He really did need to keep some control. No matter how innocent she was, Beth was enough to make any man turn into an animal. Gerard swiped that from his mind. He didn’t want Beth to be with any other man. Only him.
God, he was in trouble. But it would take more than God to pull him away from her.
Turning them again, Gerard eased Beth back and laid her down on the rock. Still kissing her, he pushed her dress and underskirts up to her hips. Beth tensed as his hands brushed over her bare thighs, seeking her heat between her legs. But then she was moaning loudly as Gerard pressed his fingers against her pussy. Gerard groaned.
Dear God, she was so hot and wet. Gerard thrust a finger into her, his thumb finding her clit. Beth started and Gerard watched as her head fell back, her back arching off the rock. She began to pant as Gerard gently pumped his finger into her tight channel. She really was so tight.
Gerard didn’t think he was going to last long once he was inside her. She felt too good.
If they hadn’t been out in the open, Gerard might have torn her dress off to explore her naked body as the sun kissed her skin. He would have taken his time with her, savouring her body and listening to her cries. Even now, Beth was whispering his name. But Gerard didn’t want to wait. He had to have her.
In a moment.
Easing off kissing her mouth, Gerard started to slip down her body, gently biting on Beth’s nipple through her dress. Beth gasped, her whole body jerking. Then Gerard slid further down.
“Gerard?” Beth started to rise up onto her elbows. “What are you doing?”
“I’m going to make you say my name.” Gerard moved onto his knees, nudging her thighs apart. He kissed her legs, moving up towards her pussy. “And then I’m going to be inside you and make you say my name again.”
“I don’t think …”
Beth’s voice broke off abruptly, and Gerard’s mouth closed over her clit. Gerard flicked the swollen flesh with his tongue, which elicited a loud moan from Beth, and she fell back, her legs spreading even further apart. Gerard loved how responsive she was. He loved hearing how much she was enjoying this. And he wanted more.
Swiping his tongue over her clit again, Gerard slid two fingers into her channel, this time thrusting faster. Her muscles clamped around his fingers, which had Gerard groaning. If she was like this with his fingers, his cock was going to get a beautiful squeeze. He wouldn’t be able to cope for long if she did that.
He couldn’t stop himself from feasting on her, sucking and licking as his fingers continued to thrust inside her. Beth moaned and writhed under him, and Gerard had to press an arm over his waist to keep her still. Beth’s breathing was coming out in faster pants.
“Gerard, I ... I can’t …”
“Yes, you can.” Gerard looked up, watching her breasts rising and falling. “Let it go.”
He twisted his fingers inside her, and that was when Beth let out a yell, her whole body contracting around him. Her legs tightened and tried to clamp around his head. Gerard rose up, releasing himself from his trousers and pushing his trousers down as he kept thrusting his fingers inside her. Beth was thrashing around, looking like she was having a fit, a dark red flush spreading across her face and neck. God, she really was beautiful. Gerard could look at her all day.
Easing his fingers from her as Beth finally came to rest, shivering against the flat rock, Gerard crawled up her body. He kissed her trembling lips, hitching one leg up to curl around his waist. His cock brushed against her wet folds, which had Beth stilling. Gerard soothed her with another kiss.
“Don’t be afraid. I will never hurt you. I’ve got you.”
Gently, he pressed into her body. She was still tight, but Gerard slid in without any effort. Beth hitched her breath, and then she relaxed, raising her hips to meet his. Gerard could feel himself trembling as he eased back and pushed forward again, going deeper into her tight channel. Beth lifted her other leg and wrapped it around her waist, her ankles locking in the small of his back. Gerard felt his cock slide in deeper, and he groaned, bracing himself against the rock.
“God, Beth!”
“Stop talking, Gerard.” Beth was clawing at his shoulders, cupping his face to make him look at her. “Please. I want more.”
“You’re not used to this …”
“Please.”
How could he deny her a request like that? Gerard kissed her the same time he thrust in up to the hilt. Beth’s whole body clamped down on him, and she was shuddering, her moans swallowed by his kiss. She felt stunning underneath him. Gerard wondered what she would feel like once they were skin on skin.
God, if he could do that. He wouldn’t let her leave his bedchamber at all if she felt anything like this when they were completely naked.
Something inside Gerard snapped. He hadn’t planned on coming up here to make love to Beth, but the moment he touched her, he knew he wouldn’t be walking away. She was a delicate flower, someone to be treasured. Gerard wanted to do that.
