A Season for Scandal

by Golden Angel

  Sliding from her neck into her hair, Elijah’s fingers caressed, then tugged, pulling her head back, so she was looking up at him as his manhood pushed deeper between her lips. Heat bloomed on her cheeks, but she could not look away as he pulled her farther forward. The tip of him hit the back of her throat, making her gag.

  “Breathe, Josie. Breathe and swallow.” His crooning helped relax her, and she found herself allowing him to move her head back and forth, almost hypnotized by the motion. His finger toyed with her nipple, sending more waves of liquid heat to her core. The throbbing from her spanked cheeks no longer felt as painful, adding to the arousal curling through her.

  She whimpered as he pushed deeper, unable to look away from his dark gaze. Watching him watch her suckle him was far more exciting than she would have countenanced. The intensity of his expression, the way his eyes flared and his breathing deepened when her lips slid down the length of him, tongue playing along the underside, exploring him, added to her erotic entrancement.

  The taste and texture of him were strange but not unpleasant. Little bits of sweetly sour liquid leaked onto her tongue, and she sucked harder, enjoying his groan and the way his fingers tangled in her hair, the way he tightened his grip on her breast. While she was the one on her knees, seeing how she could make him react made her feel far more powerful than she would have thought.

  Elijah

  She was making him weak.

  While she might not have much experience, Josie was enthusiastic and learning quickly how to pleasure him. The connection between them was also different from any other woman he had been with. Maybe because for so long, he had dreamed of being able to quiet Josie’s smart mouth, and finally, he was in the most pleasurable way possible.

  She seemed to be deriving her own enjoyment, which fed into his. He groaned as she sucked harder, his fingers closing around her nipple in a painful reward for her efforts. The humming vibrations of her whimpers as he played with her were driving him wild.

  He would not be able to last much longer at this rate, but her throat was not where he wanted to spend his climax. Not this time.

  Pulling her head off of him, leaving his cock shiny and slick from her efforts, he lifted and moved her like a doll, repositioning them with her forearms braced against the daybed while he stood behind her. Josie went willingly, not hesitating until he pressed his cock against her swollen pussy from behind. She.

  “Elijah?” There was a note of uncertainty in her voice when she glanced over her shoulder.

  Elijah chuckled. Had Mary not discussed positions with her, either? Well, this would be interesting.

  “Brace yourself, minx.” He gripped her hips and thrust in. Josie cried out, her head dropping as the silken walls of her body gripped his shaft, squeezing and clenching around it in hot, liquid splendor. “I want to look at your arse while I fuck you.” Squeezing one of her reddened buttocks, reigniting the pain from her spanking, he grinned at her little squeal as she tightened around him.

  “Such a pretty red arse.” He squeezed again, pulling back to thrust back in. The red cheeks rippled when his body impacted against them, the little star of her anus winking between. Moving his hand back to her hip, Elijah rode her hard. “A spanking looks good on your, minx. You may come if you can.” Elijah was curious to see if she could. She was so hot and wet around him, her arousal coating the length of his cock as he plunged inside of her.

  “Oh! Oh, Elijah!” she gasped as he thrust hard, taking up a fast but steady rhythm, pounding into her from behind, every stroke driving him closer to his climax. Leaning forward, he moved his hands from her hips to her breasts, pulling them free from her dress and filling his hands with her soft flesh. Josie let out a small sob as his fingers closed around the mounds, seeking out the hard buds of her nipples and pinching them harshly.

  “You wanted to be part of the Society, minx? Then you will be mine when you are here. Mine to fuck, mine to pleasure, mine to punish as I deem fit.” His voice was harsh. His rhythm faltered as his needs and desires grew along with his declarations. Josie’s elbows buckled under the onslaught, leaving her ass high in the air with her bent down before him, as if in sexual supplication to his demands.

  Josie

  While she had always described Elijah as bossy, this was different. He was commanding. Masterful. Driving her wild in a completely disparate manner from when he was bossy.

