She pretended ignorance. “And what might that be?”
He leaned forward to run his tongue around her nipple. “You know very well, you teasing minx.”
Suddenly, the carriage shuddered to a halt, throwing him hard against her. He swore under his breath as she caught at his shoulders.
Then his coachman called out, “We’re here, m’lord.”
Juliet sprang up straight in her seat. “Sebastian, I can’t…we can’t…It’ll take us forever to dress, and the servants are bound to guess what we’re up to if we sit in here for so long!”
“I know, but what the devil do you want me to do about it?”
“Make him go back.”
“What?”
“To Lady Brumley’s! Make him go back!”
“All right.” He called up the command, and the coach set off again. “Now how will that solve anything?”
“It’ll give us time to dress. Besides, now that I think about it, it might be better to speak to Griff in a public place where he can’t kill you.”
“Very funny.”
“I’m not joking. If he’d come in and found us together at Knighton House, he might have assumed the worst. At least at Lady Brumley’s we can sneak out of the carriage and approach him as if we hadn’t just been alone together.” She pushed at his shoulders. “Now get up. We have to dress.”
“Oh no, you don’t,” he rasped. “We have plenty of time to dress. But you are not going to leave me aroused and unsatisfied
twice
in one evening.”
“Now, Sebastian—” she began, then groaned when he tugged her hips forward and buried himself to the hilt inside her. “Oh!” she gasped as he began to move. “Well, if you must…all right then…”
Better than all right. It was as fabulous as before, only this time he filled her so utterly she thought she’d collapse from the sheer joy of it.
“Deuce take it, sweeting, you’ve been driving me mad with wanting,” he choked out as he thrust hard, half lifting her off the seat with his force.
“Me, too,” she murmured on a sigh.
“Shall I stop so we can dress?” he half growled.
“Don’t you dare!” She clutched his shoulders and tilted her hips higher, needing all of him inside her.
“I couldn’t if I wanted to.” He filled his hands with her breasts, teasing and arousing them as he pounded into her.
Sebastian thought he’d died and gone to heaven at last. Except he doubted that this was allowed in heaven.
Finally, Juliet was his completely. Forever. Or else he was dreaming. But despite the darkness, he couldn’t mistake that it was Juliet he held in his arms. No other woman smelled like an entire meadow of lilacs. No other woman was as soft and giving and open. And no other woman had ever made him feel like a king the second she wrapped him in her forgiving arms.
He lost himself in her sweet heat, rocking into her, grinding against the rocking of the carriage until she started uttering little heartfelt mews of pleasure. They echoed to the very root of his John Thomas. He drove harder, deeper, so primed from all her earlier manipulations that he feared satisfaction was only moments away.
Wanting to slow himself so they could reach it together, he leaned into her to kiss whatever he could find in the darkness…her delicate throat…the cusp of her stubborn chin…her always blushing cheek. Her fingers dug into his shoulders as she anchored him to her. Then her sheath tightened around him, a satiny fist that squeezed him until with a roar, he reached his release.
As he strained against her, his seed pouring into her, she cried, “I love you, Sebastian!” and found her own satisfaction.
In that moment, when the unfamiliar words fell on his aching heart like a soothing balm, he realized he’d do anything to hear her say them again. To hear her cry them from the rooftops for the rest of their lives.
He’d do anything to ensure it—
anything.
Because pride and duty be damned, he wanted Juliet’s love. Even if he wasn’t sure he could reciprocate with those words.
And if he couldn’t? If he didn’t, would she stay? He clasped her close, feeling the thundering of her heart against his chest and her slowing breaths in his ear. “Never leave me, sweeting,” he whispered. “I couldn’t bear it.”
She drew back to smooth the hair away from his brow. “What makes you think I’d ever leave you, my love?”
There was that word again, that wonderful word he would never tire of. He hadn’t realized until she said it that it was what he’d been waiting for all his life. “I’d swear you were on the verge of leaving me tonight after we played chess. You were going home, and tomorrow you were heading out of town. And you did say you’d had enough—”
“Yes, of all your petty games. That didn’t mean I was leaving the field forever, for goodness sake. I just couldn’t be around you as long as this was going on. But I’ve always intended to have you, Sebastian Blakely. Whatever it took.”
