be certain, but I suppose we shall find out. For now, Ursula, I want to put all thoughts of my mother from my mind. I want… I want only to think of you.”
Her breath hitched in her throat. “I… I feel the same.”
There was a moment between them when the air felt heavy and charged, full of possibility and truly thrilling.
Ursula would have been happy to live in that moment forever.
Then Graham leaned down and kissed her, and the moment expanded into something bigger and better, something mesmerizing.
The kiss deepened, and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pulling him tight against her. Heat seeped through her veins, warming her whole body, and Ursula shivered despite it all.
His hands spanned her waist, warm and reassuring, and she felt his fingers dance up the line at her back where her dress laced.
“May I?” his whispered, his breath warm against her cheek.
“Yes, you may” she breathed, so quietly that she worried at first that he had not heard her. Then she felt him pluck at the laces, gently but with assurance, undoing her gown until it sagged around the bodice and from her shoulders like before.
Abruptly, Ursula stepped back, pressing her hands to her bosom to keep the dress from falling off her frame.
Graham blinked, briefly confused. “Forgive me, would… would you like to stop?”
Stop? Ursula allowed herself a faint smile, taking stock of the aching desire in the pit of her stomach.
“No,” she conceded. “But I will not be the only one half dressed. I believe it is your turn, husband.”
He gave a slow smile. “As you wish it, my dear wife.”
Stepping back, he deftly untied his cravat, tossing aside the now-crumpled linen without a second glance. He stripped out of his jacket next, tossingthataside without a care for the expensive velvet. Underneath, he wore a simple silk waistcoat which he unbuttoned and tossed away without a second thought.
Ursula watched, transfixed, as he undid his linen shirt, tugging it carelessly over his head. He stood before her bare chested, and she found herself fascinated by the smooth planes of his chest and abdominals, lines of muscle rippling down towards the line of his breeches. Was his skin warm and smooth to the touch? It appeared to be so. She took a tentative step towards him, hand outstretched, then paused, glancing up at his face.
Smiling, Graham took her hand and pressed it palm down against his chest.
“Do you feel my heart beating?” he whispered. “It beats for you.”
Ursula sucked in a breath, eyes widening. He pulled her tight against him, kissing her again. During the kiss, her gown slipped from her shoulders and pooled around her ankles. Ursula stepped out of it gracefully.
Graham swept her into his arms, carrying her over to the bed in two steps. Ursula gasped when her back touched the soft mattress, her eyes flying open. Graham knelt over her, bending down to kiss her forehead.
“Trust me,” he whispered.
She smiled up at him, reaching up to touch his face. “I trust you.”
He kissed her again, reaching up to unlace the front of her chemise. Lifting her arms, Ursula let him slide the material away from her skin. Goosebumps broke out after the material was pulled away, and she shivered in the cold room.
Graham sat back on his heels, staring at her with something not unlike reverence.
“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered. “Sometimes I cannot believe that you are mine.”
He kissed her again, moving down to kiss the front of her throat, and Ursula tilted back her head and closed her eyes, melting into the sensations. His hands slid down her body, fingers leaving delicate, tingling trails.
Shifting lower, Graham kissed the center of her stomach, resting his cheek against the soft skin and peering up at her.
“I have thought of you every day since I first met you,” he whispered.
