The Hero Least Likely

by Darcy Burke

  That night, Perry rolled Paula onto her back, kissing her as he did so. She felt heavenly. Her breasts pressed against his chest, soft and warm. She cupped his butt in her hands and encouraged him to slide deeper into her. He followed her guidance, allowing her to set the pace of his thrusting. The pleasure mounting in his loins was still overwhelming. Her body felt wonderful, hot and slick as it clenched around him. If there was a better feeling than this, he didn’t know what it could be.

  When their kiss ended, he took a moment to open his eyes and watch her in the moonlight. She had her eyes closed, and he thought there was a contented expression on her face. But he wondered if she wasn’t enjoying their lovemaking as much as he was. She moaned softly and worked with him, so she had to be enjoying it to a point. But was it enough? Was she experiencing the same level of ecstasy that he was?

  His movements slowed, and she opened her eyes. “Perry, is something wrong?”

  He shook his head then tried to get back into the rhythm he’d just been employing moments before, but it didn’t work and in losing his momentum, his erection softened. Hoping she didn’t pick up on what happened, he pulled out of her and rolled onto his back. Out of breath, he drew her in his arms and stared at the ceiling. This was all Christopher’s fault. Up to now, he’d managed along just fine every time he was in bed with her. He hadn’t grown soft until after he released his seed. But now that Christopher handed him a book that pretty much indicated he was no good as a lover, the doubts had trickled in. The next time he saw his cousin, he had a mind to whack him on the head with his cane.

  “Perry,” she asked, lifting her head so she could look at him, “what is it?”

  With a shrug, he avoided eye contact with her and encouraged her to rest her head on his shoulder. “I just need a break.” Which wasn’t a lie. He did. He just didn’t want to tell her why, and God willing, she wouldn’t ask.

  She snuggled up against him and he breathed a sigh of relief. Good. She wasn’t going to ask. That made things more bearable. This wasn’t the first time his cousin managed to slip in some way of making him doubt whether he was adequate when it came to doing something or not, but he sure could have done without wondering how he was as a lover. Of all the areas in his life, this had to be the worst.

  “We had a nice time today,” she softly said, relieving him of his thoughts for the moment.

  “Yes, we did.” Minus the visit from his cousin, it’d been absolutely wonderful. He took her hand in his and squeezed it. “What would you like to do tomorrow?”

  “You mean you’re not tired of me yet?” she teased, making him feel a little more at ease.

  “No. I could never get tired of you.” He rolled onto his side, his hand settling on her hip, his forehead pressed against hers. Closing his eyes, he said, “You’re the most exciting person I’ve ever known.”

  She chuckled and slipped her arm around his waist. “Well, I did talk you into running off to Gretna Green the same night I met you.”

  Laughing, he stroked her skin with the pad of his thumb. “That you did. And not only that, but you have me walking in Hyde Park in broad daylight where everyone can see me. No one’s been able to do that before.”

  “Maybe they didn’t know how to ask.”

  After a moment of silence, he ventured, “Paula, do you think I’m boring?”

  “No. You’re very charming and funny. And even better, you talk to me about things happening in Parliament. You treat me as if I’m as smart as you.”

  “You are as smart as me. Maybe even smarter.”

  “You’re one of the smartest gentlemen I’ve ever met, Perry.” She cupped the side of his face in her hand and kissed him.

  Opening his eyes, he studied her expression, noting the sparkle in her eyes and the smile on her lips. She was so very beautiful, a true vision of loveliness. He had the funniest thought that if he blinked, she might disappear. It still didn’t seem possible that she was with him. “Are you happy with me?” he whispered.

  “Of course, I am. Haven’t I been telling you how much I enjoy being with you?”

  “Yes, but I keep wondering when this dream will end and I’ll find myself alone.”

  “I’m not going to leave you.”

  “So when I wake up, you’ll still be here?”

  “Each and every morning.”

  Pulling her closer to him, he kissed her. He loved her. He’d loved her the moment he met her. Only then, he was afraid to admit it. Afraid that she would find someone else more charming, more handsome, more deserving. But she had chosen him and for that, he would always be grateful.

  When he ended the kiss, he asked, “Are you satisfied with me?”

  She chuckled and caressed his cheek with her thumb. “What a silly question. Didn’t I just say I was?”

  “I mean in bed,” he clarified, his voice growing softer.

  “Yes, I’m satisfied with you when we’re in bed. Why would you think otherwise?”

  “I just want to be sure.”

  She cupped the back of his neck with her hand and pulled him toward her, initiating another kiss, this one longer than the one he gave her. Her tongue traced his bottom lip before slipping between his parted lips. Their tongues interlaced, slowly at first but soon growing more insistent as he grew aroused. He wanted very much to continue making love to her. Nothing felt as good as being intimate with her. He’d like to think it was something both of them could find pleasure in, and she had assured him she did.

  She reached down between them and wrapped her hand around his shaft. He moaned as she stroked him, her touch sending thrills of delight all through him, making him forget his earlier apprehension. Relaxing, he brought his hand to her breast. She was soft except for her nipple, which hardened under his caress.

