Slowly, his fingers began to fumble with the buttons at the front of her dress, and she was but she felt so light headed, she was vaguely aware of it, as he continued his kiss, engulfing her in a whole new experience of sensations, as his tongue lapped against her lips in a way she hadn’t expected. She seemed to be lost in his kiss as his hand continued to fumble with the buttons. Abruptly, Eleanor pulled away, trying to clear her wine filled head.
“What are you doing?” she squeaked, as she turned to face him. “I believe you are taking liberties, uncalled for,” she stammered.
“Certainly you must know,” he whispered against her ear. “After all, this will be part of what we will share once you marry me,” he explained.
“But aren’t we to wait until then?” she asked, wide eyed, trying to hold her heavy eyes open.
“We could, but why put it off, when we know we shall be joined soon. I do believe your brother mentioned something about a few weeks, before the merchant marine arrived. Since we only have a few weeks to discover how well we get on together, this could speed up the process a little,” he assured her.
Eleanor took in her breath, “I am afraid, I should not allow it.” Things were moving too fast and her head was starting to swim. “We have to stop this,” she insisted, as she gently pushed him from her. “We should wait until we are married,” she said firmly, and she began to button up her dress.
“I would never force you, sweet love,” he said as he watched glumly, while she began buttoning the front of her dress. He had hoped the wine would put her off guard. The very act of watching her hands work the buttons seemed to excite him. But he had a few weeks yet. There was plenty of time, he decided. “You are right. It would be much more exciting if we waited,” he pretended to agree. He pulled her back against him, as he wrapped his arms around her. “I feel very comfortable here with you in my arms. I suppose I will have to be satisfied with that for the time being.”
Eleanor, leaned her head back against his strong chest. She felt comfortable as well, but she realized just how easy it was to be compromised by a man. Especially a man that you were attracted to. She wondered if he had given her so much wine on purpose, to soften her resistance. There was some subtle thing that bothered her about Sir Percy. He seemed anxious to touch her, but other than that, he seemed a little distant. She was wondering if she should trust herself to him or not? However, the wine had taken its toll, and she was beginning to feel sleepy, so she closed her eyes, as she leaned back against Percy, while his arms clasped her close to him.
Percy listened to her soft breathing, as he watched her breasts rise and fall with each breath she took, and the sight of it thrilled him. Her breathing became heavy and he realized she had fallen asleep, so he pulled her down beside him on the blanket and closed his eyes as well. The feel of her next to him filled him with excitement. He had promised Teddy he would act the gentleman, but it was getting harder to restrain himself, he realized. If he wasn’t careful, he was going to get himself saddled with a penniless wife, whether he liked it or not, as Teddy had threatened him, if he over stepped his bounds.
Regardless of how beautiful she was, he was not sure he really wanted that. But how was he ever going to break off with her, without appearing like a fortune hunter, now that she thought he had offered for her? It was just that when he was around her, all he could do was think about touching her, and Teddy was right, she was exciting to be around. Just a couple of weeks of enjoying her company, and then he would decide how to get out of it, he told himself, as he let his hand brush causally against her breast while she slept.
Eleanor’s eye’s flew open, as she felt drops of water falling on her face, and almost at the same time, Percy was sitting up. “Damn, it is starting to rain,” Percy hissed, as he started gathering up the carriage rug and the lunch basked. “We had better take the horses and carriage over to that barn, or the open carriage is going to get soaked.”
He helped Eleanor into the carriage, and started to lead the horses over to the barn, but suddenly the sky opened up and poured out water on them, so he quickened his pace, pulling the horses and carriage behind him. Eleanor was laughing, as the water began to drench them, and Percy was surprised that she was not whining and complaining about getting wet. When they reached the barn, he pushed open the door, and lead the horses through the opening.
The roof of the barn was not very weather tight, and drops of rain were falling through the cracks. He looked up at Eleanor in the carriage, as she laughed down at him, and took in his breath. Her hair was plastered and dripping about her face and the soft blue gown she was wearing, clung to her body, allowing the pinkness of her breasts to show through the material and the points of her erect nipples to reveal themselves in vivid detail. He just stood and stared at her, not saying anything, and then he suddenly strode to the carriage and pulled her down from it.
“You are soaked through,” he said, pulling her against him to warm her. The sound of the rain falling on the roof, filled his ears as the feel of her cold skin met his hands. “Remove your dress, and I will give you my coat,” he offered. “It is damp as well but should be warmer than what you have on.”
“Turn your back then,” she insisted, as she began to peal the wet dress from her body. When she had removed it, she held her hand out for the coat, and he put it in her hand. Eleanor pulled the coat about her, noticing how it smelled like him.
“That was all very refreshing,” she giggled softly.
Percy was pleased that she was taking this all so well. “There. That is better,” he said turning. She looked so sweet and innocent, standing there in his coat with her petticoats flowing out beneath it. She no longer resembled the flirt Dutton had pointed out to him at the dance.
