by Monica Burns
“This could be yours, Ivy.” Simon’s voice filled the air next to her and filtered its way into her head. “Caroline never betrayed you. You betrayed her by not giving her a chance to explain how Whitby forced himself on her and how her parents hastily married her off to the man.”
The words crawled across her skin with insidious repulsion. Could it be true? Had she misjudged Caroline? The painful truth lashed out at her, and her heart cried out from the agony of it. The memory of her cousin pounding on her bedroom door forced the air out of her lungs as tears streamed down her face. How could she have been so wrong? She’d turned her back on Caroline when she’d needed her most.
“Open your eyes, Ivy. Have I shown you anything but the truth this night?” The spirit’s voice was a harsh rasp, and she jerked her head in his direction. The ghost was no longer old. Instead, it was Simon staring back at her with a look of desperation on his face. “Don’t let me go, sweetheart. Come back to me.”
“Simon,” she cried out in anguish. Ivy stretched out her hand to him as he shimmered and faded slowly away. “Simon.”
The mist fell away from her, and her salon came into focus. The scent of evergreen told her she was home. The Christmas tree was still there. Her hand was still outstretched as if to pull Simon back into the world of the living. Oh god, had something happened to him? The salon door opened quickly and Morris stood there with a look of deep concern on his face.
“Are you all right, miss?”
“His lordship, Morris,” she gasped frantically. “Did you see which way his lordship went?”
“No, miss. I only heard the slam—”
Ivy darted past the butler and out into the hallway intent on following Simon out the front door. She was almost at the front door when it crashed open. Determination etched on the hard planes of his face, Simon strode toward her and pulled her into a tight embrace. Stubbornness darkened his silvery eyes as he stared down into her face.
“I don’t give a fuck that you’re a commoner, and I don’t give a damn what you think about my title,” he bit out between his teeth. “I love you, and I intend to marry you no matter how much you object. As for your cousin, you’re going to apologize. The woman has suffered enough, and once you hear her story, you’ll be begging her forgiveness.”
“Yes, Simon,” she breathed softly as she traced his beautiful features with her fingers.
The harsh expression on his face faded slightly as something akin to relief flared in his eyes. With a fierce scowl, his gaze didn’t leave her face as he addressed the butler.
“You heard her, didn’t you Morris? The woman agreed to everything I just said.”
“Yes, my lord. She most certainly did.” Neither of them bothered to look at the butler as he coughed slightly.
“And I trust you’ll exercise your usual discretion when my nephew sends someone looking for us.” Simon stated as he swept Ivy off her feet and climbed the stairs toward her bedroom.
“But of course, my lord. Happy Christmas to you both.” Ivy heard the relief in the old retainer’s voice and she glanced over Simon’s shoulder and mouthed the words Happy Christmas. The smile on Morris’ face warmed her almost as much as Simon’s declaration of love.
~~~~
“You’re looking quite pleased with yourself, given the misery you’ve caused me and others today,” he growled as he struggled to disguise the raw fear that still held a tight grip on him. He’d come so close to losing her that he was still shaking on the inside. “Your cousin didn’t betray you. Nor did I.”
“I realize that now.” Her fingers lightly touched his face in a penitent fashion. “I’ve been a fool.”
“Yes you have. A bloody little fool,” he snapped. Regret blistered its way across his tongue as she flinched, and tears welled up in her eyes.
“I’m sorry, Simon. I’m so sorry,” she buried her face in his shoulder and shuddered as her tears soaked his jacket. Simon halted just inside her bedroom and bent his head to kiss her cheek.
“Don’t cry, sweetheart. All is forgiven.” At his words, she shook her head.
“I don’t deserve your forgiveness,” she choked out. “I was beastly to both you and the way I hurt Caroline...”
“What I want to know is why.” Gently, he set her down, and she walked away from him to stare out the window for a long moment. When she finally turned to face him, her expression was so forlorn that it took every bit of will power not to cross the room and sweep her into his arms.
“I’m not sure I can make you understand.”
“Try me.” At his command, she flinched then nodded.
“I was only eight when I lost my parents and went to live with my aunt and uncle. All I’d ever known was love, and suddenly I was living in a place where I reviled. Caroline was the only one who cared about me.” Her voice trembled, and Simon took a step forward, but she waved him to stop. Swallowing hard, she averted her gaze.
“My aunt and uncle never missed an opportunity to stress I was a commoner and beneath them. I wasn’t even good enough to have a decent bedroom, and if not for Caroline, I would never have been allowed to eat with the family.”
She faltered in her story, and a tight band of pain lashed its way around Simon’s chest as he watched her struggle to maintain her composure. Her profile reflected a wounded look of vulnerability that made his heart ache for her. For the first time since they’d met, she was opening herself up to him, and he could see how difficult it was for her to do so.
He wanted to pull her into his arms and keep her there until she understood how much he loved her, would always love her. But she needed to finish her tale. This final barrier between them needed to collapse. He understood that now.
