Aiding the Enemy (War Girls) (8 page)

Her husband
.

Tears welled and leaked out of her eyes.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” she said, smiling and crying at the same time. “For the first time in my life everything is perfect.”

“Perfect is you,” he said, watching his hand close over her breast again. He rubbed and stroked the nipple and she arched, not knowing what she needed only that she needed something. He put his mouth where his hand had been, his tongue lashing her, his lips sucking, and pleasure struck her like a bolt of lightning. She cried out and he quickly covered her mouth with his, his hand resuming the torture to her sensitized flesh.

“Oh my God,” she whimpered, her whole body shaking. “What’s happening to me?”

“You’ve discovered passion and pleasure.” His hands kept stroking her and the sensations kept building, higher and higher. “This is only the beginning.”

“There’s more?” It wasn’t possible for the human body to experience more and not combust. Surely it would kill her. “I don’t know if I can take more.” The shaking in her limbs grew stronger. “Herman?” Fear drove the tone of her voice higher.

“Don’t be afraid, darling. This is the way it should be between a man and a woman. A husband and wife. Trust me, I won’t let anything hurt you, not even me.” He took one of her hands and placed it on his chest. “Feel me. I’m shaking too. I want you so much. Touch me, Rose. I want to feel your hands on my skin, holding me close, caressing me.”

She pressed her palm against his chest and slid it over to one of his nipples. She circled it then flicked her fingernail over it.

He groaned and took her mouth in a kiss so carnal, she wondered if what they were doing was illegal. She continued to tease his nipple, then moved her hand to the other one and repeated her actions.

Her hesitant caresses seemed to enflame him. He kissed and sucked and nipped at her lips, neck and breasts until she was so overloaded with pleasure she couldn’t think a single coherent thought.

One of his hands left her breasts and slipped down her body, dipping between her legs to discover her most secret place. She ached deep within, an ache she had no cure for. His fingers caressed her, delving into her flesh, seeking out her core.

When he gently stroked one large finger into her she nearly came off the bed.

“So hot and wet,” he whispered against her lips. His hands grasped her and held her still as he rocked his body against hers.

“I...is that good?” She shook as if her whole world was quaking.

“Very good, sweetheart.” He kissed her neck and petted her as if to calm her.

She knew what he would do next. He would enter her body with his, joining them, making them one. She wanted to feel him become a part of her. To be a part of him.

She didn’t want to wait.

“Herman, love me.”

He kissed her sweetly. “I do.”

Sweet wasn’t enough. She wanted his passion now. Needed it more than she needed food or water or air to breathe.

She took her hand off his chest and placed it over the part of him that would soon be inside her. He froze, not moving or breathing, as she explored his cock through his breeches with her fingers.

“I want this.” She squeezed gently. “Inside me where it belongs.”

He growled and his mouth crashed down on hers. He grabbed her wrists and planted them on the bed above her head, holding them down with one hand. His other hand pulled his breeches down and off.

He kneed her thighs apart and lowered himself to her. His cock came to rest at the entrance to her body and he teased them both with several short strokes that didn’t penetrate.

“Please, please,” she begged. “I want, I need—”

“What do you want, my beautiful Rose?”

“You.” She couldn’t seem to catch her breath. “You, for God’s sake, please.”

He released her hands to guide himself inside her with one hand and brace himself over her with the other. She wrapped both arms around him and hung on tight.

He worked the head of his cock into her slowly. With every careful thrust she lost a little more of her mind. He was a big man and his cock was built like the rest of him.

“It’s not going to fit,” she said, panting and wiggling her hips in hopes he’d move a little faster. “Is it? I’m going to die of frustration aren’t I?”

“Good God, woman, don’t do that. You’re killing me,” he ground out between clenched teeth. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

She put one hand on his buttock and squeezed.

He moaned and thrust harder into her. Her body jerked at the sudden pleasure and she put both hands on his ass, her fingers massaging the taut globes of masculine flesh.

He groaned and drove against her harder and faster until he was all the way inside. He kissed her, holding still until the tension eased.

“Don’t stop,” she ordered. “Don’t you dare stop.”

“At your command.” He kissed her again and started moving. He was careful at first, but even without her urging him on, he quickly accelerated the depth and speed of his thrusts.

Pleasure rose within her, strong and steady, like a wave she had no hope of avoiding. She gasped and moaned and clung to his shoulders.

