A Shocking Proposition (7 page)

His mouth left her and he surged up her body, his hand still buried between her thighs. She cried out as his mouth closed over her breast once more and he suckled fiercely in wicked concert with the rhythm between her legs.

She broke, simply broke apart, her world consumed in fire as she fell, sobbing, from the precipice, felt his arms close about her and hold her safe, heard his voice soothing her as the firestorm ebbed.

* * *

Ash drew back, looked down at Maddy, his bride, his innocent bride, spread before him in delectably wanton abandon, her body still trembling in the aftermath of pleasure, her legs hanging limply over the edge of the bed. He caressed the slick, sensitive flesh and she gasped, shuddering, so sweetly responsive. And his. All his.

“Ash?”

“Yes, love?” Lord, when had he ever said that to a woman? Called her that?

Her eyes opened, dazed and vulnerable. “Was that what you meant by improper?”

Despite the savage need ripping at his guts, a chuckle shook him. “Oh, we’re getting there.”

He set his hands to the tantalizing swell of her hips and murmured. “Roll over for me.” She didn’t resist, but her body was so limp with pleasure that he ended up doing it for her. His hands tightened, curving over the firm, smooth globes.

“Ash?”

The nervousness in her voice, the uncertainty, had him hardening even more with the need to take her. Make sure she knew she was his. Always. And that there was nothing at all convenient about it.

“Yes?” Very gently, he opened her thighs, stepped between them, and pressed against the pale curves of her bottom, caressing her hips, the suppleness of her waist.

“What...what are you doing?”

Leaving one hand on her hip to steady her, he reached between her thighs from behind, found the soft, wet heat and stroked, holding her still, leaning over her until his mouth was close to her ear. He licked, nipped gently, and felt her body shudder, heard the little moan as he teased the damp, sweet secrets.

“I’m going to tup you, Maddy.” He wrapped one hand around his erection, guiding it to where she was so tight and hot, and rocked, barely penetrating her. She was all eager, wet, quivering silk. Ready for him, but he wanted her more than ready. He wanted her frantic, desperate, begging for him.

Maddy’s lungs seized as he pressed in, no more than an inch, and rocked there.
I’m going to tup you
... Understanding sent a bolt of need flashing through her. She wanted more, needed more, but he held back.

“Ash!
Please.
”

He leaned forward, covering her, until his mouth was by her ear again, his breath hot, her body trembling, bucking against his weight. “What do you want, Maddy-love. Tell me.” And he pressed a little deeper, so that she cried out, aching for more.

“Touch me!”

“Where, little one? Here?” He nipped at her throat, at the scrambling pulse beneath her ear.

“Inside me,” she got out, her voice breaking. His strength held her effortlessly, one hand playing at her breast, the other arm hooked under her belly, his fingers teasing the sensitive nub just above where his shaft promised heaven.

“How do you want me inside you, Maddy?” he whispered. His fingers slid closer to the empty ache he was teasing. “Like this again?”

“Your—” her voice broke as he rocked, stroked the taut nubbin so that fire leaped in every vein, need coiling in her belly “—whatever-you-call-your-pizzle,” she finished.

The word, when he told her, made her shiver. It sounded so hard, uncompromising

“Say it, Maddy,” he murmured. “Say it.”

And she did.

“I want you,
all
of you,” she whispered then. “Inside me.”

“I’m all yours, sweetheart,” he whispered. “Only yours. Always.” He gave himself to her, one inexorable inch at a time. “Slowly.” His voice shook, whether reminding himself, or reassuring her, she didn’t know. Her body burned as he took all of her, body, heart and soul, with exquisite care until at last he impaled her fully and she sobbed in pleasure.

“You like this?” he asked, moving gently.

She couldn’t speak, only moan at the shift of his body inside her, above her, surrounding her.

“And this?” he murmured, changing the angle, so that she gasped. “Or this?” And her body exploded on a shocked cry as he found that secret place within where delight bordered on pain.

His growl of satisfaction told her he knew. And then there was nothing else, nothing beyond his body taking hers, the wet slide of him inside her and the wicked counterpoint of his fingers. Nothing but the flames building, building inside her until she hung, blind with need, on the edge of that fiery abyss. He held her there, sobbing, shaking, every stroke of his body into hers both searing delight and agony of delay.

He pulled back, waited, and she cried out in protest as her body wept for release. He surged back into her and she screamed as she fell, broke and shattered around him.

Ash felt his control snap at her utter surrender. Again and again, he took her without compromise, without restraint, driving deep, deeper, into the hot, tight sheath convulsing about him. Consummation, white hot and relentless, crashed over and through him. He drove in one last time, shuddering with release as he poured himself deep inside her. He hung over her for a moment, dazed, blind with pleasure and then collapsed onto her soft trembling body with a groan. Nothing had ever been so good. He was surprised it hadn’t killed him.

