by test
She drank in his woody scent, inhaling the sensual smelling cologne he wore.
His lips met hers. The kiss was enough to make her toes curl in her slippers. She shook her slippers off as he laid her onto the bed. She sat up, watching him as he stared at her.
“Do I have something on my face or in my hair?” Self-consciously, she touched her face and hair.
He grinned at her, she loved that cheeky grin of his, it never failed to make her throat constrict in a good way.
“My angel,” he murmured, hungrily raking his eyes over her from head to toe.
Hart cupped her face with her hands, kissing her softly on the lips, forehead and chin. She kissed him back hungrily and felt his tongue swirling to meet hers. She softly moaned, reaching for him, she splayed her hands through his glorious black hair. He felt so good … so much better than anything else she’d ever experienced. He cupped her breasts, gently kneading them with his fingers, his gentle touch sent tremors throughout her body. Every single one of her nerves seemed to be on fire.
Tenderly, he kissed her neck, fixing his eyes on her heaving bosoms. He’d
already taken off his shirt and now only wore the loose fitting trousers that he’d put on before they’d set off for the kitchen. She wanted him naked. The scandalous thought made her giggle.
She was supposed to be an upright young woman and yet, here she was giving
into the lustful thoughts crowding her sensibilities. She had to be crazy.
“What?” he murmured huskily, still caressing her arms, as he continued to nibble at her earlobe, while rubbing his hand over her one of her breasts.
“I just thought that this would be so much better if we could actually feel our skin against skin. The clothing is truly becoming such a nuisance, it is in fact impairing your ability to touch me in all of the places I yearn to be touched.”
His eyes bored into hers. “Well, hells bells, I don’t think you’re as aloof as you’d have people believe, Gemma. You’re a little candle just waiting to burn.”
“That would be me. The impressions that people first have of me are usually right of the mark.”
“You can say that again, my sweet.” He cupped her face, tenderly stroking her cheek. She leaned into his hand, turning to kiss his palm. Heat was starting to coil in the pit of her belly down near her private place. She moved uncomfortably between him, trying to shimmy herself more onto the mattress. He was so close to her, and yet, she still wanted more.
“If you aren’t going to help me out of this thing, then, kindly allow me to get it off,” she demanded. She finally rid herself of the warm but constricting muffler he’d given her to wear earlier.
Next, she tugged at her nightgown trying to get a hold of the bottom of it, so she could lift it up over her head.
“Ask no more,” he whispered, helping her to pull it off. He inhaled sharply as his eyes drank in her nudity. “The time you flashed me on the ship was nothing compared to this moment.”
“Well, I was as naked there as I am here.”
“Aye, but you weren’t underneath me, asking me to ravish you until we are both HIS LADY’S KEEPER Marly Mathews 128
thoroughly satisfied.” His eyes glittered happily at her, causing butterflies to quiver in her belly. She swallowed thickly. There was no stopping them now. Soon, he’d have her and she would know exactly what it felt like to be taken by Hart.
His hands found her breasts again, massaging them gently. He caused her nipples to tighten once more. “Fresh red berries, ripe for the taking,” he murmured, teasing her nipple and then gently circling her areola making her flesh tingle, before kissing one breast and taking the nipple into his mouth. She arched on the bed, as hot scalding fire rippled through her. She had to have more.
Hart watched her reaction to his foreplay … so far, she was responding beyond his wildest dreams. She had been a hellcat when she’d been trying to fight his advances, and now, she’d turned that energy into the sexual kind, that nearly robbed him of his breath. Making love to her hadn’t been a battle on his part. He was simply trying to control himself so she could experience the sensations that she needed to know before he took her.
Already, he could feel the blood rushing to his nether regions. His cock was growing harder by the minute, and he couldn’t contain himself much longer. He promised to make the first time for her as painless as possible, but the second time, he’d draw it out longer for her sake, he just knew the last vestiges of his control were waning.
