by Fiona Miers
When she arrived at Lady Millbourne’s house party., Lizzie’s body was positively humming with anticipation. After taking off her drawers at the very last minute before leaving the house, she felt positively naked. She was sure the whole world could tell she was being scandalous.
She’d never been so aware of that part of herself, she kept clenching those internal muscles sub consciously. It was horribly uncomfortable to be aroused with no relief in sight.
Standing in a small circle of people, she tried to discreetly look around the room. She couldn’t see Rupert. Was he in the card room with some of the other men? Or was he off swiving one of his many women? The thought made her forehead frown and her heart ache in a painful sort of way.
“He’s in the music room I believe, Lizzie,” Charlotte murmured quietly into her ear.
How had she known?
Lizzie flushed and gave Charlotte a grateful smile.
“Excuse me,” she nodded to their group and made her way along the hallway to the music room. She hadn’t seen Rupert in almost three weeks, not since the morning he had left her room in such a fashion that she should have seen smoke trailing behind him.
“Would you please get off me, Elise!” Rupert’s voice came through the open music room door, loud and irritated.
Lizzie stilled outside the room, unable to move. Should she retreat or burst in on them? She had no rights, she wasn’t his wife. So, with her pulse beating madly in her chest, she stepped a little closer and listened.
“I heard your latest mistress has gone. Why don’t you take me home instead?” The woman purred, her disgustingly sweet tones making Lizzie want to gag.
“Because I am not interested in you or what you are offering. I told you, I’m not available.” Rupert’s syllables were clipped and Lizzie could hear the restrained anger.
“But I know what you like. I could…” the woman purred again.
Lizzie almost retched properly this time, but swallowed it down.
“I don’t care what you think you know. I’m not the same person I was a month ago. I don’t want a mistress any longer.” Rupert announced, speaking slowly and succinctly as though he were speaking to a child.
Dead silence.
“You plan on marrying?” The incredulous voice sounded almost wounded.
“At some stage of course I do. I must.” Rupert said quieter now.
“So, you can play until then.” The woman said, just as quietly, her voice oozing honey.
Lizzie tried not to smile. obviously the woman was married or she’d be trying to talk him into marrying her instead.
“Elise, listen to me. It’s over between us. Stop it.”
The command in the words was unmistakable. This was the time to enter. She may not get another opening.
Lizzie walked through the door blithely, trying to look as though she hadn’t been listening at the door.
“Oh, good evening,” she greeted them both with a polite and falsely surprised smile.
“Sir,”,” she greeted Rupert directly, curtseying lower than was necessary.
Rupert gave Elise a look that clearly told her to leave.
The blonde looked ready to commit murder, her eyes narrowing to slits and her once pretty mouth turning to a snarl.
“Are you telling me that this little mouse has you under her spell? You couldn’t possibly want her.” Elise pointed at Lizzie and spat the words at Rupert.
Rupert gave Lizzie the most heated look she’d ever experienced, lust curling through her body like a winding vine around a castle. He didn’t even glance back at the blonde.
“Please leave us,” he said, rudely flicking his wrist at the entrance to the room. Lizzie watched the woman storm out and couldn’t help the smile that played upon her lips. Rupert followed her quickly, closing the door and sliding the lock into place with a heavy clunk.
“I’ve missed you.”
Lizzie jumped at his words. Really? Could this possibly be true?
“I’ve been here, where have you been?” she demanded. Lizzie had originally assumed that Rupert had moved on from her. But after hearing his conversation with Elise, she was almost certain he hadn’t.
“At home, at my club, nowhere special.” Rupert shrugged, moving back to his place by the fire. His shoulders were even wider than she remembered, putting the monumental fireplace to shame.
“Really? Haven’t been interviewing new mistresses?” Lizzie asked.
“No, I told you. I don’t want anyone but you.”
