The Price of Pleasure (37 page)

Reed took his leave, his mood considerably lighter after his conversation with his grandmother. It was still raining heavily as he ducked into his carriage. During the short ride to the townhouse, Reed rehearsed what he would say to Fleur to convince her to marry him. He hoped receiving Grandmamma’s blessing would encourage her to accept him.

The carriage rolled to a stop. Reed didn’t wait for the coachman to pull down the steps as he jumped to the ground. He didn’t even bother with the umbrella.

“Go around to the back, dry off and have something warm to eat and drink,” Reed told the coachman. “I don’t know how long I will be. I will send for you when I’m ready to leave.”

Updike opened the door before Reed reached it. “Come in out of the rain, my lord. ’Tis a day fit for neither man nor beast.”

Reed stepped into the foyer, shaking the water from his shoulders like a shaggy dog. “Is Lady Fleur in?”

“The mistress and Madame Lisette are in the study. They prefer the cozy warmth of the study to the more formal rooms on dreary days like this. Shall I announce you?”

“No, I’ll announce myself.” He strode toward the study, stopped and turned to address Updike. “Please ask Mrs. Peabody to set another place for dinner and make sure John Coachman is taken care of in the kitchen.”

A corner of Updike’s mouth twitched. “Shouldn’t you wait for Lady Fontaine to invite you?”

Reed flashed him a confident smile. “Don’t be impertinent, Updike.” So saying, he opened the door to the study and stepped inside.

Reed took in the homey scene with a single glance. Fleur was curled up on a sofa before the hearth, reading a book. Lisette sat beside her, bent over an embroidery hoop while she placed neat stitches on a piece of cloth. Fleur looked up, saw Reed standing inside the door and dropped her book.

“Reed! I didn’t hear Updike announce you.”

“He didn’t,” Reed said. “I’m announcing myself.”

“Was there something important you wanted? I can’t imagine anyone venturing out on a day like this unless there was some urgency for the visit.”

Lisette must have taken that for a signal to leave for she rose, gathered up her embroidery and said, “Please excuse me. I need to confer with Mortimer about . . . something.”

“Mortimer?” Reed asked once the door closed behind Lisette.

“Updike. Did you not know his given name is Mortimer?”

“Though he’s been with me more years than I care to count, he never volunteered his given name.”

“Sit by the fire and dry yourself,” Fleur invited.

Reed lowered himself beside Fleur on the sofa and stretched his hands out to the fire.

Fleur knew Reed had come for a reason, but she was in no hurry to question him. She wasn’t sure she would like what he had to say. She was already angry with him for the underhanded way he had tried to boot her off the investigation.

She studied Reed from beneath lowered lids, admiring everything about him except his misplaced protectiveness. She hadn’t taken his advice, of course. She had received both Dubois and Barbeau since Reed’s edict and accepted an invitation to go riding in the park with Henry Dempsey when weather permitted.

Reed shifted his position and stretched out his legs. Fleur thought he had amazing legs. Long and lean with ropy muscles running down each thigh. A jolt of pleasure shot through her when Reed reached out, grasped her hand and brought it to his lips. Surely he wouldn’t try to seduce her after she had turned down his marriage proposal, would he? She thought she had made herself clear; she wouldn’t condemn him to a childless marriage when he needed an heir.

She tried to pull her hand free, but he wouldn’t allow it. “What are you doing here, Reed?”

“I have something important to discuss with you.”

“Does it concern the investigation?”

“This has nothing to do with the investigation. It’s about us.”

“There
is
no us, Reed. I thought I made that clear.”

“You did, but things have changed.”

“What things?”

“Grandmamma has given her blessing to our marriage.” He waited for her reaction. It was not long in coming.

“Why would your grandmother give her blessing when she knows I can’t give you an heir?”

“She knows no such thing and neither do you,” Reed charged. “And since I cannot let you go, I see no reason for us not to marry.”

