Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

The adults headed down the stairs after Keely and the dogs to the dining room, where Bryn and Falcon were already seated.

Trace and Leona took a walk after lunch outside in the gardens. He was a perfect gentleman for most of the time.

“I have missed you, kitten.”

She leaned her head on his arm as they walked. “I missed you too.”

“So why are you making me wait?”

“It’s just not that simple.”

“Sure it is.”

“No. It’s not.”

“You make everything so difficult. It doesn’t have to be.” He looked around, then he pulled her under a large arbor covered with ivy.

In mere seconds her back was against the arbor, his hand was under her dress and his fingers had worked her into a frenzy.

“Auntie Lea? Where are you, Auntie Lea?” Keely’s voice reached them.

“Trace,” she panted, even as she arched against his hand. “Stop this. Keely is coming.”

“Not before you.” He nipped at her neck and kissed her deeply.

“Auntie Lea? Where are you?”

Leona pulled away from his mouth. “Trace, stop. Please, she will be here any second.”

“Tell me you love me.” A command.

“Trace, stop.”

“Tell me or I won’t stop. How are you going to explain my hand up your dress to a six-year-old?”

His fingers moved faster and faster. Her mind became blank. What was it she was supposed to be protesting? Moans began in her throat. Louder and louder they got until Trace lowered his head down by her ear and whispered, “Shhh. Don’t give away your position. She’s getting closer.”

“Please.” It came out so faint maybe it never got said at all.

“Please what, kitten? Stop?” His fingers slowed minutely.

“No, don’t stop. Please, Trey, let me get there.”

“Now you don’t want me to stop? Make up your mind. Keely is almost here. I can hear her footsteps.”

“You win. I love you. Now, please.”

“As you wish, little one.” With an expert flick of his wrist and fingers, Trace sent her over the edge to find her rainbow of pleasure.

Leona was still on the high plains of pleasure when Keely careened around the corner and into sight. At least Trace had taken his hand out of her dress and just stood there as the child stopped by them.

“There you are. Why didn’t you answer me? Didn’t you hear me? What’s wrong with you, Auntie Lea? Your face is all red.”

“Must be the cold air. I’m fine, darling. Sorry I didn’t answer. I must not have heard you.”

Trace smirked. “Yeah, that must be it. Did you come to walk with us, little one?”

“Yes. I don’t want to be inside, and the boys won’t let me play with them.” She pouted.

“Well, that’s not very nice of them, now, is it?”

“No it isn’t, Auntie Lea. They can be so mean.”

“I agree.” Leona threw an eyebrow up toward the sky, which Trace took to mean that she included him in that assessment of males.

Trace wasn’t a fool and kept his mouth shut. As they walked, Keely ran ahead at times and was a true joy to watch. The few times that she left them, Trace took the opportunity to kiss Leona thoroughly and get her all hot and bothered.

“Would you quit that?” she snapped after he had slipped his hand down the bodice of her dress to tease her breasts.

“I just want to you to remember what you will be missing when you are out with those other men. I want you to remember that I am the only one who can stir you up like this.”

With a quick glance to make sure Keely was still off ahead, he pulled one breast out and sucked it. When his mouth came off it, the cold air hit it and made her gasp again.

“Are you wet for me, kitten? Do you want me yet?”

Leona was barely back in her dress when Keely came back again. Her breaths came rapidly and he knew she fought for control.

As they walked, Trace took every opportunity to brush his erection up against her so she knew how he felt and what he wanted to do to her. Each feel, each intimate press against her, weakened her resolve a little more. He could see it and sense it, as it took her longer and longer to push him away each time.

Much more of this and he bet she would be reduced to a little puddle on the ground.

“Keely, is there any holly around here?”

“We have some, Trace. I know where it is, come on.”

They followed her deeper into the gardens and reached a place that was full of holly. “Do you think we could cut some and take it inside?”

“Uh-huh. I know where there’s a basket. Don’t go anywhere, I will be right back.”

“Okay, we’ll be right here.” Trace observed Leona as she watched her savior run off to find a basket.

The second she was out of sight, Trace had her up against a tree. He yanked her dress up, exposing her legs to the chill in the air, but from her moan of need, she didn’t care. She was on fire, as was he.

He fumbled with the catch on his pants, and as soon as he freed himself he slid into her silken folds. “I can’t get enough of you, kitten.”

“Oh God, Trey. Faster, please. Faster.”

He obliged and looked down at her.

Her eyes were closed, back arched as she wrapped her legs around his waist to try to get closer. Fingers dug into his shoulders as whimpers escaped her throat. She bit her lips to keep silent but sounds still slipped out.

Trace felt her start to convulse around him and saw her eyes open. She was bliss to watch as she came. Her eyes darkened to gold and he noticed the sheen of tears in them.

