A Cantata of Love (The Code Breakers 4) (30 page)

Rathbourne laughed out loud. “I could never have the foresight to envision you as my relative.”

“I want you to know that the Valmonts are one of the oldest and most esteemed aristocratic families in France.” Lucien raised his strong chin, in the manner of one from a long lineage of French aristocrats and walked away.

Chapter Thirty-six

Michael felt like an explosion had gone off inside his head. He saw double—double fury and double murderous rage. He gripped the heavy paper with white-knuckled fists and reread the message signed with a heavy “R.” Of all the nerve! The outrageous gall of his brother-in-law.

Today of all days, Rathbourne wanted him to compose a coded message to the French spy ring operating out of the opera house. On his wedding night, he was to forego making Gabby his wife in every way a man considered making a woman his wife, to bait the French spies.

He stormed down the hall to his library, struggling to regain his composure, to find his logical, analytic side. But the male brain was not logical when clouded with white-hot lust. Like a typical male, his physical needs were divorced from his intellect. His reasonable side recognized that he was the only one in England who could bait the mastermind behind the plot to poison the king.

Only a few minutes ago, he had been happy and grateful that he and Gabby could finally escape the elaborate and endless wedding luncheon at Rathbourne House. Trying to dispel the images of Gabby preparing for bed, changing into her nightclothes, only made the images more graphic and made him more desperate.

Gabby had been the perfect, blushing bride in her ivory dress created by Amelia. The simple wedding gown clung to her magnificent soft curves, emphasizing her innocent sensuality.

After two weeks of waiting for the wedding night, his muscles clenched in anticipation, heat pooled and pulsated through his body. The images of a naked Gabby awaiting him was emblazoned on his brain. Frozen, he stood in the hallway, unable to act.

Should he go upstairs and explain the delay to Gabby? But if he saw Gabby in her nightclothes in their bedroom, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to leave. He calculated that writing the coded message would take no more than forty minutes, an hour at the latest. It wasn’t a difficult task, but took longer because of the tedious, two-step process.

Pushed beyond his limits, he envisioned his hands around his brother-in-law’s throat. The idea of strangling Rathbourne, watching the authoritative man beg, gave him a moment of satisfaction.

Clinging to the vengeful thought of doing violence to the man who was both his brother-in-law and superior, Michael walked down the hallway. He finally reasoned that the sooner he finished the task, the sooner he be able to join Gabby. His already tightly clenched body clenched tighter with the idea of literally joining with Gabby. He took a shuddering breath and opened the door to his library.

Gabby, in a low-cut, clinging negligee, was seated at the grand piano, her fingers flying over the keys. She played the Mozart aria that Madame Abney had sung at the wedding. And all he could think about was how he wanted her slender fingers to play him in the same passionate way.

She looked up and gave him an impish grin. “Darling, what has you scowling on the happiest day of our lives?” She ran her hand along the front of the piano. “I still can’t believe you convinced Madame Abney…I mean…Jeanne to sell her grand.”

Michael tried to keep his eyes on his wife’s face and not the tight-fitting nightgown that hugged her full breasts and opened so far down the front to her… But all he could do was stare hungrily at the white flesh framed by the flimsy material.

Gabby raised her perfectly arched eyebrows, her eyes dancing mischievously. The imp knew the wicked effect she was having on him. “You must have been very persuasive.”

He jerked his head up. His voice sounded rusty. “It was a straight business interaction, nothing else—one grand piano for you to be her piano mentor. She also was grateful that I vouched she wasn’t involved with her husband in the spy ring.”

Gabby laughed, drawing Michael’s eyes to her expanding chest. “I think she was relieved to have her husband taken away. What a despicable man to use his wife’s position in such a vile way.”

It took all of Michael’s self-restraint to carry on a normal conversation and not fall on his wife. His words came out rushed. “He is somewhat redeeming himself by keeping the messages going between the spies.”

