"What are you-"
He kissed her again, slowly, thoroughly, until at last she calmed once more. Then he moved within her with tiny pressures, teasing movements that still thrilled her utterly.
"I see what you mean now. It's nice taking our time," she admitted with a gasp.
"I had better stop kissing you, though, or everyone is going to see your mouth in the morning and know what's happened. As it is I've left marks all over your neck and breasts."
"I'm glad. I can look in the mirror and know I'm yours, that you've possessed me completely and utterly. That we belong together, and nothing is ever going to separate us again."
Yet even as she said the words, Blake had his doubts. Even leaving aside the threat of an impending war, he had no idea what everyone was going to say when they announced their intention to wed. To try to postpone it now after all of this was unthinkable.
Not least because to wake up anywhere but by her side was something he did not even want to consider contemplating. The hours in the bed they had already spent with each other had already been so incredible.
Yet he knew there was also a great deal more to share. An entire lifetime of joy, for however long they were blessed enough to have each other. Or until she….
Stop it, he told himself. Stop it. If you don't trust her or yourself you'll blight both your lives.
Arabella couldn't believe that the incredible pressure was building within her again. Everywhere she touched him, he touched her, filled her with utter rapture. She felt her soul take flight in his arms, and she could only gasp weakly and hold him to her as her body ceased to be her own.
"I love you, Blake," she whispered urgently her eyes dark and shining with passion. "Please, kiss me."
Blake gave up the struggle to try to control what was happening as she moved under him. Soon he could feeling the rippling caress deep within her.
He climaxed again so powerfully he collapsed onto her with a last groan of surrender. Why even try to fight it? He was truly lost in his love for her. He had struggled so hard, so long.
"I'm sorry. So tired, my love," Blake muttered, moving his head close to hers on the pillow.
"Then rest. I'll be here in the morning."
Arabella held Blake to her tenderly, stroking back the hair from his face and tugging up the sheet over him.
She wondered at the huge struggle he had been going though, why he had such a desperate need to analyse, to control. But he could blossom under her love, she was sure of it.
Arabella sighed, and closed her eyes. Wrapped in a cocoon of warmth and love, she too slept.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
The first tiny peepings of the morn roused Arabella from her peaceful slumber. It was still dark, but one ray of light was just creeping up over the horizon. Her candle had guttered out, but she did not need any light to tell her that she was not alone.
Blake was still prone on top of her, buried deeply within her pulsing softness.
Already she could feel his heat rolling off him in waves. She pushed down in the bed and up with her hips, deepening the pressure. She began to stroke him tenderly all over, kneading, massaging, and he groaned sleepily. Turning his face to her, he opened one eye.
"I'm in heaven. This has easily got to be the best morning of my life, waking up like this."
"It's the first morning of the rest of your life. All of the other mornings to come can be just like this. Better," she promised him softly.
He kissed her sleepily. She thought for a time that the whirlwind passion she had shared with him last night had deserted them both.
But no, it was still there, churning and bubbling as he set up a rhythm increasingly powerful and rapid which had her eyes rolling up into her head.
"Blake! Blake!" she cried out, so powerfully that he had to cover her lips with his.
His groan echoed through the cavern of her mouth as they climaxed together, then floated down to earth as lightly as a feather.
"My goodness, that was different again," Arabella panted when she finally managed to find her voice.
"It's all love. It just takes you by surprise."
"Oh my, what other surprises do you have for me?"
He grinned wolfishly. "Not too tired, then?"
"No. I mean I am tired, but I don't want to waste a minute of this night."
"We can always indulge ourselves in the day, you know. There are some advantages to seeing each other in the light."
He at last managed to withdraw from her, lit a new candle, and surveyed the damaged he had wrought. He took the edge of one towel and cleaned himself thoroughly with the soap and now freezing water, and then took the opposite corner of the towel and did the same for her.