Heaven Bound (A Blakemore Family Book: Madame Lou Series Book 2) (25 page)

“What about Marcus?” Jack asked around a mouthful of the peach pie that was supposed to be for dessert, but was too good to resist.

Addie finally sat down in the chair next to his bed and became more serious. “He didn’t do as well as the rest of you. Before that man hit him on the head, he struggled and suffered some very deep cuts from a knife. And the fact that you and Winston both tried to protect the boys first, well, Marcus’s back got burned very badly. That is where Louisa and the doctor have been spending most of their time. He only just regained consciousness yesterday. Poor Beatrice has been so worried that every free minute that I’ve had, I’ve been spending with her.”

“I want to see him,” Jack said, pushing the tray away and moving to stand.

“Jack, wait.” Addie said, concern etched on her brow. “Let me help you at least.” She went to his wardrobe and pulled out a dressing robe, holding it while Jackson slowly moved to rise. Working hard to hide any pain he felt, he allowed Adeline to assist him with the wrapper. “Put your hand on my shoulder and lean on me. The doctor said you should take things slow. You barely avoided an infection.”

“I’m fine,” Jack said, gritting his teeth and standing still for a moment while he grew accustomed to the fiery constant pain. He wasn’t about to let Addie see how much it hurt, not if he was going to convince her to ease his other ache. Just the thought of persuading her to make love with him again was enough to somehow allow him to put the pain in a place in his mind where it barely registered any longer. “Let’s go.”

Adeline walked slowly without making it obvious she was doing so for his benefit. As they moved down the hallway, Jackson found that the movements grew easier. By the time they had reached his brother and sister-in-law’s rooms, he was actually starting to feel nearly normal. The pain was at an acceptable threshold and, as long as he didn’t knock into anything or make any sharp movements, he felt that it would be manageable.

Beatrice stood as they entered. She walked to Jack and touched his good arm affectionately. “It gives me hope to see you up and about, Jackson. Marcus asked about you and your brother as soon as he woke up.”

“Would you send for me the next time he comes to?” Jack asked.

“Of course,” Beatrice said, touching her large belly. “But I don’t think it will be today. The doctor has been giving him a lot of laudanum or he says the pain would be unbearable.” Unable to stop the tears now, Beatrice turned away. But Jack wouldn’t allow it and he pulled her close so she could use his good shoulder as a handkerchief. After a few minutes, she was finally able to lift her red eyes; giving her brother-in-law a weak smile and telling him she would be fine. “I just need to rest.”

Adeline took Beatrice’s arm and led her back to the rocking chair she’d been using for her vigil over her husband. “Rest yourself, Bea; you have to keep up your strength for both your husband and your baby. Would you like me to ring for tea?”

“Yes, thank you, Adeline.” Beatrice said, smiling weakly and patting Addie’s arm affectionately. “I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t been here for me to lean on this whole time. You and Henrietta.”

Jack realized that Adeline had somehow made herself indispensable after a very short time in the Bradley household. His perception of her was changing as he watched her acting like the lady of the house. Before, he’d imagined that she just allowed her servants to do her bidding while she ran off after her causes without a thought for the more refined duties that a woman took on when she was running a large staff. But now he realized that she’d probably had to manage her father’s house after her mother passed away for quite some time. He was impressed that she could juggle both worlds so seemingly effortlessly.

“Jack, are you ready to return to your room?” she asked, coming to stand by his side after she’d rung for tea for Beatrice.

“No, I want to see Winston and my nephews. I just need to see for myself that they are doing as well as you say.” Controlling his expression so that he wasn’t giving any outward signs of discomfort, Jack started toward the solarium where Addie had said she’d last seen his older brother and his nephews. Before he could get more than a few feet, she was right by his side, placing his hand on her shoulder for support.

Addie walked with him and waited while Edward and Alex showed him the pictures they had been drawing. He was relieved to see they had recovered from their ordeal quickly.

“You boys keep drawing. I want to speak with your Uncle Jackson for a minute. I’ll be right back.” Winston stood, favoring his left leg as he followed Jack out into the hallway while Addie stayed with the children. “I’m glad to see you up and walking. Marcus is improving, even though he’s still suffering quite a lot.”

“They don’t look as if anything had happened,” Jack commented, indicating the boys with a movement of his head.

“No.” Winston agreed. “It was a blessing that Mrs. Hadaway put a sleeping draught in their food after bringing them to the cabin. They don’t remember anything other than that they had a bad cough for a few days. How is your arm and leg? The burns looked pretty bad when they first brought you back, but Louisa put something on all of our wounds that almost immediately helped me.”

“It still hurts like hell, but it’s bearable,” Jack said, bending his elbow and flinching. “But I couldn’t stay in bed another day. Moving is helping me manage the pain a bit.”

“Are you going to let Miss James go back to London?” Winston asked, turning to watch her as she sat patiently with his children.

“I don’t have a choice in the matter,” Jackson responded, surprised by his brother’s question.

“You could tell her how you feel, Jackie.” Winston gave him a pointed look. “You don’t have to mourn Clara forever, you know.”

