Instantaneously their mutual desires were awakened and their thoughts became riveted to their need for each other.
Gazing into her eyes with a deep intensity, Darcy took the box off Elizabeth’s lap, laid it on the floor, and then rose onto his knees, bringing himself level with her. He slowly ran his hands along the tops of her thighs and around her bottom, pulling her to the edge of the sofa. Her knees parted and he moved closer to her body as his hands leisurely caressed their way up her back, eventually entwining in her hair as he brought her lips to his and kissed her passionately.
She had watched him as if mesmerized as he stroked her body and repositioned himself closer to her. She could not breathe! He was so incredibly handsome and desirable. Her need for him was overpowering. She wanted to see all of him, touch him intimately, and feel him on her and in her. She wanted to become his wife fully with an ache that was nearly painful in its intensity.
She ran her hands up his chest and then under his robe, placing her fingers gently on his shoulders. With slow deliberation she peeled the robe off his shoulders, exposing his upper body as she lovingly ran her palms down his back. He let go of her long enough to remove his sleeves, baring his arms to her tender caress, and then encircled her again, never once leaving her sweet lips.
It was euphoric! The feelings, the taste, their senses overwhelmed. Elizabeth boldly reached down and untied his sash, feeling the robe fall to the ground. Darcy moaned and in one swift, graceful motion rose from his kneeling position, gathering Elizabeth into powerful arms and carrying her to their bed.
Darcy stretched next to his wife’s lovely body, careful to keep his hips away from her flesh for the time being. He experienced a momentary stab of fear that he would not be able to keep his self-promise to proceed slowly, bringing Lizzy to pleasure first. His need for her was all consuming and powerful. He may never have been with a woman himself, but he knew that obtaining his own release was an easy task. The finer art of bringing her enjoyment was another matter. That was where his inexperience, coupled with a raging hunger for personal fulfillment and a need to make her his own, could lead to failure. Such was his love for her and his prideful wish to succeed as a giving lover, that he clutched onto his fear and used it to restore his faculties and level his ardor.
Elizabeth’s hands were around his neck, fingers massaging his scalp through his thick hair. She was watching him, eyes full of love and trust and desire with only a hint of nervousness. She seemed quite unafraid; however, Darcy knew this could change if he moved too fast. He stroked her cheek and jaw line and neck, all areas he had touched before, successfully bringing her enjoyment. She quivered and sighed, closing her eyes.
“I love you so very much, Elizabeth,” he whispered against her lips. “Do not be afraid. I promise to be gentle.” He lightly kissed every delicate feature of her face, ending at the sensitive area behind her ear. “You must show me what you like. Tell me in words or, if this embarrasses you, simply relax your body and I will know by your reactions. We shall learn from each other, my precious. Do you understand, my love?”
She nodded and whispered, “I love you, William. I am not afraid.” She proved her words by rubbing her hands down his back and turning slightly to her side, loosely draping one leg over his and pulling him toward her. They both gasped simultaneously. She, from the feel of his incredible heat and hardness. He, from her unexpectedly bold action, which threatened to undo him.
He swallowed and inhaled vigorously. He opened his eyes to see her gazing at him, an expression of wonder and a small smile on her lips. He kissed her then, a kiss unlike any they had yet shared. The joy of being able to abandon all restraint and to explore each other’s mouths was exhilarating. They surrendered themselves fully to the excitement to be gained from indulgent kisses. For a time all the focus was on the transcendent joy of shared breath and moisture.
Hands began moving of their own volition. Darcy untied her gown and exposed her shoulders and breasts without coherent forethought. Lizzy delighted in the muscles of his back and shoulders and arms. He was soft and rough at the same time, and it inflamed her further. Darcy trailed his fingers down her collar to her shoulder and then to her soft bosom. Fire trailed feathering fingertips; shivers of heat and ice coursed through their flesh.
His mouth left her lips and traveled over her neck. Soft kisses interspersed with tiny nibbles and feather touches of his warm mouth passed across her shoulders and fragile collarbones. Lizzy sighed and trembled in pleasure. Darcy was jolted with almost excruciating waves of satisfaction. Her taste was bliss, her warmth exquisite, her soft vocalizations heavenly. Lizzy arched involuntarily, exposing her neck to his moist lips and tongue, all the while caressing solid shoulders. One would be hard pressed to say who was more deeply affected.
