Legendary Lover (26 page)

228

last
the bottle mouth met the lodged cork, she shivered with insatiable longing.

"It's not in very far," he whispered. "I'm not sure you can take me."

She didn't respond, transported to a level of sensual ecstasy that overwhelmed speech.

"Do you think you can?" He gently moved the bottle in a delicate rhythm of thrust and withdrawal that made it impossible to concentrate on anything but delirious sensation.

Running his warm palm over her breasts, he stroked the soft fullness, slid his fingers down the deep valley between the quivering
flesh
, lightly squeezed each nipple as though estimating her degree of readiness. "You have to answer me, mademoiselle, or I won't know whether you want my services."

She looked up, understanding an answer was required but unsure of the question, lust dominating her senses.

Lifting his hand, he slid his fingers under her chin and tipped her face up, forcing her to look at him. "Will you be able to take me?"

"Yes, yes . . ."

He smiled. "How kind of you, mademoiselle."

She smiled back, beautiful, compliant, welcoming.

Perhaps too compliant, he suddenly thought, wondering if she'd actually done this before. "Have you ever let a footman service you?"

The fine edge in his voice stripped through her heated insensibility, his words clear, his implication clearer still, and her independence abruptly reasserted itself. "Now why would I want to do that?" she murmured in a normal tone of voice, gazing at him from under the curve of her lashes.

229

He softly laughed. "You're back. Would you tell me if you had?"

"Of course not."

"Do I have to beat the truth out of you?"

"I'm not sure you dare."

"I could try."

"That might be interesting. But I think I'll climax first."

"Or maybe not," he softly countered, pulling the bottle out.

"I can do this without you." She reached for the bottle.

He moved it out of her reach.

When she lunged for it, he caught her hands and held her at arm's length. "Now tell me about your servants."

"There are so many," she said with dulcet sweetness. "I'm not sure I can remember them all."

"Just recall those likely to have fucked you."

"Why should I do that?"

"If you want to come tonight, you might wish to comply." Shoving her back on the bed, he quickly extracted the cork and tossed it away.

"You're altogether too domineering."

"Just answer the question."

"Maybe I can't remember."

"Try."

"You may not like the answer."

He inhaled, not sure how he'd respond, his dragooning heed inexplicable. "I just want to know."

'
^l
And
then I'll have what I want?"

He nodded.

230

"None, none at all, my whimsical John Thomas.
You're the only one."

"Liar."

"You wanted an answer."

"It's not satisfactory."

"Really, darling, what do you want me to say? If I tell you I've slept with some of my servants, you'll be angry."

"Some?" he growled.

She shrugged, as willful as he, not about to tell him her sexual experiences had never included servants. "Why don't we dispense with these irrelevancies and spend an enjoyable evening. I want you very much—as usual, as always." She smiled. "I'm thoroughly besotted. And at the risk of inflating your considerable ego, you're the only man to so inspire me. So make love to me." She lifted her arms to him. "Please, please, please . . ."

"The only one?"

"Without exception—bar none.
Consider yourself the ultimate delight of my life." Sitting up, she reached out, grasped his erection firmly and, lying back down, tugged at him.

"No question of what you want," he teased, easing down atop her.

"Sometimes you're very hard to convince."

"Just jealous."

"I know. Are we fortunate or unfortunate to feel that way?"

"Fortunate to be here together.
Fuck the rest."

"Yes," she whispered, "and me too.
Now kiss me, darling Jack, because I'm going through withdrawal and I need you."

"I'm yours," he said without hesitation or thought, without all the normal misgivings and dread.

231

She touched his cheek. "I like the sound of that."

"And oddly, it doesn't strike terror in my soul," he replied, grinning.

"Definitely progress.
Now about another kind of progress.
Do you think you could get just a little bit closer?" She slid her legs around his hips and pulled his head down for a kiss. "You know what I mean."

He did, of course, much better than most. "I think I'm going to like this job, mademoiselle," he whispered, his mouth brushing hers.

"I'll see that you're kept busy, Thomas. I don't believe in idleness for my servants."

"I'm a very hard worker, ma'am," he impudently replied, sliding into her heated warmth. "You won't be sorry you hired me."

G? HE
  
SUN
  
WAS
  
HIGH
  
IN
  
THE
  
SKY
  
WHEN
  
THEY

woke
, neither having slept until almost dawn. And it was warm, almost hot in the cabin in the late forenoon.

"I have to eat," Jack mumbled, rolling over on his back and rubbing his eyes. Pushing himself up on his elbows, he glanced at Venus, who was stretching awake. "I think we forgot dinner last night." He surveyed the stateroom. "Are those grapes over there?"

Still half asleep, Venus murmured, "I'll call the cook in a minute."

"I'll eat the grapes while I wait." Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, he rose and walked to the table. "Should I call the cook?" he inquired, bringing the bowl of fruit back to the bed.

"I'd better. He's temperamental."

"He only listens to you?"

232

"Something
like
that. My brother complains, but I told him it's a matter of rapport."

