Chills (38 page)

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

JACK LIFTED HER away from temptation and into his arms. How had she become so knowledgeable in such a short length of time? He wasn’t complaining, except that her enthusiasm wasn’t helping him remain in control. Jack sank back on his haunches and arranged Pixie so she straddled him, letting her body rest a moment.

But Pixie was unwilling to be still. She wriggled as she kissed him, so he stroked between her legs. At his persistent touch, she moaned heavily into his mouth, and curled her arms tight around his shoulders.

He lifted her up and fitted the head of his cock to her entrance. “My love, this might hurt. I’m sorry.”

Pixie met his gaze. Tousled as she was, she had never looked more beautiful. Her lips were full and well kissed. “Better you than anyone else.”

Jack growled low in his throat as he eased her down. No one but him, ever. He used all of his control to take it slow, fought the urge to surge upward to impale her. She was a virgin, small, and bound to be incredibly tight.

Even with his controlled entry, she squeaked his name.

“Yes, love?”

“Is that it?” she asked, panting and digging her nails into his shoulder muscles, as if she needed an anchor.

“No, there is quite a bit more of me,” Jack said through clenched teeth.

“Finish it, Jack. I think I am going to explode.”

“As my lady desires,” he agreed. There was no finishing between them, but he understood her. She was so aroused it was agony. Jack was absurdly pleased and he pushed up with one hard thrust and held still as she gasped.

He was buried deep inside her and he was home. Although his body craved friction, Jack remained still until she removed her nails from his shoulders. He kissed her fiercely when she turned her lips to his and rolled her onto her back.

Pixie’s eyes widened. “Oh, dear. I’m going to be a marchioness.”

Her husky laugh drew him deeper. Jack held himself above her, grateful for the distracting conversation because all he wanted to do was move. “Damn right you are.”

Constance wriggled beneath him awkwardly. “Oh, the ton is going to go up in flames when they realize.”

“Talk about it later,” Jack suggested as he pulled out a little then pressed in again, watching for a grimace of pain. When he saw none, he thrust again.

Jack began slowly, pushing down his own need for friction and letting her adjust. When her knees relaxed, he nudged in stronger, varying his thrusts, adjusting the angle until she breathed raggedly and she was with him again. He watched her eyes, but worried over the glazed look in them.

“Are you all right?”

“Yes,” she gasped, wriggled her hips then pulled him closer with her hands on his ass. “Love me, Jack. Just love me.”

“Forever.”

With one arm bracing his weight, he caressed her breast and demanded her lips come back to his. Kissing made short work of his remaining senses.

When her sobs grew louder, he lifted her hips from the bed, encouraging her to wrap her legs higher around his back. When her feet touched his ass, he groaned and ground his hips into the cradle of her thighs. Pixie cried out as Jack pushed her over the edge and she dragged him with her. His whole body convulsed, and he let loose a groan of the deepest, earthiest gladness.

~ * ~

Virginia lifted her pink skirts above the long grass and trudged her way to the stream. Of course, Bernard would be at the far end of his estate when she wanted him. It was a beautiful day for a stroll, but she was impatient and had quite another matter on her mind.

A tussock tripped her up, and she cursed it but kept walking until she found what she sought. She cursed when she saw Bernard dripping sweat over a chopping block.

She cupped her hands around her mouth to yell over the noise. “Did you scare away all the workers when you returned?”

Perhaps her greeting lacked the affection she felt, but she was hot and uncomfortable from the long walk, and fast losing her temper, which annoyed her the most.

 
Bernard dropped the axe but spoke before turning. “I’m not such a beast to expect them to work every minute of every day. I’m merely doing this for the exercise.” Bernard turned and reached for a cloth to wipe the sweat from his face. “When did you get home?”

“This afternoon.”

“Is Jack with you?”

“No, he and Pixie married yesterday morning and no longer require a chaperone. Tomorrow they depart on their honeymoon. Apparently, the list of places to visit is very long. I shall not see them for a while. I thought I should come and pay my respects.”

“You saw my mother already?”

“No, I came to see you,” Virginia ground out. He was just so dense for an over-educated man.

He froze then he moved away from her. “I need a swim.”

He stalked to the water’s edge, pulled off his boots and shirt, removed his trousers, and then dived straight in without a backward glance.

Typical.

His long arms propelled him away and out of sight. Virginia sighed, disappointed to be denied a longer view of all that muscled perfection. Virginia settled next to his clothes to wait, lying down to watch the clouds go by; making shapes out of the puffy whiteness until they rained on her.

Bernard shook water from his hair again as she sat up. “Oh, don’t do that.”

“If your eyes hadn’t been open, I would have thought you asleep. What were you thinking about?”

“Lots of things. How was the water?”

“Cold.”

“Not that cold.” She indicated his upstanding cock in amusement. “Is that for me?”

“Could be,” Bernard chuckled. “If you’re very lucky.”

Virginia fought not to smile. “What if I were to beg?”

“Well, if you really feel you must.”

Virginia touched him, sliding her fingers over his skin until he grunted. “I want children.”

“To be above scandal, that would require a wedding. I had heard you were not keen to do that again.”

She ran her finger from the tip of his cock to the root. “I’ve changed my mind.”

“Congratulations, when is the happy event?”

He hissed as her fingers found his balls and she tugged. “Just as soon as I can arrange it. I would need a groom.”

“No shortage of those lying about the countryside,” Bernard offered, but he didn’t voice any objection or encouragement.

