The days leading to the ball her hectic one for all five women. There was much to see to, to assure the ballroom was decorated and the food and drinks for the late supper would be of the best quailty and plentiful.
The day before the ball found Reggie once again going over their list with the ladies in the drawing room checking completed items off once more. They were relaxing after assuring themselves everything was done and nothing had been over looked. Reggie didn't know what she would have done without the other women's help.
"I will very glad when tomorrow evening is over with," she told them taking a sip of her tea wishing in it's place was a large glass of whiskey. "I'm nervous about meeting all of those people and what they will think of me and my first ball as a duchess. I don't want anything to go wrong that might reflect on my new family."
"Don't worry, my dear," Silvia told her. "Everything will be fine and everyone you have meet so far has liked you. You really have nothing to worry about Regina."
"Do you have any idea how many people want to meet you not because you are Simon's wife or the new Duchess of Sutherworth but because you are Regina Stockton Davenport Trent business woman," Victoria told her smiling.
"I'm nervous too, Reggie and I'm not married to Simon or a duchess," Annabel said. "I will be meeting friends of Jordan's tomorrow night and I certainly hope they approve of me too."
"Jordan has been here every night since he informed Regina he wanted to court you," Sophia told her niece smiling. "He couldn't take his eyes off you the other night when we attended the theater. I would wager he could not tell you what the actors performed on the stage."
The other ladies snickered and chuckled.
"He said he wanted to be sure he was ahead of the men that would be attending the ball. He was afraid I would find someone else to fall in love with," Annabel said with a smile on her face. "I think I will flirt with a few just to keep Jordan on his toes."
"Well it is always good to keep men on their toes," Reggie told her sister.
"What's this about keeping us men on our toes?" Simon said as he and Jordan entered the drawing room.
"Regina was saying it is always a good idea," Victoria told the men smiling. "Does she keep you on your toes, big brother?"
"Yes she certainly knows how," Simon replied as he walked toward Regina and gave her a kiss. "She also knows how to be irresistible as well. Is everything ready for tomorrow nights ball?"
"We have everything under control. We were going over the list one last time and we cannot think of anything we have over looked. Regina and Annabel are both nervous about meeting so many new people at once," Silvia told Simon and Jordan as Jordan went to sit beside Annabel. "Victoria and I have told them not to worry because we know everyone will like them and the ball will be a wonderful success."
"My wife nervous? I was not aware that anything made you nervous, sweetheart," Simon teased her. "No...now that I remember it you were nervous the night we married."
"Yes I was," she replied thinking back on that night. "If you all will excuse me I think I'll go bathe and change for dinner."
* * *
Reggie sat for a while enjoying the warmth of her bath thinking once more about her relationship with Simon since David's death. He'd held her when she cried comforting her and by her side though the whole terrible ordeal, letting her know she wasn't alone.
The Simon she'd seen over that past days could be someone she would be able to spend the rest of her life with. She didn't know if she was seeing what she wanted to like and admire about him because it was true or because she wanted it to be true. It would be so easy to give her heart to the man, she thought.
Having lost time in thought she was the late joining the others in the drawing room but found she wasn't the last to arrive since Simon was missing from the room. He soon joined them after applozing about being late just before dinner was announced. During dinner the topic of conversation was, of course, centered about the ball and the different people she would meet.
They discussed some of the people that Simon, Victoria and Jordan considered humorous by either they way they spoke or looked. One of the elder countesses wore wigs and they said they never knew what color her hair would be when she arrived at any of the ton functions. She might come either as a blonde, brunette or even a redhead but it might even be pink or blue as it had been as several past balls. It would, they said, depend on what color her gown might be. Silvia informed them she'd also see her wearing a purple one once. The laughter relieved some of the nervousness that Reggie and Annabel were feeling.
Later Annabel and Jordan left for a walk in the garden. Reggie watched as they left thinking how happy her little sister looked with Jordan. She was envious she realized. Looking toward Simon, she wondered if they could ever have a happy loving marriage.
"You look tired, Regina," Sophia told her bringing her back from her thoughts. "Why don't you turn in early tonight and sleep late in the morning. Tomorrow will be a very long exhausting day."
"I think I will," she replied to her aunt. "Goodnight, everyone." Simon gave her a kiss on her cheek before she left the drawing room and walked toward the stairs where she saw Connors waiting.
"Please send a bottle of champagne to my room," she asked him thinking about her plan for the night. Since David's death Simon had slept with her every night but only holding her as he made her feel safe and know she was not alone. Tonight she wanted more.
"Yes, Your Grace," Connor replied.