Gabby stood and sauntered toward him in a way he had never seen her walk or imagined in his deepest fantasies—a siren, with her hips swaying and her lush lips parted. The delicate negligee hid nothing from his close inspection, rose-crested breasts, womanly curves and valleys, all her femininity veiled in a golden shadow.

His breathing deepened to hungry surges. The pulsating blood expanded and extended all the pulse points in his body. “Gabby, you look…”

Stalking him, she moved like a cat ready to pounce on a poor creature. And he was that poor creature, ready for whatever she wanted to do to him.

“Lord Rathbourne asked a favor of me before we left his house today,” she confided in a hush tone.

His feet were stuck to the floor. His heart drove sharp blows against his chest.

Did she have any idea what fantasies were racing through his mind at this moment? If she did, she would be running out of the room.

He was transfixed by the sight of Gabby’s long legs, outlined in the see-through material, and the way, with each step, the fabric clung to her round thighs. The candlelight gilded her skin like glistening honey.

His breath hitched. “A favor?”

Gabby stopped in front of him and lifted her long, sooty eyelashes to gaze up at him. Michael mustered all of his discipline to not grab her.

“He explained that he needed you to compose a message because the king refuses to cancel tomorrow night’s concert. Lord Rathbourne must now close down the whole operation. He was quite frustrated that they can’t maintain the ruse to see what other plots the mastermind is hatching.”

Rathbourne was frustrated! What a bloody joke. And now, Michael couldn’t even blame Rathbourne. He had to blame the king himself for ruining his wedding night.

“Rathbourne told you the message?” Michael was impressed he could follow the conversation with Gabby this closely, while all he could think about was how he wanted to tear back the fabric clinging to her burnished skin and unwrap her like a Christmas present. She was soon to be his. Only his.

“Lord Rathbourne warned me about his request. He was afraid you might try to kill him on the spot if he told you at the luncheon. And he didn’t want Henrietta upset.”

Gabby’s scent of wild flowers filled his nostrils. She smelled of honeysuckle and wild flowers, and the scent of Gabby.

“He asked me to forgive him for imposing on us on our special day.” She toyed with the button on his jacket. “He hoped that I’d find a way to make your problem not so onerous.”

“Darling, you and your glorious body in that…is not helping my onerous problem.” He traced the edge of the material cradling her breasts. “Your…nightclothes are a part of the problem.”

“They are?” Her voice lowered and her skin flushed. “Amelia guaranteed you wouldn’t be able to resist me in this nightgown. But what’s the other part of your ‘problem?’”

Michael hesitated. Could he tell his virgin wife about his rampant erection that was drawing all the blood and thought out of his brain to his body? She stood on her toes and reached up, putting her luscious breasts against him to run her fingers through his hair. “I can’t believe I can do this, touch you whenever I want.”

No sane man could resist such a temptation and at this moment he didn’t feel sane. “Gabby, you’re playing with fire here.”

“I’m not sure what Lord Rathbourne was suggesting by assisting you with your ‘problem,’ but I’ve decided I’m going to take the ‘problem’ into my own hands.” Her slender fingers tentatively touched his hard length.

Her full lower lip was caught between her teeth. Her lustrous wide eyes watched his face, gauging his reaction while her fingers explored, getting the feel of him.

His erection swelled at her touch. He was lost in the sensation, aroused to the point of pain. His heart pumped hard and fast.

“Do you like it like this?” And she wrapped both hands around him, inflaming him to the point that all he could do was nod. She squeezed him tight and pushed him out of control.

“That’s it, Gabby.”

He clamped his arms around her and crushed her mouth beneath his, showing her what he wanted to do to her. A moment later, they broke apart, stunned by the ferocity of the kiss. Her eyes were wildly dilated, her chest was heaving. They stared at each other then grabbed each other as though they were locked in a fight to the death.

He yanked her negligee apart to get to her breasts and lifted one to his mouth. He had to taste her. He had spent last night dreaming of her breasts just like this in his hands, in his mouth.

