Page 16 of An Impulsive Kiss (Captivating Kisses #2)

L ucy entered her rooms, numbness filling her.

Judson had rejected her.

She moved as if in a dream through her sitting room and entered the large bedchamber designated for the marchioness. Annie sat in a chair and immediately sprang to her feet.

“We need to get you ready for his lordship, my lady.”

Glancing to the bed, she saw one of the new, delicate night rails laid out upon it. She wanted to protest and tell Annie there was no need to place it on her tonight.

Because her husband did not want her.

The words wouldn’t come, however, and Lucy responded as a doll, allowing Annie to undress her and dress her in the night rail. The maid had her sit at the dressing table as she unpinned the elaborate hairstyle, chattering away. Lucy never said a word.

Annie began brushing Lucy’s long tresses, but instead of plaiting her hair, as usual, the servant left it unbound.

With a wink, Annie said, “His lordship will probably favor your hair this way, my lady.” Then the servant stopped, misreading Lucy’s expression. She placed her hands on her mistress’ shoulders as their gazes met in the mirror. “No need to worry, my lady. Lord Huntsberry will take good care of you. I know your mama may not have told you much about what is to come, but it will be fine.”

Weakly, she said, “Thank you, Annie. I will see you in the morning.”

The lady’s maid squeezed Lucy’s shoulders in reassurance, and Annie left the bedchamber.

Lucy went to the bed, which Annie had turned back for her. She crawled into it, pulling the bedclothes over her. Then the tears came. She wanted no one to hear her despair and sobbed into the pillow until it was soaked with her tears.

She had never been more dejected in her life.

She lost track of time, lying in the dark, misery filling her. As Lucy stared up at the ceiling, though, anger began to rise within her. Judson had told her she was the marchioness and in charge of this house. She decided it was time to exercise her authority.

Rising from the bed, she washed her face, hoping it would help reduce the swelling about her eyes. She had not bothered to extinguish the candle when she climbed into bed, and so she took it now with her as she entered her dressing room. Beyond it stood a bathing chamber, which she was to share with her new husband. Ariadne had shocked Lucy, telling her there might even be times when she would wish to bathe with Judson. Knowing he was a few doors away, she gathered her courage and opened the door on the far side of the bathing chamber, entering his dressing room.

Immediately, she caught a whiff of his cologne. Lucy froze, doubt filling her.

Was she mad to confront him?

She had already come this far, however. Turning back was not an option. Pushing open the final door, she entered his bedchamber, knowing he was on the other side. The room was flooded with moonlight, and she realized the curtains had not been drawn. She almost stumbled over clothing scattered about the floor, deciding he had not bothered to ring for Tim after they had parted.

Approaching the bed, she saw her groom lying in it. He was bare to the waist, the bedclothes covering the rest of him, and she wondered if he slept in the nude. She moved closer to the bed and couldn’t help but admire his broad, muscled chest and arms. Arms she had thought would be wrapped around her by this point.

His eyes flicked open, meeting hers, surprise in them.

“What are doing in here?” he asked, his tone harsh.

She flinched but gathered her courage and came to the bedside, setting down her candle.

“I am here because we need to consummate our union to be officially wed.”

Something flickered in his eyes. Something she didn’t quite understand, but it drew her in.

“I thought we were going to wait until we knew one another a little better before doing so.”

“There was no we in that decision, my lord. You decided it for the both of us—and I do not agree with your decision.”

His eyes darkened now, and her husband looked at her with hunger. She decided it was desire in his eyes. Playing on that, she told him, “I know you want me. I am here, Judson. I am yours for the taking.”

He moved so quickly, it was as if he were a blur. Suddenly, he was out of the bed, standing next to her, those powerful arms encircling her, drawing her close. His kiss was not gentle, but Lucy did not want gentle.

She wanted fire.

Wrapping her arms about him, she felt the immense heat coming off him in waves, easily radiating through her thin night rail.

He kissed her the way he had in the library that night. She had learned enough from him to respond, kissing him back. Judson deepened the kiss, a growl low in his throat, and she knew she had made the right decision to come to him. Lucy realized her husband had no one in his life before her. No friends beyond Tim. No family. No one to love him.

She would change that. Because her heart told her in this moment that she did love this man.

