by Multi-Author
“I’ll come with you,” Luke smiled. “I see Eli’s on the keys, which means we’ll have trouble getting him to stop.”
“Between the two of us, we’ll manage,” Tobias said with a laugh. As the two of them walked away, Tobias clasped his hand on John’s shoulder and squeezed it slightly.
It was a simple gesture, but John understood the silent message of deep affection. Tobias kissed his wife on the cheek then made his way to the piano in the corner of the room. It pleased him that Tobias had found someone who loved him as much as Jane did. The happiness of his boys meant the world to him. As Tobias left them, Jane entwined her arm through his.
“Come, I’ve someone I want you to meet.” It was a command worthy of Queen Victoria herself and John chuckled.
“I thought we’d agreed to leave my confirmed bachelor status as is, Jane.”
“Just like Tobias, you presume the worst. If I were matchmaking, I’d be far more subtle,” she teased in a loving way. “Although duty does compel me—”
Jane came to an abrupt halt as a look of discomfort twisted her mouth. Concerned, he bent his head toward her as she pressed her hand against her rounded belly.
“Are you all right, my dear? Should I fetch Tobias?” At his question, she drew in a deep breath and shook her head vehemently.
“Heavens, no. The man wouldn’t leave my side for the remainder of the evening,” she said with a wry twist of her lips. She drew in another breath then laughed as she rubbed her stomach. “Our son has a powerful kick.”
“Perhaps you shouldn’t be undertaking the oversight of the orphanage’s renovations,” John said worriedly as he eyed her closely.
“You’ll be pleased to know I finally agreed to Tobias’ pleas that I secure help.” Jane leaned into his shoulder as they moved deeper into the room. She laughed softly. “Actually, I took pity on him as the rest of the Fordyce clan was threatening him with bodily harm if he didn’t take me in hand.”
“Does your new partner have a name?” he asked with a smile. Jane squeezed his arm.
“Charlotte Clayworth. She’s been living in New York taking care of her aunt. She’s worked with several charitable organizations.”
The moment Charlotte’s name echoed in his ears, John heard nothing else Jane said. It was as if a horse had kicked him in the chest leaving him unable to breathe. In the back of his mind, he registered that Charlotte was using her maiden name. Had she never married? As the air returned to his lungs, a surge of anger barreled through him.
He’d always wondered what he would feel if he were ever to see Charlotte again. Fury was not the emotion he’d expected. And what the fuck did it matter if she’d never married? Jane continued singing Charlotte’s praises as she guided him toward a small group near the fireplace.
The moment he saw the back of her blonde head, his body grew hard with tension. John heard the sound of her laughter as Jane called her name. Still laughing, Charlotte turned around with a smile on her face. The moment his gaze met hers, the smile disappeared and the color drained from her face. Jane immediately touched Charlotte’s arm.
“Good lord, Charlotte. Are you unwell?”
“No…no, I’m fine. I’m just startled.” Her voice was a low rasp as John caught her hand in his and raised it to kiss her fingertips.
“It’s been a long time, Charlotte,” he murmured smoothly. Deliberately his mouth lingered on her skin. Her hand trembled in his, and he lifted his gaze to meet hers. An emotion shimmered in her hazel eyes that made him frown as she quickly pulled her hand free of his.
“You know each other,” Jane exclaimed.
“We were childhood friends,” he said as his eyes remained locked with Charlotte’s. “Although we’ve not seen each other for what—twenty-five years?”
At his harsh words, he saw Charlotte shiver again, while out of the corner of his eye, he saw Jane frown with concern. For a moment, he almost thought she’d planned this meeting. He cast the thought aside. Charlotte’s smile barely curved her lips as she looked at Jane then back at him.
“Has it been that long?” The odd note in her voice made him narrow his gaze at her.
“I must find a quiet spot for the two of you to catch up,” Jane said with a shrewdness John had come to expect from her.