But he couldn’t. Beth was making him lose his restraint.
His thrusts became more insistent, more powerful. Beth tilted her hips and met his thrusts with her own, still clutching onto his shoulders with her face buried into his neck. Gerard lifted her hips more and changed the angle, which had Beth squealing. He grabbed her thighs and pushed them off his waist, pressing them out wider. Beth screamed as her climax took over, and then she clutched onto him. She bit his shoulder, which had Gerard’s own pleasure exploding. He shuddered during his release, pressing himself deep inside her as his cock twitched and trembled, still snug inside Beth’s body.
It was a few moments before the two of them were able to move. Gerard had slumped onto Beth, resting his forehead on the cool rock. Everything tingled across his skin. He felt like he had been sprinting, his whole body slick with water from the lake and sweat from their lovemaking.
Lovemaking. Gerard saw this less as lovemaking and something more intense. He had never lost control like this before. Not even Allegra.
Beth was something special. And Gerard would be a fool to let her go. Damn their different social statuses. He wanted her and more.
“Gerard.”
Gerard lifted his head. Beth was lying beneath him, looking away. She refused to meet his eyes. Already, he could feel her withdrawing from him.
“Beth?”
“You need to let me go.”
“No chance of that.” Gerard shifted onto his elbows. “What’s wrong? Did you say no and I didn’t hear you?”
“I never said no.” Beth bit her lip, still not looking at him. “That was ... I don’t know how to describe it ... but it shouldn’t have happened.”
“But it did, and it was meant to happen.” Gerard stroked her head, urging her to look at him. “Beth, look at me. Please.”
It took a moment, but Beth did as he bid. She looked wary, her pupils still big. Gerard had a sudden urge to kiss her again. Instead, he stroked her cheek, brushing his fingers over her lips.
“If I did anything you didn’t want to do, I apologize greatly for my actions. I just desire you so much. I couldn’t help myself.”
“I know.” Beth reached up and touched his chin. Her hand was trembling. “I wanted it, too. Even though I know it was wrong.”
“What’s wrong in giving in to whatever there is between us?”
“You know why.” Beth swallowed. “I don’t want to be thrown aside.”
Gerard sighed. How could she think he would do that? Gerard had no intentions of letting her go anytime soon. He rolled onto his side, taking Beth with him.
“I’m not going to do that, Beth,” he whispered, taking her mouth in a soft kiss. “I promise.”
If he was honest with himself, he was more concerned about Beth walking away from him.
Chapter 18
Gerard sat on the terrace and watched as Beth chased Isabel and Rosamund around the gardens. Hermia sat on a rug near them, pointedly ignoring them as she read her book. She was looking
a little more refined than normal, but even Gerard could see the tension was starting to go in his eldest daughter’s face. She looked far more relaxed than when they first arrived a week before.
These last few days had made everyone slow down a little and go at an easier pace. Gerard enjoyed it. It was what he longed for when he was rushing around London, bowing down to the Prince Regent and having to attend Parliament. He liked the peace and quiet, even with the added squeals and laughter from his daughters.
Beth also looked less tense. She was smiling more, her eyes sparkling. She threw herself into country life and helped the rest of the chores the whole household got involved with. There was no complaint from her at all, not even when dealing with Hermia. His daughter did make it hard for Beth, but it didn’t seem to bother her.
Gerard could see Beth becoming a permanent feature of the family. In more ways than one.
He needed to slow down. What was going on with him? Was he actually falling for Beth? The lust was there, certainly, and it was a healthy bout of lust. But was he also falling in love with her? Gerard didn’t think that was the case. He was merely dreaming.
Wasn’t he?
“Your Grace?”
Gerard looked up. He blinked when he saw Daniels standing beside his chair, hands folded in front of him with a bemused expression. He hadn’t noticed the man approaching him. Gerard silently cursed himself for being in a fog and straightened up.
“Daniels. I didn’t realize you were here. When did you get here?”
“About an hour ago. I was getting my belongings in order.”
If Daniels was here, then so was the Dowager Duchess. Gerard looked around, but he didn’t see his mother anywhere. Normally, as soon as Amelia came to the house, she would be searching for her grandchildren.
“Is Lady Amelia in her room?”
“I’m afraid not. She’s still in London.”
Gerard frowned. That was not like Amelia at all. She always came up close to two weeks after her son, choosing to finish tying up loose ends in London and seeing her friends for the last time before going up north for several months. It was a little habit of hers, and Gerard wasn’t about to change it. He got to spend time alone with his children.
