How to Seduce a Scoundrel (43 page)

He lifted her legs over his shoulders. Then he drove into her faster and faster. As the sensations built to a fever pitch, a rough sound came out of his throat. He stilled, straining toward the pleasure, and when the throbbing burst upon him, he stayed inside her as his seed spilled. He lowered her legs and collapsed atop her, shuddering from the most erotic experience of his life. She locked her arms and legs around him. He kissed her cheek. “I love you,” he said in a hoarse voice.

They slept, nestled like two spoons. She woke as he stroked her breast. He was aroused, hard against her bottom. He pulled her atop him. She rode him, leaning forward. He suckled her nipples, sending rivers of pleasure through her. When the ecstasy overcame her, he took her cry with his mouth and swept his tongue in the same rhythm as her body clenching him. Then still inside her, he rolled her to her back and pumped inside her, hard and fast as if he couldn’t control his need. His ragged breathing grew even more labored, and then he was throbbing inside her.

He collapsed again. “Oh, my God.”

She caressed his cheek, slightly scratchy with new beard. “Like that, did you?”

He rolled to his side, taking her with him, still inside her. “Can I say something really dirty?”

“Yes.”

“Really, really dirty?”

“Do it,” she said.

Even in the dark, she could see the glazed look in his eyes.

“I love you. And after we’re married, I’m going to fuck you morning, noon, and night.”

She laughed. “You prefer dirty words to euphemisms.”

“I know lots of dirty words. I can say them in French if you like. Italian, too.”

“International dirty words. Oh, my.”

He grinned. “I’ll call you into my study, presumably to complain about your dressmaker bills. Then I’ll straddle you over my lap and cover up what we’re doing with your skirts.”

“Shocking,” she said.

“I’ll take you on a scenic tour of Ashdown House.” He nibbled on her neck. “There are over one hundred rooms.”

“I hope you’re not planning to tour them all in one night.”

He laughed. The room suddenly seemed a bit brighter.

“Damn, the day,” he said. “Ah, hell, we won’t be able to make love again at your brother’s house.”

“There are over one hundred rooms,” she said. “We might get… lost.”

“Egad, I can’t do it in your brother’s house.”

“Then we’ll take a long walk. The grounds are extensive at Gatewick Park.”

He sighed. “I will be a gentleman and wait until after we’re married. Four weeks to call the bans—ugh.”

“I’m not above seducing a gentleman. And remember I know the secrets of seduction.”

He guffawed.

She clapped her hand over his mouth. “Hester might hear.”

He lifted his head. “She’s still snoring.” He grinned at her. “Once more? Please?”

“You’re insatiable.”

“Please?”

She opened her arms, but he pulled her atop him. She rode him and came quickly. He followed right behind and hugged her hard against his chest.

Afterward, he slipped her night rail over her, donned his banyan robe, and drew her to the door. “I’ll watch as you sneak back into the room.”

She blew him a kiss and scampered across the narrow corridor. When she disappeared inside, he shut the door and leaned his back against it. As the sun filled the room, he looked up at the ceiling and whispered, “Thank you.”

A Reformed Scoundrel’s Confession: A good woman will make a better man of you.

W
hen the carriage rolled around the circular drive, Hawk took a deep breath. He met Julianne’s gaze. Earlier at an inn, he’d taken her with him to walk the spaniels. He’d warned her they would need to be careful in front of her family. Then he’d told her he planned to ask her brother’s permission to marry her. He’d laughed when she said she would do the proposing.

The carriage halted. A footman opened the door and let down the steps. Hawk climbed out and helped his aunt down. She leaned heavily on his arm. The journey had been hard on her, but she’d never once complained.

When Julianne appeared, he forgot his own warning and gazed at her with his heart in his eyes. Then he reached for her waist and swung her down. They turned together. Tristan stood there, his brows arched.

Julianne ran into her brother’s arms. He held her tightly, but he never took his hard gaze off Hawk.

He met his friend’s gaze, unflinching, determined.
I’m going to marry your sister.

Julianne leaned back and looked at her brother. “Where is Tessa?”

“Nursing Christopher,” he said.

The dowager duchess walked down the steps to greet Hester. Julianne ran to her mother and hugged her. “I missed you all so much.”

“Shall we go inside?” Tristan said.

The ladies walked ahead of them.

Hawk strode beside his oldest friend. “Congratulations on your son.”

“He’s a big, healthy boy.” Tristan smiled. “I swear he’s grown already.”

“The duchess is well?” he asked.

“She tires easily, but she loves being a mother.”

“I’m anxious to see him.”

“I hope my sister didn’t give you any trouble,” Tristan said, eyeing him.

“Not too much,” he said.

They walked inside. Hawk watched Julianne’s bottom as she and the other ladies climbed the U-shaped stairwell ahead of them. He thought about their lovemaking all through the night, and slow heat swirled through his veins. Waiting to touch her again would frustrate him, but once they were married, he could have her anytime, anyplace he wanted.

When they entered the drawing room, the ladies sat on the twin sofas. Tristan lifted his chin. “Come, let’s drink to my son.”

Tristan handed him a brandy. They clinked glasses. “To your son,” Hawk said.

“Follow me to the window so we can talk out of earshot,” Tristan said.

Uh-oh. He thought of his friend’s hard look and resisted the urge to tug on his cravat. To hell with what Tristan thought. Julianne was a grown woman, and they were in love.

Tristan sipped his brandy and stared down at the formal gardens. “My mother kept something from me until after Christopher’s birth.”

Hawk sipped his brandy and said nothing.

