“Ah.” He tossed his gloves on a table and noticed fabric swatches covered the sofa and all the chairs. He’d never actually seduced a woman before. Should he look at the material first? He glanced at her for some sort of hint, but she was staring at him, her still-gloved hands clutched tightly at her waist. Henrietta was nervous. Why had he not thought of that before? Naturally this would be her first time.
Reaching out, he took her hand. “Let me help you.” Slowly, he pulled off the first glove, then kissed each of her fingers, and did the same with the second hand. Henrietta came willingly into his arms and slid her hands up his chest and around his neck. “I have waited so long to do this.”
Henrietta sighed as Nate’s lips touched hers, and she opened for him. She had been nervous at first; then she’d seen the heat and love in his eyes and knew this was the right time. His large hands cradled her face as he slanted his head, deepening the kiss. She clung to him, absorbed in the feel of him. Threading her fingers through the soft waves of his hair, she pressed her body as close to his as possible. God, how she loved this man. Heat pooled between her legs, and she noticed she was pressed against a hard ridge. One of Nate’s hands lowered, caressing her neck, her décolletage, and finally the side of her breast. Fissions of pleasure shot through her, and the place between her legs began to throb. Her breathing was so shallow, she had trouble drawing a breath.
Nothing had ever felt so good or so frustrating. “More.”
“My pleasure.” Nate’s voice seemed deeper, almost rusty. He released the buttons on her jacket and slowly peeled it off her shoulders.
She should do her part as well. Once her spencer was off, she started to untie his cravat. “Your jacket—” He dipped his head and claimed her lips again as he shrugged off his jacket. The waistcoat was the next garment to go. He started unmooring the buttons down her back, caressing her skin as he did. Desire for him surged through her veins.
“We should move to the bedchamber,” he murmured against her neck. Before she could answer, her gown dropped to the floor, and he swept her up into his arms. Seconds later he gently placed her on the ornate, multicolored counterpane covering the bed. “That’s better.”
Henrietta’s jaw dropped, and she shut it quickly as he pulled his shirt over his head, revealing taut skin stretched over the muscles of his chest and flat stomach. No wonder he had felt so strong. The light covering of chestnut curls seemed to exist merely to tempt her to touch him.
The ridge she had felt looked larger, and she reached for the buttons of his breeches, but he stopped her. “Let’s save that for later.”
Nate removed his boots and stockings before gazing at her again. She touched the laces of her short stays, but he placed his hands over hers. “Allow me. Please.” The stays went the way of all clothing, and he drew her into his arms. “Tell me if you want me to stop.”
Henrietta did not think she would ever want him to stop. “I will.” She moved farther back onto the bed, bringing him with her. “Should I remove my shift?”
“Not yet.” Nate’s eyes seemed to take in every inch of her body, and heat rose from her neck to the cheeks. “You are beautiful. I can’t believe how lucky I am that you’re going to be with me forever.”
“You are beautiful as well.” She reached out, stroking his chest. “Much better than the marbles.”
“A compliment indeed.” His lips tilted up, but his eyes devoured her as he lowered her chemise and stroked her breasts, feathering his thumbs over her nipples. She had not known her breasts could be so sensitive. Could respond to him so easily. “I want you to enjoy this.”
Henrietta shivered as he took one tightly rolled bud into his mouth, and her hips lifted as if they knew what they wanted to do. As he ministered to her other breast, the throbbing in her mons increased until it was almost painful. She was going to expire before he finished. “I don’t think I can take much more.”
Suddenly he cupped the place between her legs, and his fingers caressed her, one entered her sheath, and her hips rose frantically to meet him. “Let it take you, my love.”
Tremors shook her body, and his mouth covered hers as she cried out. Nothing had ever felt so good, so right. But it wasn’t all. She knew it wasn’t all. He pulled her shift down over her hips, stood, and removed his breeches. The hard ridge sprang free. As large as it looked, Henrietta knew it would fit. But it would also hurt. Her body started to tense, as if fearing an invasion.
Nate kissed her again and concern grew in his eyes. “I will try to make this as painless as possible.”
He moved over her, caressing her as he had before. Slowly her body relaxed, and the now-familiar throbbing started again. This time when her hips rose, she felt his member at her opening, rubbing that sensitive spot.
“Are you ready?” Nate groaned.
“Yes.” She bit her lip to keep from crying out as he tore through her maidenhead and gasped at the pain of him stretching her. He slowly moved back and forth, giving her time to get used to him. Again her hips rose to greet him, and soon tension coiled deep within her.
“Wrap your legs around me if you can.”
Henrietta did as he instructed, and he plunged into her, until she was tumbling through waves of pleasure.
Calling her name, Nate surged into her once more. For a moment she thought he would collapse on top of her, but he rolled onto his back, bringing her with him. “Are you all right?”
“I am perfect. You were perfect.” She had never felt this way before, as if she could not be more in love with him. She now understood why her friends could never explain how it felt to make love to the man one loved. “It hurt a little, but that went away.” She wished they could stay here for hours more, but nearby a door opened and closed. “I believe your valet is up and about.”
He groaned. “We have to get you back to your chamber.”
That meant she would have to dress again. Not perhaps all the way dressed. If she pulled on her gown and spencer, she could carry her hat and gloves, and her maid could get her other clothing later. “As much as I hate to move from this lovely position, I had better go now. I will need help with my gown.”
“You’re right.” He lifted her from him, kissing her as he did. “If we remain here any longer, someone will find us. Stay here for a moment.” He rose and went behind a screen. “Drat. I should have expected there’d be no water.”
That confused her. “Why do you need water?”
“To clean both of us.” He walked out from behind the screen, and she saw blood on his member.
“Oh. I had not thought about that. I will be glad when we are married.” She climbed out of the bed and gathered her stays and chemise. “I’ll send Spyer in to collect the other items while I bathe.”
Nate took his handkerchief out of a pocket in his breeches and gently cleaned her before using it himself.
“Thank you.” She had noticed she was wetter down there than before. It was his seed.
He pulled on his breeches. “It might be better if Styles gathered your garments and brought them to your maid.”
That way no one would see Spyer in the corridor with the clothes. “That is a good idea.”