The Aristocrat

by Penelope Ward

  “Did you rob a fisherman?”

  “I know you love seafood. But I wasn’t sure what you’d be in the mood for, so I ordered multiple things.”

  “This is your MO. It reminds me of the time you went to Dunkin’ Donuts and came back with every pastry under the sun.”

  “See?” he said. “I’m not the only one who remembers the details of when we were together.”

  “Most of it’s ingrained in my memory.”

  “Yeah,” he said. “I’ve struggled to hold onto all of it, not wanting any of those memories to disappear.”

  My eyes returned to the food. “This feels so surreal, Leo. I keep thinking I’m going to wake up, and you’re gonna be gone again.”

  “It feels surreal for me, too, but in a good way. I feel free for the first time in my life. And on cloud nine. But still, I’m so hesitant to do anything that might hurt you or to presume that you’re ready to start over with me so easily, given everything that happened in England.”

  “It’s funny that you use the words start over. For some odd reason, that’s what this feels like—a first date,” I said.

  “In a way, it is a new beginning.”

  “You’ve given up a lot to be here.”

  “My showing up now is far from a fairytale. I know that. This is real life, a bit different from the whirlwind summer we once had. But you know, I’d rather have this than that. Because back then, there was always the feeling of dread that I’d have to leave you. And that’s gone now. I have my freedom, and I’m determined to live my truth—not to let anything or anyone get in the way of what I want in life. Despite all the money and power I have back home, from the moment I met you, Felicity, there was nothing I’ve wanted more than to be your boyfriend. And nothing ever changed that.” Leo reached for me. “You know what else never changed?” He took my hand and placed it on his chest. “The way my heart beats for you.”

  I smiled. “If that’s not proof of how you feel, I don’t know what is.”

  Leo lifted my hand to his mouth and kissed it. Such a simple thing, yet I burned up all over.

  He let go of me. “Let’s eat while the food is fresh, shall we?”

  After we plated our dinner, we took our dishes to the dining room, and Leo poured the wine. We reminisced a bit, and Leo updated me on Sig. He said his cousin would be enrolling in an MBA program in the spring. The long-term plan was that he’d work for Leo and take on some of the responsibilities of the Covington estate.

  “That will be so good for him. It will give him something to focus on, at least.”

  Leo’s phone chimed a few seconds later.

  He looked down at it. “Speak of the devil…”

  “Sig?” I laughed.

  “Yeah.”

  “What did he say?”

  He rolled his eyes. “I’m not sure you want to know.”

  “Oh boy. Show me.”

  Leo reluctantly flipped the phone around.

  Sigmund: Are you muff diving in the Red Sea yet?

  My cheeks flamed as I sighed. “Is it weird that it makes me happy whenever he acts like his old self?”

  “It’s been coming out a bit more. I’m proud of him for picking himself up and going back to school.”

  I nodded. This was such good news.

  I ate a few more bites of the delicious dinner. “So…you said Darcie is still living at the house. Where were you living?”

  He took a sip of wine and nodded, as if to ready himself for the fact that I was going there.

  “For the last month, I’ve been staying with Sigmund. There were other properties I could have moved to, but I chose to crash with my cousin.”

  “Does Darcie get the house in the divorce?”

  “I’m giving it to her, though our prenuptial agreement doesn’t require me to. My mother thinks I’m insane. Everyone’s criticizing me for it. But I don’t give a fuck. I left her. She doesn’t deserve to lose her home. Let her have it. It’s the least I can do.”

  “I respect you for that.”

  A serious look crossed his face. “Do you? Respect me?”

  “Why would you doubt it?”

  “I’ve often wondered if the fact that I left Darcie would influence how you saw me as a man. Like maybe you would have more respect for me if I’d honored my commitment. Or maybe you’d think, if I could marry someone and leave them, I might do the same to you one day.”

  I shook my head. “I don’t see it like that at all, Leo.”

  Relief warmed his features. “Good.”

