“No second thoughts?” he asked.
Eliza shook her head. “No.”
She unbuttoned her coat and slipped out of it. Her gown of rose pink was her favorite. It wasn’t of the latest fashion, but it had always given her a sense of calm whenever she wore it. Today was a day when she needed her mind to be at peace. To be able to think clearly and embrace the decision she had made.
Reid was somewhere in the city at a business meeting with his investment advisor. As far as he was concerned, Eliza was at home tallying the receipts for the concert performances for the Noble Lords and getting ready to publicize the charity show at the Sans Pareil theatre.
While she felt guilty about going behind her brother’s back and marrying Callum in secret, he and their parents were still at the forefront of her mind. Reid had taken up the mantle of raising her when he was barely out of school, and for that she would always be grateful. The loss of her parents was something she felt keenly today; the painful memories burned brighter when she looked at Sir Thomas.
Callum was about to face the tragic passing of his father and it would fall to her to help him through the darkness of grief.
Eliza took a moment to step into a nearby sitting room where she checked her appearance in a mirror, making sure that any stray locks of her brown hair were finger-combed back into place. Her gold and pearl brooch sat straight on her gown; she had matched it with pearl teardrop earrings. She rarely wore them, but they had been her mother’s, and today she wanted to feel close to her.
The wedding was a simple one. Callum wrapped his arm around his father and held him so he could stand for the short time that it took the bishop to make Eliza and Callum’s union official.
They forwent the celebrations and champagne toasts, with Hugh Radley making his farewells not long after the service had been completed.
Callum helped his father back onto the sofa, then came to Eliza’s side. “Thank you for today, Eliza. Many other women would have demanded a full church wedding, but you didn’t. I promise we will have a wedding ball sometime in the future.”
She shook her head. “This was perfect. At least we didn’t have to go all the way to Gretna Green. I would not have been happy to do a moonlit flit. Your father got to see you married and that is enough.”
Callum lifted her hand to his lips and placed a tender kiss on her ring finger. As the midmorning sun reflected in the bright gold of Eliza’s wedding band, tears threatened. She was finally his wife. His.
He pulled her close and whispered in her ear, “I know we had a small wedding and no celebration to speak of, but I do have something planned for this afternoon. A place where we can go and be together before returning to Follett House.”
Eliza smiled. She had hoped Callum had made plans for them. She wanted nothing more than to be with him today, to share those first hours of married life in privacy, well away from her family home.
“Let’s say farewell to my parents and then we can steal a few hours for ourselves before we have to make an appearance back at Windmill Street,” he said.
Eliza accepted the welcoming hug from Lady Sharp. She then bent down and gave Sir Thomas a kiss on the cheek.
After wiping away his tears, Callum’s father took hold of Eliza’s hand and held it fast. “I am so glad that the two of you are together at last. That you, Eliza, are going to be by my son’s side in the years to come. He will need you. Callum is a good man, but it will be your love that helps him to win the fight with his inner demons. To put the pain of war behind him.”
Sir Thomas’s words may have sounded odd for a wedding, but this was no ordinary celebration. The bride and groom were coming together during a difficult time.
“I will do all that I can for both Callum and this family. I love him, and I love you too,” she replied.
They left Seymour Street a short time later. Callum seemed eager to make their farewells. As they climbed into his carriage, he pulled her into his arms. Eliza snuggled in close. One huge obstacle in their love had finally been overcome. They were married—united in purpose and name.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
Callum kissed her gently on the lips. “Mivart’s Hotel on Brook Street. We can spend the afternoon there.”
Mivart’s was a small hotel in a former terraced house. Callum instructed their driver to go around into the rear mews rather than have him and Eliza alight in Brook Street.
A bubble of excitement sat in Eliza’s stomach. Sneaking into a hotel with a man who was about to become her lover was quite a heady thought. The fact that he was also her husband had her wearing a soft smile.
They didn’t stop to check in; Callum retrieved a key from his coat pocket. “I collected this earlier today. Time is of the essence, and I didn’t want you to be standing in the foyer of a hotel just in case someone you know happened to wander by.”
Their room was spacious and light. Vases of colorful rose blooms were dotted about the place. Callum had thought to have white and red roses brought in—her favorite. She took in a deep breath, luxuriating in their wonderful scent.
Callum let go of Eliza’s hand and turned to her. “I would like to have had champagne for us, but I think today of all days is one where that would not be such a good idea.”
She nodded, grateful not to have alcohol in the room. This first time together was special; she wanted nothing to stand between them, for Callum to be clearheaded and fully in the moment.
She fiddled with her wedding ring, her mouth becoming dry at the thought of what was about to happen. She had arrived at the hotel a virgin but would be leaving a properly wedded and bedded wife.
Callum’s gently placed finger lifted her chin. Their eyes met. “Don’t be afraid. I promise to make your first time memorable,” he said.
She had heard enough stories of wedding nights that had been less than wonderful to still have her doubts. But she consoled herself with the knowledge that she and Callum had explored their bodies enough together in the past; they were already in tune with one another. She trusted Callum to be more than up to the task.
