A Carnal Agreement (Regency Intrigue Book 1)

by Silvia Violet

  She felt indecent, but knowing the company a man like Mr. Foxwood kept, her dress was likely too tame. Still, she hoped he would think her attractive. She had no desire to delay the inevitable. The longer he waited to take her to his bed, the more nervous she would become. After pinning a few errant curls, she pulled on her gloves and headed toward the dining room.

  When she entered the room, Mark was waiting for her. He’d added a tawny waistcoat and a black jacket to his ensemble. Next to the coat’s shiny fabric, his hair shone like gold. He stood by a window, looking out into the darkness. She remembered how he’d been seated at the window in his study when she’d arrived that afternoon. In both poses, he looked like a lion contemplating his way out of his cage.

  A moment later, he turned. His eyes widened and he smiled as he looked her over from head to toe. “Your dress is perfection itself. The cut and color are exactly what I would have selected for you. I hope the other things you packed are equally daring. If so, I shall truly enjoy peeling them off you.”

  Cassandra wished she could cool the heat in her cheeks. “You consider yourself a connoisseur of women’s clothing?”

  “Indeed I do. One becomes well-acquainted with dress-making while outfitting one’s mistresses.” Mark gave her a wicked smile as he walked toward her. “You should be flattered. I had not planned to take a lover while I was here, but I found myself far too curious. Are you as lovely without your clothes as you are in them?”

  Cassandra had no appropriate answer for him. But his comments raised many questions. Why would such a virile man voluntarily retire to the country and forgo his pleasures? It went against everything she knew of him. Was he still hurting from Katherine? No matter what his birth, what woman would throw over a man like him for a bore like Southwood? Katherine was a fool.

  After seeing Cassandra to her chair, Mark lowered himself into the neighboring seat with feline grace. “I have always detested the custom of sitting at the far end of the table from a woman. It makes conversation difficult, and I can only feed my companion if I am right beside her.”

  “You intend to feed me?”

  “I do. Dining together will be our first sensual experience.”

  She raised her brows.

  “Don’t tell me you have never experienced physical pleasure biting into a superior piece of steak or sipping a hot cup of chocolate on a cold morning?”

  Cassandra was embarrassed to admit how very pleasurable those experiences could be, so she said nothing. Instead, she concentrated on the consommé in front of her.

  Mark reached for his spoon, dipping it in her bowl rather than his own. “Close your eyes and breathe deeply,” he said, lifting the spoon to her mouth.

  To her annoyance, she found herself obeying without question. His words lulled her. She wondered how many young women he’d seduced with nothing but his rich voice.

  When he pressed the spoon against her lips, she opened and let the warm broth soothe her as it ran down her throat. The simple soup held layers of flavor unlike any she’d ever tasted. “That’s delicious.”

  “Yes, I don’t require a large staff, but I am insistent about the quality of my cook.”

  “How delightful. My husband refused to waste money on his staff when he could spend it on gambling and women. Therefore, I have grown accustomed to mediocre fare.”

  Mark trailed his fingers along her cheek. “I am sorry you have been neglected. You will have everything you need during your stay with me. I take very good care of my lovers.”

  “I am not one of your loose women.”

  He lifted a brow. “Do you wish to dissolve our bargain?”

  She frowned. “You do not own me, not even for these three months.”

  His lips curled in a smile that would charm the devil himself. “After tonight, you will wish I did.”

  “How do you get away with such arrogance?”

  He lifted her hand and pressed his lips to the back of it. “My dear, it is not arrogance when it’s true.”

  Cassandra held his gaze in spite of the heat in her cheeks that let her know she was blushing fiercely. Mark was infuriating, but a secret part of her hoped his words were true. His body promised pure delight, but men were not often what they appeared. Reddington looked handsome enough on the surface. Inside, however, he’d been thoroughly rotten.

  Still, some women reveled in bedsport with men of their own choosing. How delightful would it be to experience physical pleasure even for this short time? Of course, if she liked it enough, she could take lovers once she was established as a widow. But for all her boldness and flouting of convention, she did not want to be involved with a string of men for whom she cared nothing.

  She would make it through these three months, hopefully enjoying Mark’s attentions and refusing to answer his provocations. Then she would settle down in the country. She would not be lonely. She would have her child, and she would be free.

  Why didn’t her vision of the future please her as much as it had a few days ago?

  “Tell Cook the consommé was superb,” Mark said to the footman who stood by his chair.

  His words drew Cassandra out of her reverie. She realized she had not even noticed the next course being laid.

  “I trust you have studied me sufficiently, and you can now give your food ample attention.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to stare, really. I am simply tired.” As soon as the words were out, she wished she had said nothing at all. Why did he have the power to fluster her when no one else did?

  “I see. I suppose since you are… tired I’d best let you feed yourself. Feeding two takes much longer. I don’t want you falling asleep before supper ends.”

  They said little as they consumed the next few courses, but when Cassandra picked up her spoon, eager to delve into her crème brulée, Mark laid his hand on her wrist.

