Julie Garwood (26 page)

Caroline shook her head. “I won’t. It was a dastardly thing to do and look where I have ended up because of it.”

Milford didn’t appear the least remorseful. “Tell me, what did you find so amusing when you were reciting your marriage vows?” he asked.

“If you’re referring to the fact that my wife laughed her way through them, I can assure you it was because she was overcome with joy.” Bradford’s statement forced a reluctant smile from Caroline.

“I’ve a cheerful disposition,” Caroline told Milford. She turned to her husband and added, “Unless, of course, I’m forced into a situation I have no control over. Then I can become quite contrary.”

Bradford didn’t react to her comment. He merely took hold of her hand and led her to the center of the ballroom. It was time to begin the dancing.

The rest of the evening was a blur to Caroline. She kept wishing for just a few minutes alone, just enough time to think one coherent thought, to catch her breath, but Bradford never left her side. And then it was time to go upstairs.

Charity assisted her. She had grown quiet and Caroline was thankful for it. Only after her bath was completed and she was dressed in a transparent white nightgown did Charity whisper the question that had
been worrying her. “Do you understand what will happen, Caroline? Did Mama explain what a husband and wife do together?”

Caroline shook her head. “Mama would have fainted after the first sentence,” she said.

Charity looked crestfallen. “Oh, then I’ll have to wait until the next time I see you to find out exactly—”

“Charity! Don’t make me more nervous! Oh, why do we have to spend the night here?” she groaned. She thought about what was going to happen and then pictured facing everyone tomorrow. “They’ll all know,” she whispered.

“Don’t be nervous,” Charity stated. “If you laugh while … well, you know, then I think Bradford will become angry.”

Before Caroline could comment, Charity hugged her and took her leave. “I’ll pray for you,” she whispered before closing the door.

Caroline stood in the center of the bedroom and waited. She thought about getting into bed but decided that hiding under the covers wouldn’t do at all. Bradford might find that humorous, and she would die if he laughed at her.

The connecting door to Bradford’s bedroom opened and he was suddenly standing there.

Bradford leaned against the doorway and looked at his wife. She was so breathtakingly beautiful that his breath caught in his throat. The seductive gown Caroline wore left little to the imagination, and Bradford took his time admiring her long shapely legs, slender hips, and full breasts.

Caroline returned her husband’s gaze. He had removed his jacket and his cravat and his hair fell forward, softening his features. His expression was guarded, and Caroline found him both irresistibly handsome and frightening. She wasn’t nervous anymore, only terrified. She wished she hadn’t cut her hair, thinking that the length of it might have covered part of
her breasts. Would it be childish of her to grab the comforter from the bed and wrap it around herself?

She shivered and wasn’t sure if it was because of the chill in the bedroom or her husband’s intense scrutiny.

“Charity’s praying for me,” she heard herself say. Her voice was little more than a weak whisper, but she knew he heard her because his eyebrow lifted a fraction. And then he smiled, and Caroline wasn’t terrified anymore.

She turned, trying to remember what she had done with her robe, when Bradford finally found his voice. “Don’t be afraid, Caroline.” He started walking toward her, his gaze tender.

“I’m not afraid, only freezing,” Caroline returned. She tried to smile while she rubbed her arms. She was shaking now and couldn’t seem to stop.

Bradford put his arms around her and hugged her. “Better?” he asked, his voice husky.

Caroline nodded. “You have a beautiful home, Bradford, but it’s so cold,” she whispered against his chest. “And drafty,” she added when Bradford lifted her into his arms and started toward his room. “The fireplaces don’t give sufficient heat.” Lord, even as she blurted out the words, she wished she could stop herself. What was the matter with her? Caroline closed her mouth and determined not to say another word.

Bradford shut the door behind him, locked it, and then carried Caroline over to the bed. The covers on the gigantic four-poster were drawn back and Bradford placed her in the center. As soon as he released her, Caroline started trembling again.

“You’ll be warm in a minute, love,” Bradford promised. There was amusement in his voice and his eyes, and Caroline knew he was smiling because he thought she was shivering over what was about to happen. She gave him what she hoped was a disgruntled look. He definitely had the upper hand right now, and Caroline felt completely helpless. She thought, as she watched
her husband divest himself of his shoes and shirt, that if she could just stop staring at him, she might be able to find a way to gain a little control. He was sitting on the side of the bed and Caroline wanted to reach out and touch him.

