Dark Series, The Color of Seven and The Color of Dusk (Books We Love Special Edition) by Gail Roughton Page A

mother’d told her about the physical side of marriage, but he was pretty sure it wasn’t a recommendation. All the men in town were certain Henry Duval’s male appendage had long since frozen off, considering what he had to stick it in.
    “Chloe, do you know everything about everything? I mean, like marriage? Real marriage, a man and a woman, not just wedding cakes and white icing?”
    “Not from personal experience,” she said.
    “Well, I hadn’t supposed you did,” he said with a grin.
    “But Betsy does.”
    “Which information she has shared—”
    “Betsy’s very good with words.”
    “Ahhh!”
    “And you’d better not dis appoint me.”
    “Betsy, she seems to enjoy it, does she?”
    “Enjoy it? My Lord, she thinks it’s wonderful! Isn’t it supposed to be?” she asked, sudden alarm in her voice.
    “Well, yes, but sometimes , ladies seem to —”
    “Bets y says it’s the most wonderful feeling in the world, it’s like when you have to go, I mean really, really go—”
    “Go?”
    “Paul, for heaven’s sakes! You’re a doctor. You know people use chamber pots!”
    He roared.
    “Anyway, she says that’s the best she can describe it, it’s like when you really, really have to go, but you can’t right then, and then finally, when you do get to, that it feels like that, but even better.”
    “My God,” said Paul in astonishment. Best description of human orgasm he’d ever heard.
    “Is it like that?”
    “I—yes. Yes, it is. And you go downtown tomorrow and pick out the very best wedding present you can think of for Betsy and tell ‘em to charge it to me. Whatever you know she’d want, cost don’t matter.”
    “That’s very generous, darlin’! Are you sure?”
    “Chloe, you have no idea of the wedding present she’s just given me, explainin’ things to you like that!”
    She moved closer and leaned over, running her lips up his throat.
    “Then why don’t you go ahead and show me?” she whispered.
    Paul pulled back, temptation roaring in his veins. Such a lovely spot, and the trees were thicker further back, and it was only three weeks, and what possible harm could it do? His gaze fell on her face, reflecting her every thought. Chloe would wear the glow of sexual satisfaction in a visible aura . It would transform her from a beautiful girl into an absolutely breathtaking woman, and the difference would be there, observable to all who knew what to look for.
    Premature consummation would also subject his wife and any potential child to the tender mercies of the town matrons who kept track of all births and deaths and relentlessly backtracked the birthdate of all first children born to newly married couples. For a first child to make its appearance in the world nine months to the day from his parents’ marriage was quite acceptable. Fo r such child to make its appearance eight months and one week after his parent’s marriage was not. He himself didn’t care, but damned if they were going to snicker behind Chloe’s back. It was only three weeks. Only. Jesus.
    He pushed her gently away. “Back, girl!”
    “Why not?” Her voice was plaintive, edging toward hurt.
    “Because you show everything you think and feel on your face. I don’t want anybody talkin’ bad about you behind your back.”
    “I don’t care.”
    “I care, because I love you. It’s only three weeks, Chloe. Now move over a little and let me recover.”
    “From what? Are you in pain?”
    “Yes, as a matter of fact, I am. But it won’t last long. Now, is it alright with you if Joshua lives with us?
    “Good Lord! Do you have to ask? Of course it’s alright.”
    “But you see, it’s not goin’ to be the way or for the reason that Papa wants, so you might want to think about it a little harder.”
    “I don’t understand.”
    “Chloe, I can’t do what Papa wants! I can’t just throw up my hands and say ‘oh, well, too bad the Devlin blood’s black this time ’ , and turn him into a manservant and