The aloof mask fell from his face and Lizzie gasped at the raw emotion on Rupert’s face. There was pain swirling in those stormy blue eyes and she wanted to comfort him, touch him, love him. She bit down on her lip and clenched her teeth against the desires. She wanted some answers first.
“You still feel that way? I thought after you left my bed three weeks ago and never came back that you had decided I didn’t quite fill the position.” Lizzie let her hurt show. Her eyes shimmering with tears at the remembered pain, but she blinked them back before they could fall.
“I’m sorry if I made you feel that way. I had no plans to be with anyone else.” He admitted, his full mouth pulling down on one side.
“Then why did you leave?” Lizzie asked the question she had waited three weeks to know. She’d replayed that night and morning in her head so many times, yet she had never worked out what she’d done wrong. Where they had erred.
“Because I wasn’t sure if I was ready for a commitment that included waking up next to you.” Rupert admitted gruffly, glancing away as though he were embarrassed.
“Why, was it such a horrible idea?” Lizzie asked, choking on the words. She’d never woken up before in the arms of a man. Her husband always slept in his own bed following intercourse. She had loved the togetherness, absolutely loved it and it was like a knife to her heart knowing he didn’t feel the same way.
“No, that was the problem. It felt lovely and normal... and like something I could do every day of my life.” Rupert admitted brokenly.
“Then what was the problem?” Lizzie asked, exasperated now. He made no sense to her. He truly was a five-year old in a twenty-eight year old body.
“The problem is that I have never spent the night with anyone before!” Rupert growled, crossing his arms over his massive chest.
“Never?” Lizzie repeated, surprised. Her eyebrows climbed her forehead. She had thought Rupert would have slept next to all of his mistresses.
“Never, and waking up with you in my arms and your soft body curved against mine…” Rupert hands dropped from their defensive position and curved as though remembering the way her body had curved for his palm.
“Tell me,” Lizzie whispered, desperate for some clarity.
“I can’t explain it to you. I had to leave, but I didn’t mean to hurt you.” Rupert protested, quite unconvincingly.
Lizzie sighed heavily, disappointed. Why could he not admit that he felt something for her beyond the physical side of things? She was half in love with the big oaf and he was running scared from his own feelings for her. How was she ever going to know how he really felt? How was she going to tell him that she was considering marrying someone who was the Anti- Rupert?
Easy, she realised. Open your mouth and tell him.
“Viscount Courtney proposed to me yesterday.” She announced, strolling casually over to the piano and sitting down upon the stool.
If she’d wanted a test of Rupert’s feelings, then this would certainly be the one.
“Has he indeed?” Rupert asked politely, stilling in shock and something infinitely more dangerous. “And what answer did you give him?” He asked calmly, his face showing no sign of feeling.
“I haven’t given him an answer yet. He is offering me everything I want. He’s a nice man who spends most of his time on his country estate. He comes from a large family and wants to continue the tradition.” Lizzie explained, heat surging through her cheeks despite her resolution to appear nonchalant. It felt very strange t
o be discussing marrying and therefore procreating with another man, when you were talking to your lover.
“You can’t marry him,” Rupert exploded, making Lizzie jump.
She clenched her teeth and stared back at him. “Why not?”
Lizzie’s heart jumped in an erratic confused thud. She had finally achieved what she had thought she wanted. A polite, quiet gentleman had offered her the marriage and family that she craved.
Thanks to Rupert thought, she was now questioning whether she still wanted that calm, average existence she had once believed to be the pinnacle of achievement.
“Because… because…” Rupert floundered, throwing his arms around, looking like the epitome of a ruffled gentleman.
“Because why, Rupert? You need to give me a proper reason.” Lizzie said quietly. She knew Rupert cared for her, but how much? As he had for every other lover he had taken? Enough to offer for her? Or enough to not want to stop bedding her yet?
“Because I still want you. I thought you were enjoying our… this.” He gestured between them as though that explained everything.
