His hand tightened on her breast, testing its weight and feeling the silky skin. “You are utterly perfect,” he breathed against her.
Anne was too caught up in the moment to try and set the record straight. She knew that she was far from perfect. But the way he looked at her made her feel like the most precious thing on earth.
He ran the tip of his finger around her areola watching her nipple tighten with need, and then his lips captured it in his hot mouth.
Anne’s back arched, pushing her breast further into his mouth. Her moans were long and steady as her hands twisted in his hair to hold him closer.
Ian drew the tip out and then flicked it with his tongue. Her hips arched, and he felt the dampness of her curls. It was all he could do not to sink into her right then.
Trying to buy some time, he moved his aching cock further away from her as he teased and played with her nipples. Anne’s head was thrashing back and forth. Her night braid had come loose, and her hair was a curtain across the pillows.
Her breasts were pink from his whiskers, and there were little red marks from his teeth.
He sank lower kissing her ribs and stomach.
Anne wasn’t sure what his intention was until he kissed her pubic bone right above her most intimate area. Admittedly, he wouldn’t kiss her there—would he? But it seemed that there were no boundaries that Stanford wouldn’t cross as he pushed her thighs apart and kissed the top of her mound.
“Ian!” She meant to cry out in outrage, but his name was more of an uttered plea.
He dipped his head, and she felt his nose against her core. She was mortified that he saw how wet she was. His fingers parted her folds, and he stuck his tongue into her soaking folds.
Anne cried out as she thought this scandalous act must be a sin. But if she were a sinner, she would happily find her spot in hell, for there wasn’t a chance on earth that she would end this delicious torture.
He licked her firmly, using the broad part of his tongue, tasting her desire and seeming to revel in it.
Anne’s legs raised further of their own accord. She opened as wide as her body would allow and dug her fingers back into his hair.
He chuckled against her core, and she felt a tightening in the bottom of her stomach. She thrust her hips up at him, wanting more.
He slid a finger into her core. It was tight, and for a moment she wasn’t sure she liked it.
Ian began kissing and licking her again, as he slowly eased his finger in and out of her.
The pressure that she had felt before tripled. Anne couldn’t contain the thrusting of her hips now. She only knew that she needed something and that he was the one that could give it to her.
Ian’s kisses became more insistent. He started circling the little nubbin between her legs, and his finger had sunk all the way inside of her.
“Please, please, please,” she chanted, not knowing what she wanted.
Her grip on his head was iron tight. No doubt she would find his dark stands laced through her fingers when she pulled away.
Knowing instinctively that she was ready, Ian sucked her clit into his mouth and sucked hard.
Anne saw spots swarming before her eyes as everything broke apart around her. Waves of pleasure washing over her until she was sure that she would die.
He held her throughout all of it, his finger stroking her until the last wave was gone.
Her eyes threatened to close as she stared up at him in wonder. Ian kissed her gently once again and whispered, “Sleep, my love. I won’t leave you.”
Anne snuggled up against him. Too naive to realize that his hard erection meant that this would indeed be a sleepless night for him. But he didn't care. This was the best night of his life, and he wanted to cherish every moment.
Kissing her damp brow, he noticed that her breathing had evened out. And he couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face. She had been a spitfire, and this was only their first encounter.
Heaven help them when she learned more.
Chapter 16
The maid received the shock of her life when she found not one but two sleeping occupants in Anne’s room the following morning.
“What the devil is she shrieking about?” He groused sleepily, pulling Anne more tightly against him.
But Anne was too embarrassed to reply. Their night of passion had seemed untouchable in the darkness. But in the stark daylight, she was suddenly reminded why this was such a terrible idea.
Ian didn’t love her. What had she done?
Tears slipped down her cheeks, and Ian turned her to face him.
“Why are you crying?” He asked tensely. “Do you regret what has happened between us?”
Anne couldn’t respond. She only cried harder.
