He frowned. “I promise you, when my mother is not here, I am usually calmer.”
“Are you sure you can’t fix things with her?”
“Christin.” He cupped the back of her neck and held her still. “Do not try to get between my mother and myself.”
She heard the warning.
Yet still... “She’s here, Aaron, and no matter how much you try to push her away, she’s still here. That has to mean something to you.”
He held her eyes and then a moment later, she was flipped onto her back.
She released a shout and then Aaron followed her down and yanked the fur from her body.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
He maneuvered his way between her thighs and then loomed over her. “I believe I prefer you passed out.”
She narrowed her eyes and opened her mouth to say something, but his mouth closed over hers and then his fingers touched her cunt. Her treacherous body trembled, a moan was ripped from her lips, and then she told her mind to keep breathing as the desire swept her away.
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CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
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Aaron woke to the familiar sounds of delicate breathing and the feeling of shifting on his bed. He cracked one eye open and then another to find Lily sitting with her legs crossed at his side. Her dark head was bent in the sunlight while her large brown eyes focused on Lizabeth, her doll. In her white nightgown and resting on his white sheets, she looked like an angel resting in snow.
The first time he’d found her in his bed, he’d told her gently that she was not to come into his room unless it was a grave and urgent matter. Lily had responded that it was Liza, the doll, who wished to make sure he wasn’t ill. While keeping his blanket protectively over most of his body, he’d told her—and Liza—that they had no need to worry over his health, but being wise, he’d begun to sleep in small clothes just in case the incident happened again.
No more than two mornings later, it happened again, but that time Aaron had been awake, though he’d not risen yet. Not wishing to let Lily know he was awake, he pretended to be asleep in order to see what the girl was doing in his room.
She touched nothing and didn’t even stop to open drawers or peek in his wardrobe. Instead, she’d climbed right onto the bed and crawled over to him.
He’d felt anxious as she—and the ever-concerned Liza—had approached him, but then forced his body to relax as her small pale hand headed for his face.
Her hand hovered over his nose and mouth, and Aaron controlled his breathing. Then Lily had taken her hand back and sat with her legs crossed. “I told you, Liza,” she’d said in a low tone as not to wake him. “He’s not sick. He won’t die like Mama and Daddy.”
Her words had injured a very frail part of Aaron that he hadn’t known existed. He’d been forced to choke back his emotions and tightened his eyes when they’d begun to burn.
Lily’s mother had died of fever three years ago when Lily had been four, and he wondered if she’d done the same thing to her mother at the time, or perhaps had seen her father or even the doctor do it, hold a hand over her mother’s nose to see if she was still alive.
If Aaron could have given her anything, it would be her mother, but no amount of money in the world could bring back the dead.
Her father, on the other hand…
From what Lily and Mary had shared, their father had been nice to them until their mother’s death. After which, he’d become obsessed with the woman they now knew as Aunt Sophia. Before ever meeting her, Mary had said her father had taken them places and then forced them to sit for hours in the carriage while he simply watched Sophia go about her day.
They’d had a romance once. Sophia and Columbus had been lovers until the day that Sophia had discovered he was married. After that, she’d broken off the affair and had never loved again until meeting the Duke of Cort. It had taken Morris months to win her over and once he had, Columbus had snapped.
Aaron had been in the room when Columbus had killed himself, deciding to end his life rather than suffer the consequences of his actions. Aaron had had no mercy to offer the man in the end and was glad he was dead.
There was no changing his feelings on the matter, he’d decided long ago.
Though he’d thought the same about his mother until Christin’s little comment last evening.
She had no clue just how nasty he’d been to his mother and yet the woman was still here, lurking about his house with sad eyes and wearing her broken heart for all to see. Aaron had thought she’d have left the first night, if not the second. He’d cursed her, ignored her, and made it clear to everyone around him that he didn’t like her and therefore had no reason to show her any amount of kindness.
The Spinsters and the Brotherhood stood with him, though they were not as rude as Aaron. They simply spoke to Lady Jeanshire in as few words as possible and only spoke if addressed.
He wondered how Lily’s party, which was to begin in a few hours, would go.
Perhaps his mother would leave once the party ended. He’d be surprised if she didn’t already have her next destination picked out.
He felt a pain in his chest and lifted a hand to massage his center. Was that disappointment he was feeling?
“You’re awake!”
He looked over and found Lily smiling at him. Lady, her white Persian cat was there, rubbing against the girl’s skirts with her blue eyes fixed on Aaron with a dull expression. Lady didn’t like many people, but she adored her owner. Lily’s cheeks and nose had broken out with freckles, and Aaron knew he’d been allowing his girls outside uncovered too much and should start to rein them in but hadn’t the heart to stop upset them when they were having so much fun.
Aaron rolled over on his elbow and propped himself up, “Where is Mary?”
