Blackthorne's Bride (22 page)

Maddie broke the kiss and looked into her husband's eyes. "You never wanted to marry Ashley, did you? You aren't sad at all that the wedding was mixed up."

He blinked at her, looking confused. "Sad? Hell, I'm relieved. When I realized the priest was doing everything wrong, I couldn't believe my luck."

"You couldn't—you realized and didn't stop him?"

Jack bent so that his face was a hairbreadth from hers. "Why? When I knew it meant I would have you?"

Maddie swallowed hard and tried not to melt at his words. Jack wanted her. Jack desired her.

And she wanted him as well. She desired him. She had begun to care for him.

She was in deep trouble.

* * * * *

Jack slid his hands around to cup Maddie's sweet bottom. Her skin was smooth and slick from the water, and her flesh intoxicatingly warm. He was so hard for her, he could barely think straight.

She was looking at him with those blue eyes, her lids lowered invitingly. He pulled her tight against his erection, and she gasped in a breath and tilted her head back. Her long brown hair glistened wet in the sun, and the tops of her breasts emerged from the water. He kissed the soft skin of her neck, while his hands kept her body pressed against him.

Without being told what to do, she moved provocatively against him, and he knew he had to be inside her soon or lose all sense of control.

"Maddie," he growled in her ear. "Do you feel me?"

"Yes," she moaned, and rubbed her hard nipples against his chest. Her legs closed tight around his waist as he repositioned her. His cock grazed that hot, wet place he'd been dreaming about.

She opened her eyes then and looked at him. Desire clouded the usual startling blueness. "Stop teasing me," she said, voice low and husky.

He grinned. "Demanding, aren't you, Lady Blackthorne?"

He rubbed against her intimately, inserting just the tip of his cock inside her, letting her have a taste of what was to come. She shivered in his arms. "Please, Jack. Now."

His hands tightened as he moved deeper within her. He controlled the pace, lowering her onto his shaft with tortuous slowness. The heat of her was amazing. She was so warm and so tight, it took conscious effort not to explode. He wanted to be fully inside her before he gave in to the pleasure.

He eased himself in farther, and her legs tightened around him.

"Am I hurting you?" he whispered against her neck.

"A bit. It hurts, but it also feels ... oh, Jack."

His fingers had found her engorged nub, and he caressed it lightly until she was squirming against him. Her nails bit into his shoulder as she pressed to get closer, closer. But he held her back, wanting to spare her as much pain as possible.

He slid his finger over her again, and he felt her tense around his hard cock. "Jack," she cried, and this time when she bucked against him, he allowed it to happen. He plunged into her, burying his shaft deep inside. He heard a gruff shout mingled with her heaving cries and realized he had made the sound.

He couldn't help it. She felt so good. Grasping her buttocks again, he embedded himself deeply. She moaned, and he had enough presence of mind left to ask, "Am I hurting you? Did I hurt you?"

"Yes, but don't stop. It's a good hurt ... oh, Jack."

He withdrew and plunged in again, the sharp contrast between the cool water and her explosive heat bringing him to climax all too soon. He thrust deeper, and her warmth enveloped him, tightened around him, and with a shout he let go.

He poured himself into her, his orgasm so strong that he couldn't stop a growl from escaping his lips. He lowered his mouth to her neck, biting her gently, leaving a small red mark.

She was his now.

She was still naked when Jack carried her back to the stable. He left their damp clothes tossed over a wooden fence to dry. They both needed new garments, and he'd have to go into Gretna Green to secure the necessary funds and supplies to see them back home.

He settled her on one of the blankets spread out over the straw where they'd slept the night before. She stretched, her glorious body tempting him once again. But he knew it was too soon for her, so instead of taking her into his arms again, as he would have liked, he said, "Tired?"

Eyes half closed, she murmured, "Mmm-hmm. Come lie with me." Her voice was low and sultry, and the sound made his chest tighten. She opened her arms to him, and it was an invitation he couldn't resist.

Just lie beside her, Jack,
he told himself. But as soon as his leg touched hers, she rolled over and embraced him. Her limbs tangled with his, and he felt himself growing hard again.

Corn, he thought. I'll think about corn. Or potatoes.

She snuggled her cheek on the curve of his shoulder, wrapped one arm around his chest and looked up at him.

"Jack?"

Stew and potatoes. Potatoes
with
corn ...

He glanced down at her, at those big sapphire eyes peering up at him. "Go to sleep," he said.

She blinked. "But it's the middle of the afternoon."

Damn. Good point.
"We're leaving tomorrow. You need your rest."

"Fine." She snuggled into him again, her long lashes brushing against his neck when she blinked. He could smell her, that sweet feminine scent taking him unawares. Making his hands itch to touch her. He licked his lips, and he could still taste her.

Potato pudding. Cornmeal ...

"Jack?" she murmured, and then yawned.
Thank God.

"Sleep," he repeated.

"I will. Jack?"

Bloody hell.
"What?"

"That was wonderful. In the pond, I mean."

He felt an arrogant smile break on his face. "I know."

She looked up at him again, and he tried to frown at her but couldn't quite manage it. "Is that all you wanted to say?"

He thought a moment. "Yes."

With a scowl, she shook her head and turned from him. But he grabbed her and pulled her back. "I liked it, too," he said.

She smiled and closed her eyes. "Thank you."

When her breathing deepened, Jack put his arms behind his head, stared at the ceiling, and slowly exhaled. Maybe this marriage wouldn't be so disastrous after all. He'd married her, made love to her, and he hadn't fallen in love with her yet. Maybe she hadn't been as dangerous to him as he'd thought. Maybe he truly was immune to the softer emotions.

