Rocky Mountain Dawn (Rocky Mountain Bride Series Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

her body against his. Her lips tugged at his, asking for more, and he gave it all and more, leaving her dazed and breathless.
    He grinned down at her, his brown eyes so tender. She clung to him, almost whimpering when he set her gently away.
    "Oh, Esther," he sighed. "We must go down for dinner."
    Empty since yesterday, her stomach growled, but the rest of her felt hungry for something else.
    "Come, wife." He offered his arm. "Time to eat."
    At dinner she sat very carefully and stayed quiet, filling her stomach and watching her husband converse. He led the conversation, easily the most intelligent gentleman in the room, whose manners and turn of phrase charmed everyone. After dinner, the innkeeper seated them both in the front parlor, and Johnathan continued to hold court as a coveted conversationalist. Stealing small glances at him, she studied his face, his gestures. Everything about him was perfect. Even his face, thin and rawboned, with the surly eyebrows and thick brown shock of hair, seemed beautiful to her, and she wondered how she'd ever thought him homely.
    At one point, he leaned forward to answer a question, and his hand crept onto her knee and closed over it. Again Esther felt desire burst in her, leaving her almost dizzy. Sitting back, she let out a sigh of longing, too quiet for anyone but him to hear.
    The hand squeezed her knee again, and Johnathan straightened. "And now we must retire. My wife is tired, and we have a long journey ahead of us tomorrow."
    "Yes, let the newlyweds go to bed," the innkeeper chuckled. The guests smiled to themselves, and Esther flushed as she preceded her husband to their room.
    Once there, she repeated her dance from last night, turning away from him and changing in the corner. Unfortunately, the only nightgown she had left was the see-through chemise. Besides her hairbrush, it was the only thing her mother had given her, and she couldn't bring herself to send the gift back.
    Her husband didn't bother to look away when she returned and climbed hurriedly into bed.
    She could feel his eyes sweeping over her, but didn't dare meet his eye. Again she wondered at the strange current of excitement flowing through her. Where had it come from? He was a reverend, she was his wife, and should not feel such things.
    Lying on her back, with the covers up to her chin, she let out a deep and sorrowing sigh.
    Beside her, Johnathan rolled to face her. He didn't have a paper, but hadn't bothered to blow out the lamp.
    "Esther." He rested his hand on her, and she felt it as if it burned through the coverlet. "What do you know of when a man lies with a woman?"
    "I know that..." She stopped and wracked her brain. "Christie Mathers said that her wedding night was the best night she'd ever had. But then Jenny Whitely heard Christie speak of it, and went out and lay with an apprentice in her father's shop, and nine months later gave birth to a boy with his father's blond hair and her brown eyes. The apprentice was forced to marry her."
    During her speech, Johnathan's head had dropped, and his hand came up to cover his face. After a minute, he raised his head, shoulders still jerking with laughter. "Very well, wife." He drew back the covers. "I will have to teach you."
    "What are you doing?" Too late she grasped at the coverlet, but her husband had twitched it away, and leaned over her.
    "Just relax." His brown eyes held her as his fingers started unbuttoning her nightgown. "Do you trust me, dear heart?"
    Biting her lip, she nodded.
    "Then let go. I'm going to touch you now. I promise it will feel good."
    He undid the buttons down almost to her waist, and parted the fabric to reveal her skin.
    "You are so beautiful," he said hoarsely, and bent to kiss her. For a moment, he did nothing but explore her mouth, then sat back and study her, cupping her face.
    Finally, his fingers stroked down the side of her neck. Her breath quickened as he laid his hand on her chest, near her neck, and slowly drew it down. She