Braeden’s laughter rung softly in the air. She kissed him, her lips teasing, her tongue dipping into his mouth. His breath hissed. With Fallon still in his arms, Braeden strode to the next room; the official Countess’ Chamber, which had never been used by this countess. His hot hands cradled her bottom, making her tingle all over. Her cheek kept bobbing against his taut chest. All she wanted to do was press her lips to his flesh and hear his husky response like she did each night.

‘Will this do my lady?’ He probed, critically assessing whether the smaller bed would accommodate him as well.

Flushing, she laughed sliding out of his arms. ‘It will have to do, until you fix our door,’ she grinned.

Braeden stepped out. He summoned one of his grooms who came running to attention and softly issued some instructions.

‘What did you say to him?’ She whispered curiously.

‘You’ll see,’ he replied mysteriously, keeping the door wide opened and to her disappointment, he walked away from her to stand by the window.

Fallon’s blue eyes widened as she saw three servants coming in carrying jars of hot water in each hand. She could hardly contain her delight. She was going to take a bath together with Braeden. She remembered how delightful the previous one had been.

‘You are not going out this morning?’ She enquired, somewhat hopeful.

It had been his intention, but what with his wife’s sensitivity about the time he has been spending away from her, he thought it a good idea to lavish his attention upon her today. He had also instructed the servant to deliver an apologetic message to the tenant he was supposed to visit.

Braeden thanked his servants and shut the door. His dark grey eyes still on Fallon, he walked to where she stood rooted to the ground and carried her through to the bath chamber. Her hands clutched his shirt, her mouth opened, her tongue, warm and wet met his

‘My lord, we are still dressed!’ Braeden was carrying her straight to the tub.

‘I know,’ he laughed and promptly lowered her into the water.

‘My slippers ___!’

She hardly had the opportunity to continue her protest. He grabbed her roughly. His fingers feathered her throat. He gently moved forward so his lips were touching hers. His kiss was light. She kept still, allowing the heat of the kiss to course through her entire body. His lips and tongue explored hers. Her hands came up, around his neck, slid into his hair.

When his hands slid from her throat down and cupped her breast, she shuddered and laid back. She lost herself in the sensuous delight. His fingers continued downwards underneath the thin folds of her drawers. She gasped as his fingers slid inside. She made no attempt to resist him, in fact, she eagerly anticipated his possession. She was completely naked, a shock of sheer awareness made her catch her breath. A moan climbed from the depths of her throat as his lips found her nipples and suckled on it torturously. The heat of his mouth brought her to fever pitch...his large hands raked the length of her back. She was breathless… wanting more. He was still fully clothed, albeit drenched to the skin. Her hands slipped under his shirt, found the smooth muscle of his chest and splayed over it caressingly.

His fingers stoked her full breasts. His tongue delighted in her lush inviting firm nipples. An invasive languor spread through her body, making her eyelids fall. He kissed the hollow of her throat. The soft pad of his finger travelled back downwards; brushed the entrance to her passage. She was hot...moist...responsive. Spasms of undulating fever pitch lifted her hips against his rhythmic stroking against her pulsating flesh.

‘You are going to catch a cold,’ she didn’t like that he was still fully clothed.

‘Best you get me out of them then,’ Braeden grinned cheekily.

She fumbled with his buttons, undid the shirt, brushing it away desperate to feel the heat of his skin against hers. Her fingers were feather light on his face, enticing, arousing. Smilingly, she removed his trousers. She admired his appealing nakedness. His lean muscles, chiseled handsomeness had her gasping, eager to make love to him.

‘I cannot believe you climbed into the bath in those perfectly good Hessians.’

‘I’m not normally so obtuse my lady,’ he gave her an indolent look. ‘But my wife makes me lose all sensibility sometimes.’

‘Let’s get out of the water,’ she felt it growing cold.

Braeden stepped out and wiped himself. He wrapped Fallon in a towel and carried her to bed. Gently his palms pressed her shoulders against the bed. He watched in awe as she burst forth with laughter, it slowly subsided to be replaced by her highly sensual awareness of him. She was aroused by his mass of weight on her. Groaning, she dared to hurry him, curling her fingers around his erect shaft.

He reached for her, leisurely capturing her mouth again. A woman’s body was a journey...to be worshipped. Her soft mouth clung to him, until her lips parted. Her gentle fingers reached up and traced over his lips. His mouth became demanding. Her hands imprisoned him tightly against her bosom. He had not anticipated the desire that racked through his being. His loins throbbed...wanting more. His finger dipped into her entrance...her hips surged skywards.

The sudden shock as he took her nipple into his mouth sent her bucking against him. He suckled hard, until her nipple peaked. She wanted more and pressed her pelvis against his, impatient for his possession. The sensation pooled desire deep between her thighs. He kissed the inside of her thighs. The flick of his tongue parted her thighs, her bottom lifting itself into his caressing mouth, greedily wanting more of him. His lips tortured the centre of her wanton desire until something exploded inside her and she was quivering.

