His Courtesan Bride (Brides of Mayfair 3) (17 page)

The heat that Serena felt before was now brought to another level, as Darius expertly teased the most sensitive part of her sex. This sensation, coupled with his thick shaft stretching and pulsing within her, was almost too much to bear. Serena felt weak, shaky, and quite different than she had ever felt before.

In the past, Darius had aroused her to the point of release, but this was more intense than she had ever experienced. She felt lightheaded and out of breath.

Then, white-hot sensation washed over her, cresting and smashing against every part of her body, until she realized she was gasping and clinging to Darius for dear life.

She looked up at him in time to see his face grimace in sweet pain as he ejaculated inside her. Only then did Darius allow himself to collapse on top of her, and only for a few moments before he rolled off to lay panting beside her.

It was done. Darius had claimed her virginity. It would be his as long as they both lived.

Serena felt strange. More than just sexually spent. She felt emptied, raw, and irrevocably changed. Her limbs had somehow been reduced to the consistency of sweet jam, now useless.

But more than the physical results of their coupling, Serena felt her mind trying to make sense out of what had just happened. Perhaps that would take longer. But she would have plenty of time to get used to it. She was Darius’s courtesan, now. This was her life.

And she didn’t know how to feel about any of it.

Serena moved to get up from the bed, but was stopped by Darius’s strong arm reaching across her body.

“Don’t bother getting dressed, Serena. I’ll be hard for you again before long.”

She took a shaky breath and laid back down, knowing that he would pleasure her again when he took her, but not knowing how much of Darius’s wicked ministrations she would be able to take and still remain in possession of her faculties.

Chapter 12

“
A woman must not become sentimental about losing her virginity. Though much importance has been given this physical attribute, it is, after all, just a bit of skin.”

–from Memoirs of a Courtesan, by Lady Night

“So, how was it?” Bliss asked excitedly. “Was Lord Kane hung like a horse?”

Felicity poured herself some tea, and intoned, “If he was, then what did he do with his member, exactly? Details, details.”

Serena opened her mouth to answer, but was cut off by Bliss again. She shared a look with Lady Devlyn, who watched it all with a knowing and amused expression on her face.

“Were you quite frightened by its size, Serena? Was it monstrously big? Bigger than this?” Bliss held aloft the tall pepper mill.

Serena buttered a scone while she waited for the girls’ excitement to abate. She had invited the Courtesan Club to her townhouse the next morning for breakfast—in part to show off her opulent new residence, but more so because she needed the company of her friends. It was the morning after the most unforgettable night of her life, and instead of feeling victorious, Serena felt more confused than ever.

Darius had left in the wee hours of the morning, after several bouts of lovemaking that had left Serena feeling spent and hollowed out.

Felicity laughed, saying, “I don’t think Lord Kane’s member could be that big, Bliss. If it was, Serena would not be able to walk this morning. Isn’t that right, Serena?”

“He was big enough, believe me,” Serena said.

Bliss and Felicity both giggled and clapped with glee.

“She’s done it. Our Serena is a woman, now,” Felicity pronounced. “I’m so proud of you, and envious.”

Bliss added, “Congratulations, Serena. May you have many more nights just like it…er, well, I suppose you cannot lose your virginity more than once.”

“Though there are some who try,” Lady Devlyn pointed out.

“You know what I mean.”

Serena smiled and replied, “I’m sure I will have many more nights like that, Bliss. Lord Kane is quite virile.”

“You see? I knew it,” Bliss said, cheerfully. “And how was it when he rent your maidenhead asunder?”

“Bliss!” Felicity admonished.

“She must tell us, Felicity, so that you and I will know what to expect when it’s our turn. Was it terribly painful?”

Serena paused for a moment, surprised at herself for being a little squeamish about the girls’ personal questions. “Only a little.”

“That was to be expected,” Lady Devlyn assured. “Remember Courtesan Rule number Twenty-Seven….”

