"Oh, I hardly think so." Clarissa smiled wryly, leading the way into the house and moving toward his office. "But pray, continue to think as you wish. I shall never need fear your being unfaithful if that is the case."
Adrian snorted again, following her into his office. "You need never fear that anyway. I am not interested in other women. I sowed my wild oats long ago."
"Hmm." Clarissa moved to the desk and seated herself carefully on the edge. "And do you think then that I want you because I wish to experience bedding a freak?"
Adrian frowned. "Do you still want me now that you can see me?"
"I have already told you, husband: I saw you on the first night we met, and many times since then. I have always wanted you."
"Seeing glimpses of me and seeing me fully and clearly and up close as I touch you are two different things."
Clarissa considered that, then nodded solemnly. "You are right, of course, my lord. They are two different things. I suppose that means that you do not want me now that I will again wear spectacles."
Adrian blinked. "That"s not a fair comparison. You can take the spectacles off."
"Not if I wish to see," Clarissa pointed out. She slid off the desk and began undoing the fastenings of her gown. "Perhaps we should test it."
"What are you doing?" Adrian asked in dismay, whirling to push the door closed as she began to disrobe.
"Well, it seems to me, my lord, that we are in a bit of a quandary. I had no spectacles when we were married, so you might truly find me ugly with them. Not having spectacles, I also could not see you "up close" as you touched me. Therefore we do not know-we might find each other thoroughly repulsive. It would seem to me that we must find out if that is the case, and if our marriage has any sort of a chance."
Adrian stared wide-eyed as his wife pushed her gown off her shoulders, allowing it to pool at her feet. Her other garments quickly followed, leaving her standing before him as naked as the day she"d been born ... except for her spectacles.
Swallowing thickly, he peered at her body, his eyes roving over her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, across her flat stomach and to the thatch of hair that nestled between her legs. A distressed sound drew his eyes quickly upward, and he saw that she cupped her full b.r.e.a.s.t.s and peered down at them in displeasure.
"It is as I feared," she said unhappily, and Adrian felt his heart stop at the words. Then she glanced at him and explained, "The very idea of enjoying the pleasure you give me with your body has made my b.r.e.a.s.t.s feel heavy and achy, my nipples puckered as if for a kiss."
Adrian swallowed again, his eyes fastening on the proof of her words, taking in those swollen b.r.e.a.s.t.s, their nipples hard and a dark cinnamon color. Then she moved one hand from her breast, sliding it down over her stomach to that nest of curls between her legs. His eyes widened incredulously as her fingers dipped down and disappeared.
"Oh, dear."
Adrian glanced up sharply again at that sigh, and she explained, "I appear to be already wet from the caress of your eyes. This is not working at all. How can I worry about your scar when your whole body, your very presence, affects me so?"
Releasing her breast, she held out her other hand to him. "Come," she whispered, and Adrian nearly tripped over his feet to obey.
He hurried forward, took her hand, then paused uncertainly as her gaze narrowed on him. "No, this does not appear to help, my lord. While I can see your scar very clearly, I cannot seem to ignore the rest of you to imagine the effect the scar alone might have on me." Her eyes shifted to meet his and she arched an eyebrow. "Did you not wish to join this experiment, husband, and see if you are repulsed by my spectacles?"
Adrian nodded dumbly, and she smiled. "Then why am I the only one naked?"
Adrian jerked his jacket off, tossing it across the room in his fervor, then began tugging impatiently at his cravat as Clarissa set to work on the b.u.t.tons of his shirt. She had managed to undo only a couple by the time he"d loosened his cravat enough to rip it off over his head; then he settled the problem by ripping his shirt open. b.u.t.tons scattered everywhere. Adrian did not even bother to remove his jacket, but set to work on his breeches instead, undoing them and shoving them halfway down his hips.
His engorged member popped free, and Clarissa immediately caught it in one hand and squeezed it gendy. She smiled up at him.
"It would seem my spectacles do not deter your ardor, my lord. I am vastly relieved."
Adrian groaned, affected as much by her words as her touch. He then caught her by the waist and lifted her onto the desk, covering her mouth with his own. Clarissa was still holding his p.e.n.i.s, and he tried to brush her hand away to move closer, but her hand tightened instinctively on him. Adrian immediately stiffened and groaned, and he could feel her smile under his kiss. She loosened her hold enough to slide her hand down his length, caressing him. Adrian"s kiss immediately became more pa.s.sionate, more desperate, his hands clutching rather than caressing. He tried to urge her back onto the desk, but paused as she gasped in pain.
