Secret Pleasures (32 page)

For once, Darien was far from caring how she had learned to expertly undo his breeches with one hand
. 
Her mouth captured his as she freed his fierce arousal
.
She positioned his cock at her slick opening, then came down hard
.
Darien moaned into her mouth, sure he would come in short order
.

After what seemed like an eternity of her riding him in s
hallow
, controlled undulations that rubbed his cock against her inner walls but left him panting, needing more of her, Darien gripped her corseted waist
.
He angled her so he could go deep, shoving his balls against her swollen lips
. 

Ivy tightened around him, squeezing his cock with each deep thrust
.
Her hand slipped beneath him and she gripped him tight, sending him over the edge
.
His howl of release echoed in the carriage, ripped from his throat while his body shuddered with blinding pleasure
.
While still buried deep inside her, Ivy bit his shoulder, spasming around him, bringing Darien to another trembling orgasm
.
Sweat rolled down Darien’s back and he was sure they had raised the temperature in the enclosed carriage several degrees
.

Ivy tried to slip off his lap, but he hugged her to him
.
He rocked against her gently, trying to stay hard before he slipped from her body
.
Even in the bliss of physically possessing Ivy, Darien was sure she would somehow melt from his grasp.

But there is one thing
that
I
absolutely cannot
give up
,
and that is my beloved.

“Arianna refuses to go through with the wedding.”

Darien studied his nephew’s haggard appearance
.
Dark circles formed under his eyes and his clothes
were
a mix-matched ensemble of last night’s dress shirt, twill hunting pants and a wool checkered jacket that was at least a size too small
.
Robert licked his recently chapped lips, still breathing hard from his late arrival.

“I am impressed, little Robbie
.
You must take after your father
.
Women tend to want to leave me.
”
Darien wished his joke held less truth
.
Ivy had made love to him until dawn, rocking the carriage harder than a full gallop, but she had never answered his proposal of marriage.

“This is serious.
”
Robert paced frantic short steps in front of Darien
.
“You shouldn’t have encouraged Arianna.
”

Darien lowered the musket he had propped on his shoulder to glance at his father and Rand, Robert’s father
.
The once sworn enemies bent their heads in a thorough examination of a prized hunting dog
.
They seemed unconcerned with Robert’s hour-late arrival
.
In the old days, Westhaven would have been furious if the party was not mounted and ready to ride before dawn’s first light.

Darien fingered the wrinkled collar of Robert’s shirt
.
“Please don’t tell me you sent the lass on her way without so much as a tussle.
”
Darien leaned forward and overtly smelled his nephew
.
The scent of sweet perfume, musky woman and sex answered his question
.
“Stay away from her father, he might recognize the fragrance
.
I think it’s expensive and French.
”

“I don’t think he knows about me.
”
Robert searched the scattered hunters herding horses and dogs
.

“Henry Maddox is not here yet
.
You aren’t the only one late,” said Darien
.
“So why are you here instead of with your kidnapped bride-to-be?”

Robert ran his fingers through his thick hair
.
“Because of you, you jackass
.
Ivy begged me to be with you at the hunt to make sure you don’t do something stupid
.
I told her you
probably
would whether I was here or not
,
but she insisted
.
And since my mother shall disown me after this, I need someone to count on.”

“You shall always be able to count on me, no matter your choice, Robert.
”
Darien gripped his nephew’s shoulder
. 

Robert shrugged off his
touch
.
“Yes, well, some of us have responsibilities beyond their own needs
.
Please tell me you understand that, Uncle
.
One of those living, breathing responsibilities was screaming
heartily
when I hid Arianna at your cottage
.
My God, why did you not tell me you had a child?”

“Melody is Ivy’s child.
”
Darien studied the sun that had settled too high in the sky for hunting
.
If Melody was his child, he would never allow Ivy to run from him
.
Knowing that another man
—
the father of her child
—
held such a prominent part in her life, bothered Darien more than he cared to acknowledge
. 

“I don’t wish to be lied to
,
nor do I have the time
.
Help me hide Arianna until she calms down
. In the mean time, I need to
find a way to avoid being shot
by her father and
ruining her
reputation
completely.”

“You
two
can go to Scotland
.
I’ll loan you the carriage.”

“And where should we live on our return
?
Do you think your father will let us live at the rectory
?
I think not
.
The Anglican Church does not challenge the aristocracy
.
I’
d make
a miserable soldier
,
nor can I support a wife like Arianna on either of those salaries
.
And I won’t even detail the hurt it would mean to my mother and sisters.”