Soon, they’d slip away altogether. He suspected she wouldn’t mind, she was almost to the point of impaling herself on him. His eyes widened at the thought … yes, he would have to experience that soon, he wanted to watch her ride him and milk him for everything he had.
She reached for him, but he would not be dissuaded, he was working his way
down her body.
He stopped at the sight of her slightly damp curls. He touched her mound,
watching her wriggle beneath him at he stroked her there. Already, she was wet, meaning she was at the peak of her arousal. He slid one finger inside of her, feeling her muscles clench around him.
“Hart,” she gasped, trembling, not with fear but with need. He moved his finger within her core, finding her pearl, he stroked it tenderly. Her body quaked. Obviously, he’d found just the right spot.
Her body was ready, she was welcoming his touch, inside of her, and he knew she’d feel pain but as little as possible considering how wet and wanting she was. She reached for the tie to his pants, with her help; he rid himself of the constricting material.
His erected member surged forth.
She gasped, her cheeks blossoming with a very attractive blush. “Oh, my!” she exclaimed, her eyes widening to the size of saucers. He leaned over her, holding his body weight back, his engorged staff stroked the side of her leg. She didn’t flinch, nor did she draw away.
“I rather think, you’re quite manly,” she whispered, her voice growing hoarse.
He smiled, he kissed the swelling globes of her breast once more, and perspiration breaking across his brow, restraining himself was proving to be more of a challenge than he’d thought. She pulled him toward her. “Don’t be afraid,” she whispered, “I know you don’t want to hurt me, but we can’t very well stop now, come on, I can handle it.” She kissed him, trying to reach down to touch his cock.
He sighed, kissing her hungrily once more, he kept her transfixed with his mouth HIS LADY’S KEEPER Marly Mathews 129
while he touched her slick slit again, he took some of her juices and ran it over his member, then, inhaling deeply, he surged inside of her, stopping when he felt her maidenhead. Her legs had instinctively tightened around his waist, without him even giving her the instructions. She was a marvel. Her muscles convulsed around him, as they tried to adjust to the invasion.
“I’m so sorry,” he murmured, watching as sweat broke across her brow, with his apology he broke past her barrier and buried himself deeply into her sheath. She gasped but held on tightly to him. Breathing deeply, he kissed the globes of her breast, as her body quivered beneath him. She tried to move against him, seeing that as her invitation, he started to move inside of her, savoring the tightness of her velvety passage, around his cock.
She felt him moving quicker inside of her and she urged him forward. Pressure was building inside of her, pressure still mingled with the faintest echo of pain. She’d expected the pain, but even though his entrance into her channel had brought her physical pain, it had hurt him as well. He loved her with every fiber of his being, and she knew that he had hated causing her just that small amount of pain.
She rubbed her hands up and down his lower back, finally resting them on the cheeks of his ass, which surprisingly enough drove him deeper inside of her. His thrusts were increasing in speed, and she rocked upwards to meet each one. He continued plunging into her, each stroke made her want more, something was coiling within her just wanting to explode, and she could f
eel it.
Their bodies slammed together, he reached down and circled the flat of his finger against her button, causing her to let out a moan of pleasure, and she rocked against him, meeting each of his thrusts. Her body tightened around him, clenching him with her muscles, he could sense that she was about to come, and with her climax, he, too, was going to come.
She shattered beneath him as she came long and hard. Tremors raced through her body, the muscles of her channel squeezed him tightly, and with one last surge, he spilled his hot seed into her, she milked him until he was spent.
He sighed, holding his weight off of her, he nuzzled her neck. She kissed him on the cheek, and he turned to claim her lips again. He rolled to the side, bringing her with him.
She let out a shattering sigh, “That was … most intriguing.” Her emerald green eyes sparkled at him.
