Dark Obsession (11 page)

Driven almost out of her mind by the incredible feelings between her thighs, Marina waited for the sudden thrusting that her two husbands had always seemed to enjoy so much, but to her delighted surprise Matthew didn’t do this. Instead he eased his penis inside her a little way, circled his hips and then withdraw, while at the same time his free hand located her clitoris and he carefully stroked the side of the shaft.

Suddenly all the pleasure Marina had experienced up to this point seemed to run riot. The small sparks of excitement turned into piercing darts of intense sensation like electric currents running through her. There was an aching tightness just below where his finger was massaging her that seemed to get worse with every movement he made.

She closed her mouth tightly to stop herself from moaning aloud as her body began to clamour for a release from the almost frightening tension that was consuming it. Her breasts had never been so full and hard; her stomach muscles had never been so tight and when he slid his penis back into her a little further than the first time it seemed as though she was melting between her thighs.

Matthew worked slowly and steadily, gradually allowing more of his erection to slide inside her, and sometimes on the inward stroke he would hear her breath snag in her throat as he brushed against her G-spot. He tried to make sure that each time this happened his fingers also touched the stem of her clitoris.

Now Marina was certain that she was going to burst. Even through closed lips she could hear herself making strange, unintelligible sounds and her hips and thighs were trembling from unsatisfied sexual tension.

At last Matthew inserted the full length of himself and when he did so, he realised that his own self-control was
going
. Suddenly his hips took on a life of their own and he found himself thrusting fiercely into the slender woman.

He felt her body tightening, saw her head go back as the tendons of her neck strained with tension and he quickly drummed his finger against the side of her clitoris. This, combined with the friction caused by his movements and the quick touches of his erection against her G-spot, splintered Marina’s starved body into a thousand pieces.

The tight muscles felt as though they had gone into cramp-like spasms and she was flooded by a rush of warmth as the dreadful aching sensation exploded deep within her. Her whole body twisted into shattering contortions until finally she slumped exhausted and bewildered over the back of the chair.

Matthew fell forward as well, but he was careful to put his hands on either side of her so that she didn’t have to take his full weight against her. After a moment he eased her round and, seating himself in the chair, lifted her slight frame so that her buttocks were across his naked thighs. She leant against his shoulder, her skin damp from their lovemaking, and he stroked her softly as her breathing slowed and her pulse gradually returned to normal.

‘It’s been a long time for you, hasn’t it?’ he said gently.

Marina nodded. ‘I married for the first time when I was nineteen,’ she explained. ‘He was a very sweet man, but neither of us were at all worldly. We’d been friends since we were children and the marriage was probably as much for our parents’ benefit as our own. As for James, well, I imagined him to be something he wasn’t, and then tried to change him to what I’d thought he’d be. Sex has never been in the least pleasurable for either of us, and these days he finds his enjoyment elsewhere.’

Matthew had heard all about that, and knew very well the kind of enjoyment Lord Corbett-Wynne craved, but he kept silent. He had no wish to humiliate the lord’s wife at a moment like this. ‘But you’ve had other lovers?’ he asked.

‘None. I’ve never met anyone I was attracted to, until now.’

‘I’m very flattered, Marina. Last night at dinner, all I could think about was what it would be like to make love to you.’

‘And now you know,’ she said softly.

He smiled. ‘Now I know, and it was even better than I’d imagined.’

She sighed. ‘I don’t think I’ve ever been in love before.’

Luckily for Marina she didn’t see the look of astonished panic that crossed her lover’s face. She was delicate and beautiful and he knew that he’d enjoy making love to her for some time yet – there was so much she had to learn. But she wasn’t the kind of woman he would ever fall in love with.

He was a robust man who enjoyed far more variety and excitement in his sex life than Marina Corbett-Wynne would ever wish to provide. He doubted if he’d marry again, but if he did it certainly wouldn’t be to someone like her.

‘I don’t think I’ve ever been in love,’ he said carefully. ‘Not even when I was married.’

She turned her face up to look at him. ‘But in that case, how could you make love to me so tenderly?’

‘Because I find you sexually desirable, and I enjoy making love to beautiful women. I also like you, very much indeed.’

