He sighed. “No. It could have waited until morning.”
She rose up on tiptoe and kissed his lips. “I missed you, too.”
He chuckled at that. “It’s barely been an hour.”
“But it feels like forever since we’ve been alone.”
“It does, doesn’t it?” He lifted her, carrying her to the bed. “So, this is what it feels like to be in love?”
She stilled in his arms, looking down at him. Her pulse thrummed as she studied the hard lines of his face and the soft look in his eyes. “You love me?”
He stopped in the middle of the room. “I do.”
She raised her mouth to his in a lingering kiss that left them both panting. “I love you, too.”
He didn’t say another word as he lay her down on the bed, his lips finding hers once again.
The kiss went on and on as his lips settled over hers, their tongues tangled together.
And when his hand slid down her night rail, he filled his palm with her breast, her body arching up into the touch.
He groaned as her nipple stiffened under his hand.
She raked her hands down his back, making his skin tingle with need. “Dez.”
She didn’t need to say more.
Lifting up, he stripped his torso.
He came back down on top of her. Her legs wrapped about his waist, her night rail riding up her thighs so that her calves came in contact with his bare back. The feel of her smooth skin against him, caused a wave of desire to crash over him.
Dez caressed her bare thigh, pushing the fabric higher even as he trailed kisses down her jaw and over her throat.
When his fingers brushed the apex between her legs, she shivered under him, moaning out her pleasure.
Pulling the night rail up, he stripped the fabric off her body and continued his exploration. He wanted all of her. To see, touch and taste her supple flesh.
She lifted her arms for him and for a moment he just looked. He’d never in his life seen anything so perfect. “Fleur.” His voice was rough with emotion as she lifted her arms to him.
He dropped back down, their skin melding together even as his lips trailed down her chest. When he reached the peak of her breast, he gave the pale flesh a light kiss. Fleur’s breath hissed out and he gave a small smile as her back arched again.
He sucked the nipple into his mouth, his tongue swirling about as her fingers twined in his hair.
He tested what she liked, what she responded to. Fleur’s happiness, her pleasure, was what mattered to him. And as he kissed lower, she trembled in his arms.
His fingers brushed her most intimate folds again as he kissed along her belly. Heat rolled off her in waves as her body instinctively responded to his caresses.
And when he kissed over her V of curls and licked her most intimate flesh, she let out a gasping moan.
He sunk a finger into her channel as he started a rhythm with his tongue already anticipating the moment she came apart.
* * *
Fleur had thought the last experience with Dez had been the most fantastic of her life…until this one.
Wave after wave of sensation crashed over her, pulling more tension into her core until she broke apart, coming undone.
With a roar, he climbed up her body, pulling at his trousers. She pulled, too, wanting all of him.
Her arms wrapped about his neck as the head of his manhood pressed into her wet folds.
The sensation was exciting, thrilling and yet comforting, too, as his weight settled on top of hers.
“We haven’t discussed the wedding yet,” he gritted out.
That nearly made her laugh. “You told me today, we’re getting married somehow, someway.”
“Come hell or high water,” he said, capturing her mouth with his own.
She believed him. He’d keep his word to her. Of that she was certain. He had her heart, he had her hand and she trusted him to be her future. “Then I want to be yours.”
He began to sink into her channel, discomfort radiating out but there was a closeness, too. He kissed her again as he thrust inside her, breaking her maidenhead.
She hissed through the pain even as she noted the togetherness having him inside her body brought.
“Fleur,” he kissed her neck just under her ear. “What did I do without you?”
“You were positively miserable,” she said with a bit of a laugh.
“I was,” he answered trailing his lips along her jaw. “I didn’t know how to give myself to another person until I met you. You’ve shown me what it means to love.”
He had shown her, too. “You’ve shown me what it means to be brave and strong without being a fool, I think.”
He chuckled. “Leave being foolish to the men. We’re better at it.”
And then he slid out of her. The pain had lessened when he pushed back in and by the third push, it was nearly gone.
He must have felt her relax because he picked up the tempo, their bodies moving together in a rhythm that felt completely natural and yet extraordinary all at once.
Soon the discomfort was replaced with pleasure, the kind that made her body taut all over again.
As the pressure built, she buried her face in his shoulder, loving the feel of him, his skin, the bulges of muscle, the strength that surrounded her.
She cried out as another climax of pleasure overtook her. At the sound, Dez groaned, too, his body shuddering with his own finish.
Fleur held him even tighter as he slumped to the side. “Dez.”
“Yes, love?”
“I never want to be without you again.” He’d brought the light back into her life after her father’s death.
“Me either,” he answered, brushing her lips along his temple. “I’ll obtain a special license for our ceremony. We’ll be wed inside a fortnight.”
She gave him a sleepy smile. She was glad he was taking care of the details. Happy to be looking toward the future.
That was her final thought as she drifted to sleep, secure in his arms.
She’d no idea how much time had passed but her room was near pitch black, the fire having burned down, when something woke her.
She opened her eyes, staring into the darkness when it came again. A sharp banging on the door.