  The wine buzzed through me as I looked into his azure eyes, wishing more and more that he would reach across the table and kiss me.

  “Care for dessert?” he asked, dropping his cloth napkin to the table.

  As good as the food was, my stomach was full of butterflies. I could think of little else besides what might or might not happen between us tonight.

  I managed a smile. “No. Actually, I’m pretty full.”

  After we took our plates into the kitchen, Leo turned on the electric fireplace in the living room, and we sat together on the same couch where we’d fallen asleep the very first night I’d slept at this house.

  We fell into comfortable conversation. “Sitting here reminds me of the night we stayed up talking, only to be woken by Sig in the morning,” I said.

  Leo rested his arm on the back of the sofa. “I remember that night very well. You asked me to take you virtually to the English countryside, remember? Little did you know your actual visit there wouldn’t be quite the perfect fantasy.”

  “Despite everything, I found it to be just as breathtaking as I’d imagined. And seeing as though we’re sitting here together now, I would say it wasn’t a wasted trip.”

  Leo stared into my eyes, but continued not to touch me. I got the sense that he might be overwhelmed and perhaps still jetlagged. The right thing to do was to give him space and go back to my place—though I didn’t want to leave.

  “I could stay up all night talking to you and reminiscing,” I said. “But it’s late, and I think I should head back. You’ve had a long trip, and you must still be tired.” I hopped off the couch, trying to convince myself this was what I wanted.

  He stood up suddenly. “Are you sure?”

  “We can have breakfast in the morning at my place.”

  Leo’s chest rose and fell as he walked me to the front of the house.

  Standing at the door, I leaned in and planted a chaste kiss on his cheek. “Sweet dreams.”

  Even as my body reacted to the contact, I swiftly turned for my car. Leo must have thought I was crazy for rushing out so abruptly.

  He stood in front of the house, looking understandably confused. Just as I opened the car door, I realized I’d left my coat behind. Before I could even consider whether to return and get it, Leo held his index finger up and rushed back in.

  A few seconds later, he came running out to my car.

  “You forgot your coat,” he said, a bit out of breath.

  I reached for it, but he didn’t let it go.

  Our eyes locked as he finally released the jacket. “Why are you really leaving me like this?”

  I fumbled for an answer. “I didn’t…want to make you uncomfortable by assuming I was spending the night.”

  “Why on Earth would that ever make me uncomfortable?”

  “I don’t know what you’re ready for. Your wounds are still fresh from the end of your marriage. I didn’t want to presume anything or freak you out.”

  “Freak me out?”

  “Because it’s hard for me to hide how much I want you. I feel like it’s written all over my face.”

  He let out a long exhale before caressing my chin. “Oh, my beautiful girl. The only thing freaking me out is how desperately I want to make love to you. But I’ve been hesitant to kiss you or even touch you, afraid I’ll take things too far. It seems we were both experiencing the same fear. I’m not officially divorced yet…so you might think this is inappropriate
. I also thought maybe I’d need to build your trust again first.” His breath was visible in the cold air. “I don’t just want you. I need you.”

  Relief and desire washed over me. “You think I don’t trust you? You left your entire world behind to come here for me.”

  “Make no mistake…” His eyes bore into mine. “My entire world is you, Felicity. Without you, I have nothing.”

  I closed my eyes. “I feel the same way. And for the record, a legal technicality means nothing considering all you’ve given up to be with me.”

  “Communication, you know?” He smiled. “We should try it sometime.”

  Shrugging, I chuckled. “We’re better than we used to be?”

  “Get back inside,” he said, taking my hand.

  Following him back into the inviting, warm house, I somehow knew it would be a long time before we spent a night apart again.

  As the door closed behind us, Leo wrapped his hands around my face and kissed me for minutes on end, igniting my entire body.