  “Dessert is the most seductive of all. I cannot resist watching you enjoy it.” Continuing to hold her wrist, he placed his other hand over her eyes. “Close them. Concentrate on smell, taste, touch.” At this last word, he ran his fingers along her cheek and down the side of her neck, not stopping until he was barely an inch from the neckline of her gown. “Think about your body. Enjoy what you feel.”

  Cassandra bit her lip to suppress a moan as he traced her neckline. The sensation of thick, warm fingers, skimming the top of her breasts sent shock waves through her entire body.

  “Open your mouth,” he commanded.

  She realized he’d let go of her hand. She expected a spoonful of the sinful concoction. Instead, his cream-covered finger swept into her mouth.

  “Lick it clean.”

  Her lips closed around the digit involuntarily. She sucked the sweet egg cream from his finger then ran her tongue down its length.

  Mark groaned.

  She was lost in sensation. The taste of him was as good as the dessert. As she sucked his finger, sensations rioted between her legs. She barely managed to keep her hips still.

  “Look at me.” Mark’s voice grew more sensuous with each command. Part of her bristled at his presumption, but she was caught in his spell.

  Her gaze focused on him, and she saw the promise of things she’d only heard mentioned in veiled tones. Green fire burned in his eyes. She panicked. He’d trapped her like a jungle cat stalking prey. She pushed her chair away from the table.

  “We’re not done yet.”

  “Yes, we are.” She rose from the table. “There is no need to seduce me. I need to have a child, so I will go to bed with you. I would prefer to move ahead with our relations.”

  Mark shook his head. “We will not have any relations, as you so colorlessly describe them, if you cannot view this as more than a business transaction. I intend to do more than perform a duty, and I expect you to as well.”

  “That is not what I agreed to.”

  “You agreed to pleasure me whenever I required it. I will decide what form that pleasure takes.”

  All moisture h
ad disappeared from her mouth. Her body thrummed with a restless need she couldn’t quite describe. She gripped the back of her chair to steady herself. “I never agreed to be your servant.”

  “Agree to it now or leave.”

  “I will do no such thing.”

  “Won’t you?” he asked.

  She backed away, but he rose and took her arms before she taken many steps.

  “Tell me what you feel. Tell me how your body reacts to me,” he demanded.

  She said nothing, but her gaze remained locked with his.

  “You feel hot, don’t you? Hot and restless.”

  To her horror, she nodded her head.

  “You don’t want to leave. You want me to awaken the desire you’ve buried deep.”

  She couldn’t move.

  “You have access to my chamber through your dressing room. I will join you shortly. I expect you to be in bed waiting for me.”

  She turned to leave, but he reached out and skimmed his fingers along her cheek. “Is your head still hurting?”

  She paused for a moment, thrown by the question. She touched her hand lightly to the bandage on her head, realizing she’d forgotten it. “No. It is much better.”

  “Good, then do as I said.”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  As she sprinted up the stairs, Cassandra gasped for air as if she were drowning. Why had she thought this would be simple? Why had she thought the most difficult part would be the pain of losing her virginity? Surely that couldn’t be worse than this loss of control.

  If she had to endure night after night of a man’s attention in her quest to have a child, then she wanted it to be as pleasant as possible. Mark Foxwood appealed to every one of her senses, but she feared she had made a grave error in choosing him. He was too seductive, too alluring, and worst of all, too commanding.

  Even as she considered leaving, she laid out her nightgown and began taking down her hair, sure signs she intended to stay. She could attempt to find someone else willing to help with her problem, or she could give up all together. The latter was the sensible thing to do.

  Her body thrummed with indecision. Should she stay? Should she go? She walked to the washstand, poured icy water into the basin, and splashed her face. The shocking cold did nothing to cool the fire Mark had started in her.

  She wasn’t going to leave. Making a bargain with Mark might turn out to be her worst decision since marrying Reddington, but she refused to back down.

  ***

  As he listened to Cassandra’s footsteps pound up the stairs, Mark poured himself another drink. He hadn’t meant to frighten her. He’d simply meant to make her admit how much she wanted him.

  He didn’t have to seduce her. She was right about that. She was the one who had propositioned him after all. It wasn’t as if he weren’t used to women seeking his attention. At every party he attended in London, he’d collected enough invitations to fill his bed for weeks—though admittedly none as direct as Cassandra’s.

  Still, he wanted more than acceptance of what she must do to have a child. He wanted her to surrender to the desire he saw in her eyes.

  He’d lost the upper hand with Katherine. No woman as inexperienced as she’d claimed to be could have manipulated him so. Katherine had known exactly how to touch him, exactly what to say to make him beg to have her again and again. He’d been as wild as a beast with her, but she’d leashed him with her touch and her false protestations of love.

  Never again. He’d seen fear in Cassandra’s eyes, but also seen a spark of desire, one he intended to fan into an inferno. He couldn’t allow himself to be overly gentle with her. There was too much risk involved. If he let his heart go again, he might lose his sanity all together.

  ***

  After peeling back blankets and sinfully silky sheets, Cassandra used the stepping stool to hoist herself into Mark’s bed. She immediately snuggled under the covers. A servant had kindled the fire, but the blaze was still small, and the wind whistled through the cracks in the stone walls.

