Chapter 6
Sunday
Christmas Eve
Joy slept deeply and well, vaguely aware of Douglas shifting in bed beside her, always keeping her close, his arms around her like a protective circle.
Their night had been interrupted from time to time, as one of them woke and aroused the other, eager to please and be pleased.
It must have been around three that they subsided into a deeper slumber.
When she emerged from sleep at last, she blinked slowly, watching the window pane as the sky turned first pink, and then lavender, and then a clear, true blue, dotted with long thin white clouds.
The storm had blown over, just in time for Christmas Eve. How nice.
Joy smiled, but then the meaning of the words in her head crashed into her.
It was far past dawn, and Douglas said his home was a full day’s ride away. He’d missed his chance to rejoin his son in time for the holiday.
“Douglas! Douglas, wake up!” She nudged his shoulder, then tipped his head toward hers.
His eyes opened slowly, accompanied by a sly smile. “What’s the matter, darling? Are you desperate for me again? So soon?”
“No, you dolt! It’s Christmas Eve!”
“Mmmm, lovely. I can think of a few games I want play with you.” He rolled over and suddenly covered her, his mouth seeking hers. For someone who’d been deep asleep a moment ago, he certainly woke up fast. And hard.
Joy managed to stop his kisses before she lost all perspective.
“Douglas, listen to me. It’s Christmas Eve tonight! It’s already midmorning, by the sun. Now you’ll never get home in time. And it’s my fault.”
He nudged her neck with his nose, the picture of an unbothered lover.
“You’re being a martyr, darling. I knew exactly what I was asking for last night and how much time it would take, which is to say all night and hopefully the rest of my life.
Being with you was the fulfillment of every dream I’ve had in the past ten years.
I don’t regret last night and I refuse to allow you to regret it either.
” He kissed her gently, then said, “But since we are awake and it is Christmas Eve, tell me what you would like to do? I know what I’d like. ”
“What?” Though from the feel of his cock against her body, she could guess.
“I want to stay here all day with you. All night again too. I want to play very dirty games with you until you’re utterly bored with debauchery, and then we’ll make love again, but in a pure and wholesome way, till you’re bored with that too and want to go back to being debauched.”
She couldn’t stop a smile. “You’re mad.”
“I’m besotted. Indulge me, Joy. We’re already naked in bed together. It seems a waste to not take advantage of that. Unless you want to get dressed so I can undress you again. I could make that fun too.”
“You are mad, and ridiculous.”
“Is that a yes?”
She sighed, succumbing to his words and his touches.
Douglas had already learned a lot about how exactly to bring her to a point of ecstasy, and he was merciless in doing it now.
Joy was soon helpless in his arms, making little noises of desire, demanding attentions he was happy to give, and finally crying out as he finished her and then pulled her close against his chest.
Joy wasn’t sure how long she dozed, but when she opened her eyes again, the wedge of sunlight was much smaller, and Douglas was on his side, half sitting up as he nibbled on some food from a tray.
“You’re awake, sleeping beauty. Hungry?” He smiled at her, his eyes amused and indulgent at the same time.
“How could you let me sleep?” She grabbed a bun off the tray, finding it light and sweet. “I should have left hours ago, if I was ever to reach my cousin’s home.”
“You didn’t want to go,” he pointed out. “You wanted to stay here with me.”
“Well, yes. But I ought to have gone. That’s what was expected of me.”
“Well, I expected you to stay. And I’m an earl, so surely I’ve got some clout.”
“You are very silly.”
“You’ve brought out my unserious side,” he admitted.
“I feel like I’ve been serious for the past decade, doing serious things to please those who never think at all of what I truly want.
And having you in my arms is exactly what I want, so I don’t need to pretend to be anything other than absurdly happy. ”
“Oh, Douglas.” The pleasure in his expression almost killed her.
“What?”
“I’m happy too.” But how short-lived that happiness would be.
“You don’t sound happy.”
“It’s just…well, since we are no longer trapped by the storm, I suppose I should do the expected thing, which is to return home to London and resume my life.”
“What if you did something unexpected? For example, you could come home with me to my house.”
She frowned. “Why would I do that? So everyone can see that I’ve begun an affair? No thank you.”
He was not in the least upset. “I’m not explaining myself properly, love.
I want you to come home, to my home, with me, so that you can meet my son and get acquainted with the house and the household because I would love to marry you in the New Year so that we don’t have to spend more time apart.
I made a mistake ten years ago—I never should have let you go.
Now Fate has given us another chance. Will you run away from it?
Is the known so much more appealing than the unknown?
Please don’t turn away from a new change in favor of the familiar. ”
“I didn’t even like the familiar, but I wasn’t picturing…this.” She gestured to the room, to their naked bodies, to the snow outside.
Douglas shrugged. “The worst outcome is that when you get there, you’ll change your mind and leave my house and my broken heart and you can go back to your old life. You’re a widow. You’ll risk nothing.”
“I’m a woman. I risk more than you.”
He acknowledged that with a lift of his chin, but said, “You think I’d let you suffer at all at this point? Even if you told me you never wanted to see me again, I’d work to protect you from any punishment society might try to dream up.”
In truth, Joy knew that no one who mattered would be terribly shocked by a wealthy widow having an affair with an earl.
Such arrangements were known and accommodated, even if they weren’t discussed over tea.
All she really feared was the mockery she could imagine: after ten years, she crawled back to his bed, long after he first set her aside. Or other equally cruel things.
“People will gossip,” she mumbled.
“People always gossip. What are you afraid they’ll say about my new countess?”
“You’re assuming I’ll marry you,” she said.
“Have I not been persuasive enough? I could keep you here a few more days.”
“Douglas! Marriage isn’t only about what happens in bed. It’s about finding someone you can live with, someone you want to be with for the rest of your life, someone who shares your values and your dreams, who laughs at your jokes…” She trailed off as he held up one finger for every point.
“We are a perfect match, then, Joy. All that, and we drive each other wild in bed? It’s meant to be.”
“But the talk…”
“Forget what other people may think. The difference is you either let them talk while you’re happy or let them talk while you’re sad.
What do you want, Joy? Which do you prefer?
” He kissed her then, either to give her a moment to consider her answer, or to do his utmost to tilt her answer in the direction he personally preferred.
She stared out the window, to the brilliantly sunlit snow blanketed outside. Then she said, “I believe I would like to experience joy for a while.”
“So would I,” Douglas agreed, his breath warm against her skin.
“You are terrible,” she murmured. “Puns are the very lowest form of humor.”
“That is a lie perpetuated by those who are jealous that they didn’t think of the puns first.” He kissed her lingeringly on her throat. “Be with me, Joy. The way is clear now. Let’s waste no more time.”