by Platt, Meara
He laughed. “I knew you’d get it. This is why I love you, Belle. Your face is beautiful. Your body is beautiful. Your mind is sharp. Your heart is gentle and compassionate. How have I chosen badly?”
He finally reached for her and took her in his arms. “If you want me in here…if you’ve thought it through and are willing to accept the consequences…”
She nodded. “I have.”
“By consequences, I mean marrying me. Whether or not we’re caught. I want you, Belle. I want you with an ache that burns in my soul. I’m giving you fair warning, if you let me slip the gown off your luscious body, I’m taking that as your consent to marry me.”
She rested her head against his chest and nodded. “I will marry you. But I also want you to know that you may change your mind until the moment we exchange our vows. After that, I will hold you to every promise made to me in the eyes of the Church and our holy union.”
“Agreed.” He tipped her chin up and kissed her lightly on the lips. It was a long but gentle kiss. After a moment, he drew back and began to unpin her hair, running his fingers through it as it slowly tumbled down her back and over her shoulders.
He smiled.
The smile reached into his eyes, reflecting his enjoyment.
He lowered his head and kissed her again, this time untying her laces with a deftness that revealed he’d done this before. She knew by the gentle urgency in his next kiss, and the struggle to restrain himself, that she meant something important to him.
He slipped the gown off her body and slowly, sensually removed her undergarments until she stood barefoot, her toes curling into the elegant, Belgian weave carpet. She wore only her chemise, although she may as well have been wearing nothing at all since his gaze seemed to burn straight through the sheer fabric to rake over her bare skin.
He had yet to do more than kiss her…and undress her, of course. She did not realize how exciting it could be to have him remove her clothes. Every part of her body was throbbing, and she felt an urgent thrum in the most unexpected places.
Instead of removing her chemise, he stopped and began to undress himself, taking off his jacket, vest, and cravat. He chuckled as she took each garment from him and neatly folded it over her chair. “Next time,” he said, “we’ll be tossing our clothes haphazardly on the floor, sparing not a care for them.”
“We will?”
He nodded.
Her breath caught as he removed his shirt to reveal the strength and breadth of his body. His stomach was lean and flat, exposing taut, rippled flesh. His chest was hard and smooth to the touch. His arms were as hard as the trunk of an oak tree and felt quite warm as she ran her palms along their bulging muscles. She felt the ugly, puckered scar where he’d been shot. But it only added to his allure. Nor could she resist curling her fingers in the spray of dark hair across his chest.
Unable to help herself, she closed her eyes, eager to soak in every sensation. Touch. She ran her hands along his arms and felt every sculpted sinew. She reached up and feathered kisses along his neck and jaw and finally upon his lips. He tasted of wine and currants from the Banbury cakes he’d eaten earlier. Taste.
He growled low in his throat, seemingly pleased she was not behaving like a shy miss. She loved the sensual sound of his satisfaction. But how far did she dare go? Would he be horrified and disgusted if she became exceedingly wanton? How far was too far for a young lady when encouraging a man to claim her body?
She knew she ought to be having second thoughts. But being with Finn felt so very right. Her mind was in too much of a muddle to make sense of all the reasons why, but did it really matter? He was perfect for her, and he’d told her she was perfect for him.
He was very good at analyzing things.
She trusted him, and he always made perfect sense.
Yes, that word—perfect—always popped into her head when thinking of Finn.
She liked the way he looked at her, as though he wanted to devour her.
He always smelled divine, too. Today, his scent was of musk and male heat. She recognized another of her cologne fragrances called Gladiator.
Oh, it suited this man!
The fragrance was a hint of spice mingled with essence of musk deer. The scent of musk alone tended to entice women, but adding that trace of spice seemed to turn up the furnace, somehow arousing a woman’s senses to the point of wanting to claw the shirt off a man’s back.
Indeed, it was potent.
