Free Jade Lee by Winning a Bride Page B

she doing? What was he doing? As if he had heard her thoughts, he spoke, his voice low and soothing. “I am showing you the secret known to lucky women. I know it feels invasive, but—”
    “How do you know this? How did you learn?”
    His expression tightened as if he didn’t want to answer. One of her hands gripped his forearm as if she could hold him steady. She couldn’t, of course, he was too strong. But she tightened her grip and looked him in the eye.
    “Please. How did you learn this secret?”
    He sighed. “When I was in school, I had a lover. An older woman who liked initiating boys. She taught me what to do. What I am about to show you.”
    She took a breath, absorbing what he said as well as the unease she felt at the idea of him with another woman. Of course he’d had other women. After all, that’s what men did. And yet…
    “Look at me Josephine,” he said, his voice soft but no less commanding. She obeyed immediately. She looked into the dark wells of his eyes—his face was almost completely in shadow—in her mind, she remembered his bright blue eyes, his strong nose, and angular jaw. But mostly she heard the soothing notes in his voice and the strength of his body. As well as the hard presence of his hand at her sex.
    “I’m frightened,” she confessed. “I should not be doing this.”
    “Do you trust me?” he asked.
    She bit her lip. She wanted to say yes, but they had been at odds for so long…
    Before she could answer, he spoke. “I swear to you, Miss Josephine Powel. I swear I shall never lie to you. Ask me anything, and I shall answer honestly as best as I am able.”
    She released her breath, feeling the restriction in her chest ease as she voiced her fear. “Is this punishment?”
    He reared back in shock. He might have pulled back, but strangely enough, her grip on his forearm kept his hand right where it was.
    “Why would you ask that?” he all but growled. “Why would I punish you?”
    “Because you hate me. Because my father bought the land from your father. Because…” She shrugged. “Because you are so angry so much of the time.”
    “Oh Jo…” He dropped his forehead to hers on a sigh. “No, sweeting, this is not a punishment. It is a seduction.”
    “But why?”
    He released a tight breath. “Because that is what men do with beautiful women.”
    Warmth spread down along her spine, like a sweet wave. It was ridiculous for her to be pleased by such a statement, but she was. She wanted to be beautiful. For him, she wanted to be gorgeous.
    Meanwhile, she felt his head shift as he moved his mouth to her ear. “I’m going to show you now,” he said. “Do not be afraid. It will feel wonderful.”
    She licked her lips, her breath short and tight. But she still managed a whispered question. “I will stay a virgin?” She’d asked it before, but she needed him to answer again.
    “Yes,” he said, his breath heating the air along her ear and sending a shiver down her spine.
    “You have not lied? This is something many women know? And do?”
    “No lie,” he said. “Just close your eyes, sweeting. Feel what I do.”
    He waited a moment longer. For what, she wasn’t sure. Probably to see if she objected. She didn’t. She wanted him to teach her this thing. So she relaxed her grip on his arm. She closed her eyes and opened her body to him. It wasn’t a conscious opening. Merely a relaxation of her fears, but as she leaned back against the tree trunk, his fingers began a gentle movement.
    He had four fingers wedged between her thighs. He stepped slightly to her right so that his angle was better. And now he simply wiggled his fingers, pressing up, shifting down, and gently encouraging her to widen her legs.
    “I need to touch you more,” he said. “Deeper.”
    How much deeper could he go? she wondered. But even as the question formed, she felt the answer. One of his fingers slipped inside her. Not far, but between her folds, and she gasped at the invasion. He