Reggie climbed the stairs to her bedchamber and in a few minutes she heard a knock on her door as a footman delivered the bucket of champagne and two glasses she'd asked for. Going to her dressing room she undressed and after looking through several drawers found just the right nightgown she wanted to wear.
After donning the nightgown and matching dressing gown she took the champagne and glasses to Simon's room where she sat them on a table near the bed. Then she went to sit in a chair near the fireplace to await her husband's return to his room. It was almost thirty minutes later that he entered walking past her not noticing her sitting in the chair on his way to his dressing room. She heard him changing his clothes as he readied himself for bed.
Reggie rose took off her dressing gown and went to stand in the doorway to her bedchamber as she waited for him to return from his dressing room. When he did he stopped dead in his tracks and his jaw dropped at the sight of her.
She was a vision standing there wearing the sheerest of nightgowns. Nothing was left to his imagination from her beautiful breasts to the reddish blonde curls at the juncture of her thighs. One look at her and he was harder then a bed post, harder than he'd ever been before.
"I decided to take you up on your offer," she told him.
"My offer?" he queried as he stood facing her one eyebrow lifted.
"The offer to come to your bed," she replied with a smile trying to sound much braver than she really felt at this moment. "I want to find out if your reputation with the ladies is what I heard it to be."
"My reputation?" he asked as he silently thanked the heavens above for bringing her to his room.
"Yes, I have heard that the Duke of Sutherworth performs well in bed. That you know how to pleasure a lady. I cannot remember what happened between us the other night, Simon, but I want to find out now."
"You heard I perform well in bed?" he queried as he gave her his most mischievous grin. "Exactly how do you want me to.......perform?"
Reggie walked toward him smiling and Simon lost his breath as he waited for her to come to him. "I want to do everything to me that you said you did that night," she told him stopping only inches from him, her breasts almost touching his chest.
"Oh, sweetheart, I plan on doing that and much much more to you tonight," he told her thinking about how long he had waited for this night. "After tonight there will be no question that you will be mine, Regina and that you will never leave my bed again."
His words sent shivers though her body as he bend down and covered her mouth with his. He wrapped his arms around her drawing her even closer to him. Reggie's lips parted and his tongue entered as he ravished her mouth. She wrapped her arms around his neck trying to hold on as her body melted under his kiss and heat pooled at the juncture of her thighs.
Simon's hands soon roamed up her back then down her sides barely touching her body and the sides of her breast before roaming down to her buttocks where he held her tight against his erection. Reggie's body temperature climbed even higher as she kissed him back and their tongues tangled with all thoughts lost from her mind except wanting him.
Simon's hands found her wrists as his mouth left hers and Reggie moaned at the loss as he brought her hands down to her sides. He kissed her neck and bare shoulders as he untied the ribbon at the front of her gown and pushed it off her arms as the gown slithered to the floor. He took several steps backward to look at her beautiful naked body and his look heated her more. "You are the most beautiful woman," he told her.
Reggie smiled before she slowly walked toward him to untie the sash of his dressing gown. Putting her hands inside the robe she slowly moved them up to his broad shoulders. She loved the feel of his strong hairy chest and muscular shoulders and arms as she removed his dressing gown to join her nightgown on the floor. She kissed his chest before her hand drifted below to unbutton his silk trousers and push them down over his narrow hips.
Taking a few steps backward she did as Simon had done and started looking at his chest before her eyes slid lower to see his erection. "You're gorgeous," she told him thinking how much larger he was than John but she wasn't about to inform Simon of that fact.
Simon smiled as her eyes stopped on his manhood.
Slowly she returned to stand near him once again and once again she kissed his chest as her hands caressed his sides and back. When her mouth found a nipple she heard him groan and it made her smile. While her tongue played with his nipple her hands slowly moved to his stomach then lower until her fingers grasped his shaft and began caressing him. He felt so large under her touch, so stiff and yet as soft as velvet.
Groaning Simon put a stop to her caressing his shaft or they would not have the night he'd envisioned. He needed to regain control again. Picking her up he carried her to the bed and followed her down he covered her mouth once again with his. As his tongue began delving his hand began kneading a breast and heard her moan as he took his thumb and toyed with her nipple making it as hard as a pebble. Regina arched her body pressing against his hand.
Simon soon trailed kisses first down her neck to her collar bone and kept kissing lower as he still kneaded one of her breast and with his tongue found the other one to lick then suckle until she was panting under him and her nails were digging his his shoulders. Suckling harder she began writhing under him. She was as passionate a lover as he thought she would be.
