The Marriage Contract

by Ruth Ann Nordin

  “Well, I didn’t get much sleep last night,” she said. Then, with a pointed look, she teased, “Someone kept me up.”

  He chuckled. “Whoever did that should be punished.” He wiggled up to her and kissed her neck, using playful nips that he hoped would make her laugh.

  And, as he wished, she giggled. “I agree. He should be punished. What do you think his punishment should be?”

  “He should be forced to pleasure you.”

  Then, to demonstrate the exact manner in which the punishment should occur, he brought his hand to her shoulder then let it go lower until his fingers traced her nipple, and she let out a contented sigh. “I agree. He should be forced to do that very thing.”

  One of the things he liked most about her was how easily she responded to him. She let him know everything she enjoyed, and one of the things she seemed to particularly like was when he lightly teased her nipples.

  So he let his thumb trace the ridge while he replied, “And he will. What position do you want to do this time?”

  “I think I’d like to stay in bed.”

  “You didn’t like doing it while standing up?”

  “That one is all right, but I’m still surprised it’s possible.”

  “I had fun proving to you that it was.” He let his hand leave her breast until it reached her bare bottom. He gave it a playful squeeze then brought her leg over his waist. “All I had to do was hold you against the wall.” His hand slid to the dark patch of curls between her legs so that his fingers could brush her entrance. “Then I just had to slide my penis into you.”

  He slid two fingers into her, and she rewarded him with a moan. He’d had no idea a lady could be so enthusiastic in bed. He assumed that married ladies, just like mistresses, might fake pleasure in order to make gentlemen feel good about their lovemaking abilities, but there was nothing fake in any of the things Patricia did.

  From the beginning, what he’d seen with her was what he’d gotten. She hadn’t learned to put on a pretense like so many people in London had. She was an open book. He liked that. It was easy to be himself around her. She accepted him, faults and all, and for that, he would always be grateful. And he couldn’t help but love her all the more for it.

  It also prompted him to do everything possible to bring her enjoyment, whether they were making love or not. But, since they were still in bed, he saw no reason to withhold giving her pleasure. She hadn’t climaxed each time they’d made love through the night. Yes, she’d enjoyed everything they’d done. She’d made it no secret about that, but it’d been a while since she climaxed, and he was determined she’d do it this time, especially considering they wouldn’t be able to make love again until this afternoon.

  He kissed the sensitive skin below her ear, and she let out another moan. Then she shifted so that his fingers were deeper inside her. Bringing his thumb to her sensitive nub, he caressed it in slow, circular motions. There was no need to rush. The longer the foreplay, the more intense the orgasm.

  He urged Patricia onto her back and, while stroking her, he brought his mouth to her sensitive nub. He hadn’t done this yet, and he suspected she might like it. He moved his thumb aside and resumed his ministrations with his tongue. The action allowed him to slide his fingers deeper into her so that he could reach the soft cushiony patch in her core.

  Gasping in pleasure, she gripped the sheets beneath her. Good. She definitely liked it. He continued on with the movements, finding it more and more arousing the more she expressed her pleasure. He was beginning to think that there was nothing more sensually satisfying than a lady getting lost in the throes of lovemaking.

  When she reached her peak, she cried out. Her flesh clenched around his fingers, signaling her orgasm. He continued on with his ministrations to prolong her pleasure. Then, once she completely relaxed, he slid his fingers out of her.

  He was ready to get on top of her when she stopped him. “I want to explore you,” she said, gesturing to his erection. “I was afraid to last night, but I’m curious about it. Do you mind?”

  Did he mind? He definitely didn’t mind. He just didn’t think wives were interested in touching a penis, much less studying it. He settled onto his back and encouraged her to do whatever she wanted.

  She seemed a bit timid as she touched him, so he guided her hand up and down his shaft, giving her freedom to feel the entire length of him.

  Hoping to further push her beyond her shyness, he whispered, “That feels really good.”

  The ploy worked. She became bolder in her exploration. He groaned, letting her know just how much he was enjoying it. If he felt emboldened to keep going when she voiced her enjoyment, then the least he could do was the same thing in return. He closed his eyes and gave himself completely to the moment.

  She didn’t have a skilled touch. She was new to all of this. But he couldn’t recall a time when he’d received more pleasure. She wasn’t getting paid to be with him. She was with him because she wanted to be. This was an act of love on her part. And that made it so much better.

  He had no idea how special lovemaking could be. It wasn’t just the merging of their bodies. It was the merging of their hearts and their souls. There was something about it that transcended the physical pleasures. And, ironically, the connecting of their hearts and souls made the physical act that much more intense.

  When he was close to the peak, he got up and rolled her onto her back so that he could enter her. He wanted to be inside her when the moment came to emit his seed. He wasn’t sure why it was so important, but at the moment, feeling as overwhelmed as he was by what a powerful force lovemaking could be, he needed to be as intimately connected to her as possible. And being inside her was the best way he could do that.

  He kissed her, taking a moment to brush his tongue with hers. She wrapped her legs around his waist, an action which pulled him deeper inside her. He murmured her name and clung to her as he made love to her in earnest. When she whispered his name in return, something in him couldn’t hold back anymore. He stiffened and released his seed.

