Her Secondhand Groom (28 page)

Not to mention her unusual personality. She was nothing like what other young ladies aspired to be. She wasn’t frail or weak. Nor did she forget the purpose of both her brain and tongue the moment a gentleman looked in her direction. And while young ladies with these sorts of appropriate attributes were favored by many men, her lack of becoming a featherbrain was a point in her favor to Patrick. But men like him were rare. Most wouldn’t have given her as much as a second glance, and definitely not a third.

Rage pumped through him. For what exactly? He didn’t know. Perhaps it was for Mr. Hughes not borrowing enough money to see to his daughter’s wardrobe. Or perhaps it was rage directed at all the ladies, and even gentlemen, who dared treat Juliet poorly for her looks or disposition. Either way, it didn’t matter just what the cause of the rage was. He was angry on her behalf, and since Mr. Hughes wasn’t here to confront, Lady Lipscomb would have to do.

“
What did she do to you?”

Juliet jumped, presumably at the roughness in his voice. “Nothing. Please, forget I even mentioned her.”

“
No. I will not forget about it, Juliet. I want to know what she did to you.”

“
She didn’t
do
anything to me,” Juliet said in stilted tones. She dropped her voice to a whisper. “Drake, please. This is not the time.”

“
Yes, it is. It’s the perfect time. Just tell me what she did, and I’ll fix it.”

Juliet looked at him with an expression he couldn’t fully read, but somehow knew it wasn’t one that held a lot of promise for her next words. “Drake, I do not need you to protect me. I may not care overmuch for her, but there is no reason for you or anyone else to confront her on my behalf.”

He blinked. He shouldn’t have been surprised to hear those words come out of Juliet’s mouth. She wasn’t one who relied on others to solve her problems for her. But just because she wasn’t like that didn’t make it any easier for him to accept the fact that she was forced to be seated across the room from someone who’d treated her poorly. “Would you like to leave?”

“
No.” A teasing smile spread her lips. “Unless by leave, you meant go for an exploration of the gardens?”

“
I did, indeed.”

She swatted at him with her fan when he actually stood. He sat down. “I thought you said you wanted to take me to the gardens.”

Juliet closed her eyes for an extended blink. “Just because Agatha said I’d never be able to get a gentleman under the age of seventy to take me to the gardens, doesn’t mean I intend to prove her wrong.”

“
You don’t?” Patrick asked, taken aback. Putting aside the fact that “Agatha’s” husband was probably fast approaching seventy, if not there already, the Juliet he knew, would not only delight in proving that silly chit wrong, but would take it a step further and purposely get caught kissing a gentleman who just so happened to be her younger, wealthier, and dare he admit, better-looking husband in the gardens.

“
No. Just because I like proving you wrong every chance I get, doesn’t mean I intend to publicly embarrass you or myself, especially myself.”

He chuckled. “That’s very reassuring, thank you.”

“
You’re welcome.”

“
Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention?”

All eyes shot to where Wallace stood in the middle of the room.

“
Yes?” one of the older gentleman barked.

Wallace swallowed visibly. “It has been decided we should all play a group game.”

Patrick had to stop himself from groaning. He hated games. From chess to boxing and everything in between, he couldn’t think of a single game he enjoyed.

“
What kind of game?” Mrs. Gulch, an uninteresting older woman, asked from her chair by the far window.

“
A hiding game, I hope,” Patrick grumbled.

Juliet lightly elbowed him.

He dropped his head to whisper in her ear. “You cannot tell me you weren’t thinking the same. Everyone here was, including Wallace.”

Juliet elbowed him again, harder this time.

He sat back upright just in time to hear Wallace announce they were indeed about to play a hiding game.

“
And while you all go hide. I shall sit right here and count to one thousand,” Wallace informed them.

A few snickers and chuckles sounded, but Wallace seemed to pay them no mind. He just shrugged off any statements directed at him, then plopped down in a plush chair and started counting aloud.

“
Where shall we hide?” Patrick asked Juliet as soon as they were out of the room.

She shrugged. “Somewhere he’ll find us easily enough. I don’t wish to be the next ‘it’.”

Patrick pulled her inside a room, then quickly closed the door and slid the lock. “Not to worry, Juliet. I have no plans to be found at all.”

“
You don―”

His lips descended on hers, putting an end to any sort of conversation or questions. She responded. But not with words or by shoving him away like he expected. Instead, she returned his kiss with as much passion and intensity as he’d used.

He picked her up and carried her to the small bed in the middle of the room.

“
Drake,” she panted. “I d-don’t think...”

“
Shh,” he crooned. “That’s right. Don’t think, Juliet. Just feel.”

“
But what if we’re caught.”

“
We won’t be.”

“
How do you know?”

Patrick pressed a row of kisses down the column of her throat. “Because Wallace hates this foolish game as much as I do―” he scattered kisses along the plane of her chest― “and the last time we played it―” he tugged the top of her bodice down until one of her perky breasts sprang free― “he never came looking for anyone.”