“Beautiful love,” he murmured against her throat, “so unbelievably beautiful. How deeply I love you my Elizabeth, my wife.” Gradually, so very tenderly, he traveled wet kisses to her breasts. Never had he imagined anything as beautiful as the feel of her flesh under his lips and tongue. It was rapturous! She moaned, pulling his head harder onto her breasts with sharp clenches in his hair.
“William, sweet love. Please do not stop.”
He spent endless stunning minutes of ecstasy teasing and tasting the perfection of her bosom, with one hand caressing lightly over her satin-clad waist. He rose, urgently needing to gaze upon her precious face. Her eyes opened, glazed and inundated with a passion never revealed before, as she looked upon him.
Darcy rolled his upper body over hers, heat seeping into her very bones, and leaned up on his elbows to caress her breasts, purposefully arousing her. “Are you well, beloved? Does this please you?”
She swallowed, nodding faintly. “William, I… I cannot describe… your touch moves me so. Oh, please, love, please kiss me!” she moaned, offering lush parted lips with obvious yearning, hands tight on his shoulders.
He reclaimed her mouth, groaning deep in his throat, delving into the depths of her mouth possessively and completely. Lizzy held his neck in a savage grip, meeting his kiss with equal passion and enthusiasm, her other hand exploring brazenly. She involuntarily curved her hips toward him, unwittingly increasing pressure to his leg and other sensitive parts.
“Elizabeth!” he gasped and released her slightly, raggedly gulping for air. He dropped his head to her chest and forced himself to stop moving, frantically seizing the frayed edges of his control.
“William, my love! I am sorry. Did I hurt you somehow?” Her voice was full of anxiety.
Darcy could not explain why it struck him as humorous, but it did. He laughed faintly, breath tickling her sensitive bosom, and shook his head. He kissed each perfect breast and then lifted up to look upon her amazing face. “No, my precious, you did not hurt me. Quite the opposite, in fact. I am frankly becoming undone by the bliss I am feeling being in your arms… touching you… kissing you. I must slow down. Ah, my beautiful wife, you have absolutely no idea how I yearn for you!”
She smiled happily and rose up to his lips. “Yes, Fitzwilliam,” she purred, “I do know. I yearn for you as well and do not wish to slow down.” She kissed him playfully as she had so longed to do, teasing his lips, tasting the skin of his jaw, exploring the cleft in his chin. Her fingers moved freely over his face and neck, toying with his ear folds as fire ignited anew over his flesh.
He passively allowed her investigation but was tremendously affected. He had managed to regain a semblance of control but he realized with certainty that he could not persevere for much longer. His arousal and ardor had reached a point bordering on pain. God, he needed to make her his! It was an uncontainable force burning through his very soul. He still refused to rush to the degree that he might hurt her or fail to bring her to total fulfillment; however, he needed to step up the pace. He felt her tremors, heard her sighs of longing, and knew what to do.
“Elizabeth,” he asked huskily, “may I please see all of you?”
Her answer was to gently push him away as she sat up in the bed. He propped himself up with his arm and avidly watched her. She flushed in embarrassment at his intense stare but daringly did as he wished, gaze averted. She wiggled her arms and the top part of her gown fell to her waist. Darcy’s eyes drank in the vision of her newly exposed skin. She was lovelier than he had imagined, absolutely stunning. She gripped the fabric at her waist and, with a quick lift of her bottom, pulled her gown past her hips.
A guttural groan escaped Darcy’s throat, startling Lizzy yet sending a massive surge of heat lancing through her body. Darcy snapped out of his entrancement, reaching over and running the back of his hand along her inner thigh as he peeled the gown off her legs, tossing it absently away. Lizzy quivered at his touch, sighed deeply, and closed her eyes.
“My God, Elizabeth! You are perfect and so stunningly beautiful.” He swallowed, eyes leaving her body with difficulty to meet her glittering gaze. With agonizing patience he reached to brush trembling fingertips over her skin, collarbone to nipples to ripe breasts to navel and then along her shapely legs. Lizzy was panting in short gasps, examining his intense expression, and discovering the rising ardency gained from his clear adoration of her form and