She remembered how his kisses had inflamed her in the past and how she had never wanted the touching to stop, and just thinking those thoughts released some of the fright.

Bradford stood up, started to take his breeches off, and then hesitated. He turned, giving Caroline a full view of his powerful chest. Curly black hair covered the sinewy strength. Caroline knew she stared, but couldn’t help herself.

“You remind me of a Spartan warrior, did you know that?” Caroline blurted out. She noticed the scar right above his waistline then and asked, “Did you get that in a battle?”

“A brawl,” Bradford corrected. He smiled and sat back down on the bed. He decided to leave his breeches on for the time being, out of deference for his innocent wife’s feelings. She was as skittish as a new foal and he didn’t want to frighten her any more than she already was. “Milford has an identical scar, although his is on the left side. Tokens of our first night on the other side of town.”

“I’ll have to ask him to show it to me,” Caroline commented with a sparkle in her eyes. She was relaxing with the easy banter between them. Bradford acted as if he had all the time in the world, and the initial panic that had overtaken Caroline now receded. She felt almost in control again.

“You’ll do no such thing,” Bradford answered, his voice a low growl. “Best friend or not, he’d probably rip his clothes off with your first suggestion.”

“You don’t trust Milford?” Caroline’s voice sounded incredulous.

Bradford didn’t answer her. He was having enough
difficulty trying to follow the conversation. His loins ached and all he could think about was taking his wife into his arms.

“I think I should warn you, Bradford …” Caroline began. She couldn’t look at him and lowered her gaze to stare at her hands.

Bradford frowned, wondering over the serious tone in her voice. He reached out, cupped the sides of her face with his hands, and forced her to look at him.

“I’m not completely certain about the procedure … I’m not at all sure what I’m supposed to do.”

Bradford nodded, trying his damnedest to keep his expression solemn. “I didn’t expect you to be experienced,” he said.

Caroline continued to look at him, her expression serious, but Bradford noticed that special sparkle was back. “I assume that you do know what to do?”

Bradford slowly nodded, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, and Caroline added, “I thought that you did, but you’re just sitting there and you still have your breeches on and even I know that it’s a necessary requirement to have them off.”

He didn’t answer her, but he did take her into his arms. He stretched out, taking her with him, and lowered his hands to her hips, pulling her firmly against him. “I thought to keep my pants on out of consideration for your innocent feelings.”

“I don’t think it will work,” Caroline whispered against his neck.

Bradford began to stroke Caroline’s back and nudged her head aside with his jaw so that he could place soft kisses on her neck. “What? My considerations or my pants?”

Caroline started to answer but his warm breath against her ear made her lose her train of thought. “You’re making me warm,” she whispered instead.

“Not good enough,” Bradford told her. He rolled her over onto her back and covered her with his body.
“I want you hot, Caroline. So hot that your body glistens from the heat.” His mouth covered hers then, in a kiss that promised fulfillment of his demand.

Caroline’s lips parted under his and Bradford’s tongue invaded her mouth, penetrating the sweet, soft interior. She sighed over the erotic feelings he created and began to slowly caress his shoulders. His skin felt so hard, so muscular, so incredibly warm.

Bradford kept up the tender assault against her mouth until Caroline couldn’t form a single thought. She allowed the sensual waves of pleasure to consume her, heard herself moan in protest when he moved away from her. He stood up and quickly removed the rest of his clothing and Caroline thought he was the most beautiful man alive. He was so uninhibited by his nudity, so casual about it, that Caroline wasn’t nearly as embarrassed as she thought she ought to be. Of course, she couldn’t bring herself to look at him
there
, stopping just short of his muscular thighs.

Bradford continued to stand there, next to the bed, until Caroline finally looked at his face. She knew a blush covered her entire body and wished she could be a little more sophisticated about it all. After all, she had been raised on a farm, and knew the natural order of things! And she had four male cousins who were very relaxed about their dress and comments to one another … when they didn’t realize she could hear them. But, she reminded herself,
it
had never happened to her. That, she decided as she stared at the man who would claim her virginity, was the distinct difference.

