JORDAN Nicole (33 page)

“Drew…” she rasped. “I don’t think I…can wait.”

Neither could he. The intoxicating delirium grew like a fever in his blood. He was full, beyond ready to burst.

His hands left her hips, tangled in her hair, as he took her mouth hungrily, his tongue plunging inside the way he wanted to do lower down with his cock. His own breath labored, he tried to shake away the sense of losing control, tried to slow down the pace. But her frenzied abandon was driving him mad.

When fiery waves of pleasure started to engulf him, Drew gave a growl, raw and primitive, and thrust into her one last time, setting off an explosion within them both.

He muffled the sounds with his mouth when she cried out in ecstasy but couldn’t contain his own harsh groans when he followed her shattering climax, contracting with the force of his seed spurting from his body.

Afterward, she collapsed against his chest, panting and limp.

Drew held her close, his own breath ragged in her ear, one thought running through his dazed mind: If he’d once presumed that bedding Roslyn would satisfy his hunger for her, he knew now that he was wrong. He would never get enough of her.

Weakly, he raised his head to gaze down at her. Her eyes were half closed, drowsy with languor. She looked utterly delectable with the rosy glow of carnal satiation suffusing her lovely face.

Drew pressed his lips against her hair. Their second mating had been a searing delight, just as he’d expected. It had sapped his strength, left him utterly content.

Amazing, really, considering all the lovers he’d known. But he’d never been so hotly aroused with any other woman, had never relished making love more. And he was certain Roslyn had experienced it as intensely as he had.

He didn’t want to stop now, either. He wanted to learn her body intimately, to discover what pleased her, to teach her what pleased him, to explore the intricacies of desire and passion and carnal bliss.

But they were traveling in his carriage and would be arriving at Danvers Hall in a short while. If they didn’t want to scandalize his servants, they would have to erase all evidence of their lovemaking.

With one last kiss to her temple, Drew reluctantly withdrew from her body and eased Roslyn onto the seat beside him.

Recovering her modesty immediately, if not her strength, she fumbled with her bodice. When Drew brushed her hands aside to help her, she flushed a becoming pink. And before she could push down her skirts, he fished in his coat pocket for a handkerchief and dried the traces of his seed from her thighs, then used it to clean his own loins.

“Your handkerchiefs have come in quite handy of late,” Roslyn muttered, obviously embarrassed as she reordered her gown. “You offered one to Winifred last night.”

“Indeed,” Drew agreed. “I seem to need them frequently when I am around you.”

He began buttoning his pantaloons, and Roslyn averted her gaze to stare straight ahead. When he glanced at her, he saw her biting her lower lip. “What is the matter, sweeting?”

“I cannot believe I let this happen. I intended to ask Fanny for…”

“Ask Fanny for what?” Drew prodded when she broke off.

“Never mind.”

“Roslyn, tell me.”

“Very well, if you must know…I wanted her assistance with something. Fanny has ways for a woman to keep from becoming enceinte.”

“And you are worried about that?”

She sent him a look of exasperation. “I should think you would be worried as well. Surely you don’t want to father any illegitimate children…or perhaps you already have some?”

Drew smiled faintly. He wasn’t concerned about fathering an illegitimate child on Roslyn because he had every intention of marrying her. “I have no children at all that I’m aware of.”

“Probably because your mistresses have their own methods of preventing pregnancy. But I don’t want to end up like Sir Rupert’s mistress, bearing a child out of wedlock.”

“If you find yourself with child, there will be no question about our marrying.”

Her expression turned serious. “Which is exactly what I want to avoid—us being forced to wed for the wrong reasons.”

“I will take care of the matter before our next time.”

“There will not be a next time,” Roslyn stated emphatically.

“I seem to recall you saying that yesterday,” Drew replied, his tone amused.

“Will youplease quit reminding me of how weak I am?”

His amusement grew. “You were the one who tried to seduce me just now, remember?”

“But I never meant to go so far.” She shot him a cross look. “You have a deplorable power over me.”

“And you affect me similarly, Beauty. You arouse my lust with a mere touch.”

Roslyn frowned unhappily. “That is precisely the trouble, Drew. Don’t you see?”

“What is the trouble?”

