Page 35 of Harpy of the Ton (Misfits of the Ton #5)

I love you.

There. She’d said it.

A woman still glowing from lovemaking, when her rational mind surrendered to the instincts of her body, spoke nothing but the truth.

His late wife might have uttered the words when called upon, but she’d never spoken them from the heart. And the doxies who’d serviced him over the years only loved the coin he gave.

A man knew when a woman’s pleasure was genuine, when her body squeezed and rippled against his cock until it burst with pleasure. No woman could feign such pleasure, no matter how much she might moan and sob his name.

And no woman had given, or taken, such pleasure from a coupling as the woman in his arms now—the woman who had acted out of pure instinct, pure need.

The woman whose maidenhead he’d just taken.

The naked woman he now lay beside, fully dressed, save for his unbuttoned breeches from which his partially erect cock now jutted.

What have I done?

He’d treated her like a whore—stripping her, then fucking her on the floor.

And she had loved every bit of it.

She lay beside him now, stretched languorously on the blanket—a woman well pleasured, a smile of repletion on her lips.

He traced a line along her body, silhouetted against the glow from the fire—her shapely legs, the flare of her hips—until he reached her breasts, where he lingered. She arched her back, pushing her breast into his hand, and he flicked her nipple with his thumb.

“Mmm—that’s lovely.” She rolled onto her side and opened her eyes.

“Forgive me,” he said. “I shouldn’t have taken you like this—on the floor.”

She frowned. “Did you not enjoy it? W-was I not good enough?”

“Heavens, love!” he said. “We came off together—it’s better that way.”

“I never could have imagined it would be so wonderful,” she said. “Is it always like that?”

“Only with you.”

“Will it be as wonderful again?”

He let out a sigh. Would he ever make love to her again?

“It will be wonderful,” she said. “If it’s with you, then anything will be wonderful.”

She gave a contented sigh, and within moments, she’d fallen asleep, naked and relaxed against him. What greater expression of trust could she give him?

Did it matter, the manner of their meeting? No—what mattered was now. The woman he loved—and who loved him—was in his arms. Gone was the bitter, miserable creature, the spoiled princess trapped by an ogre. She had been replaced by Bella—his wife.

And he would spend the rest of his life treating her as she deserved to be treated.

Because he loved her.

*

When Bella woke, the room was already light. A sunbeam stretched across the room. She shifted on the sofa and raised her hand, disturbing the dust motes that swirled in the sunlight.

“Lawrence…” she whispered, a smile on her lips.

Had last night been a dream?

She sat up and winced at the soreness between her legs. The memory returned—the delicious fullness deep inside her body when he’d pounded into her, and the shattering explosion of pleasure.

Heat flooded her cheeks as her gaze fell on the floor beside the fire.

“You’re awake.”

She glanced up to see her husband leaning against the doorframe, wearing only his breeches. He folded his arms, and her mouth watered at the way his muscles rippled with the movement—the barely concealed power of the male beast.

“I won’t ask whether you slept well,” he said.

“Why?”

“Because I held you in my arms all night. I carried you to the sofa just after dawn.”

“While I was…n-naked?”

He grinned. “If I recall, I did a great deal more than that while you were naked.”

“I’m at a disadvantage this morning,” she said. “I am still naked.”

“I can redress the balance,” he said, unbuttoning his breeches.

“Lawrence—the children! They’ll be up soon. What if they catch us?”

“Then they’ll be witness to our love.” He approached and took her hand, lifting it to his mouth. “We can resume our activities of last night once the children have left for school.”

“What—here?”

He flicked his tongue out, hunger in his eyes. “I’m wantin’ to enjoy you in every room in the house—the bedchamber, the kitchen…”

“The kitchen ?”

“Where else would I feast on you but on the kitchen table?”

“Oh.”

How sinful! Yet she pulsed with need at the notion of being served up on the kitchen table while he devoured her.

“Then there’s the hallway—up against the wall, I think,” he said. “And the garden…”

“O-outside? Is that not terribly wicked?”

“That’ll make it more pleasurable. That is, if you’re not too tender after last night.”

He slipped his hand beneath the blanket, searching for her breast, which was already heavy with need, the nipple peaked for him.

“My woman’s as hungry for me as I am for her.”

“Lawrence!” she chided.

“Your body cannot lie, love, and the children won’t be up for a while yet. Perhaps we might indulge in a morsel or two before breakfast. Then we can dine more fully throughout the day.”

“Don’t you have to work? Sir Halford Merrick’s garden…”

“Is finished,” he said. “Today, I need to work on the designs for Mr. Trelawney’s garden.”

“I can…” she began, then hesitated. He’d made it clear before how little he valued her opinion, or her offer of help.

“Yes, my love?” He caressed her breast, igniting a spark of need in her center.

“Lawrence!”

He leaned close and nipped her earlobe. “I love hearing my name on your lips.” Then he brushed his lips against hers. “Might I ask something?”

“Anything.”

“Would you help me with the design? You could come with me the next time I visit Mr. Trelawney.”

“Me?”

He kissed her again. “Yes, love. You’re clever, resourceful, with a heart as big as the world. I’ve been a fool not to have seen your worth until now. And if you can assist me with designing a garden suitable for a lady”—he licked his lips—“I can reward you.”

“I’m no lady,” she said.

He frowned, and once more she saw a flash of guilt in his eyes. “To me, you’ll always be a lady.”

She brushed her lips against his. “And you are my lord.”

“Sweet heaven,” he sighed. “What have I done to deserve a woman such as you? I shall never take you for granted again—and I’ll spend the rest of our lives together showing you just how much I love you.”

“Then, my love,” she said, “that shall be reward enough.”