Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Three

Phillip stared at Fyre seated on the blanket with him. They had spent the past hour discussing how they had not been able to get Cara and whomever she was working with. He was frustrated, but he wanted more than just Cara. He wanted the person she was dealing with and the mastermind behind this entire thing, the person or people trying to bring him down and ruin the reputation he had built in Hawk’s Cove.

Fyre sat at an angle from him, her lower lip caught in her teeth, as was common when she was deep in thought.

“Are you still thinking it is a man she is meeting?”

“My gut says yes but you keep insinuating it may be a woman. Why?”

“Cara has always been about money. Part of why she let me live there so long was because she got most of the money I earned, and that was basically her pin money.”

“Still does not explain why you think she is working with another woman.”

“You know how this island used to have slaves.”

His gut tensed but he nodded.

“One of the daughters of an owner and Cara were…together.” She shifted on the blanket, obviously uncomfortable with the direction of the conversation. “Even after slavery was banned from the island, she still got together with the woman. Even after she married my brother. Believe me, she will turn her eyes from the problems of others so long as she is cared for, be it coming from a man or a woman.”

“Shit.”

“She does not know I saw them one day in a barn, but I did.” She wouldn’t meet his gaze. “I know it was not the first time that she cheated on my brother. Men and women alike.”

Phillip scrubbed a hand down his face. “And you have seen her with both men and women?”

“Yes.” She still wouldn’t meet his gaze.

“Fyre. Look at me.”

It took a while before she would.

“What are you not telling me?”

“I am just ashamed. I did not tell my brother because I did not want to ruin his marriage.”

“And he may not have believed you anyway and all you would have done was shove a wedge in your relationship.”

She nodded.

“Cara made her own decisions, baby. Even now she is making her own. It is obvious her concerns are about her and not the rest of her family. Do not feel guilty about that.” He tugged on the hem of her skirt. “Her time will come to answer for her betrayal.”

“It is not right. Her children are incredible but all she does is hurt them.”

Another tug on the soft green material of her dress. “Those children have you in their life. They will always be loved and know it.”

“I was thinking, maybe we could follow her and Elonne one night when they go out, see if she meets anyone else. If it was a woman, Elonne wouldn’t be suspicious, I don’t believe.”

He narrowed his eyes. “We?”

“Not me, because I would offer to watch the children.”

Phillip drew her closer to him, setting her legs over his, lifting her skirts up more. “If you offered to do that, would she be suspicious?”

“Maybe.” Her breath hitched as he stroked her skin. “But I can say I missed them and she would know that was true. I do miss them.”

“Do you want to watch them at my estate?”

“No, that she wouldn’t allow. And I do not think it proper.”

He grinned, thumbs skimming the insides of her knees. “I want you in my bed, Fyre.”

Her brown eyes grew darker. “I want it too.”

“But?”

“A week after you making your claim in the middle of the street seems rushed.”

“Not for me.”

Frustration welled up within him and he tried to contain it. When she winced, he knew he had failed.

The sorrow in her expression nearly killed him. “Why are you hesitant?”

Fyre shook her head. “We should focus on catching Cara.”

“Baby, look at me.” He waited until she did. “You are what is important. The money will work itself out. I am—we are—aware someone is trying to undermine me and what I am trying to do here. You are more important to me than that.”

“Money is important.”

He nodded. “It is, but you do not get to believe because it is, you are not.”

“I always worry about money. Someone in my position has to.”

Her statement pissed him off on two levels. One, because he knew she spoke the truth, which made the truth of what her brother had done even more heinous in his reality. And two, because she didn’t have faith he would be there to provide for her.

“I do not know what it was like for you before, Fyre. I can assume, but I did not live it. All I can do is promise you that is a concern for you no longer.” He forced his anger back down, but it wouldn’t stay put and surged up again. “I swear to you, it is not something you have to worry about going forward.”

“I do not mean to upset you, my lord.”

