Nodding, he slid his hand up to curl around the back of her neck. “Yes, and that time is now.”
Before she could reject him, he pulled her down for a kiss. In her typical fashion, as soon as their lips met, she gave in and returned his kiss. The depth of her passion always amazed and excited him. He wondered if he would ever tire of her. Truthfully, he didn’t think it possible.
Her hands tangled in his hair, and he repositioned her to straddle his legs. Sliding inside her would be such a simple matter, but he knew there was a limit to how far she would go in the carriage. Instead, he wrestled with her skirts until he gripped her bare thigh and ground himself up against her, wishing he could do more. Bloody hell, he was a mess.
When he finally drew back, they were both breathing heavily and her eyes were glazed. He imagined, he didn’t appear much better. Perhaps this wasn’t as good an idea as he thought. At the moment, all he could think about was getting her into his bed. That was the one place he’d fantasized about having her many times before. He could hardly wait.
Once they finally arrived at his townhouse, he had managed to cool his ardor enough to walk into the building without embarrassing himself. The staff had assembled to meet the new mistress, and he’d been pleasantly surprised by Kaylee’s ability to charm everyone. However, once the introductions were complete, his sisters arrived in a unified group to take Kaylee away from him. In the end, he’d been too astonished argue.
“Come, let’s talk in your study.” Weston clapped him on the back. “I know you have better brandy than what your sister serves me.”
Simon chuckled as he led the way then served the brandy he reserved for his friends. “So, tell me, what have I missed while I’ve been gone?”
His cousin took a long drink and let out a grateful sigh. “This is much better. Why don’t you finish your glass before we get into those matters?”
Although the comment was stated with ease, discomfort crept across Simon’s shoulders. If he needed to imbibe any amount of alcohol first, the news certainly wouldn’t be favorable. This was not what he wanted to hear upon his return home with his wife.
“Sadly, I’ve lost the taste for it,” Simon uttered, as he pushed his brandy aside.
After setting his now empty glass on the desk, Weston leaned back in his chair. “I take it you sent a message to Lord Whedon stating your intentions to elope with his sister.”
Simon nodded. “How exactly did you come by this knowledge?”
“I was here when he barged in seeking more information.” Weston let out a chuckle. “The man was none too pleased to discover we didn’t know much more about your plans than he did, and that wife of his has been relentless in her pursuit. She has been by here upon two separate occasions to speak with Lana.”
Bothered by the whole situation and by the fact that Kaylee wouldn’t tell him much about what was happening with her family, he stretched his body out, leaning against the leather cushions.
“Why do you suppose that is?”
Weston shrugged. “Who knows? Perhaps he’s under a mountain of debt and had hoped to auction her off to the highest bidder. Although, I’d imagine her age would be a deterrent for most. Or, they could have hoped to keep her around to run the household and save the viscountess the trouble. But, I imagine the dowager would happily continue the roll. Honestly, I just can’t say.”
Clamping his lips closed, Simon realized it was time to find out what his wife was hiding from him. Whether she wished it her not, he would invite his new brother-in-law for a visit. Then, Simon would be able to ascertain the man’s plans firsthand. No more speculation.
“Let’s speak of a more pleasant subject. As I just returned home with my new bride, I would be pleased to keep an optimistic outlook on life.”
His cousin grinned. “I can see pleasure on your face. I take it the viscountess is happy with her new position?”
Shrugging, Simon took up his glass. That wasn’t exactly a topic change he had been hoping for. “For the time being, I imagine she is content. Over the next nine months, I simply need to ensure she remains in a similar state.”
“And, you shall have my full support in that endeavor.”
“I appreciate it. So, tell me, how are matters progressing with my sister? I do hope Lana isn’t distressed by your decision to postpone your plans presently.”
As he cleared his throat, Weston looked off at seemingly nothing in particular. “At this time, I can’t say where her mind resides. That is actually why I’m here today. Something happened between us, but she refuses to tell me what it is.”
Simon let out a groan filled with frustration. Were all women just as frustrating? He’d known his sisters, Lana in particular, weren’t easy ladies, but he’d not been expecting any trouble between her and Weston. They seemed to have a spark that most couples only dreamed of. To find that he’d been wrong wasn’t a pleasant matter.
“I don’t understand. When I left everything seemed well. You must have some idea of what occurred to change her mind.”
Weston shifted uncomfortably. “Your sister isn’t an easy woman. At times, I find the smallest of matters upsets her. In addition, her anger can be directed at me when I had nothing to do with the situation.”
Although the man’s words rang true, his discomfort told Simon he knew more than he wanted to admit. Tossing back his glass, Simon wished he hadn’t decided to return from Scotland. It seemed London was rent with problems. The relationship he had with Kaylee was much too tenuous to add all these other complications.
Then, he had an idea. Perhaps Kaylee was the answer, at least in this particular instance. If she could talk to Lana and help mend the girl’s relationship with Weston, it would also bring the women closer. That certainly wouldn’t be a bad thing. He needed Kaylee to realize she belonged with him on more than one front. His sister certainly could help with that.
