Tenacious Trents 03 - A Reluctant Rake

by Jane Charles

  It was still possible she was a virgin, however, and he simply didn’t understand.

  Jordan barked out laughter. He had thought he knew everything about intimacy and making love. Apparently, he knew nothing about virgins.

  His body was relaxed by the time he returned to the inn. The courtyard was busy and when he stepped inside several men and some women were seated around tables. A few he recognized from society and Jordan turned away. He wanted to return to his room and sleep and not be pulled into conversation. Besides, he had been gone from Audrey too long. What if she awakened and wondered where he was. He had left her undressed, thus vulnerable, since she could not dress herself. Or at least he assumed so given she had limited use of her arms.

  A footman he recognized from the Lydell estate stood at the counter speaking with the owner.

  “There is Mr. Trent now.”

  The footman turned and grinned. “We found the key.”

  Relief shot through Jordan. Audrey would be thrilled that she would not have to wait until sometime tomorrow to be free of those shackles. “Thank you.” He searched for his coin purse but the man held up his hands and backed away. “It isn’t necessary, Mr. Trent.” He handed him the key and bolted out the door.

  Jordan simply stared after the lad before turning and mounting the stairs. He unlocked the door and pushed it open; trying to be as quiet as possible though he knew he would be waking Audrey any moment so he could finally unlock the irons.

  He glanced toward the bed. She was sitting up watching the door. Most of her hair had come loose and was hanging about her shoulders. The blouse and jacket were open, revealing her breasts though the delightful coral nipples were covered. She looked tussled and well loved. His cock swelled. The walk had not been nearly long enough.

  Audrey fought the panic of waking alone. Where had Jordan gone? Was it her wanton behavior what drove him away? But he was the one who did those delicious things to her. Should she have said no? How could she have? She had never experienced anything so wonderful in her life.

  The lock clicked in the door and she stared at it, praying it was Jordan and nobody else.

  The door slowly opened and he stepped inside. Relief washed over here.

  He grinned at her and held up a key.

  “They found it?”

  Jordan laughed as he crossed the room. “A footman just brought it to me.”

  Audrey sat further up and produced her wrists. She couldn’t get these off soon enough.

  Jordan pulled a chair up to the side of the bed. She settled her wrists on his knees and held her breath. Jordan bent over and began fighting with the key in the lock. He could only screw it in so far before it stopped. He then tried with the other wrist and again the screw would only go so far. Panic welled up. What if it wasn’t the right key? He shifted and more light shown on her wrists.

  Jordan went back to trying to make the key work, turning it with such force that his knuckles turned white. Was it the wrong key?

  “Let’s move to the table. That surface might be better.”

  Audrey grasped the blanket for cover since she hadn’t put her riding skirt back on and hobbled to the table trying not to reveal her lower body but it was deuced difficult to hold the blanket so everything was covered with her hands like this. Jordan didn’t even glance at her and picked up the lamp to place it on the table beside them. He once again bent to work at the lock on her right wrist, trying to make the lock come loose.

  “What is wrong?” Audrey finally asked.

  “I am afraid there is too much rust.”

  Of course there was. The outside surface and where the links joined were rusted as well, but not enough to weaken the metal so that she could break them apart.

  “There must be something that can be done.” What if she was stuck like this forever. No. She couldn’t even think that way. The locksmith would be here tomorrow and he would know what to do.

  Jordan sat back in his chair, and looked around the room while rubbing his chin. Despite her disappointment in not being free, she couldn’t help but admire his handsome profile. She wondered if his face itched. Every time she had seen him he had been clean shaven. There was at least a days’ worth of dark stubble along his chin and jaw line. In a day or two he might have a full beard. It made his appearance a bit more wicked, though that could only be because of what he had done to her earlier. Her face heated as she remembered his head between her thighs and where he had kissed her. Goodness, she never dreamed such things occurred. Would he wish for her to do the same to him and would she even know how?

  “We had a gardener on the estate when I was a child,” Jordan said a few moments later. “Some tools had been left out over winter.”