“You might have told me and spared me some worry,” he growled. Drawing back from her, he tugged his drawers and breeches up and fastened them. Then he lifted himself onto the seat opposite her.
“Why?” She straightened her chemise and began to button it up. “Then you’d have been so sure of me that you’d never have seen sense. I’m not that stupid.”
Reaching over, he lit the lamp so they could see to dress, then murmured, “Some might disagree. They might say…you’re stupid to fall in love with me.” He couldn’t help himself. He had to hear her say
those words
again. “I mean, I’ve kidnapped you and treated you very ill—”
“You certainly have.” When his head shot up, she added with a laugh, “But I forgive you. That’s the beauty
of love. A woman in love is quick to forgive her beloved. You see, love does have its finer points after all.”
She watched him solemnly, as if waiting for a response.
He should say the words now, but something held him back. “I’ll have to trust you on that one.” He held his breath, sure that she would tear into him for not responding with the words she expected to hear.
But she merely cast him a sad smile, then reached for her gown. “Well, no matter how much I love you—and I do—I hope you intend to stop this kidnapping business. It’s very trying.”
He slumped with relief. Yet he felt like a blackguard somehow. “You don’t know how seriously I considered kidnapping you tonight.” With a scowl, he tucked his shirt tails in his breeches. “Especially when that damned Havering opened his blasted mouth and started talking about taking you home.”
“You wouldn’t really have fought a duel, would you?”
“Should I ever have to fight one, it won’t be with a man who doesn’t even know where to point the pistol.”
“I
knew
you were bluffing.” She slithered her gown up her body, making his mouth go dry. Then she turned her back to him. “Do me up.”
His hands began to sweat as he did what she asked. By thunder, how could he want her again so soon? Would he ever stop craving her like this? “Boggs will have my head when he sees the condition of my clothes.”
She sighed. “I know. Only think of how long it will take to get all the dirt out. And with you on your knees, too!”
He laughed at her concerns. “I’m sure he’ll manage.”
“But what shall we do when we reach Lady Brumley’s? We both look a fright.”
“Why don’t you disembark in front of the house and sneak from the gallery into some private room, where you can freshen up? I’ll take a turn in the coach, then get out myself and do the same. Somehow we’ll manage to hide
it. We have to. I can’t speak to your brother-in-law looking as if I’ve just been making love to you in the carriage.”
“You certainly cannot,” she retorted.
With their plan agreed upon, they finished dressing, doing their best to restore everything to its former condition, although it was damned hard. By the time they pulled up in front of Lady Brumley’s again, he thought they looked relatively presentable.
But before the coach even came fully to a stop, the door was jerked open and a voice boomed, “Out, Templemore! Get out now!”
He groaned. So much for sneaking in. With his heart sinking into his stomach, he climbed out of the carriage to face the one man with good cause to do him harm.
Griff Knighton.
Knighton was more livid than Sebastian had ever seen him. His eyes had the look of a man bent on spilling blood. Lady Rosalind hung on his arm and begged him to watch his temper, but he ignored her entirely.
Beyond her stood Montfort. What the devil was the duke doing out here? No one else seemed to be about.
“I didn’t want to believe it when Montfort told me you’d carried Juliet off,” Griff snapped. “But it’s hard to deny the evidence of my eyes. Juliet, come out this minute.”
Damn Montfort to hell. He must have seen them leave. Sebastian had half hoped he could brazen it out by claiming to be alone. He should have known better.
As Juliet climbed out behind him, Sebastian said, “I know what you’re thinking, but it’s not as bad as it looks. I fully intend to marry your sister-in-law. Indeed, we came back here to speak to you and Lady Rosalind about it.”
“Did you?” If Knighton’s gaze had been a sword, it would have sliced him cleanly in half. “And did you also intend to tell me who you really are?”
Sebastian’s blood froze. “What do you mean?”
“God knows I wouldn’t generally countenance anything Montfort says, but under the circumstances—He claims that
you
are the one who kidnapped Juliet two years ago.
You,
and not your brother. Is that true?”
To his shock, he heard Juliet say, “How can you believe that beast Montfort? It’s a lie, a fabrication designed to harm me. Sebastian wasn’t the one, and I should know!”