“Weston, I believe we have the ability to help each other.”
~ ~ ~
“How romantic!” Simon’s youngest sister, Wendy, gushed.
Kaylee had trouble maintaining her smile as the three sisters looked at her. This wasn’t exactly what she had expected upon her return to London, but she imagined the girl’s belief in romance was better than the alternative. After all, it was their own brother she was speaking of.
“Tell us, how did Simon convince you to rush off to Gretna Green?” Lana’s voice wasn’t quite as full of awe as her sister’s.
“Yes. Please do,” Gina chimed in. “I bet he poured his heart out. And, how could you refuse that?”
Latching onto the excuse, Kaylee nodded. “That’s exactly what happened. Your brother is quite charming and can be persuasive when he wants to be.”
Lana sucked in a breath. “He coerced you? Why would he do such a thing? There is still time yet. Certainly enough to do things properly.”
From the faraway look on the woman’s face, it was clear she didn’t expect a response, but the following silence was thick with unease. Kaylee’s hope of this being an easy transition sank. This was what she had expected. After all, nothing in her life came easy.
“I imagine that when you are in love, such things are secondary,” Gina broke the silence. “Likely, Simon was anxious to claim Kaylee as his wife before another man came along to take her away.”
Swallowing, Kaylee simply looked at her. She couldn’t even force herself to nod in acknowledgment at such an absurd statement. Simon didn’t love her. Her throat clogged, but she brushed it off. Instead, she concentrated on appreciating what the girl was attempting to do. In all her years of teaching others to deal with situations within society, she’d never foreseen one quite like this.
“I can’t speak to his motivations, but I know my own.” Kaylee straightened her back. “Regardless, the viscount and I have married, and we are
all sisters now.”
Kaylee’s words were met with gleeful statements from the younger girls and a penetrating stare from Lana. After several more minutes of excited comments from the Gina and Wendy, they were sent away by their older sister.
Once alone with Lana, the woman eyed Kaylee closely. “My sisters may think this is a romantic story of love, but I know better. So, why did you change your mind? Simon already told me you had rejected his suit. Actually, he had moved on from you and decided to pursue someone else. I understand he was prepared to offer for her.”
The reminder didn’t sit well with Kaylee. Simon had never told her the identity of the second lady he had decided upon. Did he harbor feelings for her? When Kaylee had asked Simon to marry her, she hadn’t even entertain the possibility that he’d been in love with another woman. Had she been wrong to discount that? He hadn’t exactly been pleased by her proposal. She felt ill.
Casting the thought aside, she lifted her chin, after all, there was nothing she could do about it now. “What is it you have against my marriage? I understand he needed a wife, and I helped him achieve that. You should be pleased.”
The woman simply glared at her and Kaylee had to fight off a shudder at the chill coming from the woman. “He may have needed to marry, but I believe he deserved to find someone he could be happy with. That’s why I pushed him. Now, he’s stuck with you. Someone who didn’t even want him. Someone who had to be persuaded to accept him.”
Heat raced up Kaylee’s cheeks. She hadn’t meant for that lie to become so detrimental. Perhaps it would be better for Lana to know the truth—the whole truth. That would help assuage her mind. Kaylee clamped her mouth closed before she got one word out. That was inaccurate. The last thing Lana needed to hear was that Simon would find himself without a wife in nine months’ time.
Letting out a deep breath, Kaylee tried to keep herself calm. “I can’t change the past. I only request that you and I be able to move ahead and become friends. In the past, I did refuse Simon, and as you see, I have changed my decision. Can we put this aside and move forward to a different future?”
Lana lifted an eyebrow. “No. I can’t move ahead with people who would shun the attentions of a gentleman like my brother. There aren’t many like him in the world, and the fact you don’t appreciate what you have makes our friendship impossible.”
With that, the lady stood and stomped from the room. Stunned, Kaylee sat there staring after her. She had no idea what had just occurred. Enduring such hostility would be tiring, and she wasn’t sure she would be able to make it for so many months if faced with it daily. She needed to come to some kind of arrangement with the woman, but she didn’t know what.
For the next hour, Kaylee wandered through her new home and tried to mentally prepare for the idea that this would be her future, well at least for the time being. The idea was foreign to her, and she didn’t exactly feel welcome in these halls. Discomforted, she decided to seek out Simon.
The door to his study was slightly ajar, and she peered inside and saw him sitting behind his desk, facing another man. From his position and the timbre of his voice, it was clear who was in charge of the conversation.
A delicious shiver moved up her body. This new side of him was something she’d not expected. He’d always been charming accommodating, but never the stern lord who was very much in charge. The sight was definitely pleasurable.
When his eyes fell upon her, she couldn’t move. Her breathing increased. She didn’t know what he had done to her, but it seemed she could never get enough of him. No matter how much time she’d spent in his arms, it wasn’t enough. She wanted more.
His attention moved back to the gentleman with him and she was able to shake off her need, at least some of it. Horrified with herself and the fact that she had stood there lusting after her husband as he conducted business, she turned and hurried away. If today was any indication, this was going to be a difficult year. Tears welled up in her eyes.