Lizzie smiled sadly, her eyes stinging with hot tears. She swallowed and took a breath. It seemed as though he was giving her his answer, and although it was what she had expected, it was not what she wanted.
“I am enjoying this,” she gestured in a replica of his hand movements. “Although I wasn’t sure after what happened a couple of weeks ago that we were still…” she trailed off and did the gesture again.
“Of course we are. I’m sorry I ran off when I did.” Rupert hurried to reassure her, apologizing again. “Please keep enjoying it,” Rupert whispered, pulling her into his arms and bending to kiss her lips.
Lizzie shoved at his chest and turned her head away.
“Are you suggesting I continue bedding you and my new husband?” She asked, pushing her way out if his arms. Did she mean so little to him? Did he really not mind of sharing her? She had wanted to kill that woman that had accosted Rupert here a moment ago. Didn’t he feel the same way?
Rupert eyes darkened and his fingers bit into her arms as he dragged her back to him.
“Never,” he growled, barely speaking the syllables. His hold tightened again and Lizzie gasped.
****
Rupert could feel the clouds of a storm rolling in. His temper had always been on a hair trigger and the very idea of Lizzie bedding another man was causing it to thunder as it never had before.
“You are mine,” he growled again, sweeping his hands beneath her skirts and lifting her up on to the piano forte. She was so tiny, he loved the feel of her in his arms.
He pushed a hand into her belly to make her lay flat and flipped her skirts up to her waist. Rupert moaned his pleasure as his eyes feasted on the naked skin beneath her skirts. He remembered once asking her if she would come to a ball naked beneath her skirts for him. He had never considered that she may do as he asked. The idea that she had only him in her mind, and not this new man drove his need higher.
Rupert forced her thighs wide and opened her to his gaze. She was beautiful, even here. Light pink and soft, and lord help him, wet already for him. Unable to resist, he pressed his thumb deep into her passage without warning to prove to them both how ready she already was. Lizzie arched her back and opened her mouth on a moan.
“Rupert,” she begged, trembling with the need to be taken by him. “Take me please,” she moaned, gripping his thumb with her inner muscles.
Rupert groaned as he watched her writhe in pleasure. Her small hands were gripping his, where it lay on her belly, holding her down. He removed his thumb from her body and took both of her hands in his, interlinking their fingers. Lizzie looked up at him then and Rupert saw her need, his own surging to match it and felt his heart jolt in realization.
I love this woman.
Desperate to possess her as she possessed him, Rupert held her thighs open wide, still gripping her hands with his. He looked down at her beautiful flesh, knelt on the ground and buried his face between her thighs.
Lizzie screamed. Rupert didn’t stop. He ran his tongue around her swelling flesh and down the crevice. Tasting her arousal and moaning as the taste was as sweet to him as real honey. Rupert thrust his tongue into her over and over again, hearing Lizzie cry out her pleasure in time with his tongue thrusts. She was thrashing about, struggling even.
Rupert held her ruthlessly down, working the flesh of her swollen bud and sucked, stronger, determined to give her untold pleasure. He used every bit of carnal knowledge he had until Lizzie cried out her orgasm, her body convulsing over and over again.
Rupert continued to kiss and lick her flesh until finally, Lizzie lay limp. He smiled against her skin. He wasn’t done with her. He surged to his feet and ripped open his breeches, his erection springing forth proudly, huge and purple.
“You’re mine,” he growled, guiding his manhood to her dripping entrance and setting the head just inside the opening.
“Say it, Lizzie,” he demanded, not giving her body what it craved most.
Lizzie wrapped her legs around his buttocks and tried to pull him closer. He held perfectly still and stared down at her.
“Make me,” she whispered
Rupert’s mind clouded over. Make her? Did she know what she was asking? Didn’t she know how hard it was for him to control himself with her?
Lizzie wriggled her hips and gasped, getting some pleasure from the position, despite his statue like stance.