Her words were suddenly lost in a cacophony of male voices as the men he’d raised swarmed around John to greet him with boisterous affection. Jane made a distinct effort to point out Charlotte’s association with him, and despite her congenial air, John sensed a wave of panic rising beneath her serene composure. Eli inquired about the orphanage’s renovations, and when he turned his head back to Charlotte, she was gone. On the other side of him, Luke leaned into him.
“I saw her heading for the door. Whatever happened between the two of you clearly wasn’t resolved,” Luke said quietly as he looked at John with a serious gaze. “Go. I’ll make your excuses.”
Without a second thought, John nodded and hurried toward the foyer. As he reached the entryway, he saw Charlotte fumbling with the frog loop clasps on her cloak. In silence, John gestured for Caldwell to retrieve his hat and coat as he turned Charlotte to face him. Roughly pushing her hands aside, he fastened the loops. She kept her gaze averted and stepped toward the door when he’d finished. He quickly caught her hand to stop her.
“No, Charlotte. Not this time.” His whisper was filled with all the pained anger he’d contained for twenty-five years. She blanched before she tried to tug her hand free of his.
“Let me go,” she bit out fiercely. He heard the panic in her voice, but refused to do as she asked. He shook his head slowly.
“You ran away once before, Charlotte. I’ll not let you do so again.”
“You’re making a scene. Release me,” she said in a hoarse whisper as her gaze flitted toward the butler. He ignored her.
“Caldwell, you’ve called for a cab.” It wasn’t an inquiry it was an assumption. He looked at the butler with Charlotte’s hand firmly captured in his. The tall man nodded in acknowledgement.
“Mr. Ashford arranged for one when you arrived, sir.”
So Luke and the others had planned this little reunion. His anger intensified. Caldwell quickly opened the front door and signaled to a waiting cab. Expressing his thanks to the man, John ushered Charlotte down the steps to the hack. As he assisted her into the carriage he overrode her instructions to the driver, providing his home address instead.
Seating himself next to her in the small confines of the cab, John threw the provided blanket over her knees. She immediately shrank away from him. Despite his anger, her vulnerability made him want to scoop her up into his arms and comfort her as he often had when they were children. He drew in a sharp breath at the thought.
Time had barely touched her. The pale blonde of her hair was light enough to hide any gray she might have, while her skin was flawlessly free of wrinkles. She was as lovely as he remembered. His gaze dropped to her full mouth. It was tight and thin with what he was certain was fear. John narrowed his gaze at her.
“Look at me, Charlotte.”
Without hesitation, she did as he ordered. As always, there was a stubborn gleam in her eye, but he saw the fear as well.
“You’re afraid,” he said tightly.
“I am not afraid,” she snapped then looked away from him. The denial was issued far too quickly for him to believe her.
“You forget who you’re talking to.”
“Oh, I’ve not forgotten,” she said as she glanced at him with a haughty glare. “Nothing’s changed. You’re as arrogant as ever.”
“And for some reason, you still find it difficult to face me,” he growled. “First that note all those years ago, then leaving tonight without saying goodbye.”
“What do you want from me, John,” she said with a quiet sigh.
“I want to know why you thought our friendship wouldn’t last if we married,” he said in a brutally, sharp voice.
The moment he spoke, he realized i
t was precisely why he was so angry with her. She’d thought so little of their friendship that she’d thrown it away the moment he’d proposed. John studied her face and frowned at how pale she was. Her expression guarded, she turned her head to meet his intent look for a brief moment before she looked away.
A street lamp cast its light over her features, and he found himself staring at her with a hunger he’d never lost. God help him, she was already wrapping him around her finger without doing a single thing. He hated himself for it. Charlotte drew in a deep breath and shook her head.
“My stubbornness put us in harm’s way all those years ago, and I held myself accountable. One moment of…” Her voice trailed off into a breathy sigh before she continued. “It was a long time ago.”
Something in her voice made John’s muscles tense. She’d not finished her thought. She’d changed her words. What had that one moment meant to her? He leaned into her and breathed in the soft scent of lavender.
“I wonder if you remember that night like I do, Charlotte,” he whispered as his mouth brushed across her ear lobe. Her shudder vibrated into him, encouraging him. “Do you remember how you responded to me that night?”
