Romancing the Past

by Darcy Burke

"Why are they blackmailing you?"

  "Not sure," she answered after a moment's pause. "Bad men."

  "Have they hurt you or Maddie?" Devon held his breath waiting for what he feared to hear.

  "No, letters get worse each time. Trying to find them. Find why."

  "Could it be they know about you and me?"

  "No, they know about my mother. Mention her often. Didn't like her."

  Her movements became far more uneasy and her expression was one of confusion. Devon sat in the silence stroking her hand in slow rhythmic circles until she stilled and her face was clear of any worry lines. She looked angelic lying on the bed with her long blonde hair. She also looked helpless and vulnerable. He would find the fiends who were terrorizing his wife, and put an end to their scheming.

  Clive would know whom to contact to learn of Ella's family. He would sit down with the man and find out all he could. Devon would also get to the task of searching out the blackmailers. He would start by finding out if there was anyone in the surrounding villages who all of a sudden seemed to have come into some wealth. The threat didn't seem immediate, so he would also make sure he planned time to woo his wife and get to know his daughter, and by default, protect them.

  "Devon?" Her voice was but a rasp.

  "I'm here, love," Devon said as he leaned in. "What is it?"

  "Kiss me." She turned, without opening her eyes, her full lips parting, so he could just see the tip of her tongue. His own mouth went dry.

  Devon drugged her only to get information he knew she wouldn't give otherwise. He would not take advantage. However, since he had lost her four years ago, hadn't he dreamt about covering her mouth with his? It's not as if he was going to ravish her.

  What could it hurt?

  He leaned in inhaling her. She was a mix of honeysuckle with the remnants of the exotic spices on the docks. It was intoxicating. The first contact was a slight brush of his lips on hers. He didn't want to start and find she didn't mean her invitation. At the deep moan of approval, his touch became more firm.

  Her lips were better than any dream. Warm, lush, and full of life; life he never thought he would taste again. Emotion, strong and sharp, drove into his chest and throat, paralyzing him. If he lost control now, he would regret it. When he would have pulled away, Ella picked up her head following him and tasted his lips with her sweet, honeyed tongue. It was almost his undoing.

  Devon wrapped his arms around her lithe body, pulling her into him. He was thankful for putting the chair back in his way or he might have given in and crawled into the embrace of her arms. Desire shot through him with a hot intensity he had never experienced. He had to keep some control. He would take his time kissing her, tasting her, but he couldn't let it go further, not yet.

  When he returned his lips to hers, he took charge, delving with his tongue into her sweet mouth. She tasted of wine and the faint bitter bite of the drug reminding him of his limits. She was a wonder, giving and taking all he offered. When her hands wound around his neck to bury into his hair, he moaned deeply in his throat. Their kisses became hungrier, more demanding. He ripped himself free.

  She breathed heavy, chest rising and falling. Her lips were swollen and a slight rash around her mouth and cheek gave away his need for a shave. Ella's skin was flushed and hair was mussed. She looked as if she had been thoroughly tumbled.

  Devon couldn't resist the need to lie next to her. He came out of the chair and stretched out on the bed on top of the covers. She mewed, turning into his chest. Her hand wound its way up his shirt and into the hair at the nape of his neck. Once she snuggled into the hollow of his arm, he knew he was finished. The chance to spend the whole night with Ella in his arms was more than any man could overcome. Devon slid from the bed only long enough to undress and slip under the covers, taking a pliable Ella with him.

  It would be so easy to take her body, but it wasn't just her body he wanted. It was her soul. The warmth radiating from her washed over him. This time, it was his turn to snuggle into her softness, wrapping his arm around her waist, pulling her to him protectively. His body reacted, but tonight was about feeding his inner desire not his physical one.

  Her warmth filled him. Knowing he didn't deserve to feel so cherished, when she rolled and nuzzled his neck, gave him a pang of guilt. He was stealing what most men saw as their right. He shouldn't want this so bad, but that wouldn't stop him now. He half expected her to vanish in a swirl of mist like in his dreams. It would serve him right if this were a dream. If it was, he hoped he never woke. Devon drifted off to sleep on a cloud of honeysuckle and satin skin.