And Beth.
Stop it.
“What’s she still doing there? I thought you would be with her to help out.”
“She told me to go on ahead, Your Grace.” Then Daniels was smiling. “She had a surprise visitor and wanted to make sure he was rested for the long journey home.”
For a moment, Gerard was confused. Surprise visitor? Who would Amelia stay behind for? Then he remembered, and he realized what Daniels had said. He sat up.
“Alexander’s in England?”
Daniels nodded.
“He gave us quite a startle when he turned up on the doorstep three days ago. I don’t think I’ve seen the Dowager Duchess cry so much.”
“I’m not surprised.”
Gerard found himself smiling. Alexander was back in England. And it wouldn’t be long before he was back home, with his family. His little brother had been away for a long time, and he had been injured badly from what the letters had told them. It was a worrying time when nobody knew if Alexander would recover or if he would come back to England.
Now he was here, and Gerard couldn’t wait to see his brother. It had been years since they last laid eyes on each other. Years since he disappeared with a letter saying he was going for a better life. A week later, Gerard had received another letter, telling him that Alexander had signed up for the army and had headed off to France. That was more of a shock than Alexander saying he was going for a better life.
Gerard had been sure that Alexander had a girl somewhere, and he had eloped with her. Something must have happened in the meantime, which resulted in the sudden change. It had to be over a girl.
At least he was back. Then maybe Gerard could get some answers after he had given his brother a big embrace.
Gerard stood and stretched his arms above his head.
“She was very worried about him, Daniels.”
“I think everyone was.” Daniels frowned. “I was more concerned by the way he suddenly went over to France without any warning.”
“You know what my brother’s like. Impulsive. He never really grew out of it.” Gerard made a face. “And he was irritating with it.”
“But brave as well if he was willing to go up against Napoleon’s forces.”
“There is that.”
Gerard couldn’t fault Alexander for that. He was willing to look danger in the face. He had been like that since he was a child and broke his arm climbing the tallest hill, only to fall to the bottom and land on some rocks. Alexander loved the excitement.
It drove Amelia to despair, but she still loved her baby boy.
“How are things going with the governess?”
“Hmm?”
Daniels raised his eyebrows and nodded at Beth, who was chasing Isabel round and round a bush. Isabel was giggling loudly. Gerard had to smile at the sight. It was a very family-looking scene.
Family-looking. Gerard had to stop thinking like that.
“Things are good. Isabel and Rosamund adore Beth.” Then he realized what he had said and cleared his throat when he saw his valet’s eyebrow raise a little. “I mean, they adore Miss Campbell. They go to her for everything, listen to her during their lessons. They even want her to read their bedtime stories at least three times.”
Daniels chuckled.
“Well, those two don’t need much to warm to someone.” He nodded at Hermia. “What about Hermia? Has she softened?”
Gerard snorted.
“She’s being combative, as always. I don’t know what to do about her now.”
“Why don’t you send her to her aunt’s, Your Grace?” Daniels asked. “She hates going there, and I know you’ve threatened to send her there multiple times.”
“I know, but …” Gerard gritted his teeth. “I keep telling her, but I just can’t. She’s still upset about her mother.”
That was mostly the reason Gerard hadn’t followed through. Hermia was still grieving, and it was her way of dealing with the grief. Beth had told him that she didn’t mind dealing with the girl, and she had managed to take care of it so far. Gerard trusted her to turn Hermia around.
Until Beth held up her hands and said no more, he wasn’t going to take her anywhere she didn’t want to go.
Daniels snorted.
“With respect, Your Grace, you’re just showing her that it’s all right to be cruel to Miss Campbell. It’s not fair on anyone, least of all Hermia, if you let her bad behaviour carry on.”
“Daniels …”
“I know I’m not supposed to talk out of turn, but that’s my opinion on the matter, Your Grace. Miss Hermia is beginning to realize that there are no real consequences to her actions, so she keeps going.” Daniels folded his arms. “I respect a lot of what you do with everything, but I don’t think you’re going about this the right way, Your Grace.”
Gerard wanted to protest and put Daniels in his place, but he knew Daniels was right. He had been too soft on Hermia. She needed a bit more discipline, and Hermia had been playing on the fact that her father wasn’t following through on his threats. She could do whatever she wanted, and Gerard would still give her empty threats to her actions. That was not how to raise anyone.
What A Wicked Duke Demands (Historical Regency Romance) Page 24