She knew what was in the formula. Indeed, she had created it. And yet, she was helpless to resist it.
If this was not the scent of love, she did not know what else could be.
“Belle,” he said with a soft, laughing groan. “Why are you sniffing me?”
“Oh, forgive me. I was going through the senses in my mind, and you know how important the sense of smell is to me. You’re wearing Gladiator.”
“Yes, I didn’t realize it was another of yours. I’m not surprised.”
“It suits you.”
He ran his hands up her body to ease the chemise off her and toss it onto his pile of clothing. He drew in a long, deep breath as he studied her, absorbing and memorizing her every curve. “You’re beautiful.”
He cupped her face in his hands and gently tilted her head upward, at the same time lowering his mouth to hers. The first kiss was sweet. The second, deeper and longer. The third was not a kiss so much as a trail of kisses from her cheek, to her jaw, a few nibbles at her ear and along her neck. Then he cupped her breast and bent his head to suckle the rosy bud.
If she were a bird capable of flying, she’d be soaring off the floor this very instant. “Finn!” Fireworks exploded in her body. “Merciful heaven, what are you doing?”
“Touching you, love. Tasting you.” He started to ease away. “Do you want me to stop?”
“Are you mad? Of course not. It’s just…oh. Do you know what you are doing to me?”
“I have an inkling.” He lifted her in his arms. “There’s more. I’ve hardly gotten started.”
“You’re only just starting?”
He sighed. “I had better stop. We aren’t married and—”
“We will be, Finn. Unless you change your mind. If you do, then this is even more important to me, for I won’t have any other man touch me. How could I when he isn’t you? My reluctance was never about my feelings for you.”
“I know, love.” He carried her to bed, setting her down on her back while he settled over her, his elbows bent to absorb the brunt of his weight atop her.
Then there were no more words, no more gazing into his exquisite eyes as she closed her own and simply took in each sensation. She never understood the power of the senses until this moment. Before, they’d been just words on a page in a book about love. But as he suckled and teased the peak of one breast and then shifted to suckle the other, his hands roamed along her body, setting little fires wherever he touched. She knew their hearts would be bound forever after this night.
“Lord, your scent is intoxicating.”
She didn’t understand what he meant by it. “I’m not wearing perfume or fragrant oils. Is it the oatmeal soap again? And I did use a little bit of lavender to wash my hair for the party.”
“It’s the natural scent of you. The womanly scent of your skin. Your essence stripped bare.” He kissed the swell of her breast and began to kiss his way further down her body.
He suddenly stopped himself and groaned.
“Don’t, Finn. I’m not afraid of anything with you. Why did you stop?”
“You’re a virgin.”
She wasn’t certain why this was suddenly important. “Are you afraid to hurt me?”
“No, this ought to be quite pleasurable for you. But it will shock you.”
“More pleasurable than shocking? Or more shocking than pleasurable?”
He kissed her lightly on the belly. “More pleasurable by far…once you get over the initial surprise.”
“Show me.” When she smiled,
he spread her legs and eased his shoulders between them. She didn’t stop him. She was already wild for him, and he’d already touched her intimately there with his fingers as though to ready her for something exquisite.
When his mouth closed over her slick core, she thought she would expire. Whatever sensations of pleasure she’d experienced moments before were nothing to the molten heat she now experienced at the touch of his lips and tongue. Dear heaven! Is this what their nights would be as husband and wife?
She wanted this.
She wanted him to know her in every way, to inhale her scent and touch her, taste her. Kiss her. She wanted to know him in the same way. She wanted to claim him, and at the same time, belong to him.
As he continued to work his wicked magic, she felt herself burning up inside.
Not merely burning, but a strange pressure was building within her body. She didn’t know quite how to describe it, perhaps like the hot bubble of a volcano about to erupt. The pressure built and overwhelmed her and finally took over her body, sending it soaring to the sky in a great, fiery burst. “Finn!”
