despite his hostility towards her, she still possessed something he wanted, or so it would seem: her body.
His mouth settled on hers. Lightly at first, but receiving no resistance, grew firmer, possessively capturing her lips against his. Arabella's body sprang to life, every nerve ending clamouring for his touch. He slipped one hand beneath her head, entangling her long hair between his fingers, the other slid beneath her nightgown. His touch ignited her very being, as he caressed and explored her soft yielding body. She denied him not. In her aroused state, he was Ulric, her beloved, and she welcomed him.
His hands stroked her breasts. Her nipples tightened on contact, and she drew in a ragged breath. She dare not breathe his name for fear he would stop. She wanted him. That was all she needed to understand. Her hands caressed his back, his shoulders, and his arms. Soft sighs escaped her when he nipped her neck, drawing her body even closer when he placed his hands on her buttocks.
She felt hardness at her entrance. Before she had time to respond, with one sharp thrust, he broke through her maidenhead. His mouth covered hers, stifling her cries of pain. She clung to him, her whole body urging her to reject him, whilst she adjusted to his size. She had been told her first time would not be easy, so she allowed his kisses to distract her from the pain. Slowly, he began to thrust into her again and again, until the pain diminished, to be replaced by a feeling so sweet she never wanted it to end. She called his name as wave after wave of pleasure washed over her. When John let out a groan and collapsed against her, she knew he had reached his pinnacle. She laid her hands against his back, reveling in the close contact, and buried her face in his neck, breathing in his masculine scent. If only he could love her as she loved him.
A few moments later, John withdrew from her body and lay down by her side facing her, one hand splayed across her midriff. His breathing was still a little ragged as was hers.
"I am sorry I hurt thee." He said quietly. "The next time will not be painful."
He looked at her, his expression guarded. She smiled at him shyly. "It only hurt at the beginning. Afterwards it was wonderful."
"I am glad for it. As much as we have our differences, I would prefer our child to be born out of pleasure, not pain."
"Our child?"
"Aye. I need an heir, and the sooner the better. I hath given thee enough time to adjust to this marriage. From now on, I will come to thy bed every night until thee conceive."
She felt tears prick her eyes and blinked to keep them at bay. So he was only bedding her for an heir. She had thought maybe it was because he was falling in love with her. How could she have been so naive? He had told her from the beginning how this marriage would be. More fool her for thinking otherwise. She turned her back on him, making his arm fall away, but he placed it back on her hip, trailing his hand along the curve of her waist and upwards to her shoulder. "As part of thy punishment I am locking thee in thy chamber today."
She turned and stared at him. "A whole day? But what am I to do? I will be bored beyond reason!"
"Thou should hath thought of that last night."
Her face set mulishly, and she turned her back on him again. God's bones! He was such a tyrant.
* * *
By late morning, Arabella was bored out of her mind. She had tried reading and, after an hour, had given up. Her mind kept wandering to thoughts of their earlier love making. Aye, it had hurt at first, after that, it had been heavenly. John had promised her that next time there would be no pain at all. She kept thinking of his big hands and how they had touched her so intimately. Her breathing grew erratic once more, and she quickly jumped up from the chair and paced the chamber. Her emotions were all over the place. One minute she was angry at being confined to her chamber, the next she was day dreaming about a husband that loved her as
His mouth settled on hers. Lightly at first, but receiving no resistance, grew firmer, possessively capturing her lips against his. Arabella's body sprang to life, every nerve ending clamouring for his touch. He slipped one hand beneath her head, entangling her long hair between his fingers, the other slid beneath her nightgown. His touch ignited her very being, as he caressed and explored her soft yielding body. She denied him not. In her aroused state, he was Ulric, her beloved, and she welcomed him.
His hands stroked her breasts. Her nipples tightened on contact, and she drew in a ragged breath. She dare not breathe his name for fear he would stop. She wanted him. That was all she needed to understand. Her hands caressed his back, his shoulders, and his arms. Soft sighs escaped her when he nipped her neck, drawing her body even closer when he placed his hands on her buttocks.
She felt hardness at her entrance. Before she had time to respond, with one sharp thrust, he broke through her maidenhead. His mouth covered hers, stifling her cries of pain. She clung to him, her whole body urging her to reject him, whilst she adjusted to his size. She had been told her first time would not be easy, so she allowed his kisses to distract her from the pain. Slowly, he began to thrust into her again and again, until the pain diminished, to be replaced by a feeling so sweet she never wanted it to end. She called his name as wave after wave of pleasure washed over her. When John let out a groan and collapsed against her, she knew he had reached his pinnacle. She laid her hands against his back, reveling in the close contact, and buried her face in his neck, breathing in his masculine scent. If only he could love her as she loved him.
A few moments later, John withdrew from her body and lay down by her side facing her, one hand splayed across her midriff. His breathing was still a little ragged as was hers.
"I am sorry I hurt thee." He said quietly. "The next time will not be painful."
He looked at her, his expression guarded. She smiled at him shyly. "It only hurt at the beginning. Afterwards it was wonderful."
"I am glad for it. As much as we have our differences, I would prefer our child to be born out of pleasure, not pain."
"Our child?"
"Aye. I need an heir, and the sooner the better. I hath given thee enough time to adjust to this marriage. From now on, I will come to thy bed every night until thee conceive."
She felt tears prick her eyes and blinked to keep them at bay. So he was only bedding her for an heir. She had thought maybe it was because he was falling in love with her. How could she have been so naive? He had told her from the beginning how this marriage would be. More fool her for thinking otherwise. She turned her back on him, making his arm fall away, but he placed it back on her hip, trailing his hand along the curve of her waist and upwards to her shoulder. "As part of thy punishment I am locking thee in thy chamber today."
She turned and stared at him. "A whole day? But what am I to do? I will be bored beyond reason!"
"Thou should hath thought of that last night."
Her face set mulishly, and she turned her back on him again. God's bones! He was such a tyrant.
* * *
By late morning, Arabella was bored out of her mind. She had tried reading and, after an hour, had given up. Her mind kept wandering to thoughts of their earlier love making. Aye, it had hurt at first, after that, it had been heavenly. John had promised her that next time there would be no pain at all. She kept thinking of his big hands and how they had touched her so intimately. Her breathing grew erratic once more, and she quickly jumped up from the chair and paced the chamber. Her emotions were all over the place. One minute she was angry at being confined to her chamber, the next she was day dreaming about a husband that loved her as
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