His lips ravished her sweet mouth, her tongue tangling in the dance of desire while her body surged up to meet his touch. Her wetness increased, and she moaned in his mouth. He stopped abruptly.
“Don’t,” she protested.
“I’m only going to move us to a more comfortable position.” He blew out the one candle and picked her up. He’d seen the placement of her bed and headed in that direction. He sat her on the edge. “Lay back and open your legs for me. I want to sip your sweet honey.”
As though in a dream, she did as he said. He brushed her filmy skirt aside and knelt before her. His fingers opened her to him. He separated her pink, swollen lips and drank in the sight of her. His mouth covered her clit, and his tongue darted back and forth across the sensitive area. Her body moved against his lips.
Two of his fingers slipped inside her opening and caressed the satin skin. He moved his fingers in and out of her vagina.
His tongue licked along the sides of her lower lips and replaced his fingers at her sensitive opening. She whimpered. He lifted his head. “Am I hurting you?”
She shook her head no. He grinned and bent back to his sweet task. His hands covered her breast again, and his fingers danced over her nipples.
* * * *
Rafe’s hands, lips, and tongue bombarded her body with heat along every nerve ending. She raised her body in a bow. The pleasure almost agony.
“I need you, please.”
He stood and uncovered his cock. Placing himself at her entrance he leaned over and covered her mouth with his. He entered in one swift plunge sending waves of desire coursing through her body. He surged in and out, hard and fast, his own wave catching him quickly, and he emptied his seed inside her. His hands framed her face as he looked deeply into her eyes.
“I have to go.” He pulled back and covered her with her gown. “I hate to, but your parents might hear us or come to check on you. Meet me at the cave tomorrow. It’s obvious I need to spend more time convincing you that you’ll always be mine.”
Before she protested, he’d slipped out of the room. When she hurried to the door, he was out of sight. She leaned her head against the hard wood of the closed door. Damn him. Her body still pulsed with desire. He’d made sure she wouldn’t ignore his invitation.
* * * *
Rafe had not told her what time to meet him, but Ellie dressed in her old riding habit and tiptoed downstairs. She’d hoped to get past her parents on her way to the stables. No luck. Her father came out of the dining room a harsh frown on his face.
“Please join your mother and me.” He motioned her into the room. Her mother sat staring at the newspaper. She raised her head and handed the paper to Ellie.
“Perhaps you can explain this to your father and me?”
Almost afraid to touch the newspaper, Ellie took it gingerly out of her mother’s hands. “Read the first column under the town news.”
Black print seemed to jump out at her.
What country lady, the daughter of a baron, has used all her womanly charm to compromise a new duke. The country lady seems to be following in the improper footsteps of her grandmamma. Will the duke meet her demands or marry his long-suffering fiancée?
Ellie tried to pretend she didn’t understand the article. “What has this to do with us, Mama?”
“Do not lie to me, Eleanor,” her mother demanded. “You know I’ve feared you’d stepped beyond the bounds of propriety. I warned you not to become like my mother. Now you’ve brought disgrace to our family.”
“The duke will make this right.” Her father stomped across the room and stood by Ellie’s chair. “You have disappointed us, daughter. The gossips will have a wonderful time ripping you and our family apart. All the old stories about your grandmother will surface and embarrass your mother again. Still, once you are married, the
ton’s
fickle attention will seek fresher news.
“I
am going to confront the duke this morning.”
“Please wait, Papa.”
“No. We must address this immediately.” He strode out of the room. They heard his boots as he took quick, determined steps down the corridor. Ellie jumped up to follow him.
“Stop, Eleanor,” her mother commanded.
Ellie turned. “I have to find Rafe first. I’ll not have Papa insisting Rafe marry me. If he wants me for his wife and asks without encouragement from anyone else, then I’ll say yes. Never will I accept a forced proposal.” Ellie hurried along the passageway looking for her father. He was out of sight.
She called for Trudy. Hopefully, Rafe had already left his house for the day and he’d miss seeing Papa. Trudy came almost immediately.
“Tell the footman to see my horse is saddled and at the front door right away.”
Trudy nodded and walked away to pass on the message. Ellie watched out the window. The minutes moved slowly before she saw the groom leading her horse down the drive. He stopped and waited to help her mount.
Ellie swung herself onto her horse and settled her skirts. She waved to Trudy and took off, riding fast across the wide expanse of fields in the direction of Rafe’s hunting lodge.
When she arrived, she saw her father’s stallion tied to a tree in front. He came out the door, slamming it behind him, anger and frustration evident on his face.
“What are you doing here?” he asked and frowned up at Ellie. “Go home. I intend to wait for the duke to return.”
“Please, Papa, this is not the way to handle the situation.”
“And what would you suggest, daughter?”
“To ignore the whole episode. I’m sure that Lady Lavinia is behind the rumors. With time the gossip will fade away.”
“Your reputation will still be tarnished. No, the duke must marry you to make everything right.”
“I don’t want a man to ask me to marry him because my father insists.”
“You might have considered that before your behavior caused this trouble. I’ve suspected things were not as they appeared. It is my fault that I didn’t question you.”
Realizing she’d not be able to change his mind, Ellie turned her horse, waved at Papa, and rode toward home. As soon as she was out of sight, she changed directions toward the one place she hoped to find Rafe.
She didn’t see his horse at first. The sound of the waterfall and light mist from the water greeted her as she rode up. Ellie slid off her horse and tied the reins to a nearby tree. She stared across the pond, and saw a dark head moving in the direction of the waterfall. A tall, lean, naked figure stepped out of the water. She had a glimpse of tanned skin glistening with silver drops of water, and firm muscles rippled as he moved quickly and disappeared into the cave.