  Feeling his hands moving over her body, his thrusts pounding into her from behind, she did not think she had ever felt so humbled and vulnerable. She had definitely never liked it. His filthy words mixing with the pain as his body slapped against sensitized skin and the pleasure as he stimulated her with his cock and hands was an erotic mix that sent her reeling.

  Unable to hold herself up, she half-collapsed against the daybed, sobbing from the intense sensations assailing her. Sweet agony, rough ecstasy, blending so seamlessly until she could no longer tell one from the other. Heat built upon heat, rolling through her body in waves.

  “Elijah!” Not able to contain the sensations cascading through her, she cried out against the sheets of the day bed, quivering and completely collapsing against it. Elijah’s hands and cock held up her lower body as he drove into her from behind, turning her utterly insensible with sensual rapture as her climax overtook her.

  With a low growl and the tight grip of his hands, he pushed deep inside her, joining her in glorious completion. Hot pulses of liquid filled her throbbing channel as her heated cheeks pressed against his body, her nipples still aching from his pinching abuse.

  It was the most glorious moment of her life.

  Chapter 19

  Elijah

  Sitting at the breakfast table, Elijah’s head jerked up every time he heard movement outside the door. After carrying a satiated but completely insensible Josie home, it had been sheer torture to leave her alone in her bed. Every instinct told him she belonged in his, naked body curled up against him, so he could watch over her through the night.

  While her appearance at the Society’s event last night should not put her in danger, gossip they were sharing a bed—both rare and unfashionable among their social set, except in love matches—might put her in danger. Elijah could not allow the traitor to know that his feelings for her were anything other than neighborly and perhaps possessive as a husband would be with a wife. If only he could ensure there was no gossip… but as a spy, he knew exactly how much servants saw and heard. Even within their own household, the spymaster of England’s, there was no stemming such a tide.

  Their servants were all trusted and sworn to secrecy, but someone out there knew his father was more than a marquess—someone intent on doing damage with that knowledge. Elijah did not intend to allow his wife to be used against him or harmed because of him. Josie had already been frightened when the villain lured her into the gardens, and he still had not found that culprit, which grated on him.

  “Good morning.” Adam sauntered into the room with his usual air of arrogance, grinning widely as he took in Elijah’s reaction. “Bit jumpy, are we?”

  Elijah scowled at his brother, though there was no real heat behind his glare. He cast his eyes over Adam’s rumpled form. Stubble darkened his jawline, his cravat was missing, and he appeared to have rolled around until his clothes were hopelessly wrinkled.

  “You look as if you have been up all night.”

  “I have.” Adam sat down and gestured to the footman for some coffee. “I was in the Warrens. While I did not see the elusive Frenchman, the barman at the Tramp’s Den said there had been a Frenchman about recently.”

  “Really?” The Tramp’s Den was one of the most popular gaming hells in the Warren, run by a man known to most as the Tramp. Wealthy, ruthless, and recently married to a fallen debutante from the ton, the man was not to be crossed, but he had his own code of honor. Elijah scrubbed his hand over his chin. He would have to go down there at some point to speak to the man.

  “I do not know if it was our man, bu
t…” Adam shrugged. He looked decidedly weary, though his first sip of coffee brought some light back to his eyes. “Where is the lady of the house this morning?”

  “Still abed.” Elijah’s head jerked up as he heard a noise out in the hall, his pulse quickening in anticipation. He ignored his brother’s snort of laughter. What Adam thought did not matter. Should he not be anticipating seeing his own wife?

  When she walked through the door, looking beautiful and relaxed with her hair pulled into a low knot on the back of her head and wearing a loose, blue day gown that matched her eyes, Elijah felt something inside him relax. He and Adam got to their feet as she entered. Being able to see for himself, she suffered no ill effects from the previous evening undid the knot of tension he had not even realized had formed in his chest.

  Josie met his gaze, and her face turned pink with a hot blush, causing him to grin as she came to a halt as she reached the table, eyeing the chair with trepidation. The smile on his face widened.