Drawing on the last of his strength, somehow he got them both onto the bed properly and under the bedclothes. Maddy murmured in sleepy contentment as he settled her into his arms, precisely where she belonged. With a sigh she nestled closer and one small hand slid over his heart. Steel bands clamped around his chest.

He had no idea if there was a bedchamber prepared elsewhere for him and he didn’t care. He was exactly where he wanted to be. Gently he covered the hand over his heart with his own, and held it there, holding off sleep. It beckoned, but the delight of having her utterly sated in his arms, completely and irrevocably his, was shockingly precious.

A little while later he felt her stir in his arms.

“Ash?”

“Maddy-love?” She snuggled closer and his arms tightened as he looked down at her. Firelight gilded her face, even in the shadows of the bed, and his heart quaked as she smiled sleepily up at him. There was nothing even remotely convenient about what he felt.

“That was definitely improper, wasn’t it?”

He brushed his lips against her temple, breathed the fragrance of warm, soft, utterly pleasured woman. His woman. “Definitely.”

She sighed. “Apparently I like improper.”

He snorted out a laugh. “Just as well under the circumstances. Go to sleep. We can be improper again later.”

Chapter Seven

Christmas Day was a blur of light and laughter to Ash. He took Maddy to church in the morning, along with most of the household. The church was full and bells pealed wildly afterward as they walked out into the biting wind, surrounded by the warmth of good wishes and blessings.

Mr. and Mrs. Parmenter insisted on offering brandy at the vicarage. Ash wanted nothing more than to get Maddy back to Haydon. Home.
Their
home. But she had accepted, saying, “It will give Bets and the rest a chance to get home and put dinner together.”

So he acquiesced, and when Parmenter took him aside, put away his anger at the man’s hesitance over marrying them yesterday. This was not a day for anger or grievances.

Parmenter said quietly. “I was wrong yesterday, Lord Ashton. Very wrong and my good wife took me severely to task. When I thought it through afterward, your trust in Madeleine shamed me. Our Lord warned us against throwing the first stone. May I ask your forgiveness?”

Ash let out a breath. “Yes. A confession, sir. I was unsure, too. Oh, not of her,” he went on, seeing Parmenter’s surprise. “But I did wonder if Montfort—” He broke off, clenching his fists.

“Quite,” said Parmenter, his face grim. “A word for your ear. Be on your guard. My wife is not above listening to the chatter of our housemaids.” He cleared his throat. “In short, they are all worried that Montfort may still do something foolish.” His hand gripped Ash’s sleeve. “It pains me to gossip, but—”

Ash nodded. “Thank you, sir. I’ll guard her.”

Parmenter frowned. “Guard yourself, too. You made a fool of him yesterday.” He hesitated. “I have known Montfort all his life. I dislike speaking ill of one of my flock, but he is not an honorable man.” He flushed. “Another stone, but there I’ll take my chances.”

* * *

Maddy had been sure something was bothering Ash as they drove home from church. But when she asked, he denied it. Now, watching him set up a bowl of raisins for a game of snapdragons with several of the children at one end of the great refectory table after Christmas dinner, she wondered if she had imagined that odd abstraction.

She had not expected marriage to be like this at all. There was nothing convenient about this ache in her heart. Foolishness. How could she have fallen in love with a man she hadn’t seen for years? And yet what else could it be that had her bones to melted honey every time he called her
love.
A word only. Probably a casual endearment he had used with women before.

And yet she could not forget how he had woken her in the night and made love to her again, so gently, so completely, and murmured that sweet word to her as she broke and shattered.

Seeming to realize she was watching, Ash glanced up from pouring warmed brandy over the raisins, met her gaze with a smile that turned her heart inside out, before he gave his attention back to the game and the children.

A delighted cry went up as Ash lit the bowl. Maddy let out a breath. He had told her once that men desired women all the time. That it was convenient if they desired each other. So she had to assume that, for him, that was all it was. Desire. Convenience. And it was not his fault if now she wanted more.

The hall rang with laughter and shrieks as, along with Ash, the children snatched raisins from the dish of flaming brandy until the flames subsided and they each had a pile of raisins in front of them. Maddy’s mind ranged ahead. Christmas was a time for promises, for hope and joy. Once, long ago, a child had been born who was all that—promise, hope and joy. By next Christmas would they have their own child? Might she already be carrying Ash’s child?

“Right. Let’s see,” said Ash, counting his raisins. The children counted theirs as well. Only one pile looked as big as Ash’s.