He was not going to make this easy. Nothing between them ever had been. She rolled to her knees, wrapped her fingers around his cock tighter, prepared to ask the question that had hurried her from London as quick as she could go. “Bernard Hallam, would you do me the very great honor of marrying me. I want my children to be yours.” To make her question all the more enticing, she began a lazy stroke with her hand.

“Well,” he gasped. “Since you put such feeling into your request, I might be persuaded.” He dropped to his knees. “I was going to ask you, you know. I have a ring in my bedchamber waiting for you to come home.”

“I’m home now. I missed you,” she confessed as she wrapped her hands around his wet hips and squeezed. She kissed him. She simply couldn’t wait another moment.

Bernard lowered her to the ground, kissing her all the while. This was perfect—everything she’d ever wanted. When her legs were spread, and he was about to enter, he paused.

“When did you become so bold?”

Virginia twisted, brushing his cock with her curls. “My darling new sister gave me a wicked little book she found in the library at Ettington House. It was very edu … cational.” Her breath fractured as he joined with her and she wrapped her legs around his wet thighs, running her nails over his damp skin.

“I think I know the book. What else interested you?”

Bernard rocked his hips and set up a gentle stroke that made her body sing. “Oh, lots of things. It’s good that you’re so strong. A couple of them require strength and concentration to achieve the appropriate angle.”

Bernard groaned and nipped at her neck. “It’s good that you want to marry me. I've been having a lot of trouble keeping my head around you.”

She gasped as his hand closed on her breast. “You, Bernard?”

“Be quiet. Thank God I don’t have to leave.”

He sped up his thrusts, turning their gentle loving into blinding passion. He groaned deep into her neck before she was halfway to finding her release, but she did not care. She would get to have his children. She would get to have him.

“I love you,” Virginia whispered into his ear.

Bernard sagged his weight upon her then pulled out, flipped her over, and dragged her to her knees.

Virginia squirmed at the unusual position. “What are you doing?”

He positioned to enter from behind, and she gasped as he filled her. “Position four is a favorite of mine. You better not expect a small family, Virginia. I am not going to be patient about creating our children. I have a lot of work to do, and I always honor my promises. Christ, I love you.”

He slid a finger into her curls and pushed her over the edge.

EPILOGUE

“JACK, STOP THAT.” Constance giggled, swatting at her husband’s wandering hands.

He laughed into her ear. “No. Wriggle a bit to the left.”

Constance turned and swept her hands over his chest, admiring the cut and color of his new wardrobe. “We are supposed to be serious. How can you laugh at a moment like this?”

 
“Easily, I have been hoping this day would come for years,” he whispered. “Can we go in yet?”

“There they are. Now, you remember what you have to do?”

“I am the older party here, Pixie. I think I can manage one last performance.” Jack tugged his waistcoat. “Did I mention how much I admire that gown? Can you wear it to bed tonight? I want to peel you out of it with my teeth.”

“Jack, you have mentioned it several times all ready. Do you think you could keep your mind focused on the task at hand,” Constance asked impatiently.

Jack sighed, but Lord Daventry’s bored voice interrupted their repartee. “If you two are done bickering like a randy married couple, do you think we could hurry this along? I have someone to meet.”

Jack laughed. “Daventry, someday I hope you will fall in love so hard that you cannot see straight.”

Constance giggled as the biggest rogue in London crossed himself. It would require a very strong woman to take on the biggest rogue in London.

Constance nudged Jack toward the ballroom. “Off you go,”

When he was out of sight, Constance risked a peek around the doorframe to watch the effect he had on the ladies. As she had predicted, there was a vast sea of fainting. She didn’t blame them, but did enjoy the theatrics. Perhaps one or two were genuine. The rest were fraudulent copies. They gasped on the ground like stranded carp, and looked quite uncomfortable.

When it became apparent that the gorgeously disheveled Lord Ettington was not going to rush to any one lady’s rescue, they struggled to rise to their feet.

“You were supposed to go in already, Daventry,” Constance worried.

“Ettington wasn’t happy to leave you out here dressed like that alone. I’m here to make sure you remain unmolested until your entrance.”

Constance laughed so hard she almost cried. “He left you—the man aiming for the title of
most debauched
—to guard me.”

“I don’t touch married women, Pixie. He knows you are perfectly safe. Actually, you have always been safe with me. I never touch virgins, either.”

Constance scoffed at his ridiculous statement, and then took a deep breath of night air, desperate to regain control before she lost her nerve and ran away.

Absolute silence reigned when the candlelight hit her. Constance knew exactly how she looked. Madame du Clair had clapped her hands with glee when she had requested this gown. This dress had originally been for Jack’s pleasure alone, but they had both decided the red silk needed a larger audience. She set her hand on the crust of ruby and diamonds at her throat, anxious that they still be there, then brushed a loose curl over her shoulder.

Jack stood alone, one hand held out toward her. She let all the love she felt for him shine through her smile and when she reached him, she slid her hand into his palm.

Very slowly, smile brightening his eyes, he raised her hand to his lips and kissed the gold band adorning her third finger. Another costly gift from her generous husband.

A confused mutter swept the room then rose to a deafening roar. When they were sure everyone in the room was au current, they turned to look directly at Miss Maria Scaling. Her mother and father stood in shock behind her.

Jack led Constance to her. “Have you met my wife, Miss Scaling?”

Jack’s voice purred loudly, anger rippling beneath in his tone.

The excited chatter of the ton died as they craned to hear every word.

“Your wife? No, that’s not possible.”

Jack scowled and drew Constance tight to his side. “Polly didn’t have time to tell you about the wedding. She and her family are on their way to one of my other estates, and no amount of bully tactics will ever induce them to confide details of my family again.”