Chapter Twenty-Five

Dermott woke with a start and, for a moment, thought he was still dreaming. But no, the soft, warm woman in his arms was a living, breathing dream—and his wife.

Sensing she would be exhausted from their lovemaking, and a bit embarrassed upon waking beside him, he reached for the covers they had kicked off while they slept, and tugged them up over her. Unable to resist, he trailed his hand from her shoulder to her elbow and back. The contrast between her pale ivory skin and his ruddier skin tone bespoke of his years working in the elements, while she'd lived a more sheltered life…inside. Though it was well before dawn, he waited, watching to see how she'd react when she woke for the first time in their bed.

Her quiet murmur of pleasure was music to his ears as she rolled over onto her back, stretched her arms to the side, and gasped when her hand landed on his chest. Her eyes opened wide, but it was her expression of shock that had him struggling not to laugh. He swallowed the chuckle, not wanting to offend her sensibilities. "Did ye forget that ye're a married woman now and in bed with yer husband?"

She covered her face with her hands before answering, "Apparently."

He rolled over and tucked her against his side. "Since ye're already a bit embarrassed, I need to ask ye a personal question."

"How personal?"

"Intimately personal, lass. Are ye feeling tender?"

She covered her face with a pillow before answering him.

"What did ye say, lass?"

"You heard me!"

"Nay, not through the pillow. Are ye feeling tender?"

She lowered it to chin level. "Must you ask me such an intimate question?"

"Aye, lass, ye're me wife. I am duty bound to take care of ye."

Her exaggerated sigh was the signal that she would capitulate to him. He'd been called hardheaded, but it wasn't a fault in his mind, and nor did he consider the fact that she was a stubborn lass a fault. She reminded him of his ma, whose stubbornness was part of her charm.

"If you must know, yes, parts of me are feeling quite abused and tender."

The temper in her eyes changed to hurt, and he immediately felt remorse for finding her embarrassment amusing. After all, he knew she had never made love before and would be tender afterward. He had caused her uncomfortable soreness.

Before he could apologize, she asked, "Do you find this humorous, husband?"

Her miffed tone relieved him—her temper was back, snapping in her amber eyes. "Nay, wife—as sorry as I am that ye're feeling abused and tender, 'twas necessary. Though after our lovemaking last night, and the way ye responded to me touch, opening for me like a delicate rosebud, I didn't think ye'd be quite this embarrassed. Are ye regretting what we shared?"

She slowly lowered the pillow to the bed and reached out to touch his face. "No. I have no regrets, and would not change a thing… Well, mayhap one part of it."

He trusted that her eyes mirrored what she was feeling. "Ye may not believe me, lass, but last night felt different for me. And before ye ask, ye're not me first…but it has been some time since…" The way she narrowed her eyes had him realizing he'd already shared enough of his past with her. "Know this, lass—from the moment I gave me pledge to ye, on me honor, ye're the only woman on me mind, in me heart…and in me bed."

The stiffness left her, which was a relief to him. He'd rather not argue while sharing a bed with his wife. "I confess, I was afraid ye wouldn't want me to touch ye again, but ye surprised me with yer enthusiasm to me lesson. Ye need to know there's more to the act than joining as one, lass. There is so much more that I have to teach ye about lovemaking. 'Tis what is inside our hearts that links us now. Sharing me body with ye, and the gift of yer virtue, will be a memory I shall hold close to me heart for the rest of me life."

*

Dermott's heartfelt wordshad the tension leaving her body by degrees. "Last night was a first for me in so many ways. Do you want to know what touched my heart the most?"

"Aye, lass, if ye're willing to trust me with it."

"It was the tender way you treated me, as if I were fragile, though I'm not, and the way you would pause and ask me if I wanted you to stop."

"Do ye want to know what touched me heart, lass?"

Her gaze locked on his. "I do," she replied, before echoing his words: "If you are willing to trust me with it."

The devilment in his green eyes had her prepared for him to say something outrageous. She was not disappointed, "'Twas the way ye nearly shouted at me, ‘Don't ye dare stop!' right before I made ye mine."