  He wondered if she’d let him go lower and touch her more intimately. She’d always guided him in the past, so he knew for sure that he had her permission. He waited for a few seconds to see if she’d take his hand and guide him there, but she continued stroking him, working up and down his shaft, her movements skilled and driving him closer to the brink of release.

  At times, he had the inclination to cast aside all restraints and take more of a lead. These moments were especially strong when he was fully erect. And at the moment, she had him so hard he thought he might burst. But he didn’t think she’d like it if he did that in her hand, though the idea intrigued him. He certainly wouldn’t mind it. But she was a lady and probably had no such desire for it.

  Gently rolling her onto her back, he settled between her legs. His tip pressed against her opening and dipped in, her wet heat making it easy to slide in all the way. Groaning, he gave into the urge and entered her, loving the feel of her flesh as it surrounded him. Once again, she cupped his butt in her hands and guided his movements, working slowly at first then growing more insistent.

  And this time he gave himself to the full pleasure of the moment. He slid halfway out and then pressed as far as he could go into her. The now familiar build-up of tension centering in his loins let him know it wouldn’t be too long before he reached the peak. A few more thrusts and he released his seed, his body still while the intensity of his climax engulfed him.

  When the intensity ebbed, he relaxed and pressed his forehead against hers. His breathing still raspy, he whispered that he loved her then kissed her. She wrapped her arms around him and returned his kiss, her lips gentle and warm. Everything about her was so very lovely.

  After their kiss, he eased onto his side and drew her into his arms. She snuggled against him, her head resting on his shoulder. This was one of the nicest things he’d ever experienced. When he was with her, it was easy to forget the rest of the world and what others—especially Christopher—said and did. With a contented sigh, he closed his eyes and stroked her back in soothing, circular motions.

  “What would you like to do tomorrow?” he asked, his voice soft in the room.

  “Spend time with you.”

  He s
miled. “Anything else?”

  She shrugged. “As long as I’m with you, I have no need of anything.”

  He kissed the top of her head and murmured, “You’re the best thing that’s happened to me,” before he drifted off to sleep.

  The next morning, Paula stirred from her sleep, fully expecting to find Perry lying beside her, but when she reached for him, she only felt the blankets and his pillow. Opening her eyes, she sat up in the bed, clutching the blanket to her breasts and studied Perry’s bedchamber. She didn’t see him until she heard a soft click in the small room off to the right.

  After she got out of bed, she put her shift on and crossed the room, noting the cool surface of the hard floor. She reached the small room and saw that he was counting some money at his desk.

  “Did I wake you?” he asked, glancing in her direction.

  “No. I didn’t even hear you leave the bed.” Then, with a teasing grin, she added, “I missed you.”

  She caught the slight blush that crept up his cheeks before he answered, “I couldn’t sleep.”

  She walked over to him and leaned against the desk. “You could have woken me up. I would have talked to you or have done other things if you were so inclined.” Really, whatever he wanted, she was more than happy to oblige him.

  “We had a long trip. I wanted you to get your rest.”

  “You’re so considerate when it comes to the needs of others, Perry. Do you ever take time to think about yourself?”

  “I have everything I ever hoped for.”

  This time her cheeks grew warm as he caressed her thigh. It was a very intimate action and yet, there was a hint of innocence in it. She doubted he understood just how suggestive his words and actions were. He was such a strange person. How could he be in London, surrounded by a multitude of rakes and remain untouched by their influence?

  “I notice you don’t have much,” Perry continued, turning his attention back to his money. “I’d like you to get some…lady things…for yourself.”

  She inspected the good sum of money that he gave her and returned a couple of bills. “I don’t require all of this.”

  “You’re a countess now. Your wardrobe and jewelry and other fine things are your due.” When she started to protest, he added, “People will expect you to have better things now that you no longer belong to the middle class. If you can’t buy something nice for yourself because you want it, then think of it as buying something for yourself because you’re my wife.”

  “All right.”

  He tucked the rest of the money back into the box and closed the lid.

  She glanced out the small window and saw the pinks and light blues that marked the beginning of the day. “It’s still early. Why don’t you come to bed? We can talk or hold each other or do more.” Unable to stop the playful grin, she leaned toward him and kissed him.

  “Do you think it’s too soon for me to love you?”

  Her smile widened at his admission. “Maybe I’m a bit of a romantic, but I don’t think it’s ever too soon.” She took his hand and led him back to bed.

  “Are you sure you want to go to my cousin’s dinner party?” Perry asked the next evening as he paced Paula’s bedchamber, his cane tapping along the wood floor.

  “I don’t mind going,” she assured him then turned from her vanity to show him the two necklaces she bought that day. “Which one do you like best?”

  He stepped over to her and motioned to the gold one with sapphires and diamonds embedded in the chain. “This one. The blue matches your gown.”

  Smiling, she put the silver necklace in her box and closed the lid. “I didn’t think gentlemen paid much mind to whether things matched or not.”

  “I can’t speak for all gentlemen, but I do.”

  “Would you mind putting this on for me?” As he took the necklace, she turned her back to him. “I’ve noticed that you dress very well for a gentleman.”

