Chapter 34
Chapter Thirty-Four
Johanna
“I feel terrible,” Johanna confessed once they were safely tucked into the carriage, and she was staring at the empty bench across from her and Matthew.
“About what?”
“Abandoning Rose.”
Matthew shrugged.
“When it comes to my grandmother, it is every man—or woman—for themselves. Besides, Grandmama was going to get her hooks into Rose one way or another now that I’m married off.”
“Rose is illegitimate. I know that some men have been interested in her before, but not for honorable reasons.” She shook her head.
“It will not matter to some of the minor gentry. She is acknowledged and educated and is now the cousin of a duchess, as well as of an earl. That social standing will give her protection against most dishonorable offers.” His voice hardened.
“And anyone who dares to think otherwise will answer to me.”
Johanna sat back against the bolster of the seat as she realized that her own increase in status had affected Rose’s as well.
That was something that had not come up during the suppertime conversation.
Now, she had to wonder if Lady Stark had not brought it up on purpose, so as to be able to take Rose off guard, just as she had tonight.
“Is Lord Boyd minor gentry?”
“No, but he might just not care.” Matthew grinned.
“The Earl of Derby married an actress. She’s been the Countess of Derby for decades now.
It was a massive scandal at the time, but if a nobleman decides to marry beneath him, then it is not as though anyone can stop him if that’s what he truly desires. ”
Although she did not like hearing Rose described as being beneath anyone, she knew what Matthew meant. Much of the ton would already think that about her just because of her parentage. On the other hand, she did have to think better of Lord Boyd that he clearly did not care what the ton thought.
Unless, of course, he was angling for some kind of favor from her and Matthew by courting Rose.
Johanna let out a long breath. That would only work if he managed to turn Rose’s head, and if there was a more sensible person in the world than Rose, Johanna had not met them.
And perhaps he was, as Matthew said, in earnest. Which would give Rose a place in the ton on her own rather than having to rely on others, which she knew chafed her cousin.
Still.
“I am not sure that is what Rose wants.”
“Well, if anyone can resist my grandmother’s manipulations, it’s Rose.
” Matthew chuckled and reached over to take Johanna’s hand, giving it a squeeze.
His stalwart support made Johanna feel even worse.
Here she was, hiding this massive secret from him, and he was ensuring her comfort, dancing attendance on her, and even whisking her away from the ball early.
Making decisions that discomfited him, without the coin that she knew he so heavily relied on.
“I still feel terrible,” she said. She did feel bad about Rose, but mostly she felt bad about the things she was keeping from her husband… and from Rose, for that matter. “Perhaps… perhaps you should spank me.”
She said it with great daring, almost unable to believe she was making the request, but at the same time, she knew she wanted it. Perhaps it would make her feel better.
“You want me to spank you for leaving Rose at the ball?”
“Yes.” It was a good excuse for the punishment she so richly deserved. If he spanked her, even though he did not know the real reason, it might alleviate some of the guilt that kept surging within her. “As a punishment. I cannot ask her to do it.”
“Well, no, I suppose that is true,” he said slowly. Johanna was aware of his fingers reaching for his pocket before he dropped them down again. “I… well. Very well. If that is what you want.”
Taking her hand, he tugged her forward, and Johanna let out a little cry as she found herself being pulled over his lap.
“I meant when we got home!” she squeaked as she felt her skirts lifting.
Her face was furiously hot as they rocked along the road, her ears already straining to hear if there were any passersby outside…
or for some reaction from the coachman… The drapes were open, though it was unlikely anyone could see inside the carriage, yet it still felt as though the entire world must know that her husband had just put her over his knee.
“Why wait?” he asked. “If you’ve been naughty, we should attend to your punishment as quickly as possible.”
“Oh!” Johanna quickly covered her mouth with her hands as his palm came down on her backside, leaving behind a sharp sting where it landed. She uncovered her mouth enough to whisper, “Someone will hear!”
“Then you had best be quiet.” Amusement threaded through his voice.
Johanna realized that he did not very much care if someone heard or not.
His hand came down again, making her squeak and wriggle on his lap.
One arm pressed down across the center of her back, holding her in place over his knee as he began to bring his hand down again and again with sharp, crisp swats.
Johanna had to admit, the actual sound of the spanking was not very loud, so it was up to her to keep her reactions quiet.
She pressed her hands to her lips, muffling her gasps and cries as he heated her bottom with the stinging swats.
It did hurt, yet her body clenched with every strike, in a manner that was far more related to pleasure than pain.
She felt herself shudder as arousal and need curled within her, stoked by the punishment she was receiving.
Which was not the point of being punished at all, yet she could not stop the reaction, even if she wanted to.