Jack sighed and looked longingly at Adeline’s lovely profile, admiring the soft curves under her simple yet elegant day dress. “She’s made certain promises to her father. He wants her to marry one of those ridiculous titled chaps. No offense, of course.”

“None taken,” said the earl with a laugh. “All I’m saying, Jack, is that maybe if you told her how you feel about her, she might just change her mind and tell her father to sod off.”

“No, you don’t understand,” Jack said, turning to look Winston in the eye. “It was also her mother’s dying wish. And Addie is devoted to her parents. They gave her everything she ever wanted and didn’t ask anything in return, except for this one request. So she will obey, no matter how she may feel about me.”

“May? There is no ‘may’ in this equation. You haven’t been watching her care for you all this time, staying by your side day and night until the fever broke.” Winston shook his head as if he couldn’t believe how dense his younger brother was. “At least tell Adeline you love her and that you want to marry her. Then let her decide what she wants to do. You don’t need her inheritance, so that shouldn’t concern you.”

“Addie wouldn’t dishonor her father’s wishes. I know that much about her. It is one of the reasons I hold her in such high regard,” Jackson said, turning back to look at her again. As if she could feel his regard, she looked up and smiled at him. It sent a different kind of pain through him than the burns; one that spoke of the realization that he may never get another opportunity to do as his brother suggested and that thought was enough to make him want to at least try. “You’re right; she does deserve to know how I feel. That is the least I can do in appreciation for her selfless devotion to me and the rest of the family.”

“Excellent,” Winston said, bestowing his big-brother-smile on Jack. “Now go rest up. I have a feeling you are going to need all of your determination for the conversation you have planned.”

“You have no idea,” Jack said, almost to himself imagining what he had planned. He wasn’t about to just tell Adeline how he felt, knowing her resolve to keep her promise to her father. No, he intended to show her first and then try to convince her to stay. He could feel himself stirring just thinking about having her in his bed again, and decided that he needed to rest up because he would need all of his strength to pull off what he had planned.

After Adeline helped him back into bed, Jackson fell asleep almost immediately. A dream of a fire burning him alive woke him with a start in the middle of the night. He was panting and covered in sweat, and at first couldn’t remember what had happened. Then the events of that day came rushing back to him and Jack shuddered with relief that he’d escaped being burnt to death.

Blinking in the dark, his eyes adjusted and he noticed Adeline sleeping on the chaise longue near the window. She was in her nightgown and a loose wrapper. Had she been there all night? Or had she come to check on him and fallen asleep? Either way, he was glad she was here.

“Addie,” he called out softly, not wanting to startle her. “Addie, wake up.”

She slowly opened her eyes, looking around as if she wasn’t quite certain where she was. “Jack? Are you alright? Do you want me to get you anything—some water, or laudanum? Are you in pain?”

“I’m fine, Addie. Just come here, I had a bad dream,” he said, patting the mattress next to his stretched-out form. He watched her lithe form as she rose and came toward him. She leaned over and touched his forehead with her cool hand.

“You’re hot, Jack. I should get the doctor, in case your fever is back.”

He grabbed her wrist and pulled her back to the bed. “I had a dream I was back in the fire is all. I don’t have a fever. Please, sit.”

Adeline looked as if she wanted to resist him, but then acquiesced and sat on the bed. She brushed his hair off his face and smiled down at him. “You’re right, no fever. You’re cooler already. How is your arm? Are you sure you don’t want something for the pain?”

“It just pulls a bit, but it’s much better already, even from earlier today. I think I just needed to eat and move around a bit.” He paused and reached out his hand to gently stroke Adeline’s arm. “Maybe some additional exertion would be even more beneficial.”

Addie tried to pretend to be shocked by what Jack was suggesting, but all she was able to manage was a soft moan of anticipation. It was all she had been able to do not to seduce the man every time that she’d bathed his skin with cool water and applied the salve to his burns. It was one thing to make love to a man in candlelight while they were both fully aware, and something completely different to have him bared to her gaze in the light of day while he was unconscious and she was able to look and touch every inch of his beautiful body to her heart’s content.

“Do you really think you’re strong enough for that?” Adeline asked, hoping he would say yes. She didn’t have much time before it was the last day of the month when she was bound for London and her new life— forever this time.

Jackson didn’t even hesitate as he pulled her closer until she lay half over him, chest to chest on his uninjured side. “Not only do I know I am, but I’m also positive that it will give me the strength and vitality I need to recover even faster.”

He didn’t allow Addie to respond because his mouth found hers, brushing his lips over hers, leaving her breathless in their wake. Adeline sighed contentedly and relaxed against Jack’s chest, resting one hand on his naked shoulder while being careful not to touch his bad arm. Before long she lost herself in his soft, sensual kisses that he was raining on her mouth in gentle, caressing movements. After a few minutes of this teasing torture, Addie finally pulled away. Jack tried to grab her and bring her back against him, but she couldn’t bear the slow seduction he was employing against her, so she decided to take matters into her own hands. Standing, she removed her wrapper and then pulled on the silk ribbon that kept her nightgown laced up. As she slowly pulled apart the lacing on the front of her gown, Adeline watched Jack as he held his breath, mesmerized by her actions. It was intoxicating to have such power over a man and Addie was enjoying every second of it. She could feel her own body responding to the look in Jack’s eyes and the way he chewed his lower lip as she slipped the satin garment from her shoulders and let it slither over her aroused nipples to finally slide all the way to the floor, leaving her naked to his hungry stare.

