Taking my hand in his, we walked along a path. “Are you concerned for your gown, my darling?”
I shook my head. “No, not at all.”
We walked along the path in silence before Danny stopped in front of a Magnolia tree. Danny reached into his trouser pocket and pulled out a pocketknife. Smiling, I tilted my head and gazed upon him as he began carving into the bark of the tree.
“What are you doing?” I asked, as I began to make out the D. Placing my hand on his arm, I felt his muscles flex beneath his tailcoat with each movement. My body trembled with thoughts of him holding me in his strong arms as he made love to me.
“I’m carving our initials in the tree.” He looked at me and smiled the sweetest smile. I smiled back and knew in that very moment I would love him until I took my last breath. Slowly, I turned back to watch him work. It didn’t take him long to carve D + S encased in a heart. Danny shut the knife and placed it back into his pocket. “The first moment I saw you sitting on the bench, I felt my heart drop.” Danny smiled and shook his head as he took both my hands in his. “I knew you were the one. Then you flirted with me and something happened. I had to make you mine before some other chap came along and stole you from me.”
Smiling, I whispered, “Never.”
Danny placed his hand softly on the side of my face. “I love you, Sophia.” His thumb moved gently across my cheek, leaving a fiery path in its wake. “I promise to give my heart to only you. I love only you, and I shall dream only of you.”
A tear moved slowly down my face as I looked into Danny’s eyes. It did not take much for me to be utterly lost in his eyes. His smile. His love.
Placing my hand on his chest, I attempted to speak. “I … love you.” Wiping a tear away, I cleared my throat. “I love you so much, Daniel Stowe, it frightens me. I shall only love you, for my entire life. Until I breathe my last breath—I shall love only you. My heart is yours—forever yours.”
A soft sob escaped my lips before Danny pressed his lips against mine. He tongue moved along my lower lip before he began a beautiful dance with my tongue. We kissed until we could no longer breathe. When Danny pulled away, my fingers touched my lips and I smiled. “My lips tingle,” I said with a nervous chuckle.
Danny winked. “It’s from my love that I’m pouring into your body.”
I wanted more. I needed more. Moving my head up, Danny leaned down and brought his lips to mine. “I’m going to make love to you, Sophia.
I licked my lips as Danny’s words filled my body with a desire I’d never experienced before. Opening my mouth, all that would slip from my lips was a breathy, “Yes—”
Danny dropped his hands and took my elbow in his hand, leading me back down the path. I turned to see a white clapboard house with a large front porch. Smiling, I dreamed of sitting on the porch rocking Danny’s child in my arms.
“It’s beautiful,” I whispered. Walking up the steps, Danny opened the screen door, then pushed the large wooded door open. I stepped in and stairs were immediately in front of me. I glanced to my right and saw a giant bed with a beautiful blue and white wedding ring quilt draped over it. My heart dropped at the thought of lying on the bed with Danny above me, naked. What would his body look like? Would I know what to do?
Danny cupped his hands on my face and whispered, “Your face is flush, darling.”
Placing my hand over his, I smiled. “It is only because I am thinking of you bedding me.”
Danny’s brow lifted and the corner of his mouth rose into a sly smile. “Not in my parents’ room.”
Giggling, I hit him in the stomach as I bit down on my lip. “Danny, I can no longer wait. I need to feel you inside me.”
Danny’s lips parted as he slowly licked them. His hands moved down my neck and to my bare shoulders. “So beautifully perfect.” His finger tips moved lightly across my cleavage, causing me to let out a soft, low moan. I placed my hand on his and lowered it to my breast. I felt so brave, and I wondered how long I would last with this wanton behavior.
“I cannot wait another moment,” Danny said, as he quickly picked me up and began going up the stairs. He turned down a narrow hall and turned to the left into a room. There was a bed, a writing table, and small dresser. “If at any moment you wish to stop, you have to promise me that you’ll speak to me.”
I nodded my head. My sex throbbed and I wanted nothing more than for Danny to touch me. I reached with my hand and began to loosen his cravat. “Have I mentioned, Mr. Stowe, how handsome you look this evening?”
Danny slowly began to set me down. My feet barely hit the floor before he pulled me to him and I felt his desire for me pressing into my stomach. “Do I make you wet between your legs, Sophia?”
My breathing increased and I could feel my chest heave up and down with each forced breath I took in and blew out.
I decided the wanton side of me wanted to come out and play. “You’re going to have to touch me to find out.”
“Bloody hell, Sophia,” Danny said as he took a step back, lust filling his eyes. When he smiled at me, I knew I had opened up a world to which I was both excited and scared to death to explore.
“Is that a challenge, Miss Montgomery?”
Biting my lip, I nodded my head.
Danny’s eyes turned dark as he held his stare into my eyes. “Undress me, Sophia.”
With trembling hands I took a step closer to him and whispered, “Finally …”