Secrets Behind Locked Doors

by Laura Martin

  ‘Oh, Robert,’ Louisa said, ‘that feels so good.’

  ‘This is only the start,’ he promised her.

  Robert could feel his own desire mounting to almost unbearable levels, but he knew Louisa was the important one this evening. He had to show her pleasure such as she’d never known before. There would be plenty of time for him later. And over the rest of their lives.

  He pushed himself up slightly and slowly started to run his hand over her abdomen towards her most private place. Louisa’s breathing was coming in short, sharp gasps and Robert smiled as she inadvertently thrust her hips towards him to try and meet his hand.

  She looked so beautiful, lying so wantonly beneath him. He couldn’t believe he was so lucky. This stunning, lovely woman wanted him. And for the rest of their lives she would be giving herself to only him.

  Robert began to tease her again, running his fingers across the top of her thighs and across her lower abdomen. Her skin was silky smooth and her muscles jumped beneath his touch.

  ‘Touch me, Robert,’ she begged him.

  He was too much of a gentleman to refuse.

  Grinning wolfishly, Robert ran his fingers over her most private place, trailing the tips of his fingers in a feather-light touch.

  ‘More,’ Louisa begged.

  Her face was flushed and more lovely than he’d ever seen her.

  Robert couldn’t restrain himself any longer. He dipped his head and tasted her. He felt Louisa shudder beneath his kiss and writhe against his mouth. Slowly he caressed her, building in speed as she pressed herself against him. Every moan and mewl of pleasure just stoked the fire within Robert until he was certain he could take no more. But first he was determined to satisfy Louisa. She was the priority, she was the focus.

  Her breathing was coming in short sharp gasps now and Robert could tell she was close to climaxing. He ran his tongue backwards and forwards, making her writhe with each contact, circling and dipping in.

  Louisa suddenly gripped his head and Robert felt her body tense beneath him. She shuddered and arched her back, bucking up towards him.

  After a few seconds Louisa’s muscles relaxed and she crumpled back on to the sofa.

  ‘I need you, Louisa,’ Robert said, finally giving in to his desire.

  Her fingers fumbled with his waistband, trying desperately to pull down his breeches. Robert helped, pushing the material from his waist, until his manhood sprung free.

  ‘I need you,’ he repeated.

  Instinctively Louisa shifted slightly and opened her legs. Robert pressed himself on top of her, their bodies fitting together as if they had been made for each other.

  Robert knew he had to go slowly, this would hurt Louisa whatever he did, but he wanted to make it as good as possible for her.

  He pressed up against her and felt himself slide inside. Already it felt as though he were in heaven. Deep down he knew he’d been waiting weeks for this very moment and finally it was here.

  Robert paused, ready to warn Louisa of the pain she would feel, hoping he could make it all worthwhile for her.

  Before he could say a word, Louisa reached up and pulled his mouth on to hers, kissing him so deeply and passionately Robert forgot everything else. He pressed deeper into her, feeling her stiffen as he passed her maidenhood.

  ‘It will get better, my love,’ he whispered into her ear. ‘I promise it will get better.’

  It took all of Robert’s resolve to stay still for as long as he did, he was almost mad with desire, but he looked into Louisa’s beautiful face and told himself this time was for her.

  After a few seconds he felt Louisa relax beneath him and he slowly started to thrust forward. He couldn’t tear his eyes from Louisa’s as he moved backwards and forwards inside her, loving how she bit her lip with pleasure when he was buried deep.

  Robert knew he couldn’t last much longer. She’d worked him up into such a frenzy that he’d been mad with desire for so long now. Just as he knew his climax was inevitable, he felt Louisa stiffen beneath him, her eyes squeeze shut and her muscles spasm inside.

  Her climax sent him over the edge and Robert felt pure ecstasy as he released inside her.

  Robert collapsed on top of her, taking in deep breaths and allowing a calm feeling that everything was right with the world to flow over him.

  After a minute or two he opened his eyes and found Louisa smiling up at him.

