Chapter 28
“I’d like a few minutes to discuss the matter with Elizabeth,” Robert said a stunned moment later as he did his best not to grab Elizabeth in his arms and run from this house and this conversation so that he wouldn’t have to face the fact that he was about to lose the woman that he loved to his brother.
“I don’t think that’s wise,” Lord Norwood said after a slight pause.
“Just a few minutes, Papa,” Elizabeth said, making every muscle in his body tense.
A few minutes…
That’s all it was going to take to rip his heart out of his chest.
“Very well,” Lord Norwood said stiffly. “We’ll be waiting in my study.”
Robert nodded but didn’t speak, too afraid that he’d say something that he’d regret later.
He’d love nothing more than to yell at the man, but he wouldn’t, not in a million years.
Elizabeth would never forgive him, and although he was doing his damndest to resign himself to the fact that he was about to lose her and probably never see her again, he didn’t want her last memory of him to be of him insulting her father.
When the door closed with a soft click, he opened his mouth to speak but realized that he didn’t know what to say.
How was he supposed to compete with James?
He was older, had a title and a respectable reputation.
He would also be able to give her the life that she deserved, that was hers by right.
Staying with him would only drag her down, and he loved her too much to do that to her.
If she wanted to save herself by marrying James, then he would allow it.
He would sign the necessary documents to end their marriage and then he would leave.
He’d gift the forty thousand pounds to her and be done with it.
He didn’t want the money, didn’t need a constant reminder of what he’d lost. He would-
“Why are you taking off your nightgown?” Robert asked, unable to hide his confusion even as he did his best not to look down and failed…about five or six times.
“We only have a few minutes,” he thought she’d said, but he wasn’t entirely sure since all of his attention was on her beautiful breasts that bounced slightly as she leaned over the side of the bed and pulled on the silk rope.
“What?” Robert mumbled, struggling to focus as her breasts went ahead and bounced again as she shoved the covers off his lap, revealing a rather painful erection.
“Perfect,” she sighed as she threw her leg over him and straddled his lap.
“What’s perfect?” Robert asked absently, hissing seconds later when the tip of his cock brushed against her wet slit.
Instead of answering him, she laid one hand on his shoulder and, with the other hand, she reached down between them and grabbed hold of his erection.
He opened his mouth once again to ask her what she was doing, but his words escaped him in a strangled moan when she rubbed the head of his cock between the lips of her wet sex.
Elizabeth released a frustrated groan as she shifted his cock against her once again. When she wiggled, brushing the tip against her core, he was forced to grab her hips and hold her still so that he could focus.
“Elizabeth-”
“Are you going to help me or not?” she demanded, doing her best to wiggle out of his hold.
“Help with what?” Robert asked, resisting the urge to close his eyes and lick his lips.
“Putting this thing inside of me!” she snapped, sounding frustrated and so damn cute that he couldn’t help but smile until her words registered in his mind.
“What?”
She released an annoyed sigh as she continued to wiggle, testing his patience and making his eager cock jump.
“Look, Robert,” Elizabeth said, pausing to worry her bottom lip as she shifted on his lap, “we only have a few minutes to do this if we’re going to save this marriage, so I’d really appreciate a little help here. ”
“You want to save our marriage?” he asked, stunned enough to tighten his grip on her hips to stop her maddening movements and focus on what she was saying.
She let out a snort as she released the grip she had on his cock and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. “You really didn’t think that you were going to get rid of me that easily, now did you?” Elizabeth asked with a sweet smile as she leaned forward and lightly brushed her lips against his.
“I can’t give you the things that James can give you,” Robert felt obligated to point out.
“And he can’t give me the things that you can. So, if you don’t mind, I’d really like to consummate this marriage and end the matter,” Elizabeth said, pulling back just far enough so that he could see her smile as she teasingly wiggled on his lap again.
It took every ounce of strength he had in him to stay still. “You’re sure?” he asked, selfishly not arguing with her or pointing out how much better off she’d be with James since he was a selfish bastard.
“Yes,” she said, leaning in to kiss him again, but he had other plans.
He swallowed her gasp of surprise as he tightened his hold on her hips and shifted to roll her over onto her back. Before her back hit the soft mattress, he was inside her.
“You feel so good, minx,” Robert groaned, pulling back quickly only to slide in slowly, enjoying the way her sheath coated every inch of him along the way.
“Don’t stop,” she said, reaching up and fisting her hands in his hair and yanking him down for a kiss.
He went willingly as he reached down and cupped the back of her knee. He pulled her leg up, opening her wider and allowing him to sink further inside her. It was heaven.
It was hell.
“We have to stop,” Robert said, struggling to pull out, but it seemed that he no longer had control of his body.
“Don’t make me kill you!” Elizabeth growled against his lips, making him moan even as he groaned in frustration.
“If we don’t stop now, the servants will walk in on us,” he said, not really caring if he was caught having sex, but he didn’t want to embarrass his wife or risk anyone else seeing the beautiful body that was meant for his eyes only.
“Good,” she said, surprising him.
“Good?” he asked, leaning down to kiss her simply because he couldn’t help himself.
“Because I plan on keeping you,” Elizabeth said against his lips, taking him by surprise.
“Are you sure?” Robert asked, deciding once again not to argue with her since he wasn’t an idiot. There really was no need to remind her that James was probably the better choice. She’d figure it out eventually and by the time she did, it would be too late.
“Yes,” she hissed, panting harder as she wrapped her legs around him and arched her back to take him deeper.
“I’m never letting you go, minx,” he swore against her lips as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tightly against him.
“Good.”
“Do you need help getting dressed, my-Oh, my God!” he heard a maid scream seconds before the door slammed shut.
“I guess you’re stuck with me, Mr. Bradford,” Elizabeth said, smiling against his lips and giving him no choice but to smile back.
“I guess I am, Mrs. Bradford,” Robert said, chuckling when he heard the commotion out in the hallway, guaranteeing that no one was ever going to be able to take her away from him.