Fleur took a shaky breath and tried to explain for the hundredth time why she couldn’t marry him. “I was married to Pierre for five years. Not once during that time did he get me with child. I’m barren, Reed. Why are you making this difficult for us? Why can’t you just leave things the way they are and forget about me?”

“Tell me, love, can you forget about me?”

Fleur swallowed convulsively. Would Reed believe her if she lied? She doubted it. Therefore, she told the truth. “I’ll never forget you, Reed.”

“Good, there’s no need to forget me. Have you considered the possibility that your husband’s seed was damaged? Sometimes the man is at fault for failing to produce an heir. That’s what I’m counting on, Fleur. If I’m wrong, we’ll adopt. It’s been done before, you know.”

Fleur still wasn’t convinced. “Your grandmother agreed to this?”

“My grandmother loves me. She wouldn’t insist I wed a woman I didn’t love.”

Fleur went still, her eyes shiny with tears. Reed loved her. How could she refuse to wed the man she loved with every fiber of her being? The man who loved her in return? Still, she hesitated. Could it be true that Pierre was to blame for her failure to conceive a child? The idea was so new it left her breathless. If a marriage was childless, everyone assumed it was the woman’s fault. No man alive would take the blame.

Reed’s words gave her hope, but not much. She had lain with Reed countless times and still hadn’t conceived. What made him think she wasn’t barren?

“Reed, I don’t think . . . ”

He placed a finger against her lips. “Shhh. That’s the problem, you think too much. Do you love me, Fleur?”

Fleur closed her eyes and thought about how lonely and bereft she’d felt these past few days without Reed. He’d become part of her life, part of
her
. Her love for Pierre paled in comparison to what she felt for Reed.

When she opened her eyes, she found Reed staring intently at her. “I do love you, Reed. To deny my feelings would be denying my heart.”

Reed gave a whoop of joy. “We’ll be married as soon as this business with the traitor is resolved. You soothe my soul and bring me peace.”

After Reed’s moving declaration, Fleur became too choked up to speak. She merely stared at him, her eyes misty with tears. Not even Pierre had loved her as deeply as Reed did. When she looked into his eyes she no longer saw shadows; she saw only happiness and . . . yes . . . love. She flung her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his.

Reed reacted spontaneously, opening his mouth and drawing her into the kiss. She gripped his shoulders, drowning in sensation, flushed with the need to sink deeper into the abyss of pleasure.

“I don’t know if I can control myself,” Reed whispered against her mouth.

“Don’t,” Fleur gasped.

“I don’t want to take you here. You deserve better. I want to undress you slowly, lay you down on a soft bed and arouse you until you’re wild for me.”

Her voice was a ragged whisper. “I want that, too.”

“Then we’re in agreement,” Reed said as he scooped her into his arms and strode to the door.

“Reed! Wait! You can’t carry me to my bedchamber at this time of day. What will the servants think?”

“Frankly, I don’t care.”

He opened the door and bumped into Updike, standing guard, no doubt. Updike stared gravely at Fleur and asked, “Do you require my help, my lady?”

Overcome with embarrassment, Fleur buried her face against Reed’s chest and murmured, “No, thank you.”

“What your mistress wishes to say is that we will require dinner for two served in Lady Fontaine’s bedchamber at eight o’clock. Until then, we don’t wish to be disturbed. Oh, yes, inform John Coachman that I’ll find my own way home.”

Updike stood firm, refusing to step aside. “Are congratulations in order, my lord?”

Reed laughed. “Indeed they are. Lady Fontaine and I just became engaged.”

Beaming from ear to ear, Updike said, “Felicitations, my lady. May I tell Lisette?”

Once again Reed answered. “By all means; tell anyone you like. Now will you step aside?”

If Updike hadn’t moved, Reed would have barreled past him.

“The whole household will know what we’re up to,” Fleur scolded. “Did you have to be so obvious?”

“Don’t you think they already know about us? I’ve learned that servants know everything their employers do.” He reached her bedchamber and opened the door. “Forget about them. Tonight is just for us.”

