The Sherbrooke Bride (Sherbrooke Brides 1)

“What is an excellent lover? A man who is kind? A man who is very gentle? A man who kisses very well?”

“All those things and much more.”

“It would seem to me that those things and much more would require practice and a good deal of experience.”

“They do. Tony has years of both.”

“And you?”

“I, too.”

“And Ryder?”

Douglas laughed. “Ah, my younger brother was probably born an excellent lover. He has but to show himself and the ladies, as well as the females who aren’t ladies, swoon and flirt and simper. However, he tends to forget himself in his own pleasure.”

“What do you mean?”

“Never mind. Later. Perhaps when you know a bit more about things than you do now.”

“Is it common knowledge you are an excellent lover?”

“I trust so. I have never been a selfish pig and I am careful to see to a woman’s pleasure.”

“You don’t make it sound very enjoyable for yourself if you are being so careful about everything.”

“Nature has dictated that sex is very enjoyable for a man, no matter the circumstance. It is to keep the race going, you understand. Pleasure is not necessary for a woman since she is only the recipient of a man’s seed, and thus doesn’t have to play an active role. She was deprived by Nature. It is a pity, but a man, if he’s an excellent lover, will overcome Nature’s oversight. I do enjoy overcoming.”

“Even if you don’t particularly care for the woman?”

“I don’t generally have sex with women I don’t care for. Except on rare occasion.”

Well, she had asked and he’d told her the truth, a bit baldly perhaps, but it was the truth nonetheless.

“Yes,” he continued, “for a woman, more care is required if she is to—” He broke off, then added, “I enjoy watching a woman find her release.” He stopped at the look of pain in her eyes, intense pain and hurt. What the devil had he said? Perhaps it was just a maiden’s fear. She didn’t understand, but she would before this night was over.

Then she closed her eyes. “Then I shall forever be compared to all the beautiful women you’ve known and watched and enjoyed. And because I am ignorant and not a diamond, I probably will never find out what this release is all about, and you will be displeased with me. And then I will always lose and you will always feel sorry that you are wedded to me.”

“But you just quoted to me that you are graceful with a narrow waist and white teeth. Ah, and handsome.” He paused a moment, then said very quietly, “As to release, I will give you such pleasure that you will shriek with the joy of it. As for the rest of what you said, it’s drivel.”

“I don’t know, Douglas. Perhaps when you begin this business, you will be sorry that I am the recipient of your excellent technique. You will feel as though you are wasting your excellence on such as me.”

“I doubt that, for I have seen you and touched you and cared for you and your body pleases me, Alexandra. Very much. I am a man and not a boy. You may trust that I will take good care of you, that I will do what is just right at just the right moment to give you pleasure.”

“It sounds very cold-blooded to me.”

He only shrugged. It was, upon occasion, but he didn’t intend to tell her that. “Do you know that this is all in all a very strange conversation to be having on one’s wedding night? And that’s what this is, Alexandra. Now, shall we?”

“No,” she said. “I don’t think so. Douglas, wait. Did you really want to come to me tonight?”

“Damn you, Alexandra, it’s enough that I am here! It goes with me accepting you as my wife. No, don’t look at me as if I will kill you.” He grasped her arms and pulled her off the bed. “Sit down now,” he said, then proceeded to push her down upon the counterpane. Her feet didn’t touch the floor. They were bare, narrow, nice toes. Her nightgown was virginal; she looked about sixteen. But she hadn’t braided her hair and it was really quite lovely, that deep red color, the waves thick and full, falling down her back. She’d brushed it and that must mean that she’d expected him to come to her. It was something, at least. Douglas took a step back from her and began to unfasten the belt around his waist.

“Oh dear, what are you doing?”

“I’m going to show you what a man looks like,” he said and tossed the belt to the floor. Very slowly, he shrugged one shoulder and then the other out of the dressing gown. It fell to the floor and he kicked it away from him. Then, still looking at her directly in her eyes, he straightened, his arms at his sides, and stood there naked.

“Oh goodness,” she said, her eyes immediately on his groin.

“I am not at all like you,” Douglas said. He was watching her closely and he saw her eyes widen and glaze a bit. “With you looking at me with such interest, I tend to become quite enthusiastic. My brain has nothing to do with it.”