How the Lady Charmed the Marquess

by Laura A. Barnes

  When his body disappeared under the water, Charlie groaned in disappointment. Her lengthy perusal awoke her inner desires. She wanted to gaze upon Jasper all night and into each day following. After seeing Jasper naked before her eyes, Charlie wanted him to make love to her. She wanted to give herself to Jasper. He was the only man for her. There would be no other to ever hold her interest. Or her heart.

  As his powerful arms swam through the water again, Charlie only wanted Jasper to hold her in them. To pull her in his embrace and devour her with his mouth. Her body held an ache only Jasper could ease. Jasper broke through the pond, droplets of water cascading off his body. Their eyes locked and a ripple of emotion passed between them to match the movement of the water. It no longer mattered what they spoke out of anger. The only thing that mattered was now. In this moment. In this speck of time in the universe. Nothing else.

  Charlie rose, dropping Jasper’s coat that kept her warm. She undid the placket on the trousers she wore and shimmied them off her legs. The old shirt she stole from Lucas hung to her knees. She wore nothing beneath the heavy linen. There had been no need to. Charlie hated the confines of corsets and chemises. The shirt was heavy enough to hide her feminine attributes.

  Jasper had not moved a muscle during her undressing. He held himself still in the pond. Charlie wished for any reaction from him. They had not broken eye contact, and he hadn’t even blinked once. It was too dark for her to tell what his eyes portrayed. Did they hold desire in them? While Charlie was bold in most of her actions, her nerves screamed with an uncertainty at removing the only piece of garment covering herself. She wished Jasper would give her a sign of approval. His stillness only intensified the emotions gathering in her soul.

  Jasper couldn’t move a muscle, even if he wanted to. The beauty of Charlotte underneath the moonlight beam left him speechless and immobile. Her glorious mane lay in curls over her shoulders, mussed by the lateness of the night. The creamy skin she allowed him to see teased what lay beneath the shirt. The garment hit her mid-thigh, exposing silky legs that he wished Charlotte locked around his hips. Jasper’s body screamed to go to Charlotte, to worship at her feet and to slide the unwanted shirt up her thighs, where he could properly worship her with his mouth. To hear her moans make music with the country sounds of darkness, while he brought them both to the brink of unrequited pleasure. Charlotte’s eyes spoke of her uncertainty at his stillness. But still Jasper couldn’t move.

  He watched her fingers slide one button after another from its hole. The material gaped open wider, and the oversized shirt slipped off her shoulder. Jasper gulped. When she finished at the last button in the middle of her stomach, she trailed her fingers up over the exposed skin. Jasper’s fingers twitched under the water at the sight. His hands closed into a fist, fighting the temptation to leave the water and take her into his embrace. The fluttering of her fingertips along the hem of the shirt displayed how unsure she was in her actions. Jasper must put a stop to this madness and act the gentleman and insist that she redress. However, Charlie’s next move of boldness left Jasper speechless. All rational thoughts he might have had flew away with the light breeze.

  With a recklessness Charlie never felt before, she bared herself before Jasper with a vulnerability that would make him either reject her as a gentleman or push him to act as a man driven by desire. She stood with her emotions exposed before him, offering herself. When Jasper still stood rigid, Charlie pushed past her insecurities and went to him. With each step, her confidence grew. However, before she dipped her toes into the chilly water, Jasper swung her into his arms, and his mouth descended on hers with a passion warming their very souls.

  Jasper hadn’t made a move toward Charlotte when she disrobed, because the picture of her naked completed the picture of a goddess tempting a mere mortal soul. He didn’t know what he did to deserve her, and he didn’t care. The only rational thought in his head was to make sure he didn’t blunder this magnificent offering. When Charlie moved toward the water, his need to claim her prompted him out of his stupor.

  His arms held her trembling body close. While Charlie brazenly stripped and attempted to join Jasper in the water, she did so full of doubts. She shook from his unspoken reaction. Now Charlie shook from anticipation. If his kisses were any sign of more to come, then Charlie would continue to tremble under Jasper’s seduction.

  Jasper lowered Charlotte to the ground, rising above her. “Tell me to stop.”