Marina wasn’t stupid; she understood that he was warning her. If their affair was going to continue then it would be on the clear understanding that it was a purely physical relationship, with no prospect of any long-term emotional commitment.

Only a couple of hours earlier she would have been shocked at the idea. Now it was different. Already her body was responding to his rhythmic stroking, and she knew that once wasn’t enough. She had to have him again; not today – she had to get back to Leyton Hall – but soon and on any terms.

‘I have to leave,’ she said quietly. ‘Annabel, the girl from London, might need to see me but I’d like to come and look at your litter again, if I may?’

Relieved at the way she’d taken his words, Matthew hugged her tightly, covering her neck and face with kisses. ‘I’d be very disappointed if you didn’t,’ he assured her.

As she was about to leave, an idea struck Marina. ‘What did you think of my daughter?’ she asked slowly.

Matthew’s eyes narrowed. ‘Your daughter?’

‘Yes, Tania. Don’t you think she’s attractive?’

‘Very.’

‘She seemed to find you attractive as well.’

‘Are you suggesting a threesome?’ he queried.

Marina flushed. ‘Certainly not! I was merely wondering whether, in the long term …’

He nodded, understanding how convenient such a marriage would be if Marina was anxious to keep him close to hand. ‘I don’t think she’d be very interested,’ he said slowly. ‘I’m told she likes slim, fair-haired young men like Crispian.’

Marina’s eyes widened in shock. ‘What do you mean?’

‘Nothing at all, except that I’m not slim and fair-haired.’

She took an anxious step towards him. ‘What have you heard? Tell me, I must know.’

He caught hold of her hands and kissed her again. ‘Marina, stop it. What do you think I might have heard?’

The touch of his lips on hers had already assuaged her anxiety. ‘Nothing,’ she said lightly. ‘I misunderstood.’

‘I wish I could run you back,’ said Matthew with a smile, ‘but somehow I think that might give the game away, don’t you?’

‘Well …’

‘Besides, I know you like walking,’ he added.

Marina nodded, wishing she’d never made up the lie.

‘You must try riding again,’ he suggested as he stood in the doorway. ‘If you went out riding it would increase the
number
of times we could meet. Besides, I’m told ladies find it very sexy.’

‘I don’t know,’ she said hesitantly.

‘You’ve got a man there who could teach you, haven’t you? Give it a go. Riding a horse with Chinese loveballs inside you is one of the most incredible sensations possible, or so one of my girlfriends told me.’

Between her thighs Marina felt a faint dampness beginning again, and she pressed her hands to her increasingly hot cheeks. ‘I really must go now, Matthew. It was wonderful. You’ll never know how much it meant to me.’

‘And to me,’ he assured her as he watched her walk away.

Once she’d gone he closed the door and poured himself a scotch. He’d enjoyed the encounter: her nervousness and lack of experience had been touching and he always enjoyed giving pleasure to women. All the same he knew that after time she would bore him, unless he could encourage her to experiment more.

If all the rumours were true her daughter wasn’t in the least averse to trying almost anything, but somehow he didn’t think her mother was the same. Surprisingly he had a sudden mental picture of the girl Annabel, and the way she’d looked at him the previous evening. He thought that later on he might see if she was interested, and if he could get Marina to join them then that would be even better.

‘A man can dream,’ he said aloud as he sipped at the whisky.

Annabel hadn’t had a chance to dream. She’d been busy all the morning jotting down copious notes about the rooms Lady Corbett-Wynne had wanted her to see. Her biggest problem was going to be incorporating her employer’s personal taste into Leyton Hall without losing its original atmosphere. Cream drapes and delicate furniture were all very well in their place, but that place certainly wasn’t the music room of Leyton Hall.

As she was finishing, Crispian came in through the front door. ‘Good morning,’ he said brightly. ‘Quite recovered this morning?’

Annabel nodded. ‘Yes, thank you.’

‘I’ve got something for you. A little memento of last night.’ He held out his hand and there, in the middle of his palm, lay the tiny copper ring that had encircled her clitoris in the stable.

