Rogues and Ripped Bodices (39 page)

“Yes, he came by briefly to
tell me he’d found work in Sheffield, but it didn’t last it seemed.”

He closed his eyes then opened
them. “I saw you two together. I assumed...”

“You assumed...?”

“He was your lover.”

Emma almost reeled backwards
and probably would have done were it not for his hand coming to her back and
holding her up. “A lover? Oh my goodness, no! I would never... why would you...
oh my.”

He offered her a wry smile.
“Let’s just say I will never jump to conclusions again. I figured out quite
quickly that I had been wrong. But at the time you were so distant and you
seemed so unhappy in bed. I had no idea how to please a woman. I was a virgin,
you see.”

Emma found herself thoroughly
charmed by his admission and any annoyance at his foolish behaviour vanished at
the sight of his bashful expression. He had been a virgin too. No wonder they
had struggled so much on their wedding night. Neither of them had known what
they were doing.

“So I was your first woman?”
she asked softly.

“You were indeed. My first and
hopefully my only?”

She nodded, twisted and looped
her arms around his neck. “Definitely.”

Alexander wrapped his arms
about her waist and drew her down onto the bed so they lay side by side. Then
he took her mouth in a firm kiss.

Alex lifted himself away
marginally. “We shall help your brother,” he murmured. “I shall help him find
work and together we’ll make this estate thrive once more.”

“Thank you, Alexander. Thank
you.”

Unable to resist any longer, he
kissed her again until her skin grew hot and her clothes were an annoyance.
Then someone knocked at the door.

Alexander cursed. Then he
kissed her again. Someone knocked once more.

“Damnation.” He pressed away
and tore open the door. Mr Hampton stood on the other side and Emma quickly
came to standing and smoothed her gown with a sigh.

“Hannah wanted me to let you
know that dinner shall be ready in an hour.”

“Thank you, Hampton,” Alexander
said tightly, causing Emma to giggle.

When Mr Hampton was out of
earshot, he shook his head and cursed the butler again.

“He’s only doing his job,
Alexander.”

The duke reached for her hand
and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. “One day soon, I will get you to myself. If
I don’t, I fear I shall turn into a raving lunatic.”

She nodded. “Yes, you will.
Very soon. But first we must open our presents and have dinner.”

He groaned but released her
hand. “Come then, let us do our duties as usual.”

“Smile, Alexander, it’s not all
bad,” she said, pressing a hand to his cheek.

He nodded and his smile warmed.
“No, you’re right. It’s not all bad at all.”

Inside, warmth swelled in her
chest at his fond expression. She too burned with frustration but she also
looked forward to a day spent with her husband. She looked forward to a day of
no longer feeling alone.

Alex did enjoy exchanging gifts with his wife. He also
enjoyed the dinner. He would, however, much rather have spent the day in bed
with her. Emma had proved herself to be a kind-hearted woman and it only
increased his need for her. Over the festive period they had become husband and
wife in many ways but one. His desire to bed her had nothing to do with siring
a child and everything to do with needing to feel those supple thighs wrapped
around his hips.

And any nerves he might have
had were gone. One touch from Emma did that. It astonished him that now the
truth was out, he felt so much more confident. It went to show how important
communication was for their marriage. He silently swore never to keep anything
from his wife again.

Emma dabbed her mouth with her
napkin and Alex eyed her lips, recalling the taste of them. It would be wholly
inappropriate to take her to bed in the middle of the day, and certainly at
Christmas, but, damnation, he wasn’t sure how much longer he could wait.
Everything was against them it seemed.

He leaned back in his chair and
peered out the window. The sun glinted off the snow and the day was bright and
crisp and tempting. Almost as tempting as his wife.

“We could go for a walk?” she
suggested, laying down the napkin.

Alex nodded, hoping he didn’t
seem too eager. He needed to get out of the house for a while and burn off some
frustration. “A fine idea. I think we need to walk off some of that dinner.”

Emma left to fetch her coat,
hat and scarf and Hampton brought him his. He slipped on his leather gloves and
wrapped his scarf around his neck then waited for his wife. He tapped his foot.
There was a small cabin on the edge of the estate, he recalled. Perhaps they
could walk there and get some privacy.