She felt her body preparing ... moist, eager, angling to receive him. Then their naked bodies were over each other, flesh to flesh, skin to skin. He positioned himself between her thighs, and entered her. She cried out. He moved within her, slowly first, then faster and harder, until she screamed out. His mouth covered her, swallowing her cry…

He dipped his head, showered tiny kisses on her soft flesh. Her arms wrapped around him, burrowing against a solid wall of muscles, every part of her body greedy for his touch.

‘No!’ she expelled thinking he was withdrawing.

‘No, he repeated, coming in again.

She watched the contorted muscles on his face, his eyes emblazoned with passion. His hips moved again, sinking into her one more time. She nodded, smiled shyly, finally understanding his withdrawal was only temporary, her anticipation heightened with each renewed thrust, as his name was torn from her lips.

‘Braeden,’ she whispered, trembling at his final thrust. Every nerve end inside her, exploding in myriad violent tremors.

Braeden laid over her, his grey eyes gazing at the satiated glow in her sapphire eyes pleasing him satisfactorily. He wanted to shift his heavy weight off her, but she resisted, holding him tightly. He smiled; his fingers caressingly brushed her cheeks.

‘I cannot believe that you love me,’ she whispered passionately.

‘I cannot believe that you did not know that I do,’ his eyes evidently expressed his love.

Her palm caressed his face. ‘I thought you just agreed to marry me to ___ do the honourable thing,’ her eyes were sad for a moment. ‘My first impression of you was of a ___ randy rake who did not want to surrender his bachelor status,’ she laughed softly.

He inhaled deeply and smiled. ‘There are two errors in that assumption my love. One, I was prepared to marry ___ for the sake of continuing the earldom,’ he offered thoughtfully. Secondly, you underestimate the power you wield over me,’ he smiled, rolling over with her, so she lay atop him.

Fallon smiled, her eyes gazed into his adoringly. ‘I love you.’

‘And I love you, forever and ever and ever,’ he pressed his lips to hers.

‘I will never tire of hearing you say those words to me,’ her eyes held his meaningfully.

Braeden held her naked body possessively against his chest, his arms tightened when she purred satisfactorily.

‘My lord, I would love very much to spend the entire day in bed with you but ___ are you not famished?’ She smiled. Neither she nor he had, had any breakfast or broken their fast since the previous night’s supper.

‘I do apologise,’ he looked over her with concern. ‘You need some nourishment,’ he tried to shift away.

‘No! ___ It’s you I am concerned about,’ she smiled.

‘And it’s you and our babe that I should be concerned about,’ his palm rested proudly on her stomach. He followed his hands with his lips, pressing his lips to her stomach proudly. ‘How about we take breakfast and return to our chamber?’ he grinned naughtily.

‘Braeden!’ She could not imagine them returning to their chamber just for a session of more coupling nor the idea of her and Braeden spending the entire day in their chamber, much as the idea pleased her immensely.

‘Why not?’ He demanded.

‘Why not indeed?

He was the earl, he could do as he pleased and she was his countess and she could do just as she pleased especially if it pleased her husband as well.

‘As you please my lord,’ she grinned.

‘It pleases me mighty fine,’ he lifted himself out of bed and proceeded to take Fallon into his arms, cradling her like a baby.

‘Let me get dressed,’ she laughed, trying to slide out of his arms.

Braeden dressed again. He smiled adoringly at his wife as she removed a blue morning gown from the drawer. Seeing they were only going to stay home, she put on her prettiest morning dress.

There seemed to be a joyous spring in the step of all the servants this morning. When they were seated at the breakfast room, the chef and the butler personally fussed over the earl and the countess. The chef was smiling with the widest grin at the countess. Fallon was surprised at this new found respect and reception. Clearly they could tell their earl was happy in a good mood and it pleased them that the countess was responsible for the joy and good mood their revered earl was in, so if he was happy they were happy. Fallon could not help but notice that the changed atmosphere brought a positive warmth and welcome rise in the temperature in the previously cold, unfriendly and conservative Hampton House.

Fallon smiled at Braeden as he reached out, linking his fingers to hers as he sipped his coffee. Her husband had previously not been so demonstrative in front of the servants. Fallon suspected from today, the servants would see much more of the earl that she privately saw only in the confines of their chamber.

‘I would enjoy taking you riding this afternoon my lady, but I suspect you have had enough activity this morning,’ he smiled.

Fallon laughed uneasily. It had been unwise of her to ride off so dangerously in her condition, especially on such a spirited stallion. ‘I am sorry,’ she murmured, with a naughty grin.’

