Chapter 15

The bell of St. George’s had been pealing for a solid hour, its music calling all the guests to witness the somewhat sensational wedding of the Marquess of Halford to Gabriella d’Aventure, recently acknowledged daughter of the Duke of Rother.

Walking sedately down the aisle on her father’s arm, seeing Hal standing at the end of it, Gabriella thought her heart would burst from happiness.

Her father slipped her hand into Hal’s, kissed her cheek, and whispered, “I love you, Gabriella.” His duty done, he made his way to the second pew, where Maman, the new Duchess of Rother, waited for him, eyes shiny with tears.

The ceremony that made them man and wife sped by too quickly for her to savor it.

Luckily, she would have plenty of time to savor her marriage, which would be long and happy if Gabriella had anything to say about it. As she and Hal returned down the aisle, she nodded to the few friends she’d made, searching for the one face she longed to see.

Lady Celinda sat toward the middle, her escort a handsome, dark-haired man in an elegant morning coat. Beaming at her, Celinda mouthed something as they passed that Gabriella didn’t catch.

As she and Hal left the church for the wedding breakfast at Rother House, she turned to Hal, kissed him long and lovingly then asked, “What did Celinda say to you?”

“ Quid pro quo .” He laughed and kissed her again.

****

The wedding breakfast had seemed interminable to Gabriella. She would much rather have gone straight to Halford House, but the English must make merry after insisting on such a long, drawn-out affair as their betrothal. And if it pleased her papa, she supposed that was all that mattered. But now she and Hal were at last on their way to their own chamber, their own bed, and their wedding night.

They had managed no other trysts in the past two weeks. Perhaps her Maman had had a change of heart where her daughter’s debauchery was concerned, or perhaps her glowing face the next morning had given something away to her father. Whatever it was, both her parents had remained watchful when Hal came to dinner, and they were not able to exchange as much as a kiss that was not chaperoned.

So tonight would be their first time making love as married people were supposed to do. She’d not minded that Hal had wanted to wait for this night, but now the time was near—

“I cannot wait for us to arrive, mon cher .” She squeezed the hand holding hers on his knee, as though he didn’t wish to let her go ever again. “There is so much we need to celebrate.”

“That is true, my dear. How would you like to begin?” Hal’s voice had that teasing tone she’d come to recognize with more than a little dread. “Shall we stroll around the property? Or would you like to meet all eighteen servants first? Or perhaps we should have some dinner to begin. We only just ate, but it never does to turn down food.”

“I think you wish to do all of these things as much as I do.” Gabriella patted his arm and looked out the carriage window as they rounded a corner into St. James’s. “Which one is it?”

“The one in the middle of the street, with the blue door.” Hal pointed to a terraced house across from a quiet stretch of St. James’s Park, not far from the site of their outing where she’d slapped Hal and stormed off. Mon Dieu , that seemed so long ago. “I bought it because of the blue door.”

“That does not surprise me, cher . Tu es très excentrique .” She laughed. Her husband had more than a little wildness in him. Merci, bon Dieu .

The carriage came to a halt, and Hal jumped down, waved the groom off, and handed her down himself. Before she could take a step, Hal swooped her up into his arms, ignoring her cry of surprise and heading for the door.

A middle-aged butler, tall with a stout stomach, opened the front door. “Good afternoon, my lady, my lord.” The man bowed low. “May I wish you both the happiest of marriages. I’ve summoned the staff—”

“Thank you, but later, Davis.” Hal didn’t stop or put her down. He kept up his fast pace all the way to the end of the foyer and up the front staircase without breaking his stride.

“Where are you taking me?”

“Where do you think?” He paused at the only door on the left side of the first-floor corridor and shifted her to one arm so he could open it. Once inside, Hal spun around and kicked the door closed.

Panting, he carried her to the massive, black oak bed and seized her mouth. Lowering her onto the mattress, he kissed her long and thoroughly, stealing her breath before leaving her lips to caress the tender flesh below.

Frantically, she arched her neck, baring the whole of it, hoping to tempt him into exploring all of her. The feel of his lips on her sensitive flesh sent chills down her arms and through her body to lodge low in her belly, that ache deep inside she remembered so well.

It only increased as he kissed and sucked her breasts where they spilled over her stays then licked the deep cleft between.

“Ahhh.” Her moan emerged from the back of her throat. A blaze had started in her that would not be quenched save one way.

Hal groaned in answer and lurched to his feet. He stripped his breeches off then climbed into the bed with her. “I have been waiting so long for this moment, Gabriella.”

She refrained from mentioning they could have had this moment two weeks ago. What difference did it make? They were married and in the bedroom of their own house. Alone. They wouldn’t need anything other than privacy for a very long time.

Cool air touched her thighs then his hot body pressed her into the mattress.

“ Merci beaucoup, mon amour ,” she said, tugging at her bodice until her breasts popped over the edge.

“The pleasure is all mine.” He wrapped his lips around her nipple.

“ Sacre Dieu !” Gabriella surged up into him, pressing her breasts into his mouth while she ground her lower body into his hips, seeking what she’d wanted for so long.

Licking first one then the other breast, he surprised her anew when he blew gently on them. They cooled immediately, gooseflesh popping out all over her.

“I’m sorry we had to wait so long for this, love.” He panted in her ear, the aching need in his voice confirmed by the stiff cock he rubbed along her thigh.

And oh, she could not wait to appease that eagerness. “We need wait no longer, mon c?ur .” Her need for him spiraling, she urged her hips against his. “Do it now, mon amour . Do it now.” If he didn’t take her this moment, she thought she’d go mad.

Without protest, he pushed himself into her with one vigorous thrust, and it was done. He slid inside her, bringing some pain, but it mattered not at all. The important thing was that they were together at last.

Groaning with need, Hal gave another thrust, filling her completely.

The lovely fullness of him, of knowing they were joined as one, made Gabriella try to savor the moment. However, as before, each movement drew her on, building the excitement, so she was unable to stop and treasure it. She must go onward to that inevitable pinnacle.

He moved again and again, in a rhythm like nothing she’d ever felt before. With a sudden shift, he increased the tempo, until the pulse between them became stronger, and without warning, her body exploded, gripping him inside her.

“Oh, oh, mon amour !” She clutched Hal to her, thrusting her hips toward him, unable to stop the frenzied movement that brought her such incredible pleasure.

Suddenly, Hal strained against her, cried out, then slumped onto the bed.

Sated at last, her body relaxed, she lay motionless, completely happy.

“Christ, did I hurt you?” Hal started up from the bed, turning an alarmed face toward her.

“If so, it wasn’t enough to give a thought to. But can you please do it again right now?” Her racing heart slowed, returning to something like normal. Still, she couldn’t wait to feel that connection to Hal once more.

He laughed and kissed her, long and slowly. Let it never end. Finally, he lifted his head. “You were exquisite, my love. I’ve never felt such passion with a woman.” He clutched her tighter, kissing her lips, nose, eyes one by one. “Now you’re mine as never before.”

“And you are mine. Forever.” Fiercely possessive now, she clutched at him until finally he eased out of her, and she drew him back to her.

A sigh escaped his lips as he slid his hand over her breasts. “I hope your wedding gown isn’t in total ruins.” He pulled the short, puffed sleeve of the dress off her shoulder. “All we need do is rid ourselves of the rest of this clothing, and I will be happy to start again.”