Page 11

I don't even think about it as I draw Arthur through my sitting room and into my bedchamber. Should I be doing this? Not if I listen to all of the things Mamá told me before I came here. But if I listen to the way I feel, then this is precisely where I should be.

I tug him to me and kiss him just as deeply as outside on the balcony. My whole body is tingling, and it's hard to tell if it's just because of the cold, or because of the anticipation. I don't suppose that I care very much, all I want is to feel good.

Arthur breaks the kiss and turns me around, his lips nuzzling against my ear. "How complicated is your dress to take off?" he murmurs.

A thrill I don't recognise shoots through me. "Not too hard," I respond. "It's a day dress."

"I don't know what that means."

"There are ties at the back of my bodice."

"All right." He steps back, and the cool air rushes in. I miss his touch until I feel it tugging at the laces of my bodice. He's surprisingly patient, and he manages to get it undone.

I reach up and untie the sections of my sleeves attached to it, allowing me to pull them off. There's a lot more of my dress to go, even if it is a simple one, but I'm eager to get the rest of it off.

It only takes a few moments for my bodice to be discarded, and my skirts soon follow, leaving me in the thin shift I have underneath.

Arthur's hand presses against my stomach, pulling me back to him. He brushes some hair off my neck and leans in, kissing the soft skin there. My breath catches in my throat and the desire for more keeps growing inside me.

I break away, taking his hand and leading him over to the bed.

"What do you want me to do?" he asks, his dark blue eyes full of desire.

"I'm not sure," I admit. "Just, something that feels good."

He nods and gets on the bed beside me. I want to suggest that we get rid of more of our clothes, but I'm not sure if that's what he has in mind.

He cups my cheek in his hand and draws me to him, giving me a tender kiss that says that this is about far more than the physical need that's growing within me.

I take his hand in mine and place it on my hip. The warmth of his palm seeps through my shift and I'm almost desperate for him to do more.

He deepens the kiss as his hand drifts lower, finding the edge of the fabric.

I gasp as his fingers skim against the bare skin of my leg. No one has touched me there, not like this, and I want to feel more of it. He kisses down my neck and across my collarbones as his hand slips up higher. It's unlike anything I've ever felt before.

“What..."

"Here," I murmur, putting my hand over his and moving it higher, to exactly where I want it to be.

A moan escapes me as his fingers brush against my entrance, which seems to give him the confidence to continue.

If I had any doubts about his assurances that there'd never been anyone else, they'd be gone now.

Unfortunately, I don't have enough experience myself to be able to guide any better than I already am.

"There," I say as he finds the right spot. "Keep touching me there."

He makes a sound that seems like agreement and does as I ask, making the pleasure curl up inside me. I reach down and grasp his wrist in my hand, hoping to keep him going.

"Sola?"

"Don't stop," I murmur. "Please, don't stop." My words are hardly out when the release crashes over me. My whole body begins to shake as pleasure courses through every part of my body. It's never felt like this before, even when I've done the same to myself.

He doesn't stop, prolonging the release for longer, until I collapse back on the bed, breathing heavily and trying to regain some semblance of thought.

Arthur shifts on the bed, sitting up.

I push myself upwards, wrapping my arms around his chest. "Are you all right?" I ask.

He nods. "Are you?" He looks at me with concern in his eyes.

"I'm fine," I promise. "More than fine. That felt better than when I've pleasured myself."

He raises an eyebrow. "Are you sure?"

"Want to find out?" I ask, running my hand further down. I'm not really sure what to expect from this part, but it makes sense that I should be able to make him feel as good as he's done for me.

Arthur swallows hard, but manages to nod.

I shuffle closer, finding the ties of his breeches. He groans as my hand brushes against something hard, and a dull ache starts to build inside me in response. I fumble with the ties until I manage to get them undone, and his hard length springs free.

"Show me?" I whisper, not entirely sure what to do.

He guides my hand to his hardness and lets me wrap my fingers around him. He moves it up and down, giving me the right idea about what I should be doing.

He lets go of my hand, which I assume means I'm doing the right thing. I stroke slowly at first, causing a guttural sound to come from his throat. I watch intently, completely caught up with what I'm doing, and how good it feels to be able to give him pleasure like this.

"I'm close," he murmurs, his voice strained and his face screwed up with what I hope is pleasure.

"Do I need to do something different?" I ask.

He shakes his head as he thrusts into my hand and erupts, covering my hand. He closes his eyes and lets out a groan, leaning back into me as he empties himself.

"Do you have a cloth?" he murmurs.

"Yes."

"Where? I can get it."

"The pitcher by the window," I say, a little confused.

He nods and gets up to fetch it, bringing back the entire bowl. He pours water into it and soaks the cloth, slowly cleaning us both. He tucks himself away and shuffles back to rest against the wall, opening his arm so I can go to sit with him.

I lean my head against his shoulder and let out a satisfied sigh. "So, that was unexpected."

He chuckles. "It's not what I intended when I came to see you."

"But it was fun," I assure him. "And not the end of it, I would think."

"Certainly not." He turns and looks at me with an intense expression on his face that fills me with all kinds of thoughts and feelings I didn't know I could have.

I lean in and press my lips against his, kissing him softly and hoping he takes it to mean exactly what it does, that I care for him deeply and want nothing more than to spend a lot more time with him. In all ways that I can.