A Knight Such as This: Enhanced with Interactive Content: (Time Travel Romance) Book 1 & 2 (Ravenhurst Series)

by Lorraine Beaumont

  Sebastian closed his eyes, his body jerked wildly as the last threads of his control slipped away. He grabbed onto her tighter and gripped her hips roughly. He wanted release, he wanted to cum but something held him back even though the fire grew.

  Leaning up, I bit his shoulder and sucked his salty-tasting skin as I dug my nails into his flesh, scratching his back, thighs, and buttocks as he thrust deeper, harder, frantically searching for release. I wanted to tell him I loved him, but couldn’t yet. I love you, my mind screamed and my body responded.

  Sebastian fought for release and pressed her legs further up, and buried himself deeper. Her nails dug into his skin, harder. It did not matter. None of it mattered. He was in a frenzy. She bucked under him, seeking the same end he was fighting for. Within seconds, he felt her tighten around his length. He silenced her cries of pleasure with his mouth, as he kept thrusting, not able to slow his pace as he desperately sought his own release. Sweat rolled down his face and chest as she clung to him, her body still tightening around his length as the last spasms of her climax rippled through her. He kept up his rapid pace until finally he too felt himself falling over the edge. Groaning in pleasure, he exploded inside of her and then collapsed in her arms.

  I held him tightly, relishing the greatest moment in my life.

  It was everything I hoped it would be and more than I could have ever imagined.

  THE WEIGHT OF THE WORLD

  RAVENHURST

  MILFORD descended the stairs to his secret hideaway and let out a sigh of relief. The time was getting closer, and soon the legend would be laid to rest, or at least part of it. Once inside, he sat in his favorite chair, tucked away in his private haven, and thought for the first time in four centuries that everything may end up as it should be. Sleep came easily to him as he drifted off into a blissful slumber.

  ‡

  Isabelle sat in the center of the massive bed, wringing her hands. Grayson gave her a reassuring smile as he discarded his clothing and climbed in beside her. She leaned into the crook of his arm, welcoming his strength and comfort. He was all she could have hoped for and more. He did not judge. He took all he heard in stride, and for that, she was so thankful.

  She did not know what she would have done had he looked at her differently. But instead of indifference, she found he looked at her with more emotion than he had before.

  Had she finally found, after all these years, her perfect companion in life? She was hopeful. She closed her eyes and drifted into an uneventful slumber.

  All the worry and unease vanished as his arms held her tightly to him.

  ‡

  Devlin was back in his room, lying upon the bed, sorting through emotions he did not even realize he had. Perhaps Sebastian was not at fault for all the wrongs done to him in his life.

  He knew deep down that Sebastian was not the cause, but he did represent all the things Devlin wished he had. Now hearing the poor man’s own fate by others in his life, he felt a swell of admiration for him, even sympathy. It was a foreign feeling, to be sure. He closed his eyes; the woman on the street so long ago flitted through his mind.

  The legend gave him pause. Were they all involved? Was this supposed to happen all along? Or was it merely a coincidence? He did not know for sure, but he knew he would need to ponder it for a while.

  He closed his eyes. Images of an enchantress with violet eyes that turned to blue dazzled his mind as he drifted off into his own realm of sleep.

  SCATTERED HERE AND THERE

  RAVENHURST THE FOLLOWING MORNING

  WHEN the morning sun made an appearance around the edges of the curtains, Sebastian relinquished his hold on Katherine with a great deal of reluctance, and climbed from the bed. Visions of their night of passion entered his mind, making him uncomfortably hard once again. He had never felt this way before. Surely, he had his way with many desirable women in his life, but nothing could compare to the wild abandon he felt with her last night.

  He could not help but wonder who taught her the intimacies shared between a man and woman. From her enthusiastic display the evening before he would bet she had done the act quite a few times. He looked at her lying in bed, seeming so small in comparison. She still looked so innocent, even though he knew firsthand she was not.

  His gaze drifted to her beautiful lips, the very ones that suckled his skin, absorbed his moans of pleasure, and made him forget for the briefest of moments. He rubbed his hands over his face and then dropped them to his sides. She was breathtaking. There was no doubt about that. After their rigorous lovemaking he was exhausted, but sleep did not come as readily to him as it did to her. When he did finally drift off, it was a restless sleep.

  He reasoned he was merely unsettled from everything he had learned that day and who knew, maybe it was. But there was a part of him that wondered if it was because she had given herself to someone before him. That those moans of pleasure she cried as her body tightened around him were not actually because of him but merely the act itself. Had she made the others she slept with as insane with desire as she had him? And even now, he was so damn hard, the rigidness of his erection pressing against his trousers was almost painful. He wanted to take her right now, in the early morning sun. He wanted to roll her over and spread her legs wide, settling himself against her as he had the night before. He wanted to make her cry out his name; make her forget every other man she had been with before him.

  He reached down and adjusted himself. He was so angry. He found he was full of righteous indignation. Not only did he have to face the knowledge that his father was not his father, and his aunt was now his mother, but the woman he may very well be in love with had lain with another before him. He raked his hand through his hair in frustration.