“How would you like to proceed, Lady Sharp?” he asked.
Eliza giggled nervously. Lady Sharp. That would take some getting used to, though for the moment she would have to remain Lady Eliza to the rest of the world.
“I am thinking that you might make a good impression of the statue of David for me. I can then study you before deciding what else to do,” she replied.
He raised an eyebrow. “As I recall from pictures, David is completely naked. Is that how you want me?”
“Yes. Every stitch of clothing off. Now.”
He chuckled. “And what about you? Am I to be fully undressed while you remain in your coat?”
Eliza rose up on her toes and offered him her lips. “If you want me to take you in my mouth and get you hard, then yes.”
Callum’s clothing disappeared in less than a minute. Eliza swallowed deeply when he slowed and stripped his shirt from his broad shoulders, revealing his heavily tattooed torso.
She had known he was inked, the same as the rest of the Noble Lords, but it was still thrilling to finally see the intricate artwork on his skin.
“Would you like me to pose for you now?” he teased.
“I would much rather that you beg,” she purred.
Eliza walked around to the back of him. She traced her fingers over the long lines of a tattooed eagle which crossed from his left shoulder to his right. The artistry which had gone into the piece was magnificent. Her fingertips stopped at the scars left by the bullets; she bent and placed a kiss on them.
Coming around to face him, she dropped to her knees and slipped the head of his cock into her mouth without any further ado. If they were limited with the time that they had this afternoon, she was not going to waste a minute.
Callum groaned. “Oh, Liz, you are so very good at this.”
He was a man well blessed. As she ran her tongue up and down the length of him, El
iza quietly congratulated herself on having secured him as hers from this day forward. Come summer’s end, when they left Follett House for good, she would have plenty of time to take Callum in hand and show him just how good she could be.
He began to slowly fuck her mouth, inching deeper. Eliza held him firmly by the base of his shaft, guiding him in and out to a manageable depth. The salty taste of him, coupled with the musky scent of his body, had her wanting to keep him in her mouth for hours.
“Enough,” he finally murmured.
Strong hands lifted her to her feet. Callum’s lips met hers and his tongue swept inside. His kiss was not gentle; it demanded that she yield.
This was what Eliza had always wanted: for him to take charge, to show her that he was her man. While his lips worked their powerful magic over her mouth, his fingers set to her buttons.
Her coat was swiftly dealt with and she shrugged out of it. When Callum released her from the hard kiss, their gazes met. His blue eyes held a smoldering fire within them.
“Take off your gown this instant, or I shall rip it to shreds,” he ordered.
She began to slowly, teasingly work the laces and bindings free, licking her lips when he growled impatiently. As soon as the gown was gone, he pulled her roughly to him again. Taking her chemise in hand, he tore it straight down the middle, baring her breasts. The cool air kissed her nipples and they instantly hardened.
He did say he would make it memorable.
Eliza bent and reached for her stockings. A firm hand took hold of hers and pushed it away. “Leave them. I want to fuck you with your shoes and stockings on. Just like your secret wicked story at the opera.”
Callum held out his hand to her and led Eliza over to the bed. He sat her down, then knelt before her. When their gazes met again, the passion in his eyes had somewhat softened. There was a kindness in his face which she sensed was his way of silently asking her to place her trust in him.
“I want you more than I have ever wanted anything, but this is your first time with a man, and we should take it slow. I don’t want to hurt you. If you feel unsafe or unsure at any moment, I want you to tell me. We can stop and you can set the pace,” he said.
Eliza brushed her hand over Callum’s face. “I love you. I trust you.”
“Open your legs. Let me taste you.”
She did as he asked, sucking in a shuddering breath as his tongue delved deep into the heat of her sex. With her left hand gently resting on the top of Callum’s head, Eliza stared at the gold of her wedding band. When he sucked hard on her sensitive nib, she sobbed. “Callum, please.”
He got to his feet. “Move back on the bed.”
As Eliza shuffled farther over, Callum climbed onto the bed and rose over her. She reached for his manhood and, taking him in hand, stroked him, making him hard once more.
He settled between her legs and she helped to guide the head of his cock to her entrance.
“Lie back and relax,” he whispered. He pushed slowly in, then stopped.
There was a sensation of being stretched, but it was not uncomfortable. After a moment, she nodded. “It’s alright. You can go deeper.”
A steady rhythm of thrust and wait now began. Each time she let him know that he could continue, Callum pulled out and then thrust in again.
“Give me your mouth,” he whispered.
Their lips and tongues met, but unlike the previous kiss this one was soft, almost reverent. Eliza was caught up in the embrace. When Callum came to her, pushing all the way in, she forced herself to focus on the kiss. The slight scrape of his afternoon stubble on her skin was a surprisingly arousing tactile sensation. Heat pulsed through her.
He pulled away from her lips. “Are you alright?”
“Yes. It doesn’t hurt at all. In fact, I quite like it,” she replied.
“Are you ready for me to go faster? Just remember, if you want me to stop at any time, just say so.”
