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Page 68
One lady, at least, had been of more use to Geoffrey than he had been to heralthough she had desired least from him. She taught him a good deal about the physical side of women and about the techniques of sexual love. Techniques, of course, need considerable practice before they come to perfection and Geoffrey was not very old. However, Lady Elizabeth had been a determined teacher and Geoffrey had learned very thoroughly the two most important facts about lovemaking, facts few men learn from whores or serf girls hurriedly coupled in ditches. He had learned that a woman must be handled before coupling to make her ready and that a man must delay his own satisfaction until his partner has achieved hers. He had also learned that the torment of delay was a very sweet thing, that the longer the play, the more seemingly unendurable the waiting, the greater was the final joy, the richer its fulfillment.
Now, suppressing his instinctive desire to lay Joanna down on the soft, sweet-smelling turf, throw himself atop her, and take his pleasure, Geoffrey played with her lips, sucking and biting them gently. Joanna still made no move. If it had not been for her quick breath, fluttering against his cheek, Geoffrey could have believed her unconscious. One hand lay limp in her lap; the other still rested on his, for he retained his gentle grip on her hair, but did not hold him. Geoffrey shifted the arm around Joanna's waist, raising it so that his open hand could cup her breast. A little catch in her breathing betrayed her response and that she was not indifferent. Geoffrey opened his hand a trifle more, ran the thumb over the breast to touch the nipple. Under the caress it budded out hard against the confining layers of cloth.
Very soft, soft as a sigh, a tiny whimper of pleasure rose in Joanna's throat. Geoffrey felt her tense just a trifle, shift her body in his lap. Now was the moment for the next gentle assault, but to reach what he desired to touch, Geoffrey had to free his other hand. Gently he opened his fingers, releasing Joanna's hair. She did not stir and her hand slipped off his, sliding down his arm in what, surely, was a caress. Slowly Geoffrey began to move his hand downward.

 
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