by Golden Angel
Still... it would be nice to be able to attend the same events without worrying that her own family members would cut her.
"I'd like you to ride out among the farms with me," Alex told her, his eagerness growing as they talked about his estates. "I want you to talk to the women about the possibility of a school in the area."
That had especially appealed to Grace. She wondered if Alex had somehow discovered the donations she made for the education of children in London. They'd all been made discreetly and anonymously, because she'd known her name would actually hinder rather than help any of the causes she'd backed, but she supposed it was still possible. Grace wasn't a bluestocking, but she'd always found an escape from life in books, and she wanted to make that possible for all children in unfortunate situations. She was lucky that she'd been taught to read. Lucky that she'd been born a Duke's daughter, even if sometimes she'd chafed at the restrictions such a position came with.
That had led to a much longer conversation than she'd anticipated about what Alex hoped to do with schools, or at least a traveling teacher, for the children on his lands. The time flew by, until she realized she needed to dress for dinner. It was her first break from Alex all afternoon, and she'd been a bit relieved by it.
Being constantly in his presence had unnerved her. Weakened defenses that were already crumbling. She didn't even know why she bothered to try and shore up the walls around her heart, except that she still couldn't bring herself to fully trust him. The last time she'd had hope for her future with him, he'd ended up crushing her. It was making her far more wary this time around.
Especially because, during dinner, he kept trying to slide the conversation around to the very things she didn't want to talk about. It became a verbal game of cat and mouse. He would begin alluding to things like marriage or communication, their friends' marriages, their separation, and Grace would immediately slide the conversation back to something innocuous. It was not relaxing dinner conversation and her tension was beginning to rise again.
Alex tolerated Grace's evasions because of the servants that were in and out of the room, serving them dinner. Although he trusted his people to be discreet, there was no way to completely stymy gossip. Especially if the Lord and Lady of the house aired their issues too loudly and too openly in front of the staff. It was human nature to talk.
He'd hoped to at least begin to broach the subject, to ready her, because he was determined that they have an in depth conversation following dinner, but he could tell that he was causing her quite a bit of anxiety. It couldn't be helped. The lack of communication between them was frustrating him. There were too many questions going unanswered.
Why did she call him a liar?
Why did she speak and behave as if he'd never cared for her?
What had she been looking for in his study?
Why had she left him in the first place? What was opening her to him again now?
He supposed it was possible that she'd meant for him to chase after her the first time, but somehow that just didn't align with Grace's character. Other women played games like that, but Grace had seemed truly furious when she'd first left him. Not to mention disdainful, cutting and frankly disgusted by him. Which was why his response had been so prideful. He'd been young and stupid. If she tried such a tactic with him now, he would not only follow behind her but, once he caught up with her, he would blister her bottom until she explained herself.
Looking at her across the dinner table, he noted that she was wearing the dark red color that he liked on her so much. It emphasized her dark hair, pale skin and the red in her cheeks and lips. Even her eyes seemed a brighter blue in contrast. Not for the first time, he thought that he needed to buy her a sapphire and ruby necklace and tiara set.
Almost as if she could read his mind, Grace's pretty pert lips twisted into a little smirk. "You're thinking about rubies and sapphires again, aren't you?" she teased.
He laughed, shaking his head. "How do you always know?"
At least, she always had known, years ago. She claimed it was a look on his face, but he could swear that not a single part of his expression changed.
"You haven't altered as much as you might think," she said, her eyes sparkling just a moment before they began to dull, as she realized that she'd tread too close to the topics of conversation she was avoiding.
But Alex had already realized that his tactics were only making her uncomfortable, so he just leaned back and patted his belly. "That's not what I've been told."
Grace burst out laughing, immediately relaxing since he hadn't picked up on the lead she'd given him. It was reward enough for continuing to be patient and waiting until after dinner, when they were completely alone, to begin their conversation.
"You're just fishing for compliments, no one would dare say anything to you about your waistline!"
Giving her a look of mock outrage, he put an affronted hand over his chest. "Are you implying that there's something to say?"
The rest of the meal went much better as they fell into teasing each other. He hadn't felt so lighthearted since he was a boy. Was it Grace leaving him that had turned him into Stoneface? Or was it her absence in his life throughout the years? Probably a bit of both. She brought out a side of him that was far more relaxed and playful than he felt able to show to anyone else - although his friendship with Wesley and the others had begun to bring out some of those facets as well.
They both became more tense as the meal ended and he asked her to join him in his study for an after dinner sherry. Well, sherry for her and brandy for him. For a moment he thought she would refuse and that he would have to insist, or even force her, but then she nodded. The grim expression on her face didn't make him feel any better.
As they walked down the hall, the serious mien melted away and she started chatting again. He hoped she didn't really think he would be distracted by talk about tomorrow's weather and how fast the carriage might travel. Whatever she thought he wanted to talk about, it was obvious she knew it was more serious. This time, he wasn't going to be diverted.
