A Night for Her Pleasure Read online

  She knew he waited for her to grasp it, but she skimmed over it, much as he had when touching the hair on her mons, and slid her hands down his thighs and then back up again. Such strength, such power, she felt it ripple beneath her hands and wondered when his control would break again. Elise moved closer to him, bringing them in contact from chest to hips, enjoying the searing heat of his skin and the pulsing of his manhood between them.

  Then it was his turn. Simon pulled her into his embrace, kissing her, plundering her mouth with his tongue, slipping it in and tasting hers, teasing it until she finally followed his lead and did the same, thrusting her tongue into his mouth. He suckled it gently and noticed that she moved even closer to him when he did that.

  Lifting her off the bed, he wrapped her legs around his waist, allowing her to slide along his prick without entering her. Oh no, he would make this time about her pleasure before releasing himself inside her. Elise gasped at the contact and then gasped again as he sat on the bed. He knew that having her like this opened her to his touch and he saw that she was beginning to realize it herself. Once he was leaning against the headboard of the bed, his hands were free to touch her.

  “Does this please you, wife?” he asked as he stroked her breasts with his hands, cupping them and rubbing his thumbs over the nipples until they tightened.

  “Aye, husband.” She sighed, arching into his grasp.

  Simon leaned forward then, taking one nipple into his mouth, sucking on it, teasing it with his tongue and lips and then tugging it gently with his teeth. She gasped at each touch of his tongue, each nip of his teeth, and probably did not even realize that she slid herself up and back on his hard length as he aroused her.

  “And this,” he said, sliding his hand down between them and stroking those sensitive folds between her legs. “Does this please you, wife?”

  Not waiting for a response, he licked and tasted the other breast while still teasing the slick, tight passage of her with his fingers. Her body opened to him and swelled beneath his hand and beneath his mouth, giving him all the answers he needed. She pulled his head against her breasts, tangled her hands in his hair to hold him close and moaned.

  “Aye, husband,” echoed through their chambers and she gasped as the pleasure overwhelmed her.

  Her body convulsed and shuddered on his hand and against his mouth, but this time he waited for her to gain its full measure before offering himself to her.

  “Take me, lady. Take me now,” he begged as he lifted her higher and showed her how to take control of him.

  And she did.

  It took her but moments to learn the way of it, and soon she was riding his cock, moving her hips and moaning with each slide up or settling down. Or mayhap it was him moaning as he guided her along his hardened member, losing himself in her tightness and in the pleasure he saw on her face this time. Or mayhap it was both of them, for just as he tightened and his seed began to spill, she leaned her head back and cried out another release. Simon held her still, as deep inside of her as he could be, and touched the small bud within her folds that made her entire body shudder another time.

  It took moments or hours before their bodies calmed, neither one wanting to break the connection between them. Elise slumped forward against his chest, panting and sweating until both of their hearts had slowed, and he held her there. When they were no longer joined, she raised her head and gazed at him.

  And her gaze filled with wonderment and something that looked like love to him. But could such a feminine, demur lady such as she ever love a brutish ruffian such as he?

  “Did I please you, Simon?”

  He captured her face between his hands and brought her close for a kiss. This time it was a tender one, filled with the hope that she could return his love someday.

  “Aye, Elise. I am well-pleased.”

  She smiled at him, and he was filled with warmth and possibilities. “As am I, Simon,” she said.

  Simon slid them down onto the bed and pulled the coverings over them. The birds of night began singing their tunes, heralding the coming darkness. He gathered her hair in his hand and smoothed it away from her face. They still had the whole of the night ahead of them to explore their newly found passion and that thought made him smile.

  Much later they grew tired of their exertions and Simon could feel himself drifting off to sleep, content to hold Elise in his arms for now. And he would have slept if not for her words.

  “You said you would give me anything I wanted because I welcomed your friends to your table. Did you mean to promise such a thing?” He stroked her hair over her shoulder and down her back, enjoying the silky softness of her skin beneath his fingers. Even more, he took great pleasure that she seemed content to allow him such caresses.

  “Aye, I did. And if it is in my power to grant your wish, I will do so, wife.”

  She leaned up on her elbows, exposing her exquisite breasts to his sight. “May I ask for three things?”

