One Enchanted Evening (Marriage by Fairytale Book 2)

by Ruth Ann Nordin

  “Yes, I promise.” She gave him another kiss then started to work.

  ***

  The next three weeks flew by for Marcy. Each day, she and Lewis spent the morning going for a walk after they ate. Then they spent the afternoon cleaning. The evenings were spent playing games before they retired to bed. She’d never been happier in her entire life.

  Halfway into the fourth week, it was time to get started on her bedchamber. Lewis didn’t seem to be as intimidated by the prospect of cleaning it anymore, which surprised her since he’d looked overwhelmed when he first showed her the room.

  She had gone in there from time to time to clean a little bit here and there, but she hadn’t given it the deep cleaning it needed. One thing she would tackle after the room was done was the bedding. That was something that could wait, especially since she was more than happy to stay in Lewis’ bed. But at some point, that would need to be done, too.

  After she gathered the bedding and set it downstairs where the laundry supplies were, she and Lewis carried four hot buckets upstairs and started cleaning the floor. As they often did, she took one side of the room and he took another.

  On this particular day while she was scrubbing her side of the floor, Lewis picked up his buckets and placed them next to hers. She glanced over at him in surprise. Surely, he couldn’t be done with his side of the room already!

  “It’ll take forever for me to get over to you if I keep cleaning over there,” he explained as he got on his hands and knees. He dipped the rag into the soapy bucket. “I’d at least like to talk to you while I’m suffering.”

  “Suffering?” she asked as he placed the rag on the floor and began wiping the floor clean. “Just the other day you told me cleaning wasn’t so bad.”

  “It doesn’t seem that way when you’re close enough to talk to.” He put the rag into the bucket with only the water in it and rung it out. “The bed is so big that I can’t even see you around it.”

  She chuckled and turned back to her section of the floor. “It’s a lovely room. Did your mother decorate it?”

  “I don’t know. I never thought to ask about it.”

  She supposed he wouldn’t, given that he was a gentleman. Decorating rooms probably wasn’t something they gave serious thought to, although Stephen had been particular about the color scheme in each of the rooms in his manor. He hadn’t been so concerned about the furnishings as long as they were the color he wished for.

  “Lewis,” she began as she rinsed out her rag, “is this townhouse decorated the way you want it?”

  He shrugged. “I suppose so. I never gave any serious thought to how the furnishings or drapes look in this place. I think everything is fine as it is. Why? Do you want to change anything?”

  “No. I think it’s perfect. I was just thinking of Stephen and how particular he is about certain colors being in certain rooms.”

  “I never understood his obsession with things having to be one color in his rooms. I stand corrected. He likes one color with gold. I know he says that he does it to inspire a certain mood, but I prefer a lot of colors. I think a lot of colors make things more cheerful.”

  “Is that why you wear an assortment of colors?”

  He nodded. “I know Stephen doesn’t like the way I dress, but I find it’s rather festive. What do you think?”

  “I like the way you dress. I think it means you have a lot of love for life and that you’re fun to be with.”

  He shot her a smile that made a tingle travel from her head right on down to her toes. She put her rag back in the soapy bucket then rubbed more dirt off the floor.

  “I’m glad you’re not embarrassed to be seen with me,” he said. “I know Stephen doesn’t understand why I like to wear a variety of colors in the same outfit.”

  “You’re not Stephen. You can’t be expected to do things the same way he does. You can only be you.”

  “As long as you’re happy with me, that’s all that matters.”

  “I can’t imagine being happy with anyone else. I like the way you dress because it fits who you are. I never want you to be anyone you aren’t.”

  “I like who you are, too.” He put his rag in the bucket and straightened up. “I’m thirsty. Do you want anything to drink?”

  She shook her head. “No, I’m fine.”

  “Well, I’ll bring us both some water, just in case you do get thirsty.”