“
Oh.” She squirmed and bucked under his body as he closed his lips around the point of her breast. Her hands sank into his hair. “You’re sure?”

“
Mmm.” He lowered the other side of her bodice, and freed her other breast. “Quite. Now, close your eyes and let me enjoy you.”

“
What about me?”

“
What about you?”

“
Don’t I get to kiss and touch you, too?”

He shook his head. “Not this time, Juliet. This time is all about you.”

Chapter 21

Four Weeks Later

“
Drake?”

Drake’s gaze swung to where Juliet had her head poking inside the door to his study. “Yes?”

Juliet walked into the room and licked her lips. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to borrow your carriage this afternoon.”

“
That’s not a problem at all, Juliet. Where are you planning to go? Mayhap I’d like to join you.”

She doubted that. “Emma sent word that Marcus’ sister is about to deliver her baby.”

Drake snarled and Juliet grinned. “Are you sure
you
want to go?”

“
Oh, stop that. This is a big day for Emma, she’ll need her friends.”

Drake sighed and put his papers down. “You’re likely right. Do you wish for me to go with you?”

“
You don’t have to...”

He stood and walked over to her. Standing in front of her, he placed one hand on either side of the wall she was leaning against. “I know I don’t have to. But do you want me to?” The sensuous smile on his lips set her heart aflutter.

“
Yes.”

“
All right, then. Let me jot off a note or two then I’ll be ready to go.”

“
All right.”

He didn’t move.

“
Don’t you need to go do your lordly business?”

He still didn’t make a move to walk away from her. Instead, he leaned down and brushed his lips across hers. Once. Twice. Her lips parted under his, and his hands came up to cup her cheeks. Holding her face more firmly to his, Drake intensified the kiss. He sucked Juliet’s bottom lip into his mouth and used his teeth to gently nip and rake before soothing it with his tongue.

She sighed and brought her arms up to wrap them around his neck, letting her fingers twirl in the soft hair that rested atop his collar. A familiar ache built inside her, and Juliet pressed her swollen breasts against his chest.

Drake’s left hand moved from the right side of her face to cup her breast, kneading and massaging in time with the movements of their lips. Her nipple hardened against his fingertips, and he squeezed it. A spark of pleasure shot through her and she groaned.

Drake pulled back, panting. “Are you sure we have to go?”

Juliet swallowed, but was still heavily drugged with desire and excitement. “We’d better.”

“
All right,” Drake replied, his voice thick. He brushed his thumb over her aching nipple once more then took a step back. “Why don’t you meet me here in about fifteen minutes?”

“
I have nowhere else to go. I’ll just take a seat right over there.” She pointed to a little settee positioned by the window. “I promise you won’t even know I’m here.”

He scoffed. “Fine, but if you so much as tempt me in any way, the only trip we’ll be making this afternoon is to my bedchamber.”

Juliet smiled. “It’s not my fault you find me so irresistible, is it?”

He shook his head and sank down into his chair. “I mean it, Juliet. No distractions.”

Juliet walked to the settee and took a seat. She was tempted to remove her slippers. They were the most uncomfortable things she’d ever worn, but the sight of her ankles might encourage Drake to ravish her. Not that she didn’t like it when he ravished her, mind you, she just wanted to be there to support her friend this afternoon. He could ravish her that night. She’d rather enjoy him ravishing her.

It’d been more than six weeks since they’d first been intimate, and the excitement was still there. As was the tender intimacy they shared afterwards.

The night before she’d married Drake, Juliet’s mother had explained the details of what would happen. Of course Juliet dismissed it because she didn’t think she’d actually need the information. But, she still didn’t remember her mother mentioning anything about spending the rest of the night in each other’s arms; and even on nights when nature dictated they couldn’t be intimate, they’d still shared a bed and lain close.

She looked over at him and a heated flush crept up her cheeks. How was it possible that in such a short time her feelings for this man could change so dramatically? When they’d met, all she’d felt was irritation, then had come minor dislike after their betrothal agreement, followed by major dislike that, if she was being honest, bordered on hatred, then they’d gone to Caroline’s dinner and everything had changed. All those feelings of irritation, dislike and hatred had faded and love, yes love, had taken their place.

She bit her lip. How had she allowed herself to fall in love with a man who’d never love her back? Did it even matter? Plenty of other people in her life loved her. Her mother and father loved her. As did her brothers and sisters. Those were people who always had and always would love her. She’d also be blind not to see that Drake’s girls loved her. A smile spread across her lips. One day she and Drake would have a child together. Her hand instinctively went to her stomach. There was no doubting the love she had for her stepdaughters, but the idea of carrying Drake’s child filled her with a happiness she could hardly contain.

“
What has you grinning like a cat who just found the cream?” the object of her affections asked.

Juliet’s blush deepened, if that were possible. “Nothing.”

He shook his head and reached his hand down to help her off the settee. “Don’t lie, Juliet. I know you better than that. You were thinking about something that has absolutely nothing to do with going to Ridge Water to see Olivia’s spawn.”

“
Actually, it does.” Juliet shot him a triumphant smile and took his arm.