  ‘That was wonderful,’ Louisa said.

  ‘You’re wonderful.’

  She grinned at him and Robert felt himself grinning back. He didn’t think he’d ever been so happy in his entire life.

  ‘I’m sorry your first time was on Lady Gillingham’s sofa,’ he said apologetically. ‘I just couldn’t resist you.’

  Louisa lifted her head from the arm of the sofa and kissed him long and hard on the mouth.

  ‘I don’t want you to ever apologise for not being able to resist me. It makes a girl feel quite desirable.’

  ‘You’re more than quite desirable.’

  Robert shifted, aware Louisa was probably feeling a little uncomfortable underneath him.

  ‘We’re not going to be able to go back to the ball looking like this,’ Louisa said as Robert stood up.

  He looked down at both of their naked forms.

  ‘You think people would notice if we step out without our clothes on?’

  Louisa rolled her eyes at him. ‘Even when we’re dressed, it’ll be obvious what we’ve just been doing.’

  For a second Robert nearly told Louisa he didn’t care, let them gossip. He was going to marry her, spend his life with her—what did it matter if people knew what they’d been doing? Then he looked at her worried face and saw how concerned she really was. Louisa didn’t want to be thrust into the spotlight as the young ward who had been compromised by her guardian at Lady Gillingham’s ball. She just wanted to quietly slip away and confirm her love for Robert in private.

  ‘Let me help you get dressed,’ Robert said, trying to think of a solution.

  With more care than when he’d been taking Louisa’s clothes off Robert helped her to dress. After a few minutes she was clothed, but looked in no way presentable.

  Robert hurriedly threw on his own clothes, knowing he wouldn’t be able to get his cravat looking anything like when his valet tied it.

  ‘We might be able to slip out the back way,’ Robert said.

  Louisa looked dubious.

  ‘I want you to wait here for me. Lock the door after I’ve gone and don’t open it for anyone. I’m going to see if we can get my carriage brought round to the back entrance.’

  He bent down and kissed her softly on the lips, pulling away reluctantly after a few seconds.

  ‘Don’t forget to lock the door,’ he said as he slipped out into the darkened corridor.

  He waited until he heard the turn of the key in the lock, then crept into the darkness. Lady Gillingham had one of the biggest town houses he’d ever been in. She’d assigned one section for the ball and kept the rest private so Robert was quite confident he wouldn’t bump into anyone he shouldn’t whilst he was creeping around in this part of the house.

  Robert felt his way along the corridor in the darkness until he found a set of stairs right at the back of the house. He checked over his shoulder, then started to descend, hoping he would run into a friendly footman.

  ‘Can I help you, sir?’ a young man dressed in a smart uniform asked as he reached the bottom of the stairs.

  Robert grinned. He had enough cash in his pocket to make sure this young man helped him and kept quiet about it.

  ‘I’ve got myself into a bit of a predicament,’ Robert said quietly, ‘and I’m hoping you’ll be able to help me.’

  He got some of the notes from his pocket and held then out
to the young man.

  ‘What is the problem, sir?’ the footman asked, pocketing the money immediately.

  ‘I need to make a quick exit with a friend of mine. We can’t go out the front door...’ Robert trailed off as the footman glanced down at his rumpled appearance and a smile of understanding crossed his face.

  ‘I could ask for your carriage to be brought round the back,’ the footman offered helpfully.

  ‘Perfect.’ Robert held out a few more notes. ‘For your trouble,’ he said, ‘and your discretion.’

  ‘What’s the name, sir?’

  ‘Fleetwood.’

  ‘I will go and arrange it immediately. If you would like to bring your friend down here in five minutes, I can show you where to go.’

  Robert shook the young man’s hand before turning and retracing his steps up the stairway.

  ‘Lord Fleetwood, what on earth are you doing below stairs?’ Lady Gillingham’s voice made him jump as he reached the darkened hallway.

  ‘Just got a little lost,’ Robert said, flashing the widow one of his rare smiles.

