Del debated with himself all morning about how to get her past "the stranger he'd married" to "wife in fact." He'd decided he wouldn't give her all afternoon and evening to think about consummating their union. That would just let her work up a set of nerves until she was so jittery, she'd be about ready to vomit at his first intimate touch. Instead, he decided to face the problem early on, but take the subtle approach. And she'd passed his first test, instinctively following wherever he led without seeming awareness she was doing it. He'd gotten her from outside into the house, then into the bedroom, half undressed, and onto the bed. Now she desperately clutched at her inner fears, but it was too late. It was simply a matter of proving those fears were mostly groundless. Mostly. But he would have to hurt her, just this once. He wouldn't ride her hard…but he would ride her long. Because to his mind, another big mistake would be backing off shortly after initiation. That would leave her focusing on the blood and pain.