“Downstairs.” Her eyes widened to impossible proportions. “The thrones are here. They’re so pretty.” Then her expression softened, and she tilted her head. “Thank you, Uncle Aaron. You’re the best uncle in the entire world.”
He smiled and knew those words would probably get her anything she wanted from him so long as he had breath in his body.
She grinned and then spun and launched herself off the bed before heading toward the door. “Get up! Get up, Uncle Aaron! It’s my birthday! I’m to have a party! Aunt Christin says I can have ice cream!” Her voice faded away down the hall with her rushing feet.
The reference to Christin as another aunt touched him.
Lady was left curled into a ball on his bed, and her eyes still watched him as though waiting to see if he’d obey her owner.
He sighed and stood. “Very well.”
He was dressed and downstairs within an hour.
He found Lily, Mary, and Tina at the breakfast table, gave each girl a kiss on the cheek—which caused Tina to giggle—and then allowed his eyes to find Christin.
She held his gaze for a fleeting moment then looked away, but he noticed how her color heightened. Even without being close, he could tell her breathing had changed. Deepened. Her chest—those sweet breasts of hers—rose and fell rapidly.
He inhaled to calm his own breathing and rising cock. They’d made love twice more before they’d dressed and returned to the house. The Spinsters had joined them for dinner, and Christin had easily distracted herself with speaking to them.
His mother stood from the breakfast table. He’d seen her there as well but hadn’t paid her much attention.
“Girls, we should start getting ready for the party. The guests will be arriving sooner than we realize.” The girls got up and started from the room.
His mother had to pass him in order to leave.
She stopped at his side and seemed to hesitate before saying, “If you don’t mind, I would like to speak to you once the party is over.”
His
happy mood plummeted, and he looked over to catch her eyes. “You don’t need my permission to leave, Mother. Do what you wish.” Then he started to the sideboard to pile food on his plate. He didn’t look to see if his mother had left the room and didn’t listen for it either.
But when he turned back around, he was alone with Christin, and her expression reflected the emotions he didn’t wish to feel. “Aaron—”
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CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
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“I don’t want to speak about it.” Aaron sat at her side and tried to come up with some lighter, more pleasurable topic.
Or perhaps, they could simply speak about pleasures in general...
She leaned toward him, gripping his chair arm. She smelled of vanilla and cinnamon. Women should not smell so sweet. It only made him want to devour her. “She is trying to make amends. Couldn’t you at least give her a chance?”
There was a footman and maid standing by the door to the kitchen. He spoke to them. “You may leave. Close the doors behind you.”
They obeyed and then Aaron turned to Christin. He grabbed her chin. “Let it go, Christin. This topic upsets me.”
“In what way?” she pressed. “Does it make you angry or sad?”
Damn her for seeing too much. “Both. Now, leave it alone.” He turned to his breakfast.
She touched his arm. “Aaron, I cannot. I can see it hurting you both.”
So now she cared for his mother as well?
“Don’t worry. She’ll leave after the party, and with her, all my feelings for her will vanish.” He leaned back in his chair with his coffee in hand and drank slowly.
“She doesn’t want to leave, Aaron.”
He steadied his hand—and tried to do the same with his heart but failed—and turned to her. “How do you know?”
“She said so during breakfast. She plans to teach the girls to sing. Such a task and surely not to be done in one day.”
Aaron looked away from her.
“Can she sing well?” Christin asked.
Aaron put down his cup and shrugged. “She enjoyed doing so while entertaining years ago. I suppose by the number of people who continued to come to her events that she wasn’t entirely terrible.” Though that wasn’t the truth. His mother had a lovely voice. He remembered that.
He remembered her singing to him and making him feel special. He remembered her secret smiles and winks.
What had he done to make her leave?
No.
He’d not asked himself that question in years. It was the vicar who’d finally convinced him that her sins were not his own. He’d been a child. His anger at himself was misdirected. His need to cause pain and feel pain, to feel hurt was from misguided thoughts.
She was to blame.
There had also been something about forgiving her for her shortcomings, but that had been added to the list of lessons Aaron wished to forget.
“What?” Christin placed a hand on his shoulder, but Aaron stood, forcing her to lean away.
“I have… a meeting with Mrs. Selby. I must see how much this small party is costing me now that my mother is involved.”
Christin stood as well. “Surely, you must eat first. It’s almost noon.”
It was rather late. He’d slept like a true London gentleman last night thanks to her.
He leaned forward and kissed her lips. “Put my mother out of your mind.”
She grabbed his face between her hands and held him close. “I can’t, Aaron. I can’t simply ignore what hurts you.” Her eyes were full of tears and did all but drive a dagger to his heart.
“This conversation hurts. Is that enough for you to grant me your silence on the matter?” He’d never shared so much with another person where his feelings were concerned. Usually, he pretended to have very few. Anger masked many of the others. Happiness was easy with the girls around. Bliss was a steady caress to his heart when Christin was there.