  “Probably many others,” he muttered angrily and turned away from the bed. He glared down at her robe on the floor and finally bent down to pick it up. As he tossed it on the chair behind him, he could not help but wonder if that is what he should do with her as well. Toss her aside. The gown she wore was in a heap on the floor. He looked at it and thought he should just leave it.

  Maybe he should leave her as well. Perhaps he should go back to London, and let her go back to wherever she came from, which was probably Bedlam, with her fanciful, unbelievable tales.

  Letting out a slow stream of air, he bent over to pick up her rumpled gown off the floor. He shook it out and was about to toss it beside her robe when he saw that a light smattering of red marred the pristine fabric.

  Relief flooded him.

  Thank God.

  He folded the gown up and placed it on the chair, and patted the top. He knew he was foolish for being so damn happy about such a little thing but still could not help a ridiculous smile from breaking across his face as he walked towards the door. He paused at the bed and brushed his fingers lightly across her cheek before he turned and left the chamber.

  It looked like it was going to be a fine day after all.

  LOVE IS THE GREATEST GIFT OF ALL

  RAVENHURST

  THE bright morning sun warmed my skin as I woke slowly. Sitting up, I stretched and yawned. I was no longer on the floor, but in the bed. I looked next to me but Sebastian was not beside me. Rolling over, I buried my face in his pillow and inhaled his scent that still lingered there. I hugged it closely as visions of our night of passion pushed every other thought from my mind and replayed each wonderful moment.

  Finally, I released the pillow and pushed all the wicked thoughts of his body and mine together from my mind. There were things I needed to do this day, legends I needed to lay to rest. I climbed from the bed and looked for my robe. I found it draped haphazardly across the chair, with the childlike gown folded on top of it.

  I lifted up the gown and blood spatters marred the front. I groaned with embarrassment. The urge to jump back under the covers and hide for the duration of forever was tempting, but then I posed a question to myself instead.

  “Would I do it again?” Well that’s a no
brainer.

  “Yes! Yes! Yes!”

  ‡

  Devlin could get used to this kind of treatment. Now that the servants had returned, he was waited-on hand and foot. He could not complain. Two footmen carried him down to the library after he bathed and got dressed. Fully revived and clean, he was now enjoying a strong cup of tea. No, Devlin thought this day was near perfection and he was enjoying it immensely, even if Sebastian was standing just over his shoulder. He noticed Grayson and Isabelle had yet to make an appearance. Grayson reminded Devlin of a randy old goat. He chuckled, shaking his head and took another sip of his tea. He could hear the Duke in action and was quite surprised he was such a virile man. Good Lord, he was old enough to be his own father. That thought gave him pause, as it always did.

  Grayson was the type of man Devlin hoped his father had been. He was kind, strong, handsome to be sure, and most of all, accepting of people’s shortcomings in life.

  Yes, Grayson was exactly the type of man Devlin would have wanted for a father. He shook off the desolate feeling that passed over him. He made up his mind; nothing would ruin his mood this day.

  ‡

  Sebastian drank deeply from a strong cup of coffee in the library. It was delicious. He forgot how much he enjoyed the taste of freshly brewed coffee. Now that the staff had returned, they would all be able to enjoy a decent meal and a fresh cup of coffee. Funny how one took so many things for granted, never truly appreciating them until they were gone.

  He found the comparison similar to the disappearance of Marguerite. Although she was not in any way what he wished for as a bride, he still wanted no harm or ill will to come to her.

  After what Devlin revealed about what Judith did to the poor girl, on his wedding day no less…well it was unthinkable. Sebastian felt like the worst sort of person. The only emotion he felt from hearing Devlin’s admission was an overwhelming sense of relief. He could not help it; he was not interested in Marguerite.

  He thought again about his night of passion with Katherine and smiled into the fire. He had to push those thoughts out of his mind, else he would go right back up those stairs and have his way with her again.

  There were arrangements to be made. He needed to make sure everything would be in order. It was much easier now that the staff had returned. He immediately set the maids to cleaning, and the cook planning an extravagant meal for the evening.

  ‡

  As I walked slowly down the hall past the armored knights and many closed doors, I paused at the top of the stairs. Once again, I had a bird’s-eye view of the foyer below. Maids were running with armfuls of linens and a footman carried a large silver candelabrum across the room. Smoothing my gown, I took a deep breath and descended the stairs. I had to admit I was a little disappointed we no longer had the house to ourselves. We had become such a close-knit group in such a short time, almost like a family, one I never really had.

  Grayson was the father I never had, Devlin a brother…I smiled, amending that a kissing cousin was probably a more suitable name. And what of Isabelle? I could not bring myself to think of her as a motherly figure, that was for sure, but perhaps an aunt. And Milford…dear, sweet, sneaky Milford, who knew so much more than he was telling. What was he like…yes he was like a friend.

