He pushed her away, and she couldn’t contain the, “No,” that escaped her lips.
“Shhh,” he whispered capturing her lips once more. She felt the tie at her waist loosen then give way. Soon the tie at her neck also became loose. She felt her nightgown part and the warm air hit her flushed skin. “Beautiful,” he murmured softly. “Kala, you are so beautiful.”
“Gabe,” she heard herself whimper. Was that really her sounding like a wanton? She felt his hand cover one of her breasts and she stiffened at the contact.
“Kala, what is it?”
“Nothing,” she murmured trying to pull him back down for a kiss.
“No,” he removed his hand from her breast and pulled her dressing gown together. “What’s wrong?”
“He. . .he touched me there today. He hurt me,” it pained her to admit this.
“Kala, you know I am not him, don’t you?”
“Yes.”
“I will stop whenever you want me to. You only have to tell me.” He let her sit there for a few moments and mull over his words. “Kala?”
“Kiss me again, please.” He complied and bent towards her touching his lips to hers. She became frustrated at his teasing kisses and attempted to deepen the kiss. “Not like that, like before,” she whispered when he wouldn’t comply with her manipulations. They were lost in each other before Gabe broke the silence.
“May I touch you?” She nodded her agreement with little hesitation. “Are you certain?”
“Yes, Gabe. Please, I ache. Make it stop.” He pulled open her dressing gown once more to expose her alabaster globes with their blush colored tips. Gabe then ran the back of his large fingers over the smooth slopes. There were still faint teeth marks from her earlier assault and he rubbed them tenderly as if hoping to erase the imprints. He savored the way she felt against his skin, smooth and silky.
Kala bit her lip as she felt his large, calloused hand gently cupped her right breast. She arched her back into his touch and felt his hand squeeze lightly in answer to her silent question. Kala bit back her moan as his thumb began to glide back and forth over the nipple. She couldn’t help wiggling on his lap.
“Have mercy, Kala,” he whispered hoarsely placing a hand on her outside hip to hold her still. She could feel his hot, hard manhood pressing into her hip through several layers of clothing. His warm breath caressed her neck as he placed delicate kisses on her flesh. He began moving the kisses down her body and she arched into them.
“Gabe, you’re killing me.”
“That’s the idea,” he murmured, and she felt the vibrations of his chuckle on the upper slope of her breast.
“Do something,” she whispered.
His mouth captured one hardened tip of her breast and began to suckle gently as his thumb and forefinger teased the other tightened bud. One of her hands grabbed on to the back of the chair while the other held him in place. Her breathing came in harsh pants. He pulled away to lavish the same attention to her other breast. “Oh,” she sighed out in a long breath.
She felt a tingling at the tops of her thighs. She tightly crossed her legs in an attempt to ease the ache. His hand caressed her thighs before trailing down her long legs. He trailed back up her crossed legs and placed his hand on her stomach. His thumb rubbed back and forth causing tingles to run up and down her body. Heat pooled at the apex of her legs causing her to squeeze her legs together even tighter in an attempt to ease the ache.
“Do you ache, Kala?”
“Yes,” she whispered hoarsely.
“Where?” She turned her face into his shoulder, as a blush spread across her body. “Kala, you’ve never been shy before. Where do you ache?”
“Here,” she took his hand that rested on her stomach and moved it lower. She relaxed her legs a bit to press his hand against the heat of her. A moan escaped her as he put pressure there.
“Would you like me to make the ache go away?”
Kala remained silent for a moment. She worried her lower lip as she tried to think. He pressed the heel of his hand against her and she cried out, “Yes.”
He slid his hand down her legs and under the hem of her nightgown. His calloused hands sent chills up her spine as they made contact with her bare legs. He made it to the knee of her tightly locked legs. “Trust me,” she heard him say before returning to one of her breasts. That distracted her enough that she didn’t realize he rearranged her legs. When she did realize it, she felt open and vulnerable. He went back to kissing her and soon she found herself lost in a sea of sensations again. Then she felt his hand travel up the inside of her thigh.
“Gabe, stop,” she attempted to grab his wrist.
“Trust me, Kala. Your virtue will still be intact when we are done.” She swallowed harshly but relaxed her hold on his wrist. “Put your arms around my neck and kiss me.” She did, but only because it felt familiar and she found she enjoyed it. Lost in the kisses, she jumped slightly as she felt his hand cupping her most intimate area without any cloth between them. “Shhh. You know you have the most beautiful, kissable mouth.”
“Really?”
“I’ve dreamed of kissing it more times than I should have.”
“Really?” The last part of the word came out as a squeak as she felt a finger dip into her wet heat. Her heart raced at the sensation and she felt, well, she just felt. “Gabe, should we be doing this?”
“Probably not, but isn’t it wonderful?”
“Oh, yes,” she moaned as he slowly moved a finger in and out. She could feel her slickness ease his movements. “Oh my, Gabe, is this normal?”
“If it isn’t, I don’t want to know,” his voice sounded harsh to her ears.
Her hips began to wiggle as if searching for something. “Gabe, I...”