“
No gains, without pains,
” Serena, Felicity and Bliss said in unison.

“Exactly, ladies,” Lady D said. “I borrowed that from the American, Mr. Benjamin Franklin, in his essay, ‘The Way To Wealth.’ You may remember, Mr. Franklin’s treatise was part of your reading list when studying to become courtesans.”

The ladies nodded.

“How did it feel when Lord Kane invaded your body like a conquering warrior?” Bliss asked.

How could Serena possibly describe what it felt like when Darius had claimed her? “At times it was a little frightening…then at others, the pleasure quite took my breath away.”

“The first time with a new protector can be fraught with some unease, even for an experienced courtesan,” Lady Devlyn said. “You are getting to know each other in the most intimate way. It can be quite daunting. But know this: it will only get better. Both in the bedroom, and for your bank account.”

Her new association with Darius had only served to increase Serena’s mixed emotions. The anger she had nurtured so long against him, and the undeniable passion she felt for him were like oil and water. Yet they both swirled within her breast with as much passion as the other.

For even though he had betrayed her in the worst way, Serena’s physical desire for Darius had never waned. That fact had been painfully apparent the first night she had seen him again in Lady Devlyn’s salon. Her body had never stopped aching for his touch, even during their time apart. Perhaps that had been why his betrayal had hurt so much. As Serena had nursed her broken heart, that same heart had burned for the man who had broken it.

Now Darius was her so-called protector. He had taken Serena as his lover, and would pay handsomely for the privilege. Perhaps Lady Devlyn was right; this was the perfect opportunity to turn the tables on Darius. Serena would have to use all of her courtesan’s training to ensnare Darius in a carefully constructed web of desire.

Their contract had been arranged for a period of six months. At the close of it, Darius would sign over the deed to this townhouse. Other gifts of jewelry and clothes were hers to keep. If they chose to continue their association at that time, the terms would be re-negotiated.

All of his wealth had been acquired through his late wife.

It was ironic that over the next six months, Serena would accumulate some of Miss Barton’s wealth for her own.

It was a courtesan’s dream.

Then why did she feel so strange?

Serena looked up to see Lady Devlyn studying her from across the breakfast table.

“Let us move to the garden, ladies,” Lady D said. “I should like to see more of the property, and it is a lovely morning for a walkabout.”

She stood up from the table, and the ladies followed suit. They all made their way through the dining room to the tall French doors which opened onto the back terrace.

“It’s beautiful,” Bliss enthused as they entered a hedged garden full of fragrant roses and a myriad of colorful flowers. She and Felicity walked arm in arm ahead of Serena and Lady Devlyn, who followed behind.

“I wanted a private word with you, Serena,” Lady D said, “about last night.”

“Have I done something wrong?” Serena asked, concerned.

“Oh no, dear, quite the contrary,” her mentor replied. “I believe you performed admirably. But I hear the confusion in your voice, and I see the unsettled emotion in your eyes. Lord Kane was not rough with you, I hope?”

Serena shook her head.

“Good. You know you can always call on Sharif if you feel things are getting out of hand. He has been there for me in the past, and now he will be there for you.”

“It’s not that.” Serena tried to explain. “Darius was a little rough, I suppose, but not in a distasteful way. He…
dominated
me physically, in a way I was not expecting.”

“And that is why you are feeling out of sorts today?”

Serena looked down at the clipped grass beneath her feet, wishing her emotions were as neat and orderly as each perfect green blade. “I suppose.”

Lady Devlyn gave Serena’s arm a reassuring squeeze, and said, “My dear, what you are feeling is perfectly natural. Believe me. I was in your shoes, once, and I felt it too. The first night as a full-fledged courtesan is an unforgettable experience, indeed. Add to that the loss of your virginity, and you’re bound to feel a bit confused the next day. It is no different than a new bride feels after her wedding night. If you were my daughter—and in a way, you, Bliss and Felicity are like my daughters—I would tell you not to fret, and not to over-think what has happened between you and Lord Kane. One thing our society seems to forget is that sex is natural. When a man enters a woman’s body with his enlarged sex, it is natural. And when you feel pleasure…that is natural, too. It is better to swim with the rising tide than to fight against it.”

