*This story is copyright protected.

Elizabeth awoke a little foggy, looking at her surroundings in confusion, before her memories of the night before came flooding back to her, stretching and groaning at the slight ache in her muscles. She could see through the gap in the curtains that the sky was only just beginning to grow light.

Rolling over, she startled when she saw Mr Darcy, laying across from her fast asleep. He had been so quiet she had not realised he was still in the bed with her.

"Good morning, my husband," she whispered, staring at him.

Gently she leaned towards him, extending her hand and brushed the lock of hair that had fallen over his right eye, covering his scar. She waited, holding her breath seeing if she had woken him, but when he remained unchanged, she relaxed. Leaning upon her elbow she smiled as she took her time to look upon his features, relaxed in sleep. This strong and handsome man was hers, she thought allowing her gaze to travel lower to where the bed clothes lay draped low over his hips. His chiselled muscles, his broad chest, the taut skin of his abdomen and that thin trail of hair leading downwards…

Blushing furiously, she felt the slow throbbing between her thighs, she could not believe all that they had done last night! His hands had been... everywhere, and when he entered her, yes there had been pain but in truth it hadn't lasted long at all. She had heard whispers of the tedium's of the marriage bed and her mother had told and her many groans that act between man and wife wasn't enjoyable for a woman… but she had not found that to be true. William stirred her senses and had given her a pleasure she had not known was possible.

Intending on moving her gaze back up towards his face, she allowed herself to get distracted by his muscular forearms, with a smattering of small scars upon them, and one particularly long one on his left forearm. She gently brushed her finger, over the whiter, raised flesh and was just nearing the three scars on the side of his neck when he caught her hand, as he appeared to jolt from his sleep…

"Elizabeth?" he said, his voice slightly panicked.

"Yes, William, it is only me?" she said calmly.

When he let go of her hand, she brought it slowly down to rest upon his forearm once more and felt him tense beneath her fingers. She looked into his eye's and saw that he was watching her intensely, a visible tick in his jaw. But he did not stop her, he simply stared at her, not speaking nor moving. She moved her fingers to caress the largest of the scars on his forearm and then slowly bent her head to press her lips lovingly against it. She heard him suck in a harsh breath, looking up she found that he had screwed his eyes shut, but otherwise held still. Still bent she moved to kiss the other slightly smaller on beside it, when he suddenly pulled her up and rested his body atop hers, crossing her wrists above her head, holding them hostage in one of his. as his other hand rested at the base of her neck, his thumb caressing the hollow, where her pulse was beating wildly. Her breasts pressing against his chest with every breath she drew.

Looking up into his eyes, Elizabeth could see the emotions warring within him, she wanted to reach out to him and comfort him, but he held her captive. Elizabeth knew his intent was to push her away and frighten her, but she did not feel fear. She felt sadness, fighting the urge to cry for the man inside that was too scared to be vulnerable and that so desperately wanted, - no needed to be loved but didn't know how.

"I am not afraid of you William."

"Clearly," he said irritably. Loosening his grip, a fraction.

"Will you tell me about them?" she asked gently. His grip tightened instantly. Elizabeth studied him and struggled to find any consistency in his character.

Mr Darcy had been very considerate on there wedding day, if a little quiet. But became distant as soon as the wedding came to a close and during the journey from London to Derbyshire. He had chosen to ride almost the entire journey next to the carriage and had made sure that the night they spent at the inn; they had been given separate rooms. If they had been given a single moment alone, she might have asked him if he were avoiding her, but since their wedding, they had always been in the company of a maid or footman. Taking a deep breath, she remembered that she after the theatre she had vowed not to judge him so quickly. William had always had a tendency to be quiet and he did seem to enjoy riding very much. He might have simply been enjoying the freedom to ride on an open road after so much time spent in the city. She had yet to tell him she did not care for riding…

"No," he replied curtly.

"No?" she said, raising both brows.

"No." he said once more, refusing to elaborate.

"Why not?" she asked, she did not want to force him until he was ready. This was still very new; they had not yet been married a week.