He grunted. “Intriguing? More like bloody pleasurable if you ask me.” He
smiled at her, kissing her once again, he started to absently trail his hand up and down her back. While keeping her cradled as close to him as he possibly could. Their sexual scent lingered in the air, making him want her again, but first she had to have time to recover, and so did he. Making love to her was an adventure … one he wanted to have over and over again.
When he looked down at her once more, he saw that she’d fallen asleep. Pulling the covers up over both of them, he pulled her body securely against his, closed his eyes and drifted away.
HIS LADY’S KEEPER Marly Mathews 130
Chapter Twenty-Three
Three loud raps on the door, followed by someone trying the door instantly jarred Hart awake. Careful not to disturb Gemma, he slid from the bed and reached for his own dressing gown. Tying it around his naked body, he padded to the door.
“Who’s there?”
“It’s Gibbons, sir. I was asked by Lord Richard to fetch you.”
Richard’s valet sounded exhausted. “Tell him that whatever he wants can wait. I paid his slut last night,” he grumbled, irritated that Richard would annoy him this morning.
“Thank you, sir, I think Lord Richard realized that. Alas, that is not what he has sent me to retrieve you for. It would seem he has a very irate husband after his blood this morning. He is downstairs waiting to, as he so boldly put it, punch the bloody snot out of that nabob.”
“This wouldn’t happen to be the same man that challenged him last night at the soiree he attended?”
“I think you would be correct in that assumption, Your Lordship.”
“You may tell Richard that I am on my way. You may also tell Richard that he is to remain put, and he’s not to engage in any form of conversation with the man waiting downstairs,” Hart ordered, snapping instantly awake.
“I shall do that immediately, sir. If I might speak bluntly myself, Lord Richard is in no state to meet with anyone this morning. He can barely remain upright, as he keeps teetering back and forth when he does try to stand.” Gibbons sighed.
“I’m not surprised. On your way, Gibbons, I shall shortly follow.”
“Aye, sir.” Through the closed door, he heard Richard’s valet walk away.
Turning to the bed, he stared at Gemma drinking in her brilliance. Afterglow really did become her. He didn’t want to wake her, and quite frankly, she was better off getting rest than associating herself with the mess that Richard had gotten himself into.
Sighing, Hart set about getting dressed. When he was done saving Richard’s neck, he was going to be tempted to squeeze the life out of his brother. He’d definitely had his fill of his shenanigans. The man went too far … he’d been looking forward to spending a leisurely morning making love to his wife. Instead, he was going down to intervene in what could turn out to be a very bad day for Richard.
Taking one last glance at Gemma, he left the bedroom.
Setting off down the hall, he made his way first to Richard’s room, walking in unannounced to find Richard standing in front of the mirror stark naked, trying to get a glimpse of the new tattoo he sported on his back. It was fairly red since it had been recently done, but it looked as if the creature was breathing fire. He groaned, rolling his eyes.
“What did you get put on your skin this time?”
“Can’t say. I can’t get a good enough look at it,” Richard complained, swaying on his feet and nearly losing his balance.
HIS LADY’S KEEPER Marly Mathews 131
“Would you sit down? You’re going to fall over and hurt yourself. Grab
something and put it on, I don’t enjoy looking at you in all of your glory.” He grunted, turning around until Richard had covered himself with his dressing gown.
“Can you make out what it is?” Richard asked. “It’s still smarting like a bloody bugger. I’ll have to see if I can finagle Maeve into putting some of her soothing salve on it. It might be tricky. She always hesitates when I ask her to treat anything she can’t see.
I swear the woman has more modesty than she should at her age.”
“Maeve isn’t as old as you think she is, Richard.” Hart sighed.
“Yes, yes, well she acts as if I’m going to bloody ravish her ever time she has to come near me these days.” He sighed.
“That’s probably because of your affinity for members of the opposite sex. How many maids have you gone through despite mother’s orders to the contrary?”
“I can’t help it if they want to literally throw themselves at me. I just have a certain appeal to women.”
