Lucas opened his eyes and studied his
wife. What must have been terrible?"
That day when you were wounded."
I will admit it was not the highlight
of my life. A little higher, please. Yes.
Right there. Thank you." Her hand was
mere inches from his groin. He wondered
how she could be unaware of the rapidly
growing bulge in his snug breeches. That
fire feels good,"
Lucas?" There was a short, poignant
pause.
Lucas saw the intent look on Victoria's
face. Yes?"
Did you love her very much?"
He closed his eyes again as he struggled
to follow her train of thought. Who?"
Lady Atherton, of course."
Oh, her. Well, I must have thought I
did at the time, else why would I have
bothered to ask her to marry me?"
Why, indeed?" Victoria muttered.
But looking back on it, I find it hard
to believe I was that much of an idiot."
She still loves you."
She loves the idea of suffering from a
star-crossed love and the feeling of being a
gallant martyr to duty far more than she'll
ever love any man. I do not envy Lord
Atherton one bit." Atherton's bed must be
a very cold one, Lucas thought.
Forgive me, my lord," Victoria said
wryly, but that is a remarkably perceptive
comment for a man."
He opened one eye. You think women
are the only ones who can make remarkably
perceptive comments?"
Well, no, but ."
He closed his eye. Some of us males
are capable of learning from our mistakes
and of gaining a measure of perception in
the process."
Is that right?"
Lucas inhaled sharply. Ah, Vicky, could
you possibly go a bit easier on that portion
of my leg? Perhaps if you moved your
hands a bit higher?"
Like this?" She slid her fingers up his
thigh a few more inches.
Lucas did not trust himself to speak. Her
touch was now so intimate he was afraid
he would lose his self-control entirely in
another moment or two.
Lucas, are you all right?" Victoria began
to sound genuinely worried.
After that night we spent together at
the inn, you should know what your touch
does to me, my sweet."
Her hands stilled instantly on his thigh.
Do you want me to stop?" she asked
hesitantly.
Never. Not in a million years. A man
could die happy under such torture."
Lucas, are you by any chance trying to
get me to to seduce you?"
He opened his eyes and looked straight
at her. I would sell my soul to get you to
seduce me."
She blinked at his bluntness. Then her
eyes filled with longing. I do not think the
price would be quite so high, my lord."
He touched her face and then let his
fingers slide along the chain of the pendant.
Thank God for your honesty in matters of
a/m
intellectual inquiry."
Oh, Lucas." With a small cry she threw
herself against his chest and nestled there,
her arms wrapping around his waist. I
have thought about that night so often.
I was so happy with you for those few
hours."
Only your pride is keeping you from
being happy in that way again." He stroked
her arm, enjoying the weight of her against
his chest. Is your pride worth all this
disharmony between us? We are bound
together for life now, Vicky. Do you intend
to put us both through hell every night?"
She kept her head tucked against his
shoulder so that she did not have to look at
him. When you put it like that, it does not
make much sense, does it? Aunt Cleo said
that I had made my bed and now must lie
in it. She said it was up to me to make
that bed as comfortable as possible."
Much as I appreciate your aunt's
sentiments, I'd just as soon not have
a martyr in my bed. I narrowly escaped
that fate once before, as you will recall,"
Lucas said.
Her shoulders shook with soft, nervous
laughter. Yes, I do recall. Very well,
Lucas, I shall view my decision to carry
out my responsibilities as your wife as a
matter of logic and common sense, not a
matter of duty. There is, as you say, no
point in putting us both through hell."
Give me the logical bluestocking rather
than the pious martyr any day." Lucas
tipped up her chin and kissed her. At
least when the bluestocking talks herself
into succumbing to passion, she doesn't
have to pretend she cannot enjoy it." His
mouth moved slowly on hers.
Victoria seemed to hesitate briefly, as
if silently running through her logic one
more time to be certain this was the
right solution to the problem she had
set herself. Then, with a tiny gasp, she
responded with the sweet, hot fervor that
Lucas always found so enthralling.
Her hands tightened around his back
and she parted her lips for him. Lucas
let his tongue plunge into her mouth in
anticipation of the way he would soon be
surging into her body. She pressed herself
against him. He could feel her breasts
beneath the bodice of her dress and his
entire body throbbed with impatience.
