Page 55 of His Dark Heart
He managed to free her of her gown, and, for a moment, he was stunned. In all his years, he had never imagined that his own wife would be the kind of woman he would be able to have anywhere, but she had proved him wrong. She laid there, skin flushed, and lips swollen, waiting for him on furniture that had entertained visiting dignitaries. Fumbling a little, Darcy undid his breeches and leaned down.
“I never expected this, my sweet,” he whispered.
“Expected what, my lord?”
“That I would never get enough of you. That I would count the minutes until I was near you again or hate the world for diverting your attention. I never expected that I was not and never have been whole.”
“Hush,” she whispered. “Come into me.”
He did, and all was now clear. His uncertainty melted away with the sound of her pleasure riding the air like high tide. They moved together, dipping and grinding, filling each other with security and joy. It terrified him to acknowledge how much he had come to love her in such a small space of time and, as she bit her lip, dread sank into his heart and poisoned his all too brief happiness. If she ever learned the truth about him, she would leave him, and then where would he be? Lost? Dead? An angry soul looking for a victim to haunt?
“Stop scowling,” she commanded, her voice tremulous. “Ye look as though ye are not enjoying thyself.”
“You are quite wrong, my sweetest wife,” he replied, coming back to her as always. “I am enjoying myself immensely.”
“Show me.”
He lifted her leg and shifted her slightly to drive deeper into her than he had been. She cried out in surprise but eagerly moved against him to welcome his invasion. Her body tightened around him, and he flicked her nipples beneath his thumbs, confident in the knowledge that she loved when that sensitive flesh was taunted and manipulated by his skilled hands. He filled her even as she began her climax, and then they were still. Darcy collapsed atop her shaking body.
Her breasts pillowed his head, and he kissed the plump mound closest to his lips out of gratitude.
“I am not sure how to take this, my lord.”
“What do you mean?”
“Ye display such ferocity in thy possession of me yet afterwards, ye lie about like the world has put all its troubles upon your door. The change is quite obvious: ye are not as happy as ye were mere moments ago.” Her hands ran along his back, through his hair, down his arms. “Do not hide from me. Remember the vow we made to each other.”
Darcy swallowed the lump in his throat. Yes, he remembered the vow and lived in fear of it. If he told her the truth, he would lose her, and did not know how he would survive that. Cupping her face, Darcy sprinkled kisses over her cheeks, her lips, her eyes, and the tip of her adorable nose. She was his world. Then it hit him: if he lost everything, he would not care as long as she was at his side.
“I simply do not trust myself to be happy.”
“Why?”
“Because what if you are suddenly gone?” he whispered, letting himself get as close to the truth as he could.
“I am not going anywhere. We are wed, my lord.”
“And that is the only thing keeping you at my side,” he hissed, all of a sudden angry with himself, with the situation. He began to pull away from her, but she grabbed his hands and tugged harder than he had imagined she was capable.
Her blue eyes glinted like the steel of a blade. “Do not presume my situation is so vulgar, my husband. I took vows, yes, but that is not the only reason I am here.”
He was doubtful and gazed to one side.
“I have an obligation to the people of this realm, to my Papa, to my vows, but there is much more. Ye need me, High Lord Darcy. Ye need me as nobody has ever needed me before, and I would never walk away from that.”
Silently, he sat up and pulled her into his lap, skimming her neck with his lips.
“My lord, ye are my husband and the only man I have lain with. That means a great deal to me. Will ye try to understand that?” She pulled her finger along the side of his face. “I care about ye and what happens to ye.”
He gave her a weak smile and nodded before he cleared his throat. “We should get back. I am afraid I cannot help you right your hair.”
“Pay it no mind. I am quite positive the whole of the household is aware what occurred here. I hardly bothered to hide my pleasure, and we both know I have a tendency to scream.”
He laughed and chucked her chin with his thumb and forefinger. “I cannot regret that I have such a vocal wife.”
“Well, keep up the offending behaviour, sir, and I may develop a severe case of laryngitis, and then where shall we be?”
Smiling, Darcy helped her dress and, after a few more kisses that threatened to divest them of their hard-won clothing once again, he pulled himself away. He accompanied her out of the room, longing to follow when she informed him she was going out to the stables.
