Page 18 of An Impulsive Kiss (Captivating Kisses #2)

T his was the kind of kiss Lucy had been expecting from her husband. Judson kissed her as if he truly meant it. He was invested in this kiss—and she hoped he also was invested in their relationship, both now and in the future.

She kissed him back with everything she had, all of the longing she had felt for him. Their tongues collided, warring with one another, sending frissons of desire through her. Lucy looped her arms about his neck, pressing closely to him, yearning for him to be inside her again.

It was hard to tell when one kiss ended and the next began because her head spun from the sensations filling her. She only knew that she loved him deeply, and her love would only continue to grow.

Judson broke the kiss, and they both gazed at one another, each a little dazed.

Finally, he spoke. “Will you accompany me upstairs, Lucy?” he asked, his voice low and rough.

If he meant what she thought he did, she was a bit shocked by the impropriety of making love during the day. Yet she was not going to pass up this opportunity by being a proper lady.

“Yes,” she told him, resolve in her tone.

He came to his feet, setting her down on hers, his fingers threading through hers. Their bodies may have come together last night, but for the first time since they had spoken their vows, Lucy felt truly joined with him.

Judson led them from his study, where they came across Clippman.

“We are not to be disturbed,” her husband said crisply as they passed the butler.

She felt the blush spill across her cheeks, knowing the servant would know what they were up to.

He pulled her up the stairs, practically running now, asking, “Your rooms—or mine?”

“Mine are closer,” she managed to say, trying to keep up with him.

They reached her rooms, and Judson threw open the door and swept her off her feet and into his arms, using his foot to close the door behind them. Her heart was aflutter with such a romantic gesture. Judson strode through her sitting room and entered the bedchamber, where Annie sat in a chair by the window, a gown of Lucy’s in her lap and needle and thread in her hand. Annie looked startled by their appearance, and then she broke out in a smile.

Coming to her feet, she said not a word, merely passing by them and exiting the bedchamber, sewing in hand.

Judson set Lucy on her feet. Immediately, his mouth returned to hers, greedily kissing her senseless. He broke the kiss and left her side, turning back the bedclothes. Returning to her, he took her hands in his and smiled wryly.

“I am afraid we will miss the garden party.”

“What garden party?” Lucy asked innocently, and they both began laughing.

During the next few minutes, her new husband lovingly removed every layer of clothing she wore, kissing her in between placing each piece on the seat where Annie had previously sat. It surprised her that when she stood before him without a stitch on, she felt not the slightest bit of embarrassment.

Cupping his face with her hands, she pulled him down to her for a long, delicious kiss before ending it and asking, “May I return the favor now, my lord?”

Slowly, Lucy unknotted the cravat at his neck, pulling it from him and tossing it to the ground. Before she could continue, he sprang into action, tearing off his coat and waistcoat, dumping them on the floor next to the cravat. His fingers fumbled at his shirt, and she pushed his hands aside.

“Let me.”

Undoing the three buttons for him, Judson took over, pulling the shirt over his head and letting it float to the ground. He stood beside her, looking as if he had been sculpted from stone by a master of old. She placed both palms flat against his chest and began gliding over the sleek muscles, seeing them bunch at her touch.

“I wanted to do this last night,” she said softly. “Touch you. I wanted you to touch me, too.”

He jerked her to him, his hands roaming her bare back as he kissed her hungrily. They moved lower, capturing her buttocks and kneading them, sending delicious tingles through her. She brought her arms around him, and as she moved her hands up and down his back, dismay filled her.

He was scarred.

Perhaps this was why he had behaved as he had last night, not letting her touch him. But something had changed between them, and Lucy was not going to stop and ask him anything at this point.

Judson released her and took her hand, leading her to the bed. He sat upon it and gazed up at her. “I will need help removing my boots.”

“At your service, Lord Huntsberry,” Lucy said saucily, causing him to laugh.

He raised his right leg, and she took hold of the heel in one hand and the tip of his toes with the other hand. She yanked hard. It took several tries for the boot to come off, but she flushed with success when it did. The second proved to be easier to remove since she now knew what she was doing.

