Her Reluctant Viscount (Rakes and Rogues) (29 page)

Good Lord! Kissing her got better each time. Her taste addictive, he growled low in his throat and continued searching her mouth. When her tongue tentatively touched his own, the lust riding him for years—since he had met her—flared to life. Raw and exposed.

Everything in him wanted her. Longed to explore her naked body, craved the feel of her tight sheath around his length. Family. Children. All of those things flashed through his mind and he stiffened.

What am I doing? I cannot. She has been through hell.

Determined to stop his insane decision to kiss her in the first place, he broke the contact between them.

“Trystan.”

She spoke his name so softly and wound her arms around his neck. His control wavered.

“I cannot take advantage of you.”

“You are not.”

“Jo—”

“Please.”

“Are you sure?” Was that his voice? So deep and graveled?

Her answer was to connect their mouths again. The hunger in him for her flared hotter. He flexed his fingers, which currently sat buried in her hair and stroked his tongue along hers.

She arched her back, pressing her chest into him even more. With his free arm, he dragged it down along her figure to the hem of the shirt. Beneath his fingertips lay her silken skin. Tempting him to explore further.

Her bare legs entwined with his clad ones, but his chest was bare where she wore a shirt. She threaded her fingers through his hair, a deep-throated purr escaped her as she did so.

Closing down the final bit of restraint he had, he gave in fully. He was going to go to purgatory for this. Colin would kill him and Najja…well, it would be worse than death. He did not care. Right here and now it was about him and Jo. He readjusted and held her closer.

Dragging his hand back up, he moved over the swell of her hip, to the defined dip of her waist, and up until he could feel her ribs. She was softer than any velvet and smoother than any silk. He brushed his knuckles along the side of one breast. Her sharp intake resonated through him.

She kissed him hungrily, as if she could not get enough of him. There existed such fire in her; he had known it, but to experience all that heat and passion was something else entirely. His shaft throbbed against her; he wanted to be buried inside her.

Rising up, he helped her off with the shirt, made short work of removing his breeches, and covered her again, this time both of them naked. The curls over her core were damp against his turgid length. He ground his jaw and struggled not to behave as a monster.

There was no hesitation on her part. She undulated beneath him and he lowered his head to take a breast in his mouth. Her back bowed, pressing herself closer still to his mouth. He took his time and lavished attention on both until she writhed beneath him, incoherent mumbles sliding from her mouth.

Moving one hand down her body, he felt her stomach muscles clench beneath his palm as he passed it. Two fingers, he drifted through the damp curls and dipped one into her.

“Oh,” she gasped, stilling only to moan again.

Sweat dotted his brow. She was so hot and oh-so tight. He worked it back and forth, as her cream coated him. She began to babble and he covered her mouth with his. He mimicked the action of his finger with that of his tongue until he could not take anymore.

Removing his finger, he guided the tip of his shaft to her core and pressed in. He continued until he met her barrier. Her breathing came fast and he could feel her heart pounding against his chest.

Her hands rested upon his shoulders, nails digging into skin. Back and forth, he moved until she relaxed beneath him. Nipping her lower lip, he surged forward. Her gasp went into his mouth as he sank fully inside her.

Heat surrounded him. He gulped and tried to hold still to allow her to get used to his size. When she moved, he closed his eyes at the feeling. Nothing had prepared him for anything like this.

Snug. Tight. Unbelievable. He intensified the kiss as he withdrew and sank in again. She held him so tight; arms and inside her wetness.

“Tryst.” She sounded breathless when their mouths parted.

“So perfect,” he rasped.

He set a rhythm, one which Jo picked up and joined him in. Lacing their fingers on one hand, he continued to piston his hips and moved his other hand to over her head.

“Try…I…oh…please.” She writhed and arched her hips, asking for more.

He thrust harder and faster. Her cries and moans grew louder and he slanted his mouth back over hers to muffle them. She came first and heaven help him, he could not stop his own release and covered her womb simultaneously releasing a low roar.

Heart thundering he lowered his weight on her and kissed her again. He was still hard and moved slightly. She moaned and touched his face, her fingertips trailing along his scar.

With his injured arm, he captured her hand and began to remove it. She would not let him. Jo placed her hand back to his face and dragged a finger along the length of it. The words lingering on the tip of his tongue vanished when her internal muscles clenched around his shaft.

“Jo,” he said, fingers digging into the pillow her head laid upon.

“More,” she said.

He thrust forward again, pleasure erupting along his skin. Lowering his head, he licked the side of her neck and moved faster. Goodness, he needed to have more. So much more.

Her moans filled his ears as he hitched her legs higher up on his hips and powered deeper. Would he ever get enough? She came hard, fingers pulling hair and gripping skin. He clenched his jaw and continued until he could not hold back anymore. For a second time he erupted deep within her.

Exhausted, he sank to the bed and readjusted so she lay mostly upon him.