  Josie

  Blast the man. Her husband was clearly enjoying her discomfiture, and from the amusement in Adam’s eyes, he had an idea of Josie’s dilemma.

  Though the color had completely faded from her bottom this morning, leaving nothing but creamy skin behind, it was still tender, which as she’d discovered when she sat to do her toilette. Pressing her lips together, Josie summoned her fortitude as she sat, only a little more gingerly than she may normally have.

  Sitting down stung, but only for a moment, then she was able to settle down, mostly comfortably in her seat, pretending nothing was out of sorts. At least, she would be happy to, if not for the wicked gleam in Elijah’s eyes, which meant the blush on her cheeks was not going anywhere any time soon.

  “Good morning.” She was determined to pretend her bottom was not throbbing beneath her. How did one handle this part? Another question for Mary the next time she saw her. Though Josie felt it would be far easier if she woke up with Elijah next to her instead of having to face him across the table when breaking her fast.

  “Good morning,” the two brothers both chorused. Elijah smiled at her, then looked down at his plate.

  She tried not to let it get under her skin that last night had not substantially changed anything between them. It had felt revolutionary to her, but… well, Elijah was much more experienced. Her stomach twisted, but she could not deny the truth. Probably, it had not meant the same thing to him it had to her.

  Well, she was used to that with the Stuart brothers.

  As if the thought had summoned him, the door behind her opened again, and Josie twisted slightly in her seat to see Joseph walking through. She was about to turn back when she caught a glimpse of his expression.

  He was grinning ear to ear, literally beaming. There was a lightness to his step she had never seen before, and he bounced as he walked. When she looked back at Elijah and Adam, to see their reactions to Joseph’s unusual exultation, they appeared as flummoxed as she was.

  “Good morning!” Joseph sang out, his voice ringing with happiness. “Congratulate me! Miss Bliss and I are to be married!”

  Josie had already started to turn back to look at him again when he made his announcement. She froze in her motion, the expression on her face freezing as well, and it was suddenly very hard to breathe.

  She had known it was coming. They all had known it must be coming. That was why Elijah had stepped in to marry her rather than Joseph. Yet hearing it made her feel… made her feel…

  Bloody hell, she did not know how she felt. This was hardly shocking news, yet it still felt as if someone had elbowed her in the gut. Then guilt swamped her because she was married to someone else—who happened to be sitting across the table from her—and she should be completely loyal to him. The last feeling was a surge of relief and happiness for Joseph.

  The happiness she understood—she wanted him to be happy—but why the relief?

  “Congratulations!” Adam bellowed, jumping up to hug his brother. Elijah was only a step or two behind him, just as enthusiastic if not as loud.

  Josie pushed her lips into a smile. She really was truly happy for Joseph. If Miss Bliss was the kind of wife he wanted, he would have never been happy with her, anyway. Though she had told herself that before, this time, it really struck home. She was finally coming to realize Joseph was not the kind of husband she wanted.

  He was not part of the Society. He did not have Elijah’s presence or his commanding demeanor. In fact, she would have been able to push Joseph around in whatever direction she wished, as she always had. After several days of being married to Elijah, that did not seem as appealing as it once had.

  Getting to her feet, she could not help but laugh when Joseph hugged her enthusiastically in his joy, any awkwardness between them forgotten when he was so overcome with emotion.

  “Congratulations,” she said, meaning it completely. Maybe her heart was easily changeable, or perhaps she should accept t her feelings for him had not been as deep as she had thought. That was why she was relieved. It did not hurt as she had thought. She had truly let go of him, which meant she could focus on the Stuart brother she had married.

  Elijah

  Hurt and jealousy ripped through Elijah’s chest as he watched Joseph wrap Josie in his arms, and she went oh-so-willingly. Logically, he knew his reaction was unwarranted. Joseph was happily celebrating that he would soon be married to the woman he loved… but the truth was, how Joseph felt did not matter to Elijah. How Josie felt did.