He reached one hand down and stroked the nubbin of flesh at the top of her sex, and something inside her exploded.

She screamed into Herman’s mouth and shook as a hurricane of pleasure roared over her. She rode the storm for some time before she began to calm a little. He was thrusting strongly now, groaning with every move his body made. She could feel the tension in him and discovered the pleasure was climbing inside her again.

But she needed something more.

She lifted her legs and wrapped them around his waist. It changed the angle of his penetration and she gasped.

He plunged deeper than he had before and shouted her name. He kept thrusting then collapsed on top of her, holding her tightly, his head resting in the hollow of her shoulder.

It took several moments for them both to recover.

Rose floated in a haze of happiness and satisfaction, until the noise of a gunshot dispelled it. “Herman?”

“Don’t worry. Jesper will warn us if someone comes to the door.” His voice sounded sleepy.

“Oh.” For a blissful moment she’d existed in a place apart, a fantasy, but it wasn’t real. She and Herman hadn’t married because of love. They’d married because he wanted to save her life. She’d been greedy and allowed herself the pleasure of making love to the one man in the world she truly wanted. A child was even possible.

How could she be so selfish?

Chapter Eight

“I look...silly.” Rose turned in a circle for her audience.

Herman smiled and took her hand. “You look lovely.” He pressed a kiss to her palm.

She looked at her reflection in the mirror. “But am I going to fool anyone? I still look like me.”

“Your hair is dyed red and braided instead of piled in a bun, and your clothes are entirely different.”

She gazed at herself in the mirror. The same face she’d always seen stared back at her. “It will have to do.”

“We must go. My uncle is due to arrive later today.”

She turned to face her husband. “Does he know?”

His face lost all trace of mirth. “No.”

“Herman?” She put her hand on his shoulder. She couldn’t imagine how awful she would feel if her family believed she’d turned her back on them.

“Johann tells me that I’ve been listed as abandoning my post.” He sounded so pragmatic, but the tight lines by his mouth and eyes told her it bothered him more than he was letting on.

“What happens if you’re caught?”

“Execution by firing squad or hanging.”

Fear seized her lungs, turning them to stone. She fought her own body to breathe again. “If you’re wanted by the military, how will we travel? You’ll be caught the first time we’re stopped by anyone.”

“Johann has prepared our new passports for us. We are now officially Anton and Rose Humphrey.” He took her by the hand and led the way out of the room. “And I think we should tell people you’re pregnant. It might distract anyone who questions us.”

“All right.”

He took her outside where a car was waiting for them. Johann was in the driver’s seat. He took them to the train station and they boarded a train bound for Aachen, Germany, a town near the German and Netherlands’ border.

They settled in a small berth with upper and lower beds. She sat next to Herman on the lower bed. “Talk to me. We know each other, but we don’t.”

He put his arm around her. “I don’t know where to start.”

“Rodney. Tell me about your bother. He was a pianist. What else?”

He cleared his throat. “He composes, too, and loves the opera. But mostly he loves to play for an audience. To tell stories with his music and see those stories reflected in the faces of his listeners.”

“The loss of his hand will be difficult then.”

“He wants to die. He wants me to let the infection kill him.” Even Herman’s heartbeat sounded sad.

“Who is looking after him now?”

“I had him moved to the hospital at the palace earlier today. The maggots worked. His infection appeared all but gone and his fever had broken.”

“What will your uncle do?”

“I’m not sure. I left him a letter explaining my decision and actions but little else. He’s a smart man. He’ll be angry and he’ll denounce what I’ve done, but I hope he’ll forgive me eventually.”

“Your parents?”

“Both dead. A few years ago.”

“I’m sorry.”

“They would have loved you.”

Theirs wasn’t the love she wanted.

“Tell me about your family,” he asked, squeezing her shoulder. “Your father is a rector? Perhaps I should ask him for some professional advice.”

“Be careful what you wish for. He’s notorious for providing advice and life lessons at the same time.”

“I’d appreciate his efficiency.”

“But maybe not his sense of humour.”

Herman’s answering chuckle made her smile, but it didn’t last.

“I can’t even imagine what he’d say to our current situation.”

“You don’t think he’d approve?”

“Heavens no.”

“Why not?”

“Well, we’re...I mean it’s not like we’re going to stay...married.”

“We have to get out of Belgium, to a neutral country, first. We should talk about children.”

“Children?”