“I don’t think the carriage rug got very wet,” he murmured, as his eyes watched the drops of water running off of her hair and down between her breasts at the opening of his coat. “Let’s put it over in that corner on the straw there, where the roof is not leaking so bad,” he suggested, and he took it from the carriage, leading her over to the place he had indicated. “Sit down by me,” he told her, pulling her down beside him. “You had better drink more wine, in order to ward off the cold.” He went to the buggy and pulled out the bottle, bringing it back to the blanket, uncorking it before he sat back down and handed it to her.
Eleanor took a couple gulps and smiled contentedly as the wine slid down her throat, causing to feel even more light headed than she had before she fell asleep.
The coat only came a little above her knees, and the sight of her stocking legs poking out beneath the petticoats, as she wiggled her toes, because she had kicked off her slippers, when she removed the dress, was more than he could resist, as his eyes seemed glued to them. He encouraged her to tip the bottle again, and she giggled as she did so. Hesitantly, Percy reached out his hand and touched her leg.
“You feel cold,” he whispered, as he rubbed her leg with his hand. “Let me warm you up some more. The wine doesn’t seem to be doing a good enough job.”
“Do you think it is going to last long?” She asked, trying to ignore the feel of his hand on her leg, as she took yet another sip from the bottle of wine. She was starting to feel a lot warmer now.
“I don’t know, but you can’t possibly put your wet dress on again, until it dries. It is practically transparent. You could not be seen in public in it.”
“I could wear your coat over it,” she suggested.
“Yes, that would probably work,” he agreed reluctantly. “But you would catch your death, if you put your wet clothes back on. Let’s wait out the storm and see what happens. After all your family knows you will be gone with me all day, so I am sure they will not worry about you, and we cannot ride back in the buggy in the rain anyway.” As he spoke, he continued rubbing her leg.
“You are quite right,” she agreed, as she started to focus, against her will, on the feel of his hand rubbing against her leg.
“Are you feeling a
ny warmer?” he asked, as he put his hand on her other leg to warm it as well.
“Yes, I think you are doing the trick,” she whispered, and closed her eyes, leaning her head against his shoulder, feeling a little dizzy as he continued to rub one leg and then the other.
Percy thrilled at the feel of her skin under his hand, daring to push his hand up her leg to her knee, but each time he found his hand going a little higher, longing to feel more of her shapely leg. Eleanor snuggled up against him and his free hand held her close to him, while he allowed his fingers to travel up her leg, under her petticoats and over the material of her pantaloons. She was not pulling away, so he continued to rub over her leg, each time exploring higher. When his hand finally reached her bottom, she gave a little gasp, and he stilled his movements.
“I am not frightening you, am I?” he asked, but he could feel her lips on his neck, as she snuggled closer, so he continued his exploration, as the opening of the pantaloons offered him access to her bare skin. “I hope this is warming you up enough,” he whispered against her ear, but she did not answer. She only held tighter to his neck, which made his mouth turn up at the corners, as he continued to stroke her skin, reaching his hand up over her bottom, and then rubbing it back down her leg again.
As Percy stroked his hand against her, his mouth found hers, and pulled her into an engulfing kiss. She seemed as eager as himself to share the kiss. All was silent except for the rain pounding against the roof of the barn and the sounds of the drips as they plopped onto the floor of the barn, through the leaks in the roof.
Eleanor could feel her breath quicken, each time she felt Percy’s hand stroke up her leg. She knew on some level, that she should stop him, but something about the touch of his hands excited her own curiosity, and her head was all a fuzz, so she couldn’t think straight. Then his hand was spanning over her bottom, and while she felt a little alarmed, the other feelings that were surging through her, seemed to drown out that alarm. It was making her feel warmer, and she liked the feel of his hand caressing her legs and then stroking over her bottom. The wine seemed to be dulling her ability to think straight, so she gave into the comforting feel of his hand. But when she felt his fingers starting to push between her legs, she stiffened.
“I think I am warm enough,” she said, pushing away from him, feeling a little wobbly. “Perhaps I should get dressed.
“But your dress is sopping,” he insisted.
Eleanor looked over at her dress that was draped over the side of the carriage. He was right. It was still dripping water at the hem, and it seemed so far away for her to walk.
“Don’t you like me touching you?” he asked, as she looked worriedly between him and her dress, still trying to clear her mind, and wonder if she could reach it. She suddenly wished she had not indulged in so much wine.
“Yes. I…I just don’t think it is proper, though. After all, I barely know you, and you have just offered for me. I am sure you should not be touching me so, even if you have offered for me.”
“You are right. In a situation like this, I would be forced to marry you, but since I plan to marry you anyway, what difference does it make?”
“You truly want to marry me?” she questioned.
“That was the whole point of Teddy talking to me, wasn’t it? It is either me or the merchant marine. Which one will you choose?” He chuckled.
“I have never met the merchant marine. I have met you, and I do like the way that you kiss me and touch me. If you are certain that you want to marry me…” She started to snuggle back up to his shoulder again, needing a place to rest her head.
“I think I do,” he breathed, smiling down at her, and covering her mouth with his, to convince her of his intentions. “But if you refuse to let me even touch you, so I can tell how we would fair, once we were married, I may change my mind,” he murmured against her lips before he captured her mouth again. This was going to be easier than he thought, he whispered to himself, as he felt her respond to his kiss.
