Chapter Seventeen
The day of the christening arrived without Alex’s return. Rebecca’s gray mood was in direct contrast to the brightly shining day. The October skies had cooperated with Elizabeth’s plans, shedding their clouds to bring sunshine for her little one’s celebration.
She tried to muster a bit of enthusiasm for the event as Georgina assisted her into a white muslin afternoon dress covered with a mint-green Persian robe in lightweight satin. A deep-green train extended from the high-cut waist to the ankle, much to her annoyance. Rebecca would be grateful when they went out of fashion, since they were a bother to deal with. She shifted in the tight white shoes, trimmed with white ribbons. They had not been so tight when she first received them from Hardwick’s. Nor had the bosom of the dress fit so snugly when Madam Brovay delivered it weeks ago. Small signs of her condition were making themselves known.
“How would you like your hair, m’lady?”
“Ringlets, I suppose.” Rebecca sat as she fussed, creating ringlets, and swept the sides and top back with a gold comb. When Georgina finished, Rebecca pulled on long, tan gloves, wincing as she eased them into place high on her upper arms. Even they had grown tighter. Soon, she would have to order a maternity wardrobe, and everyone would know her secret.
“Henry is waiting for you, Lady Hanover.”
With a nod, Rebecca rose from the seat and paused only to take a long cape and matching forest-green reticule from the dressing room before walking down the stairs. When she exited the townhouse, she shivered at the unexpected nip in the air and draped the velvet cape over the dress, mindful not to snag the train. She climbed into the coach with Henry’s assistance, then concentrated on remaining calm during the drive from their home to St. Mary’s near the Gallows’ home, knowing the only way to face any snide remarks was with equanimity.
When they drew up, she saw more than a dozen carriages and several people milling around the steps, basking in the sun. Most of the ladies wore afternoon dresses, but an occasional opera or evening gown could be spotted among the milieu.
After Henry handed her from the carriage, Rebecca made her way up the steps of the church, keeping her head held high. Few whispers followed her progress, and no eyes turned from her in shame or horror. Could they have not heard the news?
She entered the small church, scanning the rows of pews for her sister. She spotted Elizabeth seated beside Philip in the front row, near the font. She heard Andrew before she saw him as she moved toward them.
Rebecca halted when William Bradleaf stepped into her path. “Mr. Bradleaf.”
“Lady Stanhope.” His eyes narrowed. “Pardon me, Lady Hanover.” He gave a half bow. “Congratulations on your marriage.”
She inclined her head. “If you will excuse me—” She gasped when he lifted her hand.
“What is your hurry, m’lady? I have heard your groom abandoned you within days of your marriage, so where might you be rushing to?”
She pulled her hand from his tight grasp. “My sister is expecting me.”
He nodded, stepping out of her way. “Of course. Forgive me for delaying you.”
“Not at all.” She kept her spine stiff as she moved away from him, hoping he could not see the way her hands trembled. Did everyone truly believe Alex had left her so quickly? What would they think if he didn’t return before her pregnancy became obvious? Would they imagine he had been forced into doing the honorable thing and then dropped her as quickly as possible?
Elizabeth smiled up at her as she joined them. The yellow of her half dress brought out light tones in her golden-blond hair and accentuated her fair skin. She had lost the puffy look acquired during the last months of her pregnancy and now glowed with a combination of health and pride. Philip looked just as proud. “Welcome, sister.”
“Good afternoon.” Rebecca moved to her sister’s side and held out her arms for her nephew. She had held him during two visits to Elizabeth’s in the past week but couldn’t seem to get enough of cuddling his tiny body in her arms.
His appearance had dramatically improved until he truly was beautiful. Each time she held her nephew, it was that much easier to imagine what it would feel like to hold her own child and to imagine what their baby might look like.
“Has Alex returned?”
“Nay, Philip. Nor have I had a missive from him.”
He nodded. “I do not expect you will. It takes as long for a letter to arrive as it would for him to do so.”
Rebecca handed Andrew back to Elizabeth. “I know, but still, I hope.”
Elizabeth patted her leg. “He will return soon, Rebecca.”
She forced a confident smile for her sister before subsiding into silence. The church soon filled, and Father Shaunessy appeared.
