Love Me True (7 page)

“Damn, that feels so good,” he groaned.

Clarry preened. She had made him happy with her boldness, and she would keep him that way. She squeezed a little harder and then eased her grip. Justin covered her hand and moved it up and down his length.

When he released her, she mimicked his movement, fascinated by the strength beneath his skin and the rasp of his breath against her hair. Moisture beaded at the tip and she frowned at it. Should it be there? Should she do something about it before it dripped?

On an upward stroke, Clarry brushed her thumb over the moisture, rubbing it into the tip. Justin’s loud groan filled the chamber. He grabbed her leg, dragged it over his thigh and pressed his hand between her spread legs and covered her womanly parts.

Clarry sucked in a startled breath at the sensation. He parted her lower lips with his fingers and set a thousand nerves alight. She bit her lip, striving to ignore what he was doing and continue to stoke him.

But Justin knew what he was about better than Clarry did. He brought her to that magical place quickly with very little effort. Her hips rolled against his hand, almost as if they had a life of their own. She squeezed Justin as he pushed her into the ultimate pleasure. She wailed and clenched his hand with her thighs.

 
Justin moaned too and warmth spread over her belly. She looked down in time to see another spurt leave his manhood and paint her belly with his seed. She blushed. So that was what happened to him when they made love?

She met his gaze and saw the high color of his cheeks, the dazed look in his eyes and grinned. He’d come undone, exactly as he made her feel by the look of it.

He pressed his head to hers and closed his eyes. “Are you all right?”

What a ridiculous question. “Of course. That was wonderful.”

He muttered something under his breath as he climbed out of bed. He crossed the room to the wash basin, dampened a wash cloth and returned. “Sorry. This will likely be cold.”

Clarry flinched as the cold cloth touched her stomach and Justin thoroughly cleansed her skin. He patted her with a dry length of cloth, covered her with the counterpane, and moved back.

“Where are you going?”

“To my bed.”

Clarry’s heart hammered, astonishing her in the process. She didn’t want to be alone tonight. She didn’t want Justin to leave. She swallowed the lump forming in her throat. “If you must.”

“Well”—Justin rocked on his heels—“good night then.”

Curse it all, he really was going to go. What had she expected? He’d got what he wanted from her—pleasure. Now he would leave her to think about her wanton behavior all night. Her skin heated in embarrassment, as she tried to reconcile herself to this pattern of her future life. “Good night, my lord. Pleasant dreams.”

Her voice shook on the last words. Their eyes met. Justin took a pace forward. “Are you really all right?”

Clarry raised a hand to her cheek and pressed against the burning hot flesh. “Just a little overwhelmed. I’m sure I’ll grow used to things in time.”

“It must be strange to be in a new place, and under such circumstances. I don’t have to leave. I can stay if you’d prefer to have my company during the night. I’ll be sure to leave early before the servants come.”

Clarry sighed as relief rushed through her. She crooked her fingers at Lord Justin. “Come back to bed.”

CHAPTER SEVEN

As much as Justin would like to spend the day in bed with his future wife he couldn’t risk it. When Clarry woke, she’d have come to her senses and he couldn’t bear the thought of hearing from her own lips that last night was a mistake. He eased to the side of the bed carefully, listening to her breathing change as she rolled onto her side, and then fall asleep again. He slid out of Clarry’s rumpled sheets, collected up his scattered clothes, and crept from the room without looking back. He didn’t want the servants to find him there at this hour. They had more than enough gossip to dissect from the first night they’d slept together. Any more and they would never live down the scandal.

He stopped in the adjoining sitting room and tugged on his drawers and shirt. Making love to Clarry, when she didn’t love him in return, would break his heart. She may appear to enjoy making love to him but when she closed her eyes she’d be thinking of his brother. Afterwards, holding her in his arms last night while she slept, had been heaven until morning brought the stark reminder that he couldn’t keep her away from the man she loved forever.

