Free Mail Order Motherhood (Brides of Beckham Book 8) by Kirsten Osbourne Page A

taking her hand in his and leading her to his bedroom.  He closed the door behind them, and he stood looking at her in the light of the lantern that he’d lit while she was upstairs.
    His hands reached out to cup her face, and his eyes bored into hers.  “I want you,” he whispered softly.  He wouldn’t lie and tell her he loved her, but did that matter?  They were married and raising four children together.  They had a right to enjoy the benefits of marriage.
    She took the big step between them that pressed her body against his.  “I want you, too.”  When she’d first talked to him about all this, she hadn’t really wanted him.  She’d just felt like their relationship was strange and needed this, but after two weeks of kissing after the children went to bed and talking about everything under the sun, she knew she was ready to take the relationship to the next level.
    He slowly lowered his head to kiss her.  Her tongue darted out to wet her lips.  He brushed his lips softly across hers as if savoring her feel.  She moved her hands to his shoulders, silently urging him to deepen the kiss.  Instead he quietly brushed her lips before standing straight and looking down at her again.  “You’re a beautiful woman.” 
    She blinked a few times.  He’d never complimented her on her appearance.  Only on the things she did as a wife and mother.  “Thank you,” she whispered.
    He didn’t say anything else, just looked at her.  She wondered if he’d ever get around to making love to her, or if he was going to take all night.  On one hand, she loved the idea of a slow sensual feast, of kissing and caressing and making love all night long.  On the other hand, she knew the next day would be full of responsibilities.  What was losing one night of sleep for pleasure and getting to know her husband though?  She could handle that.
    “Sit on the bed,” he urged. 
    She gave him a surprised look, but sat at the foot of the bed and watched as he knelt at her feet and carefully removed each of her shoes and socks.  When he finished, he rubbed her feet for her, his hands sliding all the way up to her knees as they massaged her calves and the soles of her feet. 
    She sighed contentedly.  “That feels so good.”
    The look he gave her gave nothing away.  His were half closed, and she couldn’t see his eyes at all. 
    She braced her hands behind her and leaned back against them, giving herself over to the feeling of having someone touch her intimately again after so long.  Somehow even his touch on her legs made her quake with wanting him.
    When he stood again, she shivered in reaction.  The man certainly knew his way around a bedroom in a way Nathan never had.  He took her hand and pulled her to her feet, unbuttoning the front of her dress.  His lips brushed hers again as he pushed her dress off her shoulders and quickly divested her of her petticoat.  He wanted to see her.  She’d been his wife for over a month and he’d never seen her body.  She’d been right.  It was unnatural for them to be man and wife and parent together, but not make love or share a bed.
    When she stood bare in front of him, his eyes traveled over her, noting the small marks at her waist indicating she’d carried children.  Her breasts were full, and despite childbirth, her waist was small.  He wondered why she’d never married again after Nathan had died.  She was truly a beauty, and he wondered how he’d been fortunate enough to claim her as his.
    Clara watched him as he looked down at her, wondering what was going through his mind.  His first wife, Sally, had been beautiful, and she knew she’d never compare to her.  She only hoped that seeing her this way wouldn’t make him decide he was no longer willing to perform his marital duties.
    Albert swept her close, kissing her face and neck and shoulders.  He was no longer being so gentle and tender as he kissed her everywhere he could reach, alternately