She was defending him, for God’s sake! After all her insistence that he tell the truth, she wanted to protect him.
He couldn’t let her do that. He’d promised her, after all. He turned to cup her cheek. “It’s all right, sweeting. I’m ready to take my medicine. I should have done it a long time ago.” Then he faced Griff once more. “Yes. It was me.”
“But he had a good reason,” Juliet burst out as she tried to push her way between the two men. “You must hear the whole story, Griff. It’s only fair!”
Knighton spared her scarcely a glance as he thrust her aside. “I don’t have to hear a bloody thing. Your mind may be clouded by his seductions, but mine is not.” He cast a steely-eyed gaze on Sebastian. “As for you, sir, we’ll meet at dawn tomorrow at Leicester Fields. Choose your weapon and your second and be there, or I’ll pronounce you a coward with great relish.”
“No!” the two women cried in unison. Lady Rosalind then added, “You mustn’t fight! Be reasonable!”
“Stay out of this, Rosalind,” Knighton growled. “It’s none of your concern.”
“None of my—Curse you, Griff, I think preventing my husband from being killed is entirely my concern. You can’t—”
“Hold your tongue, woman, or I swear I’ll make you hold it!”
Lady Rosalind seemed to know she’d pushed her husband too far, for she snapped her mouth shut. But her eyes flashed mutiny.
Juliet caught Sebastian by the arm. “Say you won’t fight, my love. Tell him you won’t fight!”
He stared down at her, wishing he could have spared her this. “I have to, sweeting. No gentleman refuses a challenge. It’s not honorable. You know that.”
“I don’t care what’s honorable!”
He smiled faintly. “Ah, but I do.”
“You said you didn’t believe in duels! You called it pointless violence!”
“It is. I’d never instigate one. But now that the challenge is made, I won’t refuse it, even if he is your brother-in-law. I’m sorry.” He faced Griff. “I accept your challenge.”
“At least you’re not a coward.” Knighton turned to Juliet. “Come along then. We’re done here. We’re going home.” He took her arm forcibly to lead her to the carriage, which had just pulled up behind Sebastian’s. Apparently, the Knightons had been about to set off after them when he and Juliet had driven up.
“Wait!” Juliet cried. “Give me a moment with him, please!”
Knighton looked as if he might refuse, then nodded tersely.
She broke free to run back to Sebastian. “Oh, my love, why must you only do the right thing when it’s the wrong thing?”
“Habit, I suppose.” He smiled wryly.
She beat her fist against his chest. “Don’t you
dare
treat this as a joke!”
With an eye toward Griff, who stood by glowering, he lowered his voice. “You needn’t worry about your brother-in-law. I get the choice of weapons, and I’ll choose pistols. That way I can control the outcome, make sure I do little damage. With luck, I can shoot the pistol right out of his hand, and that’ll be an end to it.”
“I’m not worried about him, you fool!” Tears coursed down her cheeks. “I’m worried about
you
!”
He reached up to stroke away her tears. “Don’t. I’ll be fine.”
“You were right to keep the kidnapping a secret. I should never have asked you to tell them!”
“No,
you
were right. It was just as you said: the longer we waited, the more chance for disaster. It was bound to happen eventually—I was tempting fate.” He forced a reassuring smile to his lips. “But after tomorrow, it will all be over. Knighton will be satisfied, and we can marry.” She looked as skeptical as he felt, but he made himself push her away. “Now go on with your family, and don’t worry, do you hear? It will all work out.”
Knighton said behind her, “Come on, Juliet, let’s go home.”
Sebastian glanced up to see Montfort watching the entire interchange with glee, then said, “Knighton, a moment of your time, if you will.”
When Knighton approached nearer, Sebastian murmured under his breath, “Unless you want Montfort to treat this as an entertainment and bring all his friends, I suggest you choose another spot for our duel and keep it private.”
Reluctant admiration flashed in Knighton’s eyes. “Very well. Will Wimbledon Common do?”
Sebastian nodded grimly. Then Knighton turned, and gathering the two women, hurried them off to the carriage. A few moments later, they were gone.
All that was left was to deal with Montfort. Sebastian stared up at the scoundrel, wondering how he’d learned the truth. “So you think you’ve won, do you?”