The Countess (Madison Sisters #1)(36)
Author: Lynsay Sands

He appeared perplexed as to how that could be perfect, but Christiana just grabbed his hand, gave it a squeeze and drew him with her as she backed toward the front door. "Lisa, wil you see that Grace and the chest holding Richard’s and my clothes aren’t forgotten?"

"Of course," she said with surprise. "But where wil you be?"

Christiana reached behind her for the door. "We are going to head out at once.

We have something to do. We shal wait for you at Stevenage," she announced and then before anyone could protest or ask further questions, Christiana pul ed the door open and hurried out, tugging Richard with her.

"What is the something we have to do?" he asked as they hurried to the Radnor carriage.

"I shal explain in the carriage," she assured him and moved to the door while he moved to speak to the driver. By the time he entered, she had closed the smal curtains at the windows. Richard eyed them with surprise as he sank on the bench opposite her.

"What – ?" he began, and then swal owed the rest of his question when she tugged the sleeves of her gown off her shoulders and then shimmied her arms out of it. His breath then came out on a long, "Ohhhh," as the material dropped to pool around her waist. Reaching across the space between them, Richard caught her by the waist and promptly pul ed her from her seat to straddle his lap. Christiana sighed with relief as she slid her arms around his neck. She was trying to be as brazen as she wanted and not al ow fear to hold her back, but truly, she’d felt terribly vulnerable baring herself like that so was glad not to feel so on display anymore.

"So this is the something we had to do?" Richard asked, his hands moving over her back in circles. Christiana nodded. "I seemed to recal from our last journey to Gretna that we could . . . discuss our feelings almost as wel in the carriage as in our room,"

she whispered, pressing a kiss to the scrape on his forehead. "So I thought perhaps . . ."

The words died on a gasp as his hands found her br**sts and squeezed gently.

When he then used his hold to urge her up, Christiana obeyed and rose on her knees until her chest was in front of his face. Richard immediately took one hardening nipple into his mouth, rasping it with his tongue and then suckling briefly, before releasing it to peer up at her.

"Have I told you how bril iant I think you are?" he asked solemnly.

She blinked in surprise, but shook her head.

"Wel I do, and you are," he assured her, his hands moving over her h*ps and then down to slip under her skirts. "I find you lovely." He pressed a kiss to the spot between her br**sts. "Intel igent." His hands glided up the outside of her legs.

"Resourceful." He licked one nipple, nipped at it, then suckled briefly, before releasing it to say, "Amusing." His mouth dipped to the other breast, attending that nipple as one hand closed around her hip and the other slipped between her legs.

"Charming."

"Richard," Christiana gasped as his fingers found her core.

"Hush," he murmured against her breast. "I am discussing my feelings." And then he paused, his hands stil ing as he raised his head to ask. "Or have you heard enough? Shal I stop?"

Christiana shook her head at once. "No, husband. Pray continue."

Christiana shook her head at once. "No, husband. Pray continue."

A slow smiled claimed his lips and he al owed his fingers to strum over her again as he said solemnly, "I fear it could take a very long time for me to tel you al of them."

"Then perhaps you should just show me," she suggested breathlessly, and bit her lip as his fingers slid across her damp skin.

"It would be my pleasure," he assured her, and proceeded to do so.