He returned her avid regard with a soft smile as his hand rose to trace her lips. “How do I describe all the ways I find you beautiful?” he murmured.
His fingertips brushed across her cheek with unbearable tenderness. “You are exquisitely lovely to me, Madeline, but your beauty comes from within as well as without. You’re exciting and intriguing and incredibly stimulating. The pleasure I get in looking at you rivals the joy I feel at simply being with you, in knowing you are my wife.”
He was intent on showing her his love, Madeline knew, a poignant ache welling in her throat.
His hand moved down to cover hers and press it over his heart. “No other woman could ever satisfy me more or be a better match for me, sweetheart. You are everything I ever wanted, could ever want. I need you like I need my next breath….”
Those were the last words he spoke for a long while. Madeline’s breath fled completely as he set about offering her physical proof of his lover’s vow.
Rayne devastated her with his tender touches and caring kisses, until she was trembling violently. Until she was wild with lust and longing. Until her veins were flooded with shuddering heat.
Her body was pulsing, shaking with need for him; her feminine hollows wet with desire, yearning to merge with his hard male flesh.
At last he guided her palm to his naked loins, while his own hand slipped between her legs, pressing against her feminine cleft. Madeline gave a hoarse whimper and arched her back.
Her skin burned against his naked arousal as it probed her slick folds. When he eased the silken head of his shaft into her quivering flesh, Madeline drew a long, shuddering breath at the feel of his thick member gliding deep inside her.
He sank slowly, only to withdraw partway, then thrust inside her again and slide home to the hilt.
Impaled by his hardness, she moaned at the fullness of his penetration.
Yet Rayne was nearly as affected by the exquisite sensations as she was, she suspected. She felt a tension quivering inside him, and knew his passion-hazed eyes mirrored her own.
“Beautiful,” he whispered again as he began to move inside her, his voice thick with desire.
Madeline wrapped her legs around him, welcoming him, holding him tightly, striving to take him even deeper into her body as she spoke the words that filled her heart. “I love you, Rayne … so very much.”
In response, his eyes seemed to blaze with an inner fire. His hand clasping her buttocks, he lifted her hips to meet his, driving his huge, burning shaft into her.
“And I love you, sweet, darling Madeline,” he rasped.
She wanted to weep at the beauty of it. She did sob at the spellbinding sensations Rayne created when he continued whispering promises, endearments to her, urging her on.
She could feel his increased urgency now. His breath was harsh and uneven, his touch no longer gentle as he brought his mouth down on hers and intensified the rhythm of their joining.
When another sob of pleasure sounded from her throat, Rayne’s kiss grew rougher, fiercer, almost primitive. His caresses were equally as fervent as his arms came fully around her, holding her with crushing tightness. She could taste the desire in him, the emotions, the passion.
The fierceness of his embrace was an avowal of love, Madeline knew with absolute certainty.
Her heart thundering in her chest, she kissed him back as though her soul depended on answering his insistent demand.
A taut, savage need blazed between them now. She welcomed the hard thrusting of Rayne’s body as he took her, his tongue plunging in the same relentless cadence as he filled her again and again.
The tension built between them until it was unbearable. When the shattering tumult broke within her, Madeline cried out, a cry that was matched the next instant by the rough groan bursting from Rayne’s throat.
They came together in a firestorm of love and pleasure, his lips drinking in her wild moans.
Ecstasy left them clinging together in the aftermath. After a time, Rayne’s hand rose to cradle Madeline’s throat, soothing her thundering pulse beat, while his mouth feathered kisses over her face.
Then, easing his weight beside her, he pulled her close and enfolded her in his embrace.
Madeline lay there bonelessly with her head on his shoulder, marveling at the joy she was feeling. Her chest literally ached with the fullness of love. The consummation of their second wedding night had not only been a confirmation of their marriage vows but a fierce mating of souls.
She was truly Rayne’s wife now. She felt cherished, loved.