Robert paused as if to catch his breath, his hand covering his eyes
.
Darien glanced at Major Rand Fitzgerald, who stood awkwardly next to his father-in-law, probably for the first time in either of their lives
.
The two former adversaries had finished examining the dog and were currently inspecting the tail of Westhaven’s horse.

“Don’t underestimate your father
.
He’s done his best by you and his family
.
It’s not always easy for a man to swallow his pride.
”
Darien nodded, hoping he could do as well by Ivy and Melody.

“My father might be a fine soldier, but he earns a soldier’s pay, which requires him to risk his life
.
The gentleman Irish landowner was only a ruse created by your father to save my mother from
the
pain of widowhood and family humiliation
.
Have you forgotten they are dependent on your father’s good will, as am I?”

“Perhaps Westhaven’s bark is worse than his bite.
”
Darien glanced at his father
.
If the man had any reservations about hunting on the same grounds where he had accidentally shot his son, he made no show of it
.
His father took a nip from a flask and his gaze darted to Darien
.
When their eyes met it took Darien a moment to remember to scowl and look away
.
What if his father had been telling some version of the truth all along
?

“Right-oh.
”
Robert glanced in the earl’s direction
.
Major Fitzgerald appeared to finally spot his son and waved him over
.
Robert abruptly faced Darien
.
“Have you forgotten the last ten years?”

“Nothing is more important than taking a chance on the woman you love
.
My father can’t disown everyone in the family
.
There are not that many of us left.”

“Not that it matters
.
I can’t force Arianna to return to Westhaven
.
She’s entirely too distraught.
”
Robert shoved his hands in his pockets
.
“Conflict makes me ill, Darien
.
I don’t care for any of this
.
I prefer things settled in a rational, thoughtful manner
.
Not a midnight rendezvous and bride-napping
.
You don’t suppose I might face criminal penalties?”

Before Darien could assure Robert he likely would not be incarcerated, Henry Maddox came running down the manor’s marble front steps
.
He was not dressed in hunting clothes but in a fine suit
.
Rand groaned and tossed down his tartan cap
.
Westhaven visibly sagged and leaned against his mounted horse for support
.

Maddox stopped in the circular drive and glanced between Darien and Robert to one side, Westhaven, Rand and a group of their cronies on the other
.
Maddox’s red face and balled fists warned that he was not pleased
.

“Arianna is gone!” Maddox yelled to everyone in earshot
.
He glared at Darien
,
but his gaze skipped over Robert as if he didn’t exist
.
“She’s not in her room
. W
e can’t find her anywhere.”

“Perhaps she went for a morning stroll
.
We might pass her on the hunt
.
I take it you are not going to join us?
”
The earl walked his horse toward Henry and away from the other guests
. 

“Arianna did not go for a stroll, my lord
.
None of her things are missing, so I don’t believe she has gone far
.
Perhaps you could lead a search of the grounds.
”
Maddox glared another warning at Darien
.
“After all, Arianna is to be your bride.”

“A bride who obviously has no enthusiasm for the groom
.
I’m too old for this silliness, Maddox
.
Find the girl and I’ll honor our commitment
.
If not, the deal is done.
”
Westhaven straightened and would have reminded Darien of the bull dog authoritarian of years past if he did not still grip his faithful horse’s
bridle
with white knuckles
.

“May I remind you, my lord,” Maddox
said, then
cleared his throat and lowered his voice, “the alliance of our families is paramount to both our interests
.
At the very least, I insist that you call for a thorough search of the grounds
.
She must be nearby
.
She knows no one in the area.
”
Maddox abruptly turned and pointed at Darien.

“If I discover you had anything to do with Arianna’s disappearance, I will ruin you.”

“I believe I already am ruined
.
Or have you not heard?” said Darien calmly
.
His plans to foil the wedding had materialized in a way he had not expected
.
And despite his nephew’s distress, he found the whole affair working to his satisfaction
.
Could his life actually be taking a turn for the better
?
Punishing his father would not bring Philip back
.
If his father could accept Ivy as his bride, maybe something in Darien’s world could be finally righted
.

“Oh I have not begun to discredit you, you black scoundrel.
”
Maddox, his fists balled, stormed toward Darien.

Darien just smiled, thanking the heavens above for his continued good fortune
.
If Maddox had a mind to raise his fists, no one could blame Darien for swinging back
.
He handed Robert the reins of his horse
.
“Perhaps you should make yourself scarce,” he said to Robert
.
Darien found it hard to believe that Maddox had no idea of Robert’s relationship with Arianna
. 
Especially since Maddox’s gaze continually bounced over Robert as if he absolutely refused to see him at all.