  When he finally let go, he ran his thumb over my bottom lip. “This mouth…how I missed it.” He slid his hands down my hair. “This beautiful hair. How I missed running my hands through it.” His lips enveloped mine again as he spoke. “This beautiful woman, missing you for so long was fucking unbearable.” He breathed out. “Please let me take you to my room now.”

  I nodded, and he lifted me up. We kissed the entire way up the stairs, only breaking long enough for him to place me gently on the bed. Piece by piece, we undressed each other. I marveled at how damn good his hard body still looked, the same bronze, sculpted perfection. Though the need for him felt urgent, I willed myself to slow down, to take in every second of this.

  He echoed my thoughts as his naked body hovered over mine. “I’m gonna try to go easy on you, but I’m not sure I can. I feel like I’ve been waiting my whole damn life to have you again.”

  I didn’t want to interrupt this incredible moment, but I had to. “There’s something I need to tell you.”

  His eyes narrowed. “All right.”

  “I’m not on the pill anymore. So, we need something.”

  Leo froze. “Ah.” He scratched his chin. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking straight and didn’t come prepared.” He swore under his breath. “Never thought we’d end up in this place.”

  “I don’t have them at home, either.”

  He collapsed over me, his voice vibrating against my neck. “I’m fucking throbbing for you. I’ll do anything to be inside of you tonight—break into a house, rob a store if it’s not open this late, give my left arm…Grandad’s necklace, perhaps. Whatever it takes, I will return with condoms.”

  He hopped up, his beautiful, hard cock bobbing up and down. Then he turned to open the side table drawer, allowing me a glorious view of his muscular ass.

  Leo turned to me, his eyes wide. “You’re never going to believe this.”

  “What?”

  “Are you kidding me?” He laughed into his hand. “Sigmund’s gargantuan box of condoms from BJ’s is still bloody here! I just checked this drawer out of desperation. I never expected to find anything.”

  I sat up. “Oh my God.”

  He opened it. “It’s half empty, so clearly people have been partaking over the years. But there are still some left.”

  “Who knew it would take five years to finish that box. What’s the expiration date?”

  Leo checked the side of the box. “This past summer. I guess these guys held out for five years, like we did.”

  I laughed. “Wow.”

  “They’re probably still okay. It’s only a few months past the date. I’m willing to take the risk if you are.”

  “I am.”

  He took one off the strip and threw it on the bed, tossing the box onto the table. “I’d put fucking plastic wrap over my cock right now if I had to.”

  “Thankfully, it won’t come to that.” I was wet and ready and didn’t care what he put over himself at this point, as long as he was inside me.

  Leo ripped the condom package open and sheathed his rock-hard shaft. I watched as he squeezed the tip and stroked himself, slow and rough, as he looked down at me. That, combined with the look of desire in his eyes, was so freaking sexy.

  “I’ve missed this beautiful pussy so much.”

  That was the last thing he said before he lowered himself, spread my legs wide, and penetrated me, closing his eyes until he was completely inside. We both let out unintelligible sounds of pleasure.

  What started off slow soon became a frantic and desperate race to consume each other. We’d had sex in many different positions, but this one—missionary, with all of Leo’s weight on top of me, holding me down while he fucked me as hard as he could—was my absolute favorite. There were no words for how it felt to have the man I loved inside of me again.

  “Fuck, this is even better than I remembered,” he groaned. “Tell me if I’m being too rough.”

  As the bed shook, I dug into his back with my nails, holding on to him for dear life. I wasn’t anywhere near ready for this to be over, but as his balls slapped against my ass, I felt myself about to orgasm much faster than I anticipated.

  He searched my eyes to confirm I was indeed losing it. “Yeah?”

  I breathed out, “Yeah.”

  “I can fucking feel it,” he said, his eyes rolling back as he started to come, banging me harder to the finish line.

  The heat of his load through the condom was the cherry on top as my muscles pulsated around him. No one could ever make me climax the way Leo did.

  We panted over one another, neither of us wanting to let go. After several minutes, Leo left to dispose of the condom before returning to bed.

