Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16

O livia was nervous beyond compare as her lady's maid helped her from her wedding dress, combed out her long ebony tresses, and assisted her by lacing her into a soft, practically sheer night dress.

Just as John had suspected, Olivia used her knowledge of stately homes to seek out the library, and only minutes after leaving her own room did she find the one that was teeming with books. Her eyes boggled as she beheld the collection of leather-bound treasures, and as she entered the room and softly closed the door behind herself, Olivia, in a transfixed state, wandered toward the nearest bookshelf.

Poetry…Drama…Shakespeare…

She ran her fingertip lovingly over the spine of each book, and she might have continued doing as much had John not cleared his throat loudly. When she turned and gave him an abashed grin, ready to apologize for keeping him waiting because she got distracted, she saw that he was still fully clothed. Or rather, he was wearing most of his clothing. He had removed his jacket, laid it over the back of a leather chair, and sat there wearing his thin, white shirt as well as a handsome navy-blue vest.

"Umm…" Olivia hummed. "Perhaps when you told me to meet you in the library, you meant you wanted for us to sit and read together."

"That is precisely what I meant," he said, waving his hand at the vacant spot next to him on the window seat. "Come and join me, please."

"But…" She cast a worried look around the room. "I am not dressed appropriately."

"You are," he countered. "You have never looked lovelier."

"But…I have no book," she said lamely, searching for some excuse, any excuse to keep a little distance between them.

"Come," John replied, lifting a slim volume in the air and waving it at her. "I have already selected a volume I wish to share with you."

"We will read the same book?" She crossed the room and sat on the window seat by his side, relaxing marginally as her bottom settled onto the comfortable cushion.

"You will read aloud," John murmured as he handed her the book that had a black leather-bound casing. "Begin on page seventy-seven," he instructed. "I wish to hear you speak aloud those words."

"Then this is a work you have already read?" Olivia asked as she flicked the pages, searching for the one he requested.

"Many times," he whispered as he fidgeted in his seat so that he was fully facing her, and his knee and leg were both pressed against her hip.

She wrinkled her nose. "I should like it if we started a new story together and did not pick up in the middle of this one, but if you want to hear a tired tale, one you have already perused…"

"Read," John ordered.

Olivia started at the top of page seventy-seven but realized quickly that she was entering the story not just part way through but in the middle of a speech.

" He laid his hand upon her knee and …Ay!" She flinched as she felt John's hand drop gently onto her knee cap. "What are you doing?" she asked.

"Keep reading," he encouraged. " I shall tell you when to stop."

She looked down at his hand, but it sat stationary on her knee cap. His fingers felt warm through the thin slip of a dress she was wearing, and she decided that she might as well proceed.

" He laid his hand upon her knee, and as he looked deeply into her eyes, he slowly, incrementally worked his hand up her thigh. "

Again, Olivia felt it when John mimicked the actions she'd just read aloud, and she paused. "Where do you intend to put that hand next, my lord?" she asked, arching her eyebrow at him.

"Wherever you tell me," he returned, looking at her in a perfectly serious manner.

"Is that what we are doing in here, my lord? Reenacting a drama?"

"If you like," he murmured as he scooted closer to her.

"So, whatever I read aloud, you will do?"

He nodded. "If you say it, I will follow your commands."

She eyed him curiously. "What if I abandon this little script and tell you to do something you do not suspect?"

His eyes widened, and she saw a gleam of mischief dance through those penetrating orbs. "Do you know what you want me to do to you, Olivia?"

"Mmm…" She hesitated.

She knew what felt nice, of course. And she liked all the ways he had kissed her thus far, but Olivia was a true novice. She had never discussed the affairs that happened between a man and woman with anyone—not her friends, her mama, or even her confidant and cousin, Rose.

She licked her lips. "I think I will continue reading, my lord."

"John," he whispered. "Remember, when I bring you to the height of your pleasure, I want to hear you say my name."

"John," she murmured then because the intensity of his gaze was so potent, she had to avert her gaze.

She looked carefully at the book, found the place where she had left off, then continued reading. " With one hand resting on her thigh, the lord used his free hand to lift her skirt and expose her bare legs ."

Even though she knew what he was going to do, Olivia gasped when John performed the movement. Quickly, deftly, as if he had lifted her skirt hundreds of times before, John laid bare her womanhood and while she blushed profusely, he kept one hand steadily attached to her upper thigh. He brushed his fingertips slowly back and forth across her inner thigh, and suddenly, Olivia felt a warm, wetness gathering between her legs.

"I… I think we should stop," she rasped. "I… I think I am doing something wrong."

"Continue," John said in a commanding, low voice. "You are doing perfectly well."

She gulped nervously then said the next words, " The lord scooted nearer to the maiden and laid his mouth overtop of hers. He kissed her sweetly at first before ? —"

But Olivia's words were whisked away as John seized the opportunity to once again reenact the scene from the book. His lips caressed hers as his fingertips skipped up and down her inner thigh. She quickly became lost in the moment and nearly dropped the book she was holding because she wanted to reach out and thread her fingers through his hair.