Swallowing his anger, he gave her a smile. He dragged his hands along her legs, loving the way she melted and her eyes heated with a passionate desire he swore no other man would see.

“Frustrated is not the same as upset, Fyre. I want a kiss.”

She blinked, then smiled as she leaned forward to touch her lips to his.

Phillip moaned and tightened his grip on her, his cock pressed hard to his breeches. Pushing his tongue deep into her mouth, he allowed all of the angry, negative thoughts to go where they should. Away.

They had focused enough on everyone else by now. It was time for them.

He pulled back slightly, grinning when he heard her mewl of disappointment. Coaxing her to come with, to follow his mouth, she was soon on his lap, straddling him and cupping his cock between her legs. Her wet heat was easy to feel.

Yet it wasn’t enough.

Hands up under her skirts, her core rocking on him as their tongues dueled, was not fucking enough for him. He craved more.

She shifted on him and he growled low in his throat when her small, strong hand snuck between them to grasp him.

“Fyre.”

“Show me,” she whispered against his lips.

God, to keep her touch on him, he would show her whatever she asked.

“What?” he rasped the single word question. “What do you want me to show you?”

She squeezed his length and gave short strokes. “How to please you.”

Phillip closed his eyes before he could garner the strength not to just push her back and slide into her slickness. She was waiting for him, eyes wide and luminous, when he finally opened his again.

“You do, Fyre. I swear to you, every time you touch me, you please me.”

Her smile grew wider and he knew she had allowed the earlier talk to fade as well. She inched back and he bit off his rumble of discontent as she moved away from his touch.

Fyre didn’t leave his lap, no, she only moved enough so he could free himself. Or she could, which she did. Her skirts were still ruched up around her waist and he could see her pussy, the soft hairs there glistening with proof of her arousal.

He braced a hand behind himself to keep from falling to the blanket beneath them and losing whatever view she was about to present him with. Like fuck he was going to miss this. His cock sprang up, hard and swollen, the head an angry red and leaking.

“You asked me before, if I touched myself.”

His heart thundered.

“Show me how to touch you.” Fyre’s words were low but there was not a shred of uncertainty in them.

How the hell had he gotten so lucky? Fyre was shy about many things, but this? Out here, in the middle of the day, she asked him to jerk off so she could learn what he wanted? Luckiest fucking guy in the world.

Readjusting his left hand behind him to better support himself, he took his right and curved it around his dick. Bemoaning the loss of her touch, he took solace in the fact that she was mesmerized by his grip on himself. Flicking his gaze down to her hands, he watched her fist the material of her skirt tight. But she didn’t cover herself again.

He approved.

“It varies, how I like it. Sometimes hard and sometimes gentle. It would be easier for me to show you with your hand here, baby. I could tell you then.”

Up and down he worked his fist, twisting slightly with each tug.

She didn’t answer, and he looked back up at her face and saw the stark hunger there she was not able to hide. Her hips were miming small thrusts, as if she were recalling him driving into her, over and over.

Her legs were on either side of his and he knew she was on a solid foundation, so he jerked his chin at her. “Touch yourself.”

Fyre held her skirt tighter as she snapped her gaze to his.

“Touch yourself for me, baby.” Her tongue peeked out before vanishing. “Show me as I show you. One hand, use the other to hold your skirt up higher, so I can see all of you,” he coaxed.

She obeyed, and the moment her index finger slipped through her pussy lips, he very nearly lost control again. This woman, a woman of a station he never would have looked at over in England, had come into his life and set it on its end. He had already come in his breeches like an untried youth at one fucking touch from her. And now here she was, barely touching herself, and he was ready to do it again.

Fyre shifted on his legs, widening her own a bit. He stared at the hunger on her face for a moment before returning his gaze to where her finger slid and circled her clit. He tightened his grip, determined that she would be coming first.

“Show me what pleases you. What you do in the night when you think of me.”

She sank her teeth into her plump lower lip even as she moaned his name.

Fuck, he wasn’t going to survive this.