And she felt raw with love for him—her possessive, protective, warrior knight; her dangerous lord who had given his heart over to her to protect and keep safe.
With a deep sigh of contentment, Madeline pressed a kiss on his bare skin.
Her display of affection made Rayne stir enough to speak. “I trust,” he murmured hoarsely, “that after tonight, you will no longer doubt how special you are to me, or how much I love you.”
Madeline couldn’t help but smile with renewed joy. She had no doubts any longer about Rayne’s feelings for her. “I admit, you did a fair job persuading me just now.”
“Merely fair?” Shifting his hold, Rayne placed a finger under her chin, compelling Madeline to lift her gaze to his. “Seriously, wife, do you have any notion how much I love you?”
“I am beginning to understand,” she replied with complete honesty. She knew Rayne loved her with the same fire and passion that coursed through her soul.
Even so, Madeline pursed her mouth provocatively as she looped her arm around his neck. “But I think I need much more convincing, husband. Why don’t you show me again?”
Her seductive challenge made Rayne laugh softly and lower his head to claim her lips. “I will, love, gladly. Just as soon as I recover my strength from our last devastating bout of lovemaking.”
Epilogue
I miss you deeply, Maman, but I know you would be happy for me now that I have found the other half of my heart.
London, November 1817
Rayne woke slowly to the mingled sensations of pleasure and contentment. Pleasure, because he had spent much of the rainy afternoon making love to his wife before falling asleep from satiation and exhaustion. Contentment, because they were celebrating the midwife’s prediction that Madeline was to have his child.
She lay spooned in his arms now, still dozing peacefully. The rain had stopped, leaving their London bedchamber filled with a hushed peace.
Carefully, Rayne slid his hand over Madeline’s naked belly, savoring the feel of her lush, warm body. Marveling at the thought of his seed growing inside her.
Easing away slightly, he raised himself up on one elbow, the better to see her. There was an added glow about her, he noted, admiring how fine and clear her skin was.
How could he have ever thought her plain? Rayne wondered. When had he started to think of her as beautiful? Possibly from the very beginning. Yet her beauty was more than skin deep. Madeline intrigued him, excited him, touched him, stirred him.
And in the past weeks since acknowledging their love for each other, Rayne had made it a point to show her by deeds and not merely pretty words just how lovely she was to him, how much she meant to him.
He was determined to vanquish all her doubts. Madeline was still new to love, though, and so had needed frequent reassurances. In their marriage bed, however, she displayed a flourishing confidence, slipping into the role of enchanting seductress with instinctive mastery.
Her passion was a wondrous gift, yet it was her passionate spirit that had grabbed him by the heart. His need for her was growing more powerful by the day.
Lifting his hand, Rayne brushed an errant tress back from her face, his fingers lingering on her soft, silken skin. He’d found an unexpected treasure in Madeline, without question. She was a vibrant, dynamic woman who took life by the throat. She had lured him into reaching out for love again, warming the cold places inside his heart and filling up the
empty places in his soul. He couldn’t fathom now how he’d ever thought he could live without her.
He loved her dearly, fiercely.
His tender caress eventually had the desired effect, for Madeline stirred awake. Looking sleep-tousled and warm and oh, so desirable, she turned slowly to gaze up at him.
As if sharing his thoughts, she gave him a languid, sated smile that was pure love.
Rayne felt his heart jolt in his chest. He wanted to see that beautiful smile every day of his life, wanted her laughter lighting up his days.
“I didn’t mean to fall asleep,” she murmured huskily. “I hold you to blame, my handsome husband. Your virility devastates mere ordinary females such as I.”
Laughing lightly, he touched his fingertips to her lips, loving the joy reflected in her face. “There is nothing whatsoever ordinary about you, darling. And you are even more to blame for us falling asleep. You obliterated my senses this afternoon. I may never recover.”
