“Does it hurt?”he asked.
She shook her head, and it was almost true.“Not enough to stop,” she whispered.
He slid inside, careful and slow, and this time she was ready—more than ready.There was pain, yes, but it was dulled by the pleasure of being filled, completed.She wrapped her legs around his waist, greedy for more, and he obliged, driving deeper with every thrust.
The room was filled with the sounds of their bodies, the slap of skin, the staccato of breath, the helpless gasps she couldn’t stifle.Gabriel set a punishing rhythm, sweat slick on his back, his hands braced on either side of her.
He reached down, thumb finding the place where her pleasure spiked, and circled, gentle at first, then rougher as she bucked beneath him.
She came apart, the orgasm crashing through her, blinding and total.She screamed, a sound that shocked even herself.
Gabriel groaned, following her into oblivion, and for a moment they were one thing, not two.
They collapsed together, boneless, both laughing and gasping.
He tucked her under his arm, nuzzling her temple.“I think I love you more every time,” he said, voice dazed.
She kissed his chest, tasting salt and triumph.“I intend to hold you to that.”
They lay together, silent but for the fire and the distant toll of a bell.After a while, Gabriel stroked her hair, lazy and content.“Tell me something,” he said.
“Mmm?”
“Would you like to try everything your grandparents wrote about?”
She smiled against his skin.“I’d like that very much.”
“Then we have our work cut out for us, Duchess.”
She giggled.“I’m not afraid of work.”
He rolled her on top of him, eyes alight with mischief.“Let’s start now,” he said, and she did.
***
They must have drifted off, because the next thing Chrissy knew the fire had reduced itself to a glowing ember, and Gabriel was snoring—softly, but with the dogged persistence of a man who had never before allowed himself the luxury of sleeping through a day.
She lay beside him, her head on his arm and her hand splayed across the naked expanse of his chest.Every part of her ached in ways both anticipated and not, but the pain was softened by the memory of what had caused it.She shifted, and Gabriel’s arm tightened, pinning her with the possessiveness of a large predatory animal that has just discovered cuddling.
“Are you awake?”she whispered, uncertain whether she wanted to disturb him.
He grunted, and then, with a supreme effort of will, opened one blue eye.“I am now.And I am better for it.”
She laughed, pressing her nose to his shoulder.“Do you always sleep so deeply after…?”
He cracked a smile.“After what?Say it, Chrissy.”
She hid her face, mortified.“After that.”
He rolled, trapping her beneath him.“After making love to my wife?It would see so.Apparently, it is exhausting and delightful in equal measure.”He kissed her cheek, the corner of her mouth, then nipped at her ear.“You’re blushing again.”
“I can’t help it.My entire body is on fire.”
“Your entire body is made of desire.And it’s glorious.”He rolled onto his back, pulling her along so she sprawled over him, a blanket of skin and tangled hair.
They lay like that for a while, listening to the quiet of the house—the muffled footsteps of servants in the distant halls, the far-off clang of a bell, the murmur of birds in the tree outside the window.
“Do you want children?”she asked, suddenly, before she could lose her nerve.“I mean, of course an heir, but do you want many children?”