Charlotte retreated from him into the corner of the carriage. Her hazel eyes were wide in her face and dark with an emotion he recognized as desire.
“Answer me, Charlotte.” It was a firm, quiet command that made her jump.
“Yes, I remember,” she rasped.
“You loved it when my hand smacked that sweet, soft bottom of yours, didn’t you.”
“Oh, please….John…I…”
“The truth, Charlotte. You enjoyed it.”
“Oh, God, please…”
“Somehow I don’t think that was a prayer,” he murmured as he slid his hand beneath the blanket to press into her thigh. “I think it was a plea for something we denied ourselves years ago.”
“John, please…I…”
“For once in your life you’re going to do exactly as I say,” he rasped as he nibbled on her neck. A soft moan slipped past her lips. “Tonight you’re not going to argue, you’re simply going to say yes. Do you understand?”
“But…”
“Say it, Charlotte.”
“Yes.” Her reply was barely a whisper, but it was enough for the moment.
Chapter 5
CHARLOTTE TENSED AS the hackney cab rolled to a halt. What was she doing? It was madness to do this. If she’d been in her right mind, she would have demanded he take her home. But it was an insanity she couldn’t—didn’t want to run from. John helped her out of the cab and in seconds they were in his house. Her fingers clumsily tried to unfasten her cloak.
A small smile curved John’s lips as he touched her hands and silently ordered her to let him unhook the frog loops. He circled her to lift the cape from her shoulders then his mouth nibbled at the curve where her neck and shoulder met. Fire skimmed across her skin, and she dragged in a sharp breath. His touch firm, but light, John turned her to face him.
Desire blazed in his dark eyes, and her heart pounded wildly in her chest. Despite the years they’d been apart, she’d never stopped loving him. She’d done everything to forget. Not even her charity work or caring for her aunt had ever pushed him too far from her thoughts.
“Come, Charlotte.” The command was no different than when he’d ordered her out of the sleigh that snowy Christmas Eve.
Without a word, she placed her hand in his and allowed him to lead her upstairs. John’s strong hand warmed hers as they entered his bedroom. A small fire burned in the fireplace and an oil light glowed softly next to his bed. Charlotte’s heart thudded with a mixture of excitement and fear in her chest. John removed his jacket and threw it over the back of a chair in a careless manner. It was a powerful move that emphasized the muscular back beneath his shirt. The years had been more than kind to John. The touch of silver at his temples made him even more handsome than the last time she’d seen him. As he stoked the fire and added fuel to it, her head was suddenly filled with the memory of that night long ago. He stared down at the flames in the fireplace for a moment then turned to face her.
“You used to trust me implicitly, Charlotte. Do you still trust me?”
“Yes,” she said quietly, instinctively knowing that she would always be safe with him.
“Tonight you’re mine to command. If at any time you feel afraid, you’re to say, I’m afraid, John.” He studied her intently. “Is that clear?”
“Yes,” she choked out.
Was he going to spank her again like he had so many years ago? Excitement made her grow wet between her legs. Apparently satisfied with her answer, he sank down into a chair. His expression darkened by the room’s shadows, he watched her in silence. Feeling awkward and gangly, heat flushed her cheeks as she stood quietly in front of him.
“Undress, Charlotte.” His order made her stare at him open-mouthed amazement. She shook her head, and he narrowed his gaze on her. “Do it.”
“But, I…we’ve—”
“I recall a time when your slick folds and beautiful bottom were bared to me.” The wickedly seductive note in his voice only increased the heat in the lower half of her body. He arched an imperious eyebrow. “Undress. Now.”
She jumped at the command then obediently removed her shoes. Reaching behind her, she unbuttoned her evening gown. The silk dress rustled softly as it fell to the floor. Embarrassment swept through her as she looked at John. He looked relaxed and comfortable with one leg crossed over the other knee, and his arm braced against the arm of his chair, two fingers pressed into his cheek. It was impossible to decipher his expression, and her fingers trembled as she reached for the laces of her corset.