  ♥♥♥

  Ella couldn't remember being so cozy. She had the covers pulled up to her neck and they were warm and soft and cradling her in the most incredible warmth. She hadn't opened her eyes. It was like a dream she didn't want to end. If she could just stay here a few minutes more. As if to entrench herself deeper, she burrowed into the bed.

  She wasn't alone.

  Once Ella moved, the film of sleep lifted and the hard truth pressed against her back with only her shift to shield her. A decidedly male, hard truth. In a wave, the previous night, or part of it, came rushing back. They had dinner, talked, and then she lost the thread. What had she done? What had she said? Still not opening her eyes, she tried to determine if he was still asleep.

  Being early, the inn had not come to life yet. The birds were already busy outside the window singing their songs. Her breaths came stiff and quick. Devon's breathing, on the other hand, was soft and steady. His arm draped over her waist, holding tight but not in a threatening manner. She thought of Maddie with her favorite doll. She would hold it tight enough to know if it was taken, but not tight enough to break it. His chest covered her back with strong, solid flesh. With every breath from his mouth, the hair around her ear fluttered and tickled. With caution, she moved her leg back until it came into contact with his. Long and covered in soft hair, her toes didn't reach his feet, even stretched out to their full length.

  Her head began to hurt, not a full-blown headache, but a throbbing, slow and persistent. That wine must have been stronger than she realized. She had a choice to make. Did she jump out of bed and demand him to leave or remain where she was and absorb the feel of being held? It was a feeling she realized she missed even though she had never experienced it. How many nights had she dreamt about being in his arms, with his strength surrounding her and protecting her from the world? Was this what women who found love had to look forward to? If so, she didn't understand the women of the Ton choosing to wed for gain instead. She felt safe. The storm could rage outside, but in his arms, she would feel calm.

  Mind made up, Ella sighed and tried to commit every point of contact with this man to memory, but it seemed her body remembered without any aid. There was not a tender spot. He was all hard plains and firm muscle. Where she was rounded, he was not, but she seemed to be made to fit in the crux of his body to perfection. She wiggled to go deeper into the valley that was his embrace. Just as she was beginning to feel relaxed about sharing her bed with a man, the man in question roused. Devon's hand slid from her waist to her hip. Electric shocks trailed along her skin where he touched. She came alive, like she had been asleep these four years waiting. Waiting for him to wake her from her sleep.

  Her skin prickled as his feather light touch ran along her hip and down her thigh. His large hand was soft unlike her calloused ones.

  "Devon?" she whispered.

  "Yes, love?" He answered, a tentative note in his voice.

  "I like that," she admitted shyly after gaining a bit more confidence.

  After two heartbeats, when she thought he might decide her too forward, he made a noise low in his throat that vibrated in his chest and against her back. His hand followed its path back, but instead of stopping at her hip, it wound its way up, over her belly and rested on her breast. The heat from his hand spread from its point of contact down to her belly, causing it to clench and flutter. His breath was warm on her
neck before the soft sweep of his lips, and then the heat of his tongue sent chills to meet the heat from his hand. It tickled, but in a wholly sensual way, she wanted to feel again and again. If she was going to let this happen, she needed to take in every sensation and put it to memory. Many nights she would relive her one and only time with Devon to get her through. She would need to have this time to get her through when he was gone again. For a moment, the loneliness that had engulfed her when she left the first time tightened her chest, making her never to want to go back there, but her desire pushed it back down where she had closed it away for so long. She would no doubt have to wrestle it again, but not this moment. She was in the arms of the only man that had ever treated her well. She could still feel his detachment, the same that had prompted her to flee before, for fear her feelings would not be met in turn. She could not allow the hope that this was different. She just needed to allow herself the moment. She gave herself up to the sensation.