Sweetheart, I have waited so long for
our wedding night." He tore his mouth
from hers and reached for the amber
cloak on which she had been kneeling.
He tossed it out deftly with one hand
so that it formed a blanket for her to
lie on.
It will get dirty." Her protest was
automatic, but without any real heat.
You have others." He fumbled with her
gown, a part of him appalled by his haste
and the unaccustomed clumsiness that
accompanied it. So much for strategy.
Another part of him was running wild
and free now that the torment of waiting
was nearly over.
That first time he had prepared himself
to hold back until he was certain she was as
eager as he was. He had been so intent on
not hurting her or alarming her, so intent
on pleasing her. But this time he could
think only of possessing her once more.
He had to reassure himself that she was
his again.
This time he could not contain himself.
Victoria looked startled by his urgency, but
she went willingly over onto her back as he
eased her down onto the cloak. He gave
up fighting with her clothes and contented
himself with pushing her skirts up to her
waist. Then he looked up quickly to see if
she was offended by the lack of gallantry.
When he saw her luminous smile and the
/> reflected heat of the fire in her eyes, he
went to work on his own clothing.
Damn."
What is it?" she asked softly.
Nothing. Merely my own clumsiness."
He finally managed to get the breeches
open. He decided he could not take the
time to remove them or his boots. His
need was raging through him.
And then he was falling on her in a
white-hot fever. He put his hands on her
thighs and she opened them for him,
offering herself. He moved between her
legs, feeling the moist heat of her as he
pushed against her softness. He took one
of her nipples into his mouth and bit down
with exquisite care as he surged into her
tight, hot channel.
She cried out and clung to him. He
could feel the initial resistance of her
body as he pushed steadily deeper. He
reminded himself that this was all still
very new to her.
Lift yourself, sweetheart. Open yourself
for me." He slid one hand down under
her to cup her lush buttocks and urged
her upward so that he could sink himself
even deeper into her clinging warmth.
Lucas."
Am I hurting you?" His voice was husky,
even to his own ears.
No, not precisely. But the feeling is
indescribable. Oh, Lucas."
I know, I know, darling, I know." He
sank himself slowly to the hilt. He felt her
thighs shiver as they closed around him
and the knowledge that she had willingly
made herself so vulnerable to him nearly
undid him. Wrap your legs around my
waist. That's it. Yes."
With a soft exclamation, she gave herself
to him just as she had that first night.
She was clinging to him, whispering his
name, pleading with him for the release
he promised.
Glittering shards of sensation flickered
through his senses. Lucas was aware of
the heat of the fire, the alluring scent of
Victoria's aroused body, the silky strength
of her soft thighs as they tightened around
him.
He opened his eyes and saw that hers
were tightly closed. She was breathing
quickly, her throat arched back over his
arm. She was in the grip of her passion and
the sight was devastating to his senses. He
was utterly fascinated. He moved slowly,
deliberately, within her, letting her pull
him back every time he had retreated to
the entrance of her tight little channel.
Lucas."
Yes." He eased back into her again,
glorying in her hot, clinging warmth. He
was sweating now, his whole body surging
toward release. Then he felt the sudden
tension in Victoria and knew she was close
to her own climax.
He moved his hand on her buttocks,
letting one finger glide intimately along
the dark cleft to the point where their
bodies were joined.
Victoria's eyes flew open and her lips
parted on a soft, startled, purely feminine
shriek.
Lucas? Dear heaven, Lucas."
And then she was convulsing gently
around him, drawing him even more
deeply into her. Lucas heard his own
triumphant shout fill the small room as
his release swept over him.
Several minutes passed before he felt
like stirring. When he did, it was only
to roll onto his side and gather Victoria
close against him. The fire was still blazing
merrily, casting cheerful, dancing shadows
on the walls. Lucas felt his wife's leg slide
lazily along his as she allowed herself to
be cuddled.
You must admit there are some benefits
to marriage, madam. At least this time we
do not have to concern ourselves with
being discovered and threatened with social
ruin." Lucas yawned mightily, aware of a
singular contentment. But do you think
that perhaps next time we might try it in
the comfort of your bed or mine? That
mattress at the inn was lumpy and this
floor is damned hard."
