by Heather Boyd
Well, that would have to change. Although she’d made a less than admirable start with him, Clarry would be his wife and she should make an attempt to please him. Her mother had never managed it for her father, he’d remained critical of everything while her mother was around, but Clarry was made of stronger mettle than her mother. She didn’t want that kind of life for herself so she’d try to be exactly what Lord Justin wanted for a wife.
But what did she know of Lord Justin?
He was tall, smiled foolishly a lot, and was something of a writer, according to his mother and aunt. He was rather attractive with his wavy brown hair and wide hazel eyes, and he did dress rather splendidly, given he was only a spare. Lord Justin and his brother, Lord Ramsbury, were very different creatures, though, which was why she’d fallen in love with Lord Ramsbury in the first place. When Ramsbury spoke, people listened. Ramsbury generously included those around him, no matter their rank.
Lord Justin? Well, he was quieter and had visited Devizes infrequently in the past year so she was a little uncertain about his character. What she knew of him came mostly from gossip. In fact, they had hardly spoken in the last year. Clarry snuggled further into the bed as she remembered the afternoon, Lord Justin’s arms wrapped tightly about her body. A tremor ran through her. Perhaps if she encouraged his more amorous inclinations they might make a better go of this marriage. He did make her feel wonderful when they made love.
A floorboard creaked and Clarry started, finding Lord Justin inches from the bed.
She pressed her hand over her heart. “Oh, my lord, you scared me.”
Lord Justin stood straighter. “Forgive me. I thought you had fallen asleep and neglected to snuff the candle. I was merely intending to put it out.”
Clarry sat up, tucking the covers tightly around her to ward off the chill. “No, not sleeping. I was thinking about today.”
“Do you mean dinner with my mother and aunt?” He scowled. “We’ve had words already.”
Aghast to be the source of further discord, Clarry leaned forward to capture Lord Justin’s arm. “The duchess has every right to be angry with me. I should never have behaved so foolishly. I am very sorry for the situation we now find ourselves in.”
As her hand slid down his arm, he captured her fingers in a loose grip. “So you regret attempting to seduce a married man?”
“Well, yes, of course I do. I don’t know what I was thinking. I am sorry to have dragged you into this mess.”
“Not a total mess.” A sudden grin crossed his face then disappeared. “There are some parts of this arrangement that are pleasant.”
Clarry’s face heated. He was talking about making love. Well, at least she managed to do something right with him. Lord Justin’s eyes dropped low, skimming over the skin of her chest revealed by her loose night gown. The garment was light and comfortable to wear, but also revealed a little more skin than she’d remembered. Lord Justin didn’t appear offended by her state. He leaned forward, brushed her hair over her shoulder, and pressed his lips to the base of her throat.
Clarry closed her eyes to savor the sensations. He used his mouth very well, and not just for talking. A small moan left her mouth as he propelled her backwards until she lay flat on the bed again. When she opened her eyes, Lord Justin hovered above, both hands pressed to the mattress on either side of her shoulders. His face creased into a roguish smile then he swooped low to kiss her properly. Oh yes, he made her feel wonderful. She set her hands to his waist and pulled him closer.
“Clarry,” he whispered against her parted lips. “Send me out of the room.”
“Well, you’re here and I’m here. It’s not as if we haven’t done this before.”
Justin groaned against her throat. “You can refuse me. You do know that, don’t you?”
She caught a glimpse of the troubled expression on his face and set her hand to his cheek. “I probably shall one day, but not tonight. I want to please you.”
Justin’s cheek settled beside hers. The harsh rush of his breath delighting her senses, the light stubble of his jaw scraped across her skin. “It is a hollow coupling when only one gains pleasure from the encounter, Clarry. You should be satisfied as well.”
Clarry swallowed hard. Had what they’d shared not been enough for him? “Do you mean there is more to making love?”
“Making love is like poetry. The experience is better when shared.”
