My Favorite Major (Heroes Returned Book 1) (21 page)

Adoration shone in her gaze and Philip’s heart swelled along with his erection. He could drown in that look in her eyes and be a happy man. But he’d be happier when he was fully seated inside her.

Philip pressed the tip of his cock into Amelia’s warmth, stretching her. Dear God, going slow would be the death of him, but she was still an innocent. He had to take care with her, not frighten her, show her how much he cherished her.

Amelia’s eyes widened at his entrance, but the smile she wore was still that of a siren. He pushed himself further until he came to her barrier. He had promised he wouldn’t hurt her, but he didn’t know how to avoid doing so.

His impatient wife moved lower on the bed, taking more of him until the evidence of her innocence was gone. Amelia’s mouth fell open in surprise, but a moment later her siren smile returned. “Make love to your wife, Major. She is most anxious for you to continue.”

Always the dutiful solider, Philip thrust forwards and filled her completely. A sigh escaped Amelia and then she draped her arms around his neck. “That’s perfect,” she whispered.

And it was perfect. She was so wet, so warm, so tight. He’d never experienced such contentment, such a feeling of euphoric rightness in his life all wrapped up together. Philip pulled back from Amelia and then entered her again on one smooth thrust. And then again and again until she was writhing beneath him once more, moaning out his name.

“
Oh, Philip!” she cried at the same moment she shuddered around him.

Unable to hold back a second longer. Philip erupted, spilling himself inside her.

His strength gone, he collapsed beside her, never having felt so sated in all his life. He kissed her shoulder and pulled her into the cocoon of his embrace, where he could have held her forever.

Amelia’s hand caressed his back, until she came to the bandage that still guarded his wound. “Are you all right?” she asked, her voice quivering slightly.

“
Hmm.” He groaned. “Best bit of medicine I’ve had so far.”

Her lips pressed against his chest and Philip tightened his grasp on her. “I adore you, Mrs. Moore.”

She sighed in response. “I adore you, Major Moore.”

It was a damn good thing she did. He could never give her up, and he didn’t want to share her. Not with her family, not with all of London. At least not right now. They were newlyweds, after all. He was entitled to have his wife all to himself for a little while, wasn’t he?

“
Let’s start for Leverton Place tomorrow,” he suggested as he tilted her chin up so she had to look in his eyes. “No helpful friends. No interfering countesses. No Irish guards. Just us.”

Amelia smiled. “Will we do this again?”

He somehow managed not to laugh. “Only as often as you’ll allow it.”

“
Well, then you are going to be quite the busy man, Major.” Before he could respond, doubt crept across her features. “But is it safe? To go alone, I mean?”

Philip did laugh now. She was so utterly adorable. “I will have you know, my dear, I am quite the decorated hero. We’ll be perfectly safe.”

Amelia ate a bit of the roasted goose before her. She sent a sideways glance at the two empty places at the dinner table and tried not to wince. If her parents refused to dine with the group, she shouldn’t let it affect her. She just wished they could be happy for her, that they didn’t hate Philip or her quite so much.

“
Tomorrow?” Clayworth said, breaking Amelia from her thoughts.

What about tomorrow? Had she missed something?

“
I think its best,” Philip replied. “Besides, Amelia hasn’t seen the Park yet, and I am anxious to show her our home.”

Oh, their departure for Nottinghamshire. She should have realized.

“
Well, yes,” Cordie began. “I can certainly understand that, Philip. But don’t you think—”

Whatever the countess was going to say was interrupted by the arrival of the Avery brothers, who burst into the dining room without warning. “Brilliant,” Captain Avery said with a boyish grin. “We are famished.”

“
Oh, well,” Cordie said, her tone mocking, “do have a seat.” Then she frowned at her brothers. “Love you both as I do, I don’t recall inviting you to dinner.”

“
But there are two empty seats,” the captain protested as he dropped into the vacant spot beside Amelia. “We’d hate for you to have any food left over.”

“
Never a problem when the two of you are in the vicinity,” the countess complained. “And, truly, those places weren’t set for either of you.”

“
It’s all right,” Amelia said softly. “I think my parents have made it quite clear they don’t plan to join us.”

Lieutenant Avery sent her a sad smile as he assumed the seat beside Philip. “I am sorry, Mrs. Moore. I’m sure time will help them come to accept the situation.”

“
Now I’m a situation?” Philip asked, sounding more jovial now that his friends had arrived.

“
You’ve always been a situation,” Captain Avery remarked as he motioned for a footman to serve him.

“
Well, since you are here – uninvited, I might add – perhaps you can talk some sense into our friend here.” Cordie gestured to Philip. “It seems the good major feels he is well enough to travel to Pappelwick tomorrow.”

“
Tomorrow?” Captain Avery scoffed. “I hardly think Doctor Watts would agree.”

“
Well, I’m not asking for his opinion,” Philip replied. “I feel perfectly fine, thank you for your concern.” Then he glanced to his side at the lieutenant. “But while we are on the subject of
not
asking for opinions, Tristan, do you mind explaining why I suddenly have Irish guards hanging about?”