  He loved her. Over and over, that was all he could think about. He was actually making love to her. Every time they were together, it would bring them closer together. And he wanted that more than anything else. She completed him.

  Never again would he have to be alone. The past was gone. He had a future to look forward to. She hadn’t only brought herself to him when they married, but she’d brought Susanna to him, too. And, in time, she would bring him more children. Together, they were going to be a family. A complete and happy family. He didn’t know why the thought should bring tears to his eyes, but he quickly brushed them away before she noticed them.

  When he could trust himself to speak, he lifted his head and said, “I’ll always be grateful Lewis brought you to me.” Then he gave her another kiss, and though he was reluctant to part from her, he heard Susanna stirring from the other room. “When our daughter goes down for a nap today, we should go to my den.”

  Then, with a wink, he got off of her so she could tend to Susanna.

  ***

  “This spring, flowers will bloom all around this gazebo,” Stephen said as he and Patricia sat down at the gazebo. He settled Susanna in his arms. “We have perennials here, so the gardener doesn’t have to keep planting them every year. However, I’m more than willing to tell the gardener to plant some new flowers if you wish, even if they’ll only last for one year.”

  Patricia scanned the area around the gazebo. At the moment, there were just a couple of bushes, so she had to imagine what the flowers would look like come spring. “What color do you use right now?”

  “Why do you assume I only use one color for the flowers?”

  “Because you use one color for each room in the manor.”

  “That’s not true. I use two colors.”

  She laughed and nudged him in the arm. “Yes, but that extra color is gold.”

  “What’s wrong with gold?”

  “Nothing
. But it seems to blend into the background.”

  “That’s why I pick it. It complements everything. Gold, however, isn’t a color one can use for flowers.”

  “What about yellow? Gold is a type of yellow.”

  He paused for a moment as he considered her words then said, “But gold is shiny. I like the way it shines. It’s a metal. Besides, not all gold is yellow. Some is white.”

  “Why don’t you ever use white gold?”

  “Because I like the shine of the yellow gold better.”

  “Ah ha! You just called gold yellow. You could have yellow gold flowers.”

  “I’ll consent that gold is a type of yellow one could use for flowers, but I’d rather not have them unless you really have your heart set on it.” Still holding Susanna, he put his free arm around Patricia’s shoulders and drew her against his side. “I know it sounds silly, but if you pick a color you’d like for the flowers the gardener will add around this gazebo, it’d make me happy because when I look at them, I’ll think of you. And I like thinking about you. When Susanna gets older, I’ll let her pick a color. If we have other children, then I’ll let them pick one, too.”

  She couldn’t help but be touched at his words. “That’s a lovely idea.”

  “So will you pick a color?”

  “I like the color blue.”

  “Not gold yellow?”

  She shook her head.

  “I’m shocked,” he said. “I thought that was going to be your choice. But,” he squeezed her shoulders, “we’ll tell the gardener to add blue flowers to the garden.”

  Had it not been for the mask, she might have been able to kiss him. But she couldn’t blame him for wanting the mask on when he was outside. At any moment, someone could either come to pay them a visit, or one of the servants might look outside and see them. The only place that would offer them complete privacy when they were out of the manor was the maze.

  Susanna cooed, and they turned their attention to her.

  Stephen glanced back at Patricia, “Would you like to hold her for a while?”

  She nodded and accepted their daughter into her arms.

  “Do you want to keep walking, or do you want to head back to the manor?” Stephen asked. “I don’t think Susanna’s ready for a nap. Otherwise, I’d suggest doing something more interesting than sitting in a gazebo.”

  Her face warmed in pleasure at his meaning.

  The sound of a horse neighing brought her attention to the covered bridge that marked the border of their property. At first she thought Lewis or Loretta was coming for a visit, but upon closer inspection, she realized she didn’t recognize the carriage.

  Stephen rose to his feet, not hiding his surprise. “It’s my brother.”

  “Well, that’s good, isn’t it?” she asked.

  “Maybe. I’m also not sure what his intentions are.” He helped her to her feet. “After all this time, it’s hard to know what to expect.”

  “He wouldn’t be coming if he didn’t want to see you.”

  “I know, but the last time we spoke, he told me I was going to marry Eloise. That conversation didn’t end well.”

  “If he’s coming, it can’t be bad. He probably wants to make amends.”

  “He’s not the one who has to make amends. I do. I just don’t know if he’ll believe me when I apologize for everything. I’ve done that in the past, but I didn’t mean it. He might not think I’m sincere this time.”

  “You know you’re being sincere, and I know you’re being sincere. You can’t control what he thinks. But,” she hurried to add in hopes of offering him further encouragement, “I don’t think he’d be here if he didn’t expect you to tell him the truth.”

  “He might be here to see you. You’re the one who wrote the missive.”

  “And I added that you wanted things to be better between you two. I think that’s why he’s here.”

