Chapter Eighteen
“Georgina, what the bloody hell,” Teddy choked. Aside from shivers racking his body, he held himself perfectly still.
It helped to ease the sting between her legs.
“I…are you angry?” He certainly sounded angry.
He huffed out a laugh that was almost a sob. “Not at the moment.”
Profound relief left her weak. After the way he’d made her feel, washing her, kissing her, touching her so intimately, she couldn’t bear the thought of anything coming between them. Not now. Not tonight.
He began to ease himself out of her, very slowly, breath hissing between his teeth. “Give me a moment,” he muttered hoarsely, “and we can talk.”
She shook her head, tears welling in her eyes. He was going to stop. If he did, who was to say he’d ever want to make love with her again? Later, there would be repercussions, but surely now the damage was done. “No.”
His body began to shake, as if with a fever. “No? What are you saying, Georgina? I’m in no mood for guessing games.”
“Don’t stop, Teddy. Please, make love to me.” As she spoke, she tightened her arms around his neck, hoping to hold him to her a little while longer.
He uttered a low groan and pressed his forehead into hers. “Darling girl, there is nothing in this world I want more. But, I don’t want to hurt you.”
“You won’t,” she assured him. “You’re not.” She was only half lying. She felt full, wonderfully full, and wonderfully close. And truly, the first shock of pain had already subsided.
He kissed her, tenderly, so tenderly she thought her insides might melt from sheer love.
And then he began to move in her. Long, languid thrusts, in and out, again and again. His breathing grew ragged and the muscles of his back under hands felt tense as a bow string.
“Georgina, you feel so good. So good,” he murmured, his voice sounding almost pained.
Her heart swelled ’til it seemed nearly too large for her chest. And something magical was happening—inside her. Pleasure, similar to before, when he touched her, was unfurling within her, only this time it was more like…a flower, nearly coming to bloom.
She clutched at him, as if, by holding him close, she could reach that place only he could bring her. She had to kiss him. Had to hold him. Tighter. Closer. “Oh, Teddy,” she breathed.
His eyes, brilliant with heat, found hers. “Sweetheart, yes, yes, come for me.” Jaw clenching, his hips swiveled faster as he watched her, seemingly utterly enthralled.
“Oh…Teddy. Oh my God, Teddy.” Yes. Like before. Only this time, something more. Like a bottomless, fathomless tenderness that shot her to the very stars above.
She arched up, shuddering. “Teddy, I love you, I love you, I love you,” she practically sobbed, unable to restrain her outpouring as the dam of passion within her burst.
Her release seemed to snap Teddy’s control. He gave a harsh cry and his expression turned to one of desperate agony. Breath hissing through his clenched teeth, he reared up, torso swiveling, hips pumping, until, with an exultant cry, he convulsed above her.
Afterward, he sprawled on top of her, his weight pressing her into the mattress in the most wonderful way.
He toyed with her hair, twining strands around his fingers, sighing repeatedly as if utterly replete.
Happiness filled her to overflowing. One day, she might regret the choice she’d made tonight. But for now, everything was right in her world.
“You love me, aye?” he murmured, his lips brushing her neck as he spoke.
Tears, happy ones, blurred her vision. Why bother to deny the truth now? “More than you can possibly know,” she whispered.
He kissed her shoulder and she felt his mouth curve into a smile, then he slid his arms around her and rolled onto his back, taking Georgina with him.
“No getting rid of me now, pet. You’re well and truly stuck.”
She nestled into him, hoping he did not notice the tears leaking from her eyes and down his chest. His, forever. She could not imagine a more wonderful fate.
He was lying on his back, midday, at the park at Hampstead Heath, eyes closed, arms folded under his head.
Birds chirped in the surrounding trees, and a soft, summer breeze riffled his hair.
He must’ve napped. No surprise there. Georgina’s silken fingers, playing in his hair, had the most extraordinary effects on his senses, arousing him, comforting him, relaxing him, enthralling him.
But she wasn’t touching him now. Why had she stopped? Greedy sot that he was, he wanted her hands on him constantly. Without opening his eyes, he felt around, encountering the picnic blanket first, then her silk skirts.
Silk skirts for an outing at the park? That was distinctly un-Georgina.
He opened his eyes, and saw the cool, willowy beauty, Lady Catherine, sitting beside him—and looking impatient.
“You said you’d row us out, Teddy. I’m ever so bored. Frankly, I don’t know why we always allow her to tag along. So much more fun when it’s just the three of us.”
He turned his head and saw Georgina. She sat under a shade tree some distance away, scrawling in one of her notepads. She’d removed her bonnet, silly goose, and would surely wind up with pinked cheeks.
Lady Catherine tugged at his shirtsleeve, and bent to whisper in his ear. “Come on, darling. Forget that wallflower. Take us out and I’ll let you do that thing you did last time.”
His eyes snapped open. It wasn’t midday, and he wasn’t at the park.
Nor was he in the villa’s guest chamber.
Satisfaction lanced through him. Ah, yes. He stretched, luxuriating in a mound of sweet-smelling bedding a-la-Georgina in her large four-post bed. Someone had drawn the curtains, shuttered the windows, and doused all the candles. Only one oil lamp burned, and it was turned down to a mere glow.
Too bad. He would’ve liked a bit of light. All the better to watch Georgina as she came apart beneath him—again.
A helpless smile curved his mouth as he reached for his wife and found only vaguely warm, empty sheets. He lifted his head from the pillow searching the shadowed chamber for Georgina. Where could she possibly have got off to?