He set her on her feet and closed the door behind them. Then he found a faggot and dipped it into the hearth. When it caught fire, he touched the flame to a candle. His eyes gleamed like silver when he finally turned to Fleur, lowered his head and lightly grazed her earlobe with his teeth. Then he nuzzled the soft skin behind her ear, inhaling the fragrant aroma of roses lingering on her skin. The scent weakened his knees and made him dizzy with need. Her arms circled his waist, melding their bodies together. If he didn’t get her naked soon, Reed feared he would explode.

With gentle hands, he unfastened the tiny buttons holding together her bodice. When the last button was undone, the bodice fell away. He reached up and slid the sleeves down her arms. Desire darkened his eyes when he realized she was unfettered by a corset.

“No corset?” he whispered. “How fortunate for me.”

“I knew no one would call on a raw day like this, so I dressed comfortably.”

“Thank God for intelligent women.” He stripped away her gown and then her chemise, baring her to his avid gaze. “Your beauty never ceases to amaze me,” Reed said reverently.

“I’m no great beauty, Reed. The
ton
would consider me average looking. Lady Violet is lovely by Town standards.”

He stared at her. High, full breasts beckoned his hands and lips. The indentation of her waist gave way to the sinuous curve of her hips. His gaze settled on the midnight tangle of curls at the apex of her thighs before continuing down her shapely legs to her graceful ankles.

“You’re not just beautiful, you’re exquisite. You underestimate your appeal.”

“You talk too much,” Fleur said as she set to work untying the complicated knot of his soggy cravat. His damp coat and shirt came off next, joining the pile of discarded clothing on the floor.

Reed caressed her back with long, slow strokes as she unbuttoned the placket on his breeches and peeled them down his hips. He gave her a dimpled smile as he kicked off his boots and stepped out of his breeches. Finally his erection sprang free. When she reached down and ran her fingers down his cock, he sucked in a sharp breath. Emboldened, she cupped his balls. His pleasure intensified until it bordered on pain. When he groaned, her hand stilled, and she looked up at him.

“Don’t stop, please don’t stop.”

She stroked him again. Heat poured through him. Every muscle tensed and quivered as he flexed his loins and thrust himself into her hand. Wrapping her hand around him, she gently squeezed. His groin tightened painfully. Glancing down, he saw a pearly drop appear at the tip of his engorged sex.

“Enough,” Reed said in a gravelly voice he barely recognized as his own.

Hooking his arm under her knees, he scooped her up, carried her to the bed and followed her down. His hand brushed over the curve of her bottom, then caressed the silken petals of her sex from behind, finding them already swollen and moist. With a deliberate lack of haste, he continued to arouse her. Turning her onto her back, he covered her nipples with his mouth and suckled, first one and then the other. Suddenly she pushed him away, startling him. If she asked him to stop, he thought he would surely die.

Reluctantly he reared up and stared down at her. Then he let out a bark of surprise when Fleur shoved him down and straddled him.

“Fleur, what . . . ”

“You’ve had your turn; now it’s mine.”

Grasping his cock between her hands, she lowered her head and drew him into the hot cavern of her mouth. She tasted him with her tongue, lapping the pearly drop at the tip, arousing him unbearably with her lips and mouth.

“Minx!” Reed growled. “If you don’t stop, this will end before it gets started.”

Grasping her waist, he lifted her away and rolled her beneath him. He settled himself between her splayed thighs and braced himself on his elbows, staring into her eyes.

Fleur squirmed beneath him. “Please, Reed, don’t make me wait.”

The blunt tip of his erection brushed through the curls between her legs and over the dewy folds of her sex, teasing her unmercifully. Her fingernails scored his back in a silent plea. Gazing intently at her, he thrust hard and slid deep inside her.

And found heaven.

Her body gripped him like a velvet glove. As he began to thrust and withdraw, she rose up to meet him, her breath coming in ragged puffs of air. His own breathing turned rough. Need scored him, and his thrusts became frantic. He glanced down at Fleur, relief pounding through him. She appeared to be on the cusp of climax. His control splintered.