At least, that's what he thought until they got to the study. No sooner had he closed the door behind them, than Grace threw herself on him.
******
Whatever it was Alex wanted to talk about, Grace was sure it impinged on the topics that she didn't. What was wrong with the blasted man? Hadn't he thought through how awful their traveling situation could be if they argued tonight? Things were going so well between them, why did he have to try and ruin it?
When he'd escorted her out of the dining room, she'd realized that there were other means of distracting him, however. Enjoyable means. After all, they'd already revived the physical portion of their marriage, why not enjoy the benefits while she could? Just in case she ended up having to flee him again. At least she'd have another night in his bed. Because she did still love him, and not a single night with another man had ever compared to being with him.
So, when he turned around from closing the door to his study, she plastered herself against him. It was an unprecedented move on her part. Before their estrangement, she'd certainly never thrown herself at him. Partly because she had never needed to, but even if she'd had the opportunity, she probably would have been too shy to take it. During their estrangement, she'd had all manner of men chasing after her. She'd been content to pick and choose among them, and to indulge when they wanted her, without actually pursuing them herself. She'd ended up with a reputation for being choosy, and so the men had flocked. Some matrons had to exert effort to find their lovers, Grace had never been one of them. If men hadn't presented themselves, she probably would have gone without.
Alex was the only man she'd ever truly wanted to throw herself at. Now, spurred by her need to put off the conversation she knew he wanted to have, it was easy. Especially because, the second she touched her lips to his, she realized she was hungry for him.
The romantic wedding this morning, the way he'd spurned the attentions and fli
rtations of other women, the little looks that he'd given her across the room, and then his stalwart attention to her this afternoon, combined with the fact that they had already made love the night before, opened the way for her. She'd held herself back physically because her emotions wouldn't allow her to give in. She no longer had that barrier.
His body fell back against the door and she could practically feel his surprise. One arm slid around his neck, the other hand clutched at his cravat, and she refused to give up his lips when she felt him trying to pull away. His mouth opened and she thrust her tongue brazenly inside, standing on her toes and rubbing her body against his. Resistance was futile, unless he was prepared to bodily tear her away from him. For a moment, she feared he would do just that as his hands settled on her hips, prepared to push, and then she felt him give in.
Instead of pushing her away, his fingers tightened on her hips. He stopped trying to pull away and drew her in closer, taking control of the kiss with a dominating force that left her breathless. Grace moaned into his mouth as their tongues dueled, pulling at the knot in his cravat and tearing the thing away from his throat. Her calves ached from the effort of keeping her tall enough to kiss him, but she didn't care.
His arousal pressed against her stomach and she was on fire with need. Overwhelmed by urgency. If things went badly tomorrow... if he couldn't give her the answers she needed... she might very well have to flee. She might never see him again. For tonight, at least, she could push away thoughts of the future, ignore her fluttering hopes, and just pretend that there was nothing more between them than their desires. Let their bodies do the talking.
Sliding her hands down, she tugged his buttons through their holes and pushed his jacket open, sliding her hands in. Alex made a growling noise, deep in his chest, which reverberated through her palms. She pushed against him as he tried to lift his head again, refusing to give up the kiss, and he grabbed her by the back of her hair, pulling her head back so that she had to look at him.
"Grace-"
"Shut up," she said fiercely, arching her hips away to undo the front of his pants.
“Grace, we should talk.”
Hunger was hot in Alex's eyes, but she could also see his intent to refuse her. The control that he was struggling for. She shoved her hand in the front of his pants, wrapping her fingers around his erection. Pleasure washed over him, his eyes unfocusing as the hot length throbbed in her hand. For just a moment, his fingers loosened in her hair and she immediately took advantage of it to drop to her knees.
“Later. Not now.”
Pulling his cock free of his clothing, it bobbed in front of her face.
"Grace!"
"Shut up! I want to try this."
"Try this?" Alex sounded like he was being strangled. She looked up at him, from her position on her knees. He was still leaning back against the door, his cravat gone, his jacket open, shirt rumpled, and the front of his pants hanging open. For once, she was the aggressor and it was surprisingly erotic.
"Eleanor says she does it for Edwin, I want to try."
She could almost see the thoughts flitting across his face. Shock at knowing what she and her best friend discussed. Curiosity about what else they might have talked about. The revelation that this was an act Grace had never indulged in. That was something she'd wanted to be sure of, that he knew she'd never done this before. Not just because Eleanor had warned her that he might be jealous, but also in case she was bad at it.
Alex knew that he should stop her, knew that she was probably just diverting him as she had all day, but when her hot mouth closed over the head of his cock, all rational thought flew from his head. When they'd first been married, he'd spent quite a bit of time between Grace's thighs, with his fingers, his mouth, his cock... but they hadn't been together for long enough to begin exploring some of the more exotic aspects of love-play. At the time, Alex certainly hadn't needed anything but his wife, naked and willing, to excite him to the point of losing control.