Herman coaxed her to move closer to him. “We should discuss it. We’ll need these kinds of answers ready. How many children do you want to have?”

“I’d let God decide that, but three or four would be nice.”

“We could name our first son and daughter for your parents.”

“I think I’d rather name them after yours.”

Herman was silent for a long time and she put her head on his shoulder. She’d almost drifted off when he said quietly, “You know we can’t go to England right away, don’t you?”

“We can’t?”

“If anyone found out who I really am, I’d be arrested.”

“If anyone finds out who you really are in Germany, you’ll be shot. We both will.”

“We should eventually go to the Netherlands. In a neutral country, we’ll both be safe.”

“Could I send a letter to my family? Let them know I’m alive and safe?”

“Of course, but we’ll still need to be careful.”

“Why?”

“I don’t trust anyone to keep our secret.” He stared at the wall opposite them with a resigned expression then murmured something about it being the only choice he could have made and stroked her hair. “Some might view what we’ve done as treason.”

* * *

A pair of brown haired children, a boy and a girl, with her eyes and Herman’s smile ran into the tiny room. They laughed and asked her to play with them.

“Rose.” Herman called to her.

She didn’t want to leave the children.

“Rose, wake up.”

She opened her eyes to discover her head in his lap. “What?”

“This gentleman needs to ask you a few questions.”

“Now? I was having the most wonderful dream. About a boy and a girl,” she told him, their faces still fresh in her mind’s eye. “Twins.”

Someone cleared his throat behind her and she blinked the last of sleep away. She turned to find a man of indeterminate years in a German military uniform standing in the doorway. “Oh, I’m sorry,” she said. “Please excuse me.”

“It’s quite all right, Mrs. Humphrey. My wife dreamed of babies when she was with child. The entire time.” He handed passports back to Herman. “Thank you, sir. Have a pleasant trip.” He left and closed the door behind him.

“Where are we?”

“Liege. We’re not far from Germany now.”

Rose stared at the closed door for a moment. “What was that all about?”

“The military is looking for someone,” Herman whispered. “He didn’t believe me when I said you were pregnant.”

“Oh. Well. I’m glad my dream proved useful.”

“Very.” Then he smiled. “Twins?”

She could feel the heat crawl up her face. “It was only a dream.”

“A good omen.” He stroked a hand down her neck and she sat up.

“I need a few private moments. Do you mind?”

“Certainly not. Take all the time that you need.”

She smoothed out her dress and touched her hair, but it seemed reasonably neat.

“You look lovely.”

Surprise had her blinking at her husband. “Really? I usually look rather rumpled after a nap.”

He scanned her body from the shoes on her feet to the ribbon in her hair. “Lovely.”

Such want was stamped on his features it made her catch her breath. “I may go in search of some tea,” she managed to get stutter then stepped out of the room.

The ladies’ room at the head of the car was thankfully unoccupied. She entered and looked at her reflection in the mirror. Bedraggled, just as she thought. She was going to have to suggest Herman consider wearing glasses. The thought of the expression on his face made her heart pound.

Desire. She wasn’t used to it directed at her.

A cup of tea would definitely help settle her. She’d just nip forward to the dining car and see if she could procure some, along with a bit of bread and cheese.

* * *

Herman stared at the door his wife had just departed through with a wide smile on his face. Since he’d spoken his wedding vows, he couldn’t seem to stop smiling.

The woman had bewitched and enchanted him. He’d always thought her attractive, but now, having seen and touched her nude, curvaceous form, he was on fire for her. Her passionate and uninhibited response to his lovemaking only made him want her more. Add that to her wit and intelligence and he’d married his perfect woman.

All he had to do now was show her he was her perfect man.

He laid back and considered his possible courses of action.

A moment later, someone knocked on the door.

He rose and opened it. A German soldier faced him, his uniform declaring the rank of captain. Behind him stood two enlisted men with rifles in their hands.

“Dr. Geoff, how surprising to find you on board,” the captain said with a smile that was altogether too predatory.

Hate had him wishing he could strike the smile off the other man’s face. “How surprising to discover you’re a captain,
Carl
.”

Carl hadn’t revealed his rank when he’d arrived with the military police to arrest Rose, just that he’d been investigating her.

The orderly-turned-officer looked around. “Where is your wife?”

“My wife?”

“Come now, Doctor. I know all about your marriage and assumption of your dead cousin’s name.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. As you can see, there’s no wife here.”