After a brief prayer, he waved Philip and Elizabeth forward, followed by Justin and Helen, who sat nearer the end of the pew. Justin put an arm around his petite wife, over the auburn hair sweeping down her back, as they took their position. Helen took the baby as the priest spoke another prayer and motioned them closer to the font.
Andrew screamed when Father Shaunessy sprinkled water over his thin brown hair and didn’t stop until Helen handed him back to Elizabeth. With a final blessing, the priest dismissed the congregation. Rebecca slipped away before the lingering guests disbursed and reached their conveyances, hoping to avoid the inevitable congestion.
She arrived at the Gallows a few minutes before the first guests and made her way to the room she had occupied during her stay, where she freshened up and regrouped.
The christening had been the easy part, since everyone was confined to the pews during the ceremony and did not have the opportunity to ask awkward questions. There would be no such restraints during the mingling in the gardens.
* * * * *
Rebecca counted herself fortunate to have been mostly overlooked by the assemblage. She had stolen away from the rows of roses and milling guests to a secluded stone bench with a marble lion serving as the base. She clutched a glass of lemonade in her hand. The chill had long since abated during the hour spent avoiding the questioning eyes.
She had lulled herself into a semi-trance by watching the water spilling gently over a wooden wheel into the reflecting pool near her feet. It took her a moment to realize the thunking sound wasn’t in her head but rather approaching her.
She contemplated hiding but had nowhere to go and no time to look for a new hiding place before her unwanted company arrived. She bit back a groan as William Bradleaf stepped out from behind a hedge.
“Lady Hanover. Whatever are you doing out here?” His lips curled. “Hiding, perhaps?”
She forced herself to laugh. “Hiding? From what, pray tell?”
He shrugged his broad shoulders. “The gossip mongers.”
She firmed her shoulders. “They would find little to gossip about.”
His expression was blatantly skeptical as he pushed his way down onto the bench beside her. He touched her hand. “I have heard the rumors circulating about your father. I am certain he was not an entirely selfish man, and he thought he was doing the best for your family.”
“Your understanding overwhelms me.” She couldn’t quite keep the edge from her voice. “In any event, they are fabrications.”
“And the rumors of his debts?” He arched a brow.
Rebecca sighed. “Father was not the most astute of businessmen.”
He nodded. “It is difficult to balance familial responsibilities, business debts, and estate management with an over fondness of drink, gambling, and ladies of the night.”
She gasped, lifting her hand to slap him before thinking better of it. They were too far from the other guests. She shivered, realizing just how isolated they were. “Your information is faulty,” she said in a cold voice. “If you will excuse me, I have shirked my duties long enough.”
He grasped her wrist. “What duties, Rebecca? Your sister is hostess, and a veritable army of servants is ensuring all flows smoothly. We have plenty of time to continue our chat.”
“I find the subject distasteful, and we are not on a first-name basis, Mr. Bradleaf.” She tugged at her hand, succeeding only in chafing the skin. “Release me, sir.”
“Perhaps a change of subject is in order. Shall we discuss wagers?” He grimaced. “Have you any idea how much I lost when you married Lord Hanover?”
“I would say whatever the sum, it was not sufficient.”
His mouth tightened, but he forced a laugh. “No matter. I shall recoup my money.”
Something in his tone made her stomach clench. “How?”
“There are new wagers, m’lady.”
Her eyes widened. “What sort of wagers?”
“One is when Lord Hanover’s first child will arrive.” His eyes sparkled. “I placed my bet for eight months after your marriage.”
“How dare you?” Rebecca pulled away from him easily that time, suspecting he let her.
“There is more, my dear. Another wager speculates whether Lord Hanover’s heir will resemble him. I wagered heavily on that one being a nay.”
Her mouth fell open. “What are you implying?”
“My guess is your first child will closely resemble the rogue pirate who claimed your maidenhead during your voyage to America.”
Rebecca bit her tongue just in time to keep from blurting out anything incriminating. She turned her head from him. “Again, your source is misinformed.”
He turned her head back to him by grasping her chin. “This man, Stokes, claims he was first mate on the Margaret. That was the ship you arrived on, was it not, m’lady?” He sounded innocent, but his eyes gleamed with amusement.
“How do you know Stokes?”