  A dreamy sigh escaped me, as my mind drifted to Sebastian. What did Sebastian mean to me? He was…is….everything I could have wished for. He was my heart, my love and now my life. I only hoped, no, I prayed he felt the same way. If not I was pretty much screwed. As I sidestepped Joey, i.e. the Gargoyle, I realized he didn’t scare me anymore. Maybe things were looking up. Maybe…

  CARRIED AWAY

  RAVENHURST

  THE library door was open as I approached. The first person I saw was Devlin; he had a slight smile on his face as he sipped something from a delicate porcelain cup. He looked well rested, his face serene; he was obviously lost in his thoughts.

  And then there was Sebastian. My heart stuttered as I looked at his imposing form. His broad shoulders strained against the dark fabric; his profile contemplative. I wondered what he could be thinking and my stomach flipped over on itself. Would it always be this way? I had to wonder. Taking a bracing breath, I stepped into the room. For the first time it was Sebastian who turned towards me, not Devlin. I tried to read his expression. Are you happy to see me? Or do you wish me gone?

  I was acutely aware of time passing; I could hear the tick, tick, tick of the clock across the room. The thump, thump, thump of my own heart as it picked up pace, urging me retreat like I had so many other times but I forced myself to stay put, I had to know. I wasn’t going to second-guess my decision. No regrets. No, for once I was going to wait it out and see what happened.

  An instant later, his brooding stare turned into a welcoming smile. I smiled back with all the emotion I was feeling.

  Devlin lowered his cup and turned his head towards the doorway. Again, he was a bystander. He noted how lovely Katherine looked in her gown and he did not miss the look of uncertainty that crossed her face when she looked at Sebastian. And for the briefest of moments he thought that maybe, just maybe, things were not working out between them.

  Of course, it was only moments before his hopes were dashed. The way they were looking at one another now, he knew in his heart he would never have a chance. They were both head over heels in love, desperately so. It was almost uncomfortable to watch. He turned away, unable to stand the sight any longer.

  He sighed heavily. It would seem his perfect day was turning bleak around the edges. He glanced back towards them for a moment more. Oh but Katherine looked so happy; hell, Sebastian looked happy. Devlin would be happy too, if he were in Sebastian’s shoes. Oh well. He took a bracing sip of his tea, letting the warmth soothe him as he finally accepted the truth. It simply was not meant to be. Someday he would find someone to love, who loved him as well. Hell, if the do-gooder could do it, why not Devlin the rogue? He chuckled to himself. Why not indeed?

  It was only moments before Sebastian closed the space between us and was now towering above me. I leaned back to look at his handsome face and as usual my breath caught in my throat. His steely gray eyes glittered with intensity, making me chilled and hot at the same time.

  “Good morning,” he said, sounding amused.

  “Ah…good morning.” My gaze drifted to the expanse of white fabric covering his muscular chest as my hands itched to slip inside his shirt.

  Sebastian wanted nothing more than to pull her into his arms and peel her conservative morning gown off her delectable body. He lifted his hand, placed it under her chin, and rubbed his thumb across the softness of her full bottom lip. He felt the all too familiar swell in his loins as he looked at the rise and fall of her perfectly proportioned breasts. No more than a handful…a perfect handful. His fingers itched to delve into her gown and feel them again. He groaned as she visibly shivered from his touch, her vivid blue eyes locking with his own with a look of insatiable hunger and a touch of curious wonderment.

  Hell, he was curious too. He had to wonder if it would be just as good as the evening before or if she would be reserved and aloof in the light of day. He was not above testing her on that measure. He needed to know if his reaction to her was real or if he was a victim of circumstance from the turmoil he had been going through. He was not sure what he wanted to believe…the former or the latter. If the truth were to be told, either reaction scared the living hell out of him. He decided to go all in, see what she was made of. If in fact they did belong with one another or if she was merely a passing fancy, he needed to know and now was as good of a time as any to find out.

  He lowered his hand and brushed her long curls over her shoulder. “We need to talk,” he said, trying like hell to hold himself in check.

  “Okay.” Suddenly very hot, I waved my hand in front of my face. “It is a little warm in here.”

  He chuckled. “Yes, it is,” he readily agreed, feeling rather warm himself. “I see the temptress of the
night turns demure in the light of day.”

  Sebastian knew he had to speak with her, but his eyes strayed to the delicate swell of her breast, bringing the remembrance of the sweet curve of her buttocks…how he would like to press his face between her thighs. Would it taste as sweet as her mouth? He could not help but wonder. Would she scream out his name in ecstasy, or would she squirm away? He put his arm behind her back, pulled her closer, just for a moment, and pressed her pliable body against his own.

  Devlin cleared his throat loudly. “Hello, good morning,” he called from across the room.

  Sebastian tensed and stepped away from her.

  All I wanted to do was to step up to him again and wrap my arms around his neck. Beg him to touch me as he did last night. Good grief, what happened to me? One roll in the hay and my body betrayed my mind. I couldn’t keep the look of disappointment from my face as I looked up at him once more.

  He raised a perfectly arched brow to me in question.

  I felt like he could read my mind. My stomach flipped over on itself. Maybe I was hungry. Oh yeah, that’s it. Who am I kidding? Stupid food was the last thing on my mind. I was hungry all right, but food would not even begin to satisfy this particular hunger.