Lessons of Love (26 page)

“
We
’
ll have to discuss it in the morning. I need to get
Jolie
to bed. It has been an exhausting evening. Goodnight Gregor.”

Gregor
’
s eyes bore into
Cole
’
s but he finally gave a curt nod and turned
on his heel. The battle wasn
’
t over, in fact it had just begun.
Cole
watched him go and made a mental note to check Celia
’
s door and to rouse Jonathan. Gregor was home and he was furious.
Cole
knew how evil Gregor could be, and the women had to be protecte
d at all costs.
 

Thirteen
 

Cole
awoke slowly, smiling as he looked over at his sleeping wife, and was reminded of their erotic p
lay the night before. She was l
ying on her stomach, sheets kicked down below her hips, displaying that beautiful bottom he lo
ved to caress. He reached out and trailed a finger down her spine, to her cheeks, dipping between them as his finger made its progress downward, between the slightly spread lips of her downy cleft. His touch produced a small sigh, a little cooing noise of
contentment made in her sleep as she wiggled her bottom, welcoming his touch even in her dreams. He gazed at her for a few more moments, taking time for one more small caress, before slowly mo
ving away.

Jolie
instantly felt the loss of
Cole
’
s body next to
hers, and her eyes fluttered open, a small pout forming on her lips. “
Come back to bed
Cole
, I want to play.”

“
Go back to sleep, little one. I have business to attend to.”
His voice was gruff and she could see the displeasure come over his
face as he thou
ght of Gregor.

“
Are you angry with me,
Cole
?”

“
No love, this has nothing to do with you. How could I possibly be angry with my little water nymph?”
He paused as he looked at her, grinning wickedly as he remembered her wild frolicking in the fountain the ni
ght before. He bent and kissed the tip of her nose then paused to nibble on her luscious lips.
Jolie
’
s smile returned with his reassuring words, and she stretched invitingly, arching her back, smiling at him and purring like a contented feline. She looked
so blissfully happy that
Cole
h
ated to dash her high spirits.

Should he tell her of Gregor
’
s return and shatter her feelings of security? How could he not? It was better that she and Celia knew of Gregor
’
s presence. They could spend the day in
Jolie
’
s room
s under lock and key until t
he whole mess was sorted out.

His plan was to sign the deed for Lily
’
s, his whore house in Natchez, over to Gregor, or to pay the man whatever amount he demanded to send him packing.
Cole
had no illusions of it being an easy pr
ospect though. Gregor was going to be furious, and his rage would be directed at
Jolie
.
Cole
knew he had to do whatever it took to get Gregor to leave peacefully, but between now and then, the women would have t
o be guarded around the clock.

Jolie
saw the
look of worry and anger pass over
Cole
’
s face, and her smile faded once again. “
What is it
Cole
? I can see that something
’
s wrong. Is it Nicolas? Can
’
t we please forget about that? I don
’
t wan
t to speak of him ever again.”

Her voice trembled as she remembe
red how close Nicolas had come to raping her.
Cole
crawled back onto the bed and pulled her into his lap. “
No, love, it
’
s not Nicolas. I think we
’
ve seen the last of him. It
’
s something else, something much more dangerous to both of us. Gregor
’
s home,
Joli
e
, he returned last night.”

He felt her body instantly stiffen and bent down to kiss her forehead. “
He confronted me as I was bringing you up to bed. He
’
s back early from his assignment and he
’
s angry love. He
’
s wise to the fact that I sent him on a fool
’
s mission just to keep him away from here. I
’
m going to let him go this morning, but it won
’
t be easy. He was more than just an employee
Jolie
, he was like a partner and will therefore expect a great deal. I want you and Celia to stay in your rooms today w
ith your door locked.
Jonathan will look after you.”

Cole
took her chin in his hand and tilted it up so he could look in her eyes. She was trembling and her terror went straight to his heart. A fierce feeling of protectiveness and anger overwhelmed him as
he held her and tried to soothe her fears. “
He will be gone before the day is out little one. I swear nothing will happen to you or Celia. I would never allow it. You don
’
t even need
to see him.”

“
What if he comes back,
Cole
? What if he won
’
t leave
,
or if
he threatens to expose you? You co
uld go to prison or be hanged.”

“
Jolie
, he won
’
t expose me. He would be imprisoned right along with me if he were to even hint at our past. He is smart enough to take what I offer him and leave. Gregor has no desire to fee
l a noose around his neck.
It will be all right,
Jolie
, I swear. I would never jeopardize your
safety or our life together.”

