Rogues Gallery (58 page)

Yet, as arousing as it was, it was also reassuring. They gazed at their sleeping daughter, while he said, with his kisses, how much he cared for her, his wife. Her breath caught, and she had to struggle to breathe, overcome with the emotion just then.

"Shall we go?" Hugh asked softly, not taking a chance on waking Lucinda.

Felicia turned in his arms, facing him, not quite ready to leave this delightful intimacy. "I suppose we should."

She expected him to drop his arms, but instead he tightened them and began walking them towards the door. Felicia giggled, burying the noise in his chest so that she was not the one guilty of waking Lucinda.

"You are incorrigible," she whispered. "And in need of a good pinch."

She lifted her right hand, her fingers in a distinctive pincher pose.

"Ah ah ah," he said under his breath. "Do you want to wake up our daughter right now?"

"It would not be a concern except you insist on squealing like a sick cat whenever I pinch you."

"Felicia," he said, trying to keep a straight face. "You wound me."

"I would like to."

This time he could not halt the laughter. He tipped his head back, making Felicia wish his neck was not wrapped in yards of linen, because she had an insatiable urge to nibble on him in the same way he had done to her earlier.

When they reached the doorway, they both glanced at Lucinda, and, assured she was slumbering peacefully, they finally left, closing the door behind them.

Hugh leaned against the wall, pulling Felicia tight against his body once more. She had no reason to ever want to leave. In truth, she wriggled closer.

"Felicia," he growled. "That is not such a wise choice."

"Indeed?" She brushed against him, treasuring the low sound deep in his throat, as well as the instant response from his body. "I like this choice very much."

"I do as well," he admitted, "but since we must return to our guests, the ones you insisted we invite, I suggest we do not engage in this delightful activity just now."

She pretended to pout. When she glanced up through her eyelashes to gauge his reaction, the intensity of his gaze startled her.

"Hugh, perhaps we could, well, you know, before we return—"

He closed his eyes and leaned his head against the door. "Do not tempt me with that. The very idea of it is too much to bear at this moment."

She stroked his cheek, and then let her fingers trail down his shoulder, and across his chest. He opened his eyes and kept them trained on hers the entire time, and it was as if he willed her hand to continue on its quest.

Her hand slipped down to the front of his silk breeches. She dared to let her fingers outline the hard, full length of him, smoothing her hand over the massive shape.

"Hugh," she said, her voice husky now, "is there any chance our guests could entertain themselves for the rest of the evening?"

His lip curled up in the devilish way she found so arousing. "It would be the height of scandal if we did not re-appear."

"True. But you know the
ton
would be disappointed if we did not act in a scandalous fashion once in a while."

"I believe you are right." He gripped her wrist, preventing her from stroking him further. "They can go to the devil, for all I care right now."

She grinned. "And where shall we go?"

He kept his hand on her wrist, and pushed himself away from the wall, leading her towards his bedchamber.

"Pretty damn close to heaven."

Hugh stalked towards his bedchamber, unable to think of anything but getting his wife naked, and in bed, as quickly as possible. With his free hand he tugged at his cravat, making short work of it. He was impatient to have Felicia in his arms, without the inconvenience of clothing between them.

He turned his head to glance at her. It was no surprise that she was grinning, doing her best to keep up with his swift pace. She was as anxious as he was to commence this marriage the way it should have been long ago.

"Hugh, I must warn you," she said, her words coming out in little puffs of air. "If you continue at this pace I might be too winded to embark on this venture—"

The words made him halt in his tracks. She plowed into the back of him. But being Felicia, she wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her luscious breasts into his back. He merely stood there for a moment so that he could enjoy the sensation of her passionate body against his.

But his spiking desire nearly drove him mad. He spun around, holding her by her upper arms. "Felicia, we have had too many false starts. I cannot abide another one."