“I’ve got twenty,” announced Ash, sitting back in his chair, candlelight gleaming on his hair, and his eyes glinting a challenge at the boy with the biggest pile, who was scowling in concentration.

A moment later there was a triumphant shriek. “Twenty-one! I’ve got twenty-one. I beat you, sir!”

Ash narrowed his eyes, examining the challenger’s pile. “Young whelp. You have, too. Well done!” He grinned at the boy, reaching out to ruffle his hair, and Maddy swallowed, imagining him with his own sons. “You’d better eat them now,” he said rising. “You can share mine out.”

He strolled over to where Maddy was sitting by the fire. “A penny for your thoughts,” he said, bending over her. At her feet, Ketch just wagged his tail.

If she said what she was thinking, would it spoil what she already had? Her heart quailed. Falling in love with Ash was going to break her heart. He had married her for convenience and to protect her. It was clear enough that he desired her. Could that be enough for her? She managed to smile up at him. “Only a penny? I was thinking that it must be time to retire.” She let her eyelashes drop as his eyes darkened. “I’m sure we’ll be excused.” Her fingers toyed with a lace kerchief about her neck, unknotting it slowly while she held his heated gaze, and then gently drawing it off. “And I believe I have a favor to return.”

* * *

When at last Ash tumbled his wife beneath him on their bed, he was hard and aching. God help him if she learned anything more about inciting a man to madness. She’d returned every favor and invented a few more. Now it was her turn.

“I’m going to have you now, wife,” he whispered.

Her smile was Eve incarnate as she yielded sweetly, her arms coming about him as he settled between her thighs. “I thought it was mutual,” she murmured, and kissed him.

“Maddy,” he whispered, and took her mouth as completely as he took her body.

* * *

Ash woke with a start, unsure what had disturbed him. He’d been dreaming, he thought, but not the usual nightmares. Just an ordinary dream. The sound came again. A scratching and snuffling at the door. He sat up carefully, trying not to disturb Maddy snuggled next to him. There was a very faint glow from the fire, enough to see by.

“I think it’s Ketch,” she said sleepily. “Someone must have forgotten to take him to the stables. Just open the door. He’ll sleep by the fire if you tell him.”

Ash looked down at her. “Where does he usually sleep?” he asked suspiciously.

She looked a little self-conscious. “Well, in here. By the fire mostly. But sometimes he sneaks onto the bed, and I thought last night—” He was fairly sure she was blushing. Just as well she had put the dog out last night.... Clearing his throat, he got out of bed and went to the door. Sure enough, when he opened it, there was Ketch.

Ash pointed to the hearth. “There,” he said, employing his best commanding officer voice. The dog gave him a very surprised look, but wagged his tail and made for the fire, curling up in front of it and looking hopeful, just the tip of his tail moving.

“Very well,” said Ash, fighting a grin. “But just remember—the bed is mine.”

* * *

The next time he woke up, it was to the sensation of something wet and cold nuzzling at him. He cursed as something scratched at him. “Damn it, dog!” He opened his eyes to the glow of firelight. Ketch was reared up, one paw on the bed, the other raised, apparently about to nudge him again. Ash sat up, about to explain to the dog exactly where he was making his mistake...

Ketch got down, backed up a little and growled. Then he ran to the door, still growling, and looked back at Ash.

“Does Ketch want to go out?”

Maddy sounded half-asleep.

Was that all it was? A dog needing to go outside? Ash got out of bed, reached for his breeches and shirt and hauled them on.

Maddy sat up, clutching the blankets to her. “Why is he growling?”

“He doesn’t usually growl to go out?”

“Of course not. He stands on me and licks my face!” She threw back the bedclothes.

But the dog had come to him. Growling. Something was wrong.

Maddy had flung on her nightgown and was belting her robe about her, sliding her feet into slippers.

“You stay here,” he snapped, Parmenter’s warning in mind. He couldn’t believe Montfort could be so stupid, but...

She glared at him, pushing hair out of her eyes. “This time
you
can save
your
breath. I’m coming with you.”

His mind raced. “All right. But stay back with Ketch until we know what’s going on.” Seeing mutiny in her eyes, he added, “That’s called strategy. Keeping something in reserve in case your first plan doesn’t work.” Her eyes narrowed, but at least she nodded. Strategy, hell. If it was Montfort, he didn’t want her anywhere near him.

* * *

The door that led from the corridor into the hall was closed. Ash set his hand lightly to the handle, listened. Muffled footsteps sounded. Ash tensed. It sounded like someone wearing heeled boots was trying not to make too much noise. Only old Bets and Cally Whitfield slept in the house. They didn’t wear boots.