“Yes, Pest?”
“Oh, goodness. Please, do something.”
“You’ve been saying that quite frequently tonight,” he said as he plunged in another finger. She stiffened a little at the invasion and stilled as her body became accustomed to the expansion, then she moved her hips up to silently beg for more. She could feel the delicious friction of his fingers moving within her, but something remained elusive, something that she couldn’t quite reach.
She felt him tenderly bite at one of her nipples and then lave it before latching on to suckle. At the same time he pressed his thumb on a nub that she had had no idea existed until that moment. She felt him pull his mouth away from her as she began to shudder uncontrollably. She hid her face in the curve of his neck and held on tightly as spasms racked her body. She vaguely felt his hand move away from her and come around her pulling her close and holding her tightly. Eventually, the shudders eased to small aftermaths. They stayed there wrapped in each other’s arms for what seemed an eternity. Finally, Kala broke the silence.
“My goodness, is it always so explosive?”
“Not always, no.”
“I don’t know whether to think I am lucky or not.”
“Oh, we are definitely lucky.”
Kala heard the pride in his voice. “I wish I could see your face,” she said wistfully.
“Are you two finished talking yet?” His grandmother called through the door.
“Oh, Judith.”
“Here, let me.” She felt him push her shaking hands away and retied her nightgown and sash. “Well, there is nothing to be done for your lips, but an engaged couple should kiss once in a while.” She placed her fingers on her swollen, tender lips. She felt him take her hand away and drop a kiss on her dewy lips once more. “We’ll manage, Kala,” he whispered in her ear just as Judith entered the room.
***
His grandmother’s voice had withered the near-painful desire he had felt only minutes before. He watched the two women leave the room. The door closed and he returned to the chair he and Kala had just vacated. Gabe spent several minutes lost in thought, amazed at the passion she had shown to him. They at least would have more than most marriages ever did, he decided.
For some reason God had deemed to bless him with a beautiful, albeit, very stubborn wife. He took a deep breath and could still smell her. She smelled of jasmine and an essence that was hers alone. If this was any indication of how the marriage bed would be, he would be surprised if they left it for at least a fortnight. He had difficulty remembering why he had fought her for so long.
A smile twitched across his mouth remembering Kala’s reaction to her first taste of intimacy. Wonder followed by urgency had crossed her face. He chuckled at the way she had hidden in his shoulder as if she were embarrassed by what she felt. The grip she had had on him awed him. She had held him as if he were the only person who could keep her from drowning in sensations. Then afterwards, she had that wondrous look of complete satisfaction.
He found himself thanking God that the attack this afternoon had not scarred her for life. He sat there in silence for quite a while just thinking about nothing and everything. He thought about how fate had changed his life in a few seconds and now instead of feeling bitterness, he felt excited. However, he still worried about Kala’s safety.
They would have to figure out a way to draw the person out. The footmen had reported earlier not being able to catch the intruder. They did inform him they had found a good amount of blood. They had followed a bloody path until it ended, apparently to a horse that had been tied up. Blood had been smeared on the trunk of a tree where the man had leaned against it. He had forgotten how deadly accurate Kala could be with a gun. Apparently blindness had not hurt that particular skill in the least.
“Gabriel,” his grandmother called from the door.
“Come in.”
“Grandson, there is no question about the two of you marrying now.”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“Don’t be indignant with me, young man. I may be old, but I still remember what a woman looks like after being well loved.”
“Grandmother, I really don’t want to have this conversation with you.”
“Fine. Is the wedding still on?”
“Of course.”
“Nothing fancy?”
“No, Kala would not want that.”
“Good. As I grow older, I find I have less and less need of society’s approval. Unlike your mother,” she said in an aside.
“Oh, no,” he groaned. “I haven’t told her yet.”
“Kala and I have discussed the matter. We think it best she not know until after the wedding.”
“What?”
“Well, she spends so much time in her suite, it shouldn’t be too difficult. If she has any visitors we will tell them she is under the weather. If she leaves her room, we will tell her Kala is visiting me.”
“You’re brilliant. Mother cannot protest after the fact.”
“Oh, she can, but she can do very little about it.”
“True.”
“So, tell me, will you and Kala get on all right?”
“I think we’ll rub along well enough.”
“Excellent. You know I have always loved her.”
“I know.”
“And I believe she will make an excellent mother to my great-grandchildren.” Gabe felt his body tightening as he thought about what it would take to get those great-grandchildren for her. “Gabriel, I just had a horrible thought.”
“What is that, grandmother,” he asked concerned.
“Your mother will no longer be the Duchess of Hawkescliffe.”
“We might have just found something that will do her in.”
“I doubt that very seriously. Gabriel, I know that Mikala was not your first choice, but in my heart I believe that she is the right one.” Gabe made no acknowledgement of her words. He knew that he and Kala were compatible physically, but still felt uneasy about how she would take to the role of duchess, especially if she never regained her sight. A knock sounded on the parlor door and Hamlin came in carrying a note.