She gazed at him with rapt attention. She nodded once, and then her tongue darted out to moisten her lips. "I was merely teasing you," she said. "I was out of breath—"

He began walking at a more circumspect pace. "I can guarantee you will be out of breath for a great deal of the next few hours."

Her response was a delightful tinkling laughter. The sound was so erotic to him. It shot through his entire body, arousing him beyond belief, making it nearly impossible to walk.

Thankfully they had reached his bedroom door. He yanked it open, holding his hand against it so it did not slam into Felicia as she walked past.

She strolled into the room while Hugh leaned against the closed door, allowing her a moment to change her mind, praying with every fiber of his being that she would not.

She walked towards the massive tester bed, her fingers tracing the rich mahogany posts, glancing at him over her shoulder in an extremely inviting way. He pushed away from the door, forcing himself to slow his gait, not wanting his urgency to frighten her.

But his wife did not frighten easily. She rounded the furthest corner of the bedpost, trailing her fingers across the silk counterpane, continuing to learn everything possible about him by the trappings of his room. He could see how much she enjoyed the sensuous materials. It aroused him, her reaction to the world around her, her curiosity, her heightened senses.

He closed his eyes briefly, to regain control. It would be the height of irony for this to end before either of them had even disrobed.

"I can call your maid, if you like."

Felicia shook her head, and in the next instant she pulled pins out of the topknot, letting her hair fall in gorgeous waves around her shoulders. Her eyes gleamed. The minx knew how he loved her hair when it was falling freely.

"Would you like to ring for your valet?"

"I would prefer you to be my valet."

"Then you can be my maid."

She rushed over to stand in front of him, eager to commence the seductive proceedings. It took all his strength to not tear at her clothing, ripping it aside so that nothing separated them.

She made it difficult for him to recall how to conduct a proper seduction.

Her fingers reached for the buttons of his waistcoat. "Perhaps we should have planned this better," she said, smiling. "We could have waited until we were both already in our nightclothes."

"And where would be the enjoyment in that?" he teased.

She concentrated on unfastening each button, doing it so slowly he wondered if it were deliberate. When she glanced up at him, her eyes twinkling, he knew for certain she was taunting him with the lack of speed.

He grit his teeth, praying it would pass for a smile, sucking in his breath each time her fingers brushed against him. When she finally—
finally
!—removed the last button, he lifted her fingers, kissing her knuckles. Now it was his turn to drive her slightly mad, as she had done for him.

He lifted her hair, moving it to drape over one shoulder. He leaned forward and kissed the bare skin of her other one. She shivered, tilting her head as if to skitter away from the sensations. He brushed a fingertip across the front of her bodice. Her nipples were hard, and she started, still becoming accustomed to the sensations he produced.

"Your body responds so deliciously to my touch."

This time she shuddered, but he did not give her time to question anything. He turned her, gently, so that her back was facing him. Instinctively she tilted her head downwards, so he could reach the fastenings of her dress.

"How can I resist?" he murmured. He had resisted his irresistible wife much too long. It was a wonder he had managed it at all.

His lips traced the line of Felicia's neck, then dotted little kisses along her spine. He reached for the back of her dress, intending to begin the laborious task of getting her rid of the garment. But it was as if his hands had a mind of their own, for they cupped her breasts instead, and his thumbs rubbed over her taut nipples.

Felicia's head dropped back against his chest. He nibbled on her exposed neck, continuing his passionate assault while she moaned and moved against his hands, doing her best to get even more of his touch.

She arched her back, putting her curvaceous buttocks against his very hard erection. Yet she did not flinch. Instead, she uttered a sound that could only be described as delight. His heart thundered when she rubbed against him more intently.

"Felicia, you are going to drive me mad," he confessed.

"It is only fair, since I am halfway insane now."

"Shall I call a halt then?" he teased. He dropped one hand to her stomach, pulling her even more tightly against him. His other hand lightly pinched her nipple.