  “Thank you.” He slipped the necklace around her neck and fastened it. Then, to her delight, he kissed her neck. “I happen to think that you look good no matter what you’re wearing. Well, I amend that. You look best in nothing, but I don’t want anyone except me knowing that.”

  Giggling, she turned to face him and kissed him. “You have nothing to worry about.”

  He extended his arm to her and she took it. “I suppose you’re prepared for my cousin’s antics.”

  “Christopher?”

  He nodded.

  “He seems like a friendly sort, even if he enjoys watching you get upset.”

  They entered the hallway and he sighed. “I thought maybe he’d stop doing that once he got married. Agatha is nothing like him. She’s very proper and considerate of others. I honestly can’t understand why she married him.”

  “Maybe it’s because they’re different. Some people do well with their opposites.”

  “Maybe. I’d like to think that he’s a good husband to her.”

  “She looked happy when I met her at the ball.”

  “She hasn’t run off screaming yet, so maybe you’re right.”

  Amused, she slowly made her way down the steps, keeping her pace even with his. “Who else is going to be there tonight?”

  “Nate and his wife Claire. I think they were only invited for my sake, though Claire and Catherine get along very well. Christopher saw it fit to invite Ethan. Ethan is Catherine’s husband.”

  Noting his slight grimace, she squeezed his arm. “What’s wrong with him?”

  “Haven’t you heard of Lord Edon and his many exploits?”

  “I’ve heard some rumors, but I figured some of them were made up. There’s no way one gentleman can create so many scandals.”

  “I’m afraid they’re all true.”

  When they reached the bottom of the stairs, he instructed the footman to get the carriage. The butler handed them their hats, and after she judged that the night was cool enough for a shawl, she asked for her black one. While they waited for the carriage, she decided to pick up where their conversation had left off. “I can’t believe all those rumors about Lord Edon are true. There’s no way they can be. A few of them or so, maybe. But all of them? It’d take several gentlemen to accomplish all those things. I suspect he’s telling some lies.”

  “He doesn’t need to embellish anything. And to prove my point, his reckless behavior ended as soon as his father-in-law put a stop to it. It took the fear of the Duke of Rumsey for him to straighten his life out.”

  “That might have helped, but I still can’t believe he was capable of doing everything people said he did.”

  “Even if it was in the Tittletattle?”

  “You can’t believe everything you read in the scandalsheets.”

  “My dear, you are very innocent in the ways of the world. Hopefully, you’ll never have to learn some of them. There are some unpleasant people in this world.”

  If only he knew how useless his warning was… She offered him a smile and slipped her arm around his and went to the carriage.

  She waited until the coachman urged the horses forward before saying, “If Ethan’s made a change for the better, then there shouldn’t be a problem with him being at the dinner party tonight.” Even as she said it, there was more of a question to her statement.

  “I don’t know. I try not to engage him in a conversation.”

  “Why not?”

  “I don’t want his bad habits to rub off on me. My father always said that bad company corrupts good habits.”

  A knot twisted in her stomach. Hopefully, he’d never find out her unsavory past. If he did, she suspected he would be disappointed in her. She’d like to think he would always look at her with love shining in his eyes. Clearing her throat, she ventured, “Sometimes people change. Maybe having a wife did him some good.” She knew that having him in her life had benefited her.

  “It’s possible,” he relented. “Nate was able to straighten Christopher out…to a point. He’s been much better ever since.”

/>   Relieved, she held onto the hope that he hadn’t completely shut out the idea that a person’s past didn’t dictate their future. “That’s good then. People can strive to be better if they wish it.”

  Taking her hand in his, he leaned in her direction and kissed her. “You see the best in everything, Paula. It’s one of the things I admire most about you.”

  Not sure what he meant by that, she decided not to say anything else in case she slipped and said the wrong thing. His comment could be taken in two ways. Maybe he meant she was being naïve. In that case, he probably thought her to be too trusting for her own good, something she didn’t think of as a compliment. But it could also mean she had the desire for others to strive for improvement, something she considered a good trait. And right now, she decided not to ask him which one he meant because she might not like the answer.

  NINE

  Perry followed Paula into the drawing room where Christopher was standing in the middle of the room and telling everyone about how he—and he alone—had secured Perry a wife. Without so much as a blush when he realized the two people he’d been talking about had just entered the room, he waved to Paula. “Welcome! I’m so glad you came.”

  Perry’s steps slowed since Christopher wasn’t looking at him. Paula seemed hesitant but Perry indicated for her to oblige his cousin so she closed the distance to him.

  “I’m happy to introduce Paula, the lady who will make my cousin’s life worth living,” Christopher told the others, ignoring the way Perry sighed. “Paula, I’d like to introduce you to my friends. There’s the witty and sometimes-scandalous Lord Edon, but you can call him Ethan. His wife—the lady who is just as passionate as her fiery hair—is Catherine. Then there’s the love of my life, Agatha, who is both intelligent and beautiful. And last, but not least, is Claire whose kindness extends to the ends of the world, which explains why she can bear to be married to the world’s biggest grouch, Nate, who is sitting next to her.” Nate scowled at him, so he added, “See what I mean? If it weren’t for her, he’d never smile.”