Everything that had confused him before made sense in this moment. If he went to her and held her, she might never have the courage to completely open up to him in the future. She needed to know she could trust him implicitly. Muscles rigid, he didn’t move, despite his urgent need to hold her in his arms and comfort her.
Hands clenched tightly in front of her, the drawn look to her features made his decision not to touch her that much harder. She swallowed hard as she looked away from him.
“When Whitby rejected me, I was devastated. It only reinforced what my aunt and uncle had been saying for years. And in the end, it made me despise everything the nobility stood for.” She inhaled a deep breath.
“But when I learned he was to marry Caroline, I became convinced she’d been the one to tell him I was a commoner. I believed she’d done so simply so she could have him for herself, because she knew he wouldn’t want me as I was. In my eyes, she’d stolen the one thing that had brought me happiness.”
She paused and looked at him again. The anguish in her face wrenched at his gut with the force of a misplaced blow from a sparring partner. Her mouth trembled as she met his gaze.
“But that wasn’t what hurt the most. We’d been like sisters, and yet I believed she’d betrayed me. How could she really love me, a commoner, if she was willing to betray me… so easily?”
The crack of her voice drove him forward. It was impossible not to gather her into his arms and hold her. Absorbing the warmth of her into his body, he held her close, saying nothing as she buried her face in his shoulder and sobbed.
Lilies. The scent brushed his senses as his face pressed into her hair. Her scent. Anywhere he went the fragrance would always bring her into his mind. Tonight she’d opened herself up to him with an honesty that humbled him. She’d exposed her heart to him, and it was all the proof he needed to know she loved him. Slowly, her shudders and tears eased into silence. When she lifted her head, she brushed away the dampness on her cheeks and sniffled.
“I must look a sight.”
“You’re beautiful.”
A flush of pleasure blossomed across her face as she offered him a small smile. The sight turned him upside down. God, with just one look she had him ready to get on his knees and worship her. Gently, he cupped the side o
f her face.
“I love you, Ivy. Marry me.” He held his breath as she hesitated for briefest of seconds.
“Yes,” she said as she pulled his head down to hers and kissed him. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”
“Because?” He studied her intently as he waited for her answer with bated breath.
“Because I love you,” she whispered and a sweet smile of seduction curved her tantalizing mouth. “And I don’t want to live without you.”
Simon didn’t move as Ivy’s hands slowly undid his tie then the buttons of his shirt. Almost as if she knew it would drive him mad with desire, she took her time undoing each button. She pushed his shirt aside and leaned forward to brush her mouth over his chest. Her touch rocked him with a need so strong he knew breathing would be difficult if she ever left him.
Quickly, he pulled the pins from her hair and slid his fingers through the dark auburn silk tresses. Cupping her head in his hands, Simon crushed her mouth beneath his. Desire took over as he probed the sweetness of her mouth, tasting her, drinking in the warm, soft flavor of her. Damn but he wanted her. Now. No soft strokes, no sweet caresses, only the tight feel of her wrapped around his cock as he pounded his body against hers until he exploded inside her.
His mouth still locked with hers, he tore his jacket off and then his shirt. Equally eager, she panted her frantic need as she tugged at her own clothing. Together they tugged and pulled each other’s clothing off in a frenetic tangle of limbs. She tossed her dress and corset to one side, and he uttered a groan as her breasts spilled out into his hands. The sight of her taut nipples made him harden with an agonizing ache that was exquisite in its intensity. His thumbs rolled over the stiff peaks, triumph sailing through him at her cry of excitement. A quiet moan echoed over his head as he suckled first one nipple and then the other. Her silky, fragrant body pressed into his, and the soft scent of her desire drifted up to him.
“Oh God, Simon, please. Love me.”
The urgency in her husky voice drove him over the edge as she pulled him with her to the bed. She sat down on the mattress then leaned over to take him in her mouth. The seductive way her lips and tongue stroked his cock made his balls draw up tight against his groin. He groaned with regret as he made her stop. With a gentle push, he forced her to lie back on the mattress with her legs dangling over the edge.
His hands grasped her bottom as he lifted her slightly then buried himself deep inside her hot, satiny folds. The moment he entered her, she released a sob of pleasure. Tight and slick, her muscles clenched at him with such raw intensity he wasn’t sure where she began and he ended. With each hot stroke, she bucked against him, matching his furious rhythm. She was his, now and for always.
~~~~
It was wild and passionate. He filled her and treasured her with every inch of his body. The desire pouring out of him into her was unlike any lovemaking they’d shared before. The frenetic pace between them escalated every sensation skimming its way along her senses. The feverish intensity of it reached a high pitch as she cried out her release. The intensity of her climax made her body clench tightly around him, and her body surrendered completely to his hot strokes. A heartbeat later, he cried out her name as he drove into her one last time and throbbed violently inside her.