“We became acquainted during one of my infrequent stops at the harbor taverns. The fellow was deep in his cups and quite angry with his former employer. It seems she turned him away without references and deprived him of his rightful position of captain.” He chuckled, a husky sound low in his throat that held more cruelty than mirth. “For a few mugs of ale, he was more than happy to tell me his sad tale.”
Rebecca took a deep breath, struggling to keep her expression bland. “Stokes was on the ship, Mr. Bradleaf, but I know nothing of pirates. The voyage was uneventful, except for a lapse of duty on his part. That was the only reason he was dismissed.”
“Along with most of the crew?”
Her brow furrowed. “How I run Stanhope Shipping is none of your affair, sir. I have indulged your morbid curiosity to its exhaustion. I must return to the party.” Rebecca stood up and cried out when he pulled her back to her seat. “Unhand me, or I shall scream.”
“There is one more wager, m’lady.”
She swallowed. “Really? Have the gentlemen nothing better to do than bet on my personal life?”
“The last wager asks when Lord Hanover will become disenchanted with his bride.” His voice lowered. “Many placed bets coinciding with the birth of your first child, but not I.” He tapped his temple. “I am much too canny to share the profits from that pool.”
“I do not understand.”
“Smile, Rebecca. Your husband has returned.”
“What—?” The rest of her sentence was lost under the onslaught of his forceful mouth. She whimpered as he ground his lips against hers, raking her bottom lip with his teeth.
The glass fell from her hand and shattered against the stone walkway. Rebecca pushed against his chest but couldn’t dislodge him. When he grabbed her breast, she balled her hand into a fist and rammed it into his stomach.
He released her abruptly. Rebecca felt a surge of power before realizing his gaze was centered on something over her shoulder. There was no trace of pain on his face—only satisfaction. Her stomach clenched when she turned her head and saw Alex standing by the hedge with his arms crossed.
His expression was beyond angry. He took a single step forward and crooked his finger at her.
Rebecca hurried to obey his unspoken command. She left the glass where it had shattered and rushed to him. She didn’t hesitate before throwing herself into his arms. She heard him grunt as she collided with him.
For a long moment, he remained stiff, and her heart stuttered with dread. Finally, his arms wrapped around her waist, and his stiff spine relaxed. She buried her face against his fawn-colored jacket. “Impeccable timing,” she whispered and lifted her head.
His expression was no less angry. Alex’s blue eyes remained focused on Bradleaf. “Explain yourself.” His tone was glacial.
Bradleaf shrugged, but his hands trembled. “You interrupted our assignation.”
Alex snorted. “Any fool can see Rebecca loves only me. Try again.”
His eyes widened. “You saw for yourself—”
“I saw a carefully staged scene. Now, I suggest you give me an explanation, or I shan’t wait for the dawn and seconds to end your miserable life.”
“What?” Bradleaf’s mouth opened and closed a few times. “You would call me out over this?”
“I would kill you for looking at my wife in any way other than respectful. For forcing your attentions on her, I would rip you apart with my bare hands.” Despite the tender way he held Rebecca against him, there was no mistaking his resolve. Alex’s feet were spread wide, and his shoulders were thrown back. In direct contrast to his fierce words and tone, his hands were gentle as they patted her back. “Speak.”
“It was to win the wager and nothing more.”
“What wager?”
“The one speculating about when you will lose interest in your new bride.”
“Let me answer that for you now, Bradleaf.” His voice dropped lower, and he turned to look down at Rebecca. “Never.”
“Even when she delivers the bastard child of a pirate and passes it off as your heir?” Bradleaf’s voice shook, but he had regained most of his composure. “I wager you had no knowledge of her deflowering when you wed her.”
Alex’s head turned back to Bradleaf so quickly his neck popped. “Rebecca was pure when she came to me. I will suffer no more speculation otherwise.” His lips curled into a feral smile. “After our dawn appointment, your tales will not be heard by anyone. Dead men do not spread rumors.”
Bradleaf’s shoulders squared. “If you wish to meet over pistols, it will culminate in your death, Lord Hanover. Three men have met their ends at my hand over the years.”
“It is indeed time to end your reign of terror.” Alex gave him a mocking bow while managing not to lose his hold on Rebecca. “My second shall call on yours. Name him.”
“Barnard Fowler.”