“We feel lust for one another, but nothing deeper. Our hearts are not engaged.”

He fell silent, not wanting to discuss the uncomfortable subject of love with her again. But Roslyn clearly wasn’t of the same mind.

“You are a magnificent lover, Drew—no one could dispute it. You know exactly how to make my body respond. But that is all.”

“That isall ?” His eyebrow lifted. “You’re saying you didn’t enjoy what we just did?”

“Of course I enjoyed it. But I want more from marriage than physical pleasure.”

“So you’ve told me.”

“But you didn’t seem to hear me.” She folded her arms over her chest, whether out of defensiveness or mere stubbornness, he wasn’t certain. “Becoming betrothed was unavoidable, Drew, but I won’t marry you unless we love each other. Only if you can truly say you love me, and I can say the same to you.”

He looked at her with hooded eyes. “What happened to your plan to make me enamored of you?”

Her mouth twisted. “I was being naive. I thought I could win a man’s heart if I could kindle his desire, but I realize now that I was wrong. Passion won’t lead to love. Desire won’t make you love me—or make me love you. Nor will these games of seduction we have been playing. I see now how superficial and shallow they are.”

“Perhaps, but that has nothing to do with our betrothal, or our eventual marriage.”

“It has everything to do with it!” Roslyn insisted.

Stopping, she took a calming breath. There was a quiet plea in her voice when she finally spoke again. “You don’t really want to wed me, Drew. You don’t want a true wife. Someone who could be more to you than a broodmare for your heirs…lover, companion, helpmate, confidante, friend. If you want heirs, any number of women will do.”

“I do want to marry you, Roslyn.”

“But I don’t want to marryyou . I want love in my marriage, Drew. Ineed it.”

His mouth tightened. “I think you put far too much credence in love.”

Her voice dropped to a low murmur. “Perhaps, but without it, marriage can too easily lead to heartache. I couldn’t bear it if my husband and I battled all the time. Or if he betrayed our marriage vows the way my father betrayed my mother. Love is the only thing that will ensure a good marriage.”

Drew responded with an impatient, scoffing sound. “You are confusing love with infatuation.”

“No, I am not. Infatuation is merely a powerful physical attraction. True love comes from the heart.” Her tone softened. “Heart love is vastly different from physical love.”

“Heart love?”

She pressed her palm to her breastbone. “It comes from here, Drew. It’s a feeling of warmth, of caring. Of tenderness. Heart love is when you put someone else’s needs above your own. You are eager to be with her, and you miss her when you aren’t. Your life is brighter, more joyous because she is in it. You can’t imagine living without her.” Her gaze searched his. “Have you ever felt that way toward a woman before, Drew?”

He could say without question that he’d never felt any such thing.

When he didn’t respond, Roslyn smiled rather bleakly. “I don’t believe there is any danger of you feeling heart love for me. To engage your heart, you must first feel real emotion, not merely lust and desire.”

“Do you love Haviland?”

For a moment she stared at him, then looked away. “There is no use in my even thinking about Lord Haviland.”

Drew felt that fierce stab of jealousy again. Roslyn’s emotions were engaged for Haviland, he had little doubt. And he’d taken her away from him.

Just then Drew became aware that the carriage had slowed as it turned onto the gravel drive to Danvers Hall. Shaking off his dark reflections, he reached up to smooth a wild tendril back from her face. Roslyn jerked back quickly, as if his touch burned.

“See,” she said quietly. “That is what I mean. Our attraction is purely physical.”

He did see her point, since he’d felt the same heated shock. The spark he felt just touching Roslyn was intense enough to burn.

There were other manifestations of his attraction as well. His heart quickened whenever she was near. He was constantly aware of her. And there certainly was no question that he wanted her in his bed—more than he’d ever wanted any woman.

But those were all physical signs of his growing infatuation….

When the carriage came to a halt, Drew pushed open the door and started to climb out, but Roslyn stopped him. “Please…you needn’t escort me inside. You have done more than enough already.” Her voice was soft as she met his gaze. “I truly thank you for doing so much to help my friend Winifred, Drew. And for trying to protect my reputation by becoming betrothed to me. But I don’t believe we are suited for marriage.”