At the first touch of his lips and tongue, Gabby gasped and then clutched his hair and pulled him down to her breasts. She writhed and arched against him, offering more.

He lifted her high against his chest and walked to the door to lock it.

Her soft body was pressed against his hard, feverish body. He was aware of her every breath, the short wafts of her warm breath against his neck.

“You liked the way I touched you?”

His entire body and brain were clamped in arousal by her innocent touch. His only response was to laugh, a shout of joy. “Yes, I liked it way too much. I was ready to explode. And a man has his honor to take care of his wife first.”

“Take care of his wife?” Gabby’s licked along his neck and then nibbled on his ear. At the same time, her hands were busy unbuttoning his shirt. “That sounds ominous.”

“Oh, I can guarantee you will like it.” He lowered her to the settee. Frantic insanity was rampaging through his body when he looked down at his beautiful Gabby laid out like a feast before his eyes. She was magnificent and fearless, his wife.

He tried to remember he was the experienced partner, but Gabby, only Gabby was the most tempting seductress. He had enough self-control not to take her for the first time in the library, didn’t he?

“Gabby, darling. Do you want me to carry you to the bedroom?” He panted between breaths, not wanting her to know how much it hurt to utter those words.

She pulled on his hand, bringing her closer. “Silly man. I came down here for you, my husband. I want you. I want all the promises you’ve been making these last few days with lingering kisses, soft touches, and the looks that set my body on fire.”

His heart lurched against his chest. He had been starting to feel back in control until he was undone by Gabby’s erotic words. He’d never had trouble curbing his carnal drives. He had refined his lovemaking into a choreographed act of seeking mutual pleasure. But now, with Gabby, he felt as if he were the untouched virgin. Did he have enough command of himself to bring her satisfaction?

Seeing Gabby’s hesitancy helped him regain his equilibrium. He would do fine as long as his wife didn’t touch him.

“Darling, are you sure you don’t want to wait until we go upstairs?”

Gabby beamed and opened her arms—the invitation he had been hoping he would receive. He slipped off his drawers. His body trembled when he lowered himself. He moved slowly against her, savoring her soft, pliant flesh pressed against him.

Gabby gasped with their touching and fisted her hands into his hair, drawing down to kiss him.

She slipped her dainty tongue into his mouth and, like a flame to a bonfire, ignited his burning passion instantaneously. He plundered her mouth, his tongue thrusting in a wild intimate dance. Gabby pushed her hot body against him, imitating the rhythm of their thrusting tongues.

He kissed along her neck, sucking on the pale flesh, feeling her body quivering against his.

He slowly made his way down her delectably tender neck and chest, taking love bites until he got to her puckered nipples. He laved the rosy nipples while he lifted her nightgown. His fingers explored her, slowly touching her wet, hot heat. Gabby pulled on his hair, thrashing against him.

“Is your body on fire now, Gabby?”

Gabby groaned. “Yes, Michael, please.”

He knelt between her legs and positioned himself to take her. “Forgive me, Gabby.”

With the first thrust, Gabby whimpered in pain. He kissed her gently on her lips and whispered, “It will be better soon. I promise.”

He held perfectly still, waiting for her body to adjust to him while he continued to rain tender kisses on her eyelids, her damp hairline, her flushed cheeks. He hated that he had given her pain when his every intention was to give her pleasure.

When Gabby moved sinuously against him, Michael couldn’t wait any longer. With his eyes locked on hers, he moved in slow, easy lunges. “How does that feel, Gabby?”

She wrapped her arms and legs around him and followed the rhythm he set. He watched her increasing arousal. With her eyes closed and her lips parted, she panted and moaned in a low husky sound. He quickened the rhythm, pushing them both into the feverish bliss.

Michael couldn’t take his eyes off Gabby’s glowing face as the pleasure took her. A fierce possessiveness surged through him as he surrendered to the driving beat of his body. “I love you, Gabby.”