“Edward Robbins.”
Rebecca blinked as Alex rushed her through the gardens. She tried to stop, but his momentum carried them forward. He was practically carrying her as they neared the party. “What just happened, Alex?”
“We have an appointment.”
“You are going to duel with him?”
He nodded, finally slowing as they reentered the melee.
“You cannot.”
“Lower your voice, love,” he said from the corner of his mouth. “We must maintain appearances.”
“I wish to leave.”
He shrugged. “Very well.” Alex steered them in the direction of Elizabeth and Andrew. As they neared, guests moved out of his way without so much as a “pardon” crossing his lips. “Rebecca does not feel well.”
Elizabeth looked up from her squirming infant. “Oh, dear. Would you like to rest upstairs?”
Rebecca shook her head. “I should like to go home, Elizabeth.”
Her sister nodded. “Of course.” She lifted a hand, grasping Rebecca’s. “We shall see you soon.”
“Congratulations on your son,” Alex said as he steered her toward the open doors, not waiting for a response. He was equally quick to hustle her into the carriage.
As Henry got them underway, Rebecca opened her mouth to protest the duel but blinked as he claimed her mouth in a hungry kiss.
Alex’s lips pressed against hers, no less insistently than Bradleaf’s had, but with a degree of tenderness the other man’s kiss had lacked. She met his tongue eagerly when it swept into her mouth, caressing it with her own and pushing against his. Their battle of wills continued until he broke free and lifted his head.
“How I have missed you.”
Her eyes widened. “Truly?”
“Aye.” He pushed her back against her seat and settled on top of her. His mouth found hers again as his hands pushed up her afternoon dress and slip.
Rebecca gasped when he pressed his groin against her lawn drawers. His cock was hard when he thrust it against her. If not for the barrier of his tan breeches between them, he could have entered her through the slit in the crotch.
She pushed back against him just as eagerly, moaning softly as he slipped his hand inside the opening and pushed firmly on her clit with his thumb. She tried to pull away from him. “We are in a carriage.”
He nodded but did not stop massaging her pussy.
“Alex!”
He ignored her protest and continued to manipulate her clitoris. As he did so, his other hand tangled in her hair and pulled her mouth back to his for another deep kiss.
She forgot about their location when he pushed a finger into her slick pussy, as his tongue darted into her mouth. She tried to capture it with her own and pin it between her teeth. He evaded her, sweeping his tongue along the roof of her mouth. He maintained rhythm with the rocking carriage as he thrust his finger in and out of her.
Rebecca pushed down against his hand, grinding her pussy against his palm. She sobbed with pleasure when he pushed firmly against her swollen lips. She was so close to coming that she tried to capture his hand when he withdrew. “Please, Alex—“
“We are nearly home, love.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead and reluctantly pulled away from her, taking time to restore her chemise and skirt before settling across from her once more. His eyes burned a darker blue.
She ran a hand through her hair, surprised to find it only slightly out of place. She touched her hot cheeks, imagining they were red from embarrassment. What if Harry knew what they had been doing in the back of the carriage? Rebecca tried to gather her thoughts, and she cleared her throat several times. “About this duel—”
“You do not need to concern yourself with such matters.”
Her mouth fell open. “You cannot mean that.”
Alex shrugged. “I will handle it. You shall not interfere.”
“What will I do when he kills you?”
The corner of his mouth quirked. “Your confidence shall sustain me,” he said in a mocking tone.
“Do not jest about this, husband. I do not want you to undertake this nonsense.”
He scowled. “Defending your honor is not nonsense.”
“The talk will die. There is no need to endanger yourself…” Rebecca trailed off as the carriage turned onto their street. “We have not finished this discussion.”
Alex shrugged again but didn’t speak. When Henry drew the horses to a halt, Alex opened the door and stepped down before he lifted her out.
Her feet barely touched the ground as he hurried up the walk and into the townhouse.
Bentley raised an eyebrow as they went hurrying by. “Welcome home, sir.”
“Thank you, Bentley. Please send up a dinner tray in a while.”
“Of course, sir.”
Rebecca stumbled up the stairs, then gasped as he lifted her. “What are you doing?” she whispered.