  She glanced over at him as he washed his hands in the washbasin. “Even though this room will be clean,” she began, “I still intend to spend a lot of time in your bed.”

  “Good because if you didn’t, I’d have to find some dirt to throw all over this room to deter you from sleeping in here.”

  She laughed at his joke. “You have a wicked streak in you, Lewis.”

  “We can’t be heroic all the time.” He gave her a wink then left the room.

  While he was gone, she turned her attention back to washing the floor. He came back up a few minutes later with two glasses of water. He set them down on the dresser then returned to her.

  Instead of picking up the rag, however, he knelt down beside her and kissed her neck. “I missed you.”

  She giggled. “That tickles.”

  “I wasn’t trying to tickle you.”

  “I know. It must be where you’re kissing me. I can be ticklish in certain places.”

  “Hmm… This area of your neck must be one of them. I know other areas that aren’t ticklish.” Then, as if to demonstrate, he kissed her again, this time choosing a spot closer to her ear.

  He was right. This time, it wasn’t ticklish. But it did send a spark through her. A spark that happened to travel to the most pleasant of places. He kissed her again, and this time, he teased her with his tongue.

  She groaned. It was so easy to get aroused when he did the slightest thing to stimulate her.

  “You like that?” he whispered, his breath hot on her ear.

  Noting the way he slid his hand up to her breast, she asked, “Why do I get the impression you aren’t interested in cleaning right now?”

  He cupped her breast in his hand and pulled her closer to him. “Because I’m not.” He kissed her neck again.

  She giggled again. “Is this why you came over here under the ruse of working beside me? Were you planning to take advantage of the situation?”

  He chuckled. “I might have hoped something more interesting than cleaning would develop between us.” He let his hand trace her body until he reached the bottom of her dress. Then he slipped his hand underneath it and traced her bare leg. “I notice you’re not wearing any undergarments.”

  Hoping she didn’t give her excitement away too much, she said, “It’s hot in here. Adding undergarments would only make it worse.”

  “I suspect you really have other reasons.” His hand went up to her thigh. “You wore undergarments when you cleaned at Stephen’s manor.” He let his hand slide between her legs. “At least, I assume you did.”

  She bit her lower lip. Her body was aching for him. She wanted very much for him to touch her more intimately. She parted her legs for him, silently inviting him to further explore her. “Of course, I wore undergarments when I cleaned his home. He had more windows. It allowed for more air to come into the room.”

  By the way he laughed, she knew he didn’t believe her. But, he did satisfy her need for him by brushing the folds of her flesh with his fingers. She let out a soft moan.

  “You’re already wet,” he murmured as he dipped a finger into her. “I don’t think you’d mind taking an early break from our cleaning.”

  Another finger went into her, and she wiggled so that he was deeper inside her.

  “That’s what I thought,” he said.

  She noted the triumphant tone in his voice and decided to let him enjoy the victory. Besides, it wasn’t like she wasn’t enjoying it, too. He was a very considerate lover. He did everything he could to make sure she received pleasure whenever they made love. She cast aside her rag
and gave herself completely to him.

  He brought his thumb to her sensitive nub and rubbed it in earnest as he stroked her core. She groaned and worked with him, moving her hips to intensify her pleasure. One would think that since they’d already spent so much time being intimate, her desire for him would be quenched by now, but it seemed the more they came together, the more enjoyment she received from being with him. Not only did it seem to get better the more they did it, but it also brought them closer together. She had no idea it was possible to feel such a strong connection to another person. It really seemed as if she and Lewis were becoming one.

  When she climaxed, she stilled and cried out to him as her body clenched around him.

  “You feel so good,” he whispered then kissed her cheek and her neck, continuing to stroke her in a way that prolonged her state of bliss.

  It took her a minute before her head cleared enough so that she could kiss him. His tongue plunged into her mouth, his passion provoking him to make an intimate perusal of her. Wanting to bring him fulfillment, she moved so that she was on top of him and rubbed herself intimately against him. As he’d pointed out, she wasn’t wearing any undergarments. And he was right. She’d done this on purpose to make their trysts during the day easier.