  Startled by that, he tucked his hands behind his head, watching her and waiting to hear her requests. “You may ask.”

  “First, will you tell me how those men became your friends? I would know more about the three who hold such importance to you.”

  He did not expect her to ask such a thing. And it pleased him deeply, even as much as her initial welcome of Giles, Brice and Soren. He nodded. “I will tell you the whole and sordid story, if you so wish. But let us speak of them in the morning.”

  “Good!” she exclaimed. “My next request is something more personal.” Elise explained, “Now that I have felt this passion that can exist between a man and a woman, the thought that the husband I love would enjoy such pleasures with another woman grieves me deeply.” She paused and took a breath. “Would you share only my bed?”

  Shocked more by her profession of love than her request that he be faithful only unto her, Simon responded, “About this second request…I told you I have not had any other woman since our betrothal. Now, having you in my bed and in my heart, I want no other.”

  Elise raised her eyes then and met his gaze, and his heart melted in that moment. If he thought her shy and unable to accept a man such as he—with his rough manners and bulky size—into her heart, the love shining there told him the truth of her feelings. Could it be true? He looked up then, watching her face as she explained more.

  “I swear to try to please you, Simon, if you will give me the chance. I will even try—try—” she stuttered, then pushed herself up to sit at his side. She did not seem to notice that the sheets slipped, allowing him to gaze at her nakedness, and he enjoyed every moment of it. She stammered out the rest of her words, and luckily he was still lying down or he would have fallen over.

  “I would like to try using my mouth on your privy parts.”

  Those privy parts leapt to life in spite of their recent exertions and stood waiting for her to try.

  “Is that your third request, wife?” he forced out through gritted teeth. Simon was trying to gather his wits, which had escaped when she mentioned loving him, asking him to give up his mistress and offering to please him with her lips all in one conversation.

  She nodded, not saying a word. Innocent as she was, Elise had no idea of the extreme pleasure that such attentions could bring. And she obviously had not considered that he could do the same to her.

  “I am willing to show you how, Elise. So long, that is, as you let me do the same to you.” Her faced colored with the deepest blush he’d ever seen, but he was not finished. “I want to lick and kiss you too, as I did your breasts and your nipples.”

  The effect on her, and him, was devastating. Now that she’d experience some of it, her body arched without even a touch from him. Much as his cock did at even the thought of her mouth sucking and tasting him like that.

  “So, this is something we can both enjoy?” she asked, sliding down next to him and rubbing against his body with hers.

  Her words alone nearly unmanned him, but he took several dee
p breaths before he could answer. “Aye, wife. We could indeed.”

  And they did.

  Epilogue

  They remained in their chambers the rest of that night and through most of the next day before Simon ventured out to see how his guests fared. Elise, more embarrassed because their guests would know what had happened between them, remained in their rooms, seeing only her friend Petronilla. Simon went in search of his friends and found them in the training yard.

  “From the easy gait and the smile on your face, ’twould seem that all is well between you and your lady?” Giles asked first as they gathered in one corner near the fence.

  Simon could not contain his joy and laughed aloud at the question. “Aye, friends,” he said with a nod at them. “All is well between my lady and me.”

  “Did you finally pledge your love to her and accept hers to you?” Soren asked.

  “Why would you ask such a thing? Ours is a modern marriage, we have no need to speak of such things,” he said even knowing the truth.

  “Come now, Simon. ’Twas clear to any fool with eyes that you two have been falling in love since the day you met her,” Soren confided. Smacking Simon on the back, he continued, “Why else do you think her fears mattered to you?”

  “Why else did you set aside the fair Lady Alianor and ignore all the favors she had to offer?” asked Brice.

  “I was so obvious then?” Simon asked.

  “Hell, yes,” they responded together, joining him in a hearty laugh.

  “What are your plans now?” Giles asked.

  Turning back to the keep, he spied Elise standing at the windows in their chambers and he waved to her. His body and his heart ached to return to her side, even now when he thought himself sated. “I am going to take her to see my lands in Normandy.”

  “Will the lady’s mother accompany you?” Soren asked, with a sour expression on his face.

  “Nay, we thought to leave her here while we traveled,” he explained. The three nodded in agreement. “But Elise thought you might come with us.”