“Your drawers first.”
Slowly, she removed the linen undergarments, and she heard John draw in a breath as she faced him with nothing but her hosiery below her corset. When he didn’t speak, she unsnapped a garter and rolled her hose downward. Another low, indecipherable sound broke past John’s lips, and a wave of confidence swelled over her. With slow deliberation, she undid the other garter then rolled the stocking off her leg. He made a strangled sound, and her gaze flitted to his. Their gazes met, and a small smile curled his lips.
“Your corset.” The harshly spoken order made her realize he was struggling to hold his desire in check.
Cheeks hot with agitation, she undid the corset and tossed it aside to stand naked before him. In a powerful move, he rose from his chair and approached her. Without a word, he took her hand and guided her toward the bed. He pulled something from the night stand then turned her around. A second later, she was immersed in darkness as he blindfolded her.
“John…I…”
“Trust me,” he whispered in her ear as his hands glided down her back then under her arms to cup her breasts. His thumb brushed over the rigid peaks before he gently pinched them. A gasp escaped her lips. He chuckled softly as his mouth nibbled at her neck. Gently, he made her sit down on the bed then ordered her to scoot over. In the dark, her other senses were heightened, and she heard the rasp of his breathing. John’s spicy male scent waft beneath her nose, and she reached out to touch him. Her fingers brushed across his trousers and the hard, thickness of his erection. She licked her lips in an involuntary movement, and John uttered a soft oath as he quickly moved out of reach.
“Clearly, you need to be taught restraint, sweetheart.” There was humor in his voice, but a sinful note of desire as well.
A moment later, a silk scarf embraced her wrist, and John tied her arm to the headboard. Startled, she sucked in a quick breath and with her free hand tried to determine what he’d used. In a flash, he pulled her free hand back and quickly tied it to the headboard. Without thinking, she tested the bonds. There was just enough slack to hold her in place without being uncomfortable. Unable to discern where John was in the room, she gasped loudly when his hand curled around her ankle.
With deliberate thoroughness, his hand examined her ankle then made i
ts way up to her thigh. Anticipation sped through her veins as the spot between her legs began to throb and ache for his touch. The moment John pulled away from her, she released a soft cry of protest. Although he was the only man who’d ever touched her intimately, she remembered this need—the desire he’d created in her the last time.
“Part your legs.” The quiet command bewildered her, and she didn’t move. His voice was a low vibration across her skin. “Do it.”
Hesitantly, she parted her legs. John tied first one leg and then the other to the bed. She’d never been so exposed before in her life. This was beyond the spanking she’d found so pleasant, and yet it was excitingly naughty. There was the soft sound of rustling at the foot of the bed, and she was certain he was removing his clothes. Her heart skipped a beat. She wanted to see him. Touch him.
“Tonight, sweetheart, I’m going to make you understand you’re mine alone to command.” Wicked was the only way to describe his voice. “I’ll decide how to please you and when.”
The dark, seductive words made her feel naughtier and more wanton than that Christmas Eve so long ago. She swallowed the knot threatening to close her throat. Suddenly, something cool, cylindrical, and hard brushed across the inside of her leg. The pressure was light as the object moved upward along the inside of her leg. It became a narrow stick as it slid along her leg until a square piece of leather caressed her inner thigh. Her mind suddenly went numb. Dear God, he was going to use a riding crop on her. She flinched.
“John I’m afraid.” The moment her whisper echoed in the room, the crop left her body. A second later, his kissed the spot where the leather crop had been.
“It’s all right, my darling. I’d never do anything to hurt you,” John murmured soothingly as relief swept through her. “I want to make you cry out with pleasure. Nothing more.”
The moment his teeth grazed across the inside of her thigh, she inhaled a quick breath of delight. At a slow and deliberate speed, John nipped and caressed its way up to the crease in her thigh. The ache between her legs quickly grew unbearable, and she moaned as he blew a cool breeze across her sex. A soft, wicked laugh warmed her skin before his mouth caressed the crease in her opposite thigh.