When her smile turned brilliantly sensual, Rayne gave in to his aching hunger and drove his fingers deep into her hair to bring her face close to his. In the instant before he claimed her lips, he saw her lustrous eyes grow smoky and hot.
For a long, pleasurable moment, Madeline yielded to his lush invitation … but then she pressed her palms against his naked chest and compelled him to break off his kiss.
“Rayne … Will Stokes should be arriving soon, have you forgotten your engagement?”
“No, I haven’t forgotten.”
“It would be scandalous to be caught lazing abed all afternoon.”
“He will understand.”
“Seriously, Rayne….”
He capitulated with a final, lingering kiss. “Very well, if you insist.”
Rayne helped Madeline rise from the bed then, although her succeeding efforts to wash and dress were interrupted by more frequent kisses and his need to wrap his arms around her.
Clearly she did not mind, however; judging from her delighted sighs, she relished his distractions.
When Rayne assisted with the hooks at the back of her gown, he couldn’t resist sliding his hands around her waist to cradle her faintly swelling stomach.
At his gentle touch, Madeline gave another sigh, this one of utter contentment. “It still awes me, how drastically my life has changed,” she murmured. “Two months ago I never could have dreamed I would have a wonderful husband to love and cherish, or that I might be expecting your child. I am brimming over with happiness, Rayne.”
He rested his chin on the top of her head. “So am I, love.”
“Happiness seems to be rife these days. Your grandmother may seriously disapprove of me, but hopefully she will be pleased to learn that your title may soon have an heir. And you should be pleased, knowing you needn’t labor at siring a child for a while.”
Rayne pressed his smile into her hair. “It was a labor of love, I assure you.”
Madeline gave a soft laugh. “And Gerard has found happiness as well, thanks to you. Lynette’s parents have accepted him fully as their son. But who would have ever thought that Freddie would bestow his affections on a proper young lady and therefore please his father?”
Rayne’s lips curved at the prospect of his impetuous cousin settling down in respectable matrimony. Certainly a great deal had changed in the two months since he’d met Madeline.
“And all three of the Loring sisters are wildly happy in their marriages,” Madeline continued her tally. “Perhaps Lily most of all.”
The youngest Loring sister had recently returned from her wedding trip with her new husband, the Marquess of Claybourne. Lily had taken to Madeline straightaway, and they were fast becoming friends.
“I will always be grateful,” Madeline added sincerely, “to Arabella and Roslyn for helping me capture you, Rayne—and to Fanny, too.”
“You give them too much credit, my sweet.”
“I don’t believe so. Fanny’s advice particularly was invaluable in making you take notice of me.”
He hadn’t been surprised to discover the name of the courtesan who’d tutored Madeline in the tricks of her trade. What was surprising, however, was learning that Fanny Irwin had set her talents to another career altogether—writing Gothic novels. Her first effort had recently been published anonymously to vigorous sales if not great literary acclaim.
“Now I only worry about Tess Blanchard,” Madeline admitted, her tone turning troubled.
The biggest surprise of all was that Miss Blanchard had found herself compromised by a neighboring duke and had wed him to avoid a full-blown scandal.
“Tess longed to marry for love,” Madeline said in consternation, “but their union is far from a love match. At least they seem to have a strong physical attraction for one another, judging from the fireworks between them. I hope Fanny can help Tess’s marriage the way she did mine.”
“Perhaps you should allow them to solve their own problems,” Rayne suggested mildly.
Madeline started to disagree, just as she heard the sound of carriage wheels slowing outside in the street. Accompanying Rayne over to the window, she glanced down and recognized the dowager Countess of Haviland’s barouche.
A knot formed in the pit of Madeline’s stomach at the thought of facing her nemesis again.
“I suppose your grandmother is responding to your message about my condition,” she remarked to Rayne. Out of courtesy, he’d sent his elderly relative a brief missive yesterday, informing her of Madeline’s likely pregnancy, although he hadn’t spoken to Lady Haviland since their heated confrontation at Riverwood many weeks ago.