“And I’ve displeased you in bed?” How utterly humiliating. Clarry scrambled out from under Lord Justin and hugged her arms about her chest.
Lord Justin, however, caught her ankle and dragged her back until she laid trapped half beneath him. “I’d hardly say I’m displeased. I was more concerned for you. You should not feel like you must allow me further liberties before we marry. I would not have you resent me for…”
When he didn’t finish, Clarry finished for him. “For taking my innocence, even if I threw myself into your bed.”
Lord Justin evaded her gaze. “Something like that.”
“From where I’m sitting, you’ve been very good to me. Making love is not at all what I had heard of the experience. I could stand to make love to you again if you wanted that.”
Lord Justin’s features altered until a foolish grin broke across his face. When he smiled like that he was quite adorable so she leaned forward to capture his lips. The first brush was softened by Justin lifting his head. He stared into her eyes as they kissed, his fingers slid along her arm and her skin prickled with gooseflesh. Her breath caught as he eased onto the bed at her side. His toes touched hers, rubbing gently over her colder ones.
He shifted again until they were eye to eye, her knees pressed against his thighs. When he was standing, he was so tall she feared she would strain her neck. But in this position, they were equals, and each breathing as hard as the other. Clarry lifted her hand to his cheek and brushed her fingertips across his skin, stopping when she reached his jaw, and then sliding her thumb across the rough surface to his ear.
His hand covered her breast and Clarry bit her lip to hold back a moan. How had he turned her into such a desirous lady in so short a length of time? His thumb stroked her nipple as she brushed the edge of his ear. She rolled nearer to him, eager to feel his warmth against her body.
They kissed, softly at first but as Clarry snuggled against the hardness of his chest, their tongues danced with more passion.
Justin pulled away first. “Too many clothes between us,” he muttered.
He stripped himself, then caught up the bottom of her night gown and tugged it over her head. Clarry blushed. They were both very naked. No one had warned her about this aspect of male and female relations.
If Clarry hadn’t been lying down, she may have swooned. Justin was a fine specimen of male anatomy, and he was coming closer. He slid into bed beside her and rested his head on his hand. With him leaning over her the way he was, it was as if nothing else existed in the world but them.
Again, his fingertips drifted over her skin, raising gooseflesh on every part. His lips curled up in a soft smile as Clarry strove to remain still. He tickled her ever so slightly at her waist and she flinched. Her hip brushed his manhood and a moan erupted from Justin’s mouth. Astonished by his reaction, Clarry rolled to her side and studied him.
His wide muscled chest rose and fell rapidly. She set her hand to it, sliding her fingers gently over his skin the way he had her. He seemed to like the caress because his eyes drifted shut. He was warm under her hand and she drew that warmth, and the scent of him, deep into her. She touched his waist, then his hips, and lowered her eyes to look at what else there was of him.
His manhood was full, rigid between them. Clarry hesitated a bare moment before sliding her hand until her fingertips rested on the length. The soft touch caused Justin to gasp. His manhood jumped and returned to rest against her fingers. Clarry smiled. He was as sensitive as she perhaps. His light caress had been utter torture.
She did not want to tor
ture him. She wanted to make him happy, so she curled her fingers around his length and held him.
“Damn, that feels so good,” he groaned.
Clarry preened. She had made him happy with her boldness, and she would keep him that way. She squeezed a little harder and then eased her grip. Justin covered her hand and moved it up and down his length.
When he released her, she mimicked his movement, fascinated by the strength beneath his skin and the rasp of his breath against her hair. Moisture beaded at the tip and she frowned at it. Should it be there? Should she do something about it before it dripped?
On an upward stroke, Clarry brushed her thumb over the moisture, rubbing it into the tip. Justin’s loud groan filled the chamber. He grabbed her leg, dragged it over his thigh and pressed his hand between her spread legs and covered her womanly parts.
Clarry sucked in a startled breath at the sensation. He parted her lower lips with his fingers and set a thousand nerves alight. She bit her lip, striving to ignore what he was doing and continue to stoke him.