Chapter Eleven

Clara and I took a ride around the lake today with Lord Humphrey and Lord Stallingsworth. Grateful to be heading back to the country within the week. Clara will accompany me.

~From the private journal of Josephine Adrys

Jo found herself alone when she woke. Had it all been a dream? Naught but her mind playing out her fantasy? She shifted in the narrow bed and winced at the soreness she had. Before she could think much on it, Trystan slipped into the room. He appeared much more rested than before.

In one hand, he carried a large basin and approached the bed. “Good, you are awake.” He sat, placing the bowl on the floor beside his feet. “How are you feeling?”

“I am okay. Sore but I will be fine. Can we buy passage back to England? I have a little money, I do not know if it will be enough for all of us but it is something.”

“You have money?” He shook his head. “We will get to that in a moment.” His kiss stole her breath. Instantly, she leaned closer realizing, last night had
not
been a dream. “Morning.”

She licked her lips, staring at the heated desire in his gaze. Sore? Yes. Willing for more? Definitely. “Morning,” she murmured when he gave her a pointed look.

“Tell me how and where you have money.”

“I always have some with me. Najja taught me there were things to never leave home without. Money was one of those things. It is hidden unless you know where to look.”

“She taught you well. Where is it?”

“My dress.”

He rose and retrieved the item. It had definitely seen better days. However at the moment it was the only thing from home she really had left. The clothes, her other items were at the house she had been taken from.

“Jo, are you still with me?”

She focused on retrieving the flat protected pouch and placed it in Trystan’s hand. Sealed, she merely slid it into whichever dress she would be wearing. It did not take long. Her wardrobe all had a pre-made space for them. Najja had added them and taught her how to as well. She could not embroider but she had mastered this.

“Slice it open.”

He did and pulled out some folded bills, matches, and a silver disc. Staring at the amount Trystan shook his head. “Do you know how much is in here?”

“No, Najja packed it for me years ago.”

“There is more than enough.” He turned the silver item in his hand over. “The disc is nice but I do not see what it is for.”

Jo glanced at him then to the object he held. “Weapons.” She reached for it, a faint smile on her face. One turned to three and with barely a sound deadly blades extended.

“What if you had cut yourself?” he demanded.

“I trained with these, I had no idea they were there.” She retracted the blades and handed them back.

“Where did Najja get these?”

“Japan. Same place as she got her whips and sai.”

He set them down and cupped her cheek. “We leave today. You have more than enough money to get us home, Jo. All three of us.”

“I want my parents safe, Tryst. I want this nightmare over.”

“I know.”

He drew her close and held her until she pulled away. She had broken down already but she no longer had the luxury to fall apart. She had to look after Vittoria.

She blew out a breath.

“Go get dressed, I will rouse her.” He set one of the discs on the bed beside her before leaving the room.

Using the water from the bowl Trystan had brought in, she washed then donned her dress in very little time and met Trystan along with Vittoria. Keeping the young girl near and staying silent herself she listened to Tryst as he arranged a ride to the village to get a lift to the nearest port.

That night they had their meal on board a vessel, which would be leaving with the next changing tide. They all shared one cabin. She stood over the bed where Vittoria slept, one hand on her chest.

“She fell asleep fast,” Trystan said, sliding his arms around her waist.

“She has been through so much. I can move her if you want the bed.” Jo did her best to ignore the myriad of feelings he created in her. Even more so after last night.

“Come sit with me.” He led her to a hammock and settled her beside him. “Talk to me, Jo.”

“I have no wish to discuss my feelings, Lord Wilkes. But tell me something, did you kill The Alchemist?”

“No.”

She tensed.

“My priority was you, Jo. We have a connection to him and will find him.”

She frowned. “What are you talking about?”

“One of Cam’s men was in bed with The Alchemist. We have him now and he has told us what we need.” A pause. “Or will.”

“No, you need to listen.”

“Let us handle it, Jo. I will bring this bastard down.”

“Tryst.”

“You focus on getting better.”

She blinked a few times before pivoting her body so she could see him. With her fist, she punched him in his shoulder.

“Ow!” He grabbed her wrist and glared. “Damn it, what was that for?”

“Stop dismissing me like a child,” she hissed, struggling to keep her voice hushed in order to not wake Vittoria.

“I did no such thing,” he grumbled, touching the shoulder she had sewn. “I was—”

“Dismissing me. I went through something I would never wish on anyone, however, you will never catch The Alchemist if you do not listen to me.”

“What, Jo? What do you have to tell me?”

She gritted her teeth at the patronizing tone.
Arrogant ass.
“The Alchemist is no man you will ever find.”

He scowled at her. “No faith? I will find him.”

“Never. He is a
she.
”

Tryst froze before jerking straight up so fast she almost toppled from the hammock. She stifled her shriek and grabbed the sides as he stopped the rocking.