Chapter Thirty-Five

“Do you think anyone noticed?” Jamie asked, unwinding his cravat from his neck and tossing it carelessly onto the bedside table, smiling at his new wife, who was lying on the bed, still in her wedding dress, though her slippers lay across the room where she had kicked them the moment the door had shut behind them at the inn where they would be spending their first night as husband and wife.

“Do I think anyone noticed what?” Maddy asked, hiding a yawn behind her hand. She was exhausted from the day’s events, the celebratory (and extravagant) meal and party that had followed the ceremony, and dearly wished that someone had thought to schedule a nap in between all of the festivities so she could stay awake, not wanting this day to ever end.

Without a doubt, this was one of the happiest days of her life, Maddy thought blissfully.

Jamie threw her a wicked smile as he toed off his boots. “That you vowed to love, honor and obey, and that I also vowed to love, honor and obey.”

Maddy grinned in reply. “Yes, I notice that Fitz didn’t add ‘obey’ to his vows when it was his turn to say them.”

“And yet, I had to,” Jamie said, sitting on the side of the bed and taking Maddy’s hand in his, kissing it lightly. “I vowed to obey you.”

“In any way I choose?” Maddy asked, arching an eyebrow teasingly.

“I suppose it depends,” Jamie hedged with a grin, noting the wicked expression on her pixyish features.
“If I tell you to go and get me a cup of chocolate from the kitchen downstairs, will you obey?” she asked, resting their linked hands on her stomach and tugging Jamie onto the bed. He stretched his long frame beside her, and she snuggled into his shoulder happily, Jamie’s arms immediately wrapping possessively around her.

“No,” Jamie said evenly, though with a tender smile for her. “I don’t believe I will. Not tonight, anyway. Perhaps tomorrow. Tonight, though, I would hope you have other things on your mind than chocolate.”

“You don’t know what I was planning to do with the chocolate, my lord,” Maddy shot back, and Jamie raised his head from the pillow, giving her a small, shocked expression that made her laugh.

“In that case…” Jamie made to move off the bed, and Maddy pulled him back towards her, laughing.
“How about if I tell you I don’t want you to go shooting next week,” Maddy said, her eyes closing as she breathed in Jamie’s scent from the crook in his neck.

“I suppose I would ask why you don’t want me to go before I decide whether or not to obey,” Jamie said, his arms holding her closely, his lips pressed to her temple.

“Because I don’t want you to be apart from me, for even a minute,” Maddy said honestly. “The thought of us being apart right now is almost physically painful. Isn’t that silly?” she asked, suddenly feeling a bit embarrassed by the conviction of her feelings that they always remain together, though she knew that was an unreasonable expectation.

“I don’t think it’s silly in the least,” Jamie said, dropping a kiss on to the top of her head. “Because right now, I’m not keen on the idea of being away from you either, my wife. In fact, I have to go to London in a fortnight’s time, and I’ve already arranged for a larger home in Town, a larger carriage, and for you to accompany me, so that I might introduce you to all of society as my new bride.”

Maddy stiffened slightly and Jamie noted the tenseness of her muscles and sought to soothe her. “Everyone will love you. And believe me, when they know you are my wife, they will make no mistake in ever thinking you are less than you are. You are a gentleman’s daughter. You are the wife of an earl. You are the Countess Carrington. And they will absolutely love you, as I do.”

Maddy smiled at the tenderness in his words, though she was suddenly jolted to hear her new title. She thought of herself as Jamie’s wife, not as ‘The Countess Carrington’.

She knew she would get used to her new title it in time, but right now, she was perfectly contented just to be Jamie and Maddy, the happy couple.

“As long as you are by my side, I will be happy to join you there,” Maddy said contentedly. “And as long as I can check out those exemplary dancing skills of yours while we are no doubt attending glittering parties and balls.”

“In that, I promise to obey,” Jamie said with a smile in his voice.

Maddy bit her lip, suddenly feeling wicked and not the least bit tired, now that she and her new husband were all alone and in private.

“I’m glad to hear it,” Maddy said blissfully, running her hand up and down Jamie’s strong chest through his shirt, reveling in the feel of his muscles under his fingers.

“Any other things in which I need to obey?” Jamie asked lazily, and Maddy grinned to herself, knowing just the request he should fulfill.

“Do you remember that night in Lord Fitzhugh’s rooms when you promised to be my prisoner?” Maddy asked devilishly, and heard the answering rumble of laughter in Jamie’s chest beneath her ear.

“I remember every detail of that night exceeding well, my wife. Why do you mention it?”Jamie asked, a question in his voice.

“Because I believe it’s time for me to cash in on being your ward and you being my prisoner,” Maddy said, sitting up and disentangling herself from Jamie.

“Oh?” Jamie said, raising an eyebrow, watching her carefully.

“Yes,” Maddy said, throwing her hair over her shoulder. “And you can start by undressing me.”

Jamie sat up as well, smiling broadly as he began to unbutton the back of Maddy’s wedding gown, pressing a kiss to each inch of skin as it was exposed to him. Finally, Maddy got up off the bed and shimmied out of the dress, allowing it to pool at her feet, enjoying Jamie’s shocked gaze as he studied her up and down, noting her lacy under things, which left exceedingly little to the imagination.

“You mean to tell me you’ve been wearing that underneath your wedding dress all day?” He asked hoarsely, drinking her in. “It’s probably best I didn’t know that, or I would have had to skip the party altogether just to get my hands on you.”

Maddy laughed, and then put on her serious face. “Now, undress for me,” she said, her tone commanding, and Jamie slid off the bed, his hands flying up to his shirt buttons. Maddy perched on the bed and watched as Jamie’s tanned, smooth skin came into view, his muscles bunching with each movement he made, until he stood before her, as rapturous as a Greek statue of a god.

“Sit,” Maddy said, standing up and pointing to the bed.

Jamie sat, a smile still on his face as he watched her take on the mantle of control.

She leaned over and picked up his cravat from the side table, running the silk through her fingers slowly. “I believe I have the perfect way to use this, my husband,” she said.

She leaned over, smacking away Jamie’s hands from where they had reached up to grab her hips in his struggle to pull her closer. With a bark of a laugh, he did as he was told and dropped his hands to his sides, waiting.

Maddy leaned over again and deftly tied the cravat around Jamie’s eyes, plunging him into darkness. She straightened, and then gently pushed Jamie back onto the bed, not even bothering to hide her smile now.
“Are you my obedient earl?” She whispered in his ear, her hair trailing across his chest, raising goose bumps up and down his body.

“In every way, my lady,” Jamie said, his voice eager and husky.

“Good,” Maddy said, a smile in her voice. “In that case, I’d like you to undress me.”

“My lady?” Jamie said, seeking further instruction.

“Undress me. By touch. No peeking, my husband,” Maddy said, enjoying the torment of pleasure on Jamie’s face.

“I won’t peek, my lady,” Jamie said, already sitting up and reaching for her.

“Oh, and just one more thing,” Maddy said, dancing away from him.

“And what’s that?” Jamie asked.

“I want you to do it with your teeth.”

“Your wish is my command, my lady,” Jamie said, smiling at his wife with total obedience.

50008/50000