She studied the face so close to hers, marveling that his was what she would wake up to first thing every morning for the rest of her life. He wasn't smiling, and he was not laughing. Dermott meant every word. She owed him the truth, too. "I may have sounded a bit autocratic at the time, but my body was on fire, and I felt as if something was about to swallow me whole."

He pressed his lips to her forehead beneath her scar first and then her nose before his mouth molded to hers. His kiss stole her breath. If she hadn't already given him her heart, he would have stolen that too.

When she had no breath left, he slowly ended the kiss. Her breathing was ragged as she gulped in air as if it were water. Georgiana had never imagined that a kiss could convey more than words. She wondered what other hidden talents her husband had.

"Now that ye've caught yer breath, there's one other intimate thing I need to tell ye." He seemed to be waiting for her to comment, but she decided to wait for him to continue. "I'm thinking I should take care of yer tender parts and make sure I haven't damaged ye."

She could not stop her face from flaming when she said, "Did I forget to tell you that I feel fine?"

"What manner of husband would I be if I didn't take care of me wife? Ye need tender care, lass. Please, let me see to ye?"

His plea had her falling deeper in love with the man. Love! He had told her he loved her, but she did not remember telling him how she felt. He had laid his feelings bare, and she should do the same. He was her husband and deserved to know what she held in her heart for him. He also needed to know that she trusted him in all things. If that included the embarrassment of his gently bathing her, and checking to ensure she was still in one piece and not irreparably damaged, she would agree. But first she needed to share what was in her heart.

"There is something important that you need to know."

He stiffened, and she wondered what was going on behind those brilliant green eyes when he drawled, "Is there now?"

"Aye," she answered, imitating his brogue. "There is." Cupping his face in both hands, she pressed a kiss to his forehead, one cheek, and then the other. His eyes met hers as she pressed her lips to his in a kiss that she hoped would convey how she felt, though she still needed to say the words. "I love you, Dermott O'Malley."

He drew her to him and held her against his heart. "Ye have no idea what yer words mean to me, lass. I was worried that ye changed yer mind after our loving."

"I did not think it was possible, Dermott, but I love you more than yesterday."

"Ah lass, ye are mo ghrá," he rasped, "me love." His lips brushed hers. "And ye are mo chroí," he whispered, "me heart," before he claimed her in a devastatingly tender kiss. "We should eat supper after I bathe ye. Ye'll be needing yer strength before we move on to the next lesson."

True to his word, Georgiana's husband bathed her carefully as if it were of the utmost importance to him. She nearly asked him why he was so at ease walking around without a stitch of clothing on, but refrained when he held up the linen cloth and asked if she'd help him wash. Mortified, she could not find her voice to reply.

He was laughing when he steadied her on her feet. "I didn't think me question would cause ye to swoon, lass. Well, there was a time or two when the lasses used to faint at me feet, but that was before I came to England."

After having a laugh at her expense, he gently patted her dry with a featherlight touch. Then he helped her into the nightrail and dressing gown Lady Aurelia had thoughtfully laid out for her. He donned his trousers, took her by the hand, and drew her over to the table. And in a gentlemanly act that surprised her, he pulled out her chair and waited for her to sit before taking a seat next to her.

Though she tried not to stare, her eyes kept drifting back to the broad, impressively muscled chest in front of her. His body was as disturbingly distracting as his thorough, yet gentle, touch had been. She needed to thank him before she forgot her own name! "Erm… Thank you, Dermott, for taking care of me, though I'm certain I could have taken care of the task myself."

"'Twas me pleasure. I'm looking forward to joining ye in that copper tub in the dressing room, in the morning when they deliver the hot water for our bath."

"Our bath?"

She shivered, wondering what that would be like, sharing a tub with Dermott. Would they both fit? Would he want to wash her intimately again? Would he expect her to wash him intimately?

Her husband distracted her thoughts, holding a forkful of meat pie for her to sample. The flavors ignited her appetite, and she was soon offering him a taste of the tender sliced beef.

As they devoured the delicious spread Mrs. Wyatt had arranged for them, Dermott said, "Me da instilled the importance, and the responsibility, of caring for our wives into me brothers and meself. Reminding us to treat our wives with tender care because, God willing, they would bear our babes…the next generation of O'Malleys."