Adeline felt hot wherever Jack’s gaze touched her, the ache between her thighs almost unbearable and he hadn’t even touched her yet. She moved closer to him until she was within his reach. Giving her a sexy crooked smile, Jack took Addie’s hand and pulled her to his side, then placed it on his pajama bottoms.

“Help me get these off, please,” he said, breathing harder and moaning with pleasure as she slowly and methodically did as he asked, giving extra attention to the bulge impeding her progress. “Oh, God, Adeline; you are wicked.”

Once she had them both unclothed, Addie decided to enjoy having Jackson still slightly incapacitated. She remembered how he’d taken advantage of her inability to think straight that first night, so now she would turn the tables and use immobility for her own pleasure. Of course, he would benefit as well, but it felt amazing to be the one in control this time.

Adeline started by running her palms over the tops of Jack’s hard, muscled thighs, then crawling up on the bed to reach behind him and grasp his buttocks. His hard, hot length was pressing up toward her breasts and Jack was trying to arch up to rub against her. He kept chanting her name like a mantra as she continued to run her hands over his warm skin. Moving up from his backside, Addie straddled Jack’s legs, being careful to avoid the bandages covering his left calf and shin. She ran her fingers over his taut, hard stomach just below his belly button, playing with the little arrow of hair. Then she slowly moved her hands up over his chest, circling his nipples with her thumbs.

She had traveled up his body and now her female center was exposed and rubbing against the soft firm length of his manhood. Adeline arched her back in pleasure as Jacked placed one hand on her bottom, pressing her harder against him.

“Jack,” she breathed his name as she leaned over to taste the skin on his neck. It was salty, and she continued to nip and lick up to his rough stubble-covered chin, finally capturing his mouth in a deep and penetrating kiss. Addie drank from Jackson’s mouth as if she was dying of thirst. She needed to taste him and feel him and know that he needed her as much as she needed him. They tangled their tongues in a dance that was first teasing but quickly dissolved into all-consuming desire.

Jack’s left arm was still bothering him but he made up for it with his right hand, moving deftly from her derriere to the spot between her thighs, stroking her back and forth until she was so hot and wet with her need that she had to pull away in order to catch her breath. Sitting perched above Jackson, Adeline allowed him to position her so her breasts were within reach of his mouth. He began using his tongue to tease her nipples to hard firm pebbles and, although she didn’t want him to stop, she couldn’t wait any longer to have Jack inside her.

Addie rose up, put her hand around him and guided him inside her while she sat back astride his hips. She watched as Jackson closed his eyes and sucked in a breath as she started to move, up and down.

“Slow down, or this will be over way too fast,” Jack said, in a strained, gruff voice.

Adeline complied, slowing her movements and changing the direction that her hips moved. She found that, by grinding her pelvis in circles against Jack’s, she had started a spiraling sensation in a place that she couldn’t quite explain, but it was sending her to a new level of pleasure that she didn’t want to stop, no matter how much Jack might beg. Throwing back her head, Addie was gasping for breath as she rose higher and higher until an explosion of delicious shudders shook her body, making her convulse around Jack’s hard pulsating length. She collapsed on top of him, utterly satisfied while still enjoying the sensation of him pushing in and out of her with his hips while fondling the crevice of her bottom with his good hand. More ripples of delight started coursing through Addie’s body and, leaning on her elbows, she nuzzled Jackson’s lips with her own, engaging him a sweet yet passionate kiss.

Unable to help himself, Jack finally took control and rolled to his good side, positioning Adeline to lie under him. He held himself up with his good arm, leaning on his elbow and keeping the injured one stretched out to the side. His movements were slow and awkward at first, but he soon had a rhythm going that sent Adeline back on the road to another building escalation of her ultimate pleasure.

“Addie, Addie!” Jack called out her name over and over as he picked up speed.

Adeline finally couldn’t hold her release back for another second and she cried out as her body responded with waves of heat and quivers that wracked her senses from her toes to her ears. As she felt a final undulation quake her senses, Jack stiffened above her and let out sigh of satisfaction as he pushed into her soft flesh just a little deeper, making Addie squirm pleasantly beneath him.

“Oh, Jack, that was amazing.”

Jackson couldn’t respond as he was completely out of breath, and collapsed heavily on top of her. Instead he just pressed a few kisses to her collarbone and throat. Finally, Jack was breathing normally and just as Adeline was beginning to doze off she heard him mumble something.

“I wish you could stay here with me forever, my Adeline.”

Addie wished that, too, and let one tear slip down her cheek trying not to think about leaving for London in a few days’ time.

They fell asleep wrapped around each other, limbs tangled in the aftermath of their lovemaking with neither moving nor waking until the sun began to stream in through the bedroom window.