Everything You Are: Everything For You Trilogy 3

by Orla Bailey

  “Whatever your answer to me here today, I want you to know I pledge myself to you before all my family and friends, for all eternity. I will love no other woman as long as I breathe. I don’t want to waste another precious second of my life without you beside me.

  “Tabitha, I love you, beyond all my ability to express it. You make me strive to become a better man. And my courage is failing. I don’t know what I’ll do if this doesn’t turn out the way I want it to.

  “Please gather the fragments of my incomplete heart in your hands and make me whole again. Tabitha, my soul’s ease, would you honour me beyond all hope and consent to become my wife?”

  His voice almost disappears. These words are for me. “Marry me?”

  I swear no-one in the room even cares about breathing anymore. I feel all wills strain towards mine. This is all I’ve dreamed of for so long. This man truly loves me. He wants me. He’s always wanted me. And only me. What more precious life could I possibly hope to live than with my heart’s desire? Jack. What bleak future would lie beyond all hope of him? I have no idea. It’s something I don’t ever wish to contemplate again.

  I give voice to my tumbling thoughts. “Even when I dream I’m with you. I’ve loved you forever. I love you, Jack, like I love no-one else on earth. I want to be with you so much. Yes, I want to marry you. I will marry you. You make me so happy.” I burst into tears.

  Jack slips the beautiful pink diamond onto my outstretched finger. It’s mine. It’s always been mine. And Jack is mine, for ever.

  The world tilts on its axis as the room erupts. Where Jack was on his knee, he’s on his feet; where my feet touched the ground, they fly; where silence reigned, mayhem ensues. Jack crushes me to him and kisses the erratic breath from my body. He wipes the tears from my face.

  “Don’t cry, kitten.”

  “I won’t.” I cry a whole lot more.

  People explode onto the stage to congratulate us, pumping Jack’s hand, slapping him on the back and grasping me in bear hugs as I’m passed from hand to hand, now laughing through the tears. Everyone wants to see the amazing ring that Jack bought for me four years ago.

  Jack and I have little chance of holding one another with the swell and press of so many delighted bodies between us. But it doesn’t matter. He’s mine and I’m his. Every stolen glance in each other’s direction confirms it.

  Liam’s voice can be heard above the clamour. “Charge your glasses everybody and drink a toast to the happy couple.”

  People rush for their glass of Talisker whisky and now I understand why Jack brought it here. To drink to his future. To our future. The toast is called and the change in activity enables him to fight his way through to me. He grabs my hand and drags me away to the relative protection of his family as the band comes on stage to play dance music and restore us to some sort of civilised order.

  “Enjoy the dancing,” Jack calls out as people flood onto the floor.

  We receive the best wishes of Jack’s family. Such happy faces and I’m certain mine must be the happiest. My jaw aches from grinning, my fingers from flashing the huge diamond on demand.

  Jack pours me a full glass of Champagne. “Go on. Indulge. You’ve already said yes. And a deal is a deal.” He quirks an eyebrow at me. “I have witnesses.”

  I laugh. “Hundreds of them.” He leaves nothing to chance.

  I can’t drink much Champagne as he’s kissing me so much. But his kisses go straight to my head quicker than any fizz. I’m dizzy with happiness. Jack’s family are thrilled for him and I feel totally honoured they’ve welcomed me to their hearts. I’ll never be alone again. My children will never be alone.

  Children? I haven’t even thought about children. I turn to Jack and simply blurt it out, much to everyone’s amusement. “Do you want children?”

  He stares at me, soberly, sweetly. “Endless children.”

  “Okay.” Right now nothing seems too daunting to accomplish.

  Over the course of time, Jack slips me away. We head upstairs to one of the bedrooms. His.

  “Should we be doing this?” I ask. “With everyone downstairs. They’re bound to notice us missing.” My protest is half-hearted. I want him as much as he wants me.

  He strokes a stray lock of hair from my face. “Suddenly so prudish, kitten, now you have a ring on your finger?” He gives a theatrical sigh.