A boyish twinkle lit the lieutenant’s eyes. “You needed guarding, perhaps? And they were available.” He looked at his sister. “You’ll make sure they get fed, won’t you?”

She agreed with a nod. “I’ve already seen to it. But a little warning might have been nice, Tris.”

The lieutenant shrugged. “As long as they aren’t a nuisance, I don’t know what all the fuss is about.”

“
They haven’t been a nuisance, have they?” the captain asked.

Cordie shook her head. “They are both charming. I was just surprised to find them camped out on my stoop.”

Lieutenant Avery heaved a sigh. “Killing two birds with one stone, I suppose.”

“
Oh?” Philip asked.

“
I happened upon O’Leary from the 27th the other night.” He shuddered. “Awful place no decent person should ever be found.”

“
Then what were you doing there?” Cordie asked.

Lieutenant Avery shifted a bit in his seat as though he didn’t want to answer his sister’s question. “Stumbled in by mistake?” he suggested.

“
You aren’t attempting to take certain matters in your own hands, are you, Tristan?” Cordie prodded. “Mr. Blackaby was very clear on the subject.”

The lieutenant shrugged. “I don’t have any idea what you could possibly mean, Cor.” He turned his gaze on Philip, which seemed more like a distraction technique than anything else. “You should have seen the poor man.”

“
Lost his arm at Waterloo,” Philip said softly. “He’s a good fellow. Our cots were near each other in the surgeon’s tent after the battle.”

Lieutenant Avery nodded in agreement. “And he hasn’t seen a bit of luck since that day, I’m afraid.”

“
That’s true for a lot of men, returned home from the continent,” Captain Avery added. “No positions to be found, but mouths still need to be fed.”

“
O’Leary can’t find work?” Philip asked, his brow furrowing.

“
None of them can,” the lieutenant continued. “O’Leary’s only ever known farming, but he doesn’t have a spot of land, and now there’s his arm. Murphy has a sick mother. Byrne has a wife and a little bundle on the way. And Kelly has a sister who he’s responsible for.” He sat a little taller.

“
Mr. Kelly mentioned his sister today. Didn’t he, Amelia?” Cordie said.

“
Yes.” Amelia nodded.

Captain Avery seemed unconcerned about Kelly or his sister and leveled his eyes on Philip. “And the others remember Mason from Belgium. They could pick him out of a crowd from a mile away.”

Cordie frowned as she sat forwards in her seat, as though to catch her brothers’ attention. “So we’ve met Mr. Kelly and Mr. Byrne. But who are O’Leary and Murphy?”

“
A couple other fellows from the 27th. They’ll be trading shifts with Kelly and Byrne,” the lieutenant explained.

“
And we’re paying them all better than anything they could find on their own,” the captain tossed in for good measure.

“
I’m sure you are,” Philip said, “but I hardly think I need guarding.”

Amelia wasn’t so certain he was right about that, but she held her tongue. At least for the moment.

“
So humor us,” Lieutenant Avery replied. “O’Leary and the others are not the sort to take charity, all that Irish pride.” He heaved a sigh. “So I thought it was a fantastic idea to have them keep an eye on you, and in return we could help a few men in the process. Good men who deserve better than they’ve gotten so far.”

Philip shook his head. “And you plan to keep them on indefinitely? That’s ridiculous, Tris. They need real jobs, not playing nursemaid to me.”

“
I thought Amelia was your nursemaid,” Captain Avery chuckled.

“
I think keeping you alive is a perfectly respectable job,” Cordie interjected, ignoring her brother completely. “Don’t you agree, Brendan?”

Lord Clayworth heaved a sigh. “Keep me out of this,
mon minouche
. Then I won’t have to lie if Blackaby asks me if I know anything.”

Philip’s frown darkened. “O’Leary was a farmer, you say?”

Lieutenant Avery nodded.

“
I need a steward. I’ve been managing the Park on my own, but I could use some help.”

“
That’s a brilliant cover,” Captain Avery agreed with gusto. “Do you need a trio of footmen by chance? I’d love to have Murhpy, Byrne, or Kelly always close at hand.”

“
I do not need three footmen.” Philip narrowed his eyes on the captain. “Nor do I need guarding.”

Stubborn man.

Amelia cleared her throat. “I wish you’d had someone at your back before Mr. Mason took a shot at you.”

The room quieted and all eyes turned to her, but Philip’s dark gaze burned the hottest, making tingles skitter across her skin and the memory of their afternoon in her chambers flash in her mind. Her cheeks heated.

“
I mean,” Amelia continued, certain she was blushing profusely. “I don’t want to lose you. And really, what harm is there in it? In letting these men ensure your safety?”

“
You want me to take them all on?” Philip asked, his voice low and soft like a caress. “If this is what you desire, Amelia, I’ll agree.”

He’d do as she wished? Her strong, arrogant husband? What a heady feeling it was to realize he truly did care about her opinion. Amelia nodded. If the quartet of Irishmen could keep Philip safe, they were well worth their weight in gold.