Mail Order Misfit (Brides of Beckham) by Kirsten Osbourne Read Free Book Online Page B

it, and her skin had been so soft.  Two nights.  He could wait two nights, right?
    Elaine stood with her dress clutched against her chest for a moment.  "What was that about?" she mumbled, before quickly undressing and pulling her nightgown over her head.  She slid between the covers and moved to the spot closest to the wall, thinking he would want to be the one on the outside, and it would be easier if he didn't have to climb over her.
    When he returned, he blew out the lantern and removed his clothes, slipping into bed beside her.  He pulled her into his arms, and held her against him, his hand stroking her side through the nightgown.  When she started to protest, he said, "I'm not going to do any more than kiss you and touch you.  I promise." He couldn't lay beside her and not kiss her though.  He felt he'd die if he couldn't touch her just a little bit.
    Elaine looked up at him.  The room was dark except for the stream of moonlight coming in through the window.  She could see his dark eyes looking down at her.  "I guess that's all right," she said shyly.  It felt strange to allow any man to touch her the way he was, even though he was her husband, and she knew it was fine.
    "If I do anything that you don't like, you just let me know."  He slowly lowered his head to kiss her softly, his lips toying with hers, but not making any demands on her.  His hand stroked down her side, moving to her back and pulling her closer against him.  He hadn't put on anything to sleep in, so he could feel her breasts against his chest, through her thin nightgown. 
    She moved her arm s around him, clinging to him, her hands discovering his bare skin.  At first she started to move away, but then she remembered his words. They were married, and she would have to get used to his touch sometime, right?  She explored his back with her fingertips, her hands moving over the hard muscles there.  Why did she enjoy touching him so much?
    He pressed his lips harder against hers, his tongue tracing her lips, until she parted them and he could move it into her mouth.  His hands roamed up and down her back at first, and then they moved around to her sides .  "You feel so good," he whispered.
    She pressed her lips to his neck, her tongue moving out to taste his skin.  She'd been tantalized by his neck all day, wondering how it would taste.  She'd never thought of such a thing in her life.  Why was she thinking about touching him and kissing him when the idea had never occurred to her before.  "I like the way you taste," she whispered as he shuddered against her. 
    "You're killing me."  He sighed and kissed her one last time before rolling to his back, pulling her head down on his shoulder.  "Maybe kissing you wasn't the best idea I ever had."   He was panting as he forced his body to calm down.  He had promised her she would have two nights, and he would give her those two nights if it killed him.
    Elaine lay for a moment in the darkness, wondering what she'd done wrong.  She was close to tears when she finally asked, "Did I do something wrong?"   She didn't want to ask, but the way he was acting, she knew it was something.  If she didn't ask she'd never know what it was.
    He pulling her closer, hugging her tightly.  "No, of course not.  I just...I don't want to stop, but I promised, so we need to just lay here."   He hated the sorrow he heard in her voice.
    She thought about his words for a moment, before her eyes widened in understanding.  He was interested in her.  Physically.  She couldn't believe a man could see past her hurt leg to want her physically.  She hadn't believe it was possible.  "I'm glad you want to do...that with me."
    Colin looked at her with astonishment.  "Of course, I do!  I wouldn't have married you otherwise."  Had she really thought she was just a charity case to him?  She was one of the most beautiful women he'd ever met.  "Do you not have any idea how pretty you are?"  He looked at