The Lady Plays Her Ace (The Langley Sisters) (25 page)

"You spend most of your day working on your business, Oliver," she added and he quickly pulled his eyes from her body and tried to focus on her face.

"Yes, is that a problem? Would you like to see more of me?" His heart sank. Working was important to him, and he had many things that needed his attention each day.

"No, I have no wish to monopolize your time," she said, much to his relief. "However, I would like to help you if I am able. Is there a part of your business that I could be involved in? Or could you take me with you occasionally so I may see what you do and we could then discuss your business when we are at home? Perhaps to visit a factory, or…"

Her words trailed off and Oliver knew it was because he was frowning.

"You want to learn about my business? But you are a lady, raised to do the things that ladies do," Ace new he sounded like a fool but couldn't seem to shut his mouth. "I mean that it would be too confusing for you, and—"

He didn't see her punch coming, but he felt it, a sharp jab to his stomach that had him doubling over as he had not prepared for it. Seconds later, the door slammed behind her. Trying to breathe, Ace wheezed upright and then laughed. His wife had doubled him over; no one had done that to him in years.

Her door was locked when he reached it. He tried the connecting one between their rooms but that was locked also, so he knocked.

"Open the door, Thea, we need to talk."

"Go to hell!"

"You're language is coarser than a sailor, wife," he said, smiling. Delicate flower she was not, and it was time he realized that. "Now open the door."

"I'm obviously too stupid to understand how locks work!"

Ace winced at that.

"I did not mean you were stupid. My words came out wrong. Let me in and I will explain."

"No!"

"Are you behind this door, Thea?" He rattled the handle a few times.

"What?"

"Move away from it," Ace said calmly.

"What…don't you dare!"

He took a step back and threw his shoulder at the door. Hearing a satisfying crack, it flew open and in he strolled.

"I cannot believe you did that." She was standing before him, stunned, her eyes on the broken lock.

"I told you to open it." Ace reached her in two strides and grabbed the front of her shirt with both hands and pulled. The buttons popped and flew everywhere.

"Let me go!" She tried to push his hands aside, but he didn't budge, instead pushing the now damaged shirt from her shoulders. "That was my brother’s."

"I don't want you wearing anyone's shirt but mine. Therefore, I'll have one altered for you," Ace said, reaching for the waistband of her breeches and undoing them. He then dropped to his knees and lifted first one foot and then the other. Removing them, he threw them across the room.

"You're quite mad. Unhand me at once." She tried to fight him but he was stronger, and her efforts were futile.

"You want me to stop treating you like a lady so I am." Raising the hem of her chemise, he gripped her thighs and pulled them open.

"Oliver!" His name flew from her lips as he buried his mouth between her legs, kissing her intimately until her indignant cries turned to moans of pleasure. He laved the soft damp folds with his tongue. The essence of her made his head spin.

"Dear God, Oliver, that is quite…magnificent," she sighed as he pushed his fingers deep inside her while his teeth gnawed on the tight little bud. Her fingers plunged into his hair as she started to ride the wave of ecstasy he was creating inside her, and Oliver continued to torment her until she came down the other side.

Standing, he took her lips in a hard kiss before releasing her to take off his clothes.

"On the bed, wife, face first."

"Pardon?" She blinked, her lashes were lowered and dazed with the aftermath of her climax.

Picking her up, Ace decided to show her what he meant. Placing her on her stomach, he then lifted her so that her knees were on the bed. He then entered her from behind. Her back arched as she took him in. God, she was beautiful, Ace thought as he thrust into her again. The slender line of her spine, the silken locks, and she was his. He felt a primitive surge of satisfaction. No man would know this woman intimately but he.

"Can you feel me high inside you, Thea," Ace rasped as he drove into her hard.

"Yes, oh God, Oliver, don't stop."

"Never." His need robbed his ability for gentleness. He took her hard and fast, and when she cried out once more, tightening around his shaft, he followed, pumping his seed deep into her.

She fell forward, face first into the bedcovers, and Ace followed, landing beside her.

"Mother of God, Thea," he said when he could speak. "Did I hurt you?" He felt her hand grope around on his face and then her fingers pressed against his mouth.

"No. Now shut up, I need to sleep."

He laughed softly. Reaching for her, he turned to his back and laid her on his chest.

"You, wife, are a mouthy wench with very bad language. Did Ted teach you to speak that way?" Ace ran a hand down her spine.

"I grew up with brothers and Luke," she mumbled into his chest. "Joe said I retained every bad word I ever heard from infancy, but put a Latin verse before me and I lost all interest."

"I'm sorry, Thea, and not for what just happened. I could never be sorry for that. But for what I have done since our marriage. I can see now how much you disliked me protecting you."

Her hand rested on his shoulder and her body was limp, and he loved the feel of her lying so trustingly on him.

"And you will do so again?" she said.

"In all honesty, I probably will as I like to be in control of everyone and anything that is in my life."

"At least you admit your faults, husband."

"Who said it was a fault?" She snuffled at that, and then he felt her body grow heavy and her breathing even, and realized that she'd fallen asleep on him. Ace lay still, wearing his wife as a blanket, and thought the feeling was quite possibly the best he had ever experienced.

…

"A tradesman is at present fixing the door, Sir."

Thea kept her eyes on her breakfast as Elliot spoke to Oliver. She knew her cheeks were red at the thought of how the door had broken.

"Wonderful. My wife will be pleased to have her privacy back once more. Won't you, sweetheart?"