  ‘I have been looking for you for some time,’ Lady Gillingham said. ‘I thought we might take up where we left off a few weeks ago. I think you were going to make me a proposition.’

  Robert really didn’t have time for this right now, but he couldn’t have Lady Gillingham getting too suspicious.

  ‘You know I’m interested in you. As I said before, I do like a man with an air of mystery about him.’

  ‘I’m not mysterious, Lady Gillingham.’

  ‘Please call me Emilia, we are to be good friends, after all.’

  ‘I wouldn’t want to keep you from your guests,’ Robert said, knowing Louisa would be wondering where he was.

  ‘I can neglect them for a few minutes longer, especially if it were to forward our friendship.’

  Robert didn’t know why this woman was being quite so persistent. It wasn’t as if he had ever encouraged her, or at least not in the last few years. They had flirted somewhat before Robert had left for the war, before Emilia Ruddock had married Lord Gillingham, but that seemed like a lifetime ago.

  ‘Maybe another time,’ Robert said, trying to gently push his way past her.

  ‘Lord Fleetwood, I warned you before, I always get what I want. Stop trying to fight me and I promise you’ll enjoy it.’

  The image of Louisa lying naked beneath him flooded back into Robert’s mind. He knew he would never want anything to do with a woman like Lady Gillingham, not when he had his own perfect woman waiting for him.

  ‘Lady Gillingham,’ Robert said pointedly, ‘I suggest you give up this ridiculous pursuit. I’m not now, nor ever will be, interested in you. I am in love with a wonderful, beautiful woman and I plan on spending the rest of my life making her happy.’

  Lady Gillingham recoiled as if he’d slapped her. Her lips curled into an unattractive sneer.

  ‘You’ll regret treating me like this, Fleetwood,’ Lady Gillingham said, then turned on her heel and stalked off.

  Robert quickly made his way back to where Louisa had locked herself and tapped quietly on the door.

  ‘It’s me, my love,’ he whispered through the wood.

  He waited for a few seconds, then heard Louisa unlock the door, grinning at her dishevelled form as she peeked out.

  ‘A friendly footman is getting our carriage brought round the back,’ Robert said, pulling her out into the dark corridor. He wanted to get to the safety of his carriage before Lady Gillingham came back for more.

  As they strode through the darkness hand in hand, neither Louisa or Robert saw Lady Gillingham standing in the shadows, watching them with icy eyes and a frown of displeasure.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Louisa wrapped her arms around her body and hugged herself. Robert was just giving an extra bribe to the footman who had fetched their carriage in return for him keeping quiet about the whole affair. After a few seconds Robert bounded up into the carriage and banged on the roof, signalling they were ready to depart.

  He sat down beside her, then thought better of it. A second later Louisa felt herself being picked up and deposited on Robert’s lap.

  ‘Where were we?’ he murmured into her ear.

  She looked at him, puzzled.

  ‘I think we’d just got started, don’t you?’

  Louisa’s giggles turned to sighs as Robert lowered his mouth on to hers. She loved the feel of his taut body beneath her hands, the hard muscles that were only hers to touch.

  She wriggled a little on his lap and felt the stirrings of his manhood beneath his trousers.

  ‘See what you do to me, Louisa?’ Robert asked.

  She felt powerful and humble at the same time. She loved that she was the one to arouse him, that it was she he desired, but she also felt blessed that he had decided to shower her with his love and affection.

  She wriggled a little more and Robert groaned.

  ‘Sit still, you little minx, otherwise I’ll have to do very wicked things to you in this carriage with the streets of London as a witness.’

  Louisa liked the idea of wicked things.

  She turned and ran her lips across his jawline, relishing the feel of the rough stubble that had already begun to grow. She caught his earlobe between her teeth and sucked, causing Robert’s hands to tighten around her waist and pull her even closer. Then she ran the tip of her tongue down his neck, tasting him and feeling the beat of his pulse pounding beneath the skin.

  ‘We’d better get home soon,’ Robert whispered.