Eventually, she would see Tristan and her expression would shift until she resembled a small, affection-starved puppy. And Justin would have to stand back and watch the whole ghastly disappointment play out over Clarry’s face and pretend it didn’t bother him. He hoped he was strong enough not to resent his brother for the mess he was in. It was hardly Tristan’s fault he was universally adored.

Justin headed for his bedchamber. He’d make a show of rumpling his bed before the servants were about to allay any gossip about where he’d spent the night. But, as he crossed the room, he spied a body in his bed and drew to a halt. Justin skirted the sleeping form cautiously. What the devil was Lucy doing tucked up in his bed and sound asleep?

He glanced behind him anxiously and then reminded himself that Clarry probably wouldn’t care who he appeared to sleep with. Unfortunately, Justin did. He didn’t want anyone to think he’d be an unfaithful man even before his wedding day. He set his hand to Lucy’s shoulder and gently shook her awake.

A kittenish whimper left Lucy’s lips as she blinked up at him. Then her face creased into a contented smile. “There you are, my lord.”

“What are you doing here?”

“Waiting for you. I thought you’d forgotten about me, but I’m glad I waited. Come to bed?”

Justin recoiled from her suggestion and for good measure, clasped his hands behind his back so she couldn’t pull him into bed with her. He didn’t want what Lucy offered anymore. Now he had Clarry as his wife he would give up chasing any other skirts but hers. “I hadn’t expected to find you in my bed, Lucy. You should not be here.”

Her eyes flickered over his disheveled appearance and her gaze narrowed. “So the rumors are quite true. You’re actually bedding the little mouse?”

How dare she speak of Clarry in such a disparaging fashion? At least she didn’t spread her legs for any gentlemen with coin the way Lucy did. Justin stepped forward. “What I do or do not do is hardly your affair. I suggest you remember exactly what your place is, Lucy. You are speaking of my future wife.”

“But you always encourage me to speak my mind, especially when I’m in your bed.” Lucy patted the mattress and sat up. Her unbound hair hung in waves about her shoulders. The upper swells of her bosom exposed from the loosened confines of her bodice as she toyed with the edge of her dress. “I can make you forget her.”

Justin shook his head. There wasn’t a day that passed when he didn’t think about what Clarry might be up to. Lucy had, until now, merely diverted his mind for a few pleasurable minutes. “I did not invite you to my bed last night,” Justin cast a hasty glance toward his future wife’s chamber, praying the sound of their conversation didn’t travel far.

The brazen flirt slid from the sheets and sauntered forward, adding a saucy sway to her hips. “But you did the night before and I simply had to make it up to you. I’m sure that little mouse is as boring in bed as she’s rumored to be out of it.”

Lucy’s triumphant expression angered him. Justin grasped Lucy by the arm and towed her toward the door. “There will be no more invitations. Do not return here again.”

The little oomph Lucy expelled as he tossed her from the room lasted but a moment as she collided with his friend, Roderick Ford’s, chest.

Lucy let out a delighted squeal and wrapped herself around Roddy. “You’re back!”

As far as old friends went, Roddy was Justin’s oldest London acquaintance. They had similar backgrounds: both born second sons, both frequently short of funds. There was no end of topics that they could lament over while sharing a drink or a woman.

“Justin, I never truly appreciated until now how generous you are with your females.” Roddy pulled Lucy’s arms from his neck. “Come see me later, wench. If Lord Justin has no further need of your delightful services, I’m more than happy to become reacquainted with your charms.”

“It will be my pleasure.” She smiled broadly, turned and sauntered down the hall. The exaggerated sway of her hips kept Roddy’s attention until she disappeared from sight.

“That’s one hell of a girl you have there.”

“She’s yours now.”

Roddy chuckled. “Well, she will be shortly.”

Justin supposed he should be grateful for the distraction but he wasn’t in the mood to listen to them discuss their bed play in the hall. He grabbed his friends arm and dragged him into his bedchamber then shut the door. “What the hell are you doing back here again?”