Judson scooped her up and placed her gently on the bed. He gazed down upon her a moment, and Lucy was able to see all of him. His manhood jutted straight out from a nestle of dark curls, and she swallowed, feeling a bit intimidated by its size. Thank goodness Ariadne had told her some of what to expect in lovemaking.

He slipped into the bed next to her and huskily asked, “Are you certain you wish for us to do this, Lucy?”

“Yes.”

He kissed her softly, the heated kisses from moments ago now gone. She didn’t understand how his passion could cool so quickly. Why he seemed to pull back. She would have asked him, but his mouth continued a series of soft kisses, placating her momentarily.

From what Ariadne had mentioned, he was supposed to remove her night rail, but he didn’t do so. Instead, he took the hem of it and raised it some, his hand beneath it to caress her leg. His fingers danced up her calf and then her thigh. Already, her core pounded unmercifully, begging for his touch. She knew his fingers would reach it soon.

When he slowly raked one along the seam of her sex, Lucy gasped.

Breaking the kiss, Judson said, “I must make certain you are ready before we couple.”

She didn’t ask how he would do that—because she trusted him.

He pushed a finger inside her, causing her to mewl like a kitten.

“This will help prepare you,” he told her, his lips close to her ear.

His finger stroked her, causing tension to coil within her. Another one joined it, and he continued these deep caresses, murmuring into her ear, “You are almost ready. You are wet for me, Lucy. It will make things easier.”

Then a pressure built within her. It suddenly erupted, a new sensation which caused her to cry out his name. She bucked against his hand, feeling warmth spread throughout her, culminating in a final peak of pleasure.

“What was that?” she asked, breathless.

He didn’t reply. By now, Judson hovered over her, hiking her night rail to her waist. Then she felt the tip of his manhood where his fingers had been. With one, powerful thrust, he entered her. She was startled by the quickness of it, and the momentary flash of pain.

He stilled. “Get used to me.”

Lucy looked into his eyes, but he averted his gaze. Then he began moving, slowly at first, and she picked up on his rhythm. Her hips rose and fell in a kind of dance between them. Judson increased the speed of his thrusts, and that wonderful, incredible feeling of a few minutes ago began building inside her again. Anticipation flooded her, and she wrapped her arms about him, holding onto him tightly.

Suddenly, they both cried out in unison, the new sensations flooding her. Her husband collapsed atop her for a moment, and Lucy reveled in the weight of him. The musky scent of him. The feel of them joined together as one.

Quickly, he pulled out of her and left the bed, pouring water into a basin and bringing it and a cloth back to the bed. In an intimate gesture, he washed her.

Judson returned the basin to its stand and came to her again. Taking her hands, he lifted her from the bed and set her on her feet. Kissing her brow, he said, “Go back to your bed, Lucy.”

Disappointment flooded her. She didn’t know quite what she had expected, but it wasn’t this abrupt ending.

Her husband reached for the candle and handed it to her. Numb again, Lucy made her way back to her own bedchamber. This time, she blew out the candle before she climbed into bed. She remained awake for a long time, going over everything that had happened between them, again and again. Instinct told her that Judson had held back. Yes, he had kissed her passionately at first, but she thought it was because he had not been expecting her to appear in his room. Once he gained control of himself and found she wasn’t going anywhere, it seemed he had done his duty, keeping himself at a distance.

Yes, he had given her pleasure, as Ariadne had spoken of, but even he had told her it was to make their coupling go more smoothly. To her, it seemed there had been none of the tenderness her cousin had talked about, beyond the way he had cared for her afterward. Her cousin had mentioned that her new husband would explore her body, and she would do the same. That had not occurred. Judson did his marital duty—and no more.

A deep ache filled her now. She had enjoyed their lovemaking, but Lucy believed there was much more to it. Perhaps he had been right in saying they didn’t know each other well. Over time, she hoped to explore the hard planes of his body and wished he would do the same with her.

A thought struck her. She was a lady of the ton , and perhaps Judson kept her at a distance and didn’t ask certain things of her because she was a lady. Would he now go to his mistress, if he had one, to find complete satisfaction? How was she to tell him she was ready to explore this new, sensual world with him, eager to do anything he asked?

Lucy fretted now. Instead of enjoying the feelings of euphoria her husband had brought to her, she was disheartened.

And it was made all the worse because she now knew she loved him.