A Lesson in Pride (4 page)

Nigel smiled knowingly. “Very well, then. Robert and I will remove the body and arrange him in his own bed. Take all the time you need.” Without another word, Nigel left the dressing room, leaving Grant to wonder if he should be disgusted with himself or excited over his duty.

Chapter 5

The door opened and Ginny watched Nigel come marching out. She sat on the edge of the bed waiting to see if Alysanne's father would be successful. Her brother poked at the fire in his attempt to ignore her.

“Robert, come. We must remove Drake and arrange him in his own bed.” Stopping at the body, Nigel turned his attention to his daughter. “You know what your duty is, Alysanne. Montgomery will be back in a moment.”

After his speech, Nigel concentrated on ordering Robert to help him with the body. Ginny watched quietly until Montgomery reappeared in the doorway. His face was glum, as though he anticipated a trip to the dentist. Ginny should have been insulted, except she was certain that her face carried the same exact expression.

Watching Montgomery, Ginny listened as Nigel ordered her husband be dragged out with the carpet. Stoically, she endured her father's complaints about the smell and the weight of her dead husband. It was ironic that he would be in such a snit over the duty considering how it was going to save their collective asses. Ginny would have reminded him of the fact if she'd had the energy to do so.

When Nigel, Robert, and Drake left the room, Montgomery closed and locked the door behind them. He pulled the key from the lock and placed it on the table near the door. His back was turned from her for a long time.

Ginny was well aware of how surreal her life had been over her body switching. She had occupied someone else's life, trying to make a happy ending for her character. Less than an hour ago to her, she had been on a ship with her latest husband, traveling to America with the man's baby in her womb.

With all she'd been through, this had to be the most surreal. Considering she had just spent a time battling vampires, that said a lot. Alysanne, a sweet, even-tempered, beautiful, young girl, had faced so much in her life. Her story made Ginny want to do something to make her life better. Even though the thought of having sex with the man across the room rebelled against everything inside her, she knew she'd do it. Knew that this poor, young girl had no other choice unless she wanted her life to take a turn for the far worse.

Grant would take care of her, she knew. He would make sure that she found pleasure. But that wasn't her problem. One of the ways she'd learned to cope with the love and loss was to hold something of herself back with every man. It helped that she didn't pop into a body and had to have sex right away. Ginny had time to adjust to the story before anything was expected of her. Not this time, though.

Could she have sex with this man and still hold something back? The feelings for him surged through her consciousness. Alysanne remembered every kindness, every shared commiseration. The girl had dreamed of Grant Montgomery almost every night. She had dreamt of how he would save her from her life. How he would love her for herself, not for what she could bring to him. He was her ultimate knight in shining armor.

Here he was, in as real a life as Ginny knew, acting as that knight. There was no dragon to slay or enemy to defeat, only a small flap of skin to be pushed through. It would be no less unpleasant for him, yet she sensed that he was no more interested than she. With all that, he was still saving her from a life of poverty and despair. He was granting her something better than she'd ever known.

Ginny felt her heart melting toward the man across the room. He was gorgeous, as they all were, but there was something else. He was chivalrous. He would lay down his honor to help her. The least she could do was make it as enjoyable for him as possible. It wasn't as though Ginny didn't know a thing or two about pleasing a man.

Rising from the bed, Ginny crossed the room and placed her hand on his shoulder. He turned suddenly, as though he hadn't heard her. His eyes met hers and she saw how he grappled with his decision.

“Why don't we sit down for a bit, Lord Grant? I can get you something to drink.” Alysanne's voice sounded meek and scared. Clearing her throat, she took his hand and led him to the chairs before the fire.

Thankfully, when Nigel and Robert had removed the body, they had taken the odor with them. Ginny took the bottle from its bucket and poured two glasses of sparkling champagne. After handing him one of the glasses, Ginny then removed her robe, took a large swig from her own glass, and finally took the seat across from him. T
his is going to be a long night
, she thought to herself. Maybe it would be better if she were drunk. Looking at her companion, she decided against it. Montgomery looked like he would run with the least provocation.

Deciding to be as honest as possible, Ginny said, “I'm sorry.”

A small, half smile came to Grant's face. “You have nothing to be sorry for, Alysanne. I think we both find ourselves victims of the same fate.”

Chuckling at his verbiage, she responded, “So it would seem.”

Taking a long sip from his own glass, he said, “You must call me Grant, Alysanne, if we are to become such intimates.”

At the thought, Ginny's stomach churned. She was really going to do this, wasn't she? She had no choice and needed to man-up. Or woman-up, as the case was.

“Well, Grant, I'm still sorry. Sorry that you have made an unfortunate alliance with my father, and sorry that I was born to such a man.”

Grant couldn't believe his ears. In all the time he'd known the Thomas family, he had never heard Alysanne speak out against her father. He had never even seen her roll her eyes at one of his outrageous commands. Whatever had happened in her short marriage had changed her. For the better, he thought.

In some strange twist, Grant came to her father's defense. “He is not all bad, Alysanne. He did save my life.”

“Yes,” she responded absently. “But what has he done since then?”

Grant's smile disappeared from his face. He remembered the day he'd met Nigel with perfect clarity. He had just finished with a whore in the upper rooms of a less than reputable inn. As it turned out, the girl was the innkeeper's wife, looking for a bit of extra blunt. The innkeeper claimed he had no knowledge of what his wife was doing, but he and his friends were just looking to rob Grant. Nigel saw the scam for what it was and helped him escape.

Since that day, they had been friends, but Grant could not claim anything that would indicate any evidence to that effect. Over the years, Grant had given the man contacts in the ton for his cons. Never once, since that day at the inn, could he remember a single thing Nigel had done for him.