Carl’s smile was all teeth. “I’ve talked to the church man who married you, Rodney and Dr. Fuchs. The doctor was most helpful. Your brother less so.”

Anger washed over Herman. He wouldn’t put it past this bastard to have used unsavory methods to obtain this information. “My brother is injured and not well.”

“No, he isn’t. A shame you had to leave him in such a hurry.”

“Did you hurt him?”

“Me? No, of course not. You did most of the damage.” Carl shoved past him and into the room. He picked up Rose’s cape and held it up. “I’ll ask again, where is your wife?”

“She’s gone.”

“Where?”

When Herman didn’t answer right away, Carl circled to face him again and asked in a hard, icy tone, “Where is Rose Culver?”

“I don’t know. When we arrived here she said she needed some time to herself. I believe she was frightened. She hasn’t come back.”

“You lost your wife already? How careless of you.” Carl sneered. “You’ll remain here under guard while we look for her.”

“I assume I’m being charged with a crime.”

“Indeed. Dereliction of duty, abandoning your post and aiding the enemy.”

* * *

Tea had never tasted so good.

Rose sat at small table in the dining car and watched people rush about the train station in Liege. Most of the other passengers in the car were men dressed in German military uniforms. None had spared her more than a glance or two, and she was able to relax enough to ignore them in favour of pondering her predicament.

Married to a man she respected and desired. Put that way, things didn’t seem untoward at all. But that was just the beginning. She was married to him because he’d decided to save her life. His compassionate nature had compelled him to do it. Not the honest desire to marry her.

He was a good man, her husband. Too good to burden with an unwanted wife, no matter how he tried to reassure her he’d make the best of things. Yet, what could she do? The whole of Europe was at war and they were from opposing sides. Neither of them could go home. If they did, the other risked arrest—or worse.

No, their course was set. For now, the future would have to take care of itself.

It was time to return to their berth. The least she could do was bring tea and sandwiches to share with her new husband. She purchased a pot of tea and the snacks and loaded a tray to carry back to Herman.

She entered their car and noticed a soldier standing next to their door. Already walking down the hall, she couldn’t stop now. The soldier had already seen her. She pasted a smile on her face and walked by him into the next car.

As she passed, she glanced inside the berth. Another soldier was with Herman. Somehow they’d been found out.

She hesitated in the next car, uncertain and trying very hard not to panic.

She could get off the train and run. She still had contacts within the underground and could find her way to the Netherlands. But she couldn’t leave Herman. He’d risked everything to save her. The German military would execute him, of that she had no doubt.

She wouldn’t leave him behind.

Her breathing calmed as she made her decision. She could do this. It was her turn to rescue him.

She went back to the previous train car and came to a stop directly in front of their berth.

“Afternoon,” she said to the soldier guarding the door.

“Ma’am.” He nodded.

She raised a brow expectantly. “This is your tea service, sir.”

He frowned. “We didn’t order tea.”

“Well, someone did. For two.” She glanced through the narrow window. “There are two of you aren’t there?”

“Yes, ma’am, but...” He looked around as if a solution to this sudden tea problem would magically appear.

“May I set this down at least?”

“Yes, ma’am. Of course.” He opened the door and she went in.

“Good afternoon,” she said brightly to the second soldier. “Your tea is here.”

“Tea?” he asked, as confused as the first.

Herman stared at her with his mouth hanging open.

She let her gaze slide over him as if he were a piece of furniture. If she looked at him at all it would show on her face and the jig would be up.

“Um? Where can I put this down?” She turned in a circle and lifted the tray higher.

The soldiers urged Herman to his feet and out of the way. One bent to remove her bag from the seat.

Then she brought the tray—including hot teapot, cups and sandwiches—down hard against the back of his head.

The soldier slumped to the floor, and she spun towards the other one. He gaped in astonishment as she thrust the edge of the tray at his face. He blocked it with his rifle and knocked it out of her hands. She jerked back, raising her hands to ward him off, but he came to an abrupt halt.

Herman had the unconscious soldier’s rifle. “Inside,” he ordered. The soldier entered and Herman slid the door shut behind him. “Take his rifle, dear.”

She did, purposely not meeting his gaze.

“Tie them both up.”

She nodded and rooted through her bag for something that would hold two men for more than a few minutes. She finally settled for ripping up a chemise, using the strips to render both soldiers immobile. Once they were restrained, Herman took their rifles and shoved them into the closet.