He didn’t reply as his groom lowered the step for her and helped her down. And he remained sitting there unmoving as he watched Roslyn run lightly up the front steps and into the house.

“Yer grace?” a respectful voice finally interrupted his distracted thoughts.

“Yes?”

“What are yer orders, yer grace?”

“Take me home to Mayfair,” Drew answered tersely, wanting to put Roslyn’s disturbing conversation out of his mind. But as his coach began moving again, he found himself still dwelling on what she’d said about emotions.

His were rarely engaged, Drew readily admitted. By his very nature, he was dispassionate, reserved, guarded.

But damnation, she was wrong about his feelings for her. How could she say he didn’t feel emotion in her case? For weeks now Roslyn had stirred a riot of emotions in him: amusement, desire, anger, affection, vexation, jealousy, exasperation, passion. Most especially passion.

She’d brought chaos into his well-ordered life, warmth to his cold existence—and he found that he relished it.

It was a startling discovery about himself, Drew realized. All his past liaisons had been based solely on physical pleasure. But he wanted something deeper.

He wanted real emotion in his life. Real passion with and for a woman.With and for Roslyn .

Drew found himself scowling. But what of her? What did Roslyn feel for him? Certainly not love. He could arouse her body but not her emotions. He could kindle her passion now but nothing more.

As for the games of seduction they’d been playing with each other…she was right about that. Even so, there was nothing superficial or shallow about what he felt for her. He might not love her, but he was far from indifferent toward her.

One thing was clear, though. His courtship wasn’t working thus far. And if he wanted her to wed him, he would have to change his strategy entirely.

He would have to elicit far more than passion from Roslyn.

He would have to win her heart.

Chapter Fifteen

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It is most puzzling and profoundly disquieting, Fanny. The duke is now romancing me instead of trying to seduce me, which makes him even more irresistible.

—Roslyn to Fanny

When he arrived at his London mansion, Drew unexpectedly found Eleanor waiting on his doorstep…or more specifically, sitting in her jaunty little phaeton on the street out in front. As soon as he descended from his carriage, Eleanor tossed the reins to her groom and leapt down to follow Drew up the front steps.

He knew there was no point in scolding her for entering a bachelor’s establishment without her maid in attendance. As Marcus’s irrepressible younger sister, Eleanor had run tame in his house since she was a very small girl.

“To what do I owe this honor, minx?” Drew asked, allowing her to precede him into the hall.

“I need an escort to ride with me in the park this afternoon, Drew. Marcus is still away on his wedding trip, and it seems Heath had sudden business in Hampshire, of all places.”

Drew remained silent as he led the way to his study where he usually entertained his closest friends, although he wondered at the reason for Heath’s sudden visit to Hampshire.

“So will you accompany me on a ride, Drew?” Eleanor entreated.

He narrowed his gaze on her. Eleanor was a significant heiress who boasted both remarkable beauty and a lively, engaging personality, so she had no shortage of gentlemen who could take her riding. “Why me? You have a dozen beaux who can escort you.”

“But I am weary of them all, and I want you. I sent you a message this morning, but you didn’t reply, so I came in person to persuade you. I knew you couldn’t resist a personal plea.”

Settling in a comfortable leather couch, Drew smiled suspiciously at her. “Why don’t I believe you? Coercing me into acting your escort isn’t the only reason you called, is it?”

Eleanor dimpled impishly at him as she sank into her favorite chair. “Well, actually…I wondered how your betrothal is proceeding. Everyone is quizzing me about it—indeed, all London is talking about it, although the amazement is somewhat lessened since Marcus already wed the eldest Loring sister. But I’ve had no chance to discuss it with you since I heard the news. You were away from home the past two days visiting your mother, and there was no opportunity for a private word last night at Lady Freemantle’s dinner.”

His smile ebbed a little. “You know I don’t discuss my personal affairs with anyone.”

“Except Marcus and Heath, and they are both away. I am offering myself as their surrogate.” When he didn’t reply, Eleanor studied him. “I was quite astonished that you proposed to Roslyn, particularly since you were railing against the abruptness of Marcus’s marriage barely a fortnight ago. Do you truly want to wed her? Have you developed atendre for her, Drew?”