They remained connected for several minutes before Simon withdrew from her. She murmured as he retreated, but a moment later he’d pulled down the bed covers and was tucking her under the sheets before sliding in beside her. The harshness of his breathing eased as they lay quietly in each other’s arms. Aware they had one last secret between them, she sighed.
“Simon?” Pushing herself up on one elbow, she brushed her hair out of her face.
“Umm.”
Eyes closed, he wore a look of contentment. She hesitated upon seeing his expression. Would he be terribly angry with her? Her silence made him open his eyes, and she bit her lip at the curiosity glittering there.
“Do you want children?” For a moment, he just stared at her, curiosity giving way to surprise, then wariness.
“Do you?” He asked cautiously.
“Oh yes, very much.” She nodded as she tried to read his expression. A smile curved his lips, and he trailed his forefinger down her throat and across her breasts.
“Then I suggest we take all night ensuring your wish is granted.”
“Actually,” she paused to swallow as he arched an eyebrow at her. “We’ve already accomplished that.”
Amazement, excitement, and happiness crossed his features in swift succession. Rolling her over onto her back, he hovered over her.
“Do you mean to tell me you’re with child?”
“Yes. And I’m certain there will be talk,” she murmured in a hesitant voice.
“Not by anyone who matters, sweetheart. But to save you any pain, I’ll make you respectable within the week.” The love in his eyes warmed the deepest corners of her heart. “My only regret is not having you to myself for much longer. But as for the boy, I’m delighted.”
“How do you know the child will be a boy?”
“I’m not sure.” With a shrug, he shook his head. “It’s as though someone just whispered it in my ear. I just know you’re carrying our son.”
A smile tugged at her lips. Simon’s ghost. She frowned. Had it all been a dream? No, it had been too vivid for a dream. Without another explanation, she had no choice but to believe what she’d seen. One day she would tell Simon of her experience, but for now, she was content to keep her own counsel. Curling her body into his, Ivy sighed with happiness. Simon’s arms tightened around her.
“Happy Christmas, my love,” he murmured as he kissed the top of her head.
“I love you, Simon,” she whispered.
Outside, darkness had fallen, and there was the soft sound of carolers making their way from door to door. She was the most fortunate of women. The power of Simon’s love had reached out to her from across the years. She didn’t know how, but the ghost had shown her the way to true love and happiness. As the fire in the hearth flickered then died to a soft glow, she burrowed her way deeper into Simon’s arms and sighed with contentment. It truly was a Happy Christmas.
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And keep reading for a three-chapter excerpt of Obsession, now available.
Chapter 1
London, 1888
The inside of Chantrel’s was quiet as a tomb as Sebastian Rockwood, Earl of Melton stepped through the establishment’s front door. Popular among men of the peerage, the exclusive brothel’s unique offerings were well known. Chantrel, the establishment’s sole proprietor, trained her girls to speak and act like women of nobility except in the bedroom. There, her pupils performed with an enthusiasm that was often lacking in the lives of most noblemen.
Sebastian handed his top hat and cane to the footman on duty. Beside him, his friend Devin Morehouse, Viscount Westbrook did the same. The servant quickly accepted their belongings then hurried off to fetch Chantrel as Sebastian had instructed. When the man disappeared, Sebastian turned to survey the empty parlor opening off the foyer. It seemed quite odd the brothel would be so quiet at this time of night. His friend cleared his throat.
“Where the devil is everyone?” Devin muttered as he stepped toward the vacant drawing room. “Are you sure this is the place?”
“Yes,” Sebastian said. “Caleb was quite explicit as to the young l
ady’s whereabouts.”
“What did he say the girl’s name was?”
“Georgina Bainbridge.”
“Well, if she is here, the next question is whether or not she’s been harmed already.”
Devin’s concern was one Sebastian had already considered. For the girl’s sake, he could only hope she was untouched. With a sharp nod of agreement at his friend’s observation, Sebastian frowned as he studied his surroundings. The occasional mistress easily addressed his needs, and his knowledge of Chantrel’s was by reputation only. In fact, the only reason he’d even agreed to visit the place tonight was to keep his younger brother from doing something rash.
Earlier this afternoon, in typical Rockwood fashion, Caleb had burst into Sebastian’s office like a man possessed. Rash, impetuous behavior was a common family trait. The Rockwoods were well known for their impulsive natures and their daring escapades with the exception of Sebastian. He’d learned a long time ago to control his emotions. He could only wish his siblings would do the same.
“Caleb was quite certain she was here, so let us hope she’s not been compromised,” Sebastian said quietly.
“Couldn’t you have contacted Inspector McBride? As I recall, he resolved Percy’s small problem last year quite admirably.”
“I suggested that, but Caleb said he’d already been to Scotland Yard and the man wasn’t available. The sergeant on duty said they had more serious cases to pursue.”
“The murders in Whitechapel, I’d imagine,” Devin said with a note of disgust in his voice. “Bad business that.”
