"Now I feel sure I must have another present around here somewhere for you. Where do you suppose it could be?"
She smiled up at him, her eyes glowing. "It's all of you. Every glorious inch of your flesh. Every thought, word, gesture, tender act that shows me how much you love me."
"Well, let's just start with these couple of inches, and let you gradually have the rest."
Her eyes widened, but he stuck out his tongue and pounced. She giggled happily, and squirmed to get the impressive inches she was really desperate for.
"My dear Dr. Sanderson, you're quite wicked after all," she murmured as his hands and lips did the most delightful things to her entire body.
"Anything to please the love of my life."
"Anything?"
He lifted his head to look at her, his expression worried. "Why, what did you have in mind?"
"Oh, more of the same, for sure. But I thought maybe-"
She twisted herself around until her head was parallel with his pulsing flesh and began to lick him too. Each cradled their head against one thigh, and soon Blake had to spin her around again as he placed her hips on the edge of the bed, spread her legs wide, and filled her with a teasing slowness that had her begging for all of him urgently.
"It was a wonderful idea, darling, but I need to concentrate every effort on keeping my wits about me to please you."
"You do, so very much," she panted. "Can't you see it? My whole body quivers for your touch, inside and out."
He looked down at her, felt her move under him. She was indeed all his, the most beautiful sight he had ever seen in his life. She stared up at him, her eyes full of longing, and knew she could never love another as much as she adored Blake.
As he slipped in to the very top of her womb, she almost fainted at the delight and rocketed off the bed, driving him still further. They both climaxed with a roar, and Blake began to laugh. "Well, I think that woke the whole house."
She giggled. "Most of Somerset, I should think."
They howled with laughter as one of the dogs in the kennel began to bay at the moon.
"Oh, stop, it's too funny," she giggled, tears streaming down her face.
But his expression soon grew serious. "This isn't funny, though, is it?" he said moving his hips once more.
She gazed at him in awe. "Again?" she gasped.
"As much as you like, want or need."
"I want, very much. And I love it. Love you. Just don't set the dogs off again."
"Why not? You have no idea what it feels like when you laugh when I'm-"
She pulled his mouth to hers hard, and rippled her hips. She didn't release him until he had groaned his passion into her mouth, and then lay trembling.
"Lord, that was incredible," he panted, scarcely able to roll off her and onto his side. "Just as well you stopped my mouth. That would have woken half of England."
"When we have a house of our own we can do as we like, but for now-"
"There is the wedding trip to look forward to, though. Bath and the Peak District, and wherever else you'd like. You have only to say. Brighton, London, Lyme?" he asked.
"We don't have to decide all at once. We'll head to Bath and see from there."
"I adore the Jeromes, but I can't wait to have you all to myself again."
She grinned. "Me neither."
"Soon, Arabella. Soon," Blake promised.
The darkly-clad figure stood outside Arabella's window, gazing up at the shadows produced by the flickering candlelight. He knew where Arabella was, what she was doing, who she was doing it with… but he would have her in the end.
The doctored meat had quickly silenced the dogs, would leave them to sleep for hours. His friendship with the silly little blonde serving maid Molly granted him access to the house day or night.
The stupid bitch would get what she deserved sooner or later. For now he just had to keep her sweet, her legs and mouth occupied so she would give in to him and do as he asked, and not run telling tales. Then he could make his move.
"Soon, Arabella. Soon," he vowed.
Now all he had to do pick one of the Jerome sisters as his intended, and the rest would fall into place….
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
Blake thought he would go demented on Thursday as he had to withstand hours and hours of rehearsals, gift opening and last-minute packing for their honeymoon.
"We don't have to leave straight away, you know," he said to Arabella. "We can spend one more night here if you're tired after all of the festivities."
"I don't know. I'd like to head off immediately, but I don't want to hurt their feelings either. Not when they've done so much for us already."