  Charlotte shook her head.

  A tremor shook Jasper’s body at the desire in Charlotte’s eyes. No woman had ever looked at him the way she did. Every emotion Charlie held for Jasper shone forth. His hand brushed the hair from her face and cupped her cheek. The pad of his thumb stroked back and forth across her plush lips. Her tongue darted out to take a lick. When her lips pulled his finger inside her mouth, he pressed his hardness against her middle. Charlie’s eyes widened at his desire, before she smiled in pleasure. If Jasper had hoped to shock Charlie into making him stop, he was sorely mistaken. Under all her unrefined attire, Charlotte Holbrooke was a temptress. Who at this very moment held Jasper under a spell. The hell with being a gentleman.

  Jasper rolled over, bringing Charlie across his chest. His lips blazed a trail of fire down her neck, while his hand roamed her body, his caresses making her body arch with an ache for him to continue. When his lips found her lips again, Charlie sunk her fingers in his hair and held his head to hers. She never wanted his mouth to leave hers again. She wanted to drink from him until she couldn’t breathe. And then stop only long enough to fill the air in her lungs, to continue the sweet pleasure

  Charlie’s grip tightened while he plundered her sweet mouth. Each kiss consumed his need to join their two bodies into one. Jasper pulled away, raising Charlie above him. Her breasts swayed before him. His head rose, taking a tempting bud between his lips. His tongue stroked the nipple while his mouth tightened, sucking harder. Charlie whimpered, her body softening in his hold. He glanced up when his mouth moved to the other tempting bud. Charlie’s gaze was fixated on his mouth near her nipple. Her eyes clouded with desire and her teeth held her bottom lip trapped in its clutches. When Jasper drew the bud in, Charlie’s tongue licked out across her lips. With a groan at the erotic vision of Charlie’s desire, Jasper sucked her nipple in deeply, making Charlie grow mad with the same passion.

  At Charlie’s husky moan, her lower body pressed against his stomach. The heat of her desire seared his chest, her wetness coating him with her need. The last of his gentlemanly honor abandoned him with that one sensation. He rolled them on the grass again, his lips searing a path to her wetness. Jasper would no longer deny himself what he craved. His sample from earlier wasn’t enough. Jasper demanded everything from Charlotte. He would take from her until no other man registered a thought in her head or body.

  Jasper’s domination only enflamed Charlotte’s need to have Jasper make her his. When his hands reached her thighs, Charlie spread her legs apart for him. Jasper didn’t need to coax them open. She would do so willingly. She ached for the whisper of his kiss on her again. Only this time it wouldn’t be the gentle teasing from before, but an overtaking of her senses. Charlie knew that when Jasper placed his mouth on her, the whirlwind of her emotions would fly to the highest of heights of decadence. She wasn’t wrong. His mouth teased her higher and higher while his fingers stroked in and out, wringing cries of pleasures. Still, he didn’t stop, but kept demanding for Charlie to give him more. Charlie sank into Jasper, giving her soul to him.

  Jasper devoured Charlie. He was a thirsty man who craved this woman. He never realized how much he hungered for Charlotte. The flavor of Charlie exploded underneath him, but still he continued to appease his appetite, wanting more of her exotic sweetness. When Charlie’s body tightened on the verge of a wave of pleasure, Jasper pressed his tongue against her clit, flicking rapidly until Charlie drowned him in her release. He pressed a kiss upon each thigh before he slid up her body.

 
; Charlotte floated in a cloud of pleasure, unable to move. Her body lay heavy and relaxed into a pool of mush. Yet, Charlie still ached with a need not quite satisfied, wanting more of Jasper’s loving. He took possession of her body with his mouth, now keeping the flames of her desire stroked by caressing her breasts. His touch was soft. Gentle. Sweet. Slow. His hands cupped her breasts while he placed kisses against them. Slow. Sweet. Gentle. Soft. She closed her eyes at the exquisite sensation.

  Jasper placed a kiss against her lips and paused. Charlotte raised her heavy eyelids to stare into the storm blowing fiercely in Jasper’s gaze.