“Hurrying you along.” He pushed open the door to his chambers and slammed it behind them with his foot. Alex didn’t let go of her until they reached the bed. She landed with a bounce and stared up at him. He shed his clothes in one quick motion before he returned to her.
Rebecca tried to push his hands away as he pulled at her dress. “Alex.”
He ignored her, not pausing until she was down to her chemise, drawers, and stockings. “Yes, Rebecca?”
“I want you to promise me you shall not duel with Bradleaf.”
He sighed. “There is nothing to worry about.” In one quick movement, he had stripped her of a stocking. The other quickly followed before he moved his hands to the hem of the chemise and pushed it up and over her head.
“It will not work.”
He lifted a brow. “I assure you it will.” Alex chuckled. “You should know that by now, love.”
She pushed herself into a semi-sitting position. “You cannot seduce me into forgetting this.”
Alex bit back a curse. “Very well.” He sat beside her on the bed without a stitch of clothing. He put his arm around her and lay back, taking her with him. “I promise you everything will be fine, my dear. Bradleaf is unlikely to keep our appointment, regardless of his ridiculous boasts.”
She glared at him. “Promise you shall not indulge in this madness, Alex, or you will not touch me again.”
He lost his indulgent expression. “What?”
“I will not lie with you until I have your word.”
Alex’s mouth tightened. “You are lying with me now, wife.” His face drew level with hers. “You would do well to remember your role.”
“As your wife?” A hard laugh escaped her. “I am not your wife. You never have time for me. You do not mention your business to me or share any of your worries with me.” She slapped his shoulder. “You do not even listen to me. What kind of wife am I?”
“Disobedient,” he growled.
Tears slipped down her cheeks. “I see now that our marriage was a mistake. I cannot live like this.” She rolled away from him.
“What are you doing?”
“I am returning to my sister’s home.”
Before she was off the bed, his hand fell on her waist, rolling her back to him. Alex cupped her slightly rounded stomach. “Have you forgotten our reasons for marrying? You are not leaving with my son growing in your belly.” His touch softened, as did his eyes. “You have no idea how it pleases me to see evidence of our child.”
She sniffed. “Why? Did you think I lied to you?”
He did curse then. “Why can I say nothing that pleases you, Rebecca?”
Rebecca wiped at her cheeks. “You do not say the right thing, m’lord.”
His eyes widened. “If you would tell me what to say—”
She turned her head from him, pressing her right ear into the mattress. “It means nothing if I must tell you the words to say.”
Alex groaned. “Fine.” He cupped her chin and turned her face back to him. “Must we argue? I thought of naught but making love to you during my voyage. Will you give me what I have longed for?”
Her lips trembled. She wanted to pull away and run from the room, but her traitorous heart responded to the naked yearning in his eyes. Rather than assert herself, she ended up melting against him. She wanted him with equal fervor, and it was too much of an effort to deny both their longings.
Alex’s head dipped lower to claim one of her aching nipples. His tongue was a light stroke against the engorged peak, and he slid his hand down her stomach to her pussy.
Rebecca parted her legs wider to allow him entry and squirmed against his gently probing fingers. She took hold of his cock, tracing the veins bulging beneath the skin as they pulsed in time with each beat of his heart.
A tiny drop of moisture spilled from the tip, hanging for a moment before dropping to land on her stomach. Rebecca touched it with the index finger of her free hand, surprised to find it so warm and thick. Her eyes widened as he guided the finger to her lips.
She obeyed his unspoken instructions and touched the liquid to her tongue. There was a fleeting taste of saltiness and something else, and then it was gone.
Alex removed his hand from between her thighs and slid up the bed until his cock was within inches of her face. Rebecca moved forward and flicked her tongue across the tip. She immediately drew back when he groaned. “Have I hurt you?”
Alex shook his head. “Nay. I might die from the pleasure, but never pain.”
He looked as if he was in pain, but he arched forward for more. Despite her reservations, Rebecca lowered her head and once more licked away the dew collecting on the head of his cock.
Cautiously, she swirled her tongue around his cock, pausing when more of his ejaculation filled her mouth. The taste wasn’t unpleasant, and he seemed to enjoy her licking it away. Rebecca focused her attention on the tip, keeping vigilant watch for moisture, and sweeping it away with a flick of her tongue each time.