"Keep going," he murmured just as she was on the verge of laying the book aside. "I want to hear you read more."

"But I cannot," Olivia panted. "I want you to keep kissing me, but…but…."

He nuzzled his lips against her soft cheek, and she could feel the sly smile on his face before she could see it. When he pulled back from her, he whispered, "I intend to continue kissing you, my lady, but I also wish for you to keep reading."

"But—"

"Read," he whispered as he slid off the bench and dropped to his knees.

Olivia opened her mouth to question what he was doing, but his only response was, "Read."

So, she obeyed.

" He fell to the floor, holding tight to the lady's legs, keeping his hands locked on her smooth, pliable skin. His hand that already lay on her thigh crept higher still, and he used the pads of his fingers to push her legs wide . Ah!" She cried out as he performed the movement.

"More," he urged.

" The gentleman rested his lips on the lady's left knee and slowly began kissing a trail up her thigh. He moved with purpose at a torturously slow rate, wanting to increase both her pleasure and his ."

"Do you find pleasure in this, my lady?" John asked as he placed a whispery soft kiss along her inner thigh.

"Do you?" Olivia gulped.

"More than you know," he answered before returning to his duties.

Olivia clutched the book tighter then proceeded to read more. " When his lips reached the top of her milky thighs, he lowered his mouth to her womanly center and tasted the sweetness that she had kept concealed from all other men. He knew that she was his as he licked and sucked at her core and …Ah!"

Suddenly, John's ministrations were so wild that Olivia could not utter another word. She pressed the book to her chest and rocked back so that her head touched the windowpanes behind her. She was sure John would stop using his tongue and mouth. He would rasp at her huskily to keep reading, but he did not give way. He continued to bury his face in her womanhood, and as he licked and kissed her, she felt as if her thighs had been set ablaze.

"What is happening?" she croaked, barely able to produce even that little amount of speech.

"Mmm…" John murmured as he continued kissing her softly while sliding both hands up her legs and pressing the tip of his index finger to her core.

She yelped. "John…I mean it…Is this supposed to be…Is this what happens next in the book?"

"Let go of the book," he said, lifting his head for a fraction of a second.

When her eyes met his, she saw a fiendish delight dancing in his eyes, but that look only caused her to feel more aroused than ever.

"Watch what I am doing," he dictated.

She tucked her chin to her chest and watched as John lowered his head and lapped his tongue slowly across her center. His index finger worked along the same spot, finding a ridge and massaging slowly. "Oh…oh," she moaned with each stroke and flick of his tongue.

"Say what I want to hear," he ordered.

"John," she whispered as her thighs quivered involuntarily.

"Louder," he coaxed as he ducked his head and continued to kiss her amorously.

"John," she yelped as her insides quaked and her muscles yawned wide. "Oh, John!"

"Who knows just how to pleasure you, Lady Olivia?" he urged.

Just when she was sure if he did anything else, she might well explode, John slid his finger and plunged it inside her. She squealed then her body reacted and went wild. The spasms were uncontrollable, and it was surprising and thrilling to feel parts of her body tremble and quake that had never been inclined to do so before. As a warm, lovely sensation flooded her whole being, Olivia arched her back and yelled John's name, giving him what he wanted from the beginning.

When her body stopped quivering, John pulled his hands away and rocked back on his heels but remained seated between her legs.

As Olivia opened her eyes, she realized that her vision had blurred slightly, and she shook her head, trying to right herself. "Are we…did we just…"

"Hush now," John said as he gently lifted the folds of her nightgown and robe, laying them as they had been moments before, fully covering her legs.

"For tonight, we have done enough." He stood, straightened his vest, then nodded thoughtfully at her. "You did well, my lady. Your reading was superb, and as for the part where you shouted my name rapturously, well…I cannot pretend that I was not well-pleased by your performance."

"But I…" She fumbled to find the right words. "That was no performance, John. What you did to me just now…what we did…"

"Oh, we have only done very little, sweet Olivia," he said, motioning to the buttons on his vest. "You may not know all there is about relations between a man and woman, but you did imagine I would also be wearing less clothing when we consummated our marriage—did you not?"

"Umm…" she hesitated. "I suppose so."

His smile broadened. "Take the book with you to your bedchambers tonight," he said, nodding at the text that she had let fall onto the window seat. "Educate yourself more thoroughly. And when we meet again, we shall see if you can tell me all the other things you would like me to do to you."

"But…" Olivia got to her feet. Her legs felt gelatinous, but she managed to stand. "I want…I want to do more now."

He laughed brightly. "All in good time."

He leaned forward and dropped a kiss onto the tip of her nose, then before she could argue or even ask further questions, he strode from the library, leaving her feeling warm and satisfied but also dreadfully confused.