With every kiss, lick and suckle Reggie's body heat increased to with almost a painful need she wanted him inside her now but the dratted man kept ignoring her pleas.
His mouth and tongue soon moved lower from first her breast then to her stomach and then still lower until she felt first his fingers and then his mouth on her as he stroked her to even hotter temperatures.
Each time she came closer to going over the edge Simon would cease until she begged him to continue. Kissing his way back up her body his mouth found her as he parted her thighs and slid into her warm wet body. Simon caught her scream with his mouth as she climaxed. Wrapping her legs around him Simon thrust into her until her body caught fire once more.
Soon he brought her to yet another climax as he took pleasure that this time she cried out his name and her eyes closed at the pleasure he had created. Simon kissed her neck and felt her rapid pulse. "You are so beautiful when you come for me, Regina," he whispered in her ear and ran his tongue around the edge as he slowly withdrew to thrust into again and again bringing her to yet another earth shattering climax. Just after she called his name again Simon thrust one more time and spilled his warm seed into her calling her name as he did.
He collapsed on top of her as he rested some of his weight on his arms, he kissed her neck again and then her ear. "You are mine now, Regina."
"And you are mine," she replied with a smile.
Wrapping his arms around her he rolled to his side taking her with him to pull her close to his body before reaching down to bring the covers over them. He kissed on her forehead as she snuggled closer to him.
Later he couldn't resist asking her one question. "Well, sweetheart, was my...performance to your satisfaction?" he teased her.
"Oh, my yes. You certainly know how, my lord, to pleasure a lady," she replied to him. "I now know why that countess misses you so much." Reggie wasn't sure she had a bone left in her body after their love making.
Simon couldn't help but laugh. "Would you care for some champagne?" he asked her before kissing her forehead again.
"Yes," she told him as she leaned back to smile up at him and he couldn't resist kissing her on her nose and then her mouth as he felt his shaft grow hard once more wanting her. Jordan had been right when he said once was not enough with Regina and he wasn't sure he would ever get enough of his wife.
Reluctantly he let go of her to find the champagne and once the bottle was opened he poured them each a glass. Regina sat up and took the glass from his out stretched hand. "To our lasting marriage," Simon toasted and they both drank from their glasses.
"You know we have much we have to work out in order for this marriage to work. I have to go to America every year for several months at a time because of the ranch and business," Reggie told him then took another sip from her glass.
"I know you have friends and possibly family there. We don't know what will happen with Annabel and Jordan or where Sophia will decide to live," Simon replied. "I know we will have to make trips there."
"Do you really think we will be able to make this work?" she asked him.
"I think with some effort we should be able to," he told her taking the glass from her he put both glasses on the table.
Reggie scooted down in the bed as Simon turned off the lights then joined her. Wrapping his arms around her she put her hand on his chest loving the feel of it. Pressing her lips to it she once again found a nipple and ran her tongue over it to hear a groan form her husband as she suckled his nipple.
"You like that, don't you," she said in a low sultry voice as she pushed him to his back. Siting up she smiled at him before leaning down to kiss his chest once more. Placing her hands on his chest she slowly ran them down his body until she found his erection once more. Another groan came as she started caressing his shaft and her mouth left his nipple to kiss her way down his body until it found his erection. Her tongue licked the tip before she put the end in her mouth to suckle.
In seconds she heard a groan and his body stiffen before he grabbed her to roll her onto her back he parted her thighs and with one swift thrust entered her. He put his hands under her bottom to raise her to him as her nails dug into his shoulders as he pounded into her they both soared to the top together. Later they feel asleep in each others arms each thinking they had never been happier.
Sometime in the middle of the night Reggie woke to find Simon was once again inside of her as his mouth suckled a breast. "I cannot get enough of you," he whispered to her as he pushed them both to another climax. Later Simon enjoyed watching his sated wife as she slept in his arms.
His.
His wife.
* * *
Simon woke the next morning wondering if last night had only been another dream until he looked over and saw her in his bed lying on her back. Her hair was fanned over the pillow and the bed and she was the most beautiful sight to see. He couldn't help smiling as he remembered the night before and how much more wonderful it had been then his dreams ever were. Just thinking about last night made him shaft stiff again and he wanted her once more.
Now this was how he'd imaged his honeymoon would be, but then again, it was much, much better then his imagination ever pictured.
Reggie woke to Simon's mouth on her breast and she was already panting for him as they once again became a tangle of arms and legs as he pushed her over the edge and followed. Later they had breakfast in bed with Simon making lover to her once more before he would let her get up to dress. If he had, had his way they would have stayed in the bed making love until it was time for the ball.