by Laura Clarke
“Thank you.” Horace nodded at her. He glared at Emmett and then left.
“He’s an unhappy sort,” Penelope said. “He should be happier, since he won the battle, as you said.”
“Marion left him a year ago,” he said. “He blamed me, and it just doubled up the hate we’ve felt for each other.”
“Well, not something we need to talk about tonight,” she said. “Are you going to kiss me again, and then are you going to fuck me?”
“Such a nasty word,” he said. “I love it.”
“Then let’s go upstairs,” she said.
“No, we’re going back to the Sway house,” he said. “Things are ready there.”
Excitement coursed through her. “What do you have ready for us?”
His grin made her nipples tighten. “You’ll see. But not if we don’t leave now.”
“Lead the way,” she said, right before he scooped her up in his arms and carried her out the door.
A different carriage waited at the curb. “You are worried we’re being followed,” she said once they were inside.
“There is a chance,” he said.
“Then why are we going to your house?”
“The safest place to hide is in plain sight,” he said. “And, like I said, things are ready there.”
He picked up a long strip of material and held it between two hands.
“You’re going to wear this.”
“As a dress? Or a shift?” She laughed. “It seems a bit small for my body.”
“Not for your face,” he said. “Or should I say your eyes? It’s a blindfold.”
She wasn’t sure if she was intrigued by the idea, or if it scared the dickens out of her.
“Are you trying to keep me from seeing the house?” She tried to laugh but it didn’t come out.
“No questions,” he said. “I want you to close our eyes while I put this on you. There will be no birch rods or fighting involved in this, I promise. It will be pure pleasure.”
“Mary said it hurts,” she said. “I mean, when you put your cock inside me.”
“Not if you let me take charge, and lead you.” He knelt in front of her. “Trust me to make things perfect for you.”
Penelope thought she should say thank you, but somehow it seemed trite, childish even.
“Close your eyes,” he said.
She did as he asked, and she shivered as he wrapped the cloth over her eyes.
“You’re so soft,” he said as he ran his hands up her arms.
“It’s rose lotion,” she said. “A lady on Chambers street makes it.”
“I’ll have to buy out her entire stock,” he said as he continued to stroke her. “I want tonight to be the best memory. I want you to cry out in joy as I enter you and scream in pleasure as I slide in and out.”
Penelope shivered as his words seemed to wrap themselves around her.
“When we get inside I’m going to undress you, slowly, while you relax and let your mind wander. Don’t think anything bad. Think only of the pleasure you will feel.”
She wanted to object, tell him what Mary had told her. But she wanted to believe him more than she believed Mary, so she kept her mouth closed.
That was when he kissed her, gently. His lips felt gentle against hers. He kissed her full on, then moved them to the left of her mouth, and then to the right.
“Sweet Penelope,” he said. “I want to say that I’m sorry I didn’t trust you when we first met.”
“Then I need to apologize to you, too,” she said. “I didn’t trust you, either. I thought you were arrogant and evil.”
“You are right on part,” he said as he stroked his thumb from the edge of her lip down to her chin. “I am arrogant. I always have been. I think it comes from the fact I knew I would inherit my father’s title and I thought that made me special. The problem with Horace brought me down a bit. And it also made me not trust people. I wanted you to be aware of that.”
“You have a funny way of seducing a girl,” she said. “I don’t think most men would tell a woman his faults before taking her to bed.’
“I want our relationship to be perfect,” he said. “That means total honesty.”
He kissed her again. His hands were on her arms again, and then he went down to her thighs. He inched her skirt up her legs.
“This is naughty,” she said.
“Not as naughty as what is about to happen.” He had reached the top of her stockings.
“What’s about to happen?” she asked, breathlessly. She loved the feel of his hands on her thighs. It made her blood feel hot and made her body crave to feel something she hadn’t ever experienced.
He slipped the blindfold off her eyes and their gazes locked, and even in the darkness she could see the passion roiling through his body.
He grasped her hips and pulled her forward. Then he pushed up her skirts all the way. He wiggled his tongue and she knew what was about to happen.
“You shouldn’t,” she said.
His laughter sounded almost evil. “Spread your legs.”
“Here? I thought we were going back to your house?”
“Do as I say,” he said.
“But…” But what?
“I won’t tell you again,” he said.
His tone wasn’t angry, or demanding, just soft yet insistent.
It excited her, and that sort of shocked her. When people had ordered her about before she’d been angry. She’d refused to do as they asked. But now all she could think about was following his instructions.
He put his hand between her thighs and gently pushed. “I want inside.”
“Why are we doing it here?”
“I want inside,” he repeated.
She wiggled and spread her legs, feeling exposed but excited.
When he dropped his head between her thighs she gasped in surprise and, without being ordered, she spread her legs even wider.
His tongue found her quim, licking at the slit. She lifted off the seat in an effort to bring him closer. He pushed her down with his hands and burrowed his head deeper. He licked and sucked on her inner lips, and her hard nub, and she bucked under his touch.