Her husband was heating her inside and out, and it was mostly the embarrassment of the situation that truly felt like discipline.
Matthew
There was something going on with his wife, and Matthew was not certain what, but he was determined to find out. Eventually.
In the meantime, if she wanted a spanking, then she would get a spanking.
She was feeling guilty over something, and he thought it had far more to do than with leaving Rose at the ball.
Of course, it being Johanna, Matthew could not imagine it being anything too terrible, but clearly, she wanted some kind of punishment for whatever imagined infraction she’d committed.
He did wish he could have flipped his coin to find out if using the carriage ride for her punishment was the right decision, yet Sebastian’s words had stuck in his mind.
If there were consequences, he would have to deal with them.
Just like everyone else.
There was a kind of rush in taking action without the surety that it was the right choice. The not knowing. Was this how everyone felt? All the time?
He was almost giddy from taking Johanna over his lap, just because he felt like it. Baring her bottom to the moon as its light filtered in through the carriage window, without knowing if it was the right decision or not.
Those pale cheeks were now glowing a pretty pink, though he was taking care not to spank her too hard.
The sound should not be truly audible over the noise of the carriage and the horses’ hooves clopping along the ground, much less the others currently on the street.
Even if his coachman could hear some of what was going on, how would he even begin to guess at the reality?
They were about halfway home when Matthew decided to stop—he decided.
In large part because his cock was hard as a rock within his breeches, and there was something he’d always wanted to do in a carriage, but had never been in a position to attempt.
The few times he’d been with a lover in a carriage before, the coin flip had always denied him engaging in the fantasy.
But there was nothing to tell him no now.
Even in the dim lighting, Matthew could see the flush in his wife’s cheeks when he pulled her back up. Her eyes were wide, her lips slightly parted, and there was an expression of both excitement and shock on her lovely face. She took a moment to focus her gaze on him.
Cupping his hand under her chin, Matthew pulled her to him for a kiss. She kissed him back, passionately, eagerly. Spanking her made her as aroused as it did him. Sliding his hand around to the back of her neck, he used his free hand to undo the front of his breeches, freeing his cock.
Ending the kiss, his fingers pressed her head down to his lap.
Johanna shifted on the seat beside him, getting into a more comfortable position to bend down and take his cock into her mouth.
Leaning back against the seat, Matthew groaned as her lips pressed against the tip, then opened to take him into the wet heat, her tongue flicking against the crown as she did so.
He hissed, thrusting his hips up, leaning even farther back and letting his head fall back as well as she slid her lips down the length of him. The carriage rocked, moving them with its motions, even as he guided her head up and down.
The cozy confines around them locked out the rest of the world.
He was no longer paying attention to what was outside the carriage window, whether anyone might be able to hear them, or anything other than the way his wife’s mouth moved over his shaft.
His grip tightened on the back of her neck as she sank down, her tongue working as she sucked hard on the length of him, taking him deeper until his tip bumped up against the back of her throat.
“Bloody hell.”
He thrust up into her mouth, his hand firm on the back of her neck, her fingers curled around and digging into his thigh as he used her mouth for his pleasure.
It was every bit as perversely wicked as he’d always imagined it would be, engaging in such intimacies while moving along the streets of London. Knowing there were others outside the carriage who had no idea what was happening within—who would be utterly scandalized if they did.
Johanna hummed around him, and Matthew groaned, doing his best to keep his voice as low as possible.
Not truly caring if someone heard him. His excitement was growing with every lick, every suck, and he knew he was not going to last much longer.
Indeed, he could not last much longer without risking the coachman an eyeful as they were nearly home.
Shuddering, he closed his eyes and gritted his teeth against a shout as Johanna’s mouth slid down all the way to the base of his dick, swallowing him completely.
Pure pleasure shot through him, pulsing within him, as he began to spurt into her mouth.
He could feel her throat working against his fingers as she drank him down, milking every last drop from his aching shaft.
It was sinful heaven.
By the time the coachman opened the door, they were both in their seats, as primly proper as they’d appeared when he’d closed it.
If the coachman noticed Johanna’s rumpled skirts, flushed face, swollen lips, and slightly disheveled hair, he did not show it as he helped her down out of the carriage.
Matthew felt a bit unsteady on his feet as he stretched his legs out a bit, following their carnal activities on the road, but he managed.
Taking his wife’s arm and grinning at her hot blush, he led her into their house, a very different kind of eagerness rising within him.
There was something very nice about being able to just do as he wished. Especially when it came to his wife. It had been a lovely interlude. But now that he was home, it was like he could feel how near his coin was to being back in his hands again, and he wanted it. Needed it.
Then he and Johanna would be able to enjoy the rest of their evening together, and he could flip to see whether or not to press her about whatever secret she was keeping from him.