Her hand was on his arm, and she could feel the muscles bunching under her fingers. The faster she licked, the more he trembled. He arched his back and cried out, and his face went scarlet. She grew frightened and pulled away again. “Are you certain you are not in pain?”
Alex sighed. “You have not hurt me.” He shifted until he lay flat on his back. “However, if I do not feel you around me soon, I will be in agony.”
She nodded, preparing to stretch out beside him. Rebecca frowned when he rolled her on top of him and positioned her into a sitting position across his thighs. “What are you doing?”
“Claiming you.”
She frowned. “My drawers.”
“No time,” he grunted. Alex pushed the opening as wide as it would go and plunged two of his fingers deep inside her still-wet pussy.
She threw her head back, unable to repress the instinct to push against his appendages. A murmur of protest escaped her when he removed them.
“You are ready.” Alex lifted her hips and guided her pussy over his cock. Slowly, he pulled her down on top of him.
Rebecca’s eyes widened as the full length of him filled her. He didn’t stop until she had taken all of him. She could feel his testicles under her buttocks and his pubic bone pressing into the soft flesh of her pussy. Somehow, he seemed to have grown thicker during their time apart. Perhaps she had just forgotten how wonderful it felt to be filled by him. She wriggled against him, giggling when he groaned.
“Do you like this position, love?”
“I did not know—” She lifted herself off him a few inches and slid down his cock again. “Aye,” she said with a sigh.
Alex maintained his hold on her hips, initially setting the tempo of their thrusts. Even when she took over, flexing and contracting around him as she bucked against his cock, he kept his hands there.
Rebecca continued to ride him, moaning each time she slid down his cock. When he moved a hand to lightly stroke her pussy, she tensed around him, finding it almost painful to continue thrusting. Her hips refused to obey her command to stop, and she renewed her efforts, alternately accepting and rejecting him with increased vigor.
Rebecca screamed as an orgasm swept over her, radiating from between her thighs and outward. She leaned forward to grasp his shoulders and bit down on her tongue to hold back another verbal expression of pleasure.
As she tensed around him again, she felt his cock spasm as he released his seed inside her. He, too, had given voice to his pleasure in the form of a muted shout. The fingers of his hand on her hip bit into the soft flesh, but right now, there was no pain.
She felt too much pleasure to notice anything besides the sensation of his erection slowly softening inside her while the remnants of the climax washed over her and subsided. Finally, she collapsed on him in a boneless heap, breathing heavily and listening to his heart thump against her ear.
They stayed joined together without speaking for several minutes until a knock at the door roused them. Rebecca pulled away with reluctance and stepped into the dressing room as Alex threw on a robe and took the tray from Bentley.
After she heard the chamber door close, Rebecca pulled a dressing gown from a hook and slipped it in on before rejoining her husband. He had set the tray on the table by the fireplace and sat waiting for her. She slid into the free chair, inexplicably feeling shy about meeting his eyes.
He touched her hand. “Madeira?”
She shook her head. “Just tea.”
Alex poured a cup for her before he lifted the cover from the salver of baked eggs and strips of bacon. “Cook prepared something light.”
She nodded but did not reach for a plate.
With a sigh, he replaced the lid. “What is wrong?”
Rebecca bit her lip and shook her head, trying to force back the tears in her eyes.
“I cannot help if I do not know.”
“You use passion to manipulate me.” Rebecca lifted her gaze to meet his eyes. “When I tried to speak to you of your trip, you swept me off to bed. This afternoon, you tried to divert my attention from your foolishness by seducing me.”
Alex scowled. “Obviously, it did not work, so what is the problem?”
“You should treat me as more than your bed partner, Alex. I am your wife.”
“You would not be if not for our ridiculous bargain and the unforeseen consequences.” He tossed down his napkin.
A breath hissed through her teeth, and she recoiled from him. Rebecca pushed away from the table. “Excuse me,” she said in a voice thick with tears. “I will retire now.”
“Rebecca,” he called after her.
She ignored him as she swept through the doorway and closed the door behind her with a gentle click. She had no intention of revealing how upset she was. As Mama said, a lady did not show her emotions.
Once she was through the dressing room and in her bedroom, she threw herself down and wept, free to give in to her emotions away from prying eyes. For the first time in hours, the wagers circulating among the gentlemen’s clubs entered her mind again.