He planned to keep it that way.

He'd told her they would leave for home tomorrow. He'd be glad to have her under his roof and in his bed. But he didn't relish the return to London and his inevitable dealings with Bleven.

If Nick was smart, he'd stay out of Bleven's path for a while, just until Jack paid the Black Duke a visit. If there was any truth to what Bleven had said in the clearing, he would make sure Bleven suffered the consequences.

But the confrontation would take careful planning. Bleven was not a man to underestimate, and he would not rush their meeting. In the meantime, he couldn't let his guard down. Maddie had to be protected at all costs. If his new wife tripped into Bleven's path ...

Jack took a deep breath.

No, he'd protect his new wife, even if it meant locking her in his house and keeping her under guard. No one was going to touch her. And all this do-gooder business of hers had to stop. Good Samaritans were nothing more than prey for the lowlifes of the world. He had seen it before, a do-gooder cut down by the very scum she was trying to help. He wouldn't let that happen to Maddie.

He glanced at her, watched her chest rise and fall steadily. She might not like his interference at first, but that was too bad.

It was for her own good.

Maddie paced outside the livery, waiting for Jack. In the distance she could hear the roar of a crowd and what sounded like dogs barking, but the little town was otherwise quiet.

She took three steps forward, watched the wrinkled lavender bows on her gown teeter drunkenly, then turned and took three steps back. She desperately needed a new gown. The lavender and white dress had dried overnight, but it was hopelessly crumpled and more dingy gray than creamy white.

She peered across the street and saw the dressmaker's shop. She knew Jack wanted her to wait outside the livery, in front of the window, where he could see her, but she itched to take a look in the shop.

She wasn't worried about her father. The sweet couple who'd allowed Jack and her to stay in their stable had told her that the Earl of Castleigh left for London after he roused the priest and saw the marriage certificate. Even the Earl of Castleigh could not doubt his daughter's marriage.

Maddie hoped her father wasn't too worried ... or too angry. She'd call on him as soon as she and Jack arrived in Town.

She did worry about Ashley and Lord Nicholas, however. They seemed to have disappeared from Gretna Green. Jack had told her that his brother could look after himself, but Maddie made him promise to inquire after Ashley and her new husband.

The crowd in the distance grew louder, and Maddie frowned. Why did she keep hearing dogs?

She squinted through the dingy window of the livery again and saw Jack deep in conversation with the owner. Jack wanted loan of a carriage and coachman to drive them back to London and was probably haggling over the price. He'd been in there a quarter of an hour, so obviously the owner was not as impressed at having a marquess in his store as Jack had anticipated.

She didn't doubt Jack would get what he wanted, but in the meantime, why shouldn't she walk down to the shop? Or see what the crowd was cheering about? The longer she listened, the uneasier she grew. Her belly felt tight and knotted.

Jack turned and looked at her, and she gave him a reassuring wave. With a nod, he went back to haggling.

Certain her new husband would be in the shop for another quarter hour at least, Maddie slipped away. She had to cross one street to reach the dress shop. It wasn't far at all, and she'd be gone only a moment.

Jack wouldn't mind, she thought, and started across the street, walking slowly to observe the crowd at the far end. Maybe she should slip down and look ...

No. She was going straight to the dress shop and back to Jack. That was all. She was not going to investigate all that barking and growling.

She tried to move forward, then paused. Perhaps the dress shop could wait five minutes. She would just take a quick peek at whatever the crowd had encircled.

Maddie turned and headed toward the cheering people. As she neared, her heart pounded and the blood thumped in her head like a hammer. Before she could think about it or stop herself, she pushed through the circle of men before her, ignoring the large sweaty bodies. No one paid her the least attention. All eyes were focused on the spectacle before them.

"No," Maddie breathed, reeling back in horror.

Surrounded by the crowd, which was held back by ropes, she saw a large stake. Chained to the stake by his neck was a beautiful black bear with the saddest eyes she'd ever seen. Two large bulldogs growled and lunged at the bear, who swiped at them with his enormous claws.

The bear was bleeding from a wound to its shoulder and left flank, and Maddie could see by the way he moved, that the poor animal was in pain. The dogs lunged again, and one clamped onto the bear's tender snout. The bear howled in anguish before knocking the dog off, leaving angry red scratches on the dog's side.

"Stop it!" Maddie screamed. She hadn't meant to call out, but she couldn't seem to stop herself. "Stop this at once."

But no one appeared to hear her. In fact, the man beside her pushed her aside so he could get a better view.

"Did you hear me?" Maddie yelled. "Stop this—"

"Oh, shut up, willna?" another man told her. "I canna enjoy the sport with all yer screaming."

"But this is cruel," she countered. "We cannot allow this to continue."

"Look, lass," another man said, turning to face her with an angry jerk. "I doona want to hear yer chatter again. Go home, Sassenach."

"But—"

A hard hand clamped on her shoulder and jerked her back. "We were just leaving," Jack said.

Maddie spun round to face him as he took her hand and dragged her away from the savage scene. "But Jack," she protested, "did you look—"

There was a howl of pain, and she turned in time to see one of the dogs thrown to the ground. It was hurt badly, and she would have rushed to its aid if Jack hadn't continued to pull her away.

"Jack," she said, digging her heels in once they reached the main street. "We have to go back. We have to help that bear."

She wasn't prepared for the anger in his eyes when he rounded on her, and she took a step back. "Forget about the goddamn bear," he growled. "I told you not to move. I told you to wait right outside the shop."

He was yelling at her, sounding just like her father, and Maddie straightened her back and attempted to speak civilly. "I did wait, but I didn't see the harm in walking to that dress shop and peeking inside."