His words burrowed into her very soul. Munching another bite of the perfectly seasoned meat pie, she murmured, "I am sorry I will not be able to meet your father—he sounds like a wonderful man. I do hope to meet your mum one day."

"I'm not sure when that could be arranged." He nipped a bite of the tender beef when she held out her fork to him. "Be assured that I'd be proud to introduce ye to me ma—she'll love ye as I do. Until then, I'll be introducing ye to me older brothers, Patrick and Finn, their wives, and daughters…and me younger brother Emmett."

Recalling that the duke had a number of estates, she asked, "Where are they stationed?"

"Patrick, the eldest, is head of our guard and stationed at Wyndmere Hall. He's married to Gwendolyn, who's nanny to the duke and duchess's twins. They have a babe—she must be walking by now—a daughter, Deidre."

"Where is Finn?"

"He's stationed at Penwith Tower on the coast of Cornwall. Finn's married to a feisty Irishwoman, Mollie. Their babe is a bit younger than Patrick's—her name is Boadicea."

"Like the ancient warrior queen?"

"Aye. After going through the birthing with Mollie, me brother promised she could name their daughter."

Georgiana set down her teacup to keep from spilling it as she held back her laughter at the very idea of a man by his wife's side while she brought their babe into the world. It simply wasn't done, was it? She smiled. "I think that was a lovely gesture on your brother's part. What of Emmett? Where is he?"

Holding out a cream tart for her to take a bite, he waited until she did before answering, "Me younger brother is in London at the duke's town house. Rumor has it that he's met his match, but there is a bit of mystery—and more—surrounding the lass."

"That is keeping him from telling her how he feels?"

"Aye. 'Twould be dangerous to the lass…and me brother. Though with the help of Captain Coventry and Gavin King, I'm certain they'll soon be discovering a way for me brother to marry the lass without her being in danger."

"I hope Emmett will be careful."

"As the healer in the family, ye can count on it."

"Who is the captain, and who is Mr. King?"

"Captain Coventry is the duke's London man-of-affairs, and much more. King is a higher-up with the Bow Street Runners, and has a number of men reporting to him."

"I see. It sounds as if His Grace is connected to influential people."

"'Tis essential in order to keep his family—and extended family—safe." Reaching for her hand, he asked, "Have we emptied the teapot?"

She lifted the lid and nodded.

He rubbed her thumb across her knuckles, distracting her. "I wonder what we can do to pass the time now that we have eaten every crumb and drained the teapot? 'Tis a few more hours until dawn, and we need to digest our meal."

She sighed and admitted, "I'm full."

He laughed. "Faith, I am as well. What do ye say to sitting up in bed and deciding on names for our sons and daughters?"

"Sons and daughters?"

"Were ye not the one who said ye wanted half a dozen children?"

"Well, yes, but—"

"And did ye not entice me to continue making love to ye, after breaching yer maidenhead, with talk of our son and daughter?"

She was becoming used to his plain speaking, getting right to the point and not mincing words because she happened to be a woman. Happiness radiated from deep inside of her. She'd never thought to be happy again when her memory returned and she remembered the viscount, the wager, and learned of her father's death. Everything changed the day she opened her eyes to find the handsome man currently holding her hand watching her, waiting for her to waken.

"Er… Yes," she admitted, "I did." She squeezed his hand and slipped hers free. "Let me stack the dishes and place the tray—"

"Have ye not considered that ye could be carrying our babe this very moment? Ye'll not be lifting anything heavy until we know for certain that ye're not with child. I'll set the tray outside our door."

She blinked and bit the inside of her mouth to keep from arguing with him. Years ago, Mum had cautioned her to pick her battles after she'd heard her parents arguing. She diligently straightened the tray, stacked the dishes, and smiled at him. "Thank you, Dermott."

He grunted in reply, hefted the tray, opened the door, and placed it in the hallway. Closing the door, he surprised her by sweeping her into his arms and kissing the breath out of her. He placed her on the bed, and she scooted toward the headboard. When her back was leaning against the pillows, she waited for him to sit beside her.

"Now then," he said, "should we start with names for our sons or our daughters?"