“Where do you think you are rushing off to?” Simon’s voice was silk at it glided along her skin and dried her eyes.
She trembled. “I didn’t mean to interrupt your conversation. I just . . . I’m sorry.”
The crooked smile he gave her melted her insides, and she didn’t resist when he grabbed her hand and pulled her against him. “If you intend to look at me like you did, there is no reason to apologize. I just wish we had been alone.”
When he pulled her fully up against him, she had to fight the urge to groan. “We are alone now.”
Unable to handle her want any longer, she put her hands on either side of his face, pulled him down and kissed him. His passion met hers and exploded within her. All the emotions she’d felt from the moment they’d left Scotland to the present overtook her, and she needed him like never before.
She slid one hand down his chest and lower to caress the bulge in his trousers. He hissed and jerked back from her. Although his face was full of passion, there was a wildness in his eyes. She feared he would deny her.
Then, his hand slid behind her back while the other moved behind her knees. As he swung her into his arms, she clung to his neck and prayed he would take her somewhere closer than the bedroom, for she could wait no longer.
Once he deposited her on the sofa in the study, she pulled him down on top of her. She rejoiced at his weight as his lips crushed hers. This was what she needed. She did belong here. She belonged with Simon, at least for now.
She squirmed beneath him until he drew back. “Please, Simon. Now.”
With his eyes almost black, he drew up her skirts, but instead of returning to her, he fell to his knees in front of her. She started to protest, but fell back as the air whooshed out of her. Dear God, his mouth was on her, and although she’d never fathomed such a moment, it felt too good for her to protest. Liquid fire flooded her veins at his masterful caresses.
Whimpering, she gripped the cushions. Heat compounded within her, and when he pushed one finger inside her, she screamed as pleasure raked her body. Tears streamed down her face as he sat back and looked at her, clearly proud of himself, but she couldn’t bring herself to care.
Pleasure still coursed through her as he unfastened his breeches and slipped inside her. His filling presence elicited a low moan from her lips. This was what she craved. With him, she never felt alone. He brought her a feeling of completion that she had never known.
As they moved together, she tried not to think, only to feel. Then, when the blinding pleasure hit her again, she clung to Simon as if her life depended on it, and he was right there with her, immersed in his own release.
Afterward as he held her to him, she couldn’t help but wonder after her compulsion to run to him at the first signs of difficulty. She didn’t want to know what that meant. Nor did she want to know what it meant that he was there waiting for her.
Chapter 14
“Thank you for coming to see me so promptly.” Simon indicated for his new brother-in-law to sit at the table with him. Honestly, he hadn’t expected the man to accept the invitation so quickly, so he had arranged for them to meet at the club in order to keep the setting neutral. Not to mention, it was best for Kaylee not to see her brother the very day they returned to London.
“After you dragged my sister off to Scotland without my blessing, how do you expect me to respond? I would have gone straight to see her at your townhouse, had you not contacted me so promptly.”
Appreciating the man’s honesty, Simon nodded. “I assure you she is well. In addition, this was a mutual decision. I did not coerce her to join me.”
Whedon let out a long breath. “That’s certainly a relief to hear, but also begs me to ask if there is another reason for the speed in which the two of you wed.”
Keeping his face emotionless, Simon put from his mind the fact that Kaylee could have conceived a ch
ild before their marriage due to his negligence. Or, the fact that a child could be produced from their union over the course of their marriage if moments like earlier in his study were to continually happen. He had taken precautions in Scotland as he had always done in the past as to not trap her, but the idea of her carrying his child appealed to him more than it should.
“Nothing other than a lack of desire to wait the proper amount of time.”
“Fair enough.” Whedon chuckled. “Regardless, you should have sought my blessing first. That would have taken the awkwardness out of this conversation.”
“I feel no awkwardness.” Simon pause whiled the brandy he requested and glasses were set before them and served. “I’m sorry you feel discomforted.”
The man shifted in his chair. “It’s simply that you have claimed a woman with a few matters that should have been previously discussed.”
Taking his glass, Simon slid it on the table between his thumb and middle finger. “Then, please tell me now.”
“For one, she has a unique relationship with her mother. The two of them had to suffer time apart, and I wouldn’t recommend separating them again.”
Shocked, Simon lifted his brandy and took a long drink. This was definitely not what he expected. Clearly, there was some trouble with the mother for the siblings to fight over who had the responsibility of her.
“That will be a problem.” Simon sat back in his chair, grateful he had already had this discussion with Kaylee. “I guess I will have to disappoint my poor wife already. I’m sure you understand, but with a wife and three sisters in the house, I have no need for another woman to support. I will allow visits, of course.”
Whedon’s jaw clenched. “Of course, I understand. However, keep in mind your sister’s will all marry and leave you. Imagine how much this would mean to Kaylee. Surely, you don’t wish to begin your marriage in such a place?”
To Tame a Viscount (Reformed Rakes Book 2) Page 17
