Page 35 of Seven Swans a Swimming

Nathaniel groaned as he sank into her, and Arabella whimpered—but not from pain.

The pain she had expected did not come. Instead, there was merely the sensation of stretching, almost immediately followed by a twinge of pleasure. Then a second, deeper, growing, and Nathaniel pulled back and sheathed himself into her once again, and Arabella gripped his shoulders and moaned with pleasure.

“That feels so good,” she murmured, lifting her lips to be kissed, which Nathaniel swiftly obliged. “More—faster.”

“Deeper,” groaned Nathaniel, leaning on his elbows as he tried to control the pace and the depth. “Oh, yes.”

Arabella abandoned herself to the intimacy, to the sensations, to her body, which knew what she wanted, what she needed.

Nathaniel thrust into her harder now, deepening the pleasure, building the ache within her to a point that Arabella was not sure she could bear any more. This was it, this was everything, this was the moment she had craved without knowing it, and it was building, building, his right hand now teasing her nipple, squeezing her breast, and Arabella could not bear it!

“Nathaniel!” she screamed, her body exploding with pleasure, the crest soaring over her, every inch of her body pouring with ecstasy.

Arabella managed to look up and saw Nathaniel’s face contort with pleasure as he suddenly thrust into her hard, several times, without a single pause.

“Arabella!”

And then he collapsed into her arms.

Arabella held him, held the man she loved. Held the man who would be everything to her from this moment on. Held the men she would never let go again. Her perfect mate. Her swan.

Chapter Nine

If Arabella couldhave flown down the staircase, she would have.

Everything in Oxcaster Lacey appeared to be…glittering. Everything was golden, all things she looked at were perfect, exactly how they should be.

Arabella’s heart soared as she looked around the great hall. This was her home—her future home. Everything she had feared, everything she had felt to be wrong, or out of reach…she had achieved.

“I waited for you, for so long. So long, and you were so worth it, Arabella, dear God…”

She shivered, despite the warmth of the great hall, with its large fireplace blazing. She had never considered such a connection possible. In her limited understanding of the loving act, she had always heard far more about what the gentleman did, what the gentleman experienced—almost to the point where she had believed, unconsciously, that the entire thing was for him.

But Nathaniel had proven that wrong. He had been—oh, so loving. More than she could have hoped. More than she could have dreamed.

And the last two evenings, no matter what the servants saw, Arabella and Nathaniel did not go to their separate bedchambers after dining and talking with his parents in the respectable drawing room.

Oh, no.

Once the wall sconces had been dimmed, and the rest of the household of Oxcaster Lacey had gone to sleep, a figure had crept out of her bedchamber, down the corridor, and into Lord Nathaniel Cartier’s.

To receive the lovemaking of her life.

Arabella shivered, heat flushing her cheeks. It was scandalous really—and yet, not so scandalous. Why should they not enjoy each other, taste each other, fill each other? Why not explore the heights of happiness, the depths of pleasure, the ways a man and a woman could enjoy each other?

They would be married soon, that was certain, was it not? Therefore, why not begin to enjoy the fruits of that marriage, now?

Arabella smiled wistfully to herself. Three perfect days. Days spent in conversation and helping Nathaniel with a few of the birds and animals he cared for in the barn. Evenings filled with hilarious whispered conversations, desperately hoping his parents did not hear, Arabella’s heart thumping wildly at the very thought of being overheard or understood.

And nights…

Nights filled with passion. Arabella had never known herself to be so attracted to another, nor so desired in return.

And Nathaniel was a quick learner. Arabella’s stomach lurched as she thought of the way he had kissed her last night, kissed her all over.

He may never have been with another woman before her, but she had been with no gentleman. They had learned together, eager to please, eager to pleasure, and Arabella was finding herself wishing away the days so that they could reach the nights…

But she must not think of that now. Arabella shook her head slightly, as though that would enable her to rid her mind of the delicious memories.

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