Chapter 27 #2
“If I hadn’t, you’d have walked back into this house with a knife waiting for you. I wasn’t about to let that happen.”
Rachel offered him a small, grateful smile. “Thank you.”
“Always at your service, Your Grace.” Rowan gave her a slight bow.
”You were brave, and you were brilliant.” Simon extended a hand toward him. “But for heaven’s sake, next time just wear a shirt.”
“Oh come on, a little bit of display will not kill you all,” Rowan replied, clasping his hand.
Aunt Jean folded her arms and looked between them. “Well. I don’t know whether to be scandalized or impressed.”
“Relieved is the word I would use,” Simon suggested.
Rachel looked around her, at Marina still clutching her and at Rowan folding his arms over his chest now that he was decently dressed. Simon’s hand found hers again.
The look of relief on everyone’s face was blatant. They had finally made it through.
The last of the constables tipped his hat, murmuring a polite farewell before disappearing through the front doors. Marina followed close behind Aunt Jean, who was already halfway through recounting the scene in scandalous detail to one of the maids.
Rowan lingered. Shirt now properly buttoned. He glanced between Rachel and Simon, a knowing smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.
“Well,” he said, clapping his hands once, “I’d say the duke and duchess have earned a few hours to themselves. No more theatrics and no more murder plots if we can help it.”
“Is that your way of taking your leave?” Simon raised a brow.
“That’s my way of being charming,” Rowan quipped. He turned to Rachel, “Your Grace.”
“Rowan,” she said with a tired smile, “go lie down.”
“A sound idea,” he said, already turning to the entrance, “If you need me, I’ll be sleeping for the next week. Do not wake me unless someone else tries to die.”
“Shall we go now as well?” Simon offered his wife a hand.
“Please,” she nodded.
It had been a long day, and all she wanted now was to be with Simon alone. Simon did not let her hand go while they walked through the hallway. The house felt lighter now.
When they got to his chambers, Simon opened the door and let her in first.
Already, Rachel could feel her heart beating fast. It was the very first time in days that she was with Simon like this alone.
Click.
The door closed softly behind her. Now, there would be no more interruptions.
Simon came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.
“Happy to have you.”
“Finally.” She reached up and placed her hand over his.
“My darling, I have been waiting to get you alone all evening,” he murmured, moving closer to her.
“You are not the only one who has been waiting,” Rachel said softly.
This made his eyes darken even more.
“Are you teasing me when you say that?” He moved his face closer so that she could feel his hot breath fanning across her face. ”Teasing me even now when you know that I want you badly?”
The confession sent a shiver down her spine.
“I would not dream of teasing you,” she replied. “You know that I want the same thing.”
Usually, Rachel would never be so forthcoming, but she had been away from Simon for so long that she did not feel the need to conceal her true thoughts under the guise of propriety.
“Is this what you want?” Simon leaned down to plant a chaste kiss on her lips.
It ended almost as soon as it started, and Rachel was left pouting.
“A bit more,” she said.
“Only if you ask nicely.”
“Please,” she said in a voice that she knew was his weakness.
It worked. And within a moment, his lips were on hers again. This time, he was not chaste about anything.
He backed her against the wall and kissed her with a passion that she had never experienced with him before.
His hands tangled themselves in her hair, and she groaned against his mouth.
“Is this what you meant?” he whispered, picking her up effortlessly. “Did you want me to do that?”
“I want more.” Rachel bit down on her lip. He obliged, carrying her straight to the bed.
“I will have to warn you,” he said as he set her down on the bed, “I have run out of all my self-restraint. So, if you want me to be gentle with you, we will have to stop here tonight.”
Rachel felt heat pool between her legs. It was not a warning but a delicious invitation.
“Otherwise, what will happen?” she asked, her eyelids hooded.
“Otherwise,” he said slowly, not taking his eyes off her, “I will ravage every part of you and reclaim what I almost lost.”
Rachel whimpered happily.
Yes. That was exactly what she wanted from him tonight.
“Don’t hold back,” she said to him, and it unleashed something inside him.
That was the only invitation he needed.
He lifted her into his arms, and she gasped as her back met the soft bed covers. He followed, trapping her body under his own.
His hands were everywhere, tracing the curves of her body and gripping at them.
“I want to leave marks,” he said, pulling the side of her dress down and exposing her chest to him. “I want to claim you.”
“I am already yours,” she whimpered as he bit down the side of her neck. Rachel was sure that would leave a mark, but right now, she did not care for the optics.
She wanted to be claimed by him as well.
Simon groaned low in his throat at her words, his mouth trailing hot, open kisses down the line of her neck.
“Then you’ll lie here,” he said, his voice rough, “and you’ll let me remind you what it means to belong to me.”
His hands gripped her hips firmly as he pulled the rest of her dress down, his body settling between her thighs.
“Keep your hands right there,” he ordered when she reached for him. “You’ll touch me when I say you can.”
The breath caught in Rachel’s throat. Her skin was flushed, but all she could do was nod.
“Good girl,” Simon praised. “Now be still for me.”
He lowered his head to her chest, his mouth covering one sensitive peak while his thumb brushed the other. Rachel cried out softly.
“Simon—”
“I said be still,” he growled, lifting his head just long enough to meet her eyes. “You’ll come apart when I say. Not a moment before. You’re mine, Rachel,” he murmured against her skin.
“Take me,” she whimpered.
“Spread your legs for me.”
It was such a primal request. Rachel obeyed right away.
“Good.” His tone was pleased, and she realized just how badly she wanted to please him. “You obey so sweetly. Look at you.”
“I—I,” she tried to speak, but words had seemingly failed her.
“Tonight, you don’t get to think,” he whispered. “You don’t get to move. You don’t even speak unless I tell you to.”
She moaned, but he silenced her with a finger pressed to her lips.
“What did I just say?”
“Not unless you tell me to.”
“That’s right.”
He kissed her hard then, gripping her wrists and pinning them above her head. His clothes came off next, and he positioned himself between her legs.
“You are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen…” There was no softness in his voice anymore. “… and I will make sure that you remember this. Every time you lie in this bed, you will remember that you are mine.”
She moaned, her hips shifting beneath him, and he growled low in his throat.
“Stay still,” he reminded her, nipping at her collarbone, “unless you want to be punished.”
If this was how he was acting now, she shuddered to think what punishment would entail.
She gasped as he finally thrust into her. There was no gentleness to his actions now. He was not building her up to it but just giving her what she needed.
Inch by inch. The bed shook as they moved, the headboard slamming against the walls. Everyone would be able to hear them, but that was the last thing that Rachel was worried about right now.
When she tried to moan, his hand flew to her mouth to silence her. But it was short-lived, as the sound of his own moans filled the air when he spilled his seed inside her.
As they finished, Rachel knew that she was going to be sore in all the right places for days to come.
And she could not wait to do it again.