  We faced each other as he looped his fingers with mine. “Not only do I not want you to leave me tonight, I don’t want to spend another night away from you ever again, if I can help it.”

  “That can be arranged.”

  “I have to say something,” he said, his expression turning serious.

  My eyes widened, but I managed a nod.

  “I love you, Felicity Dunleavy. Even though I’ve written it to you and said it in so many roundabout ways, I’ve never told you to your face. And I’m so very sorry for that. I promise to make it up to you.”

  I melted into his arms. “Just make sure cooking is not involved in that plan.”

  His shoulders shook as he laughed. “It won’t be.”

  “I love you, too, Leo. So much.” I placed my hand on the side of his face. “Losing you hurt so badly. But finding you again made it all worth it.”

  “Listen to me…” He pressed his forehead to mine. “You never really lost me, not for one single, excruciating moment.”

  * * *

  Leo

  Track 25: “Yellow” by Coldplay

  The past few months here on Narragansett with Felicity had been the closest to a normal life I’d ever had.

  After a week at the rental house, I moved in to her place. We spent every waking minute of the day together, making up for lost time, aside from the hours when she needed to study. Whenever she was busy, there was plenty for me to do between home repairs and taking care of the vast land, which now—in the dead of winter—required snow removal nearly every other day.

  I kept in touch with my subordinates in England to make sure our properties had everything they needed. It was amazing, really, what I was able to get done remotely. The only major complication was that my mother was still not speaking to me. I knew she’d come around eventually, so I wasn’t sweating it. If for some reason she didn’t, it would be her loss.

  Thankfully, my attorney back home was able to expedite the divorce, which had just been finalized. It sped up the process when I didn’t dispute anything Darcie wanted financially. I never believed she’d married me for my wealth or a title, but Darcie felt she deserved something substantial for the pain I’d put her through. I didn’t disagree. Thankfully, as a result, she and I were in as good a
place as we probably ever were going to be. While she’d likely never forgive me, she had come to terms with the end of our union. She seemed to be looking forward to the future and a fresh start. I’d even heard through the rumor mill that she’d started dating. I only hoped she was careful. There would be no shortage of men looking to capitalize on her newfound inheritance.

  Although my days in Narragansett thus far had been bliss, always lurking in the background was the fact that eventually I would have to return to England, at least part time. I couldn’t stay away forever. But the picture of what that would look like was still fuzzy. Felicity and I hadn’t really hashed out the logistics of our future. It was a conversation I’d been putting off for far too long.

  One afternoon after she’d come in from food shopping, I couldn’t hold it in any longer.

  I found her in the kitchen. “We need to talk, love.”

  Felicity searched my face. “I don’t know if I like your tone. Is everything okay?”

  “Yes, of course. I just want to talk about our plans for the coming months. Each day, I haven’t wanted to look beyond tomorrow, but I think the time has come that we need to discuss it.”

  She placed her items in the cupboard. “I’m glad you brought it up. I hadn’t wanted to put a damper on things either, because we’ve been having such a great time living in denial.”

  “You know I’ve always wanted to protect you from the stress of being in the public eye. The drama of my divorce with Darcie has tapered a bit, but the moment I show up in Westfordshire with another woman on my arm, the shite’s going to hit the fan. It was a miracle no one leaked anything to the gossip rags when you were there before. We dodged a bullet.”

  “Are you feeling like it’s time to return to England?”

  “Not quite yet. I’m definitely not ready. And when I do, it will be on a part-time basis. But when you come back with me, which I hope you will, it’s going to be like stepping into the fire, for a while, at least. Are you okay with that?”

  She took a deep breath. “I ran away from you once in fear of what people would think. I’m not gonna do it again.” Felicity took both of my hands in hers. “Being apart isn’t an option. I’ll walk through that fire. Hell, I’ll dance through it with both middle fingers up. I’ll do whatever I have to, because I’m not letting anyone take this away from us again.”