‘Don’t be,’ he smiled back, ‘especially since it has ended most rewardingly.’

Fallon looked away, aware the servants were just a few feet away.

‘Are you done with breakfast my love?’ He spoke softly.

‘Braeden!’ She whispered uncomfortably.

Unabashed, he laughed, confidently strode to her chair and helped her out. ‘Please have more coffee sent to our chamber,’ Braeden instructed his butler.

‘Yes my lord,’ he bowed profusely and hastened to prepare a fresh tray of refreshments.

‘Go Braeden! Go…go…go,’ Fallon softly urged him on.

They were at the annual horse racing derby. Drew and Arthur were a close quarter behind Braeden.

‘Are you backing Hampton?’ Carissa laughed.

Fallon blushed profusely. ‘Why not,’ she smiled awkwardly. She silently celebrated as Braeden was the first over the finish line.

Emma nudged her elbow. ‘Last year we heard you cursing Hampton to fall of his horse.’

Fallon could feel the heat burning up her face. ‘Well ___ his stallion was so fast, he was beating every other competitor by about three lengths. ‘

‘That was no reason to curse him,’ Carissa raised a mocking eyebrow. ‘It had been a fair race. Every gentleman had had the choice to select his preferred mount.’

How could she confess that, whilst she had then thought the Earl of Hampton exceeding obnoxious, she had privately found Braeden irresistibly attractive? The only reason she had cursed him to fall off his horse, was her dilemma of her own conflicting emotions of an obnoxious earl and attractive rake.

‘Look ___ I do not wish to argue with you two,’ Fallon mumbled. ‘Everybody knew Braeden had just bought that stallion from an overseas racing breeder, so he had an edge over the other competitors,’ she justified.

‘Indeed.’

Both Emma and Carissa needled her simultaneously.

‘Did you see the race?’ Braeden bragged, as he proudly draped his possessive arm around his wife.

‘Yes,’ she smiled. ‘Good race, Drew,’ she praised her friend who came a far second, not wanting to give too much attention to her husband’s runaway victory.

Fallon turned her shoulder to Arthur, when she saw a look of disappointment fill Braeden’s face. He had walloped everybody else in the race. He had won by an outstanding margin and she ___ just ignored his effort, diminished his victory and heaped praise on Fewer who came a dismal second. Now she was consoling Burward.

I will never understand her!

He chose to lick his wounds silently. He smiled broadly and contributed to conversation between Fewer and Carissa. They were enthusiastically looking forward to the wine and lunch banquet.

‘We are going to find some shade, Lady Emma would like to sit down,’ Burward announced, taking his wife by the arm.

‘I want a drink,’ Drew, took Carissa away.’

It left Fallon alone with Braeden. She was certain Braeden was going to take umbrage at her evident lack of support. She tried to supress a grin, when his eyes fell to her and he tried with difficulty to school his disappointment.

‘I won,’ he huffed, like a child whose candy had been taken from him.

Fallon laughed softly. ‘I know.’

‘So you are not going to congratulate me then?’

‘Congratulations,’ she teased.

‘Surely you can do better than that, my lady wife,’ he was still scowling, almost pleading.

‘Right here?’ She looked around at the myriad people bustling around them. The attractive couple were drawing some spectator value as the good looking earl was openly gazing at his endearing countess.

‘Am I not your husband?’ He challenged.

She shook her head disbelievingly. ‘Very well,’ she reached up and kissed his cheek. ‘Congratulations my lord,’ she whispered in his ear.

‘Thank you my love,’ he beamed enthusiastically.

Fallon laughed as she tucked her arm into his. ‘Let us get some luncheon.’

‘Perhaps I should book a table for all of us,’ Braeden offered.

‘Yes. That would be lovely Braeden.’ Fallon liked it when she could spend time with Emma and Carissa and their affable partners. Now that she knew her husband loved her unconditionally, every day and every occasion was a celebration. She did not know how she had not discerned it earlier, it was evident in his every loving action, every lustful look and there were many. Her eyes met his as they walked towards the luncheon tent.

‘What is it?’ Braeden smiled as he caught her stealing a glance at him.

‘I love you,’ she whispered.

‘I love you too,’ he grinned, bolding reaching out and pressing a kiss to her cheek.

Fallon laughed. Her husband was at great pains to exercise propriety in the very public gathering.

‘We should not stay too long,’ he suggested. ‘You need to rest, darling wife.’

‘And why do I suspect it is not my rest that necessitates your urgent need to depart from here?’ she taunted.

‘You know me well,’ he grinned as he helped his wife into a chair at the large table he selected. ‘There are the rest of our group,’ he pointed to Drew, Arthur and the ladies, standing and enjoying refreshments. ‘I won’t be a minute,’ he touched Fallon’s shoulder lightly as he walked to invite the others to his table.