He could see where this was going. Every woman he had ever known intimately, felt the need to try to heal his wounds, paying no heed to his obvious aversion to the idea. He did not need to be analysed, the past could not be changed and was better off not being dragged up. But this wasn't just anyone this was his wife, he could not simply dismiss her and he did not wish to hurt her nor burden her with his dark past. Changing tactics, he ground his hips into her, and took great pleasure in feeling her pulse thrumming against his thumb, still pressing against the hollow at the base of her throat.

"Ah, William -"

He cut her off with another roll of his hips, "Mmhmm?" he hummed against the sensitive spot beneath her ear.

"You are not playing fair," she gasped, pulling against his grip, trying to free her hands.

"How so?" he asked, innocently. He brought a hand down, under her buttocks to angle her better as he ground his pelvis into the bundle of nerves hidden within her feminine centre.

"You are trying to distract me!" she whimpered.

Lowering his head so his lips brushed hers as he spoke, "Is it working?"

She shook her head in the negative, and tried to kiss him, but he pulled back.

He clucked disapprovingly, "Mrs Darcy, are you lying to you husband?" he said playfully giving the cheek of her buttocks a swat. She gave a small yelp of surprise, even though he had barely caused a sting. Soothing it with his hand, he asked her once more, "Is it working?"

"Yes," she said breathlessly, the small sting merging into a low throb of pleasure.

"Good answer," he said, with a wicked gleam in his eye and he released her hands and moved to trail kisses down her body. His hands caressing and his lips tasting her exposed skin. He took his time tasting her nipples, simultaneously reaching down and running his fingers through her wet folds and inserting a finger into her warm centre, her swift pants breaths, turning into soft moans as her body roared to life.

He continued moving his finger in and out of her at a steady gentle pace, careful not to hurt her as she may still be sore from the previous night, until he became level with the dark thatch of curls at the apex of her thighs.

Elizabeth had been careful with her caresses but could not refrain anymore. Moaning in protest when he removed his finger from pleasuring her, reaching from him to bring him to her for a kiss. But his head, was a lot farther down than it should be. Wait, why is he looking there?!

She had been about to ask him what he was doing, when he parted her delicate folds and drew his tongue all the way from her entrance up to her hidden pearl.

"William," she gasped! "What are you – Ohhh." she moaned uncontrollably, as his mouth found her pearl and latched onto it swirling around it, sending jolts of sensation rocketing through her body.

"It isn't proper…" she gasped breathlessly.

"Hmmm?" he hummed, the vibrations making her whimper, her legs restless either side of his shoulders.

He palmed her thighs, opening them and pressing them into the mattress once more, pausing to look up at her as she brought herself to rest upon her elbows. Maintaining eye contact, he defiantly licked and gently nipped at the sensitive flesh before him. Growling in approval as her arms gave out and she arched into him, moaning loudly.

"No, no, William, I… I…" she said trying to wriggle away but only increasing her pleasure further.

"Yes, Wife? Would you like me to stop?" he said, with a wicked glint in his eye.

"I - "

"You know, there is nothing wrong for us finding pleasure in each other… It is no one's business but our own…"

She gave in, "Please," she said, with a nod.

"Please, what?"

"You know what I mean, it is not proper to say it out loud!" she snapped, becoming frustrated.

He chuckled, his breath falling against her and arousing her, almost painfully, "I have my head between your thighs, and we are talking of what is and isn't proper?"

Not one to be intimidated, "Put your mouth on me, William."

"Here?" he said, kissing her right thigh. She shook her head.

"Here?" he said, nipping at her left thigh. She shook her head giving him a murderous look.

"Oh, you must mean, here." He said, pressing a kiss to her hip bone.

"Stop tormenting me! You started this - "

He robbed her of her last words as he latched onto her a suckled with deep pulls and inserted his fingers once more inside her. It happened quicker than before this time, her entire body stiffening before her release splintered, as William worked relentlessly dragging it out until she finally came down, sagging into the bed in a euphoric haze.