  ‘I’m quite enjoying myself,’ Louisa said mischievously.

  She saw the glint in Robert’s eye and immediately knew he was going to make her beg him for more before the journey was finished.

  His hand slid over the material of her skirt and grasped her ankle gently.

  ‘Madam isn’t wearing any stockings,’ he observed. ‘How convenient.’

  In her rush to get dressed Louisa hadn’t bothered to replace her stockings, instead balling them up and stuffing them into her small bag.

  ‘What lovely smooth skin you have,’ Robert said, tracing a pattern with the very tips of his fingers around her ankle.

  Slowly he worked his way up her calf, alternating between massaging the muscles and caressing her skin ever so softly.

  Already Louisa could feel herself urging him to go higher. She wanted him to touch her where no other man had, to make her scream and writhe in ecstasy, then plunge inside her and join his body with hers.

  ‘Do you like this?’ Robert asked, as if he were behaving like the perfect gentleman.

  ‘Mmm-hmm,’ Louisa managed to mumble.

  ‘Or would you prefer it if I stopped?’

  She couldn’t think of anything more cruel.

  ‘I’ll carry on, just for a little while,’ Robert decided.

  His fingers climbed a little higher, dancing over her knees and moving on to her thighs. Louisa felt herself open her legs ever so slightly, inviting him in.

  ‘Not yet, my love,’ Robert whispered into her ear. ‘It’s all about patience.’

  His fingers moved backwards and forwards over her skin, causing Louisa to shiver. It was as though her skin had become unbearably sensitive; she was deriving such pleasure from his simple touch.

  Suddenly his fingers grazed over her most private of places and Louisa felt her body shudder. But as soon as Robert had touched her his fingers had moved on, back to caressing the skin on her legs.

  ‘Again,’ she whispered, knowing she sounded wanton and unladylike, but not in a position to care.

  ‘Again?’ Robert asked. ‘What would you like again?’

  ‘Touch me again.’

  ‘But I am touching you,’ he teased.
<
br />   ‘Touch me there.’ Louisa felt herself blushing, but she needed his touch. She felt as though she would go mad without it.

  Thankfully he complied, brushing his fingers against her ever so gently. Louisa felt her hips rise involuntarily to meet him, pressing him into her warm folds.

  ‘Sit still, madam,’ he chided. ‘What did I tell you about patience?’

  Louisa could only moan as he stroked her, brushing his fingers backwards and forwards and making her crave more and more.

  ‘Oh, Robert,’ Louisa whispered, arching her back and letting her head drop backwards.

  ‘Oh, Robert, stop?’ he teased her, momentarily stopping his caress.

  ‘No,’ Louisa whimpered, ‘I want more.’

  ‘My lady is greedy,’ he said, covering her lips with his own in a possessive kiss.

  Louisa felt as though her body was being assaulted from all sides. Robert’s lips were gentle against hers, his mouth nipping and biting and working her up into a frenzy. And beneath her skirts his fingers were still moving slowly backwards and forwards, never speeding up, but still making the tension build steadily inside her.

  Louisa opened her eyes and looked down at Robert. He was hers, all hers. He’d promised if he were her man he would be faithful to the last, and now he was touching her she knew it would be true. She couldn’t believe how lucky she was, how happy she was. Only a few weeks ago she hadn’t wished for anything more than her freedom. Now she had something so much more wonderful.

  ‘Don’t stop, Robert,’ she murmured as he drew his lips across her jaw and down her neck.

  ‘Never,’ he promised her.

  Louisa reached beneath her with her free hand and started to fumble with his breeches. Every time her hand brushed against the bulge beneath, Robert let out a ragged breath. Her inexperienced fingers took twice as long to undo the fastenings as his would, but before too long her hand was inside.

  Robert let out a low, primal groan and Louisa felt the power she had over him. She grasped the silky smooth hardness of his manhood, revelling in how it pulsed and swelled beneath her hand. Slowly she ran her fingers up and down, watching Robert’s face as she teased him just as he was teasing her.