Part 15 (1/2)
He felt l.u.s.t also, of course. And desire. Arabella might be s.e.xually inexperienced, but she was more woman than any of his former mistresses, and he wanted her far more.
A vibrantly sensual woman who stirred his senses.
Now, however, he would do his best to wreak havoc on Arabella's senses. He'd been successful in getting past some of her defenses, but gaining her full capitulation would be difficult. Arabella was still vulnerable to hurt, despite her declarations to the contrary.
A wave of tenderness. .h.i.t Marcus as he studied her. She had been betrayed by her idiot betrothed, who was fool enough to value his consequence more than her. And after her parents' warlike marriage, she wasn't willing to risk suffering any sort of callous union of convenience.
Marcus knew their own marriage would be very different-far from cold-blooded. But he would have to change Arabella's perspective by escalating the intimacy of their relations.h.i.+p.
He wanted to show her pleasure she'd never even dreamed of, for her own sake as well as the sake of his courts.h.i.+p and his own gratification. She truly had no idea what she was missing by disavowing men.
Marcus was convinced that once she understood how pleasurable their marriage bed would be, she would be much more inclined to accept his proposal.
He also knew he would be playing with fire, considering the effort it took to control his own primal urges when he merely touched her. But an urgency was growing in him to win her and put an end to this state of uncertainty.
Resolving to make his next move, Marcus sat up and wiped his hands on a cloth napkin, then took her gla.s.s from her and set it aside.
At his unexpected action, Arabella suddenly grew tense. ”Marcus, I was not finished eating.”
”You can finish later. For now, it's time we proceeded to the next step in our courts.h.i.+p.”
”What do you mean?” she asked warily.
”I intend to teach you about lovemaking.”
She felt her heart start to pound. ”We agreed you wouldn't go beyond the limits of gentlemanly conduct.”
”But you want me to.”
Arabella opened her mouth to deny it but couldn't.
When she fell mute, Marcus scrutinized her face. ”Just because you refuse to marry me, doesn't mean you don't want to experience pa.s.sion.”
His a.s.sertion had a significant truth to it, Arabella acknowledged. She couldn't help wondering about pa.s.sion. But she shook her head. ”I won't do anything so shameless, Marcus. I mean to remain chaste outside the marriage bed.”
”I can show you about pa.s.sion without taking your virginity.”
”I know.” When his eyebrow shot up, she colored a little in embarra.s.sment. ”I am not entirely ignorant about lovemaking. A friend of mine told me about the procedure in detail.”
Wry amus.e.m.e.nt curved his mouth. ”What sort of friend would foster a proper young lady's carnal education?”
”A close childhood friend,” Arabella responded, her chin lifting. ”f.a.n.n.y Irwin. I should think you would know her, since she is currently one of the most celebrated Cyprians in London.”
”We have a pa.s.sing acquaintance,” Marcus replied mildly, ”although I have never patronized her.”
Somehow that casual revelation comforted Arabella. ”f.a.n.n.y is my age, but she is far more experienced than I. She was our neighbor in Hamps.h.i.+re before she left home to make a new life for herself in London's demimonde. We remained fast friends, even though her family disowned her for her wickedness.” Arabella smiled a little defiantly. ”I continued to acknowledge her during my comeout in London, before our own scandal, and afterward, f.a.n.n.y was one of the few people who stuck by me and my sisters. She even visited us here on occasion after we came to live with our step-uncle. f.a.n.n.y told me a good deal about her new life.”
”And she satisfied your curiosity about lovemaking?”
”Well, I admit I was curious. And when I became betrothed, I asked her what I should expect on my wedding night. So I know in theory what is supposed to happen.”
”But knowing in theory is not the same as experiencing for yourself,” Marcus said. ”Come, admit it. You want me to show you what our wedding night will be like.”
At his confident tone, Arabella narrowed her gaze on him. ”We will not be having a wedding night. And you cannot kiss me witless to convince me otherwise.”
When his own eyes narrowed speculatively on her mouth, Arabella realized her mistake. ”That was not a challenge,” she hurriedly said.
”It was a challenge. My male pride is at stake.”
”Marcus...” she exclaimed as he reached for her.
The smile he gave her was utterly beautiful and utterly maddening. ”Let me demonstrate, darling.”
Before she could scurry out of harm's way, he pulled her onto his lap and into his arms. Arabella opened her mouth to protest, but he took possession of it with searing deliberation. Clasping her nape in a firm hold, he gave her a lingering, blatantly s.e.xual kiss that heated her blood and set her pulse racing.
She was breathless when Marcus finally broke off to gaze down at her. ”You heard your patroness last night, Arabella. Loneliness is a bleak bedfellow.”
She licked her tingling lips. ”I don't need a husband to ward off loneliness. I have my sisters and my school.”
”But those are not nearly as pleasurable. You don't want to remain a spinster all your life.”
”I do so.”
”No, you don't. You have too much fire and pa.s.sion in your veins.”
He bent his head again, this time brus.h.i.+ng her lips with a much more tender kiss. ”Don't you want to know what it is like to be fully a woman? What it is like to desire a man? To feel pa.s.sion and pleasure and physical fulfillment?”
Arabella felt herself wavering, yet her long-held scruples stopped her from yielding. ”I cannot make love to you, Marcus! It would be too scandalous.”
”If you never intend to marry, what difference does it make if you keep your virginity?”
It was a rational argument, Arabella knew. And the truth was, she did want to know about pa.s.sion. To know what she was missing in life. To experience the kind of intense pleasure f.a.n.n.y had claimed was possible between lovers.
Arabella had no doubt that Marcus could show her. And she would likely never have another chance.
At least not where she could be a.s.sured of keeping any sinful transgressions secret. As her guardian, Marcus was perhaps even more concerned for her reputation than she was, so he would do his best to remain discreet.
While she debated, however, he took the choice from her. Arabella felt herself being lowered to the blanket. Then he followed her down, stretching out beside her, his body half covering hers.
”I mean to use my hands and my mouth together this time,” Marcus murmured against her lips. ”The power of touch and taste combined.”
She pressed her own hands against his chest, struggling for willpower, but he caught her lower lip between his teeth and tugged with soft nips. When Arabella gave a little whimper, his tongue soothed the sensitive flesh before dipping slowly, insistently, inside her mouth.
Finding him impossible to resist, she gave a tiny, shuddering sigh of defeat and returned his kiss helplessly.
His mouth was magical...and so was his touch, Arabella thought long moments later. While his kisses enchanted, his hand moved on her throat, then lower, his long fingers stroking her skin as he explored the contours of her b.r.e.a.s.t.s beneath the round neckline of her gown.