He glanced over his shoulder. Maddy stood halfway along the corridor, Ketch’s collar gripped in one hand, a candlestick in the other. He held up one hand in a
no further
gesture, and eased the door open a couple of inches.

The hall was lit only by the fire. The fire they had left banked. Someone had stirred it up again. In the flickering light a man moved around quietly, pouring liquid from a can. He wore a heavy coat and a hat pulled down low over his face, but for a moment the firelight caught his features. Montfort.

Ash sniffed. Lamp oil. His gut twisted. The bastard thought he was going to burn them out. Even as he watched, Montfort started laying the trail of oil toward the fire. He cursed mentally. He had to try to stop Montfort before he got any closer to the fire. If the blighter was armed, he was in trouble, but there was no time to find his own pistol and load it. By the time he did, the hall would be ablaze.

He opened the door fully and strolled in. “Good evening, Montfort. You’re a little late for the Christmas goose.”

Montfort swore, and dropped the can. Oil flooded from it, but, thanks to the uneven old floor, did not flow toward the fire. “You’re a bloody nuisance, Ravensfell,” he said.

Ash shrugged. “I do try. The magistrates are going to take a rather dim view of this, you know.”

Montfort laughed. “The magistrates? They aren’t going to hear anything except what a tragedy it was that Lord and Lady Ashton Ravensfell died when Haydon burned to the ground. I’ll be chief mourner for my poor little cousin. Might even persuade the courts to award the estate to me.” He took a pistol from his pocket and trained it on Ash.

Time slowed to a crawl. He was too far into the hall to reach the door. It didn’t matter if he died. He couldn’t risk Montfort getting to Maddy and he had to warn her that the bastard was armed.

“You don’t think they’ll find it odd that I died in a fire with a pistol ball in me?”

Montfort snorted. “That’s assuming there’s enough of you left for them to find.”

Ash gathered himself to rush Montfort. At the very least he’d be a moving target in very poor light...

* * *

Terror coursed through Maddy.
Ash.
Oh
,
God.
Ash!
She pressed against the wall beside the door, cold all over as she listened, hanging onto Ketch. Low growls sounded in the dog’s throat and his hackles were up.

One shot. Unless he had a second pistol, Edward had only one shot and she’d be damned if she’d let him murder Ash. A distraction, she needed to distract him...

Please
,
God
...

She stepped out into the hall. “Edward!”

Both men whipped around.

“Maddy! Get
back!
”

Ash’s voice rang out, but the pistol was no longer aimed at him, and Maddy released her death grip on Ketch’s collar. “
Take!
”

Ketch hurtled low across the hall in a blur of movement, and sprang in silent fury. The pistol roared as Edward went down under the dog’s weight, the ball smashing into the doorway beside Maddy. Splinters flew, stinging her cheek.

Ignoring that, she ran forward, grabbed the crossed swords down from the wall beside the fire, shaking them free of holly. “Ash! Here!” She flung one sword, hilt first, and he snatched it from midair.

Ash breathed again. He wasn’t sure he’d ever stop shaking after seeing Montfort’s pistol trained on Maddy, but at least he was armed now. He advanced to where Montfort was curled in a ball, arms over his head protecting his throat from the dog.

“
Call the brute off!
Call him off!
”

“Lie still, Edward, and I’ll call him off,” snapped Maddy, coming up, sword at the ready. “But I warn you, if you try anything else, I’ll set him on you again.”

“
Please!
Ow!
” Ketch had found an opening and bitten an ear.

“Ketch. Enough. Sit and guard.”

Clearly reluctant, the dog released his quarry and sat, still growling.

Montfort started to sit up, but cringed back when he found Ash’s sword at his throat, and Ketch lunged, snapping.

“
Sit.
” The dog sat again on Maddy’s command, still growling.

Ash, keeping the point of his sword against Montfort’s flesh, asked, “Will he obey me?”

“Who? Ketch?” said Maddy. “I don’t know. Why?”

“Because I want you to fetch the men.” He wanted her away from Montfort. Safe.

“Oh.” Maddy smiled. “Well, if Edward does try to get up Ketch will take him down again whether I’m here or not. But I don’t know if he’ll obey if you try to call him off.”

“That,” said Ash, in savage satisfaction, “doesn’t really matter.”

“What in the world?” Maddy looked around to see Bets and Cally standing in the doorway that led out to the old garde tower. “Why,” said Bets, “that’s ’is lordship! And what’s that stink of lamp oil?”

* * *

“You bloody, little
idiot!
” snarled Ash, his face white in the fire’s glow as he slammed the bedchamber door behind them half an hour later and rounded on her. “Walking in like that when the bastard was armed! What the hell were you thinking?”