Ian took her firmly by the shoulders. “Anne, my darling, my love. Please tell me what’s wrong.”
“That’s just it,” she sobbed. “I’m not your love.”
Ian stared at Anne with amazement. “You bloody little fool, I love you so much that I can’t think straight. I know I don’t deserve you, and I had meant to tell you in another way. But blast it, I won’t have you thinking that I don’t care for you. I am in love with every inch of you. I want to marry you.”
“You do?” Anne hiccupped.
“Well, what do we have here?” an amused voice came from the doorway.
Anne didn’t recognize the handsome man standing there and quickly ducked under the covers.
Ian grinned at his older brother. “Hello, Ryan, have you gone to see your brats yet?”
Ryan laughed and pointed at Ian. “I have. I had to keep the children away from this den of iniquity.”
At that comment, Anne moaned ruefully under the blanket.
“Dear Lord, Ryan, come away from there!” A woman’s voice floated to Anne’s ears.
“Lillian, you are looking lovely as ever,” Ian greeted his sister-in-law.
Lillian’s gaze narrowed to the lump containing Anne. “I assume you have a reasonable explanation for this?”
Ian shrugged. “I’m in love.”
Anne grinned underneath the covers. It was too bad she couldn’t have seen Ryan and Lillian’s matching looks of surprise. It would have tickled her right to the bone.
“What’s that stupid look on his face?” Ryan remarked to Lillian.
“I think he’s smiling,” Lillian replied.
Ian frowned at his family.
“Oh! There’s my brother. For a moment I wondered if something had taken over his body.”
“Hilarious,” Ian snorted. “Close the door. I have more to discuss with my betrothed.”
Anne squeaked again when she heard the door close and Ian yanked back the covers. Without a word he covered her lips with his own and kissed her soundly.
Chapter 17
Henry and Brant burst into their Uncle Ian’s bedchamber without knocking.
“Is it true?” Brant’s eyes were dancing as he took in Ian’s bedraggled appearance.
Henry hooted, “It must be. Mother wouldn’t lie. And just look at him, Brant, he looks positively knackered!”
Ian let out a foul curse. “What are you two doing here? Shouldn’t you still be abed?”
“How could anyone sleep through all of the commotion? Mother sent us to fetch you. Lady Gen wants a full accounting of the morning.” Henry tipped his head to the side. “What was Lady Anne doing in your bed chambers? We aren’t buying the story that she saw a mouse.”
Ian felt a flush rising in his cheeks. “It is none of your damn business, either of you.”
Brant laughed. “Looks like you're in the suds now, Uncle Ian! Lady Genevieve was none too happy when we passed her in the hallway.”
“Get out of here and tell them that I will be down shortly.”
“In a single, unattached female’s bed no less,” Henry added with a wink, just as Ian threw a pillow at him. “I am sure it was purely platonic.”
“Well, it was!” Ian retorted, then swore a
gain when he realized he had fallen into Henry’s trap. The boys just laughed and raced out of the door as Ian growled at them. It wasn’t until they were gone that Ian grinned to himself. Those two would certainly give Ryan a run for his money.
It wasn’t until Ian was dressed and striding into the breakfast room that he caught the tense situation. At once he knew something was amiss.
“Ian, Lady Gen has been telling us about a certain note you received. It seems as if there has been another incident,” Ryan murmured.
“What happened?” Ian asked at once.
Anne was the one who answered. “Someone wrote on the kitchen door, in what we think is chicken’s blood.”
The color drained from Ian’s face. “What of the magistrate's men?”
“He claims that he fell asleep,” Lady Gen replied. “I personally think that is balderdash.”
Lillian raised a brow. “You think that this man might have been in on the crime?”
Lady Gen nodded. “I do. It’s far too coincidental that such an event would happen to transpire at the same time.”
“What do we do?” Anne asked.
“We need to discover the man’s name,” Ryan answered. “Then Ian and I need to pay the man a visit.”