  Audrey frowned. “Shouldn’t a gardener be more careful with his items?”

  Jordan offered her a sheepish grin. “I left them out, John and I. I can’t remember what we were playing at but we didn’t put them away and winter came.”

  “They rusted?” she prompted.

  “Yes,” Jordan chuckled. “The gardener made us clean them.”

  Audrey leaned forward.

  “Oil if I remember. It loosened the rust.”

  Hope began to grow. “Do you have any?”

  He laughed again. “I do not carry oil with me, but they should have some in the stable. He rose from the chair, kissed her on the forehead and disappeared. Audrey drummed her fingers against the table. She wanted these off her wrists more than anything and hoped Jordan could find what he needed.

  He returned a moment later with a small container and soft rages. “The stable hand gave me these.” He set the items on the table, turned her wrists so that the opening to the lock faced the ceiling. Slowly he poured liquid into the lock on her right wrist. She tried to turn her left hand so that lock was facing up as well but the chain wasn’t long enough that she could hold both arms in the correct position.

  Jordan sat back.

  “Now what?”

  “We need to give it time to penetrate the rust. I remember trying to clean tools and when they couldn’t come clean the gardener told me that I just couldn’t pour it on and wipe off but had to wait for it to be absorbed.

  Audrey slumped. “How long?”

  Jordan shrugged. “I can’t remember but it seemed like a very long time to a ten-year-old boy.”

  “It seems like a very long time for a twenty-one-year-old female.”

  He hitched a brow. “So, that is how old you are.”

  “You didn’t know?” She assumed he did. Ages were not a secret amongst society, especially if one was an unmarried lady. If she recalled, he was one and thirty, ten years older than her.

  “It never mattered.”

  “I am practically a child compared to your ancient years and experience,” she teased.

  Jordan looked at her bodice and a smile tugged at his lips. “Hardly a child, my love.”

  Audrey glanced down. Her blouse and coat still hung open from earlier. Her breasts strained against the chemise. A shiver ran over her skin and her nipples tightened. Audrey wasn’t sure if it was from the chill in the air or Jordan’s smoldering look.

  He grasped the bottle of wine and poured a glass before taking a sip. She was parched and licked her lips. Jordan leaned forward and placed the goblet to her mouth so she could drink. She couldn’t wait to feed herself again, though it had been rather fun when Jordan had done so for her.

  “Do you think it has been long enough?”

  “Perhaps.” He picked up the key again and inserted it into the lock. Instead of trying to make it work, he moved it about as if scrubbing the inside and then stopped and set it aside.

  He wasn’t giving up already, was he? Instead he reached into a pocket and took out the cork-skrew. “I don’t want to ruin the key or wear it down so it doesn’t work.”

  Audrey nodded and resisted the urge to bounce her leg in anticipation and nervousness.

  He went back to scraping the inside with the corkscre
w. Goodness those things had more uses than she realized. He had used it to pick a lock and now on her cuffs. He tilted the cuff slightly and reddish brown oil ran out. That was good, wasn’t it? Once again he inserted the key and this time he tried to turn it. “I don’t want to force it because I don’t want the key to break in the lock.”

  She nodded. This had to work. It just had to.

  Jordan poured a bit more oil into the lock. He took a sip of his wine and then offered a drink to her. Audrey simply sighed. This could take the rest of the night.

  Once again he used the corkscrew to loosen up the rust on the inside of the lock. It still didn’t give and he poured the oil in once again.

  Audrey blew out a breath in frustration. Jordan refilled the goblet and offered her another drink.

  “I went shopping today, while you slept.”

  She watched as he crossed the room and picked a package up off of his small trunk and began to unwrap it. He held up two dresses, both made of a light blue material. “I hope they fit.”

  Her heart warmed. “Thank you.”

  “As we will be traveling to your parent’s home from here, I thought you may wish for a change of clothing.”

  “I cannot wait to be out of this riding habit,” she admitted.

  He quirked a brow. “As it is, you are only wearing half of it.”

