To Catch a Lady (14 page)

“I'm sorry, Your Grace, but I'm still not well. Perhaps we could talk later?”

She heard a thump, and the sound of a bottle hitting the floor.

“Damn it all,” he muttered. “Well, at least it didn't break.” He cleared his throat. “Caroline. You must come to your senses. I can be put off for a night or two, but not indefinitely. How long do you plan to deny me?”

Homesick, exhausted from adjusting to her new situation, and suffering a snarling headache from crying all night, Caro had come to the end of her temper. Added to that, she didn't much like his attitude.

“Go to bed, Your Grace. You're drunk.”

“Perhaps I'm just angry.”

Furious, she called him out. “What reason do you have to be angry about anything? You're a duke. You get everything you want, just by claiming it.”

“So that's the way it's to be, then. I've done all I can to make this easier on you, you know.”

Caro hissed. “Have you? That's why you come to my door like this and behave so cruelly?”

“Perhaps it's because my wife turned me away. You shouldn't be surprised that I found solace in a bottle of brandy. A very good brandy, in fact, which I'm sure you'd enjoy if you'd come out into the hall and join me for a drink.” She heard him pause. “Honey.”

Caro rose from her bed and went to stand by the door. “You're insufferable, sir.”

“Insufferable? You're hiding behind a locked door and you call me insufferable? You must honor our contract, whether you like it or not.”

Caro stamped her foot. “I have every intention of honoring your blasted contract, Your Grace. It's just that at the moment I'm suffering from…” She paused. It wasn't like her to lie, but she feared she had no choice in the matter. “I have an affliction.”

She heard him draw a breath. An affliction? “You seemed well enough yesterday.”

Caro was sure he guessed she was playing him false, but now she had no choice. “The lady's affliction.”

A long silence. “Oh. Well, then. There will be no chance of our being together for a few days.”

“I believe that is what I said, Your Grace. Ash.”

“How long?”

“What?”

“How many days do your courses usually run? Three days? Four?”

“I can't believe you are so ill-mannered to ask such a thing.” When he didn't deny it, she bit her lip. “Oh, very well. Five days.”

Of course, by her estimation, her courses weren't due for another week, but there was no way he could guess that. When the time did come, she could complain of a long bout and that would give her even more time to think.

“Five days.” He paused for a moment. “I suppose there's no way…”

“There is not!”

“Yes, well, I'm not very thrilled at the prospect, either. Five days, then.”

Caro sat down on the bed once again, all of her energies spent. She couldn't even cry.

This marriage business had all but destroyed her. First she'd been no better than a lightskirt, then a shrew, and now a liar. What was to become of her?

Ash started to turn away, but paused for a moment. Curious, he lifted the bottle. Nearly empty? It had been full when he'd broken the seal on it earlier that evening. As he stared at the amber liquid inside, another thought occurred to him.

Turning back to the door, he cleared his throat.

“One more thing, Lady Caroline.”

He heard her draw a sharp breath. “What is it?”

“It does occur to me that you might be playing me a bit false.”

“Sir. I ask that you leave me this instant. I'll not tolerate—”

“Yes, yes. I know that. I don't blame you for being hesitant. It's not as if our only time together was a pleasant one.” He took another swallow. “I mean, it was in a carriage, of all things.”

“Nonsense,” he heard her say. “It was appropriate. We were married, after all.”

“Yes, but it wasn't pleasant for you, was it?” When she didn't answer, he sighed. “It wasn't. But it doesn't always have to be like that, you know.”

“What do you mean?”

Good. At least she wasn't shouting at him to leave her alone.

“I mean, it can be slower, gentler. Blast it all, a man doesn't have to be a rutting beast.”

“A man has needs,” she said. “I'm sure you're no different than any other.”

There it was. That keen, sharp tone she took with him when she was angry. It made her all the more endearing.

“I like to think I'm not like other men. I was a cad to take advantage of you like that. You knew nothing of lovemaking, after all.”

“Ash…” He heard the patience in her voice straining. “We both are tired and you are letting the spirits run away with your tongue. Take what's left of your brandy and go to bed.”

He laughed. “I will, but I thought I should tell you what you really have to look forward to.”

“You mean to discuss making love with me?”

“Not so much discuss, as describe.”

“Such scandalous talk. A lady may engage in her wifely duties, but to talk about them is unacceptable.”

“Even if she's talking with her husband? And with a solid wooden door between them?”

She paused. It was clear that she didn't know the answer to that. Ash smiled. Perhaps this was going to be fun, after all.

“I would imagine,” she said at last, “that a good husband wouldn't be so coarse as to ask.”

Ash laughed. “I thought you'd say something like that.”

“Please go to bed.”

“Not unless you come with me.”