“Heard your older brother had settled on a wife and since I happened to be in the area I thought to pay my respects.” He glanced at the unmade bed. “Your mother made the most delightful invitation to make myself at home but I see I should have delayed my arrival just a little longer. Did I interrupt?”

“There was nothing to interrupt in the first place. Lucy was just passing by.” Justin raked his fingers through his hair. “How are you, Roddy?”

“Fine. Fine. But all this talk of wedded bliss is making my feet itch. Ghastly nonsense. When are you headed back to Town? I thought we might travel together.”

Justin winced. “I’ll not be back to town for a while actually. I have business here in Wiltshire.”

Roddy settled on Justin’s rumpled bed and set his hands behind his head. “Oh, what mad scheme have you latched onto now? Have you found another race horse to buy?”

“Actually, I’m to marry, too.”

The silence lasted a bare second.

Roddy leapt to his feet. “Well, bugger me. It seems I’ve come at a precipitous moment. I’ve always said fate leads you where you should go. You do remember our bet don’t you?”

Oh, hell.
Justin swallowed. “Surely you cannot still mean to go through with it.”

Roddy glanced around eagerly. “A bet is a bet, Justin. I must say, I’m glad you’re the one to fall on their sword first over this. Hand it over. Victory is mine.”

“Oh, come on. That bet should never have been made. It’s hardly decent.”

Roddy rubbed his hands together briskly. “I’ll write to Norris and have him post the notice in the club. I think scheduling a recital of your poetry Friday next will be ample warning for those interested parties wanting to attend.”

Justin raked his hand through his hair. “I don’t have the journal.”

“I don’t believe that for a minute!” Roddy turned for the writing desk and rummaged through the loose papers. “I’ve waited five long years to see your scribbling. You’re never without the ruddy thing tucked under your arm.”

Justin pushed Roddy away from the desk and straightened the papers. “I lost the book months ago. It’s gone.”

Roddy grabbed his arm and forced Justin to look at him. “Then I believe you know what else you have to hand over to me before the wedding.”

He couldn’t. “Roddy, really, you cannot possibly expect—“

“Ah, but those were the terms, old man. The first to marry either suffers public humiliation at the club or a private humiliation before his future wife. I’m so looking forward to spending time alone with her. I told you I wouldn’t forget. Who is she?”

Justin raked his fingers through his hair. How the hell had circumstances lined up to further ruin his chances for happiness. Clarry would never speak to him again once she learned of his foolishness. “Someone too good for either of us. But since you are so keen to be a bastard, I shall be sure to collect my side of the bargain as well when the time comes. I’m sure the world would like to know why Lady Beth disappeared from good society.”

Roddy’s jaw clenched tight. “Now see here. It was first to marry who suffered the humiliation.”

“That’s not how I remember it. And a great pity the terms were never recorded at our club. So here is fair warning. I won’t be satisfied with private humiliation. I value my future wife far too much to seek a glimpse of yours naked. But I will expose your hand in Lady Beth’s fall from grace if you attempt to claim your winnings from my bride. Lord Monteford must be getting anxious to get his daughter back.”

“The scandal will kill him,” Roddy whispered. “He has a weak heart.”

“It wasn’t me who led that girl astray. You led her on while pursuing an empty-headed heiress, and then married neither of them. No wonder she ran away from the humiliation.”

Roddy’s hands clenched. “You don’t know what happened. But you’ll ruin us all if you speak of the matter.”

Justin’s fingers curled into fists. “And you will ruin my wife’s reputation when word of your private tête-à-tête gets out.”

Roddy’s jaw clenched. “It hardly seems you care too much about the woman given I caught you with the luscious Lucy in your bed this morning.”

 
“Lucy misunderstood an earlier conversation and I was just explaining the error of her ways. An invitation to her will never pass my lips again.” When Roddy smirked, Justin stepped forward. “This isn’t a laughing matter. Breathe one word to my future wife and we cease to be friends, Roddy.”