How long would it take before Alex lost interest in her? His only attachment seemed to be sexual, so what would happen to them when that tenuous connection inevitably faded and died?
She lifted her head when the door to her room opened. Alex stood there, looking pale. With a stifled sob, she turned away from him again. She tried to pretend he wasn’t there as his weight caused the bed to dip. She resisted his gentle hands as he tried to lift her but somehow ended up in his arms anyway.
“I am sorry,” he said into her hair. “That was cruel.”
Rebecca’s wet eyes widened. An apology? “That makes everything alright, does it?” she snapped. “My lord husband has apologized, so I shall be docile and pretend it does not matter that you do not want to be married to me?” She pulled away to look up at him. “Do you think I wished to marry you? You forced me—“
He put his fingers to her lips, stifling her words. “I do not know what to do with you, Rebecca. I had not thought to take a wife anytime soon. When I thought of it—which was seldom—I vaguely pictured a shadowy woman who would bear my children and keep to herself.”
“Is that what you want from me?” The tears in her throat caused her voice to emerge as a hoarse croak. “I will not be that kind of wife.”
Alex shook his head. “I do not yet know what I want from you. What do you need from me?”
She rubbed her cheek against his arm. “Love me,” she whispered.
He did not verbally respond as he shifted their position so they were lying side by side. His touch was gentle, as was his kiss when he gathered her in his arms.
Rebecca accepted his caresses even as her heart broke a little more. She wanted to scream at him, to tell him she wanted more than physical love. Yet, if she rejected that from him—all he could offer—she would risk ruining any future they might have. As she melted into his embrace, she tried to tell herself having his body love her was a start to getting his heart to love her too.
Alex’s lips coaxed hers open with teasing flutters as he licked the outline of her lower lip. His arms were around her, holding her close to his body. His robe had parted, and the hairs on his chest tickled against the fine lawn of her dressing gown.
She wanted to resist his determined seduction, knowing he sought once again to divert her thoughts. She wanted to believe he was showing his emotions for her in the only way he knew how, but her heart didn’t believe it.
She let her mouth soften under his, and she touched her tongue against his when it entered her mouth. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, careful not to hold to him too tightly. Alex didn’t want to be lavished with displays of her affection. He wanted only her body, at his convenience.
Tears slipped from her eyes, despite her efforts to suppress them. She felt Alex stiffen, and then his mouth moved from hers. She looked up at him, but he was too close for her to read his expression. She gasped when he pressed his mouth against her cheek, and his tongue flicked out to catch her tears. He brought a hand to the other side of her face to wipe away her tears.
“Do not cry, love,” he whispered, sounding anguished. “It was not my wish to hurt you. I would never do so deliberately. Forgive my hasty words.”
His gentle tone made the tears come faster, and she couldn’t seem to staunch the flow. A tiny hiccup escaped her, and she squeezed her eyes shut, unable to bear the pity she knew must be reflected in his expression.
Alex’s lips drifted higher, and he pressed a soft kiss to her eyelid and then the other one. “Please tell me how to fix it, Rebecca.”
She wanted to tell him nothing would ease her pain except his love, but she couldn’t find the words. Instead, Rebecca buried her hands in his hair and pulled his mouth to hers. She needed the comfort of contact with him, even if it came from his desire instead of his love.
He seemed reluctant at first, but when Rebecca forced her tongue inside his mouth, he ardently responded. He thrust his hips, pushing his cock against her leg.
Rebecca parted her thighs, and he settled on top of her. She removed her hands from his hair when she felt him fumbling with the opening of her gown. When he had untied the ribbons, he pushed open the gown and nestled his head between her breasts. He remained in that position without moving.
As the seconds passed, Rebecca’s eyes flooded with fresh tears. She could feel his remorse, and she was moved to comfort him, though he had been the one to hurt her so terribly. She stroked his hair with her left hand and gripped his bicep with her right.
“I need you.” The admission cost her a great deal of pride, but she needed him to hold her. She needed to be joined with him. She would beg if she had to. Her pride was worth nothing when compared to how much she loved him and how much he needed her—whether he realized it or not. “Make love to me, Alex.”