Jolie
looked up at him, eyes searching, wanting, needing, to believe everything would work out. Her fear wasn
’
t for herself and Cel
ia alone. The thought of
Cole
being taken from her was horrifying. If his crimes were exposed,
Cole
would surely be executed. “
I
’
m frightened for you,
Cole
.”

“
Hush love. You
’
re getting upset for
nothing. This will work out.”

“
But...”

“
But nothing, wife.”
H
is mouth sought hers and he kissed her gently, trying to assuage her fears. The kiss deepened as he felt her body relax against his, his hand trailing over her breasts and down to stroke her belly.
Jolie
sighed, arms wrapped around his neck, clinging to th
e man she loved with all her heart. She wiggled in his lap, feeling his manhood respond.
Cole
mo
aned then growled in her ear.

“
No you don
’
t, love. You know I can
’
t resist you, and this must be done here and now. It
’
s best if we get this behind us. You sha
ll
have to wait until this evening
,
you little minx. After I dismiss Gregor, I have to go into the city to withdraw funds from the bank. I hate to leave you here, but it can
’
t
be helped.”

“
Can
’
t Celia and I
come with you? We could shop.”

“
No
Jolie
, you
’
re
safer here behind a locked door with Jonathan guarding the both of you. Now put on a dressing robe before my cock demands I take you here and now. When I return tonight, we shall have plenty of time for games.”
Jolie
pouted and
Cole
chuckled as she wiggled
in his lap again, purposely rubbing herself against his swelling member. “
I seem to remember that you have a spanking coming for a certain pair of drawers that were under your ball gown last night. Perhaps you would like me to remedy
that situation here a
nd now.”

Jolie
squeaked and quickly scooted off his lap, not wanting to risk being punished. She stood on the other side of the bed, hands on her hips, nose scrunched, her expression one of an insolent little girl.
Cole
wouldn
’
t have been the least bit sur
prised if she
’
d stuck her tongue out. The urge to grab her and wrestle her over his lap was gr
owing along with his manhood.

“
You
’
re impossible,
Cole
. Why must you always sp
ank me?”

“
Because you
’
re willful, and stubborn, and incredibly erotic when you
’
re m
ad. Because it builds up your passion and lets you know who is charge of your delectable body, because I love to stroke your bottom as it turns hot under my hand and then delve between your li
ps to find proof of your desire
. Your body loves it when I domin
ate you, sweet. Your skin flushes, your nipples tighten, your honey flows
with each spank I give you.”

Jolie
made a little shriek of rage. She picked up a pillow and threw it at his head then made a dash for the sitting room.
Cole
caught her, both of them
laughing as he scooped her up and flung her over his shoulder, slapping her upturned bottom as he headed for the bed. Yes the business of the day was important, vitally important, but so were her needs. He knew she was terribly frightened by what was to
c
ome and making love to her would take some of that fear away. He would spank her soundly and then take her until she was begging for more banishing tho
ughts of Gregor from her mind.

“
Cole
, do
n
’
t you dare! You
’
re a beast!”

“
I
’
m the beast who
’
s going to padd
le you and then give you exactly what you need, m
y headstrong little wildcat.”

He took her to the bed and flung her off his shoulder, onto her back, deftly turning her over and holding her down before she could scramble away. His body pressed into hers, a
s he pinned her arms over her head with one hand and reached under her to tease a nipple with the other. His cock pressed into the cleft of her rump and she arched her hips into him.
Cole
began to nibble his way down her neck and to the small of her back,
his legs holding her still as she squirmed. Sitting up and sliding down to rest on her calves,
Cole
pulled her towards him so she was kneeling. Her sweet little bottom wiggled back and forth as she tried to escape his hands which had sl
id down to encircle
her waist.

Cole
leaned forward and nipped at her bottom, causing
Jolie
to shriek. “
Let
’
s see. How many swats do you think I should give you for trying to wear your drawers last night, and how many
for throwing a pillow at me?”

“
I though
t you had business t
o see to.”

“
Ah, now you want me to leave. I seem to remember your wiggling in my lap a few minutes ago, trying to distract me, and get me aroused. Well now I
’
m aroused love,
very aroused and I think ...”

Cole
’
s words were cut off by a sharp knock on the do
or. He cursed under his breath, staring at the beautiful back
side of his wife. “
Who is it?”

“
You told me we would discuss our business this morning
,
Cole
. Do yo
u mean to dally the day away?”