“Oh God, Trey. I…I…”

“Come with me, kitten, come with me,” he purred. With one last powerful stroke, he felt her come around him then he joined her, pouring his seed deep within her.

Once again, time was on their side, for just after they’d pulled themselves together, Keely came back with a large basket. They gathered holly and decided to head back to the house for some chocolate.

Keely chatted the whole way home. “I like it here, but I like the other home better. Will you come and see me there, Trace? I like you and so you should come see me. Maybe the three of us can go on another walk together. It was fun.”

“Sure was.” Trace knew he sounded a little husky. He walked beside Leona and whispered, “You have some tree bark in your hair.”

Leona panicked. “Get it out.”

“I’d like to put more there.” But he obliged her anyway. So when the three of them mounted the steps back to the house they were all straightened, pressed and ready to face the others.

Trace and his son also stayed for dinner. The adults played whist in the receiving room as the children talked and planned for the holiday.

Leona and Trace were not left alone after that, so he had no more opportunity to try to sway her toward his way of thinking. As they said good night, he had no doubt his eyes told her what his mouth couldn’t say in the presence of the others.

“Good night, Leona. Thank you for a lovely day. I enjoyed getting to know you after all these years. Pleasant dreams.”

“Good night, Trace. I also had a wonderful time today.” She looked down at the boy, who stood beside his father. “Good night, Falcon. Maybe someday we’ll be able to spend some time together and get to know each other.”

“I would like that, Lea.” He beckoned for her to come down to him. When she did, he whispered into her ear, “This is for you. It is from Ben.” He slipped what he had in his pocket into her outstretched hand. “Good night, Lea. Good night, Bryn. See you later.”

Trace wondered what she had been given, but she slid it into her own pocket. They took their leave out into the snow and climbed in the carriage before it took them back to their hotel.

* * * *

“What did you get, Auntie Lea?” Keely asked.

“I am not sure.” Leona was distracted. Ben. She remembered him fondly.

“Come, children, time for bed. We’ll be up later to say good night,” Ciara spoke.

“I wanna know what she got,” Keely whined.

Her mother didn’t have to say a word, just arched one eyebrow, and her daughter scuffed her toe and quietly followed her brother up the stairs.

After the children had left, Leona walked back into the room they had just vacated and sat in a chair by the fire. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the wrapped gift. It was covered in a shiny paper tied with a big bow.

It was heavy, and she had absolutely no idea what it could possibly be. She opened it. When the paper was off, she realized what it was.

There had been a slave on the plantation named Monk, who had worked with glass. He’d had amazing talent, and it showed with what she had in her hand.

It was an orb, made of glass that ranged from clear to blue and purple depending on how the light hit it. Inside the glass was a hawk in full regal flight. Clutched in his talon was a long-stemmed orchid. She trembled as she unfolded the note.

Leona:

Don’t forget about your own

Happiness. Your mama would want

You to be happy.

He truly does love you and he always

Had, since the day you left. He

Swore to me then that he would find

You. Trust in him, he needs you

More than he will admit.

~Ben

ps: come visit me for I miss you.

Tears clouded her vision and before long they were streaming down her face. When she got herself under control, she realized that she was the only one in the room. Ciara and Lucien had left her alone to unwrap her present.

Leona fell asleep with the orb beside her on the table. When she woke in the morning, it was still there and still just as breathtaking.

* * * *

Trace stayed true to his word. For the next fourteen days he did not show his face once to Leona. She saw Falcon every now and then, but never his father.

He still made his presence known, however. Every day a huge bouquet of orchids came for her. There never was any card, but there was no need. She knew who they were from. No matter how many flowers she received from others, it was the orchids that made her smile.

She missed him so much she ached inside. He was right—when she went out with the other men it was like being with a brother. There was nothing there. But the second she thought she may have seen Trace, or heard his voice, her heart rate sped up and her palms became damp

“Miss O’Neill?”

Leona blinked a few times before she realized that the Earl of Danbury spoke to her. “I’m sorry. What did you say?”

“I asked if I might have the honor of a dance with you at the annual Heartstone Ball.”

“Of course. I will save one for you. But now I really must get back, I have a lot of work to do.”

“Of course, my dear. Let’s get you back. Don’t forget about my dance.”

“I’ll see you tonight.”

“Until tonight, my dear.” He bowed over her hand and took his leave.

Leona turned around and came face to face with Falcon. “Good afternoon, Falcon.”

“Good afternoon. Can I have a word with you?”

My goodness he is serious.“Yes, of course. Will the library do?”

“That would be fine.” He led the way down the hall and waited for her to precede him into the room. Falcon shut the door behind them.