He allowed himself a grin. What
a fine idea actually. No interruptions from supercilious butlers or roofs or
flooding baths. No distractions. It was hardly proper but they had done
everything properly on their wedding night and look where that had led him. He
warmed to the idea the more he thought about it, but would Emma be as keen?

When he heard her footsteps on
the stairs, he glanced up and felt his smile expand. With a few strands of red
hair peeking out under a green hat that matched her thick wool coat, she looked
like a beautiful Christmas present. And he urgently wanted to unwrap her.

She tucked her hand in his and
they headed out into the snow. Cold bit into his cheeks and his breath puffed
out in front of him. A few animal tracks in the snow were the only sign of
life. The peaceful serenity of it all might have calmed his impatience had he
been impatient for any other reason. It was slow going. The snow was thick and
reached halfway up his calves and almost to the top of her boots.

“Alexander, slow down,” she
said with a laugh. “This is meant to be a leisurely walk. We are in no hurry,
are we?”

“No, I suppose not,” he
grumbled. But then he recalled he had sworn not to keep secrets from her.
“There is a cabin not far from here, do you know it?”

“The hunting lodge?”

“Yes.”

“What of it?”

“I wish to take you there,” he
said, his voice gruff and low.

Two spots of colour appeared on
her cheeks. “To be alone?”

“Yes.”

She released his hand and he
feared for a moment she would turn and leave him, that he had shocked his quiet
wife. But then she picked up her coat and skirts and began to dash across the
snow in the direction of the cabin. She was hardly fast but it forced him to
hasten to catch up with her. He laughed and snatched her waist to pull her to a
halt.

“Where are you running to?”

“The cabin. With great haste.
Come on, Alexander.”

Then she wriggled out of his
arms and began her clumsy run across the snow once more. Pausing to admire the
sight, he shook his head to himself and raced to her side. It only took them
about ten more minutes to spot the cabin not far from the edge of the woods.
They half ran, half skidded down the slope towards it. As soon as they arrived
at the door, Alex pushed it open, urged her in and pressed her up against the
wall to claim her mouth.

She gasped and wrapped her arms
around his neck to press the kiss deeper. There was no finesse to the kiss and
he had no patience left. For too many days he had been trying to bed his wife
with no success. Nothing would get in the way this time.

Fingers tangling in her hair,
he knocked the hat from her head and tugged her scarf from her neck. He
released her mouth briefly to cast his gaze around the lodge and breathe a sigh
of relief when he spotted the fire ready to be lit and the thick rug in front
of it. Someone had expected it to be used upon his return by the looks of it.

Though he doubted they expected
him to use it for this purpose.

He turned his attention back to
his wife and took in the image of her glossy lips and messy curls. “I just need
to...” She grabbed the lapels of his coat and flattened her lips to his. “Need
to...” he murmured between kisses, “need to light the fire.”

She released him long enough to
let him get the fire started. Once the flames grew and lit the dark cabin with
an orange glow, he stood and locked his gaze with hers. Standing by the door,
she plucked at her gloves and eyed him. He saw the heavy rise and fall of her
chest, and the air in the cabin grew thick. This was it.

He drew off his own gloves and
unbuttoned his coat. She followed suit, casting them aside so they landed on
one of the battered chairs. He flung his on top of hers and added his hat to
the pile. His necktie came next, then his waistcoat. As he began to pop open
the buttons of his shirt, she flung herself at him. Her lips against his, she
clutched his shoulders and Alex gripped her waist to draw her as close as her
clothing allowed.

Alex didn’t think he had ever
undressed so quickly, and they made light work of all her skirts and blasted
undergarments. Before long they were naked in front of each other. He had to
concentrate on breathing as he took in her long limbs and beautiful curves. He
reached out to draw her into him and recalled how to breathe when he sucked in
air through his teeth.

Her nipples prodded his chest
and his arousal pressed against her soft, soft skin. Alex skimmed his hands
down to her back, traced her curves and cupped her rear. God, it really was the
most beautiful bottom. He kneaded it and brought his mouth to her ear. She
shuddered when he blew softly and tugged on her lobe with his teeth. He smiled
to himself, gratified by her reaction.