As if he’d conjured her, the door from the antechamber opened and Georgina crossed the threshold. She carried something—a tray, on which a lone candle burned—which forced her to balance on one foot to use the other to kick the door shut behind her. He grinned, watching her wobble.
She’d donned a prim white wrapper, he assumed over a nightshift—a terrible waste of effort, as he’d be removing both shortly.
She hadn’t attempted to tame her wild mane of dark curly hair. It was delightfully mussed and fell nearly to her waist. Imagining fisting his hand in all that glory had his cock thickening. “Mm, there you are,” he drawled, his voice sleep scratchy.
She squeaked in alarm, jerking and jostling the items on the tray so they rattled and clinked and caused the candle to totter and its flame to sputter briefly. “You’re awake,” she breathed.
“Not exactly. Why are you?” Although, based on what she carried, he could hazard a guess. He eased himself into a sitting position, leaning against the headboard, and allowed the bed covers to tumble to his hips.
Georgina stared, luscious lips parting.
He went fully erect. However, now that he was mostly awake, it occurred to him, he and his wife needed to have a small chat.
“What have you there?” His question seemed to break her from her trance.
She started toward his side of the bed. “You were restless in your sleep, and it woke me.”
“Oh. I’m sorry to hear that.” He scrubbed a hand over his jaw and eyed the pot of tea growing ever nearer.
“I wasn’t complaining. I only meant, it occurred to me, what with one thing and another, you’d missed your evening dose, and perhaps that was causing you to have bad dreams.”
He could tell her the nightmares he had now were nothing compared to those he’d had while ingesting the foul concoction. But then she’d know he hadn’t taken a single dose since the day he’d arrived.
“You…er…prepared it yourself? You needn’t have gone to the trouble. Surely, one missed dose won’t kill me.”
She set the tray on the foot of the mattress then eyed his bare chest in a slow, thorough appraisal. His demure wife had a definite carnal streak. He was indeed a lucky man.
Finally she shook her head as if to clear it and picked up the candlestick, moving to set it atop the chest of drawers.
Teddy took the opportunity to lift the teapot lid and sniff the contents. In an instant he knew this was not the noxious concoction he abhorred.
“I would have made it, but I was not sure exactly where to find your tisane in the kitchens. I had to ring the bell to wake poor Mr. Danvers. He seemed to know precisely why I’d rung, because he answered the call with the prepared tea tray in hand.”
Good ole Danvers. What he lacked in social skills he made up for in usefulness and brains. “I see. I take it you’d like me to drink the stuff, now.” Best not to sound too eager.
He leaned toward her side, careful not to dislodge the damned tray, and flipped the bedcovers back, then patted the mattress. “Come back to bed, wife.”
She moved to the wall peg, slipped out of her wrapper and hung it on the peg, then returned to ease herself onto the bed.
He poured himself a cup of tea—the last thing he wanted right now—and eyed Georgina. Demure nightshift or no, he could still make out her delicious, feminine curves.
“I appreciate you going to the trouble, Georgina, but I really think I could cut back at this point. I seem to be making steady progress and—”
“Teddy, you promised,” she interjected. “And as I said, your sleep did seem disturbed.”
“Oh?” At some point he’d have to get her to rescind her ordinance.
The golden candlelight across from them illuminated her face enough for him to note her slanting him a look of concern. “You mentioned Drake. I remember you doing so on the night you arrived. On both occasions, you sounded upset.”
“I don’t recall any dream about your brother.” But he had awoken from a very strange dream, hadn’t he? One involving Georgina and Lady Catherine.
Come on, darling. Take us out and I’ll let you do that thing you did last time.
He had a sinking suspicion that thing was something naughty one didn’t do with one’s mate’s intended.
He must have made a face because she inched closer to him, her expression intent. “What is it? Have you remembered something else?”
He took a last sip of tea then set the cup in its saucer with a click. “I’m not sure. I dreamt…I don’t think you would appreciate hearing of it, to be honest, pet.”
She folded her arms over her chest, her eyes suddenly wary.
Distinctly wary.
He’d asked her if he’d betrayed her. She’d denied it. But…why did he keep imagining himself in compromising situations with Lady Catherine, if there was no basis in reality for the visions?
He slid his legs over the side of the mattress and rose. “I’ve had my fill.” He swiped up the tray and set it on the chest beside the dwindling candle.
“Now you’re finished, you can douse the flame,” she said, her voice slightly husky.
He glanced at her.
She was staring at him.
But then, he was naked—and half erect.
“I don’t think so. Not yet.” He wanted some light for what he intended to do with her. He strolled back to the bed, eased under the covers and scooted toward her side.
“You were saying? About your dream?” she said, going breathless when he brushed her hair off of one shoulder, then traced his fingertips over her jaw.
“Georgina, you’re certain I didn’t do something, let’s say, less than honorable to merit your request for annulment?” He scooped his palm around her nape, and massaged her tight muscles there.
She shook her head, her eyelids growing heavy.
He wished he could be sure she spoke the truth. He could not credit her lying to him about such a matter, but, something wasn’t adding up. Still, there was no point pressing her further. He’d asked, she’d answered.
“In that case, perhaps you would be good enough to explain the other thing.”
“The other thing?”
He nodded. “Come a little closer, if you please. You seem quite tense.”
She licked her lips, and his shaft went fully hard. Those lips had the most interesting effect on him.
“Come. I won’t bite.” Hard.
She shimmied toward him, bringing with her a waft of the sweet scent that clung to her skin and hair that also seemed to stimulate his senses. Hell, everything about her stimulated him.
When he could reach her with both hands, he grasped her by the waist and pulled her across his lap.
“Explain, if you will, how my wife of nearly two years was a virgin until earlier this evening.”