  She longed for something to soothe her fears. If she wasn’t so cold, she would’ve gotten out of bed to pour herself a brandy from the decanter she saw across the room. She remembered the commanding tone Mark had used when he sent her up and shivered more. His voice had carried desire for something dark and elemental.

  She’d told Mark she wasn’t the cause of Reddington’s impotence, but she wasn’t as confident in her assessment as she’d pretended to be. How many nights had she lain awake wondering what was wrong with her? Mark seemed to find her attractive, but what if the sight of her body rendered him unable to perform? What if she was repellent after all?

  Her thoughts were ridiculous, of course. Yet only Mark’s appearance in the doorway served to banish them from her mind. She sat up when she saw him, gathering the sides of her night rail which threatened to slide off her shoulders.

  His gaze perused what he could see of her body. “When I asked you to wait for me, I expected you to be naked.”

  Her heart hammered. The expression on Mark’s face was positively feral.

  “Stand up,” he commanded.

  She did as he asked, though she feared her legs wouldn’t hold her. How could he show such concern one moment and such violence the next?

  Her stared at her breasts. Her nipples were painfully hard from a combination of cold and desire. The heat in his eyes told her he saw them plainly through the thin material of her night rail. She fought the urge to cover herself.

  He surveyed the rest of her body. Then his hand gripped the lace- trimmed neckline. In one smooth gesture, he pulled the two halves apart, sending buttons flying.

  She shrieked in surprise.

  When the torn garment fell from her shoulders, she was completely naked.

  “That’s better,” he declared.

  Heat radiated from her face. “Mark, I—”

  “Turn around. I want to see all of you.”

  His voice was low and gravelly, and it made her want to display herself for him. She turned to face the bed and tried to remember how to breathe.

  “You are sinfully beautiful.” His compliment served to lessen her fear, reminding her of his gentle touch that afternoon.

  When she faced him again, he cupped her breasts. “I may keep you naked for the next week at least. It would certainly take me that long to tire of feasting on you.”

  Cassandra tried to swallow, but her throat was too dry. His warm hands felt amazing against her sensitive flesh.

  Mark’s gaze moved from her heavy breasts to her eyes. “You will not cover yourself when you are in my bed. Your body is mine to enjoy, and I intend to explore every inch.”

  She shivered and took a step back.

  Mark’s expression softened and he caressed her face with the back of his hand. “You have nothing to fear from me. I will only push you as far as you want to go.”

  “Wh-what do you mean?”

  “I can see desire in you. Desire for things you cannot name.” He breathed the words more than said them as he placed his lips against her neck. “Trust me.” His tongue traced the line of her collar bone. “I will fulfill all the fantasies you’d rather not confess.”

  She started to speak, but he bent his head and ran his tongue over one of her nipples. She gasped, the sensation more intense than she could’ve imagined. He sucked on the tight bud until her breath came in pants.

  “Mark, I… I feel so strange. ”

  “Good,” he whispered, his breath gusting over her nipple before he took it back in his mouth.

  ***

  Mark couldn’t stop. He had to have more of her. He switched to her other breast, plumping it as he drew her nipple into his mouth.

  She moaned louder, and she slid her fingers into his hair. When her knees gave way, he caught her, scooped her into his arms, and laid her on the bed. He lowered himself down beside her. Her nipples were red from his attention and he couldn’t resist tweaking one.

  Cassandra bucked her
hips, causing her body to rub against his cock. He bit back a groan as he wondered if he could bring her to climax just by playing with the hard buds. That was a question for another time, though. He was desperate to find out if she was as wet as he suspected.

  When their eyes met his, she turned away, trying to hide her face against the sheets.

  “Cassandra, look at me.”

  When she didn’t move, he cupped her chin and turned her to face him. “You’re beautiful, and your response is all I had hoped for. Never be ashamed of your desire.”

  Slowly, she opened her eyes. “What have you done to me?”

  “Exactly what you wanted. I’ve awakened your hunger for me.”

  He knelt by the side of the bed, positioning himself between her legs. She resisted his attempt to push her thighs apart. “Open to me, Cassandra. I want to see you.”

  “I can’t.”

  “You can. Within a few days, we will know everything there is to know of each others’ bodies.”

  Her legs moved apart an inch or two. “Wider.” He pressed gently on her thighs. Finally, she relaxed and opened to him.

  Her sex was beautiful, pink and full and dripping with cream. He breathed deeply, letting her scent intoxicate him. He longed to bury his face against her and taste her essence. And he would, but not tonight. He intended to introduce Cassandra to the delights of the bedchamber slowly so she could savor each one.

  Mark took hold of her hips and pulled her closer to him. He didn’t like the distress he saw on her face. “Trust me, Cassandra. I won’t hurt you.”

  She nodded, but wariness remained in her eyes.

  He pressed one finger against her damp core. When her heat surrounded him, he sucked in his breath. He was no longer certain he could hold back long enough to ready her. He longed to shove his breeches down and plunge into her right then.