  Chapter 7

  It was time for Devon to show Ella what she would be missing. He knew his love would never be enough to keep her. His love had not been enough to keep his mother from leaving them, so no matter the extent of his love, he knew it was lacking and that he didn't deserve her love either. However, if he could bind her to him physically, he might have a chance to keep her in his life. If she felt the pleasure they could have, perhaps it would be enough. He knew if he fell into his own trap, he would be lost. If he loved like his father, he would never be over her, so keeping it to the physical nature was best. His desire was nearly out of control after spending the night inhaling her intoxicating scent and feeling her warm body next to his. If he thought on it too much, he might consider that he might already have lost his heart. Devon would not think on it then, instead, he would feel... and smell... and taste, until Ella was part of him and his memories for eternity. He gently cupped her bosom in his palm where he noted it was heavier now that Ella had carried his child, but that only made her perfect. Her nipple was already swollen; hard, and it peaked and rubbed against the center of his hand. She had matured in four years. Tentatively, Devon fondled one tight globe. Her soft moan was encouraging, sending heat through his already throbbing body. He needed to have her naked.

  "Darling," his voice was husky with his controlled desire. "I want to feel you without all this fabric."

  The silence was deafening and Devon had to rest his forehead in her hair to quell the need to roll her to him before she consented.

  "All right."

  Before she could change her mind, Devon pushed up on one elbow to rise above her and rid them of the offending material. Looking down froze him. His wife looked up into his eyes with wide unsure depths. Her hair was down and hanging around her like golden silk. Her lips were full and red.

  God, she was beautiful. His heart slammed against his chest taking his air.

  Finding his voice, he continued. "I am going to slide it up over your head, all right?"

  "Yes."

  She remained still, but very pliable as he lifted her shoulders and slid the shift over her head, sending it to the floor next to the bed on top of her other forgotten clothing. Once he reclined her back onto the pillows, he took the opportunity of his position and remained above her. He placed an elbow on either side of her and began stroking her long hair with his hands.

  Her breasts pushed against his chest and he could feel her deep breaths.

  "Relax, sweeting. If you want to stop, we will. I want you, but not until you want me as well." He might well expire if he didn't have her now, but he would never force her.

  "I... I don't want you to stop," she said in a small voice.

  "Good," Devon said with a nonchalance he didn't feel. "I don't want to stop either, love." He continued just to lie there feeling her under him, when she reached up and started rubbing his back. His muscles tensed under her attention. Damn, her touch was like fire.

  Before Devon could bend to cover her mouth, she took the lead and rose to brush her plump lips against his. The contact ignited the slow burn and before he realized, they devoured each other. The frenzy began to build and build until Devon thought he would catch fire. Her scent and hair entrapped him. Her touch was as hungry and needy as his own. The feel of her in his arms filled his chest with emotion he couldn't examine yet.

  Turning back onto his side next to Ella, he attempted to pull back enough not to consume her. This was about her, not him. He had to get control. The one thing he was unable to do last time was something he would not miss this time, however. Gingerly, he pulled the blanket from her body. His breath slammed into his rib cage. Her skin was milky white with proud ruby nipples. Her stomach was not quite flat, but the gentle roundness gave her the look of the mature woman she was. Her long legs spread toward the bottom of the bed shifted under his scrutiny, causing the sheets to shush in the silence. At the apex of her legs, he saw the patch of golden hair hiding her feminine core.

  "God, Ella, you're beautiful," he said reverently. If Ella answered, he didn't hear her. His heart roared in his ears, which he couldn't ignore. With slow movements, as if she would disappear if he were to move any other way, he reached out and spread his hand on her stomach. The place where she had cradled and protected his child. Where part of him had grown. It amazed him more than he realized. The fact he could cover her stomach with his hand amazed him. He had missed so much. She had been alone and scared, not knowing what to do, while he had sulked about like an angry child who had a toy taken from him. Looking down at his dark tanned hand only made her pale skin shimmer in the morning light.

