“Then why have you stopped?”
His eyes bore into hers. “To give you time to adjust to me.”
Oh!
She tested another wiggle. “It doesn’t hurt anymore.”
His lips descended on hers and he began to thrust into her, low, firm movements that set fire to her insides. This time, Willow did not hold back. She stroked her tongue alongside his, tasting, feasting. She felt wild inside, and gave herself over to her husband’s attention, his thrusts, to the flames licking up her spine. This was so much more than she had ever expected.
If this was part of what it meant to be a wife, Willow thought, she’d happily do this as often as possible.
Lifting her hips to meet each of his thrusts, his name slipped from her lips. There was something precious happening between them, something magical.
His movements gained more purpose, and she arched her back, pleasure exploding inside her like a thousand stars bursting into stardust. Moments later, he shuddered his own release, his body a delightful weight pressing into her.
“That was marvelous,” Willow said once she caught her breath.
One corner of his mouth quirked up. “Indeed,” he agreed, rolling onto his back.
“I had no idea that it could be so . . .” her voice trailed off at a loss for words. Her imagination had not prepared her for the emotions his touch provoked. The ethereal feeling that her body no longer belonged to her.
He turned his head to her. “How did it feel?”
“Earth-shattering,” she said, meeting his gaze.
“That’s good,” he said. “Perhaps tomorrow you can read through the rules I have—”
“I’m not reading your rules,” Willow cut him off, bolting upright to glare at him.
His eyes hardened. “Wives do as they are told.”
“Not this wife,” she declared, indignant.
“Then you will not feel thatearth-shatteringpleasure again.”
Willow gasped. Ice water could not have been more effective. She scrambled away from him, grabbing the sheets to cover herself. Furious and pained all at once.
“Was this all a trap? Seduce me so I’ll be more biddable?”
“No,” he said, sitting up. “I gave you a choice to consummate this marriage or give me your word it will not be annulled.”
Dear lord, he was right. She had wanted this, all of it. But she hadn’t expected he’d introduce her to such exquisite passion and then threaten to take it away.
“That’s . . . that’s . . . deplorable!” Willow exploded. “How can you threaten me like this after what we shared?”
His eyes were once again frosty. “Oh, I can, my sweet wife. You should understand I am not a man to attach any romantic ideals to.”
He’d ruined this marvelous night overtoast? Well, not actual toast, but rather a metaphor for his obnoxious rules and her refusal to follow them.
“And what if I seek pleasure elsewhere?” Willow challenged, her temper rising at the utter audacity of the man. She wouldn’t, but she was furious that he’d crushed a spectacular moment, that he’d reverted them back to their battle of wills. Of course, she’d planned to do the same thing in the morning, but notnow.
“I would not test me that way if I were you.” Black eyes darkened to resemble a thunderstorm. “Not if you do not wish to be locked away in a remote castle on abandoned moors for the rest of your life.”
“You wouldn’t!”
He only smiled.
Willow watched, crippled with astonishment, as he rose from the bed and padded over to his room with no modesty whatsoever, turning the key in the lock to unlock the door. He did not so much as spare her a second glance!