But Justin knew what he was about better than Clarry did. He brought her to that magical place quickly with very little effort. Her hips rolled against his hand, almost as if they had a life of their own. She squeezed Justin as he pushed her into the ultimate pleasure. She wailed and clenched his hand with her thighs.
Justin moaned too and warmth spread over her belly. She looked down in time to see another spurt leave his manhood and paint her belly with his seed. She blushed. So that was what happened to him when they made love?
She met his gaze and saw the high color of his cheeks, the dazed look in his eyes and grinned. He’d come undone, exactly as he made her feel by the look of it.
He pressed his head to hers and closed his eyes. “Are you all right?”
What a ridiculous question. “Of course. That was wonderful.”
He muttered something under his breath as he climbed out of bed. He crossed the room to the wash basin, dampened a wash cloth and returned. “Sorry. This will likely be cold.”
Clarry flinched as the cold cloth touched her stomach and Justin thoroughly cleansed her skin. He patted her with a dry length of cloth, covered her with the counterpane, and moved back.
“Where are you going?”
“To my bed.”
Clarry’s heart hammered, astonishing her in the process. She didn’t want to be alone tonight. She didn’t want Justin to leave. She swallowed the lump forming in her throat. “If you must.”
“Well”—Justin rocked on his heels—“good night then.”
Curse it all, he really was going to go. What had she expected? He’d got what he wanted from her—pleasure. Now he would leave her to think about her wanton behavior all night. Her skin heated in embarrassment, as she tried to reconcile herself to this pattern of her future life. “Good night, my lord. Pleasant dreams.”
Her voice shook on the last words. Their eyes met. Justin took a pace forward. “Are you really all right?”
Clarry raised a hand to her cheek and pressed against the burning hot flesh. “Just a little overwhelmed. I’m sure I’ll grow used to things in time.”
“It must be strange to be in a new place, and under such circumstances. I don’t have to leave. I can stay if you’d prefer to have my company during the night. I’ll be sure to leave early before the servants come.”
Clarry sighed as relief rushed through her. She crooked her fingers at Lord Justin. “Come back to bed.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
As much as Justin would like to spend the day in bed with his future wife he couldn’t risk it. When Clarry woke, she’d have come to her senses and he couldn’t bear the thought of hearing from her own lips that last night was a mistake. He eased to the side of the bed carefully, listening to her breathing change as she rolled onto her side, and then fall asleep again. He slid out of Clarry’s rumpled sheets, collected up his scattered clothes, and crept from the room without looking back. He didn’t want the servants to find him there at this hour. They had more than enough gossip to dissect from the first night they’d slept together. Any more and they would never live down the scandal.
He stopped in the adjoining sitting room and tugged on his drawers and shirt. Making love to Clarry, when she didn’t love him in return, would break his heart. She may appear to enjoy making love to him but when she closed her eyes she’d be thinking of his brother. Afterwards, holding her in his arms last night while she slept, had been heaven until morning brought the stark reminder that he couldn’t keep her away from the man she loved forever.
Eventually, she would see Tristan and her expression would shift until she resembled a small, affection-starved puppy. And Justin would have to stand back and watch the whole ghastly disappointment play out over Clarry’s face and pretend it didn’t bother him. He hoped he was strong enough not to resent his brother for the mess he was in. It was hardly Tristan’s fault he was universally adored.
Justin headed for his bedchamber. He’d make a show of rumpling his bed before the servants were about to allay any gossip about where he’d spent the night. But, as he crossed the room, he spied a body in his bed and drew to a halt. Justin skirted the sleeping form cautiously. What the devil was Lucy doing tucked up in his bed and sound asleep?
He glanced behind him anxiously and then reminded himself that Clarry probably wouldn’t care who he appeared to sleep with. Unfortunately, Justin did. He didn’t want anyone to think he’d be an unfaithful man even before his wedding day. He set his hand to Lucy’s shoulder and gently shook her awake.