They approached a fragrant centifolia rosebush and Serena lifted one of the blooms to her nose, inhaling the heady scent. Lady Devlyn followed suit, breathing in the sweet fragrance of the pale pink blossom.

“The female sex is much like this rose,” Lady D said. “The flower, when it blooms, is unequal in beauty. An air of mystery surrounds it, for it is both fragile and strong. The petals are delicate and soft, while the plant itself is incredibly hardy. And once the flower fully opens, its power is unparalleled.” Serena thought of Darius then, of the expression on his face when he’d spent himself inside her. The hard lines had softened just a little, his blue eyes, which could blaze with animal passion, had shown a hint of vulnerability. Perhaps their raw exchange had affected him, too.

“Did you find release?” Lady Devlyn asked.

Serena’s stomach shuddered at the memory. Oh, she had found release, alright. Darius had brought her to it multiple times. “Yes,” she replied.

“Then you should be pleased with how well it went,” Lady D assured. “As you learned in your studies, it is important that the man you are with thinks he has pleasured you beyond all imaginings. If that means you must act a part, then so be it. But it is always more convincing if the response is real. Brava, my dear.”

Lady D gave Serena’s shoulder a quick hug as they walked, and said, “The hard part is over. Now, you must simply keep Lord Kane enthralled—so enthralled that he showers you with jewels and other extravagant gifts. You are on your way to acquiring much wealth, my dear, first with Kane, and then with other wealthy gentlemen who will line up to be your next protector.”

It all sounded so deliciously simple when Lady Devlyn described it that way. But there was one catch. To be a successful courtesan, one had to keep complete control over one’s emotions. And that was something Serena was still learning to do.

She only hoped she would be able to master that particular skill before the six months with Darius was up.

Otherwise, she might find herself left with a bit more baggage than she’d bargained for. For though her lessons in the art of becoming a courtesan had covered almost every topic and situation that might arise, there was one thing that Serena had not been prepared for.

The masculine power of Darius himself.

* * *

Darius had chosen not to accompany Havelock to their club, choosing instead to go over the business ledgers of his estates. He found that after his night with Serena, he desired to be alone. He had been neglecting his family duties in this regard ever since he began pursuing Serena, and this would allow him to kill two birds with one stone.

The only thing he hadn`t counted on was his damned distracted mind. It refused to turn its attention to the figures staring up from the ledger, preferring instead to ruminate over the most passionate night he had ever known.

Serena’s skin, bare and quivering under his touch. Her mouth, soft and yielding beneath his. Her eyes, brimming with passion, begging him not to stop. Her body, opening for him as he entered her and claimed her virginity.

Darius cursed under his breath, adjusting his trousers to make more room in the tightening crotch. It seemed another organ, besides his brain, remembered the evening with his courtesan all too clearly, indeed.

His first night with Serena had been everything he could have imagined, and more. He had never felt more painfully aroused, had never felt more spent when he`d emptied himself deep within her. They’d drifted into a light sleep afterward, then awoken to do it all over again…and again.

When he`d finally taken his leave, he had found his long-suffering driver asleep at the table in the servant’s kitchen below stairs. It had been well after midnight by then.

When Darius climbed into his own bed about half an hour later, he had slept like a rock until morning.

He now found himself wondering how Serena was feeling. He worried that he had not been gentle enough, especially since it was her first time. In fact, it had been his intention to do exactly that. But Serena Ransom had a strange effect on him. He never felt so consumed with animal passion than he did in her presence. Something about her ignited his desire more than any other woman had. It had been that way since the first moment he’d seen her at a society ball that first Season.