Chapter 18 #2
She wore a stunning new gown of deep blue, and her hair had been dressed, piled on top of her head with pearls. His heart started beating faster because of the smile on her lips.
Algernon fully approved of her appearance. He went to her and took up her hand. “Perfection.”
He brought her into the room and presented her to Varley. “Maggie, this is Lord Varley. Varley, may I present Margaret Black, my betrothed.”
Varley opened his mouth as he stared at them, but no sound came out.
And then he started to laugh. “You devil! You could have told me last night you were engaged, but I see now why you looked so deuced smug. If I were in your position again, I wouldn’t tell anyone I’d found such a beauty until after the wedding day was long over, too. ”
Varley came over and bowed to Maggie.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Black. My wife will be thrilled to learn I will win that wager at White’s, as it is clear this will be the love match of the year, given the twinkle in my friend’s eye.”
Maggie curtsied to him. “My lord.”
Algernon winked at Maggie. “There’s a large wager in the betting book at White’s about when I take a bride.”
Maggie nodded. “The when has yet to be discussed.”
“Hopefully it will be soon for my friend’s sake,” Varley suggested. “But soon or late, I will still win. I might even be able to improve the pot with the right taunt or two.”
“Don’t push it too far,” Algernon warned him.
“Well, this is good news all round.” Varley snatched up his hat. “I shall happily install my mama-in-law next door and win the bet about you both, while I leave you to have the pleasure of charming this lovely lady.”
Varley nodded to them and swept from the library, humming softly to himself.
Algernon faced Maggie. “You are stunning.”
She blushed prettily and held out the skirts to twirl around. “Thank you for my new gowns. I had no idea they were for me when I chose the fabric I liked best.”
“The bold color suits you. Thank you for agreeing to marry me,” he whispered.
“About that…” she began.
“Large or small wedding?” he asked quickly, deciding not to leave any room for doubt that he would marry her one way or another.
She bit her lip. “What do you want?”
“I want you to be my wife,” he said. “I do not care how we marry. Only when is important to me. I would prefer sooner rather than later, so the matter is settled. I will apply for a marriage license for us.”
“That means we could be married as soon as you have the license, doesn’t it?”
“Yes, we could, but is that what you want? I know you don’t like to rush into things.”
She wet her lips. “Under the circumstances, I think a private wedding would be less awkward for me. I have no one to give me away, or any family to attend a grand wedding.”
“You’ll soon have mine, but I agree, a small wedding is all we need.
” He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed her fingers, while he dug in his pocket for a ring to put there.
He’d chosen one of Mama’s rings for such an occasion.
He hoped Maggie approved as he slid it onto her finger, relieved that it fit snugly in place.
“There, officially engaged to be married. How do you feel?” he asked.
“Like I’m dreaming,” she told him, giggling as she admired the ring. “Though I never imagined…”
“Well, you must do so now and often. There is nothing you cannot do or have from this moment on.”
“Is that right?” She glanced at him with a look in her eye that suggested she was thinking of what they had done last night, instead of things that might cost money.
He drew close to her. “If you look at me like that, my love, the answer will always be yes, by the way.”
“That is good to know,” she said, and grinned widely. “Do the library doors lock?”
He nodded and left her, grinning to shut and lock the library doors, before he rushed back to her side. “The marriage license can wait another hour to request, I think.”
Algernon bent down and kissed Maggie, but this was no kiss intended to soothe. He cupped her head gently, determined not to muss her hair so early in the day, and held her close. Relieved that he would always be able to.
He was done fighting desire and yearning to belong to someone. Algernon’s place was with Maggie.
He kissed her, unbuttoning her gown until it sagged around her bust and captured her breasts in his hands. Attempting to stem the passion Maggie had unleashed in him was no longer an issue.
He stroked the back of his fingers down her body and touched her left leg. Maggie did nothing to stop him. He lifted her gown until the bottom of it rested above her knees. Still, nothing he did seemed to cause her to have doubts.
“Maggie, you are too encouraging for my sanity,” he warned.
“Well, a wife should be eager for her husband,” she whispered.
She kissed him and used her tongue, teasing him and exciting him with no effort at all.
He got a hand between them and spread her thighs, impatient for what came next. Maggie moaned into his mouth and shuddered as he cupped her sex. He had to hear that sound repeated for the rest of his life, and set about making her moan again.
He found her entrance and probed gently. She moaned again and wriggled, giving him the access he desperately sought.
He pushed a finger inside her, even as he warned himself that he was going too fast. Yet Maggie seemed to accommodate him easily enough, pushing against his finger.
He drew back to watch her face. She had her lower lip between her teeth and panted at everything he did. The thought of her legs parted and her own hand there instead of his caused his cock to jump in anticipation of their future together.
He removed her new slippers, letting them fall away, and set one of her feet against his chest. Maggie nodded and lifted her other foot to sit against his shoulder, too, and slowly parted her knees wide.
The sight of Maggie like that, so open and aroused, gave him such a rush. He gazed down on perfection. Her body was waiting for him. The prize he might not deserve but craved.
He returned his finger to her sex, working it back and forth until he decided it was time to add another. Only when she was ready would he claim her again.
Maggie settled to lie back over the desk as he aroused her. When he thought she was ready, he had a moment of doubt. What if he got a child on her this time?
“Please,” she whispered.
He could not refuse her. He unbuttoned his trousers and let his cock spring free. He’d never been so hard before, and it was all because he’d found the one. The woman he could not live without.
He fitted himself to her entrance and pushed with short, quick thrusts. Maggie opened to him easily enough at first, but then she hissed, and he backed off immediately.
“Maggie?”
“It’s not you,” she said, sounding testy as she reached over her head and presented him with a pearl-headed pin from her hair. “Dangerous things, hair pins.”
“They can be,” he said, as he pushed deep.
Maggie twisted her hips, settling him deeper with her movement. When he was fully seated, he lay over her and caught her eye. “Now what?”
Her shocked expression brought a smile to his face.
She swatted his shoulder. “Now is not the time to tease me.”
“There’s always time for that with us.” He chuckled as he withdrew and thrust, but soon he was driving into her, unable to stop.
He braced his thighs against the heavy desk edge, changing position until she was aloft in his arms, and continued to fuck her even as he kissed her senseless.
Suddenly, Maggie stiffened, jerking around his cock as she climaxed. Algernon barely withdrew in time to avoid spilling inside her, too.
When he was done, spent, he set Maggie down to one side to avoid soiling her new gown. They leaned against each other, panting hard. Maggie started to laugh softly.
Algernon caught her eye. “What amuses you, my love?”
“I guess you’re a lot stronger than you used to be?”
“That comes in handy when there isn’t a soft bed around,” he warned. “I’ve a book on the subject of positions for lovemaking that you might enjoy reading.”
She clutched his head. “For the first time in my life, I believe I might be able to figure out intimacy without a heavy tome to guide me. Every passionate moment with you has been effortless.”
He kissed her forehead softly. “Yes, Maggie, it feels that way for me, too, and always will.”