Fyre wasn’t entirely sure what had happened to make her so brave and shameless this sunny afternoon. But, straddling Phillip’s legs, she was showing him how she pleasured herself. Sort of. His name slipped out, but she was trying to keep it contained.

Her nub was stiff and sent shockwaves through her each time she touched it. She wasn’t able to pull her gaze from his cock. Beautiful. She wanted to put her mouth on it. Thinking of being on her knees before him while he thrust it deep made her pussy clench. Without thinking, she pushed her finger in completely and moaned.

Phillip jerked, reminding her she wasn’t alone with her fantasy. He was right here before her, his thick length so close she could touch it. She had touched it before she’d gotten shy and asked him to show her. Truth was, she wanted to explore. Him.

One finger turned to two as she pumped her wrist. She kept time with Phillip’s strokes. His eyes were locked on where her fingers dipped inside her, while she couldn’t stop watching the pearly drops that oozed from his cock. She licked her lips and used her thumb on her clit.

It was too much and she stiffened, back arching as she shattered around her fingers, Phillip’s name falling from her lips once more.

“Fuck, that is beautiful.”

Heat sliced up her cheeks but she didn’t look away from his hungry gaze.

“Tell me what you want, Fyre.” His tone was thready and she knew he was on the edge.

She pulled her fingers from her slit and he opened his mouth. Without hesitation, she slipped them in and moaned as he sucked her flavor from them.

“I want to taste you.”

His gray eyes darkened to nearly black. “Fyre…” It was a low rumble of thunder coming from his mouth.

She readjusted so she was between his legs instead of hers being over his. Her skirts were haphazardly down but not completely. She licked her lips and nodded. “I want to be here, on my knees, tasting you.”

He gulped. “Come taste.”

He didn’t have to ask her twice. She scooted forward, bent, and took his broad head in her mouth, tongue swiping up the liquid already there.

“Fuck me!”

His cry spurred her on. She sucked, lapped, and ran her tongue along the head before skimming it around the crown. Putting her hand on his shaft, she nearly purred when he covered her hand with his own, showing her what she wanted to know, how he liked it.

When her hand moved down, she took more of him in than she comfortably could. She choked, backed off and tried again. It took her a moment, but she got a rhythm down she could do. No way was she taking all of him in.

Yet.

His hand dropped away and she paused, thinking she had done something wrong. He had fallen back, hands fisted in the blanket they lay on, her name leaving his mouth in a chanting rhythm. He’s enjoying this. Hiding her smile, she closed her eyes and began bobbing again.

Not much later, he threaded a hand into her hair, fingertips scraping the back of her head. How and when her hair had been taken out of her bun she wasn’t sure, but she didn’t care.

He pushed her down as his hips thrust up and she relaxed her throat the second time around, trusting him. Wanting to please him as he always did her. His taste and smell only heightened her own arousal and her pussy throbbed, wanting relief. She squeezed her legs together and focused on Phillip.

Time vanished for her and she had lost herself in the pure pleasure of sucking him when he tugged on her hair. Opening her eyes, she found him looking down at her, sweat beading on his forehead and the tendons in his neck highly visible.

“Baby,” he gritted out. “I am about to shoot my load.”

This time she didn’t hide her smile, just watched him and hummed her okay around his shaft.

“Gonna fucking kill me,” he muttered.

His grip tightened even more and she let him set the pace, didn’t try to stop him from thrusting deep until he hit the back of her throat, making her eyes water. His grunt was her only warning before thick streams of his release hit her tongue and throat.

Swallowing it, she eagerly lapped along his length and looked up to find him watching her again, more hunger in his gaze. She blinked and found herself on her back, skirts shoved around her waist as he hooked one of her legs high on his side and pushed into her.

“Yes,” she moaned, arching to take him in deeper.

Phillip slid into her with one stroke. It wasn’t fast, just a long continuous push. And she was full. Of him. How she loved to be.

And she told him so.

* * * *

“Why would you do this?”