She was close to exploding, a feeling that she had grown to love. He licked and stroked, and each time she thought she was almost there he pulled away, almost as if he wanted to draw out the event as long as possible.
“You’re killing me,” she said softly.
“La petite mort,” he said.
“What?” she managed to say as her body quaked with need.
“It’s a French term for the little death,” he said. “It means losing control of your body. A friend of mine told me once that having an orgasm was like that. It’s a loss of control, but the feeling is from passion, not from illness.”
“I like that,” she said as she leaned her head back and spread her legs wider.
He continued to tease her, making her feel as if she might actually faint.
And then, without warning, he took her clit into his mouth and sucked it hard.
Her body quaked as she spent. She couldn’t help but put her fingers in his hair, pushing his head farther down, savoring the feeling as he sucked and licked. When it was over she collapsed against the seat.
“I can see why they call it the little death,” she whispered. “My body is so limp it feels like I have no control anymore, like I’ve been drained of all energy.”
Emmett was still kneeling in front of her. He licked his lips as if he were savoring the taste of her that lingered there. Then he took a handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped his mouth.
“You taste like cream, sweet and delicious.”
She shivered. “You are teaching me things I never thought I would learn.”
“The night is young,” he said. He lifted up until they were face to face. “And there will be many, many nights after this.”
Moonlight drifted into the carriage. Penelope gazed into his eyes. “Tell me what we’re going to do tonigh
t.” She cleared her throat. “Are we going to do what Andrew does with Clara?”
“Don’t get ahead of yourself,” he said. “As I said, we have many nights after this. We don’t want to take things too quickly.”
“But I do,” she said with a laugh. “I want to do it all! Mary told me it was fun, but she never said it could provide such pleasure. She was always asking me if I’d allowed Andrew to sample my favors. I think she was disappointed when I said no. Now I know why. She wanted to use me. What happens to them now?”
“Seriously, you’re thinking about that now?” He looked disappointed. “Then I’m not working hard enough.”
He grabbed her and kissed her, this time it was demanding, deep and passionate. She felt as if she might melt into him, but he pushed her back against the back of the seat. Then he grabbed her bodice and yanked. The material ripped as if it were made of nothing more than air, exposing her corset.
Her breasts heaved as he ran his fingers over her skin.
“So sweet and silky,” he said. He pulled on the string that held it together. “I had wanted tonight to be sweet, to guide you along so that you didn’t feel much pain. But I’m beginning to think I need to be rough with you. Or maybe I should give you a choice.”
“I think you know what I want,” she said.
He pushed up on her breasts. Her nipples peeked out from under the lacy top of her corset.
“Yes, I think I do,” he said. She closed her eyes and straightened her shoulders. When he undid the top of her corset and her breasts popped out she sighed.
“Can you really do this?” she asked, and then she giggled. Those words, her curiosity, was what he’d said first made him want her. What would they do now?
He sucked a nipple into his mouth, teasing it with his teeth and tongue. He moved back and forth as the carriage rocked. He pushed them together and flicked his tongue over her hard nubs.
The pleasure she’d felt before started to build inside her again, and she wondered if she would be able to spend again. She let her head loll from side to side, and when the carriage jolted to a stop she gripped the seat.
Emmett let her go and went to the door. She watched as he looked out the window. “We’re here.” He exited quickly and then stuck his head back inside. “Are you coming, or do you want to draw this out a little more? I think you need a proper bed to lie in while I take you.”
Penelope struggled to place her breasts back in the corset. When they were covered enough she closed her cape around herself to hide any hint of skin. “Lead the way,” she said.
“I can do better than that.” He offered her his hand and when she took it he pulled her toward him. He gathered her in his arms, holding her close to him.
He took the steps quickly. Once he was inside he carried her up the stairs to his bedroom where he unceremoniously tossed her on the bed.
“So much for sweetness and romance,” she said with a laugh. “But then again I did say I wanted it to be rough.”
“You want me to claim you, and that is what I’m going to do.”
She swallowed hard, her nerves making her shake. “What do I do? I mean, tell me what I’m supposed to do.”
A look around the room showed numerous candles had been lit. What was that he’d said about things being ready?
“I’m sorry I ruined your dress,” he said. “Stand up and let me help you out of what remains of it.”
She did as he asked. His fingers worked to undo the stays on her skirt, and when it dropped to the floor, Penelope couldn’t help but be nervous. She was all talk about wanting to lose her maidenhead, but she was frightened out of her wits right now.
When he had removed all of her clothes, down to her corset, he gently kissed her thighs.
“On the bed with you,” he said.
She climbed up and lay down on her back, and then she spread her legs.
“You look scared to death,” he said. His voice sounded strained. She looked up to see him taking off his clothes. He was moving fast—one second he was clothed, the next he was naked. His cock was hard and jutting upward.
“Can I… touch?”
He knelt next to her. “Please do.”
Penelope wished her hands weren’t shaking. It would seem much sexier if her finger wasn’t moving on its own as she touched his hard cock.