  She carried Susanna to the edge of the gazebo and encouraged Stephen to come with her. After a moment, he took a step forward, and they headed for the manor.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Stephen didn’t consider himself a coward, but he did note the tension in his body as he and Patricia entered the manor. The carriage would soon reach the entrance. That didn’t give him a lot of time to get ready. He hadn’t seen Brad or Ava in four years. The last time he’d seen them had been at a ball. The two had kept their distance. Since Brad hadn’t replied to his missive, Stephen assumed Brad didn’t want him to go up to him, even though he’d spent most of the evening wondering if there was anything he could say to Brad that would make things better.

  Toward the end of the ball, Stephen had caught Eloise kissing another gentleman. He had to pry her away from him before others noticed. It’d been bad enough that they were the focus of so much gossip because of their countless arguments. People didn’t need to know she was taking lovers on top of it.

  So Stephen had ended up in a shouting match with Eloise, and later that evening, she’d struck him with the hand mirror. After that, he hadn’t seen Brad again because he hadn’t gone to any more balls.

  Before long, he was living in this manor. It’d taken a high interest loan for him to obtain it, but he’d finally wised up and gotten good at investing. He hadn’t realized he’d learned so much about investing during all of the boring dinner parties Brad had had with other gentlemen, but he had. And that was how he managed to get his financial house in order.

  Once he paid off his loan, he had sent another missive, thanking Brad for being a mentor, and again, he had apologized for everything he’d done to upset him. But Brad didn’t respond to that missive, either.

  Pushing aside the memories, Stephen summoned the butler. He didn’t realize Brad’s coming here was going to bring up unpleasant memories of Eloise.

  “Bring in plain black tea and biscuits,” Stephen told the butler.

  If Stephen remembered right, Brad liked his tea plain. Brad didn’t like to mix things into his drink or his food. Everything had to be uniform. In the past, Stephen would have been amused about it, but he was too nervous to find humor in anything right now.

  He turned to the footman as the gentleman took their coats, hats, and gloves. “Lead Lord Youngtown and anyone with him to the drawing room.”

  The footman assured him he would, so Stephen escorted Patricia into the drawing room.

  “Should we let your brother and his wife sit on the settee?” Patricia asked.

  “I’m not sure. Brad is particular when it comes to the arrangement of the room, and part of that arrangement is where people sit. Maybe we should wait until he’s here before assigning seats.”

  She laughed. “Assigning seats?”

  “I know you think I’m exaggerating, but I’m not. Ever since we were children, Brad liked everything to be balanced.”

  “This room is balanced.”

  “It’s balanced to you and me. I don’t know if it’s balanced enough for him.”

  He went to the chairs and positioned them so they were further apart. After the butler brought in the refreshments, he positioned the tray set so that it was in the exact center of the table. Then he poured tea into four cups and positioned them so they were equally spaced apart.

  “I’m assuming he’s coming with his wife,” Stephen said. “He could be coming alone, but just in case, I should put four cups out. Besides, Brad prefers even numbers. Four cups will be good even if he is alone.” Susanna cooed, and he caught himself chuckling. “Don’t ask me why everything has to be even. It just does.”

  He examined the rest of the room. Were the drapes parted far enough? Were the objects on the desk positioned just right? To be on the safe side, he adjusted the drapes and then organized the items on the desk.

  Patricia went over to him as she rubbed Susanna’s back. “Even if Brad is picky about the way a room is set up, he’ll understand this is your manor. He can’t expect it to be exactly the way he wants it.”

  He thought over what she said
and realized she was right. Brad hadn’t made it a habit of complaining about the way other people decorated their homes. He was only particular about his own place.

  “I’m sure everything will be fine,” Patricia said. “He’s coming here to see you, not this manor.”

  He turned to Patricia, taking strength in her optimism. He hoped she was right. It’d be nice if his relationship with his brother could be restored. Since Brad was coming here, there was a chance. That was more than what he’d had for the last five years.

  He took a deep breath. Growing up, he never thought there’d be a time when he was worried about seeing his brother. He’d taken it for granted that he’d always know what to say around him. Right now, he didn’t know where he should even start. Thankfully, Patricia was here. Perhaps that fact alone would help ease things.

  The footman came into the room, followed by Brad, Ava, and their three-year-old son, Jeffrey. Loretta had told him about Jeffrey. Until now, he hadn’t seen his nephew, and he was surprised by how much the boy took after Brad.

  The footman left and shut the doors.

  For a few seconds, no one said anything, and then Susanna let out another cooing sound. Ava smiled at the baby. “She’s a darling little girl.”

  Patricia returned her smile. “Thank you. You have a handsome boy.”

  Ava looked down at Jeffrey. “Do you want to see your cousin?”

  Jeffrey nodded, and Ava led him over to Patricia. She glanced Stephen’s way and offered him a tentative smile. Stephen returned the greeting. He hadn’t thought this would be quite so awkward with Ava. The problems he had were really between him and Brad.

  Stephen forced his attention to his brother. Brad turned his gaze to him, and, to Stephen’s surprise, he saw tears in his brother’s eyes. Before Stephen could speak, Brad closed the distance between them and hugged him tightly.

  All at once, the years of alienation crumbled apart, and Stephen hugged him in return, tears falling from his eyes. He hadn’t realized how much it meant to him that Brad forgave him until this moment.