She was aware of him kissing his way back up her body as she opened her eyes and pulled his face down to kiss her. He seemed to stiffen a little as but then relaxed into the kiss, languidly tasting his tongue mimicking how their bodies had joined the night before… Then she felt him hot and insistent pressing against her stomach.

"But – you did not… What do you want, William? Tell me what you want me to do." she said softly. Letting him know that whatever he needed from her, she would give. Realising in that moment she had lost her heart to him, if she were honest with herself, she had loved him since she first beheld him…

"I want you, but I fear it is too soon, I do not want to hurt you…" he said, easing his weight off of her slightly, but Elizabeth wrapped her legs around his waist instinctively.

"It is not too soon. I want you too, William. Kiss me." she watched as a flicker of indecision crossed over his features.

He paused holding his weight above her, it seemed no matter what he did, the more he tried to demonstrate that they were not 'making love' and satisfying baser needs, the more she took his actions as a confirmation of his growing affection for her. He supposed he did have a type of affection for… he also realised it had been an error sharing her bed the entire night. He had tried to remove himself after she had fallen asleep, but she had hugged him tighter when he pulled away and called out for him. It was her first time laying with a man and she must feel vulnerable and so he had stayed…

Banishing his conflicting thoughts, unable to resist a second longer he crushed his mouth to her, and gently thrust home. He watched her carefully to see if she was experiencing any pain. After his initial thrust he was happy to see her lips part as a low moan escaped her, as her core gripped him tightly. He bent capturing her lips in a bruising kiss as he began to pump faster, all the while maintain control should she feel any discomfort.

"William." she called to him.

He looked up, at her and was about to stop when one of her hands reached down to grasp at his buttocks as her thighs tightened about him.

"Stop holding back." she half whimpered, as her head fell back and she came apart in his arms, her beauty in the height of her passion, cheeks flushed , swollen lips parted in her pleasure and the pulsating waves within her, triggering his own climax. His chest rumbled with a primal groan as released his seed, collapsing on top of her. But quickly rolled onto his back, taking her with him.

For a long while, all that could be heard in the room was there laboured breathing. He knew he should leave, create that distance but he could not bring himself to move, telling himself he just needed a moment to regain his strength and then he would leave… which then changed as he remembered he had decided he would spend their first night together and after that would begin retiring to his room each night…

"I should still like to learn something about you, William." she said, with a breathy chuckle.

He groaned, "I am really not that interesting." He hedged.

"Just one thing! It can be anything you want to reveal." she pressed.

He let out a heavy sigh and fell quiet. Elizabeth realised after a minute or two that he was not going answer and could not help but feel a pang of hurt and rejection.

"I am not overly fond of peas."

She laughed loudly, "Peas?"

"Yes, in fact, my Aunt Violet boasts her cook makes the best pea and ham soup, and as I did not have the heart to tell her it was not to my liking... it appears on the menu every time we dine with with them." he said, with a small shudder.

"And you haven't told her?!"

He simply shrugged, "It makes her happy to think that I enjoy it…"

"Understood, your secret is safe with me." She said, with a bright smile as she rested her chin upon the hand resting on his chest, looking up at him. As if he sensed she was about to push her luck and ask her another question, he abruptly reached for his robe, donning it as he stood, giving Elizabeth a glimpse of his firm buttocks with two charming dimples sitting above it. She itched to know the taste of his skin, as he knew hers...

"What are you doing?" she queried, with a small frown.

"I am sorry, Mrs Darcy, I know it is our honeymoon, but after so much time away I have some estate business I will have to attend to. I thought it would be best to do so whilst you are getting acquainted with the house and the staff…" he said, somewhat detached.

"Oh… of course," she said, upset that he would retreat to his work so soon.

"Will you go back to sleep, or should I let Mrs Reynolds know to have breakfast prepared for seven?" he asked, pausing at the connecting door to his chambers.

"Uh, no, seven is perfect."

"I'll collect you shortly and we can make our way down together." he said, before he left.

What did I do wrong? Wondered Elizabeth, touching her hand to the sheets, still warm from where he had been laying moments ago…