“I've already told you—”

“That you're otherwise indisposed. Yes. I know. So, let's go back to what I was saying before. I wouldn't be a good husband if I didn't at least prepare you for your wedding night, now would I? I mean, I'm not the sort of cad who would, say, break down this door, take you in his arms, and repeat what happened our first time together.”

“Of course, you've already said you wouldn't do that.” She paused. “Very well. Let's get this done with so we both can get a few hours of sleep.”

Ash smiled. Now he had her.

“First, I would open the door.” Though the thought of breaking it down did have some appeal.

“That's usually how someone enters the room.”

“Then, once inside, I'd…” He paused.

“You'd what?” The tension in her voice was clear.

“That all depends on you. Would you be on the bed or are you standing in the center of the room?”

“Does it matter?”

“Very much.” He leaned on the door now, hands braced against the frame, his forehead resting on the cool wood.

“Oh, very well. I'm standing in the center of the room.”

“Good. Get on the bed.”

“We're just talking, remember?”

“I do. But this is for your benefit, not mine. Get on the bed.”

She let out an exasperated noise and then he heard the bed creaking as she obeyed him.

“Now, don't pull up the covers. I don't want to work too hard to get to you.”

“Oh, very well. I'm on top of the quilts.”

“Good. Now, I'm coming to the bed. The first thing I want to do is look at you. Are you wearing your nightdress?”

“Yes.”

“Take it off.”

“Can't you just imagine that I'm without my gown?”

“I'm not doing this for me, remember? Take it off.”

Again she muttered, and while a gentlewoman didn't use profanity, he was sure she was verbally berating him in a most ladylike fashion.

“All right,” she said at last.

“You're naked?”

“As the day I was born.”

A picture of his voluptuous wife popped into his mind. It was all Ash could do to keep from moaning. He took another drink from his brandy. It was too bad he couldn't see her.

Or could he?

Quietly kneeling down, he peered through the keyhole. To his delight he could see his Caroline, bathed in soft moonlight, seated on her bed, arms crossed defiantly, legs folded beneath her. Looking like a gossamer nymph, she sat there, clearly not at all happy being unclothed.

Amazed, he saw her tremble slightly. A fire was burning low in the hearth, so he was sure the trembling wasn't from cold. Squinting in the dim light, he had a most pleasant view. He saw that her skin was the colors of pearls in the moonlight and her nipples were hard like diamond points and the color of dark wine.

Ash took yet another swallow of the brandy, steeling himself for what he planned to do next.

“Relax, Caroline. I'm going to make love to you.”

Feeling as if she were a stranger in her own body, Caro did as he asked. His voice was soft and firm, demanding, and enticing all at once. How could such a thing be? Was it possible that the fumes from the brandy had leaked under the door and were affecting her as well?

“I'm lying down,” she told him.

“Good. Now, close your eyes.”

Caro did as he asked. She trembled again, but not from a chill. In fact, since he'd started talking, the temperature in the room had risen greatly. Or, so it seemed.

“Go on,” she said.

“I'm going to touch you, Caroline. I'm going to caress your face, slowly and completely. I want to know the gentle contours of your cheeks, your eyes, your chin. And then I'm going to kiss you everywhere I've touched you. I want to taste you.”

Caro coughed. “That's absurd.”

“No, it's not. Now, be quiet and let me finish.”

Would it do any good to object? Caro knew it wouldn't. “Go on, then.”

“Indeed. Where was I? Oh, yes, I want to taste you. I'm going to nibble on your ear, darling.”

“You make it sound like you're eating breakfast.”

“I am feasting—on you. Now, let me finish. I'm going to kiss your mouth, lightly at first, but the more I linger, the more intense our kiss will become.” He moaned. “When we're finished with our kiss, I will begin nuzzling your ear, your chin, your neck…”

Caro gasped. It felt as if he were touching her. It didn't make sense, but her lips felt swollen and burned, as though he had pressed his kiss upon her. The next thing she knew, the skin on her ear, her chin, and her neck started to tingle. She drew in a sharp breath.

What the devil?

“I'm going to kiss my way to your breasts.” He paused and she imagined what it would feel like for him to feather her skin with warm, moist touches. “I'll start with the right one. I'll take you into my mouth and lap my tongue around the soft flesh. Then, when I glide down to the tip, I shall suckle you. Like a hungry babe I shall feast upon you, Caroline. And, when I've paid that lovely breast enough attention, I shall move to the other side and take my fill of you there.”

Caroline gasped. Her breasts started to ache! It was a sweet longing, and she was as aroused as if his words had taken substance and really performed as he'd described.

It was maddening.

It was incredible.

Through the door, she heard his muffled moan, again. It was a sound too deeply sensual, deeply intimate. Her body responded with a wash of moisture between her legs. She drew her knees together but the action only made the tightening need there grow stronger.

“I want you, Caroline. I want to devour you inch by lovely inch.”