Without hesitation, Ellie shed her clothes and slipped into the cool water. Using firm strokes, she quickly crossed the small waterhole.
* * * *
At first, Rafe thought he was seeing a vision. A water nymph with long, shiny, golden-brown hair hanging across her shoulders and down her back to her waist. Full breasts tipped in a rose color stood out firmly, and her slim midriff flowed into curves and valleys, held up by long, shapely legs. When his eyes came back to her face, her sweet lips had curved into an inviting smile.
He moved from where he’d just begun to start a fire to stand in front of her. “I’d come here to prepare for an intimate picnic. The guest of honor is early, but I’m not complaining.”
His hand reached out and caressed the side of her face. “You have the loveliest skin,” he whispered to her.
Now his other hand touched the other side of her head. His fingers slid through the wet, slick strands of hair while he bent and covered her face with quick, light kisses. Her faint sigh brushed across his face as though a butterfly barely touched him. Otherwise, she didn’t move. She stood as a statue of loveliness offering herself to him. His groin tightened with desire.
His lips teased the side of her neck, moving along until he felt the beat of her heart pounding through the translucent skin. Her pulse beat more rapidly as he gave his dedicated attention to the area. But those gorgeous breasts tempted him to move on. His mouth closed over one breast as his tongue moved over and around the tight nipple. Her body trembled under his caresses. His cock hardened and rubbed against her abdomen. She started to move.
“Stand still. You have presented yourself to me as the most beautiful present. I intend to enjoy every inch of my gift.”
Leaving his fingers to rub her nipples, he moved the rest of his body down in front of her. He kissed her rib cage, her abdomen, and teased her belly button with his tongue. Her body swayed slightly.
“Open your legs.”
She did and the sweet smell of her arousal led him to her clit. His tongue licked the sensitive area. Her hands moved into his hair, holding on. Reaching down, he slid his fingers across her swollen, wet lower lips and moved one finger into her tight passage. She moaned, making his cock go even harder.
* * * *
Ellie’s body was on fire. Everywhere he touched or kissed burned with desire, the desire to have him in her, around her, taking her hard and fast. She wanted to move, but was torn between the almost painful arousal and the urge to respond, to cover his body with kisses and stroke his hard cock. Her thoughts flitted in and out as he licked and tasted her. At times, she was sure she’d fall. Her body swayed, ached, hungered for more.
Ah, his teeth rasped across her most sensitive area, and his fingers moved quicker in and out. She had to move her body more firmly against his mouth. The ripples started as his mouth suckled her clit.
“Can’t wait, can’t hold back.”
His hands gripped her hips. “Let go, love. Let go.”
Fire consumed her body. Her back taut, all she felt was his mouth, his hands grasping her tighter as she swayed then fell into his arms.
He slid her down to the ground, raised her hips, and went in her to the hilt. She screamed with the ecstasy. His mouth covered hers as he pounded into her. The feelings built again like a roaring fire taking over. At the last moment, he raised his head and stared into her eyes. “You are mine, and you will marry me. No one else will ever have you but me.” He pulled almost all the way out. She raised her head to plead.
“Do you agree,” his words sounded harsh.
“Yes, yes, I will marry you.”
“I love you,” he whispered into her ear, as he slid deeply inside of her, flinging her into space. Vaguely, she heard his cry of release as the spill of hot sperm flooded her womb.
He held her tightly as her tremors gradually subsided.
“I didn’t hurt you?” he asked, a concerned expression on his face.
She shook her head no. Her breathing, still hard, made it difficult to speak.
“Seeing you with someone else yesterday made me realize I’d never allow anyone else to have you.” He brushed the hair off her forehead. “I’d already told my stepmother and Lavinia that I planned to marry you. The shock of thinking I might be too late caused a sleepless night.”
Ellie curled into him. She brushed her hand across the soft hair on his chest. Her tongue licked at his nipples. She raised her head to look at him.
“Lord Turner is a good man and if I didn’t love you, I’d accept his offer. But no one can replace you in my heart. I’ve loved you for years. Before you went to war.”
He smiled. “That is why you didn’t accept those other proposals.”
She took in a deep breath, enjoying the smell of him. Her hand moved lower and cupped his sac. She watched as his cock began to arouse from the nest of black curls. Raising her head, she studied him. His blue eyes had darkened to almost black.
“So soon, my lord?”
He chuckled. “Only with you, my love. I don’t think we need to worry about my having an heir. We’ll marry soon as he may be already on the way.”
“And if we have a girl?”
“We’ll love her and watch her closely just in case she favors her mama.”
“Did you see the paper?” Ellie asked.
He nodded. “I’ve already sent a message to Lavinia’s parents describing the difficulty their daughter will have with the
ton
if any further articles appear. I’m sure her parents will understand my message and will see there are no more problems from their daughter.”
“The one was enough. Father is very upset and demanding you marry me.”
“Good. He’ll be pleased to see I’ve already taken care of his request.”
“We’d better dress and ride to your lodge. He said he intended to stay there until you returned.”
Rafe stood and held out his hand. “Race you across the pond.” Laughing, he ran through the waterfall and into the lake.
Ellie tried to catch up, but he held out a hand to help her onto the shore on the other side.
They quickly dressed and rode toward Rafe’s place. As she’d stated, her papa sat on the step by the front door. Rafe swung down and took brisk steps across the dirt path to greet him.
“I’m glad to see you, my lord. I intended to ride to your house to ask you an important question, but I ran into Ellie and she told me where to find you.”
Her father looked behind the duke to see Ellie on her horse. “I told you to go home.”