  He’s teasing but I blush anyway. “You’ve made me so happy, Jack. Thank you for asking me to marry you.”

  “Thank you for accepting me, baby. You’ve made me even happier.”

  I feel powerful tonight. Suddenly in the mood to tease this man who’s now mine. “What would you have done, if I’d said no?” I arch my eyebrow, fully expecting him to comment on it.

  He merely runs his thumb gently across its arch. “I would have kept on asking until I got the answer I wanted.”

  “You’re so devious.”

  “I get what I want.”

  “What do you want?”

  “You.”

  I skim my fingers over his beautiful features. “You always had power over me.”

  “Yet it seems I haven’t cured this wayward eyebrow, have I?”

  “I don’t want you to cure me of anything. I don’t want a single thing to change from the way it is tonight.”

  His smile is tender. Indulgent. “I don’t want to cure you of anything either. I love you exactly as you are.” His blue eyes grow smoky and hot. “You own me, kitten. I want you so badly.”

  “I want you too.” The thought is enchanting. I love this man so much.

  “But I’ve brought you up here not to enjoy your delicious body but because I have an engagement gift to give you.” He nuzzles my neck anyway, making me needy as hell.

  “I love your presents.” I think of the eternal knot pendant and the silver and jade cuff, I think of the pink diamond, all of which I’m wearing. They mean the world to me.

  “I love yours too.” He shoots his cuffs to let me see the eternal knot cufflinks I once threw across the floor at Belvedere, thinking he was mocking me. He laughs at the recollection.

  “Nothing could be better than this.” I display my diamond. But Jack is such a thoughtful gift giver. I wonder what he has decided on this time.

  He walks over to the desk and lifts a document folder, turns and hands it to me. I stare at him waiting for a clue.

  “Open it.”

  I perch, excitedly, on the edge of the bed and undo the ties as he sits down beside me. I flip open the cover. My eyes scan rapidly and then again. Tears well up. “The title deeds to Lassec.”

  “It belongs to you now. Just as it should.”

  I throw my arms round his neck and hug him tightly. He knows how very much that place means to me. “Thank you, Jack. I love you so much.”

  “You’d better. I can’t take it back now. The whole estate is yours. Now I’ll always know where to find you when you run from me.”

  “I’m not going to run from you.”

  “You might feel like it sometimes.”

  “Is it going to be a very bumpy ride?” I ask.

  “Thrilling, scary, every up and down, twist and turn, you can imagine –”

  “– and then some.”

  “You’re getting the picture.” He pauses. “I know I’m not an easy man to live with at times…”

  I arch my eyebrow higher. He smiles indulgently at my testing of these new waters and soothes it back down again. I let him.

  “I’m domineering and forceful and will still want my own way with you…”

  “Sounds perfect.”

  “Just show me the way to be perfect for you.” His eyes shine with sincerity. “And I’ll listen.”

  “The same goes for me.”

  “You’re already perfect for me. And I’m happy I’ve made you happy with this gift. Think of it as Harry’s gift too. He always intended Lassec to be yours.”

  He did and it’s very considerate of Jack to remember that and generous of him to
act on it. “Madame will be so happy when she knows.”

  “She already knows. I engaged French lawyers to represent all the tenants and ensure their full tenancy rights are being met.”

  “You’re such a good man, Jack.” My admiration for him keeps on growing.

  “I try to be. Now perhaps we’d better return to the party before I also give my fiancée something she doesn’t want. A reputation. Besides I want to dance.”

  “With me?”

  He looks at me incredulously for my naivety. “With every woman here. I’m not married yet.”

  I slap at him as he ducks, laughing. “You are so going to turn into your father.”

  He pulls me against him and kisses my exasperation away. “My dancing begins and ends with you, kitten,” he says as we head back downstairs. “Always.”

  “Unless, of course, I can dance with every man.”