"I am sorry. What... ?" The question died on his lips as she slid off the desk and turned to peer at its cluttered surface. He"d forgotten to clear the desk first, Adrian realized, and he felt like an idiot for not thinking of it.
Clarissa leaned forward to begin shifting papers, and Adrian found his gaze dropping down over the curve of her back and lush behind. Unable to help himself, he reached out to follow the lines his eyes had traveled, this time with his fingers.
She stiffened, then slowly straightened. She started to turn to face him, but Adrian didn"t let her. Catching her shoulder with his free hand, he held Clarissa in place and slid his other hand around to explore. He ran it over the soft skin of her hip, swept it around and up over the slight roundness of her belly, then up to cup one breast.
Clarissa sighed as his hand closed over her, her bottom pressing back and rubbing his erection as she arched into the caress, and Adrian moved his other hand to catch her other breast. He pulled her back tighter against him with his hold, then squeezed and pressed and fondled her nipples until she gasped and moaned by turn. Her bottom pressed against him more insistently. Adrian felt her head move against his chest and opened eyes he hadn"t realized he"d closed, to find she"d tilted her head back, her lips seeking his. Adrian gave in to her demand, lowering his head to kiss her even as he let a hand drift down between her legs.
Clarissa cried out into his mouth, her hips thrusting into the caress as he found her damp heat. She then began to suck eagerly at his tongue as Adrian rubbed his erection against her bottom. He wanted to be inside her, surrounded by her, taken home. And so, without further ado, he broke their kiss, bent her forward, and guided himself into the hot, wet heart of her.
Adrian saw Clarissa brace her hands on the desk surface, then he closed his eyes as she took him in and drove herself backward with a groan that spoke of both pleasure and need. He caught her hip with his free hand, his other hand returning to caress her as he drove in and out.
Clarissa allowed this for three or four thrusts; then she suddenly straightened and pulled away.
"What?" Adrian blinked his eyes open, and saw that she"d pushed the items on the desk out of the way and was now turning to face him.
"I want to see you while you make love to me," she whispered breathlessly. Reaching up and cupping the back of his head, she drew him down for a kiss.
Adrian kissed her back, but he still wasn"t all that comfortable with the idea of her seeing his face. He knew she claimed it did not bother her, but...
Clarissa suddenly pulled back and raised herself up onto the edge of the desk, then reached out and caught him by his erection to draw him forward. "Make love to me, Adrian! Make love to me while I watch. I want to see the man I love make love to me."
Adrian froze, his mind spinning under the effect of her words. "You love me?"
Clarissa froze: then her expression softened as she saw the hope and wonder in him. "Of course I do. How could I not?"
"But-"
"There are no buts, husband," she interrupted. "I love you. I love your looks, your smile, your eyes, even your scar. I love all of you."
Adrian stepped between her legs, caught her hips, and slid into her.
"Oh." Clarissa"s eyes briefly fluttered shut. A moment later she forced them open again and smiled at him. "I love you, Adrian. I shall surely say so until von are sick of hearing it."
Adrian stilled, his eyes locking on her face, and he saw there was no pity in the eyes behind the spectacles. no lie he could see, just pure, unadulterated pleasure, joy, and love. She peered up at him, then she leaned up to kiss his scar softly. "It is a part of you, Adrian. And I love all of you."
Adrian felt his mouth stretch into a wide, bean smile, and he kissed her hard on the lips. But it v quick kiss, and then he pulled back and said, "I shall never tire of hearing you say it. And I love you too. Clarissa. I love all of you-your body, your heart, j soul, your smile, your mind, and even your blind e You are my heart. You"ve made me smile and laugh. You make life worth living. With spectacles or without, dressed or undressed, I love you all. And I always will."
He bent to lay a gentle kiss on her forehead, then added, "But, by G.o.d, at this moment I love you best naked."
Clarissa laughed. "I am so glad. Now, please make love to me, and make the aching stop."
Adrian tightened his hold on her hips, chuckling, and drove into her again, as deep as he could go. Her body welcomed him, squeezing warm and tight around his shaft as he withdrew and pressed forward. Each thrust was an affirmation. She had seen him with her spectacles on and still wanted him-loved him, even. She was his mate, his heart, his wife. Adrian didn"t know what he"d done to deserve her, how the two of them had so blindly stumbled onto love, but he vowed to do everything in his power to keep her happy. Forever and ever.
The end.