Fyre held Cara’s gaze without flinching. It had been a few days since she and Phillip had discussed the plan of following her sister-in-law while she watched the kids, but she had been busy. As had he.

“Because I miss my nephews and niece. Thought we could have a night together and the two of you could do something without the kids underfoot.”

“Are you keeping them here? Or going to your fiancé’s house?”

No denying the venom in that last question.

“Staying here. I live here. Why would I take them over there?”

Cara glared at her. “Because you are constantly trying to show everyone on the island that you are better than they are.”

Moving her gaze from the hateful woman in front of her, Fyre shrugged as she looked at her brother, who only briefly met her gaze. “Then do not let them stay with me. I was asking to see them because I miss them. But I am not going to stand here and listen to your rudeness.”

She spun on her heel and made it five steps before her niece cried out for her. “Aunt Fyre!” Hardening her heart, because she couldn’t take them if they weren’t allowed to be with her, she turned with a smile fixed on her face.

“Hi, sweetie.” She opened her arms, hugging the girl when she got to her.

“Are we coming to see you?” Such hope lined her words.

“That is up to your parents. I do not know.” She chucked her under the chin, determined not to let her smile fade. “If so, I will see you later. Right now, I have to go help Georges make some bread.”

Isabella hugged her again. Hard. “Miss you.” Her two words were barely audible but they reverberated through Fyre.

I have so focused on my own happiness I have neglected three of the most important people in the world to me.

She vowed to do better.

She kissed Isabella on the head. “Miss you too, Bella. I have to go.” She turned and walked away before she begged them to let them stay with her. Something like that Cara would be suspicious of for sure.

The afternoon was full of hard work as she helped Georges, and her body ached as she walked home. The road was full of people and they waved at her, calling out greetings, whereas before she would have been ignored for the most part.

Everything had been different since Phillip had made his claim. When the people thinned out, a man on horseback came into view and she went to the side to let them go by. As the rider got closer, she realized it was Albie Caulfield.

He stopped before her, leaning over his horse’s neck to look down at her.

She gave him a nod as she had always done and said, “Good afternoon, Mr. Caulfield.”

“I would have treated you right, Gwen.” His words were slightly slurred. “You should not have shunned me, or made me a laughingstock. I have a plantation and my own business. No one here is as rich as your damn earl, but that does not mean we are any less.”

“It does not have to do with his money, Mr. Caulfield.”

“You do not love him. I have known you most of your life. If you were falling in love with anyone, it would be me.” He spat on the ground, and she had a bad feeling.

“My feelings for Lord Edais are not your business, but I did not love you.”

His sneer grew. “Think about that while you are being fucked in a house that was used to hold and torture slaves. Think about if it is you he wants because he claims to care or if he is looking to get you under his roof where he can treat you no better than the previous owner treated people like you. And have you considered he’s just using you to get the trust of those who look like you on this island?”

Coldness swam over her as the gravity of his words hit her square in the face. Fyre hated that she was giving his comments the slightest bit of validation and purchase. But they were insidious and they clawed for a hold on her. She knew Phillip loved her. Right?

“What are you doing here, Mr. Caulfield?”

It had been a while since Fyre had been happy to hear her brother’s voice, but when his deep voice posed the question, relief took over and her legs wobbled.

“Just passing along greetings to the future mistress of the plantation.” He tipped his hat and rode off.

Turning, she saw Elonne and the kids in the wagon. She realized they had agreed to let her watch them.

His expression hardened and he jerked his head at her. “Get in.”

She didn’t argue. The kids hugged her and she was grateful for the ride to her house, not that it was far. Without a farewell to her brother, she urged the kids inside and set about making a memorable night for the group of them.

Even so, she couldn’t stop thinking about Mr. Caulfield’s words and the number of times she had seen Miss Asherford hanging on and around Phillip. In town and at the house party. The one that she should not have been to because she didn’t have a business.

Yet she had gotten invited.

Yeah, jealousy was a bitch.