  Her face heated and she would have wrapped the blanket tighter except she had to keep her hands on the table so the oil didn’t spill out of the lock.

  “It didn’t occur to me to get you a nightshift, though.”

  He was kind enough to buy her two new dresses so she certainly wasn’t going to complain. “I don’t mind sleeping in my clothing.”

  “I am sure there is a shirt in my trunk you can use.”

  Though one of his nightshirts would be large on her, it was better than sleeping in a dress. “Thank you.”

  He folded her dresses and came back to the table. “Shall we try again?”

  Audrey nodded and held her breath. Please let it work this time.

  Once again he used the key to loosen the rust then tilted the shackles so that the oil ran out. He then inserted the key again, took an audible breath and turned. It turned and the shackle on her right wrist loosened and Jordan was able to disengage the metal from the latch and Audrey drew her hand free. She stretched her arm out and around, the muscles in her shoulder protesting at the movement.

  “Shall we work on the other,” he asked with a grin.

  “Yes,” she nearly cried and turned the left wrist so that Jordan could have access to the keyhole.

  Less than an hour later she was free of the shackles completely and Audrey stretched the left arm much as she had done the right one earlier and winced.

  “What is wrong?”

  “I am sore is all. Much like when I’ve been training new horses and holding reins for too long.”

  He gave her a nod and a smile as if he knew exactly what she was experiencing. She didn’t really care how sore she was because she was free and wanted to dance and shout for joy. The goblet still rested on the table and she reached for it, thankful to be able to serve herself. Jordan stopped her by grasping her hand. He turned her hand over and to the side, inspecting the bruises and scratches caused by the cuffs.

  “Stay here.”

  She hadn’t really intended on going anywhere but watched as he moved across the room and picked up another package. He carried it back to place mysterious jars on the table. He picked up one, read the label and then set it back down. He did the same for the second and uncorked the lid. Jordan then poured some form of light colored lotion into his hand and gently grasped her wrist. “I also visited an apothecary while you slept.” He began to gently rub the lotion onto both wrists. The coolness felt good against the swollen skin and his touch was very soothing.

  “Thank you.”

  Though his head was bent he glanced up at her. “It is my pleasure.”

  She sighed and leaned back, letting him take care of her injury.

  When he was finished he picked up the first bottle. “This is what my valet rubs into my shoulders and back after I have been to Gentleman Jackson’s. It will help with the ache.”

  Audrey studied it. How was she going to manage to do that?

  He stood and offered his hand. Audrey eyed him but came to her feet. She didn’t take his offered hand because she was holding the blanket and wrapped it around her lower body.

  Jordan crossed to the bed and waited for her. “Remove your clothing and get into bed.”

  She simply stared at him. Was he going to show her more of what happens between a man and a woman? A thrill shot through her but she wasn’t at all comfortable undressing in front of him.”

  “Lay on your stomach and I will rub this into your back.”

  She stifled the stab of disappointment that he didn’t wish to be intimate. “Could you turn around?”

  He chuckled and shook his head. “Very well, but if you recall earlier…”

  “Please turn around.”

  Still shaking his head, Jordan did as she asked.

  Audrey slipped out of the jacket and then the blouse before pulling the chemise over her head. Jordan’s back was still turned and she hurried into the bed, pulled the covers up to her chin and rolled over as he asked.

  “I’m ready.”

  He turned around. “I can’t very well rub this in if you are covered.” He grasped the cover and pulled it down to her hips. Audrey’s face burned with embarrassment but it wasn’t as if he could see her breasts or bottom or more private areas.

  His hands were gentle and soothing, working at the tightness and soreness that had developed since those blasted shackles had been put on her wrists. Audrey closed her eyes and moaned. Nobody had ever done anything like this to her before and it was pure heaven. She might very well fall asleep before he was finished.

  Jordan studied the lines of her back. So delicate and perfect. He began at her neck and worked his way down her shoulders to her upper back. He couldn’t help but smile each time she moaned. A few times his fingers skimmed the side of her breasts, flattened because she was laying on her stomach and it took all of his willpower not to slide the blanket all the way down to reveal what he suspected was a perfectly well-rounded bottom. As it was, the twin dimples at her hips teased him.