"Hmmm . . ." Seated on the edge of the bed, Jack sent her a discerning look. "I'll
bet
your rapport with the cook is better than your brother's. The man's no idiot."

"Why do males always see relationships in terms of sex?"

"The same reason women like to talk about their feelings."

"If you wish to be argumentative, darling, I don't have to call the cook."

"A thousand apologies for my crassness, ten thousand.
Just call the cook before I faint." He held up the bowl, his smile disarming. "The grapes are gone, and I absolutely adore you for your mind."

She grinned. "Now, that's better. Don't confuse me with reality so early in the morning."

"Late in the morning, sweet.
The sun's damn near midpoint in the sky. Let me find your robe for you."

"Are you always so pushy?" She watched him rummage through the armoire.

"Only when I'm on the verge of starvation.
If you recall, breakfast at
Castlereagh
was ten minutes after I woke. Ah, here we go." Turning, he tossed the robe at her.

"I think Alexander would prefer you were clothed as well."

"Then Alexander will see me clothed." Snatching up his trousers, he began dressing.

"I'm going to remember to let you go hungry, should I ever need you to acquiesce without argument," Venus cheerfully remarked, slipping into a white pique robe.

*33

"While I know how to make you agree as well. There are certain things you don't like to wait for."

Her voice was playful. "Would you be so cruel?"

"It depends on how fast I get my breakfast," he said with a grin. "We still have another day that I can make very pleasant for you, if you give me some cooperation."

"Consider it done." Venus quickly moved to the door and, throwing it open, shouted for her cook.

Alexander was much too
young,
Jack
disgruntledly
thought when the cook appeared on the run.
And much too eager to please his mistress.
Furthermore, he glared at the marquis as if he were some intruder.

"I hope you don't mind Greek cooking," Venus noted, after Alexander had nodded in agreement to each of the items she'd suggested.

"Not at all.
I'd like my coffee immediately, though."

Alexander spoke rapidly in his mother tongue, his voice low and gruff,
his
expression resentful.

Venus responded in a diplomatic tone. Jack's school Greek was not sufficiently fluent to catch all of the words, but the meaning was clear. She was soothing the young man.

But their coffee appeared shortly with honey buns and lemon marmalade and Jack could overlook the young cook's pique because his talents in the kitchen were so superb.

"I've died and gone to heaven." Jack sighed, his mouth full of the light, rich pastry. "And this coffee
.. .
Even if he poisoned it, I'll die happy."

"Alex hasn't seen me with a man before."

''That was pretty obvious. I thought he might challenge my place in your bed."

234

"Really, dear, you misunderstand. It's just that on some of my journeys, we spend time together."

"Reading?"

"How did you know?"

"How old is he?
Seventeen, eighteen?"

"Eighteen."

"And you are?"

"You know how old I am."

"And so does Alexander. So you see, my dear, he's not quite sure how to approach you sexually. But he's damned well not going to give up your company."

"Impossible."

"Fine.
I'm wrong. But I'm not going to fight a duel with him, so I'm counting on you to keep him under control."

"Since you're wrong, it won't be a problem."

"Good. Push the sugar a little closer, will you?" he blandly said.

Jack kept an eye on Alexander, though, when he returned, and the young man behaved with such con-strained courtesy Jack decided Venus had spoken to him. The young Greek would have her back to himself soon enough anyway, he
disgruntledly
thought. She was sailing home tomorrow.

(9he next morning, jack had gone on deck
to see if the boat to take him ashore was ready. On returning to the stateroom a few minutes later, he stepped over the threshold and stopped at the sight of a visitor.

Sitting across the table from Venus, drinking coffee

*35

from
Jack's cup, was a small,
gruzled
man clearly out of place in such sumptuous surroundings.

"Jack, come and meet Mr.
Berty
Wells. We've just come to a very satisfactory business arrangement. Tell Lord
Redvers
why you're here," she pleasantly said.

"You sure, ma'am?"
A nervous tick appeared along
Berty's
jaw, and he quickly set the coffee cup down.

"I assure you, you're safe," Venus prompted.

"Safe?" Jack closed the door behind him without taking his eyes off the man.

"Don't be alarmed, dear. Mr. Wells is quite willing to change employers for a sum agreeable to us both."

"What the hell's going on?" Jack growled, moving to place himself between the man and Venus.

"1
tol
you the
gov'nor'd
be right sore."
Berty
Wells visibly cringed.

"Relax, Jack, everything is under control. Mr. Wells was sent here by your cousin to scare me off."

"That weren't exactly the words, ma'am."

"Never mind, Mr. Wells, I'm sure Lord
Redvers
understands the gist of your task."

"Were you supposed to kill Miss
Duras
?" Jack inquired, watching the wiry old man closely. "I suggest you don't lie to me."

"If n it were necessary, your
ludship
, Mitchell
hisself
said ■she were to be finished off."

He should have suspected, Jack thought, cursing his witlessness. Trevor, of course,
damn
him. "Were you involved in the shooting at Epsom?"

"No,
sair
, that weren't me."

"Did my cousin commission that business as well?"

"I don't rightly know, but I were recommended by a