"Yes," Thea mumbled into the cup she'd hastily picked up.

"Pardon?" Her rogue of a husband said, obviously enjoying her discomfort.

"Yes," she said, lifting her head to glare at him across the breakfast table. His smile was smug and made his blue eyes sparkle. Handsome devil, he was far too happy with himself this morning.

"Perhaps we should have an extra sturdy lock placed on it this time, Elliott, to stop ill-mannered intruders, should they breech the front door?" Thea said as more heat stole into her cheeks. Oliver was so calm when inside, she was mortified. Did the servants know what had taken place? What had he told them?

"Yes, I would not want anything in my household…breeched," her husband said, sending her a lecherous look across the table, "unless, of course, it was by me."

Dear God, her cheeks were on fire.

"That will be all, thank you, Elliott." Oliver thankfully dismissed the butler.

"Stop that!" Thea snapped when the door had closed.

"What?" He gave her an innocent look that did not reach his eyes. "You did not mind me breeching—"

Thea clapped her hands over both ears and he laughed. It made his face soften and she thought he was so handsome she wanted to sigh.

"I would love to know what has put that particular expression on your face, wife."

Dear God, she loved him.

"And yet my thoughts are mine alone, Sir. Therefore, you can wish all you like, but I shall not reveal them to you."

Thea had known her feelings for him were strong, even when he was being an ass, but she'd never expected this all-encompassing love. Her need for Oliver was great, and her happiness now reliant on him, and it was a sobering thought.

"You're frowning, Thea."

"Am I?" she said, lightly picking up her cup and sipping to give herself something to do.

"Come here." He held out one hand to her.

"I'm quite happy where I am, thank you, Oliver."

His smile made her stomach flutter, as did the wicked gleam in his eye as he climbed to his feet.

"Then I shall come to you."

"For what pur—" Her words turned into a squeal as he picked her up and walked back to his chair, where he settled her onto his lap.

"Oliver, we can't do this!" Thea pushed against his chest, but she would have had more luck trying to move an oak tree.

"You have beautiful breasts wife." Lowering his head, he ran his lips along the top of her bodice, making Thea shiver.

"And your neck smells and tastes delicious," he said against her skin. One large hand stole under her skirts and moved slowly up her legs. "You're like fine wine, my sweet—one taste and you go straight to my head."

Thea wrapped her fingers around the tail of his hair and tugged hard until he lifted his head and kissed her. Slow and sweet, her head was swimming in seconds. He made her forget, made her want with every part of her being.

"Oliver," Thea sighed when he lifted his head and looked down at her.

"I know," was all he said before placing a last kiss on her lips, and setting her once again on her feet. Thea re-seated herself just seconds before Elliott entered the room.

"I will be away for most of the day on business, Thea, but if you would like me to accompany you and Ted, I would love to ride with you tomorrow morning. Perhaps we could continue with my lessons?"

"Of course." She nodded, trying to sound as composed as he, when in fact her body was filled with sensual heat. "Where do you go today on business? Could I not perhaps accompany you for a while?" She didn't want to push him, and if he refused then she would relent. After all, last night they had taken steps towards their future, and her ability to leave the house unescorted, and to undertake activities without him present.

"It's all right, Oliver. I understand if you are too busy. I shall perhaps go for a drive," Thea hurried to add as he stayed silent.

"My first and instinctive reaction is to say no, Thea. You must allow me that, considering I am a very protective man, and even more so now I have a wife."

She did not speak, just nodded for him to continue.

"But after yesterday I can see you have a valid point about my smothering you, and as you are never likely to be the kind of wife content to stitch or paint water colors, and like me you are not content unless you are doing something. Therefore, I have no problem if you wish to accompany me, although I warn you it will be boring."

"Really?" She could feel the smile on her face.

"Really." He nodded, smiling back. "But I must insist that you take direction from me when we visit some of the places on my agenda today."

"Of course," Thea rushed to agree. The prospect of being in his company and not her own for the entire day meant she would agree to any of his conditions. "And thank you, Oliver."

"I am not sure if I should be relieved at your agreement or nervous," he drawled, eyes twinkling.

"Poor Oliver, did you hope for a malleable wife?" Thea teased him.

"No. I wanted you from the first moment I saw you, Althea Dillinger. I just never dared to hope I could actually have you."

"Oh." Thea felt the sting of tears behind her eyes at his words. They were not flowery or anything but the truth, and they were quite possibly the most wonderful words anyone had ever said to her. "Th-that was a lovely thing to say," Thea sniffed.

He gave her a soft smile but said nothing further on that matter.

"You will need to wear warm clothes, Thea, as it is cold out. And nothing to revealing if you please. I need to concentrate, and having you with me will be enough of a distraction," Oliver added. "We will leave as soon as you are ready."

Thea jumped to her feet and hurried around the table to thank him with a kiss, which took longer than she'd anticipated as he dragged her back into his lap and kissed her thoroughly before releasing her only when he was done.

"Now go," he said when he'd placed her back on her feet, and she was pleased to hear that he was breathless, too.

…

"Mr. Stevens, this is my wife, Lady Dillinger."

Thea shook the hand of the man Oliver introduced her to. They were standing before a row of half-built houses a forty-minute carriage ride from London.

"Oliver owns that entire row of houses and is building more?" She turned and whispered the words to Daniel, who was standing behind her. His nod made her realize how little she knew about the man she had married.

"We are a month from completion, Mr. Dillinger," Mr. Stevens said, "and if you have the time I would like to discuss a few issues with you."