He continued his relentless onslaught even as she gasped and softly cried his name over and over again. “Finn. Finn.”
The fire would not stop. Waves of heat flowed through her body, rolling like an unstoppable current through every limb and pore. She tingled and shuddered several times before her body exploded in an exquisite burst of pleasure.
She’d heard whispers from her married cousins about the joys of sharing intimacy with the one they loved. They’d spoken of stars and fireworks, and she finally understood why. With Finn, she saw starlight and moonbeams and comets streaking across the sky.
Finn rolled off her as she began to calm, taking her in his arms and holding her gently. “I love you, Belle. I love you with all my heart,” he said over and over again until she was once more herself.
No, she would never be herself again, for a part of her belonged to him now.
She snuggled against him, her face burrowing into his chest and her arms wrapping around his neck. He was unclothed from the waist up. She was completely unclothed. Yet, she was glad she was. She wanted to feel him against her skin. His body was hot, perhaps not on fire as hers had been, but he was clearly affected by what they’d just done.
Well, he’d been the one actively doing. She’d been actively receiving. “Finn, there should be more. Shouldn’t there be?”
She felt his hardness against her hip.
“Yes, love. But not tonight. I’ll have my turn next time. Were I to claim you now, it would leave a mark on your sheets.”
She nodded against his chest, knowing it was for the best. If he took her innocence, he would never back out of marrying her. Not that what they’d done only moments ago was remotely innocent. She’d never realized how wonderfully naughty such pleasures could be. Indeed, she never knew such pleasures existed until Finn had shown her.
But despite her wanton behavior, she was still…a maiden.
It sounded awful.
He’d left her in her virginal state on purpose, not for his sake, but for hers. He meant to protect her innocence if things went wrong when dealing with Lord Fortesque.
She closed her eyes and held onto him tightly. “I love you, Finn.”
He laughed affectionately. “Bravo, sweetheart. I never thought to hear you say it so soon.”
“I never thought I would, but it’s important for you to know how I feel. And how much I fear your confronting Lord Fortesque. I’ve just found you. I don’t want to lose you.”
“You won’t, love.”
“Promise me, and mean it, Finn.”
“I promise. I have no intention of allowing that fiend to get the better of me.”
If only she could believe him. If only his promise was enough to keep him safe. But Belle was so worried. What would happen when Finn confronted Lord Fortesque, that horrid beast of Oxford?
Chapter Thirteen
Dawn broke to reveal another beautiful June morning in the offing. Finn sat quietly at the breakfast table with Belle, her family, and the guests who had remained overnight. They would depart shortly, and then the difficult business would start.
Finn couldn’t take his eyes off Belle throughout the morning. What they’d done last night! Glory to the heavens! He’d never imagined having such a night before they were officially wed. He’d never imagined doing more than kissing her gently and then leaving her bedchamber before anything more happened.
He ought to have known he had the resistance of a jellyfish when it came to this girl. Yes, he was a low, spineless jellyfish, for it had taken nothing to turn his thoughts to mindless rutting. One glance at her spectacular body, and he was lost to all reason.
Nor could he stop himself from smiling at her now. Every time he did, her cheeks turned fiery red. It was a good feeling, knowing she’d enjoyed her first adventure. That she’d trusted him, had chosen him to be the only man to ever touch her. It made him preen like a peacock.
He tried not to smile again, but he couldn’t help it.
She shot daggers at him with her gaze, blushed again, then shook her head and joined him in the intimate smile.
Yes, his heart was lost to this girl.
By the time the Farthingales finally saw the last of their guests off, it was late morning. Finn turned to Belle. “Care to take a walk with me?”
Belle’s cousin, Dahlia, looked at her. “Holly is taking Heather and me into Oxford for the day. Joshua said he would accompany us. Would you like to join us?”
“No,” Belle replied. “Honey and I had better stay behind to help Mother. I’m sure there’s lots to be done putting the house back to order.”