As if reading his thoughts, Alysanne said, “Just as I thought. He is not a good man, Grant. You would do well to stay away from him.”

Slightly piqued by her advice, he asked, “What of you, Alysanne? Do you plan to stay away from him as well?”

“Oh, you needn't worry about me. After tonight, I will have the wherewithal to more than care for myself.”

“Speaking of which...” he began, stumbling on the few words he managed to get out of his mouth. He was about to deflower a girl of eighteen. He had always thought this day would come, but it would be his own wife and not the daughter of a friend. He was popular with the married and widowed ladies, not so much the innocents. The mamas of the ton were well aware of his financial situation.

“Yes, let's talk about this,” Ginny said, pulling herself a little taller in the chair. It was time they got down to brass tacks.

“I can only imagine how uncomfortable this is for you,” she continued, as Grant stared at her with disbelief. “My father has put you in an untenable position.”

Grant's mouth dropped open as he stared into Alysanne's fathomless blue eyes. When had she gained so much maturity, so much confidence? He'd be lying if he said it didn't arouse him considerably.

Despite her tone, her expression showed nothing of the same confidence. Her gaze was on his fully when she said, “I would be most grateful to you for your assistance, Grant. It is so much to ask, but I guarantee that I will be a true friend to you. If you come to me for assistance, you can count on my being there for you.”

Without realizing what he was doing, Grant stood up. Grabbing her by the shoulders, he had Alysanne out of her seat and his mouth on top of hers in a second. He wanted to be gentle, but when her tongue darted out from between her lips and licked him, his control all but snapped.

Pulling back, caressing her cheek with his hand, he fell into the depths of her eyes. She was no longer the little girl who followed him around like a lost puppy. She was a desirable, luscious woman who was asking him to take her to bed. Grant had rarely turned down such an offer, especially when made with the promise of returning his favor.

“I promise to make this good for you, Alysanne. As good as it can be considering your purity.”

He thought she'd spew some poetry about the moment. Instead, she answered, “Thank you.”

Her simple answer did things to his libido. As if she'd aged by ten or twenty years, Alysanne wasn't the same girl he saw walking down the aisle that morning. This woman before him was much more enticing. This chore of taking her virginity had become a pleasure. Pleasure that he planned on repaying her.

********

Too many strange things had happened to Ginny for her to worry so much about it. She knew she should be appalled by a stranger touching her, and she was in a way, but not as much as she should have been. Deep feelings, not her own, were taking over her psyche. Every caress of his hands turned into magic. Every breath against her skin made her insides turn to jelly. If she didn't know herself better, she would have said she was in love with this man already. She couldn't be, but Alysanne could.

His lips came off her mouth and moved down her neck. Goose bumps ran up her arms despite the heat he gave off. Her body was responding to his touch and she grew damp in anticipation.

Grant took his time, kissing her neck and shoulder before moving his way back up. When he reached the extra sensitive spot behind Ginny's ear, she thought her legs would buckle underneath her. Sensing her distress, Grant picked her up and sat down on the chair with her cradled in his lap. He never took his lips off her skin.

Not knowing what to do with her hands, Ginny kept them firmly on his shoulders. It was as if all her knowledge had flown from her mind and she was an innocent once again. She could formulate what was to happen, how a man's body fit inside a woman's, but was too naïve to assist in the process. Forcing part of her consciousness back into Alysanne's body, Ginny was able to move her hands down the front of Grant's coat and release the buttons.

Taking her hands, Grant said, “There will be plenty of time for that, my dearest. Let me touch you first.”

Oh, God
, Ginny thought frantically as her insides turned to molten lava. A strange voice, one she recognized as Alysanne's, screamed affirmations in her head. Ginny knew how innocent the girl was, but wondered if she hadn't planned it after all. Maybe she'd drugged Drake before he came in. There was no memory of it, but Alysanne was so hell-bent on having Grant, it just made sense. When Grant's lips returned to her own, Ginny stopped thinking. The process had been set in motion and she was in no condition to stop it.

Closing her mind to anything but the pleasure, Ginny marveled as his hands made their way down the front of her nightgown. His fingertips gently outlined the deep v of the front of the gown, pulling the fabric apart to reveal more of her breasts. One hand dipped in and waved over her taut nipple. Ginny gasped into Grant's mouth, feeling certain parts of her body clench in sensation.

“You liked that, did you?” he asked, his voice mocking, but not insultingly so. “You shall like this even more.”

His hands moved to her shoulders, pushing the fabric off and down her arms. Soon the top of the nightgown lay at her waist, revealing her chest to his examination. Watching his face, she saw the smile come to his lips. His tongue darted out to lick his lips, as if in anticipation of his dinner. The sight made Ginny's own mouth go dry.

She watched as his head dipped slowly, knowing his intention, but unable to keep her heart from racing all the same. First, his tongue licked the delicate nipple, causing it to contract even more. Then his entire mouth took her in, sucking gently. It made Ginny's bottom gyrate against his lap.

Pulling his head away, he looked into her eyes. Ginny could almost see the picture he saw there. Glassy eyes, panting breath. His smile told her what he saw. He saw a girl who was more than ready to have him. More than willing to allow him any liberty. Alysanne would obey any command of his at that moment. Only Ginny would prevent her from doing anything too ridiculous. Still, it was all laid out before him, her deepest feelings and thoughts and desires.

His hand came up to cup her cheek again. Grant kissed her mouth gently before asking, “Is this what you want?”

What? Ginny blinked several times trying to understand his question. Was this what she wanted? Was he kidding? She was a stone's throw away from ripping his clothing off so she could lick every part of his body. Was he so blind he couldn't see it?

With a shaky breath, she answered, “Yes.”