A Lady for Lord Randall (Brides of Waterloo)

She reached up and cupped his cheek. ‘I am not frightened, Randall. I want this. Truly.’

He kissed her again. She felt him hard and aroused, pressed against her body and her kisses increased in fervour. Instinct took over, she wanted him inside her and she allowed her body’s movements to tell him so. He shifted above her and she responded, lifting her hips, offering herself, hot, moist and ready. Gently he slid inside her. When she flinched he paused, but her arms tightened.

She whispered quickly, ‘Don’t stop, Randall, don’t stop now!’

He began to move, each time pushing a little deeper. She gave a little moan of pure pleasure. The pain had been small and momentary. Now she relished the sensation of having him inside her, those wickedly slow, sensuous strokes causing her body to contract. His mouth sought hers again, his tongue mimicking the actions taking place lower down in her body. He was moving quicker and she was aware of the excitement growing as he thrust into her, up to the hilt, and suddenly she was no longer in control. Her head went back and she cried out, clinging to him as her body rocked and pulsed with an energy all of its own, but even before the last tremors had faded he pulled away and she felt the warm wetness of him on her skin.

‘Randall? I—’

He stopped her mouth with a kiss. ‘I should not have entered you at all, but I could not resist you. But I will not make you pregnant, if I can avoid it.’

‘Oh.’ She hugged him against her, blinking away the sudden tears that moistened her eyes. His forbearance touched her and she pushed away the tiny pinprick of sadness at the necessity of it.

For a while they lay together, wrapped in each others’ arms. Then Randall stirred.

‘Are you happy?’ he whispered, kissing her ear.

‘Very.’ It was true. She had never felt so at peace. ‘Is that why my married friends have that satisfied look?’

He laughed softly and she felt its reverberations against her body.

‘Possibly.’ He nuzzled her neck. ‘But we are not done yet.’

‘Oh, I think I am,’ she sighed and as he began to kiss her neck she put a hand against him. ‘No, Randall, I cannot.’

‘You can. You may have forgotten that we have not yet removed your stockings.’

She shivered delightedly as he ran one hand down her body, teasing her breast, caressing her hip, slipping over the sensitive join of her thigh and down to her knee. He pulled loose the garter and when he sat up she reached for him again, but he gently pushed her back. She lay still, enveloped in a pleasurable torpor and watched as he lifted her leg and began to roll down her stocking, kissing each inch of bare flesh as he uncovered it. Her body tingled, every inch of her felt alive from her head to the tips of the toes he was now laying bare to his kisses.

Her eyes devoured him, the flickering candlelight imparting a golden sheen to his skin and throwing into relief the taut, muscled lines of his body. He reminded her of the drawings she had seen of classical statues, studies in grace and controlled strength. Randall was all that and so much more. He was living flesh and blood and he was hers, at least for tonight.

He transferred his attention to her other leg, slowly untying and discarding her garter before rolling down the stocking and kissing the exposed flesh with infinite care until she was completely naked. She should be nervous, this was all so new, she had never exposed herself to any man like this. Instead she felt a glorious sense of freedom and power.

Randall was giving all his attention to her foot, caressing the ankle, lifting it on to his shoulder before his fingers made their way back to the knee. His hands were followed by his mouth, which trailed lightly, teasingly along the sensitive, tingling skin. Slowly

he inched onwards, smoothing over her inner thigh, his fingers gently moving towards the moist opening and she gasped to feel those same fingers enter her warm core. Her senses were still reeling from their first lovemaking and she gave herself up to the pleasure of his touch.

Excitement rippled through her, so much so that when she felt him withdraw her muscles tightened as if to hold him within her, but a moment after his fingers left her he was kissing her, his tongue replacing those deft fingers and wreaking even more havoc on her body. She responded by lifting her hips towards him, offering herself up to the pleasure of it. One hand slid over her breast, the touch of his fingers sending a thrilling shiver running through her, connecting directly with the pleasurable sensations he was creating with his mouth. Mary pressed her hands down on the bed on either side, clutching at the covers, unable to prevent a moan escaping her at the almost unbearable delight he was inflicting upon her. She wanted him to stop, to go on, she felt dizzy with excitement, losing control again.

‘Randall!’ She gripped his shoulders and tried to push him away, but his hands slid around her buttocks, holding her firmly while he continued to work his magic. Her body bucked and pulsed as he licked and suckled at her innermost core. She was shaken by intense waves of pleasure, one after the other. They rippled through her body, stronger, higher until she crested with a scream, and then she was falling, falling, as if in a dead faint, but she was not afraid, because Randall was holding her.

* * *

The soft grey light of dawn crept into the room around the edge of the drapes that curtained the window. Mary saw it and closed her eyes again. She had dreamed of this moment, of lying in Randall’s arms. It was no longer a dream. He had taken her again in the early hours and she felt a little sore, her thighs ached slightly, but she was aware of a wonderful sense of well-being. She did not want to move, to disturb him but even as the thought occurred his arms tightened around her and he pulled her close to kiss her cheek.

‘Good morning, Miss Endacott.’

She chuckled and snuggled closer. ‘Good morning, Lord Randall.’

He kissed her again then raised himself on one elbow and smiled down at her.

‘How are you this morning, no regrets?’

‘None.’ She felt the smile begin inside her and it was impossible to stop. ‘I feel wonderful.’

His laugh was more carefree than she had ever heard it. He bent his head to plant a kiss on the tip of her nose.

‘I am glad.’ He rolled away.