Eleanor suddenly pulled away from his kiss, which surprised him, because he was sure he had her in the palm of his hand. “Then if you are certain, I have to tell you something first,” she continued boldly.
“Can’t it wait until later?” he asked, starting to feel impatient with her, since he was on the brink of persuading her to give into his need. He put his hand under his coat she still had over her shoulders and began to caress her breast through the material of her shift, thinking he had won her over at last, but what he promised and what he actually followed through with, may be two different things, he chuckled to himself. He didn’t even live in this area, and neither she or her cousin would know where to find him, once he removed himself from the area.
Eleanor took in her breath at the feel of his hand on her, and her body shivered at the touch. His other hand was pushing up between her legs again, coaxing her to his will. She let out a gasp when she felt him touch her there. “I…I…must tell you…” she stammered, trying to squirm from his touch.
“Tell me what?” he groaned as he held her firmly, caught up in what he was doing.
“That…that…” She was having a hard time talking because her senses were suddenly totally alert at what he was doing, and she had to swallow hard, to keep from whimpering at the feel.
Percy pushed the coat open, so he could look upon her, as he lay her back against the carriage rug. “You are so beautiful,” he breathed, as his mouth came down over one breast, pushing the material of her shift aside, while his fingers enjoyed the touch of her.
“But…but…before you do anything, I must tell you…” she began again. Her voice caught in her throat, as she felt a glorious feeling washing over her, and it stopped the words she had intended to say. “Oh…oh…what are you doing?” she gasped. “I have never…felt…”
“You see how lovely we are together?” he whispered. “I could make you feel like you have gone to heaven and back, if you would just let me.”
“I…I don’t think there is anything that would top this,” she breathed. She opened her eyes to look at him, and saw him opening his trousers. Her eyes widened when she saw what he was doing. She had never seen a man before, and she could not pull her eyes away.
“Oh, I could think of a few things,” he was saying as he pushed her petticoats up higher and advanced towards her.
“No…no!” Eleanor sat up. “We cannot do this. Your touching me is already outrageous, but this…you know very well that I am a virgin. Besides I must tell you…” She pulled the coat closed, scooting back from him, pulling her knees up under her petticoats, and huddled at a distance from him.
Percy drew in his brows. He had almost had her, and now she was suddenly cowering from him. He gave her a patient smile, as he tucked himself back in and he tried to slow his breathing.
“I have not harmed you. You must admit I have been very gentle. Besides, I have offered for you, which is what you and your cousin wanted. So I do not understand why you are refusing my advances,” he said softly, as he moved closer to her. “After all, in a few weeks we shall be wed anyway.”
“But I have to tell you something before you completely agree to marry me,” she blurted out. “I am not a Belington. In fact, I have no name. My father was adopted by Uncle Hector’s father, when he was found wandering on the street as a small child. I do not know my true name, and that is why I have not accepted anyone. Who would want to marry a nameless woman? My mother was a house maid. I had not planned to tell you yet, until you got to know me, but you must know before you go any further, and my Uncle demand you marry me.”
Percy sat still for a moment, trying to take in what she was saying. Well, the little beggar. Not only did she have no money, but she had no name as well. What was Teddy trying to pawn off on him anyway? Then his eyes narrowed. Considering she was a nobody, there was no way he could be forced to marry her, he thought slyly. Her uncle wasn’t even her true uncle. This was like having a romp in the hay with a commoner. No one
forced a man of title to marry a commoner, he chose to indulge himself with, even if she acted like she was something more than she really was.
“You poor dear,” he whispered, as he took her hand and pulled her closer to him. “What a position to be in, and you being so beautiful. What difference does a name make anyway? I am so smitten with you, nothing could matter now,” he said, as he brought her safely into his arms, and held her against his chest. “We were meant to be together like this.”
“You…you mean you would still offer for me?” she gasped, unbelievingly.
“I would want you at any cost,” he smiled, kissing her eyes, and then her lips. He let his hands slip under the coat again. “Feeling you in my arms everyday, is all that I long for,” he told her, and that much was the truth, he thought.
He laid her back against the carriage rug again and removed the coat completely. Her eyes blurred a little as she tried to focus on his face, and realized it was hopeless to focus with her brain in a whirl like it was, so she just closed her eyes. She could feel him removing her under things, but the wine was taking its toll so strongly, and the news of her lack of name or money had not seemed to dampen his interest in her. Percy licked his lips, taking a long moment to look down on her alluring body, before he pressed on. He could barely contain the joy he was feeling at the moment, as he slowly removed his own clothes. Wouldn’t Dutton laugh his head off, when he told him about how he had seduced the one woman no one had ever been able to get near to. Oh, he was going to enjoy this more than he had imagined, considering there was no way she could actually trap him into marrying her. And what difference would it make anyway? She would always have the Merchant Marine to fall back on, he chuckled to himself. This was better than winning Dutton’s hunter.
Defiant Heart Page 5