Then he urged her down onto the
fur rug. The dark fur contrasted with her pale skin and he took the time to
stroke over her shoulders that were dusted with a few freckles and down to her
breasts, before lying next to her and cupping a breast.

“Beautiful,” he murmured.

She reached between them and a
slim, cool hand curled around his heat. He groaned and closed his eyes for a
moment. Emma was bolder than he could have anticipated. It seemed their time
apart had given her courage too. She moved her hand up and down him and he
wrapped his hand around hers to show her how to move. Her beaming smile reached
down into his chest and looped around his heart.

“I can’t wait for long,” he
said, aware he needed to prepare her. He’d been dreaming of this for days now
and if she kept touching him, he was sure he might lose his mind and plough
straight into her.

Which he did not wish to do. He
had to prove himself and make this good for her.

Skimming a finger downward as
he propped himself on one elbow, he found her wet and ready. She gasped his
name when his finger slipped between her folds and found that spot again. Every
time he rubbed or circled it, she bucked and trembled. Alex watched her parted
lips and fluttering lashes with fascination. He all but forgot the way her hand
moved erratically over him.

Emma dug her nails into his
shoulder and released his erection to grab the furs behind her head. Her
breaths came in short, sharp pants and his blood fired. “Alexander,” she
gasped. “Please...”

Alex couldn’t deny her, nor
himself. It was time. A fresh start for both of them. With this moment, their
first year of marriage would be forgotten and they would embark on a new
journey together. He spread her legs further and settled between them. Her
hands found his rear and urged him closer. He paused and looked down at her.

“What is it?” she asked.

He let his lips tilt. “I’m
waiting for something terrible to happen. For something to stop us.”

They both fell silent and
waited. Nothing. Then Emma laughed and he followed suit. Bringing his mouth
down upon hers, he tasted her warmth and pressed into her. He found her wet and
willing, and he savoured sliding each inch into her. The tiny sounds of
pleasure coming from her with each press increased the pleasure, and he had to
suck in a few deep breaths to maintain control.

When he was fully inside her,
he lifted on his arms to gaze at her. Those stunning blue eyes were slightly
damp, and he kissed away the tears from the corners. Understanding ran between
them.
I love you
, her eyes said.
I love you too
, his responded.
This
is it. This is us. Our fresh start.

He began to move, slowly at
first, then with each grip of her fingers and each quiver of her body, he
picked up the pace. Her legs wrapped about him and he groaned as it brought him
deeper. With strong, swift strokes, he pressed her into the furs, the heat from
the fire licking over their skin and turning his body slick. Alex’s arms shook
as the pleasure burned through his body.

Emma tightened around him and
heard her draw in a sharp breath and hold it. Nails bit into his skin. She
convulsed, once, twice and a third time before becoming limp underneath him. He
gave in completely then, pounding into her until his release streaked through
his body and stars jumped in front of his vision.

Aware of his heart galloping
against his ribs, he near collapsed on top of her and buried his head in her
luscious flower-scented curls. Emma stroked his back, up and down and then
brought her hands to smooth his hair from his face. He lifted his head and
grinned down at her.

“Am I too heavy?”

“A little,” she admitted, “but
I like it.” She squeezed her arms around him. “I like it a lot.”

“Good. I plan to do this many
more times.”

“Today?”

Alex chuckled at her eager
tone. “Well, it is Christmas?”

“It is indeed. Merry Christmas,
Your Grace.” Her lips twitched.

“Merry Christmas, Emma,” he
said softly, ignoring her teasing tone. “I love you.”

Her answering smile filled him
with such happiness, he feared he was dreaming. But then she swept a finger
across his lips and traced the shape of them before whispering, “I love you
too.”

Alex kissed her, still buried
inside her and decided he would make it a tradition from now on. Whatever was
happening in their lives, no matter where they had been, they would come here
every year and show each other exactly how much they loved one another. He
released a grin that had her raising a brow until he began to move inside her
again. Her quizzical expression soon vanished and Alex went back to showing her
exactly how much he loved her. His Christmas seduction plans had not gone so
badly after all.