  “It will take every bit of my control I hold, but I will stop at your command, Charlotte. Tell me to stop?” Jasper’s deep voice rumbled out.

  Charlotte shook her head.

  “Never,” she whispered. “Make me yours.”

  Jasper growled, drawing her closer. His grip held her tightly, yet his lips drew Charlotte’s in a kiss so gentle she melted. She wrapped her arms around Jasper, giving herself to him. Each of his kisses consumed her, while he pulled her leg over his hip. When his kiss deepened to enflame her desire higher, he slid inside her slowly. Charlie clung to Jasper at his body invading hers, but when his tongue stroked across hers, teasing, Charlie relaxed against him.

  When Charlie trusted him with her innocence, Jasper pushed himself deep inside Charlie. Her body tensed and he held still. As soon as Charlie moaned and arched her body into his, Jasper pressed deeper, sinking himself into an abyss of paradise. His senses heightened to a higher plane of carnal pleasure. When he pulled out, Charlie moaned her displeasure and tightened around him. If this woman hadn’t already brought him to his knees, her body giving him demands with her needs would have him begging for her favors. The pulsing of her core around his cock pushed him to press into her harder. When she whispered Jasper against his ear, he lost control.

  Each stroke inside Charlotte grew longer and harder. Jasper’s body demanded and took what Charlotte gave to him freely. Her hips rose and pressed with each of his strokes, demanding more from him. Charlie locked her legs around his hips, her hands clinging to his shoulders with her head thrown back. Their moans of pleasures whispered around them. Charlie’s wetness pulled Jasper’s cock in deeper to her throbbing core. Jasper's remaining control slipped away. He paused, watching Charlotte come undone underneath him. A sight forever etched in his memory, one he would never forget. He ground his hips against hers.

  “Jasper,” Charlotte cried out.

  “Yes, love.” He rotated his hips again.

  “Love me.” Charlotte stared deep into his eyes.

  “With pleasure.”

  Jasper took Charlotte’s mouth in an all-consuming kiss while their bodies exploded around them into a million sensations of pleasure. Each touch with electrifying shock wrapped them into a cocoon of passion. Their eyes locked, each of them never wanting to look away. Jasper drew Charlotte closer, both of their bodies trembling from the aftermath of their lovemaking. No words could express what they shared. Only the beating of their hearts in the silence could.

  CHARLIE RODE IN FRONT of Jasper. His arms wrapped lovingly around her, keeping her close. Throughout the ride he would press his lips against her head, sometimes against her cheek. Other times along her neck. Then there were the moments he brought the horse to a halt and gave her long slow kisses awakening their desires. As quickly as he would drug her with those kisses, he would end them and continue their journey back to the house.

  Jasper wanted nothing more than to make love to Charlotte again, but knew they must return home before someone spotted them together. After they made love, they had laid together softy caressing one another. Whispering of their need and kissing each other into another round of frenzy. Each time they would pull back from their need and return to the fragile forgiveness surrounding them. When the moon dipped lower their time together needed to end. He helped Charlie dress, whispering in her ears how the curve of her in the trousers tempted him with carnal thoughts.

  As Charlie helped to button his shirt, her fingers stroking his chest with each button, she asked innocently of those thoughts. Which he demonstrated while he helped to button her shirt. Each stroke of his fingers against her nipples caused her breath to hitch. And when his hand lowered inside her trousers, stroking her into a fresh ache, he pulled away, declaring they must return immediately. While he only meant to tease Charlie, he ended up with a hard cock begging for release. With not enough time to take her again, he finished dressing and hurried them on their way. However, he couldn’t resist kissing her along the way.

  At every opportunity, the minx tempted him with pressing her backside against his cock. Then glanced over her shoulder, smiling like an innocent at him. Her hands gripped his thighs, holding onto him. Soon her hands shifted higher up his legs. Jasper grabbed her hands, bringing them in front of her, holding them tight. That wouldn’t deter Charlie, though. She relaxed, showing she would stop. When Jasper relaxed his grip, Charlie brought Jasper’s hands to her breasts.