  I swear I hear him growl. “Don’t be unrealistic, kitten. I’m not that reformed. There’d be blood.”

  Hours later as the party slowly dwindles, Jack talks quietly to Con. They shake hands. Afterwards he comes across the ballroom and whisks me back upstairs to his bedroom.

  “You gave me bad ideas,” he warns. “I’ve asked my brother to escort everyone back tonight. It’s tradition for immediate family to meet for Sunday breakfast the day after the Derby but I can’t bear the thought of sending you off to your room at home while I’m banished to mine. Not tonight. Tonight I need you.”

  “I’ve been lonely sleeping without you.” Now I can cast all the lonely nights I’ve ever slept without Jack, finally aside.

  He operates the key card, propels me through the doorway and shoves me back against the nearest wall. He crushes me with a strength of purpose as his thighs, hips and stomach lock me into place and his hands rest flush against the wall on either side of my head.

  His mouth descends over mine until he stops a mere whisper from contact allowing only his breath to caress my heated skin. I lick my lips in complete frustration but know he won’t be hurried. He intends this slow, thorough seduction to be completely on his terms.

  “Jack? You’re waiting.”

  “Impatient, kitten?” he sports.

  I nod vigorously. Without a hand touching my skin I feel the heat of him like I’ve never felt it before, burning through my clothing. Its flames lick up my calves, tickle the backs of my knees and make my thighs quiver. A molten surge powers through me as I feel warm liquidity gather and flood.

  I stretch my neck to close the gap between our lips but he jerks back and again, back until I understand and surrender control to him. The second I submit, his hot mouth angles and slides across mine as I soften before him.

  The pressure of his lips working mine sends shock waves down my nerve endings, radiating out across my entire body, fixing at my core. I wilt, all power fading. Only the force of his gentle thrusting keeps me pinned against the wall.

  The palms of my hands find the cool, smooth surface of the wall behind me but his hands seek them out and lift them one at a time over my head where he pins them together, causing my spine to arch and my breasts to thrust.

  “Stay put.” His words are not to be disobeyed.

  “Yes, Jack.” I give my agreement.

  Confident in my compliance he slides down my body to the floor, running his hands over breasts and waist and hips. He lifts my silver gown slightly and, lifting my foot, rolls his tongue over the exposed anklebone.

  As his hands slowly raise the garment inch by unhurried inch, his mouth explores the flesh he uncovers. He moves my feet apart, vaulted in their high heels and presses firm kisses to my calves. At the back of each knee he teases and blows until my joints twitch.

  He suckles up each inner thigh, higher and higher until I find myself rising onto tiptoe and moaning to escape the brutal beauty of each bite. I whimper but Jack continues to shift the garment from his path, to suck and tongue and nip.

  He tucks the gown between the small of my back and the wall so it remains when his hands are removed and presses hot firm kisses to my lingerie-covered flesh.

  “Touch yourself.”

  My eyes fly open and I see him on his knees at my feet, leaning backwards, breathing heavily, his arms supporting his weight behind him.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Put your hand inside your panties and touch while I watch you.”

  This is no mixed message. He holds my nervous gaze to steady me as my fingers seek the elastic at the top of my panties and dip inside.

  Jack’s eyes roll down to where the action is, watching lustfully. His excitement surges making me grow bolder. My fingers trip over the short trimmed strip of hair that has grown slowly back since I waxed until they reach my hot, damp cleft.

  “Are you wet for me, kitten?”

  “Drowning.”

  Jack groans with as much pleasure as if he has felt it himself. “Slide your fingers softly and slowly. Tell me what you’re feeling.” He undoes his silk cravat and takes the jacket off his shoulders. Now I can’t take my eyes off him and the way he teases me as he undresses.

  I moan when my fingers make contact with that shimmering mass of nerves. They circle, my body being too sensitive to touch directly. “It feels like hands all over my body.”

  I close my eyes to revel in the twanging sensations flooding my being.

  “Tease more.”

