The Marriage Contract Page 15

  “I do, too, but I asked Marcy to take care of Susanna if she wakes up when I’m gone today. Sometimes I like it when it’s just the two of us.”

  “It is nice.” He cupped her face in his hands and gave her another kiss. “Do you want the hood of this cloak over your head, or would you prefer it to be down?”

  “I’ll leave it down for now. If it gets chilly or the sun’s too bright, I’ll put it up.”

  With a nod, he turned to the desk then retrieved the envelope and mask. “I don’t mind showing you my face, but I’d rather not show it to anyone else.” He slipped the mask back on.

  “Will you ever show Susanna your face?”

  He paused. “I already have. I figured she was too young to remember the way I look. I was thinking of having it on when she’s older, but I could keep it off.”

  “I want all of us to be a family, and I think it’ll be better if you don’t wear the mask around both of us.”

  She made a good point. “When it’s just the three of us, I’ll remove the mask,” he told her. “I’ll give this to the butler and then we’ll be on our walk.”

  Taking her hand, he led her out of the room.

  Chapter Seventeen

  That evening after dinner, Stephen, Patricia, and Susanna snuggled up under a blanket in front of the fireplace while Stephen read to them. Since they were alone in the drawing room and the doors were closed, Stephen had removed his mask.

  It’d taken Patricia a couple of seconds to overcome the urge to ask him to put the mask back on, even though she’d seen it earlier that day. Once she rebounded from her initial fear, she took time to study the ragged edges of his flesh that crisscrossed in many directions. She couldn’t blame him for wanting to wear the mask, but she still wanted him to show his face to her. He was willing to be vulnerable with her, and she didn’t want to ruin that.

  Once they had settled in front of the fire, she had snuggled against him as he continued reading. Susanna was in her arms, and the girl’s eyes kept drooping. Soon she’d be asleep. Patricia couldn’t blame her for wanting to stay awake. Being in this place with Stephen, there was so much to look forward to. The days had stopped blurring into one another until she felt as if she might fade away into nothingness. She never wanted to go back to that kind of existence ever again.

  A half hour later, Stephen closed the book. Unaware that her mind had drifted off while he’d been reading, she straightened up, careful not to wake Susanna.

  “Is that it?” she whispered.

  Stephen chuckled. “I didn’t think you were paying attention. I don’t blame you.” He inspected the book. “It started out good but then dragged after a couple of chapters. I’m not all that interested in detailed descriptions of every single thing in a room. I’m the kind of person who likes to get to the action. This is why I have difficulty getting into books. So many of them require a person to get through the boring parts to get to the interesting parts again.”

  “That’s why I try to stay away from books that are long.”

  “A long book isn’t bad if there’s enough substance in it.” With a shrug, he set the book aside then peered down at Susanna. “I see we managed to bore the poor girl to sleep.”

  She laughed. “Susanna usually goes to sleep around this time in the evening.”

  He helped her to her feet, put on his mask, and then picked up the candelabra. “I’ll help you get her settled into her cradle.”

  He had walked her to her bedchamber on occasion, but he hadn’t offered to help her tuck Susanna in for the night. She wondered if he would ask to come to her bed. He had kissed her earlier that day. He had told her he loved her, and he had even shown her his face. All of that had to be leading to something. And if he wanted to go to her bed, she wouldn’t deny him. In fact, she couldn’t think of a single thing she’d deny him.

  They went to her bedchamber, and he opened the door. She walked in first, and she led him to the little room off to the side of the bedchamber. Marcy had already made sure the room was warm for the evening. Usually, Marcy would come back when Patricia summoned her, but Patricia had the feeling she wouldn’t be doing that tonight.

  At least, she hoped she wouldn’t. It’d be nice to have a real marriage in every sense of the word. While she was happy to know Stephen loved her, she longed for there to be more between them. If her marriage to Ichabod hadn’t been so strange, she’d know what the longing was about.

  Aware that Stephen was watching her, she tucked the girl in her cradle and made sure she was comfortable. She glanced over at him. He had already removed his mask, but he still held the candelabra.

  “Do you want to tell her good-night?” Patricia whispered.

  With a nod, he approached the cradle. He brushed the girl’s cheek and wished her pleasant dreams.

  Patricia took another good look at his face. The light flickering from the candelabra made the scars less distinct, which made it easier for her to imagine what he’d looked like before Eloise had struck him with the hand mirror. He was probably a handsome gentleman. Undoubtedly, there must have been some ladies who had given him a second glance.

  It was a shame that he’d suffered the injury, but maybe it was necessary. If he was as bad in his past as he said, then going through the injury had had a part in making him the person he was now. If that was the case, then those scars were worth having. She loved him the way he was now. She wouldn’t trade him for anything.

  He turned to her. “Is there anything else you do?”

  “No. At this point, I want to go to bed.” Her face warmed. Should she ask him if he wanted to join her? Should she wait for him to ask if he could join her? What, exactly, was the best way to handle such a delicate situation? She cleared her throat. “I shut Susanna’s door on the way out so the warmth stays in this room. I know I have a fireplace, but it’s a little chilly in my bedchamber.”

