Piers reached out and turned her chin toward him, forcing her to meet his gaze. “Didn’t know what?”

Judith’s tongue darted out and wet her lips again, drawing his eye to her trembling lower lip. He steeled himself against the lust for his wife that was fighting for dominance. She didn’t need any more of his lust right now. She needed his love.

After a long moment, she took a breath. “Mother told me that bedding wouldn’t hurt too much after the first time. She said as long as I would simply lie still, you would take care of your business quickly and it would be over, and I wouldn’t have to suffer overmuch.” She studied her hands, folded neatly in her lap, refusing to look up at him. “The first time did hurt, rather a lot, and I dreaded doing anything that would cause more pain like that. So I’ve done what she told me all this time, never thinking she could have been wrong. I–I didn’t know it could be so pleasurable and lovely.”

Piers cursed himself. “Christ, love, I’m so sorry.” He’s like to have a word with her mother, too, but nothing could change the past. Damnation, he should have controlled himself better on their wedding night-should have taken the time to prepare her for their lovemaking like he had tonight.

Four years. Four years of nights spent relieving himself with his hand while imagining her body around him. Four years of trying agonizingly hard not to hurt her when he attempted to beget his heir. All of them wasted.

He tipped her chin up and kissed her tenderly. “This was good for you, then? You don’t despise me for what I’ve done?”

A ferocious blush stained her cheeks, but she met his gaze. “I’ve always loved you. I could never despise you, Piers. I just didn’t know you wanted me like that.”