  She’d started out by wearing them the first couple of days after they’d married, but when she realized he’d find ways to coax her into lovemaking before it was time to take a break, she’d discarded her undergarments completely any time she got ready to do some cleaning. In all the times she’d spent as a maid, she’d never once connected anything erotic to cleaning, but now whenever she put on her maid attire, she immediately felt a familiar ache between her legs that notified her she was looking forward to what excuse Lewis would come up with to make love to her again.

  He unbuttoned his breeches and angled his erection so that she could take him into her. She let out a sigh of pleasure as he filled her core. He groaned and began making love to her. She moved up and down his shaft. Though she’d been satisfied, she was very much aware of how good his penis felt. In some ways, the sensation was much better after she’d climaxed. Her core seemed more sensitive afterwards, making this part of lovemaking just as exciting as the earlier part of it had been.

  When he reached his peak, he grew taut and moaned. She felt the familiar throbbing of his penis that let her know he was filling her with his seed. She hadn’t conceived yet, but she knew it was only a matter of time before this activity resulted in a child. She rather liked the idea of having his son or daughter. She just hoped she could be the kind of mother worthy of his child.

  After he relaxed, he let out a contented sigh. “I have to admit that cleaning can be quite an enjoyable activity.”

  She chuckled and kissed him. “As long as you’re with the right person, anything can be enjoyable.”

  He put his arms around her and pulled her closer to him. “I can’t argue that. It doesn’t matter what we’re doing. As long as I’m with you, I find that every day has been an enjoyable one.”

  She smiled and traced his jaw with her finger. “Sometimes I wonder if I’m in a dream. You might think it’s silly, but sometimes I worry I’ll wake up and find out none of this is real.”

  “In that case, I insist you keep on sleeping.”

  He brought his hand up to the back of her neck and encouraged her to lower her head so she could kiss him. She obeyed his prompting. Never in her life had she been happier. If she had one wish, it would be that nothing would change. She wanted her life to stay exactly like this forever. Nothing was better than being so devotedly loved.

  She didn’t know if he deepened the kiss because he was caught up in the sheer bliss of their love or because he wished to further delay cleaning, but she didn’t mind it. In fact, this time, she was the one who ended up initiating their lovemaking.

  Chapter Twelve

  “It’ll be fun to go to a ball with my beautiful wife on my arm,” Lewis said as he entered his bedchamber a week later.

  She glanced over at him from where she was pinning her hair up and smiled. “You’ve worked hard to get this townhouse all cleaned up. The least I could do was say yes when you said you wanted to go to the ball this evening.”

  “As I recall, you worked hard, too.” He reached her and kissed her cheek.

  “I was used to it. I didn’t get sore in the arms like you did.”

  “I got sore in other places, too, but I won’t complain.” He wiggled his eyebrows playfully at her. “I liked how creative we got in finding ways to please each other outside of the bedchamber.”

  “Does that mean you want to keep cleaning?”

  He grimaced. “Not any more than necessary.”

  She laughed. “I didn’t think so. But you don’t need to worry. We can keep being creative.” She finished putting the last pin in her hair and kissed him. “I’m ready to go now.”

  He glanced her up and down, and his gaze made her skin flush with pleasure. “You’re even more beautiful than the night we were betrothed.”

  “I’m glad you think so.”

  Fortunately, she had a couple more gowns from her life before she became Stephen’s maid. The pink one had been her best one, but the gold and purple ones were adequate for balls in polite society as well. All she’d had to do was some minor alterations to make the gold one she was wearing fit. Her breasts had grown in the time since she’d last worn it when she was fourteen.

  She’d taken note of the gowns the ladies had been wearing at Stephen’s ball and had added a couple of details to make her gowns more fashionable. It wasn’t going to be the best gown there. She doubted anyone would notice it. But it would do well enough for what she needed.