His groan emboldened her, and she ran her finger up his shaft, up and down, like he’d done with her thighs.
“When can I…” she decided she didn’t want to ask for permission. She got on her hands and knees, and leaned over and kissed his cock.
“You are a minx.” He stroked the back of her hair as her tongue snaked out to taste him. She ignored his words and continued to lick. Her body was on fire. She wanted to take him into her mouth, suck him as he’d sucked on her clit, as he’d tasted her nipples.
But before she could, he lifted her up and tossed her so she was on her back. She giggled. “Like I said, so much for romance.”
He was on top of her in seconds. “Now’s the time to spread your legs.”
“Can we do that?” she asked with a giggle. He knelt between her thighs and said, “Keep asking that, because I will prove we can do anything.” He pressed his length into her quim, then leaned closer and kissed her.
When his tongue moved into her mouth she concentrated on that, sucking on his tongue as he pressed his cock inside her. The pain rocked through her, but he deepened the kiss and she savored the feel, even though her quim shook with his invasion.
He kissed her over and over until she whispered, “I’m fine.”
That was when he started to thrust, in and out, in and out. The pain was still there, but it wasn’t as bad as before. When he knelt up and pulled her rear onto his thighs he held her in place with one hand and used the other to find her clit.
Rub, thrust, rub, thrust. Just like before, the feelings overtook her and she exploded, just as he seemed to grow inside her.
She knew he was feeling the same thing she was; or was he? When he collapsed next to her and pulled her close, she made a mental note to ask him when her brain was working again.
Chapter 11
Penelope snuggled against Emmett’s chest. She’d never felt so warm and wanted in her whole life.
“When can we get married?” she asked.
“I’m sure I could get a special license by tomorrow.” He kissed her forehead. “Would that be soon enough for you? Since I’ve made you a fallen woman I think it’s the least I can do.”
“If I’m naughty that makes you wicked,” she said. “Not much of a guardian.”
“On the contrary, I think I’ve guarded you quite nicely.” He tickled her hip. “Or is the word I’m looking for guided?”
“Well, I don’t think a guardian is supposed to take someone’s maidenhead,” she said. “You’ll definitely have to marry me. But you’ve never asked, have you? You just assumed.”
He kissed her forehead. “Penelope Martin, will you be my duchess?”
The word duchess made her heart freeze. She sat up and stared down at him. She was naked now. After they’d both recovered from their initial coupling he’d wet a cloth and washed the blood off her quim and thighs. Then they’d stripped the bed of its clothes and gotten back in, using the heavy blanket to cover themselves.
“Is something wrong, sweet one?”
“You said duchess.” Her mouth felt dry.
“Yes, duchess,” he said. “I am the next in line to be Duke of Wilshire. The fifth one, to be exact.”
“I can’t be a duchess,” she said. “Perhaps we should do something else.” She was more frightened at the prospect than she had been at losing her maidenhead. Why hadn’t she thought about it before?
“What are you suggesting? Would you like me to set you up in a townhouse? Do you want me to take a mistress before I marry, and after I’ve posted the banns to marry said woman?”
“How can I be a duchess?” She lay, or rather just fell, back down against hi
m. Emmett gathered her in his arms and it made her feel better.
“By marrying a duke,” he said. “Don’t worry, sweet one, I will be your guardian in our marriage, too.”
“You won’t let me put a toe out of line?” she asked.
“I will guide you,” he said.
“The King won’t allow it.” Her heart quickened. “I’m a nobody.”
“I won’t let you talk that way about the woman I love,” he said. “The way I see it we marry now, and don’t ask for permission. When the King finds out I took you to bed he won’t object.”
“So, you think,” she said. “What if he tries to take the title away from you? Or tries to banish me?”
“You’re thinking about one of those gothic novels you read,” he said. “Stop trying to make up problems where there are none.”
“I’ll try,” she said. “It’s just been that everything has seemed so stressful lately.”
“Well, then let’s give you your first lesson.” He stood up, and Penelope trained her gaze on his cock. It looked so different now. She didn’t know if it was because she’d taken it inside her, or because it was soft now.
“Get up,” he said.
“I may be a tutor’s daughter, but I do know how to greet the higher ups,” she said. “I just never thought I’d be one.”
“Come to me,” he said.
She jumped up and went to stand before him.
“Pretend you’re wearing a skirt and drop me a curtsey,” he said.
“It’s very nice to meet you, Your Future Grace,” she said with a laugh as she pretended to curtsey. “May I suck your cock?”
“I’m not sure that’s a proper thing to ask,” he said. “Try again.”
“May I suck your prick, Your Future Grace?” She reached out her hand to touch him, but he grasped her wrist in his fist.
“Naughty, naughty,” he said.
“I’m beginning to like those words,” she said. “Are you going to spank me?”
“No,” he said. “I am trying to teach you a lesson in manners. Say I was the King. How would you make small talk with me?”
“The King?” Penelope took a step back. “I’ll have to make conversation with the King?”