“Sweetheart, look at me.” Bradford’s voice was as powerful as his stance.

Caroline thought to answer that she was looking at him but she knew what he meant. She didn’t say anything, but slowly lowered her gaze, following the curly trail of hair that covered his massive chest, pausing at his flat stomach and then continuing on, until
she was looking at the hard proof of his arousal. She became terrified all over again, thinking that the marriage couldn’t possibly be consummated, and it was just as well, because they were so ill-suited for each other …

Bradford saw the panic in Caroline’s eyes and sighed with patient hunger. He quickly settled himself next to her again, drew her into his arms. Caroline wanted his warmth. She could feel his arousal against her, felt the hard heat through her gown, and tried, without success, to pull away just a little. Bradford wouldn’t allow her to move, whispering sweet words to soothe her as he began to slowly remove her nightgown.

Caroline knew it should come off, that it was probably another necessary requirement, but still tried to stop Bradford’s hands. The flimsy material ripped during the gentle tug of war and Bradford had his way. Within seconds, she was stripped. “Charity gave me that gown,” Caroline said with a gasp. “If she finds out that you have destroyed it …”

He rolled back on top of Caroline, causing her to gasp again from the intimacy of his body fully against hers, and from the passionate look in his eyes. He wasn’t heavy, and she realized he braced himself with his elbows so that she wouldn’t be crushed.

“We won’t tell her, love,” Bradford whispered. His voice felt like a gentle caress, a soothing stroke against Caroline’s building fear.

He knew she wasn’t ready and fought to control himself. His body screamed for completion and he felt the perspiration break out on his forehead. He kissed her again, an intense kiss that held nothing back. The easy banter was finished. Caroline felt the change in Bradford, the tightening of his hold, his touch. She braced herself against the pain but Bradford didn’t force her legs apart. Instead, he lowered his head until his mouth was brushing against her neck, and then
lower still, until he was nuzzling the valley between her breasts.

Caroline sighed with pleasure. The warm knot inside her stomach began to spread, and Caroline felt like the sun was flowing through her blood.

Bradford teased her breasts, circling each nipple again and again, until Caroline began to arch against him. When he finally began to suckle, Caroline moaned with satisfaction and a growing restlessness. His hand stroked her hip and the closer he moved to the junction of her legs, the hotter she became. She couldn’t seem to breathe and moved her hips impatiently. When he finally began to stroke the moist heat, Caroline groaned her pleasure.

She was more than ready for him. The soft petals, sleek and wet, the slow, erotic motions of her hips against his hand, nearly drove Bradford over the brink. He slowly entered her with his fingers, felt the hot tight resistance, heard her moan his name, and knew then that he couldn’t wait any longer.

He looked up, into her eyes, watching her, as he settled himself between her legs. “I won’t hurt you,” he whispered. “I can’t wait any longer.” His voice was harsh with need.

Bradford took hold of her hips, holding her still against him, and leaned down to kiss her. “Hold me, love,” he whispered. And then his mouth was covering hers. He entered her forcefully, as forcefully as his tongue invaded her mouth.

Caroline arched against him, crying out in pain, and then tried to pull away. It was a futile effort because her husband would not allow her to move. He used his weight now to keep her prisoner. The stinging pain was immediately done with but the throbbing discomfort continued. Caroline tore her mouth from Bradford’s and tried again to push him away. “Don’t move, Caroline. Not yet. Give it time to—” He never finished
his thought but concentrated instead on kissing her again. His hands left her hips to cup the sides of her tear-stained face. Caroline felt him tremble when she put her arms around him and thought that the pain wasn’t so unbearable after all. Then Bradford began to move, slowly and patiently at first, and the pain immediately reclaimed her.

He wouldn’t be deterred and kept up his loving assault against her lips until she was breathless. The pain was soon forgotten in the slumberous pleasure invading her limbs. She felt him place her legs around his hips and then he lifted his mouth from hers and looked at her. Caroline reached up and touched the edge of his jaw, traced the firm mouth with one finger. Bradford turned, taking her finger into his mouth, stroked the side with his tongue. Caroline arched against him, cupped the sides of his face, and pulled him down to her. It was the last thing she remembered doing.