We are having an adventure. Don't you
think it might be a bit ordinary to use one
of our own beds, sir?"
This is what I get for marrying a woman
with a taste for excitement. She only wants
to make love in unusual locations and
under novel circumstances." Lucas ruffled
her short curls affectionately. Fear not,
madam, your husband will do his best to
keep you amused and entertained in your
own bed."
It sounds like a great deal of work on
your part," she said.
Believe me, it will be infinitely easier
to dream up interesting things to do with
you in the comfort of your bedchamber
than it is to chase after you at midnight,
wondering what mischief you're up to."
She did not respond to that. Instead she
wriggled a bit, quite delightfully, in fact.
She made no move to free herself from his
arms but her silence continued for some
time. Lucas began to worry.
Lucas?"
Yes, my sweet?"
Do you swear to me that you did not
arrange for my aunt to discover us that
first time at the inn?"
Anger snapped to life within him, driving
out much of the contentment he had been
enjoying. He pushed himself up on one
elbow and scowled down at her. Damn
it, Vicky, I set out to seduce you, not
humiliate you. How can you think I would
deliberately do such a thing?"
You said, yourself, you were determined
to marry an heiress."
I was determined to marry you," he
corrected roughly, not just any heiress.
Furthermore, to be perfectly blunt about
it, my dear, I had no need to resort to
extreme measures such as arranging for
your aunt to discover us in compromising
circumstances."
Her brows came together in a swift
frown. What do you mean by that?"
Only that I was doing a creditable job
of seducing you into marriage just fine
on my own. I did not require anyone
else's assistance. At the rate we were
going, it would have been only a matter
of time before you talked yourself into
marrying me."
Why, you arrogant beast." She tried to
push herself away from him and sit up.
Lucas grinned and threw one leg over
her bare thighs. He rolled back on top
of her, pinning her wrists to the floor on
either side of her head. Tis true and you
know it, sweetheart. Admit it. Admit you
could not possibly have conducted the sort
of torrid love affair you wished for unless
we got married. It would have proved
impossible."
She glared up at him, struggling futilely.
It would have been possible.
It merely
required planning."
I assure you, when it comes to planning
and strategy, I am very, very good and
even I could not have kept you content
or safe for long. Hell, I could not even
manage it that one time we tried to seclude
ourselves at the inn. And it would have
been impossible for you to steal away from
a soiree to run off to an inn in a strange
coach every time you wanted to make love.
Sooner or later someone would have been
bound to notice."
I would have been most discreet,"
Victoria insisted.
Is that right? And what would we have
done when the Season was over and there
were very few large parties from which you
could disappear without being noticed?"
She bit her lip in annoyance. I would
have thought of something."
No, love. We were headed for trouble
right from the start."
And you knew it."
Of course I knew it. As you are far
from being an idiot, you would soon
have come to your senses and realized
it also. At that point I am convinced you
would have started to think seriously about
marrying me." He smiled deliberately. To
be perfectly truthful, given your appetite
for intellectual inquiry, I do not believe I
would have had to wait too long."
She went still and looked up at him
through her lashes. You were so sure of
me you took to carrying a special license
in your pocket."
I wanted to be prepared. We were
playing with fire, love."
Victoria closed her eyes to his satisfied
grin. And I got burned."
Are the flames so bad?" he asked softly,
brushing his mouth across hers. His body
reacted immediately and he groaned.
I have given the situation much thought
during the past few days," she said, her
expression very serious now. If the world
were a different place, I would never have
chosen marriage."
Her insistence on that point began to
annoy him. He scowled. If the world
were a different place, I would not have
been obliged to capture an heiress."
True. Lucas, as I said, I have given
this much thought. We both did what
was required of us by our sense of honor
and now we have been forced to seal a
bargain. This is something of a business
arrangement. I have decided to think of
our marriage in that light. I see us as
two business associates who have invested
in the same enterprise."
Lucas frowned. I do not like all this
talk of going into trade."
She shook her head restlessly. Think
of it how you will; the point is, we are
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