Caro barely breathed. “Inch by inch?”

“I'm going to suckle your belly next, take my time nibbling every inch of you and leave tiny bite marks, just barely pink against your creamy skin. Everyone will know that you belong to me, Caroline. But you most of all.”

It was Caro's turn to moan. “Yes,” she muttered, not even realizing she spoke. Her body was tingling all over. She could feel his hot mouth on her skin, his teeth gently pinching her flesh. Her body craved him now, wanted to feel his mouth upon her, gently scraping her skin, pulling, teasing her desire with relentless intent.

Caro didn't remember starting to pant.

“I'm going to pull your knees apart. And once I have you exposed, I'm going to taste you there, too. I'm going to nuzzle you in that most private, glorious place. Deep within your curls, I shall caress you with my kisses and then I'll enter you with my tongue. Deeper and deeper inside you.”

“Oh!” Caro felt a quivering stir inside of her. “Wait…”

“No, Caroline. There will be no turning back now. We must finish this…together.”

“I can't,” she barely breathed. “I can't…”

“Yes, you can. Hold on, Caroline. I'm not finished yet.”

Caro whimpered. What torture! How could his speaking, as scandalous as it was, affect her so?

“Now, I want you to turn over on your belly.”

“What?”

“Just do as I say. Turn over, Caroline. I want you, now. All of you.”

Unable to refuse, she turned over, trembling uncontrollably, every inch of her body burning.

“Good. Put your hands between your legs. I want you to rub yourself, hard. Do it, Caroline.”

She did as he commanded her, and placing her hands on her damp flesh, she began a slow, steady massage.

“Ahhh,” she moaned again.

“I'm going to put my arm beneath you now, and lift you to me. Can you feel my hardness against you? I want you. I want to be inside you.”

Caro whimpered again, gliding back, so that her rump was poised in the air.

“That's my girl,” he said. “I'm going to enter you now, my sweet. Again and again, I'm going to drive you to the edge of madness. In and out, Caroline. In and out.”

He continued his litany, over and over. In and out. She could feel his member pressing inside her, caressing her with every motion.

Tense seconds passed, and before she knew what was happening, Caro felt pressure building up, her body tightening and releasing over and over. With her every breath, she begged for his touch, begged for release…

“Please, please, please…”

“Now, Caroline. Let go, now!”

The thread of her control snapped and her traitorous body did exactly as he commanded. The orgasm hit her and, unable to control herself, she shattered into a million pieces. And then she screamed.

Ash sagged against the door. He couldn't believe it. The torture he'd intended to inflict upon her had doubled back on him. Hearing her scream had been both joyous and excruciating. If he could bring her such pleasure with only words, think what he could do when he actually was able to touch her?

“Damn,” he muttered as his groin tightened. He was already hard as stone and ramrod straight. Without his woman to help him obtain release, it would be damn painful to ignore it, and rather messy to take care of it himself. And, he thought, the last thing his new bride would want was him pleasuring himself outside her bedroom door.

So be it.

He looked through the keyhole again. Caroline was lying flat, her perfectly round bottom still shining in the moonlight. He smiled when a sigh escaped her. No doubt she'd really anticipate their lovemaking now.

Pushing himself up from the floor, he padded down the hall to the stairs. The brandy he'd drunk had left him light-headed. He grabbed the newel post and steadied himself before going down the steps. The floor creaked under his weight and he paused, listening. When he heard no sounds from anywhere else in the house, he slowly began his descent. Five minutes later he made it to the side door. As quietly as he could, Ash went out into the courtyard.

Like most castles built hundreds of years earlier, Slyddon had been meant to sustain its population during long sieges. No longer under threat of attack, the old girl had withstood the centuries quite well. In the center of the courtyard was a pond. The midnight blue water, sparkling in the moonlight, was just the right size for an early morning swim.

A good brace of cold water was what he needed now. Just before jumping in, he turned to look back at the inner wall of the castle where the bedrooms were located. He could easily see the window to Caroline's room. Nothing stirred within it. Sighing, he lifted the bottle to salute her, then took one final drink and threw it to the ground.

Glancing upward again, he thought he saw a rustling of the drapes at his wife's window. Was it her? Likely it was his imagination playing him false. Or perhaps it was the brandy and his wife was fast asleep after their faux lovemaking.

No matter, he thought. She would be here with him, at least in his thoughts. And he was going to damn well finish the job he'd started. It's the only choice he had until he could make love to her for real.

“Damn,” he muttered. The thought of her watching him made him grow even harder.

In his drunken state, it took him a few minutes to get undressed. Unfastening his robe and pulling off his nightshirt proved to be a bit problematic after a full bottle of brandy. But in spite of his troubles, it wasn't long before he stood naked in the moonlight.

Wading into the pool, which was about five feet deep at its center, he made a quick dive under the water.