Knowing that she'd never done this with any other man, that she wanted to do it with him... who was he to deny her? Later, he would rationalize those thoughts. Remind himself that she hadn't wanted to touch him for so long, the change in her attitude needed to be encouraged. That he didn't want to deter her turnaround.
But right now, all he could do was hold on for dear life as her tongue delicately licked the underside of his cock, and the wet heat of her mouth took him deeper. He groaned, struggling to keep from tightening his grip in her hair, not wanting to take control from her when she seemed so delighted to be exploring his cock with her mouth.
She made a pleased humming sound that nearly sent him to his knees, the vibrations traveling up the length of his cock. When the head bumped against the back of her throat, she gagged a bit and backed off, but he didn't mind. After a moment, she began to move her mouth back and forth again, always taking him as deeply as she could, pushing her limits.
It was heaven and hell.
There was no mistaking her for anything but a novice. She was too fascinated by what she was doing, her eyes flicking back and forth between looking directly in front of her, and looking up at his face. When she wanted to lick him, she would pause, exploring with her tongue, especially around the head of his cock, rather than keeping up a steady tempo. He didn't hold back vocally, moaning and practically whimpering at times, letting her know exactly what he most enjoyed about what she was doing.
Even though she was on her knees in front of him, he had no doubts about who was truly in control of this interaction. But the torturous teasing was becoming too much for him, he needed more; wanted to give her the same pleasure that she was bestowing upon him.
When he tightened his fingers in her hair, reluctantly pulling her mouth from his cock, she glared up at him. "I don't want to stop yet."
"We're not stopping, sweetheart," he said, with his best rakish grin. It was feeling a bit wobbly, just as he was, but from the way her face changed to interest and arousal, the effort was satisfactory. "I'm just making some adjustments."
Lying down on the floor, he pulled her atop him, startling a laugh out of her as he flipped her skirts up and positioned her knees on either side of his head, rather than his hips as she obviously expected.
They were both almost completely fully clothed, on the floor of his study, as her mouth slid back over his cock and he pulled her pussy down onto his tongue. The very depravity of the situation made it even more exciting. Grace moaned around his length, her hips bucking as his tongue slid up the wet lips of her pussy. His hands splayed across her bottom, holding her firmly in place. The pretty pink lips of her pussy were parted, her creamy cheeks of her bottom quivering as she shuddered with pleasure, and the tiny crinkled bud of her anus winking at him. It was a sight that would make any man ragingly hard, even if he hadn't been already.
Alex enjoyed the view nearly as much as he enjoyed the musky sweetness of her pussy on his tongue, the scent of her filling his nose. The wet sounds of pleasure being given and taken filled the room, muffled moans interspersed with the rustling of clothing and slick sounds of his cock sliding in and out of her mouth and his fingers thrusting in her pussy.
Pleasure was making it hard for Grace to concentrate... but at the moment, breathing seemed highly overrated anyway. The way Alex was feasting on her pussy, the perversion of what they were doing together and where they were doing it, was all making her even more excited than she'd thought possible. Precautions and worries about the future had fallen by the wayside, pushed out of her head by much more immediate needs and desires.
He stroked the inside of her pussy, finding a spot that made her clench and suck harder as she clutched at his thighs. The slickness of his cock made it easier for her to take more of him, this position on top of him allowing the head to slip into her throat without gagging her. The frantic quality of her movements, as he licked and stroked her pussy, didn't hurt either. The more he teased her, the more her pussy tingled with need, the har
der she sucked him into her mouth.
The musky flavor of him was different from anything she'd ever tasted, not at all unpleasant, and she found herself craving more and more of it. The texture of his cock was part of that too, so soft and yet hard at the same time, the bumps and veiny ridges that gave way when her tongue pressed against them... she wanted more of it. All of it. As she moaned and sucked, his hips were moving, pushing his cock back and forth between her lips even if she was holding still.
When her fingers crept down to touch his balls, she felt him shudder, just before he thrust up even harder and the suction of his lips on her pussy redoubled. She nearly screamed around his cock as he fluttered his tongue of her clit, simultaneously sucking on the swollen bud. None of her lovers, not even Alex when they were first married, had encouraged any kind of exploration of their manhoods. They were more interested in getting her on her back so that they could put it inside her. Some of the more adventurous would get on their own backs so she could ride them, but even then, their goal was to be buried inside of her pussy.
She had never even thought of exploring a man's body, never needed to, and so she had never realized the effect her touch could have on him. Now she was getting quite a lesson. Holding his sack a bit more tightly, she squeezed gently, and was rewarded with another lusty moan as he writhed beneath her. Grace became almost lost in the sucking and squeezing, her hips moving as she climbed closer to climax.