  He’d surprised them; he knew by the silence that it was something they’d not expected. Elise’s suggestion, after hearing the story of how they’d become friends in his father’s keep, had surprised him as well with her insight and understanding.

  Simon turned back to face them. “William is gathering his forces to invade England and claim kingship there. I must stay here, to keep watch on Duke Conan’s plans while William is gone. And to tend my lands and my wife.” He could not help the smile that he knew covered his face, nor the warmth pulsing through him at just the thought of being with Elise. “But you three could find yourselves with opportunities not available to you now.”

  “Follow Duke William into war?” asked Giles.

  “War can be the great leveler of men, Giles. On a battlefield, blood does not matter. Only skill and determination do.”

  “But we are sworn to your service, Simon,” Brice said.

  “Ah, but I will owe the duke scutage for my holdings there. I must either pay or provide men to fight for him.”

  “We must think on this and discuss it more before we reach Normandy,” Giles suggested.

  “Then you will come with us?” Simon asked.

  Looking to the others first before replying, Brice nodded and said, “Aye, my lord. We will accompany you and your lady to your lands in Normandy.”

  Simon shook their hands and turned to leave.

  “Would you not like to train with us, Simon?” Soren called out to him. “We should begin now if we are planning to go to war.”

  Simon did not stop, for he had better things to do that day than bash them into the ground. Without missing a step, he called out his response to them as he watched Elise step back from the windows to prepare for his return.

  “I fear that my wife needs additional wooing and I must see to it anon.”

  Silence reigned for a few moments and then his friends broke out in a raucous laughter. He could only imagine the bawdy comments they were making between themselves.

  But Simon could only think of the woman in his bed and in his heart—and how much wooing he could accomplish before they left for Normandy.

  If you liked this story, read THE CONQUERER’S LADY, the next book in Terri Brisbin’s Knights of Brittany series from Harlequin Historical!

  On sale in print and eBook format July 2009.

  THE WARRIOR’S CAPTIVE BRIDE

  Strong, ruthless, brave and honorable, Giles Fitzhenry is a born warrior who has never been able to shake off the shame of his illegitimate birth.

  To save her people and lands, the lady Fayth is forced to marry this powerful Breton knight. She yearns to be rid of her unwelcome husband, although a deep desire stirs each time she looks into his piercing gaze.

  Now Giles has conquered all, but the ultimate battle will be for his new lady’s love—and her utter surrender!

  The Knights of Brittany

  Born to conquer…and seduce!

  Enjoy more passion through the ages with the sensual Harlequin Historical UNDONE titles on sale now:

  DISROBED AND DISHONORED by Louise Allen

  THE UNLACING OF MISS LEIGH by Diane Gaston

  A NIGHT OF WICKED DELIGHT by Joanne Rock

  PLEASURED BY THE ENGLISH SPY by Bronwyn Scott

  THE RAKE’S INTIMATE ENCOUNTER by Ann Lethbridge

  NOTORIOUS LORD, COMPROMISED MISS by Annie Burrows

  THE UNMASKING OF LADY LOVELESS by Nicola Cornick

  LIBERTINE LORD, PICKPOCKET MISS by Bronwyn Scott

  THE VIKING’S FORBIDDEN LOVE-SLAVE by Michelle Willingham

  SHIPWRECKED AND SEDUCED by Amanda McCabe

  Craving something a little longer? Find more historical romantic adventure from Harlequin Historical at www.eHarlequin.com or your local bookstore.

  Interested in writing for Harlequin Historical UNDONE? Send your submission to [email protected].

  Terri Brisbin is wife to one, mother of three, and dental hygienist to hundreds when not living the life of a glamorous romance author. She was born, raised and is still living in the southern New Jersey suburbs. Terri’s love of history led her to write time-travel romances and historical romances set in Scotland and England. Readers are invited to visit her website for more information at www.terribrisbin.com, or contact her at PO Box 41, Berlin, NJ 08009-0041, USA.

  ISBN: 978-1-4268-3510-0

  A Night for Her Pleasure

  Copyright © 2009 by Theresa S. Brisbin

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.

  All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text June be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher.

  All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.

  This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

  ® and ™ are trademarks of the publisher. Trademarks indicated with ® are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Canadian Trade Marks Office and in other countries.

  www.eHar
lequin.com