Pain he loathed more than anything, it was only lessened by fear.
She closed her eyes and then nodded. “I’ll let it go.”
He took a breath.
“For now.” She opened her eyes and tried for a smile. “It’s Lily’s birthday. I simply want everything to go well for her.”
He wrapped his arm around her. “There’s something else we could discuss.”
She lifted a brow and wrapped her arms around his neck but said nothing.
“Will you marry me?” he asked.
Her eyes softened. “I don’t know.”
That was better than a ‘no’ and her arms about him gave him hope.
He turned them slightly and backed her into the table before taking a place between her legs. “What would bring you a yes?” He bent and placed a kiss at her ear. Her scent filled his lungs and made his body ache with need.
She shivered, and her hands gripped his shoulders. “Don’t you have a meeting with Mrs. Selby?”
“She can wait.” He lifted her onto the table. “I believe my hunger has returned.”
Her hands went to his neck and pulled him back far enough to meet her dark panic-filled eyes. “It’s morning.”
“And?” He was actively lifting her skirts.
She frowned. “I’m on the breakfast table,” she whispered.
“I know.” He slowly lowered himself onto his knees and then kissed her exposed thigh before meeting her eyes. “And I know exactly what I want.” He knew how much she liked it. Her reaction the first time he’d done the act would be engraved in his memory forever, her scream of release to echo in the chambers of his heart for all time. Once she’d woken from her nap, he’d done it twice more until she’d begged him off.
He reached up and spread the folds of her undergarments. Their location would make it impossible for him to strip her completely, but at the sight of the pale lips between her legs, he decided to not complain. Her aroused scent forced him to tighten his hold on her thigh. He placed another kiss just above her garter before asking, “Will you deny me this?”
Her color was high, and her eyes were lucid with desire. Her fingers went to his hair. “I don’t think I can ever deny you this.”
He rewarded her words with a kiss to her most secret parts and then he partook of her like the starving man that he was. Her body was sweet as it withered underneath his mouth and her soft rapid gasps told him that she was already close. She was so sensitive. He could eat her for hours without ceasing.
She used her hand to encourage him as he licked her ever moistening flesh and sucked her precious nub between his lips.
She stilled, and he looked up in time to watch her bite her lip and, with a stifled moan, come in his mouth.
He stood and quickly undid his breeches before entering her.
Her legs and arms went around him as her body welcomed him, engulfing his extreme size and holding him so firmly it was almost painful. He groaned and pulled halfway out before driving back in.
The pitch of her tiny moans grew with his every determined thrust. The table shook, and their skin slapped together as they coupled viciously. She rose to meet him, and he pounded into her with a need that went beyond understanding.
He reached between them and touched her nub then held her eyes just as she reached her peak. Her expression was exquisite. Beautiful. Disbelief and wonder. Knowing he was to the one to cause it was his undoing. He came right after her with short strong bursts before bending his head to rest it on her shoulder.
All the tension left his body, and the peace that spread through him left him weak.
He slowly lifted his head and met her eyes.
Christin was smiling and looked just as pleased as he felt. Her fingers played with his short hair in the sweetest way. Nothing was sweeter than her.
“I love you,” he told her.
The playing ceased, an
d her eyes widened.
He touched her cheek. “Christin, I love you. Marry me. I love you.” He couldn’t afford to lose her. He didn’t know what he would do without her.
She moved her hands to his chest, and her smile returned. “I love you, too.”
He’d have broken into tears at that very moment if he’d not taken hold of his emotions only seconds before. He felt nervous even with their bodies still connected. “You do?”
Her smile widened. “How could I not, Aaron?” She started playing with his hair again. “You’ve saved me and Tina from someone who had been causing us endless pain. You show unending love to your nieces, who clearly return your favor. You have friends who would clearly die for you. You’ve made Tina laugh, and you’ve made me feel stronger and safer than I have since my parents’ death. How could I not love you, Aaron? I think I loved you from the moment I looked into your eyes.”
He was forced to look away for fear that she would see the tears that burned at the back of his eyes.
She leaned forward and whispered, “I would be honored to be your wife.”
Whether it was simply pleasure at the thought of finally being able to possess the woman before him he didn’t know, but in that moment, his body began to harden again, and the combined love and lust burned hot enough to ease his other emotions.
When he looked at her, he noticed her own desire had returned.
“I love you,” she whispered.
He groaned and pushed further into her body. Nothing felt better. Nothing sounded better. “Say it again.”
Her lips parted, and she sighed. “I love you.”
He ground against her, and she cried out softly. Her fingers dug into him encouragingly and spurred him on with renewed vigor, taking them both to shattering breathless highs.
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Christin's Splendid Spinster's Society Page 17
