"I knew you would come tonight," Fortune said softly. She was lying naked upon his bed, her red-gold hair her only adornment.
"So you mean to seduce me, do you?" he said in equally soft tones, walking across the small room to stand over her.
"Aye," she replied. "You want to be seduced, don't you?" Reaching up she drew him down upon the bed.
"You are the boldest virgin I have ever known," he told her.
"I didn't know you knew any virgins," Fortune responded with a wicked grin. "Kieran, you know I'm mad for you, and I know that you love me. In less than a week we will be man and wife. Why must we wait until then to enjoy each other?" Her lips were dangerously close to his, temptingly moist, and half-parted.
I'll never be a saint, he thought, as he kissed her slowly, deeply, his mouth working against hers. His head spun with the nearness of her. The perfumed scent from her body surrounded him. "One taste, sweetheart, and then no more until our wedding night," he said sternly. "I'll not have you coming to the altar looking too sated and well satisfied. Do you think that's a secret you could keep, my bold innocent?" His hand swept down the curve of her body slowly, sliding around to fondle the cheek of her bottom.
Being touched so suggestively was entirely different than she had anticipated, Fortune considered. It had seemed to her the right thing to do when she had decided to await him in his bedchamber. Now she wasn't certain she was ready for such intimacy. When he pushed her back upon the pillows her heart began to hammer wildly. Fascinated she watched as his fingers trailed lightly over her silken flesh. It was utterly delicious, but now she wondered if she gave herself so freely to him before they were married whether he would marry her at all. His big hands were lightly holding her shoulders as he bent his dark head and began to kiss her breasts with tiny, feathery kisses that set her all a-shiver. His tongue laved her nipples gently, and they grew taut in response. Fortune clenched and unclenched her fingers nervously. This had been a mistake. She had to tell him to stop right now. She whimpered nervously as a hand brushed over her belly, tensing as it rested itself, palm down, upon her Venus mont.
Kieran could feel Fortune trembling with both her fear and her rising desire. He half sat, removing his doublet and his shirt. Her eyes widened at the sight of his smooth, broad chest. Now he leaned forward again to press his bare flesh against her bare breasts. His tongue teased her ear, and he murmured hotly, "Do you like that, my sweet Fortune? Ahh, lambkin, you are so soft and warm against me."
Itwas wonderful! Fortune sighed, and boldly put her arms about him. She could not for the life of her, however, speak. The moment was far too intense. She loved him. They were together as lovers should be. Shyly she let her palms smooth down his back. Then suddenly she stiffened. He had pressed his length against her, and she could feel the hard ridge within his britches pushing into her naked flesh.
"I can't!" Fortune gasped.
He immediately sat up. "It took you long enough to decide it, you damnable little tease," he growled at her, taking her hand and putting it against what to her eyes seemed an inordinately large bulge. When she sought to pull her hand away he held it firm. "Your touch will soothe it," he told her. "It's either that, or…"
"How did you know?" she demanded, rubbing him gently.
"Because I am experienced, sweetheart," he told her, "and while you may be a passionate creature, you're no wanton, Fortune."
"But I don't want to be a virgin any longer!" she wailed.
"You won't be in a few days," he told her.
"Are you being soothed?" she inquired, her hand caressing him, and realizing that she was becoming curious again.
"Aye," he grinned at her.
"Well, I could use some comfort too, Kieran Devers!" Fortune told him. "Isn't there a way to pleasure me without spoiling our wedding night? There must be something youcan do."
His eyes twinkled. "How brave are you, Fortune?"
"I don't know," she told him.
"Lie still and trust me, lambkin," he said softly. He turned onto his side, and one hand reached out to touch her Venus mont again. He began caressing it with teasing fingers in a provocative manner.
Fortune closed her eyes, half-afraid, but determined to learn exactly what he was about. His touch began to engender ripples of excitement within her. She squirmed slightly, unable to help herself, but forcing herself to concentrate on the sensations he was loosing. A single finger began to stroke at the slit between her nether lips. It pushed between the tender folds of pink flesh, and Fortune tensed.
"It's all right, sweetheart," he promised her. "Trust me."
Fortune made herself relax, but then she suddenly gasped as he touched her in what was apparently the most sensitive spot on her entire body. "Kieran!" she managed to gasp.
"It's called your love button," he told her. "Touched in just the right way, it can give you extraordinary pleasure." His ringer flicked back and forth over the swollen nub of flesh. "Do you find it pleasurable, Fortune?"
"Ohhh, yes!" It was wonderful. Why hadn't he introduced her to this delight before? A frisson of enjoyment washed over her. This was heavenly. She murmured softly as the pleasure broke over her like a wave, and then gasped once again as the digit, only recently teasing at her, suddenly penetrated her. "Ohhhh!" The finger began to move back and forth within her. "Ohhh! Oh! Oh! Yesss!"
He bent and kissed her just as she peaked. His tongue found hers, stroking it fervently. The kiss deepened, and he thought he might explode with his own desire for her. He would not take her until she was his wife, but dear heaven, it would be difficult!
"I'm not afraid anymore," Fortune said, pulling her head away, from his. "I don't want to wait, Kieran. Please!"
He withdrew his finger from her wet sheath. "No, lambkin, not until we are properly wed will I properly bed you." He kissed her gently, avoiding the disappointed look in her blue-green eyes.
Fortune rolled away, putting her back to him. "I hate you!" she muttered. "I don't think I want to marry you at all, Kieran Devers!"
He looked at her delicious little rump, and unable to help himself fondled it. "Having tasted your charms, lambkin, I don't intend letting you get away now," he told her. "In just a few more days you and I will be man and wife, and then, my darling, I will satisfy all your naughty little desires, and even some you don't know about yet." He gave the tempting rump a little smack.
Fortune rolled back onto her back again, glaring up at him. "I suppose you want me to go back to my own chamber now," she grumbled.
"I think it might be a good idea. Try not to awaken Rois. She'll be very shocked, I fear. You understand why I'm doing this, don't you, Fortune?"
She shook her head in the negative. "Why?"
" 'Tis an old custom to hang the bloody sheet from the wedding bed out the following morning for all the neighbors to see that the bride was indeed pure. Tomorrow at Mallow Court Lady Jane will proudly display the soiled linen that lay beneath Willy and his bride. 'Tis not a custom she likes, but she knows it is expected, and gossip would surely ensue if that bloody sheet didn't fly. I want no one, especially my foolish brother, saying that you were not as pure as the vaunted Emily Anne on your wedding day. 1 don't want to have to fight my brother, because if I fight him, I will kill him. And I will be forced to it if he ever slanders you again, Fortune."