  He glided his hand down to the place he wanted to be. Her heat on his hand was almost his undoing. She was ready for him. He parted her legs and ran his hand up her milky thigh. She was soft and hot. He opened her and slid one finger inside. On her moan, he began a slow rhythm to bring her to a peak. Her movements, slow and slight at first, became more demanding as he built her passion. He couldn't wait much longer. He had to be inside her; had to feel her heat. Just as he thought he might have to take the lead, she spoke.

  "Devon," she said with a gasp, "I want to feel you inside me, now. Please." Her hips rose, lifting his hand and her off the bed.

  Devon removed his hand and rose to cover her. Her scent warm and musky filled the air, making him dizzy. Her heavily lidded eyes were wild with desire-- her skin flushed and ablaze with passion. He positioned himself to enter her, but held back searching her face for second thoughts.

  "Now, Devon! I'm going to explode," she demanded.

  It was all the encouragement he needed, so he slid into her to the hilt. Her muscles tensed around him. Her eyes were wide at first, but softened before fluttering shut. He held himself still to let her become accustomed to the feel. Before he would have, Ella began to respond under him in tantalizing movements. Devon read her unspoken plea and helped her set a pace that would not allow any extended play, not this time. He was in heaven and wanted to stay there, but his wife had other ideas. She took the lead and set a pace, Devon knew he would be wont to keep considering how close he was to climax. She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his hips pulling him into her more deeply.

  Their release exploded around them with a force Devon wasn't prepared for. He swallowed her screams with a deep kiss. He collapsed, shifting only enough to keep his weight off her. Both lay exhausted and spent. He reached around, drew the blanket over their sweat soaked bodies, and drifted off with the feel of Ella gliding her hand up and down his back. At last, he was home.

  ♥♥♥

  Wrapped in Devon's embrace, Ella listened to him breathe. She often would lie next to Maddie and revel in hearing her steady breathing, but the feeling she had now was different. It warmed her in a way she had run from four years ago. He had been the one to place the wager this time. The one damnable thing she could remember from last night, was agreeing to yet another wager, but could he live up to his claims? Could she dare to take such a risk with not only her life,
but with her daughter's? Last time, when she thought she had control of the situation, she left with her heart in tatters. How would she survive this?

  Devon must have sensed the unease, because he moaned and pulled her closer. She loved the feel of his body next to hers. She felt protected and— loved. A lump formed in her throat. She would never allow Maddie to go through what she had to endure. It was hard to believe the man who had just brought so much pleasure, would be cruel, but she thought of her own mother. She couldn't believe the woman would have cleaved to a man such as Ella's father had she known what he would be. Devon had never been cruel, as she had seen her father be, but the fear was that he would change once the responsibility of raising a child set in.

  If it was just Ella, she could easily be lost in the fantasy of this moment. That was the main reason she fled before, because she could have stayed if only he had asked. Her greater fear was that he wouldn't ask. Without a doubt, if she spent the time he asked, she could fall in love with him and again deal with heartbreak worse than when she left for fear of falling in love before. The question was whether the pain she knew she would eventually face, be worth the short time she could have with him. The answer would not spare her misery. She knew that.

  Devon grumbled in his sleep and rolled away. She took the space and the opportunity to think about their lovemaking. The first time, she hadn't known what to expect, but she hadn't expected the uprising of feelings she experienced, not to mention the physical pleasure. It had blown her away. She almost decided to stay a bit longer, but instead, chose to run for fear of being hurt worse. This time was eerily similar in that respect. If she allowed herself to admit she enjoyed the encounter, which she had without measure, she would have to give him a feather in his cap toward their wager. Ella sighed heavily, knowing she would not be able to deny the utter pleasure he could bring to her. No other man could set her ablaze as Devon could. Even just thinking about it, she could feel the heat starting to build inside. It had been four years since the last time, so it was possible she didn't quite have the memory of last time to compare the two. However, since that was all she had, she would have to agree Devon put forth his best effort both times she had made love with him.