Lillian pursed her lips. “That’s well and fine. But the children have been promised a festival and today is the last day.”
Anne nodded. “That’s right. Tomorrow is the Christmas Eve ball. If we don’t go today, they will miss everything this year.”
The vein in Ian’s jaw ticked as he ground his teeth. But after a moment of consideration he said, “Very well. We shall go into town for the festival. If we stick together, there shouldn’t be any reason that Millie isn’t safe.”
Millie, who had been secretly listening in with the twins at the closed door, let a whoop of joy.
Ian stood and opened the door, causing the three children to stumble inside.
Millie had the decency to look chagrined. The twins merely laughed at being caught.
Once everyone was dressed for the outdoors, the party gathered into two coaches and made their way to the Royal Pavilion. There were jugglers, fortune tellers, roasted nuts, ice skating, street performers and so much more.
With flushed cheeks and childlike enthusiasm, the entire group had a wonderful time. It wasn’t until they were leaving that Brant leaned into whisper, “Uncle Ian, do you recognize that man there?”
Ian frowned and followed where Brant was pointing. There was a thin man of middling years drinking ale and listening to a woman harp at him. For a moment Ian felt sorry for the fellow.
“I don’t, Brant. Should I?”
Brant nodded. “He was the one who supposedly fell asleep.”
Ian’s gaze snapped back to the man. “Is he? Ryan, come here for a moment. Would you?”
Ryan excused himself from the ladies and went to speak with Ian. After a moment to confer they both decided to confront the man.
Walking across the cobbled street, the man hadn’t noticed Ian and Ryan until they were nearly upon him. Because he had been caught unaware, his first look at the men was purely instinctual. Ian saw the hatred burning bright right before a mask slammed down on his expression.
“What can I do for you gentleman?” The man asked, glancing nervously at the woman who was staring at Ian and Ryan with a hooded gaze.
“You are the man the magistrate set to watch Lady Genevieve’s home. Are you not?”
The man ran a dirty finger underneath the neckline of his even dirtier neckcloth.
“Aye, but I already explained. I fell asleep. I didn’t see anything.”
Ian nodded. “Yes, so we heard.”
The woman snorted and Ian’s gaze swung to meet hers.
“Did you have something to add to the conversation, madam?”
She raised her pointed nose. “I got nothing to say to you, Guv. I know what you toffs are like.”
Ryan leaned back, showing a deceptively relaxed stance. “I assume you can tell from our accent that we are American.”
She rolled her eyes. “I can see by your wealth that you are high on the hog. Don’t care much what you do to anyone else. Do you?”
“Margie!” The thin man warned, but the woman was just warming up.
“You rich lot are such hypocrites.”
Ian’s tone was icy when he replied. “Pray tell, madam, what are you speaking of?”
“My mother!” She snapped. “The grand ladyship tossed her out on her ear and now we are supposed to care for her. We barely have enough as it is.”
Understanding lit Ian’s face. “Am I to presume that Mrs. Fitzgerald is your mother?”
The woman sniffed. “She is. What kind of person throws a faithful servant out at Christmas?”
“Your mother was dismissed for saying disparaging things about my daughter,” Ian said through clenched teeth. “Not only was she rude and disrespectful to a child, but she chose to make these remarks about the Duke of Bilkshore’s niece.”
“The Duke’s niece? I thought she was just a bas…”
Before she could say anything more, Anne stepped up and interjected, “Finish that sentence and it will be the last thing you do.”
The thin man raised his arms. “We don’t want no trouble.”
“You should have thought of that before taking that woman in,” Ian said tersely. “Or do we have you to blame for the threatening note and the blood on the door?”
The thin man shook his head. “No, sir! That was cooked up between Margie and her mother. I told them that they would be caught. But they wouldn’t listen to me.”
Anne frowned. “Why did you let them get away with it then?”
The thin man blushed to the roots of his hair.
But it wasn’t him that answered, it was Margie. “Went out like a light the moment ma struck him in the head. Good for nothin’.”