She nodded. “I want you to take me hard. Make me yours. I want to scream your name when I come.”
He hesitated for a moment. She grabbed a hold of his arse and pulled him deeper. He flexed his hips and drew back before thrusting in again. Eliza lifted her feet and wrapped her legs around him.
She held fast to him as he drove into her body. The sensation of him pounding her sex was like nothing she could have ever imagined. Every other encounter they had previously had now seemed a poor imitation to the reality of him fucking her.
“Harder,” she urged him on.
“You are supposed to be a bloody wilting virgin, not a demanding minx,” he growled.
But he didn’t let up and Eliza loved it.
Callum slipped a hand between them and began to rub his thumb over her clit. Sparks went off in Eliza’s brain at his touch. He nuzzled into the side of her face, nipping her earlobe with his teeth. The sharp sting made her whimper.
“You are going to come for me. I command it,” he said.
She was so close to the edge, but she wanted to hold back, to continue luxuriating in this fevered coupling. “It’s so good, I don’t want it to end,” she sobbed.
He shifted position and the sensation on her nib tore her control away. The deep thrusts and her body’s desperate need for release took over.
“Come now, and I promise I will fuck you again before we leave.”
Eliza’s world crashed around her in a blinding orgasm. It left her breathless. Her lips parted on a silent scream.
Callum. Oh, God.
It was late when Callum finally returned to Follett House. He had sent Eliza home an hour earlier in a plain black hack. She had worn only her gown and coat, her chemise beyond repair.
Around her neck was a gold chain, hidden from view. Hanging from the chain and nestled between her breasts was her wedding ring. Their marriage would have to remain a secret for the time being, though the temptation to shout it from the rooftops was strong. He was a married man, and he wanted all of London to know it.
The afternoon spent at the hotel with his new bride was everything and more than Callum had hoped for—especially the enthusiastic way Eliza had handled her deflowering.
He stifled a grin at the memory of hearing her sexual demands. After having made love the first time, Eliza had shown herself to be nigh on insatiable. Watching his naked wife take his cock into her mouth and suck him off was something that would stay with him for a long time.
Stepping back into Follett House, he was met by Mister Green.
“Lord Follett and the others have already left for the concert, Sir Callum. I was instructed to give you this and hail you a carriage forthwith. I was also instructed to tell you that you had better be sober.” Mister Green handed Callum his flute.
Oh, the concert!
He checked his jacket and trousers. It wasn’t exactly evening attire, but he didn’t have time to change. Tonight’s concert was a major event: a birthday party for a senior member of the Prime Minister’s cabinet.
“Thank you. And, as you can see, I am as sober as a judge.”
He turned and headed for the door, the butler on his heels. They met Eliza coming out of the ballroom and he stopped. Mister Green continued on into the street to hail a hack.
She took one look at the flute and her eyes grew wide. “The concert!”
“Yes, and with Reid not singing, they will need me to play. I have to go.”
While Mister Green’s back was still to them, Callum risked a kiss. The scent of Eliza’s perfume and the memory of their afternoon at the hotel had his cock twitching. He wanted her again. “Will you come to me tonight?”
She nodded. “Every night from now on. You will not be able to stop me.”
Callum moved past her and into the street. Just before he climbed into the carriage, he turned and looked back at the house. Eliza was standing in the doorway, her hand held to her chest. He smiled. She was touching her wedding ring.
My wife.
Keeping their marriage, a secret was going to be tortu
re.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Marriage was in the air. The following day, Reid made the surprise announcement that he was going to marry his singing teacher, the widow Lavinia Jones. Eliza gave him her warmest wishes while trying her best to push away her sadness at not being able to reveal her own news.
She was tempted to tell her brother about her and Callum, but now did not seem the right time. Reid was happy. He had enough to worry about with a hurried wedding and the upcoming concert without having to deal with a marriage he would not support.
“I have always wanted a sister; it will be lovely to have one. Oh, and someone to take over the day-to-day running of the Follett estate,” she said.
Reid released her from his hug. The broad smile on his face was something she had not seen in a very long time. The glint in his eye was new. He was in love. “Yes, having Lavinia take over much of your role will free you up to look for a husband yourself. You can accept any marriage proposals with a clear conscience now; you won’t have to worry that you are leaving me in the lurch.”
“I suppose I can,” she said. Please don’t ask me about Randolph.
“Speaking of prospective husbands, have you made any more arrangements to see Randolph Ward again? I was thinking I could invite him to our wedding, if that suited you. Nothing like getting a chap to a wedding to have him thinking of his own future,” said Reid.
Damn. How do I frame this?
“Randolph and I have decided we would not suit. He is much too busy with his banking work to take on a wife at present.”
Reid’s happy smile faltered. A line of worry appeared on his brow. “That is disappointing news, but not to worry. I expect there are plenty of other fine gentlemen who would make an excellent husband for you.”
The chain holding her wedding ring shifted between her breasts. Eliza put her hand to her chest and took hold of it through the fabric. When Reid’s gaze followed her hand, she made a hurried display of scratching an invisible itch.
Callum: Regency Rockstars Page 19