  Why shouldn’t he sooth her entire body? Audrey had gone through a horrible ordeal over these past few days, he reasoned with himself. Her legs must be aching as well.

  He pushed the blanket over her bottom and it was just as he suspected, perfect.

  “Jordan?” Audrey squeaked and moved to grab for the blanket.

  He placed a kiss on one cheek. “Do you no longer trust me, love?”

  She stilled. “Yes, but…”

  Audrey stopped speaking, or he assumed she did as he whisked the blanket away and she buried her face in the pillow. Jordan simply chuckled and moved to the end of the bed and picked up one foot and began rubbing the lotion in and caressing the arch. By the time he moved to the second food Audrey had turned her face to the wall. Her eyes were closed and there was a gentle smile on her lips.

  Jordan continued his ministrations working his way up each leg until he reached her upper thighs. When his fingers brushed against her womanhood Audrey squirmed. If she was as half aroused as he was at the moment he could bring her to release with just a few flicks of his finger. Her dampness already mingled with the lotion on his fingers and it was all he could do not to part her thighs and plunge inside. But he wouldn’t take her this way the first time. One day yes, but not tonight. “Roll over.” His voice was husky to his ears and he wondered if she noticed.

  Audrey hesitated for a moment and then slowly turned on her back. Jordan sat back and studied her. She was completely naked before him and he noticed things he hadn’t before like the blonde curls guarding her womanhood were as golden in the lamplight as her hair in the sun. The flat planes and lines of her stomach pointed to t
wo perfectly molded breasts with coral tips already tight and yearning for his lips. Audrey’s hands were fisted at her sides and he suspected she was trying to keep from covering herself.

  Jordan stood and shrugged out of his shirt. The outer garments had been disposed and were already on a chair beside the table.

  He could bring her to pleasure again and deny himself. It is what he should do if he wanted to remain the gentleman. Yet, too much of the rake remained and he wanted her with a passion he had never experienced before.

  Jordan settled at the side of the bed and removed his boots and stockings. Did he remove his breeches now or wait? Would she be frightened?

  He turned and bent to kiss her. Audrey returned it, her arms coming about his neck and pulling him close. Her arms felt so good and it was his undoing. “I want to make love to you,” he said after breaking from the kiss.

  She stared at him.

  “I wanted to wait until we were married, to do something right for the first time.”

  She said nothing.

  “Do you understand?”

  She bit her lip before she answered. “I’m not really sure.”

  It answered his question about her virginity, or at least that is what he hoped, not that she wasn’t sure if she wanted to make love. Did he ask?

  Jordan stood, loosened his breeches and let them drop to the floor where he kicked them away from his feet. Audrey looked down his body and her eyes grew wide when they came to his manhood and her mouth popped open. She may have even gone a little pale. She searched his eyes again. “I’m not sure I understand.”

  He picked up her hand and kissed it. “Do you trust me?” he asked her once again.

  “Yes,” she whispered.

  “I promise that we will be married before the month is out but I fear I cannot wait any longer to make you mine.”

  Audrey visibly swallowed and nodded. “Show me.”

  Though it wouldn’t have mattered if she were a virgin or not, deep down he was pleased at knowing that he would be her only lover.

  Jordan stretched out beside her and took the heavy breast in his hand. The nipple hardened further and he suckled it as his hand smoothed down her body. He should take more time but if he wasn’t in her soon he would be spilling his seed on her stomach or the bed and that is not how he wished this encounter to end. They groaned in unison as his fingers slipped between her damp folds. Audrey arched against his hand and he shifted and knelt between her thighs. As one hand caressed and circled bringing her higher and closer to release his other fingers entered her and stretched. She arched, pushing her breasts into the air as her head pressed back against the pillow. Jordan leaned forward and took one bud in his mouth just as she tightened around his fingers and cried out. He almost came at that moment.