“Not to Gemma.”
“Aye. She hates me with a passion.” Richard sighed. “But she has no need to fear me, did you ever tell her that I do not seduce a woman unless she invites it?”
“It didn’t exactly come up in our many conversations.”
Richard let out another rattling sigh. “Enough of this chit-chat. Back to the tattoo, dear brother, what is it? It looks like a big red blob to me .…”
“By the fleeting look I got of it, I think it’s a dragon. Rather interesting design.”
“Damned thing about it is I don’t remember asking anyone to put one on me last night. That tells me that I was really out of it.”
“You weren’t even in control of your wits last night.” Hart snorted. “I don’t want to see you that addled again!”
“I have one hell of a roaring headache to prove it. As we speak, Maeve is busy getting me together one of her wonder antidotes. Now, I’ll have to take the cup from her before I ask her to take a look at my tattoo. I don’t want her getting shocked and spilling it—I really need it!”
“Good for you. You’re lucky we have Maeve.”
“I know.” Richard slumped into a chair, hooking his one leg up over the armrest.
“I’m off to clean up some of your mess as we speak. Gibbons tells me we have a most annoyed husband downstairs. Any recollection of why he is so pissed with you?”
“Maybe.” Richard grimaced. “I think I fucked his wife silly last night. She had a really well used pussy, so I don’t know what he’s so riled up about. That woman knew how to do things that no respectable married woman should know. I think he might have found her in a brothel to begin with, I’m telling you, she really knew how to make my eyes bug out of my head. I had a real good workout last night.” He sighed. “If only I hadn’t gotten myself foxed and befogged while I was at it.” He shook his head ruefully.
“You’re disgusting,” Hart hissed.
“Hey, don’t tell me I’m disgusting. You like sex just as much as I do.”
He shook his head, groaning. “Any idea how I should expect to get rid of the bloody blighter downstairs?”
“Maybe you should tell him that you know about his liking to screw men. That should do the trick.”
“How did you find that out?” Hart grunted, rolling his eyes.
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“I saw him. He was there last night at the party same as I was, except I was fucking all the ladies, and he was going after some of the
man meat. He even had the gall to proposition me, I told him to go and fuck himself. Then, I told him if he didn’t get lost, I was going to break his little wanker.”
“You didn’t.”
“I did. He’s probably mad because I didn’t go along with him. He’s feeling dejected. I think it’s better than being dead, but what do I know?”
“Fine. I’ll go down and tell him exactly what you told me.”
“And you can sugar coat it by telling him that if he continues to harass me at my family home, I will make sure that the knowledge of his indiscretion not only becomes public, but that it makes its way into the major London papers. You see, he won’t like that, as he does like to screw women, too. I’d imagine he wouldn’t want his personal life splattered all across the gossip rags.”
“I’d imagine not. You look capable of handling yourself, Richard, why don’t you just go down and deal with him?”
“Can’t. If I do, I’m likely to slug him. You know that will just upset mother, since if I hit him all hell is bound to break loose.”
“You know, Richard, if you come home in this sort of a fix again, I’m going to throttle you.”
“Of course, dear brother. That’s what you said last time.” He nodded his head, giving Hart a cheeky smile.
Hart whirled on him. “I mean it, Richard. You have to smarten up and if I have to be the one to literally knock some sense into you, then, I will.”
Richard stiffened. “Steady on there, Hart. You look like you’re going to explode.
I’ll try to behave myself. I will. Upon my soul, you have my solemn vow.” He crossed his heart, and extended his hand. “Come on, you know we always shake on it.”
Hart clasped Richard’s hand tightly, squeezing it until Richard’s face contorted.
“Remember your vow the next time you see a pretty skirt walk your way. Do not let your cock think for you … I don’t want you tossing her skirt up over her head and giving it to her no matter how much she asks, since you’ll only end up in the same trouble you ended up in last night.”