“Dez,” a rough voice called. “Are you in there? Get up. Now.”
Dez shot from the bed and not bothering to dress, he crossed the room. “What?” He opened the door a crack. “What’s wrong?”
“Le Serpent.”
The fog in Fleur’s mind cleared. “Justice, is that you?”
“What about him?” Dez growled.
“He was here. Hurry. Get dressed. We’re going to lose him.”
Dez snapped the door shut, grabbing clothes off the floor and shoving them on. “Fleur,” he said as he yanked on his shirt. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
She scrambled from the bed, trying to find her night rail. “I want to come with you.”
“No,” he replied, grabbing her arms. “It’s too dangerous.”
Irritation made her suck in a breath. “This is our future, our fight.”
“It is our fight. And your job is to make certain Millie and Chloe are safe. What if it’s a trap and Will comes here while we go chase Le Serpent? Be ready.”
Was he just saying that to pacify her?
She drew in a breath. Either way, he was right. Much as she wanted to exact revenge on her father’s killer, it made more sense for her to stay here. Le Serpent was a dangerous man, and Fleur needed to be smart about it. “Be careful,” she whispered.
“I will,” he said, then gave her a fierce kiss. “Back in the bed.”
She climbed under the covers and then he clicked open the door and left.
She sat there for a moment, staring at the empty door, her stomach beating with a thousand butterflies. Something didn’t feel right.
Dez was going off to chase her villain, a fact she appreciated. And she knew the danger would be great. He was right
. She was ill equipped to do battle with a seasoned spy.
But she also hated to send him off without her help.
When his boat had caught fire, she’d been there to help put out the flames.
If she’s learned anything during the past few months, it was that she was stronger than she’d ever dreamed possible.
She was protecting her mother from the truth and she’d be there to protect Dez, too, if he needed it.
With that in mind, she tossed back the covers and began to dress.
Chapter Seventeen
Dez and Justice crept through the tunnels under Dover Castle. “We’ve lost him,” Dez grumbled as he held his lantern as high as it could go.
Justice grunted. Was that a sound of agreement or dissent? Dez couldn’t say. His brother scratched his jaw. “There are nearly three miles of tunnels under here.”
“Should we double back to the last fork?”
Justice had shot Le Serpent just outside the house. They’d tailed him for close to an hour along the beach from Cliffside all the way to Dover Castle.
They’d seen him enter the tunnels and for a while they’d followed a trail of blood, but they lost it somehow.
“I don’t know,” Justice said, peering at the walls. “What’s that?”
Dez followed his finger moving closer to a dark spot on the wall. “It’s a smear.”
“Of blood?” Justice asked stepping behind Dez.
“I believe it is.” He didn’t waste any more time, continuing down the tunnel, Justice just behind him. Ben had stayed back to make sure the women were, in fact, safe.
He hoped Fleur wasn’t too angry with him. But she’d been in danger enough and he loved her too much to have her here.
What if something happened to her?
His breath stole from his chest.
What if something happened to him? That made his feet halt. “Justice,” he said, turning toward his brother.
“What?” Justice stopped, giving his brother a wary stare.
Dez grimaced. “If something happens to me…” he took a breath. “I need you to take over my business and take care of Fleur.”
Justice’s eyes widened. “Me? In shipping?”
Dez shook his head. “I thought for sure you’d be more concerned about how you’d need to care for Fleur.”
“That’s not concerning. She’s a beauty. I’ll muscle through the task somehow.”
Dez pushed his brother. “Your enthusiasm is not appreciated.”
Justice clapped his brother. “I’ll tell you what, I’ll toss myself in front of any blades or bullets that come your way. If you die, it’s not because I didn’t try.”
Dez couldn’t argue with that. But as he made to start again, he looked about him. “I recognize this. Were we here last time?”
“Very good. All the tunnels look the same.”
Dez didn’t answer as he set down his lantern and made his derringer ready as he inched forward. Smoke swirled into the tunnel where they stood.
“Shit,” Justice spat behind him even as Dez lurched forward into the same cavern the wine had been stored in.
Will stood on the other side, a fire glowing hot in the middle.
Le Serpent sat with his back against the wall. He raised a pistol at Dez and Dez, ready, lifted his gun and fired.
Another ball came whizzing toward them and Justice jerked Dez to the side as the lead whizzed by Dez’s ear.
“You all right?” he asked Justice.
“Fine. You?”
“Good.”
Will bent down, touching his partner. “He’s dead,” Will said by way of greeting.
“About damn time,” Justice said from behind Dez.
“I never liked you or your brother Satan. A couple of assholes if you ask me.” Will sneered, rising and moving toward another of the tunnels that spidered out from the cavern.
Justice snorted. “You stole from us, pretended to be our friend and we’re the assholes?”
“You’re right,” Will said. “Not assholes. Just fucking fools.”
Dez straightened, anger making his shoulders stiff. After all Will had done, he dared to insult Dez’s family? “We figured you out.”
“Not soon enough.” Will laughed.
Dez’s chest tightened. “What does that mean?” His thoughts flashed to Fleur. Was she all right? The air pressed from his lungs at the idea something had happened to her.