“Your Grace, the footman asked me to return this note to you. He arrived to find the house has been closed for the season and no one in residence, not even a small staff.”
“Thank you, Hamlin,” he took the note. After the butler left, Gabe tossed the note in the fire. “That’s a bit odd.”
“What’s that?”
“First Lady Clarissa is ill and now her family and servants just up and disappear.”
“Perhaps they retired to the country. The holidays will be upon us soon. Besides it seems there are several leaving earlier this season than normal. That little tyrant in France has everyone in upheaval. Why were you attempting to contact her?”
“I thought she should know of the upcoming wedding. However I cannot chase her down to the country to let her know what has happened. She is a nice girl. I just didn’t want to see her hurt.”
“Yes, she is nice. But she is not the girl for you. You need someone with spirit that will keep you from turning into a stuffy old man before your time. Goodnight, dear,” she dropped a kiss on the top of his head. “And try to keep your hands off Mikala until Saturday, it is only a little over two days away.”
“Yes, grandmother,” he could feel the blush rising on his cheeks as she turned and left the room.
Chapter 18
The next day passed in a flurry of activity. Gabe had a modiste sent to the house to create a wedding dress for Kala, which she promptly thanked and turned away. When Judith argued with her about it she merely shrugged her shoulders and changed the conversation. Mikala found herself nervously pacing the parlor when Judith entered later that afternoon.
“Mikala, sit down,” Judith had a sternness to her voice that sounded unnatural to Kala.
“What is it?” Kala asked concerned.
“You must quit worrying about the situation you and Gabriel find yourselves in. There is no help for it, so you might as well stiffen your resolve and deal with it.”
“But Judith, he really doesn’t want to marry me.”
“If last night were any indication, you two will have more than most ton marriages.”
“Judith,” Kala cried, shocked that she would bring it up or even have an idea as to what happened in that study between her and Gabe.
“Oh, Mikala, I used to be married once myself and had three sons. Don’t you think I know what goes on in a marriage?” Kala could feel herself violently blushing. “Since taking over the dukedom in the wake of so many tragedies, Gabriel has had a lot of responsibility thrust upon him that never should have happened. Don’t you remember how he used to be when you all were just children?”
“Yes,” Kala replied wistfully, being reminded of their youthful carefree days when he and Derek would come home after the end of the school year. Gabe had always been allowed by his father to spend a month with them before returning home.
“Mikala, it is your job as his wife, to bring back that carefree spirit, or he will put himself into an early grave.” Kala’s heart plummeted at the words. “If only my son had done more for the dukedom, then perhaps Gabriel could be more like his old self. I believe Andrew’s death tore that family apart in ways I will never fully comprehend,” the older woman sighed. “Now he finds himself saddled with estates that are not producing as they should, and tenants relying on his guidance, and very little money in the coffers.”
“I didn’t realize.”
“Please don’t let on that you know. It would wound Gabriel’s pride.”
“I promise, Judith. I don’t know how I’ll do it, but I promise.”
“Also, don’t let him break your spirit, child. He can be hard and cold, but inside of him the boy that you once loved is still there. You just have to find him and coax him back into the world of the living.”
“I will, Judith, I will,” she promised with all her heart.
***
Late that afternoon Mikala sat in the parlor lost in thought. Light streamed through the west-facing parlor windows casting her shadow world in shades of grey rather than total darkness. She found herself quite tired of this half world of not
quite seeing and not quite being blind. Sometimes the shadows that she saw were eerier than not being able to see anything. Mikala had not yet shared that news with anyone. She also hated the feeling of uselessness and being in the way. She missed being active.
She was so lost in thought she failed to hear heavy footsteps enter the room. Only when she felt the heat of the sun blocked from her did she realize someone else had joined her. She paused a moment and inhaled deeply, smelling the familiar scent of cinnamon with just a hint of something she could not quite name, but indicated Gabe nonetheless.
“Gabe, you startled me,” she said.
“How did you recognize me?” She could hear the suspicion in his tone.
“I have not regained my sight if that is what you are getting at. You have a particular scent, a cinnamon undertone.”
“Ah, my cologne. Yes, I came across it when I was in the Navy at some exotic port we stopped at.”
“I would love to travel and see the world,” she said wistfully.
“Perhaps someday. Now, tell my why you turned the modiste away.”
“There is no use spending money on a wedding gown that I can’t even see. There will only be a few in attendance and I have plenty of gowns upstairs that will serve the occasion just fine.”
“Perhaps I wanted to see you in a fine gown.”
“And you will. That is all I am going to say on the matter.” She heard him muttering under his breath and thought she could make out the words stubborn and women. “What was that, Your Grace?”
“Nothing, Miss Simmons, I merely wondered if you would like to join grandmother and me for supper.”
“I would love to.” She held out her hand and allowed him to assist her up out of the chair and guided her to the dining room. They enjoyed a pleasant meal together, none of them mentioning his mother who had remained secluded in her bedchamber.
“Mikala, I wondered if you would care to join me in my study. I am intrigued by King Arthur and heard you are quite the expert.”
A Thin Line Page 15