He lifted his head to meet her eyes. Their gazes locked and held, and she could see vulnerability reflected in his shimmering orbs. Her breath caught in her throat as she struggled to identify the other emotion she saw there. Could it be love? Before she could determine what it was, he broke the gaze and lowered his head to her breast.
He took possession of her nipple, rolling his tongue around it in small circles. He flicked his tongue across the rigid peak until it was a hardened bead. Then he put his mouth around her breast and suckled the nipple.
She groaned as he applied careful pressure while his hands traveled down her body to part her thighs. She assisted their quest by parting her legs even more. She gasped when Alex parted her pussy lips and held them open. He continued to lave the sensitive nipple in his mouth as his finger stroked down her slit. His finger entered her passage, and he rotated it slowly, lubricating his finger with the essence of her arousal.
She whimpered when he withdrew the digit, but she relaxed when he traced his finger up the wall of her pussy, until he was touching her clitoris. She arched her hips when he circled it around the swollen nub. “Umm…” she moaned.
He moved his mouth from her breast and lifted his head. “You are so pleasing to me, love.”
“Why?” she managed to ask, as one of his fingers worked her clit, while two others slipped inside her pussy.
“You delight in everything we do. You are like touching fire.” He pushed his fingers deep inside her. “I do not mind getting burned when I am near you.”
She writhed against his hands, unable to respond to his whispered fancies. All thoughts and emotions seemed centered in her pussy, and she was on the brink of exploding.
“So beautiful,” Alex said as he lowered his head to her other breast and took the pebbled nipple into his mouth. As he did so, he pushed firmly against her clit and thrust his fingers inside her pussy again.
She managed to make a sound of protest when Alex withdrew his hands from between her thighs. She watched with wide eyes as he rose above her and positioned his cock against her pussy. He waited, and she could hear her heart pounding furiously in her ears—or was it his heart?
His cheeks were bright red, and he was breathing heavily. She dismissed the silly notion of hearing his heartbeat from so far away and tilted her hips forward, taking the head of his cock into her wet pussy.
With a groan, Alex buried the full length of his cock inside her. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead as he braced his hands on either side of her head. “I want to make it last,” he said with obvious effort. “But you are so tight, love. I could die sheltered in your pussy, and none would convince me I was not in Heaven.”
She arched her hips as she cupped his buttocks with her hands, striving to push him more deeply into her pussy. She didn’t want the torture to last. She wanted him to fill her with his ejaculation and push her past the brink until she was a mindless creature, consumed with passion. “Make me burn.”
Alex withdrew enough to thrust into her again, and then once more. He paused, panting. “Are you near coming, love?”
She nodded, unable to speak. Her body hovered on the brink of climax, waiting for him to complete her. Her nerves were stretched taut, and an ache had formed in the pit of her stomach. Her nipples ached unbearably, and her pussy was spasming, as if begging his cock to release its control.
He withdrew once more and then slid into her with a slow, torturous thrust. He rotated his hips, causing his cock to push against her clit through the thin walls of her pussy.
As she felt the first spurts of his satisfaction filling her, Rebecca gave in to her body’s demands with a cry. The orgasm rushed over her, causing her pussy to repeatedly clench around his cock. She looked up and saw how the veins in his temple throbbed. His lips were skinned back over his teeth, and he seemed to be suffering from the sensations coursing through him. If he felt as she did, he was experiencing an overwhelming amount of pleasure. It felt so good it almost caused her pain.
A sense of weightlessness overwhelmed her as her body shook from the aftermath of her shattering climax. Her eyes locked with his. They had darkened with passion into deep pools, and the pleasure of her release was so exquisite she was certain she was drowning in his eyes. A tiny gasp escaped her as his arched back relaxed, and he pressed her into the mattress.
His chest was against her face, and she turned her head, pressing her ear against his hot skin. His cock remained inside her, even as it softened. He was too heavy, but she was reluctant to break contact with him. At that moment, they were joined as one, as a husband and wife should be.
He had been so gentle with his lovemaking, and she knew he must care about her. He had affection for her, and she dared to hope even love. For the first time, she was optimistic about their future. Tomorrow, they would have to talk about what that future might hold, but for now, she was too tired to give it proper attention. She fell asleep to the pleasant sound of her husband’s steady heartbeat against her ear.