Annabel felt a warm heaviness in her belly and struggled to keep her breathing even. ‘Thank you, Crispian, very thoughtful of you both,’ she responded, picking it up and slipping it into the pocket of her linen slacks.

‘What are you doing tonight?’ he asked.

‘Having an early night.’

‘Alone?’

‘I prefer to sleep alone,’ Annabel said coolly.

Crispian smiled. ‘If I joined you first you might sleep more soundly later.’

Annabel sighed. ‘You may be surprised to learn, Crispian, that I always sleep well.’

Crispian shrugged. ‘Only trying to be friendly. I thought, since we all got on so well last night, that you might not be averse to my company again.’

‘I’m not, but tonight I’d prefer to sleep. I’m sure Tania will keep you company if you get bored.’

‘I never get bored,’ Crispian assured her. ‘See you later then. I’ve got to spend the afternoon teaching the daughter of one of Pa’s friends to ride. Bloody boring but she’s going to be very rich one day and it will keep the old man quiet if he thinks I’m seriously looking for a suitable wife!’

Annabel couldn’t help smiling. It was impossible to dislike Crispian or to deny his potent sensuality, and despite her protests she had felt a thrill of excitement at the thought of another evening’s pleasure. Watching him walk away from her she had the pleasant suspicion that he hadn’t taken her refusal too seriously.

Chapter Five

LORD CORBETT-WYNNE WAS
smiling too. He could think of nothing he’d rather be doing on such a lovely morning than riding through the Wiltshire countryside on his favourite bay gelding with a pretty groom alongside him, her shapely thighs gripping the sides of the piebald mare. He watched appreciatively as Sandra’s buttocks rose and fell against the saddle, and he thought to himself that she had one of the best seats he’d ever seen, in more ways than one.

Well aware of his approval, Sandra took care to use her thighs more than was strictly necessary as she urged the piebald on or slowed it a little, and all the time she was waiting for the move that she was certain would come. So certain in fact that she’d taken the precaution of slipping a few items in the pockets of her jodhpurs. Lord Corbett-Wynne had proved so enthusiastic at their first meeting that she was starting to wonder just how far she might be able to enslave him.

The previous evening she’d lain in bed imagining herself as Lady Corbett-Wynne but, in the cold light of day, had decided that was unrealistic. All the same, if she could keep him enslaved she might well progress from being
just
another of his girl grooms to a favoured mistress, which would suit her rather well as she was quickly tiring of the messy jobs she was required to do around the horses. Mucking out and rubbing down were starting to lose their appeal. She would quite happily settle for a small cottage somewhere near the Hall and regular visits from Lord Corbett-Wynne.

If her employer had known of her dreams he could have disillusioned her immediately. The whole attraction for him was the fact that she
was
a groom. He loved the scent of hay and stables on his girls, and without their tight-fitting jodhpurs and rubber boots his senses would have been far slower to be aroused. As it was, he could barely control himself as he continued watching Sandra rising and falling in the saddle.

After a time they entered a copse and the horse track led them beneath some low-hanging trees and then out into a small clearing. It was a spot that Lord Corbett-Wynne knew very well. He pulled his horse up and dismounted. Sandra noticed that the horse immediately wandered off and started nibbling at the grass nearby, and she realised that this must be a regular stopping-off point for him.

‘Are we stopping?’ she asked with assumed surprise.

‘Thought we’d have a spot of lunch. You did pack the sandwiches in the saddlebags, I hope?’

Sandra swung a leg over her horse’s back and dismounted, making sure she gave him a very good view of her buttocks as she did so. ‘Of course, just as you asked.’

‘Good, good!’

The sun was shining down on them and Lord Corbett-Wynne decided that it would be better to sit beneath one of the horse chestnut trees and eat in the shade. Not that he was really hungry, at least not for sandwiches, but it was always difficult getting the girls to understand exactly what he wanted of them at this point. In fact, one or two of them never did enter into the spirit of the thing in the
way
he liked. He just hoped that Sandra wouldn’t disappoint him.

Well-primed by some of the other stable girls, Sandra felt fairly confident that she could make this the best lunch he’d ever had in the copse. The only difficulty lay in timing. She had to be sure that the moment was right before she changed from subservient employee to dominant female. She decided to test the ground.