  Lewis’ clothes didn’t match all that well. She knew if Stephen had been in attendance, he would have suggested Lewis wear something different. That was why Lewis had worn the outfit he had at Stephen’s ball. But Stephen wasn’t going to be at the ball tonight, so Lewis felt comfortable wearing what he wanted. The red, orange, and blues were bright. It would be hard to miss him in a crowded room.

  When she considered it, that worked for her since she would know where he was. She didn’t expect him to stay by her side the entire night. He would want to talk to other gentlemen at some point. He had mentioned discussing a possible business venture with the Duke of Larkinson, someone Stephen had been wanting to invest with for a year. She briefly remembered Lewis mentioning him before. This was going to be the first time Lewis would get to discuss a partnership between the gentleman and Stephen.

  “Whose ball will we be attending?” Marcy asked as Lewis took her by the arm and escorted her out of the bedchamber.

  “Mr. Jasper’s,” Lewis replied. “He and Lord Steinbeck have made a name for themselves with their investing prowess. Stephen doesn’t think he has a chance with Mr. Jasper or Lord Steinbeck. Those two are aware of his reputation, and they pride themselves on only associating with the most reputable gentlemen in London. Since the duke, however, has only recently returned from India, he thinks there might be a chance with him.”

  They reached the steps, and she walked in time beside him. “Will you be a part of the arrangement?”

  “I hope so. I did have a good conversation with him a month ago.”

  She squeezed his arm. “I hope it goes well for you tonight.”

  “Either way, I have you. If it doesn’t work with him, I’m sure there will be someone else. The main thing is that I follow Stephen’s advice instead of looking for a quick way to make money.”

  They reached the bottom of the steps, and he led her to the carriage. She got in first, and he followed. She had a hard time calming the excitement she experienced at going to this ball. She wouldn’t have to hide behind a mask. She could enjoy dancing with Lewis, knowing she’d be coming home with him. She didn’t have to worry about him having to choose another lady to marry. He was hers, and she was his. Together, they had so much to look forward to. It was nice to have the same kind
of excitement she used to experience at balls when her parents were alive. She’d forgotten that fourteen-year-old girl she’d once been was still inside of her.

  “Do you like going to balls if you don’t have to go there in order to find a wife?” she asked Lewis.

  “I do. I like getting out and talking to people. Fortunately,” he kissed her, “I already have a wife. Though, I will admit, if I had known things would have worked out the way they did, I wouldn’t have been so reluctant to find one.”

  She leaned into him and grinned. “Is it any wonder why I spent all that time pining away for you?”

  “Well, you don’t have to do that anymore.”

  “Thank goodness for that.”

  When they arrived at the ball, Marcy took note of the people as they climbed the steps of the townhouse. Her gown was definitely not going to be the most fashionable one there, but it would fit in all right. Good. She wanted to fit in. This was her new life. It was a fresh start. She didn’t want to do anything to ruin it.

  The carriage came to a stop, and Lewis looked at her. “Are you ready?”

  She took his hand and smiled. “Yes, I am.”

  “You’ll save two dances for me, won’t you?”

  Catching the teasing tone in his voice, she laughed. “I’ll save two dances for you, and I’ll do more than that when the evening is over.”

  He gave her a quick kiss just before the coachman opened the door. She stepped out of the carriage with Lewis, and, putting her arm around his, she walked up the steps, looking forward to the evening ahead of them.

  ***

  The next afternoon, Marcy held the missive in her hands while she stood in the drawing room. Her feet held her in place. She couldn’t move. All she could do was stare at the missive and reread the thing over and over again.

  There was only one sentence in it. It had been addressed to her, but it didn’t include the sender’s information.

  It didn’t have to.

  She already knew who’d written it. She knew it as soon as she saw the handwriting. Only one person used elaborate loops in her script.