  “Are you uncomfortable at night?”

  “No. Once I get under the blankets, I’m fine.”

  Of course, if he was going to be in bed with her, then she might not need to bundle under so many blankets. Sure her face was now a bright red, she hurried out of the room, if for no other reason than to get away from the candelabra. It was bad enough she felt awkward. She didn’t want him to see it.

  He followed her out of the room and then closed the door of Susanna’s room while she went over to her vanity. She paused, waiting to see what he would do. Usually, she would get ready for bed. She’d brush her hair, and then Marcy would help her undress. But would she be doing the same routine tonight?

  Stephen set the candelabra on the dresser, and her heartbeat picked up with a mixture of excitement and apprehension. This had to mean he intended to stay. Unless he was planning to leave the candelabra in her room and then go to his.

  But he didn’t go to his bedchamber. Instead, he walked back over to her. When she saw his hesitant expression, she relaxed. Good. She wasn’t the only one who wasn’t sure of how to proceed.

  “Can I stay here with you tonight?” he asked, his voice soft.

  She nodded, and in the next instant, he had her in his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck and welcomed his kiss. They had only kissed twice earlier that day, but the memory of it still lingered on her lips. She’d thought of little else all day. And now she was finally getting the chance to kiss him again. It was even better this time around.

  His tongue traced her lower lip, and sensing he wanted her to open her mouth, she did. To her surprise, his tongue brushed hers. She had no idea this type of kiss was possible. At first, she wasn’t sure what to make of it, but as he continued to interlace his tongue with hers, she became aware of a pleasant warmth that spread through her body. She leaned into him to encourage him to continue making love to her.

  As it turned out, he didn’t need much encouragement. He brought his hands to her breasts, careful as he cupped them in his palms. His thumbs found her nipples and gently caressed them. In response, they hardened, and s
he experienced a strange ache between her legs. The more he caressed her nipples, the stronger the ache grew. She didn’t know what to make of it. Why fondling her breasts should affect her down there, she couldn’t figure out. However, just because she couldn’t figure it out, it didn’t mean she wasn’t enjoying it. She was enjoying it. Immensely so, in fact. And she wanted to know what other things he could make her feel.

  When he was done exploring her breasts, he traced her hips and then her bottom. His actions, though gentle, had a sense of urgency in them that excited her. She’d never been the source of a gentleman’s desire before. Sure, she’d been the object of Barnaby’s affections, but they hadn’t shared more than a kiss on the cheek. And as for Ichabod… Well, he was proof that couples could have children without touching each other.

  With Stephen, she was getting the chance to find out what husbands were supposed to do to their wives. And she wanted to know. If not to satisfy her curiosity, then to find out where all of these wonderful sensations were leading.

  Stephen’s mouth left hers, and soon he was kissing a sensitive spot behind her ear. A shiver of delight shot straight through her. He proceeded to kiss her ear, and he teased her by lightly brushing it with his tongue. More sparks shot through her.

  She was so caught up in the thrill of what he was doing that she didn’t notice the fact that he had lifted her gown and petticoats until he was unlacing her drawers. She gasped in surprise.

  He lifted his head and looked down at her. “Do you want me to stop?”

  She tried to say no, but it came out as a squeak. She cleared her throat. “No. I…” Her face flushed. “I just didn’t realize you were removing my drawers.”

  Since he didn’t make a move to continue, she lifted her gown and threw it over her head so that she could help him unlace her drawers. Once that was done, she removed her petticoats. That left her with her chemise, which was under her corset.

  She turned her back to him. “Would you unlace the corset for me?”

  She hadn’t even finished asking the question before he was already doing just that. She couldn’t help but smile in pleasure at his impatience. It was nice to be so completely desired.

  Once Stephen slipped off her corset, he removed her chemise. She was ready to turn back to face him, but he was kissing her neck again in that marvelous way of his. She let out a contented sigh and leaned against him. His hands went back to her breasts, giving a thorough exploration of them, and the contact felt much better than it had when she’d had her clothes on.

  The ache between her legs had returned, this time stronger and more urgent. She moaned. She needed him to touch her there. That was the only way she was going to find any relief from the sweet torment he was building up within her.

  She guided one of his hands between her legs, and teased the opening of her flesh with his fingers. She was wet. There would be no trouble getting him to slide into her. She leaned over the vanity and spread her legs so that he could enter her.

  He followed her leading and two of his fingers went into her. She let out another moan and lowered her hips to take him further into her core. He, in turn, brought his thumb to her sensitive nub and rubbed it in steady circular motions that heightened her pleasure.

  He held her against him as he continued his ministrations. Unable to hold back her enjoyment for this activity, she cried out for him to keep going. He did as she wished, his actions, having started slow and purposeful, getting faster and more insistent as her cries grew louder. She held onto the vanity and gave herself completely to the moment.

