Bobbi Smith - Captive Pride

Faith was more beautiful than he had remembered, and Matt hesitated for only an instant before crushing her to him in his most possessive embrace. She was his! Never before in his life had he experienced such a depth of emotion. He held her tightly in his arms, feeling how perfectly she fit against him. They had been made for each other. No one and nothing else mattered-only their love and need existed.

Together, without speaking, they moved to the bed and lay upon it, mindless to all but their desire to be one in love’s most binding caress. Hands sought, lips met, and limbs intertwined as they explored the limits of pleasure together. With infinite care, he sought her most secret place. Though Faith balked at his first careful, questing touch, she soon gave herself over to his expertise, learning more of her body from Matthew than she had ever known before. His hands gentled her, readying her for his fullest possession. Faith felt herself growing more and more alive with his every rhythmic touch, and she could only wonder at the wonderful tension he was building deep within her.

It was when his lips sought her breasts again that the answer became known to her. She went rigid with delight as his knowing caress took her to unexpected heights of ecstasy. She cried out her rapture as the exhilarating sensations washed through her. Faith was so caught up in the throbbing pleasure of it all that she barely noticed when Matt shifted slightly away to shed his pants.

It seemed the most natural, most perfect thing in the world for Matthew to fit himself so intimately between her thighs. She welcomed him with a languid, sensual smile, wrapping her arms about him and pulling him down. The pain of their consummate melding was brief, but not blinding, and Faith went stiff only because of the newness of it as he first breached her virginal tightness.

“Oh, love,” Matthew groaned, locked in the heat of her body; his instincts were screaming at him to move, to seek his own release, but he held himself back, unwilling to lose the soul-stirring enthrallment of the moment. “You are so perfect.”

“We’re perfect together, Matthew,” she whispered, her hands drifting down his back toward his hips in a slow exploration that was silently driving him out of his mind.

“I always knew it would be this way,” he told her as he kissed her deeply. “You feel so wonderful to me…”

As her hands reached lower, innocently trailing fire wherever she touched, he could no longer control the driving urge to take her, and he began to move.

“Matthew?” Faith was surprised, having had no idea quite what to expect.

“Move with me, Faith,” he urged, thrusting hungrily within her.

Faith moved experimentally at first, unsure of how best to please him. Matthew sensed her hesitancy, and he slipped his hands beneath her hips to help guide and instruct her movements. She understood then as he tutored her and she matched his motion excitedly, wanting to give to him as much joy as he’d given to her.

Matt had wanted to hold back, to prevent his passions from running away with him, but her eager sweetness drove him beyond all control and he sought his release deep in the hot velvet center of her body. He gasped her name as he peaked in triumphant splendor, and he clasped her to him as he collapsed against her.

Faith sensed that she had pleased him and she pressed a gentle kiss to his shoulder as she lay beneath him. He was her husband and she had satisfied him. She felt very content.

Together they drifted in the soft silence of love’s aftermath. Their joining had been everything they’d expected and more. They were perfect together and they knew without question that the future could hold nothing but happiness for them. Sleep stole over them as they lay still joined in that most intimate embrace, and they rested, filled with peace and love.

“Ben…what a wonderful surprise. Come in.” Ruth’s expression was at first surprised and then welcoming as she opened the door wide for him to enter.

“Thank you, Ruth.” His gaze was warm upon her as he followed her inside.

“Is something wrong? Is that why you’ve come?” She was concerned, for Ben rarely paid a visit except for their traditional Sunday afternoons.

“No, absolutely nothing is wrong. I was just trying to get in contact with Matthew. I stopped at the Red Lion and spoke with his brother. He told me Matthew might be here…”

“He’s not here right now, but I hope he and Faith will be back soon,” she told him as they sat down in the parlor.

“Oh? Where did they go?”

“Oh, Ben, I have the most fabulous news!” she began excitedly, wanting to share her joy with him.

Her smile was so bright that Ben thought she suddenly looked years younger, much like she had when he’d first fallen in love with her all those years ago. There was a painful tightness in his chest and his smile faded at the memory.

“What news?” He could not imagine what had happened to make her so happy.

“Matthew and Faith eloped last night. I expect them back any time now.”

“They eloped?” He was confused. “But why? I thought the plans were already made…”

“Things changed.” She tried to explain as simply as she could. “Matthew had a falling out with his brother. He was moving out of the Red Lion and into another inn. He stopped here to tell Faith, and she suggested that they just forget all the plans and elope.”

Ben knew a true moment of jealousy over the younger couple’s happiness, and he wondered in a moment of bitterness why things couldn’t work out that way for him.

“Isn’t it wonderful?” Ruth was still talking.

“Yes…yes, it’s wonderful,” he replied gruffly.

“You’re not happy about it?” She perceptively sensed that something was troubling him.

“Of course I am. There’s nothing I want more than Faith’s happiness,” Ben said earnestly.

“Then why do I get the feeling that something is bothering you?”

“It’s nothing,” he denied.

Ruth lay her hand upon his arm as she leaned toward him to meet his gaze. “Ben?”

Their eyes met, and he quickly looked away. The motion seemed almost guilt-ridden and intrigued Ruth even more.

“Ben Hardwick, what is troubling you?” she pressed.

“I said nothing.” He shrugged off her touch and hurriedly got to his feet. He knew if he allowed himself even the briefest of seconds to enjoy the closeness, all would be lost. “I came by to find Matthew. If he shows up early enough, tell him that I’m going to be at a meeting at the Green Dragon this afternoon around four and that he can meet me there.”

“And if he’s late?”

“If he gets back after that, tell him I’m pretty sure there’s going to be a big rally tonight at the hall.”

“Ben…” Ruth clutched at his arm as she rose to stand by him. “You don’t think there’s going to be trouble, do you?”

Instinctively, without conscious thought, he pressed his hand over hers reassuringly. “I hope not, Ruth. I hope not.” As he realized what he was doing, he moved quickly away, breaking off the contact. “I’ve got to go.”

She followed him to the door, and as he started outside, she said, “If you ever need me for anything, Ben, you know I’m here.”

He nodded tersely, and then, shoving his hands in the pockets of his coat, he strode off down the street.

Geoffrey eyed Bartley skeptically. “You say there has been no further contact between Eve and Kincade?”

“No, m’lord,” the servant replied quickly. “We have been watching them both very carefully. Mrs. Woodham has been seeing no one but you.”

“Good,” he replied with a self-satisfied grin. “Perhaps the rest of our work will prove unnecessary…”