  He had seen her face when Joseph made his announcement, the way she had frozen, hiding her emotions, but he could not tell what she was feeling now. Was she enjoying Joseph’s embrace? Savoring it as something she desired but could not have?

  When they stepped away from each other, he could see the smile on Josie’s face, and it cracked something inside his chest, sending a brutal ache through him. Rubbing his hand over the spot, Elijah took an instinctive step back, moving away from what was causing the pain—his wife and his brother.

  Unfortunately, the movement attracted attention, and the other three turned to look at him.

  Forcing his smile back onto his lips, Elijah dropped his hand to his side, focused on making sure it was relaxed and not clenched in a fist. It still felt as though his chest was too tight, making it hard to breathe, but he did not let his internal conflict show through.

  “I am very happy for you,” he said, and it must have sounded genuine because none of them looked at him askance. “I wish I could stay and talk, but I have much to do today.”

  “I understand,” Joseph replied, still grinning from ear to ear.

  Elijah was happy for his brother, even as he was frustrated with the chaos his own life had become. This was why he had married Josie—so Joseph could have this. He had not expected it to be so hard, though.

  Directing a small bow to Josie, Elijah turned on his heel and left the room. Had she appeared disappointed he was leaving or was that his imagination? His overly hopeful imagination?

  That was the crux of his problem, he finally realized. He had known his feelings for Josie had changed, but he had not truly understood how much until now. The most startling revelation since their marriage—he wanted her to love him because somehow, he had already fallen in love with her.

  And he did not know what to do about it.

  So, he retreated to work on something he could handle—his mission to find the traitor.

  Chapter 20

  Josie

  “Men are boors.” Josie flopped down on Mary’s couch, ignoring the glance Mary and Lily exchanged before sitting down on the chairs across from her, leaving the table with tea and cakes between them. Crossing her arms over her chest, Josie pouted. Really, it felt good to be able to say exactly what she thought and act how she felt instead of having to put on a happy face.

  At home, she had to put a smile on her face, lest anyone think she was upset because of Joseph’s engagement when it was actually Elijah causing her turmoil. She did
not know how to explain that to the Stuarts.

  Her mother had been no help. After three days of being ignored by Elijah, everywhere except the bedroom, she had ventured to her mother’s house to ask for womanly advice. Why she had sought out her mother before her friends, she was not sure, except she was a bit embarrassed after waxing eloquent about her feelings for Joseph all these years, only to have to admit it was now Elijah causing her heartache and frustration.

  Mother had told her Elijah was surely busy with his duties, and she should be happy their nights were pleasurable.

  It was not that Josie was unhappy with their nights, but she was definitely not happy about their days. Elijah was avoiding her, for goodness sake! Well, she could not be sure, but that’s what it felt like. They had barely seen each other outside of meals and the bedroom. Things were very heated and pleasurable there, but last night, he had not even gone in the same carriage with her to the Finchburys’ ball! He had met her there, danced with her twice, then disappeared to do who-knows-what, only to reappear at the end of the ball when it was time to leave.

  There had been no opportunity to talk. The moment they got into the dark privacy of the carriage, he had pulled her onto his lap to kiss her breathless and fondle her to insensibility.

  “Is that supposed to be a revelation?” Lily teased, and Josie stuck out her tongue at her friend. Lily seemed to have very little interest in the gentlemen of London, much to her mother’s and godmother’s dismay. Though she was beautiful, sweet, and intelligent, Lily cynically attributed the gentlemen’s interest in her to her connection to her godmother, the Duchess of Richmond.

  Some of them were drawn to her by that connection, but by no means all of them, if only she would see it. Today, she was dressed in a lilac-and-white striped walking dress, which clung to her curves and made her dark hair and eyes look stand out nicely against her creamy skin and the dress. Her quiet beauty was a large draw to the men—though Lily was cynical about that aspect of their interest as well, come to think of it.