“I would expect so. We shall see.”
Rayne appeared in no hurry to finish dressing, however, and Madeline was even less so. By the time they went downstairs, Lady Haviland was awaiting them in the drawing room.
The dowager rose imperiously when they entered. Yet surprisingly, she wore an uncertain expression on her face, as if she feared her reception. Still, she scrutinized Madeline intently to the point of making her blush.
“I understand felicitations may be in order,” Lady Haviland stated coolly, yet with none of the belligerence Madeline expected.
“That depends,” Rayne replied, his own voice terse, “on whether you repent your disgraceful conduct. I gave orders for you to be refused admittance until you are willing to treat Madeline properly and welcome her into the family. You must have convinced Walters that you were ready to concede.”
The dowager bit her lip. “Yes.”
His expression remained cold, giving no quarter, as he put his arm around Madeline’s shoulders protectively. “Yes, what, Grandmother?”
“I have come … to welcome your wife into the family.”
Rayne grew impatient at her grudging acquiescence. “My wife’s name is Madeline, Grandmother. And you may tell her directly to her face, since she is standing right here.”
For a moment, a struggle played on the countess’s haughty features, but then her inner conflict seemed to collapse. “Very well, then,” she said, her tone amazingly contrite as she met Madeline’s gaze. “Welcome, Madeline. I was exceedingly wrong to act so abominably toward you, and I humbly beg your forgiveness. It is my fondest hope that we may begin anew.”
Taken aback by her ladyship’s evident humility, Madeline glanced at Rayne, then again at his grandmother. “Of course, my lady. I would very much like to start anew.”
Lady Haviland looked vastly relieved. “Thank you, my dear. And now if you don’t mind, I shall sit down. My heart is rather weak, you know.”
Madeline saw Rayne’s grimness fade, only to be replaced by a hint of exasperated amusement as he went to aid his relative in settling into a comfortable chair.
“Your apology was adequate, Grandmother, even pleasing. But your continued search for sympathy is growing old. According to your doctors, you are quite healthy for a lady of your advanced years. You may even outlast all your grandchildren.”
“I seriously doubt that,” he
r ladyship muttered, “when you particularly insist on being so disobliging.”
Seeing Rayne’s frown, however, she caught his hand. “Forgive me, my boy, I do not mean to quarrel. In all honesty, I am no longer opposed to your marriage. I hoped you would marry well and provide an heir so that your scandalous wretch of an uncle could not claim the title, but I want even more for you to be happy. And Daphne tells me that Madeline has made you very happy and will doubtless be a good mother to your children.”
“Extremely happy, Grandmother,” Rayne agreed. “But you won’t be pleased to learn that I mean to continue working in my previous profession.”
Rayne had accepted a position as a special agent reporting to the Home Secretary, Viscount Sidmouth—his task, to keep the country and its citizens safe from domestic threats rather than foreign ones.
Madeline was very glad that Rayne had found a fulfilling new purpose for his special skills, for she understood his driving need to help others. Indeed, his valor and compassion and strong sense of justice were largely what had made her fall in love with him in the first place.
At his announcement, Lady Haviland made a visible effort to bite her tongue. “You have changed my perspective on that front, too, Rayne. Prinny himself praised your valiant service to the Crown, and you know I would never interfere with the Regent’s desires. Indeed, you have made me quite proud, my boy.”
When Rayne bent down to kiss her cheek, the noblewoman stiffened slightly at his affectionate gesture, then looked pleased. “I must say, Rayne, I am supremely glad you have found happiness in matrimony. Heaven knows, I never did with your grandfather, who wed me only for my fortune.”
Pressing her lips together in memory, she returned her attention to Madeline. “You are not as mercenary as I feared, or you would have accepted my offer of a fortune. I think that proves you love my grandson at least a small measure.”
“I do love him, Lady Haviland. Immensely.”
To Tame a Dangerous Lord Page 36