"If you call a halt," she said, her breath erratic, "I shall be forced to—"

"Pinch me?" He tweaked her nipple at the same time he suckled her skin where her neck dropped into her shoulder. Her skin reacted with goosebumps, and she shuddered, her knees nearly giving way beneath her.

Hugh could not wait any longer. He scooped her into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down for a kiss so filled with passion he was glad they were merely a few steps from the bed.

"We are not very competent valets or ladies' maids," Felicia said.

"No, we are most definitely not qualified for those roles. Remind me to quadruple their salaries on the morrow."

He laid her gently on the bed, the same way he had done thousands of times in his dreams, only this moment was even more exhilarating than his paltry imagination had been able to conjure up.

Unfortunately Felicia was still fully clothed, and he was most of the way dressed too.

Her eyes twinkled, for she had apparently seen the stricken look on his face when he realized their dilemma.

"Hugh, I have numerous dresses, so there is no need to worry if something were to happen to this one."

"I am not some brute," he began, but that set her off into peals of laughter, not quite what he had planned for this passionate interlude.

"No, you are not a brute. Nor are you much of a ladies' maid." She got up on her knees, turning away from him. "But you will have to do your best."

He gulped. He wanted her completely free of clothing. He was not about to make love to her any other way. He lifted his hand to begin the process of removing every layer, and to his surprise, his fingers trembled.

He managed to undo several of the fastenings, inwardly cursing the amount of time it took, even though it gave him a much needed opportunity to calm himself. However, he did not want Felicia's ardor to cool down too much. He stroked her neck, depositing an occasional kiss, murmuring naughty suggestions into her ear.

When her breasts heaved with her impassioned response, he retreated, returning to the business of undressing her. At last the dress was loose enough that it could be dragged off her shoulders. It pooled at her waist, until they both tugged at it, removing it entirely.

"I have aged a decade waiting for that to be gone," she muttered.

"I am nearly in my dotage as well."

She giggled. "Then make haste with the ties on my chemise."

He made fast work of those as well. "It is a wonder anyone is able to make love with their spouse," he marveled, "without setting an appointment weeks in advance."

"I agree," she said. "And we have yet to undo your layers of clothing."

Hugh barely heard her words, for he was enthralled with her beautiful expanse of skin. Her back, with its delicious curves swooping down to her buttocks, was one of the most beautiful sights he had ever beheld.

She turned to see why he had not responded to her remarks. If he had expected maidenly squeals and wild attempts at modesty, he would have been disappointed. A more confident, determined woman likely did not exist.

Felicia rose up on her knees to remove the rest of the clothing hanging around her. When she was completely bared, he could see her lush breasts swaying, as well as the curves of her hips, leading his eyes down her exquisite thighs.

Her lips parted, her breath became uneven, and her cheeks were tinged a delightful rosy shade to match her nipples.

How could he resist her? Why had he ever thought he should? Felicia had been designed for him, created so that he might demonstrate how much he loved and desired her. And the need to show her was nearly too much to contain.

Hugh tore at his shirt, ripping it and nearly choking himself in his haste to get it away from his body. He would have made short work of the breeches, but Felicia reached her hand towards them, looking up at him.

"Permit me," she said in the most seductive voice he had ever heard. His erection was likely to spear through the fabric, but he stood in place, watching the fascination flit across her features as she slowly unbuttoned each side of the breeches. The front fell and her eyes lit up with obvious delight at what awaited her.

Her hand wrapped around him, and Hugh's breath caught. His knees would have buckled were it not for the bedpost nearby. He clutched it until his knuckles turned white, but he was not about to stop her delightful explorations.

She stroked him slowly, her fingers possessed of some sort of magic because it seemed he had little control left. He bit his lip, took several deep breaths in a row, and closed his eyes in an attempt to regain control over his body once more.

But he had to open his eyes when she intensified the speed of her movements. A proud smile danced about her lips when she saw the increase in his size.