  I pant with solid exhalations of harsh breath as my pace increases. My knees bend, my hips thrust and my nipples stiffen and peak.

  “Use your thumb so you can put fingers up inside you.”

  I moan louder. My eyelids half closed, my eyes lose focus. I exist only in the sensations pouring through my flesh. I startle when Jack’s hands tug down my panties to my knees. Lost, I didn’t hear him move.

  “Don’t stop. You’re beautiful when you’re aroused, baby.”

  His chest is naked now. I reach out my unoccupied hand and he kneels up to allow me just a touch of golden skin before he pulls back again to observe me.

  While I play, he stands. He tugs the dress straps from my shoulders exposing my breasts. His hands cover them, touching and squeezing. He takes my nipples between his fingers and applies firm pressure until I gasp.

  “Is this what you do when I’m not there?”

  “Yes.”

  “That’s the image I want to take with me whenever I’m away from home.”

  “Don’t go away,” I plead.

  Jack undoes his trousers and lets them fall to the floor, stepping out.

  I look at his erection struggling to escape the restrictions of his underwear and scrape my teeth impatiently across the engorged bulge of my lower lip. He shucks off his underwear and takes himself in hand, stroking up and down the length. My fingers grind in and out of my body and my thumb sweeps rhythmically as I weaken, nearing orgasm. All my muscles spasm in readiness.

  “Jack could you… would you?”

  “You want this, baby?” He presents his next gift to me.

  “Please.”

  “You want me, I’m yours.”

  He steps close, his rock hard nakedness impelling itself against every soft curve I possess. He raises my thigh over one arm, positions himself and thrusts full-length into me. I throw my arms round his neck as he pounds me into the wall.

  An instant orgasm overwhelms me and I cry out. Jack tightens, hitches his breath and follows me into the abyss with a long guttural exhalation.

  “I love fucking you, baby.”

  “I fucking love you too.” I scarcely breathe in the wake of my bodily tremors.

  He smiles indulgently. “I love everything about you, baby. Even that dirty little mouth.” He licks it cleaner then pulls his head back and regards me with some degree of amusement in his eyes. “Yet I could swear I was marrying a well-bred young woman.”

  “Who has just suffered a serious seeing to, up against the wall, by some real gentleman.”

  His eyebrows wing at my sarcasm. He grabs me,
still solid inside and I squeal.

  “You prefer to use the bed then, madam?”

  “Occasionally preferable, sir. Although the rug in front of the fire comes a close second.”

  He falls onto the bed taking me with him in a tangled waterfall of silver silk. “Not the kitchen counter or the dining room table?”

  “They have their charms, of course.” I wince as he eases his body from my slick, swollen flesh. “But boat sex beats anything.”

  Jack throws back his head and roars. “I’m marrying a woman with whom I’m in complete sexual accord.”

  “Anywhere, anytime, anyhow?”

  “You may live to regret that appealing offer, kitten.” He gives me all the signals that he’s nearly good to go for round two as he starts caressing my naked breasts.

  I groan. “How come you always recover before I do?”

  “Easy. I waited so long, I can’t get enough of you. Especially now you’re mine.” He flips me over and strips the disarrayed garment from my limp body. “Don’t worry,” he murmurs, covering me, nuzzling at the juncture between my neck and my shoulder. “This time I’ll do all the hard work.”

  He spends the night proving his stamina is legendary. I figure I’m either going to end up the smuggest, most satisfied woman on the planet or the deadest and I’m not taking bets on either.

  I will place my winnings on being the happiest, though.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Jack and I stay up late keeping busy and get up early with exactly the same thing on our minds.

  “I should be exhausted,” I admit, after our latest dawn reprise. I’m surprised by all this energy. It nearly matches his.

  “The power of love, kitten,” Jack explains.

  We shower off the worst ravages of our debauchery and head back early for breakfast with the family and to avoid the worst of their ragging for being dirty stop-outs. I like the fact Jack is mindful of showing respect to his parents, no matter what he has achieved in his life.