“I’m glad you were there to protect Julianne from Ramsey. He’s a dastard, and frankly, she’s not ready for marriage.”

Hell. “Julianne surprised me. She’s far more insightful than I imagined.”

Tristan scoffed. “She’s flighty. All those beaux. How many did she turn down this year?”

He supposed he didn’t count now. “There was one young cub who came to me. I told him I couldn’t answer for you. When I put it before your sister, she wasn’t pleased. She’d told the cubs she wanted only their friendship.”

Tristan turned to him. “The cubs?”

“Five young men who called on her often. I was always there to supervise.”

“Good Lord, man. I told you to guard her at balls and such. You must have been bored out of your wits.”

“Believe it or not, I enjoyed visiting Julianne and my aunt.”

When Tristan frowned at him, Hawk sighed. “Living alone is not all it’s cracked up to be.”

“My mother told me you moved back home. I never thought I’d see the day.”

He met his friend’s gaze squarely. “There are things I need to tell you.”

“About my sister?”

“Yes, and something else. We’ll talk later.”

“There she is with my darling grandson,” the dowager duchess said.

Tristan’s eyes lit up. Hawk turned around to find Tessa walking into the drawing room with a blanketed babe in her arms.

Tristan strode over to his wife and kissed her cheek. “He’s awake.”

Hawk watched them and wondered if he’d gotten Julianne with child. He walked over to her and stood beside the sofa. When he looked down at her, she smiled at him with glistening eyes.

Tessa walked over to Julianne. “Would you like to hold him?”

“Very much.” When she cradled the babe in her arms, Hawk’s heart turned over. Someday she would hold their child.

“He’s perfect,” Julianne said.

Hawk bent down and touched the infant’s hand. He grabbed Hawk’s finger. He laughed. “Strong grip.”

“Does he not look like Tristan?” Tessa asked.

Hawk thought he looked like a babe, but he grinned. “By Jove, I think he does look like you, old boy.”

“Would you like to hold him?” Julianne asked.

He shook his head. “I might drop him.”

“Sit beside Julianne,” Tessa said. “Tristan was afraid to hold him at first, too.”

“I was not,” Tristan growled.

Hawk sat beside Julianne.

“Support his head,” she said as she placed the babe in his arms.

He stayed very stiff at first. Baby Christopher opened his eyes and looked at him. “His eyes are blue.”

“All babes have blue eyes at first,” the dowager duchess said. “But he probably will have blue eyes. It is a strong family trait.”

“Did you not ever hold your sister’s infants?” the dowager duchess asked Hawk.

“No,” he said. He’d kept his distance because their children reminded him of the son he’d given up. Hawk regarded his aunt. “Would you like to hold him?”

Hester cradled the babe and looked at Tristan. “I told you your duchess would bring your son into the world without mishap.”

“You did, indeed,” Tristan said. “Thank you for sponsoring my sister.”

“I very much enjoyed having her.” Hester regarded the duchess. “Your daughter is a wonderful young lady. I will miss her.”

“Thank you,” the dowager duchess said. Then she regarded Hawk. “You’ve been here for half an hour and not once have I had to tell you to behave. Are you ill?”

Hawk laughed along with everyone else.

“I reformed him,” Julianne said.

“What?” Tristan said, narrowing his eyes.

Julianne laughed. “He was so busy guarding me he had no chance to engage in vice and depravity.”

“Eh?” Tristan said.

“I wasn’t about to leave her alone with every buck and blade sniffing round her skirts,” Hawk muttered.

“He took his guardianship very seriously,” Hester said.

Julianne looked at him. “He was ridiculously protective and lectured me constantly about flirting and men with bad ideas in their heads.”

Hawk winked at her.

Tessa inquired about Amy and Georgette and all the other girls from last season’s courtship. Then Tristan invited Hawk to join him in his study.

Hawk followed his friend downstairs. Once inside the study, he sat beside Tristan and stretched out his legs.

“Care for another brandy?” Tristan asked.

“No, thank you.”

“You have something to tell me?”

“Two things, both of which may shock you.” He inhaled. “I have a son.”

Tristan’s mouth opened, shut, and opened again. “The devil.”

Hawk told him the story.

Tristan raked his hand through his hair. “I knew you’d gotten into trouble at a party years ago, but you never said a word.”

Hawk leaned forward with his elbow on his knees. “I’d say it was because I was forbidden to ever speak of him. But the truth is I was horrified, scared, and bitter.” He told him what his father had said.

“I’m stunned,” Tristan said. “You’re going to try to establish a relationship with the boy?”

“Yes, Brandon has indicated he wishes to stay in contact.”

After Hawk told Tristan about Westcott’s poor health, Tristan tapped his thumb on the chair. “Sounds to me as if you need to talk to Westcott and make him see reason. The boy needs security, and the current situation sounds precarious.”

“It was your sister who suggested naming him a distant cousin. She’s right; it’s done all the time.”

Tristan stared at him as if he’d grown horns. “You told my sister?”

“We’ve grown close.”

Tristan bounded out of his chair, his eyes wild. “How close?” he said in a threatening tone.

Hawk stood and faced his oldest friend. “I want to marry her.”

“No.”

“I love her. And she loves me.”

Tristan started pacing. His fists clenched and unclenched. Then he halted and glared at Hawk. “You compromised her.”

He kept his gaze on his friend. “Whatever is between us is private.”

“The hell it is,” he shouted.

“I am a changed man because of her.”

“You were to think of her as a sister.”

“She is not my sister. She is going to be my wife,” he said. “I hoped to have your blessing.”

“I know too much about you and your women. She has no idea.”