His cock head felt her wriggle and he lost it. Lost all gentlemanly concern for her as a delicate lady. He had to prove to them both that they were made only for each other. He grasped her hips tightly in both hands and thrust hard. He knocked on her womb in one thrust, pulled back and thrust as deeply again. This was no slow burn of mutual pleasure, no gentle persuasion. He was thinking only of possessing her, calling to her body to respond to him despite the violence.
Rupert didn’t hold back. He held onto her small body and pounded her. There was no other word for it. He didn’t know if she truly could handle him at his worst, but if she could, then he would never let her leave him.
Lizzie arched and groaned, moaned and thrashed, reaching for him and grabbing hold of his arms.
“Yes,” she answered the silent question his body was asking.
“Say it, say that you’re mine.” Rupert demanded, unrelenting in his hammering.
Rupert felt her tighten and slowed. She wasn’t reaching completion yet. He wanted his answer.
He pulled out and pushed back in, slowly, gradually.
Lizzie groaned in frustration and looked up at Rupert, her eyes taking in his determination.
“I’m yours,” Lizzie whispered, using her hands to caress his forearms where he held her hips down.
Rupert shouted in triumph and picked up the pace.
“Only mine,” he demanded
Lizzie whimpered and let her head rest back on the piano.
“Yes, only yours,” she agreed, moaning and arching her back as he started to move as he had before.
She screamed out loud and arched her back as the intense contractions went on and on and Rupert kept thrusting, through her orgasm and beyond. She quivered in every muscle before collapsing heavily.
He kept moving, the heat rising in his body, building and growing like never before. Lizzie pulled herself up so that she was looking directly up at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a kiss.
Rupert devoured her. He opened his mouth and thrust his tongue into her as possessively above as he had done below. His release was imminent. He had barely managed to survive her declaration and her unbelievable orgasm. Now that she was face to face with him, looking into his eyes and holding him tightly, he was gone.
His release began to descend and he pushed away from Lizzie to spill himself upon his handkerchief, but something strange happened. He couldn’t pull away. Lizzie had dug her heels into his buttocks and her arms pulled him closer. He looked int
o her face, desperate, it was going to be too late.
“You’re mine too,” she declared, tightening her sheath in an internal caress.
And his orgasm started. Rupert buried his head in her neck and cried out, his cock thrust up to the hilt and his seed spilling into her body whilst enjoying the full caress of her slick walls. Perfection.
The heat swept up his spine and coursed out through his body. White light blinding his sight and filling his brain with stars.
As the pleasure faded, he slumped against her, completely drained. She held him tighter. Stroking his hair and murmuring again, “You’re mine too.”
Her words were too accurate, the repercussions of what he’d just done crowding into his brain with the speed of a racing horse.
The pain was too great. Rupert sobbed and pulled abruptly out of her body and away from her. Fumbling with his open breeches, he stumbled to the door.
Lizzie’s skirts fell back into place as she gingerly slid off the piano.
“Are you alright?” she asked.
“I have to go, I’m sorry,” he apologized, unable to see any other way of dealing with what was the most uncomfortable moment of his life.
“Okay, if you must,” Lizzie murmured.
Rupert looked over his shoulder once as he opened the door, the ghost of regret in his eyes.
“I didn’t hurt you did I?” He asked gruffly, running a hand through his dishevelled hair.
Lizzie shook her head avidly.
Rupert looked at the woman he loved once more and ran from the room.
What was he going to do? He’d experienced the most incredible joining of his life that went far beyond the physical realm. He was utterly terrified.
Could he marry a woman like Lizzie? A woman who would expect fidelity? A woman who would expect children? Damn, he may have just given her a child. He heard her declaration ringing in his ears as he pounded out the front door and jumped up on to his large black horse, “You’re mine too.”
Chapter 13.
“Lizzie, it is so good to see you.” Charlotte exclaimed, seated on her chaise in the middle of the formal sitting room. “Forgive me for not getting up, my back has been ever so sore.” She smiled serenely and rubbed her large belly.