  The pleasure mounting in her core was leading somewhere. She just knew it. And the more she cried out for release, the more determined his ministrations became. Then, finally, when she thought she couldn’t take it anymore, she reached the peak. He held her firmly against him as she rode the waves of pleasure that crashed into her. She cried out again, this time with relief that her need for completion had been satisfied.

  Once she relaxed, he turned her around so that she was facing him. He gave her a lingering kiss then removed his clothes. Having never seen a gentleman naked, she let her gaze sweep over his body, most notably the male part of him which was erect.

  So that was what would have gone into her if Ichabod had come to her bed in order to conceive Susanna. But if Ichabod had come to her bed, he wouldn’t have made love to her. It would have been quick and impersonal. It would have left her feeling empty and unsatisfied. Such wasn’t going to be the case with Stephen. Stephen was going to make love to her. This was going to mean something. She wasn’t just with him to conceive a child. She was with him because he wanted her—really wanted her.

  Stephen leaned forward and kissed her. With a contented sigh, she ran her hands over his shoulders and then down his back, intrigued by his strength. After a few moments of interlacing his tongue with hers, he pulled out the chair from the vanity, sat on it, and encouraged her to straddle him.

  She wasn’t exactly sure how this was going to work. She thought he was going to carry her to the bed. She assumed couples only did this kind of thing in bed, but she was willing to follow his lead.

  She settled on top of him, taking him into her as she did so. Surprised by how good it felt, she let out a soft moan.

  “You’re so beautiful,” he whispered then kissed her neck.

  She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and followed his lead as he guided her hips up and down his shaft. It felt good. It felt good to have his penis fill her core, stroking her in the most wonderful places. So this was what lovemaking was like.

  Cupping her breasts in his hands, he continued to kiss the sensitive spot just below her ear. Her skin tingled at the simple action, and the feel of his male hardness as she slid up and down him only intensified her arousal.

  She wasn’t sure who was moaning the loudest, but there was no denying that he was enjoying this as much as she was. Good heavens. She was going to climax again. She could feel it. There was something in the way he was making love to her that was ensuring it.

  She worked with him, her movements growing more urgent as she sought the peak. She gripped his shoulders and tensed. Then all at once, a burst of pleasure consumed her, starting at her core and spreading throughout her body. She was only barely aware that he had also reached his peak as he grew taut and filled her with his seed.

  Yes, this was much better than using a cup. This was how children should be conceived. It should be an act that not only drew two people closer together but also brought them both pleasure.

  Afterwards, they descended back to earth, and she gave him a long kiss, not knowing how to say what she was feeling but hoping he might understand it through her actions. Some things, it seemed, were too difficult to find the words for. And this was one of them. The entire process of making love was the best thing she’d ever experienced, and she was glad she got to share it with Stephen.

  Stephen pulled her closer to him and returned her kiss, not seeming to be in any more of a hurry than she was to end this moment. He left a trail of kisses across her cheek, to her neck, and then to her ear. Then he whispered, “I love you so much, Patricia.”

  “I love you, too.”

  He gave her another kiss on the lips then glanced over at the bed. “Believe it or not, I had planned to take you over there before having my way with you.”

  She chuckled and brushed his bangs from his forehead. “I didn’t know it was possible to do this out of bed, but I’m glad you couldn’t wait. It means you were eager to be with me.”

  “I’ve thought of little else ever since we were in the den.”

  Surprised, she asked, “Really? Why didn’t you do it sooner?”

  “Well, there was the walk, then Susanna was awake, and then it was time for dinner.” He shrugged. “I just figured I wouldn’t get a chance to be alone with you like this until tonight.”

  “Maybe you should have tried something when we were in the maze today.”

  “Would you have been
interested?”

  “I don’t see how the bench is all that different from a chair. Either way, I would have been sitting on you.”

  “The chair’s probably more comfortable than that iron bench.”

  She thought over his comment and decided he was right. “Well, I’m sure we would have figured something out. Surely, there has to be other ways to do this activity.”

  A slow smile spread across his face. “There are. But I suppose the question is, how creative do you want to get?”

  “What we did now felt good. I assume other positions will feel just as good.”

  “They will. And who knows? You might think they feel even better.”

  “I don’t know. This one felt very good.”

  His eyes lit up at the challenge. “We’ll have to experiment and see what you like best.”

  Deciding she rather liked this game, she replied, “I’m looking forward to what you have in mind.”

  He chuckled then kissed her. In one swift motion, he picked her up and carried her to the bed. Then, he proceeded to make love to her again.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Early the next morning when Stephen woke up, he didn’t see Patricia in the bed with him. He frowned. Had the whole thing been a dream?

  He heard a door close, so he lifted his head and saw Patricia leaving Susanna’s room. “I just went in to check on her. She’s still asleep.”

  He watched Patricia’s breasts jiggle as she returned to the bed. Her nipples were hard, an indication the room was chilly. With a smile, he lifted the blankets and patted the spot next to him. “I kept the bed warm for you.”

  She slipped into the bed next to him and yawned.

  “Are you tired?” he asked.