Page 67 of Presenting Miss Letitia (Once a Wallflower 1)

“It’s deplorably straight. I always wanted curly blonde hair like my mother.” She stood and faced him, filled with such longing to be one with him, her knees were weak.

“No, my love. You are perfect the way you are.” He lowered his mouth to hers as his arms drew her close. When his hands on her derriere pulled her against him, the evidence of his desire sent heat rushing to her belly and set up a strange throbbing. A passionate kiss left them both breathless.

He untied the ribbons of her negligee and eased it off her shoulders, leaving the thin silk nightgown which hid little from his gaze.

“My sweet love!” Brandon cradled her breast. He brought his mouth down on her nipple, his tongue teasing it through the fabric. She wobbled on her feet and clung on to him as unfamiliar and intense sensations rocked through her.

He hefted her into his arms and crossed to the bed where he laid her down. Seated beside her, his blue eyes gleamed as he poked at the mattress with his hand. “Comfortable, with just enough bounce, I must thank the innkeeper.”

Letty’s eyes widened. “You wouldn’t.”

Brandon laughed and pushed her gently back, leaning over her. “Wouldn’t I?”

She giggled and traced his lips with a finger. “You are wicked, Mr. Cartwright!”

“My thoughts are very wicked at this moment, Mrs. Cartwright,” he said huskily. He paused to kiss her again before rising to strip off his clothes.

He threw his coat onto a chair. “I can imagine what my valet, Hove, will think of this shabby treatment.” He turned, pulling off his cravat. “You said you didn’t require a lady’s maid, but we can find you one, Letty.”

She fought to order her thoughts, all her nerve endings alive as his body was revealed to her, his broad muscled chest with a dusting of dark hair as he pulled off his shirt. He unbuttoned his breeches.

“I’m used to doing for myself,” she said, fighting to sound c

asual, and failing apparently, because he glanced at her with an amused smile.

“You’ll need a good lady’s maid in London.”

“Yes, I’ll find one there.” She hardly knew what she said. She swallowed as her handsome husband advanced toward her, naked, erect, and alarmingly well-endowed.

He joined her on the bed, his hard, warm body pressed against hers, and she threw her arms around him with a moan of delight.

“Shall we remove this?” he asked.

She nodded, suddenly shy.

He drew her nightgown off and tossed it down. Then his gaze roamed over her. “My, but I have a beautiful wife,” he said huskily, as she lay there blushing and resisting the urge to cover herself.

Brandon ravished her mouth, then began to explore her body slowly, moving down to kiss places she had no idea were so sensitive. As his mouth lavished attention on her tender, peaked nipples, his hand slid between her thighs while desire settled low in her belly. She was hot, her body slick with desire. With a mew of pleasure, she arched to meet him as he teased her, the quiet room filled with their labored breathing.

The warmth of his insistent touch caused ripples, shudders, and waves of sensation, her body pulsing beneath his clever fingers. The exquisite sensation built while she sought something maddingly beyond her reach. When he finally drew away, he left her panting, floating on a crest which slowly deposited her back in reality. She opened her eyes to find him watching her with tenderness and passion. “Letty,” he murmured. A fission of desire rushed through her. She wanted him inside her desperately.

But when he parted her thighs and mounted her, and his erection pushed against her entrance, she tensed suddenly, fearful that it would hurt.

At her anxious whimper, Brandon stilled; his eyes sought hers. “Relax, sweetheart. It might hurt a bit, but not for long.”

Brandon was an experienced lover. Letty tried not to think of all the women he had made love to. She would learn to please him and banish them all from his mind forever.

With a thrust, he pushed inside her. The jolt of pain and heat banished any thoughts as she clung to his shoulders with a gasp of surprise. Letty moaned. Brandon cradled her head and kissed her, his tongue tracing the interior of her mouth as he moved slowly within her. He filled her. The overwhelming emotion of being one with him brought a sob to her lips, the effect so explosive, the discomfort vanished. She moaned and reined kisses on his neck and shoulder and anywhere she could reach while her hands traced a path over his muscled back down to his slim waist and powerful buttocks. How lithe and strong he was. He began to thrust into her, hard and fast, stirring excitement to fever pitch, making her dig her fingers into his shoulders.

He groaned, and with a final thrust stilled, then withdrew. He rolled off her. “Did I hurt you, sweetheart?”

“Only a little.” Letty trembled, limp, and profoundly moved. She licked her sore lip, which she might have bitten, and smiled at him.

“It will get better, I promise.” He rested his head on her breast, his hand gently caressing her body.

His silky dark hair played through her fingers as she stroked his head. She smiled to herself. She was truly a woman now and felt so replete. So sleepy. Her eyelids grew heavy. She was vaguely aware of him pulling up the covers and kissing her gently before sleep claimed her.

Brandon woke as the sun rimmed the curtains, he gazed with tenderness down on his beautiful bride, curled up beside him, one hand on his chest. She had been wonderful last night. Well she’d been his Letty. Brave, passionate, and beguiling. He wanted to wake her and make love to her again, but steeled himself to let her sleep, to allow her body to heal. He threw back the covers and left the bed. He would dress and take coffee and read the newspaper in the parlor.

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