Dahlia frowned. “Oh, how thoughtless of us. We’ll stay and help out.”
“Nonsense,” Honey said, taking Dahlia by the arm and walking her toward the door where Joshua and Holly were already standing. “We’ll be done well before supper. I’ll tell you what, if we finish early, we’ll join you at the tea shop at three o’clock.”
“But don’t wait for us,” Belle added, herding Heather out as well. She lowered her voice to a whisper. “Father’s leg is still sore, and Mother looks a little fatigued. We might just stay home and look after them today. I’ll pretend it’s me who’s feeling under the weather. I don’t wish to embarrass them. Father, especially. He’s awfully proud.”
Her cousins nodded conspiratorially and grinned at Finn, who had followed them into the entry hall. “We understand.” They peered over Belle’s head to stare at him. “Will you ask for her hand today? Is this why you really want us out from underfoot?”
“Yes,” Finn replied.
Belle gasped. “He’s jesting.”
Dahlia rolled her eyes. “Honestly, Belle. We all can see it. He’s madly in love with you. He practically devoured you for breakfast.” They hurried off, giggling.
Belle waved cheerily to her cousins while their carriage rolled down the drive on its way into the heart of Oxford. Once they were out of sight, she turned to him in dismay. “Oh, I’m dreading this.”
Finn took her hand as they entered the house. “I know, love. I’ll be by your side. Ready?”
She nodded.
Finn kept her hand in his, telling himself it was to quietly support her. But he also knew what had happened between them last night was something quite extraordinary, and he simply did not want to let her go.
He knew Belle had a beautiful body, but to see her in the moonlight, her tawny curls in a lush cascade down her back, her skin as soft as silk and her eyes glowing as bright as starlight, he felt as though he’d stepped into a dream that he never wanted to end.
He quickly shook out of the thought when they returned to the drawing room. Neither sister was smiling as they dismissed the footmen before shutting the door behind them and drawing up chairs beside their parents. For Belle and her sister, this was no dream but the start of a nightmare.
“What’s wrong, my dears?” their father aske
d, his love for his girls so obvious, it tugged at Finn’s heart.
This is how he would feel if he and Belle had daughters. His heart would be so full of love for them, it would be filled to bursting. Was it any wonder the man was eating his guts out over this sad affair?
Belle took a deep breath. “We know.”
Her parents exchanged panicked glances before her father spoke again. “What are you talking about?”
“We know Lord Fortesque has been blackmailing you. And we know why.” She turned to her mother and gave her hand a light squeeze as tears began to fill her mother’s eyes. “We found the hidden drawer and the proof of your first marriage.”
Both parents glanced at Finn in alarm.
He was the outsider, and they feared he would reveal their secret.
Belle looked up at him with love in her eyes. “We can speak freely with Finn. He knows everything. He’s reviewed your ledgers, and he’s the one who found the secret drawer.”
Finn stepped forward to stand by Belle’s side. “What happened in your past is safe with me. I intend to marry Belle. Nothing will ever change how I feel about her.”
“You’re serious about marrying our Belle?” Her father sounded so beaten, and yet so desperately hopeful, it hurt to look at him.
Finn nodded.
“Thank goodness,” her mother said in a quiet sob.
“Mother,” Honey said gently, “tell us what happened.”
Their parents’ faces were ashen, both of them openly sobbing. “I married young. He went off to sea shortly after we were wed, and then I was told he’d died. I met your father soon after. We built a wonderful, happy life.”
Her husband put his arm around her shoulders. “Never fear, my love. We’ll get through this together…as we’ve gotten through all of our difficulties. I think Mr. Brayden has put the sentiment quite well. Nothing will ever change how I feel about you.”
Belle’s mother shook her head. “I’ve brought this shame upon us. I’ve destroyed my own daughters.”
Belle and Honey took turns hugging her. “You haven’t. You’ve given us nothing but love and made a good home for us.”