A kittenish whimper left Lucy’s lips as she blinked up at him. Then her face creased into a contented smile. “There you are, my lord.”
“What are you doing here?”
“Waiting for you. I thought you’d forgotten about me, but I’m glad I waited. Come to bed?”
Justin recoiled from her suggestion and for good measure, clasped his hands behind his back so she couldn’t pull him into bed with her. He didn’t want what Lucy offered anymore. Now he had Clarry as his wife he would give up chasing any other skirts but hers. “I hadn’t expected to find you in my bed, Lucy. You should not be here.”
Her eyes flickered over his disheveled appearance and her gaze narrowed. “So the rumors are quite true. You’re actually bedding the little mouse?”
How dare she speak of Clarry in such a disparaging fashion? At least she didn’t spread her legs for any gentlemen with coin the way Lucy did. Justin stepped forward. “What I do or do not do is hardly your affair. I suggest you remember exactly what your place is, Lucy. You are speaking of my future wife.”
“But you always encourage me to speak my mind, especially when I’m in your bed.” Lucy patted the mattress and sat up. Her unbound hair hung in waves about her shoulders. The upper swells of her bosom exposed from the loosened confines of her bodice as she toyed with the edge of her dress. “I can make you forget her.”
Justin shook his head. There wasn’t a day that passed when he didn’t think about what Clarry might be up to. Lucy had, until now, merely diverted his mind for a few pleasurable minutes. “I did not invite you to my bed last night,” Justin cast a hasty glance toward his future wife’s chamber, praying the sound of their conversation didn’t travel far.
The brazen flirt slid from the sheets and sauntered forward, adding a saucy sway to her hips. “But you did the night before and I simply had to make it up to you. I’m sure that little mouse is as boring in bed as she’s rumored to be out of it.”
Lucy’s triumphant expression angered him. Justin grasped Lucy by the arm and towed her toward the door. “There will be no more invitations. Do not return here again.”
The little oomph Lucy expelled as he tossed her from the room lasted but a moment as she collided with his friend, Roderick Ford’s, chest.
Lucy let out a delighted squeal and wrapped herself around Roddy. “You’re back!”
As far as old friends went, Roddy was Justin’s oldest London acqu
aintance. They had similar backgrounds: both born second sons, both frequently short of funds. There was no end of topics that they could lament over while sharing a drink or a woman.
“Justin, I never truly appreciated until now how generous you are with your females.” Roddy pulled Lucy’s arms from his neck. “Come see me later, wench. If Lord Justin has no further need of your delightful services, I’m more than happy to become reacquainted with your charms.”
“It will be my pleasure.” She smiled broadly, turned and sauntered down the hall. The exaggerated sway of her hips kept Roddy’s attention until she disappeared from sight.
“That’s one hell of a girl you have there.”
“She’s yours now.”
Roddy chuckled. “Well, she will be shortly.”
Justin supposed he should be grateful for the distraction but he wasn’t in the mood to listen to them discuss their bed play in the hall. He grabbed his friends arm and dragged him into his bedchamber then shut the door. “What the hell are you doing back here again?”
“Heard your older brother had settled on a wife and since I happened to be in the area I thought to pay my respects.” He glanced at the unmade bed. “Your mother made the most delightful invitation to make myself at home but I see I should have delayed my arrival just a little longer. Did I interrupt?”
“There was nothing to interrupt in the first place. Lucy was just passing by.” Justin raked his fingers through his hair. “How are you, Roddy?”
“Fine. Fine. But all this talk of wedded bliss is making my feet itch. Ghastly nonsense. When are you headed back to Town? I thought we might travel together.”
Justin winced. “I’ll not be back to town for a while actually. I have business here in Wiltshire.”
Roddy settled on Justin’s rumpled bed and set his hands behind his head. “Oh, what mad scheme have you latched onto now? Have you found another race horse to buy?”
“Actually, I’m to marry, too.”
The silence lasted a bare second.