Page 51 of The Iron Earl
“No.”
His mouth tugged to the side as he stared at the twisted knot pulling the brown-red strands of her hair into an upsweep. “Do your feet pain you?”
“No more so than an hour ago.”
The last button popped free under his fingers and she immediately tugged the dress forward and off her arms, letting it drop to a puddle by her legs.
Her chin dropped slightly toward her chest. “My stays, if you would unknot them as well, it would be most helpful.” Her voice even, it belied none of the shaking that had been in her fingers.
He made quick work of the laces and, without preamble, she let her stays and chemise slip to the floor.
Without glancing back at him, she crawled onto the tester bed sideways, flipping to lie down on the deep blue coverlet. Unpinned, her auburn hair fell haphazard about her shoulders and she settled her arms close and straight to her naked torso, then looked to him, a strained smile on her lips as she gave a slight nod. “I am ready.” Her look left him, fixing on the carved mahogany panel above.
His head cocked to the side.
No kisses? No words of seduction? No tantalizing build?
Just her open nude body on the bed.
How very odd. And efficient.
His eyes settled on her breasts. Perfect mounds of sweet white skin, nipples already taut and pointed in the chill of the air. His cock jumped alive.
She was exquisite, the scars and bruises merely existing to make the goddess human.
Lachlan shrugged to himself. One more thing left to do and he may as well get to it with haste. They had to leave early in the morning if they were to make it to Vinehill before nightfall tomorrow.
He stripped his clothes off, then moved to her, setting his right knee on the bed.
She was a virgin, as expected. He could tell by the way her body tensed as he settled over her on the bed—the way her eyes stayed open, but locked onto some miniscule point in the wood above them, far, far away from his head.
His hand went down, sliding to her inner thigh and separating her legs. He moved into place, hovering over her. “You said you were ready for this, but are you, Evalyn?”
She nodded, no hesitation. “I am. Proceed.”
If she wasn’t lying naked under him, her body open to him, Lachlan would deem that no invitation. But what did he know of taking a virgin? He’d only bedded women who were well versed in the bedroom.
He set the head of his cock at her entrance, pausing. She didn’t flinch. Didn’t move.
He slid into her, her warm folds incredibly tight, wrapping him, and then he hit the barrier. A thrust, and he broke through, his shaft deep into her.
He stopped his motion, his look intent on her unmoving face. “Does it hurt, Evalyn? Do you need me to stop?”
“No. I am fine. Continue as you need to.” The words were wooden, but quick. Her eyes still managed to stay averted from him, even though he was blocking much of her view.
Lachlan pulled out, sliding slowly into her once more.
No reaction.
Her body rigid, she didn’t move. Just lay there, her arms clamped tight to her sides like a stiff fish.
He drove into her as gently as he could five more times.
She didn’t move.
He pulled himself out of her, shifting backward and moving to stand by the bed, his cock still rock hard but unable to come.
Blasted awkward.