“It’s only right one of you killed Le Serpent. Or I guess, both of you.” Will grinned at them. “He poisoned your father after all.”
A burst of anger rose up in Dez’s chest. He didn’t even care about his father but somehow knowing his father was involved in his losses made it all that much worse. Part of him wanted to ask Will if his father had deliberately sold Dez’s shipping company out to Will, but he wouldn’t give the other man the satisfaction.
Instead, he started around the fire. “I’m going to enjoy killing you.”
Will laughed. “Don’t you want to know why I set fire to the ship first? I mean, if I was smuggling wine with it. Why damage the boat and kick up an investigation?”
Dez stopped, his fists clenching. “Do I want to know why a criminal committed criminal activity?”
“It involves your lady…” Will taunted. “And it nearly worked. She was going to help keep this war going for another five years.”
Dez didn’t want to hear any more because it all made sense. Fleur was going to be cast as a French spy to try and goad England away from the treaty and whet the country’s appetite for more war.
With a roar, he started for Will once again, but just as he moved, the man lifted a can and tossed black powder onto the fire.
Dez dove to the ground as the cavern exploded around them.
“Justice,” he yelled.
“Here,” Justice called back.
He tried to lift his head and look at his brother, but smoke and dirt filled the air making it impossible to see.
“We’ve got to get out of here,” Dez coughed.
“I know,” Justice replied. “Feel along the wall.”
Which way was the wall? In the thick fog, he’d grown completely disoriented.
“Dez,” a feminine voice called. “Dez, are you in there?”
Bloody hell, was that Fleur? “Fleur?”
“Here,” she called back and then through the smoke, he saw it. The flashing of a lantern.
* * *
Fear and smoke clogged Fleur’s throat. She choked back a cry.
Was Dez all right?
Had he or Justice been hurt when the explosion had filled the cavern?
She’d heard what Will had said and her heart ached to know that his father had been involved, too.
Granted, she’d had rosy illusions about her own father while Dez had been far more realistic, but no one wished to learn that sort of thing.
Fleur flashed the light again, her breath catching as she stayed down low to avoid the smoke. She saw them coming in the dim light, edging slowly toward her. “Dez! Here!”
They made it to her by crawling on their bellies. Reaching out for Dez, she helped him to his feet, clutching his waist with one arm as they started through the tunnel, crouching to avoid the smoke.
Justice came to her other side. “We need to get out of here.”
“Are you all right?” she asked.
“Fine,” Justice said, coughing. “Dez?”
“I’m fine. But you’re right. We need to get out of here quickly or the smoke will kill us.”
Her heart pounded in her chest, beating against her ribs. “Let’s go.”
She held the lantern as best she could as they moved through the tunnel. Long minutes passed before the air cleared and then, with a burst of fresh air, they made it out onto a narrow ledge.
“Thank goodness,” she gasped.
Dez wrapped both of his arms around her. “You were supposed to stay at Cliffside.”
“I know,” she shook her head. “
But I couldn’t shake the feeling that you needed me here.”
“Christ.” Justice gave her a weary look. “We did need you but it’s fucking strange to hear you say it.”
Dez shook his head. “I don’t think it’s strange. I think it’s wonderful.” He coughed at the words, drawing in a wheezing breath.
Fleur’s breath caught. “Dez?”
“Justice,” he said by way of answer. “I might need a bit of help back to Cliffside.”
In the end, she and Dez had stayed on the beach as Justice returned to get help.
His coughing grew worse as he lay in the sand with his head in her lap.
Fleur stroked back his hair, as her body curled around his. “Dez,” she whispered. “I’m sorry I didn’t listen.”
“I’m glad you didn’t,” he replied, closing his eyes. “I was wrong, and you were right. You were supposed to be there. I can see that now.”
Fleur shook her head. If he died here on the beach, it would have been for naught “I just felt like you needed my help. And somehow, this whole thing has been building toward me becoming…myself.”
He smiled up at her, his skin looking pale as the sun began to brighten the sky. “Yourself is stunning. You’re going to make a wonderful winemaker.”
“You don’t know that.” She tapped his shoulder playfully even as worry swirled in the pit of her stomach. “It’s a whole set of skills you’ve never seen me display.”
He closed his eyes. “You’ve never seen me sail a ship or manage freight, but I bet you’re confident in my abilities.”
She wrapped her arms about his shoulders, leaning down to listen to his heart. Its steady beat helped to assure her that he would be all right. “I’m completely confident you’ll make an excellent husband. The vote’s still out on whether or not I’ll let you ship my Bordeaux.”
He laughed but the sound started a fit of coughing that tore at her insides. “Fair enough.”
“I jest, Dez.” She held him tighter. “How do you feel?”
“My eyes and my chest burn but I think I’ll be all right.” He turned his face into her stomach. “How could I not? I just found the one woman in England who would put up with me.”
She lifted up and stroked his cheek. “We both know scores of women have tried to become Lady White.”
Her Willful White: Dark Duke’s Legacy Book 2 Page 12