  Charlie laid her head back on Jasper’s shoulder, sighing. She dropped her hands, and Jasper needed no more encouragement. He caressed her breasts, his thumbs brushing across her nipples. He pinched them until they tightened within his fingertips. Charlie moaned her pleasure. Her actions were wanton, and she no longer cared. Being wrapped in Jasper’s arms erased every proper ladylike behavior from her mind and body. She only wanted to drive Jasper crazy with her naughty behavior. Charlotte wanted to spend the day in his arms, enjoying his pleasure and showering him with pleasure. She wanted to please Jasper with her mouth like he did her.

  “Jasper?”

  “Mmm.”

  “I want to touch you here,” Charlie whispered, brushing her hand against his stiff cock.

  Her touch would be his demise, but he must deny her his greatest wish. They were within sight of the house. Jasper dropped his hands from her chest and grabbed her hand from any further exploration. If anyone were to look outside, Charlie would be ruined. He had to get her inside before anyone was the wiser. Jasper planned to make right by Charlie, but on his own terms. Not by ones dictated by society, or Charlotte’s uncle.

  Jasper guided the horse into a spot covered in darkness, where no one would detect them. He helped Charlotte down, her body sliding against his, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. To seek his revenge from her teasing temptations on the ride back, he kissed her relentlessly, pressing her against the stable walls. When she tried to move her hands to touch him, Jasper held them suspended above her head, while he stole kiss after kiss from her lips. When her moans grew louder, Jasper stopped before he wouldn’t be able to. He placed his finger against her lips before she protested.

  “We must part, love, before someone catches us.”

  “I do not care if we are caught.”

  “But I do. I will not involve you in a scandal. It would ruin your good name and those of your sisters and cousin.”

  Charlotte knew Jasper was right, but it didn’t stop her from wanting him even more. If anything the danger of getting caught held the same edge that always provoked Charlie into trouble. Only this time there was much more at stake. Even though neither one of them spoke of love, Charlie’s heart felt Jasper would take care of her. The passion they shared could only be love. It was too strong to be anything less.

  “Will you walk me around back to the servant’s entrance?” asked Charlie.

  Jasper nodded, lacing his fingers through hers and bringing them to his lips for a kiss. With his other hand, he looped the reins around the fence. He would return later to take care of the horse. For now he would see Charlie safe inside and to her bedroom. He wouldn’t leave her alone to explain her whereabouts in case she ran into someone. It wouldn’t be fair.

  They slipped inside the back door and made their way up the staircase. When they reached the landing, Jasper pressed a soft kiss against Charlie’s lips. Before the kiss could go any further, he gently pushed her toward he
r bedroom door. Charlotte turned at the door and smiled shyly before she slipped inside. Jasper breathed a sigh of relief at her safe arrival. He crept down the stairs, eager to leave the family wing of the estate before he ran into any member of Charlotte’s family. He didn’t want to explain his presence.

  Little did Sinclair know that someone had already witnessed his exchange with Charlotte. The very person who had watched Charlotte sneak off into the darkness occupied the chair at the end of the hallway. An alarm wouldn’t be called on what was obviously Charlotte’s ruination. However, the gentleman would now have to fight for the lady’s hand in a healthy competition. If he won, Sinclair would have to prove his true intentions toward the lady by sacrificing his prize if the lady didn't believe in his love.

  Chapter Thirteen

  “Charlie, wake up.” Evelyn shook Charlotte’s shoulder.

  Charlie snuggled deeper under the covers, ignoring her sister’s plea. The remnant of a dream hovered on the brink of disappearing forever. She didn’t want to lose the lingering memories. They were too delicious to part with. Jasper had been making love to her with his mouth. The memory sent a tingle throughout Charlie’s body. Perhaps she should awaken, find Jasper, and they could continue where they left off the night before. A smile spread across Charlie’s face. Her body grew warm in anticipation for Jasper’s touch.

  “Charlie, you must wake up now.” Evelyn persisted.

  “Mmm, why the urgency, Evie?” Charlie teased Evelyn with the nickname her sister hated.

  “Why do I bother to help you when you insist on pushing the boundaries of acceptable behavior?”