He stood, their bodies close together now, guiding her hands to the buttons of his breeches. Lucy made fast work of unfastening them, and he peeled them down his muscular legs, discarding them and his stockings. He stood before her now, his manhood once again at full attention. This time, she wanted to satisfy her curiosity, and so she clasped it in one of her hands.

Judson sucked in a quick breath, and she squeezed it lightly before stroking it lovingly. It was hard to the touch and yet his skin was so soft, almost like steel encased in velvet. She brushed the pad of her thumb over its head, and he gasped.

Taking her wrist, he gently removed her fingers from his rod, saying, “Not yet. Your touch makes me want to come—and we have much more to do before that occurs.”

He pulled her toward the bed, and Lucy climbed upon the mattress, Judson following her. They exchanged long, drugging kisses, both their hands roaming the other’s body as they did so.

His lips left hers, trailing kisses along her jaw and then nuzzling her throat. He found her pulse point, his tongue encircling it, and then he nipped at it, sending a thrill through her. His tongue went even lower, finding the curve of her breast and outlining the tops of each one. Lucy now trembled, wanting him as she had never wanted anything in her life.

As one of his hands kneaded her breast, his tongue and teeth focused on the other one, feasting upon it. The new sensations running through her made her catch fire, and her core beat as her heart did. He sucked and laved the nipple, grazing his teeth across it, causing it to stand erect, begging for more of his touch.

Judson turned his attention to her other breast, murmuring that he was not going to ignore it, causing her to giggle.

His tongue found the valley between her breasts and then moved lower, sliding down to her belly, causing it to quiver. He kept going, though, and she realized what his final destination would be. The thought was scandalous, and yet she wanted him to taste her there.

He reached for her ankles and locked onto them, dragging her feet so they were flat on the bed, her knees bent. Pushing her thighs open, his tongue settled between her legs, entering her, sending jolts of hot desire through her. Her husband took his time, licking, sucking, using fingers and mouth and tongue to bring her to a height previously unknown. She shattered, calling his name, her entire body shuddering with pure pleasure.

His mouth worked its way back up her body until he was kissing her again. She tasted herself on his tongue, and the erotic moment made her feel like a wanton.

She would remain a wanton—only for her husband.

Judson moved, now hovering over her, his gaze pinning hers as he pushed inside her with one swift motion. It surprised her when she felt no discomfort and then remembered it was only supposed to hurt the first time. Knowing more what making love was about, this time Lucy enthusiastically joined Judson in their dance. Her hands were constantly moving over him, loving the feel of his hard body and musky scent of this man she had committed herself to. Then her release came. She felt him climax at the same time she did, his hot seed shooting into her. She pulled him to her, their mouths fusing as their bodies did.

Spent, he collapsed atop her a moment and then rolled to his side so that they faced one another. He smoothed her hair, tenderness filling his eyes.

She smiled. “That is what was expecting from you last night, Judson.”

He winced. “I apologize if I did not make you happy then, Lucy.”

“No, you did,” she insisted. “What we shared last night—our first time making love—will always be special to me.”

She hesitated and then decided she must always be honest with him if they were to have a true marriage.

“But I sensed you holding back last night. It was as if you were doing your husbandly duty with minimal effort and no emotional involvement. Yes, the release I experienced was incredible. I did not know my body could undergo such a thing. And when we joined, you took wonderful care of me. You saw to my needs, but not your own. You would not let me participate—and I want that, Judson. Desperately. I want to be a good wife to you. I want you to feel all the fantastic things I have.”

Lucy placed her palm against his cheek, caressing it with her thumb. “Can you tell me why you kept me at a distance?”

He remained silent, and she decided this was the moment to press him.

“Is it because... of the scars on your back?”

“In part,” he said hoarsely. “But the larger portion was that I did not want to destroy that light within you.”

“I do not understand why you believe you have this darkness inside you, Judson. I know you to be a good man. If I can see it, why can’t you?”

She snuggled closer to him, draping an arm and leg across him, resting her cheek against his chest.

“Tell me. I am your wife. I will stand against the world with you if need be.”

Silence filled the room for several minutes. Lucy had almost given up hope that Judson would open up to her.

Then he said, “All right. But I warn you now—you may not like the man you have wed once you hear who I really am.”