The man scowled at his wife. Then to everyone’s surprise, he grabbed her wrist. “You can tell that story to the magistrate. I have covered for you long enough, Margie. You and your mother are dangerous.”
“Where is Mrs. Fitzgerald?” Ian asked.
The thin man smiled grimly. “I’ll take you right to her, sir.”
Chapter 18
Anne went to her closet and shuffled through the gowns hanging there. She hadn’t commissioned anything new for the Christmas Eve ball. Between the trouble with Mrs. Fitzgerald and falling in love with Ian, there simply hadn’t been time.
But now that the ball had arrived, Anne was a bundle of nerves.
A quiet knock came at her door and Anne listened as her maid Mary went to open it. Millie came bounding in with all of the youthful exuberance of a well-loved child who is expecting Father Christmas the next morning.
“How I wish that I could go to the ball with you!” Millie sighed as she moved to look at the pretty gowns. “What are you going to wear?”
Anne shrugged. “I was just trying to decide that when you came in. Perhaps you can help me?”
Millie’s eyes lit up. “That would be fantastic. I should love that above all things.”
They went through the different ball gowns until Millie had it narrowed to three. The first was a deep-green velvet that fastened just below the bust. The second was a vibrant red satin that had a scalloped neckline. The third was a creamy chiffon that had tiny pearls sewn into the bodice and French lace on the sleeves.
“You have excellent taste,” Anne said with a smile. “I may have to defer all of my clothing choices to you.”
Millie laughed. “Well, I should certainly love to take on that task. Anne, might I ask you something?”
Anne nodded. “Of course.”
“Are you really going to marry Papa?” Millie looked up at Anne with such a hopeful expression that Anne was touched by the child’s emotion.
“I love your father very much. I hope that you don’t feel like I am intruding on your family. I promise not to.”
Millie laughed. “Good h
eavens, no! Papa used to be so grouchy all the time. He never smiled, he never laughed. Since meeting you he has become so happy. I know that he blamed himself for my mother’s passing. Even if it was indirectly. I never thought to see my papa like this. Anne, I want you to be a part of our family. I want a mother more than anything. But not just any mother. I want you.”
Tears pricked Anne’s eyes. “And I want you as a part of my family. Thank you for that.”
Millie stayed with Anne as Mary styled her hair and helped to make the final decision on the red satin gown. Anne was secretly glad that Millie hadn’t chosen the cream-and-pearl gown. It was what she wanted to wear when she and Ian married.
Ian led her out into the first dance and thereafter never left her side. It was whispered that they had danced no less than three waltzes. And at the stroke of midnight, Ian announced his betrothal to Lady Anne.
The following day started the Christmas festivities. After a long morning in church, the children were thrilled with the presents that awaited them back at Lady Gen’s townhome. With plenty to eat and drink, the next twelve days were some of the happiest of Anne’s life.
Kissing boughs were hung over the doorways to encourage goodwill into the home. Mistletoe was placed in a variety of strategic places that Ian had no trouble whatsoever of using to his advantage.
Songs were sung around the Yule Log as the children played various games of Snapdragon and Charades and the adults drank more wine than was sensible. It wasn’t until Epiphany that Lord Rawlings joined the festivities in Brighton.
With the house already at its maximum occupancy, Lord Rawlings happily put himself up at the inn. He was, however, thrilled to sign the marriage contracts with Ian. In a rare burst of emotion, he even told Anne that she had always made him proud.
Anne, having the foresight to know when it was best to keep one’s opinion to herself, chose not to refute him.
The wedding was short and sweet. Lord Rawlings insisted on giving the bride away. Lady Gen insisted on giving Anne her pearl brooch, and Millie gave Anne a wrapped package that she wasn’t to open until later that night.
Have Yourself a Merry Little Secret : a Christmas collection of historical romance (Have Yourself a Merry Little... Book 2) Page 93
