Chapter 14

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

I t was their fourth night together, almost a week after the last time that they had seen each other. Samuel had sent a letter for Nora to meet him at his estate, as they usually did. However, this time, he was waiting for her outside.

He'd helped her into the carriage, promptly joining her as the carriage drove them to the hunting lodge. The carriage rolled to a stop, and he offered her a hand, helping her down.

"So, My Lady, what do you think of the change of scenery?" he asked her after giving her the chance to look around.

The hunting lodge was at the back of his estate, located in a secluded location in the woods.

There were very few people who knew about it, and Samuel was often too busy to visit. He wasn't given to hunting either, and the hunting lodge had stayed empty after his father's death, only hosting people whenever the servants came to clean it up.

Today was one of the days that he'd sent his servants to clean it up. Ever since the last time, he'd been thinking of having her in a secluded location where they could be themselves without any self-consciousness on her part.

"Come in, out of the cold," he said, offering her his hand as he escorted her into the lodge.

He took off his coat, holding out his hand for her cloak when she took it off. The fire burning in the hearth created warmth in the lodge, shedding away the cold outside.from the cool night air.

"It's beautiful," she said, looking around. "I've never been in a hunting lodge before. I expected it to be slightly different."

"How different?" Samuel asked her.

"Well, there is no hunting equipment, for one. And there's no head of a moose hanging on the wall like I'd heard hunting lodges usually have," Nora said quietly.

Samuel chuckled. "Perhaps if you had known my father, you would have been satisfied with the look of the hunting lodge while he was still alive. While the weapons have always been hidden and are only ever brought out for polishing, he did have the head of a moose hanging on the wall.

"I only removed it after I took over. I am not given to hunting, and having it there had always seemed atrocious to me," he explained.

Spiting him had also played a major role in my actions.

Samuel kept the last bit to himself, although a part of him wished he'd told her about it.

"I had the servants lay out a table for us." He led her to the table in a bid to distract himself from the question that was bound to follow after his thought.

They sat in silence as they enjoyed their food, before Nora cleared her throat to get his attention.

"Might I ask you a question?" she asked.

Samuel nodded.

"There is something that I wondered about after you told me the reason for your sour mood on our last… rendezvous."

Samuel chuckled at her words and her reaction as her face flushed.

At least, I wasn't the only one affected by everything.

"What do you wish to know?"

She swallowed her last bite of food and leaned back, staring at him. "Why were you so against your mother's decision to find you a wife?"

Samuel looked away for a moment. He hadn't realized she would ask that. It was not a subject he liked to broach.

"I believe that marriage should only involve the two people who will be getting into the transaction—no one else needs to be involved," he said calmly.

Nora had been nodding her head in agreement, but her eyes widened before he finished his sentence. "A transaction?"

"Yes, a transaction. It's never anything more than that. People choose who they want to marry based on the benefits they can offer each other," he said.

"That's

"That not true," Nora said, looking affronted.

He frowned at the shocked look on her face.

"Marriages should only happen when you are in love with someone. It isn't transactional. There's no happiness to come from a transactional relationship," she said.

Samuel grunted. "Love is a fickle emotion. It can only last for so long. There is only so much it can do before it fades away and all that is left is resentment. However, an arrangement covers every area and grants both partners respect, which is what makes a good marriage."

Nora frowned. "I'm afraid I'll have to disagree with you on that. I have known people to be in love and happy. Only death could put an end to such a wonderful friendship. However, a relationship without love is most likely to end terribly."

Samuel shook his head. "I suppose we will have to agree to disagree on that."

Nora tossed a grape aside. "I never would have imagined that you were of the opinion that a marriage did not need love to be successful. I find it quite absurd, really."

Samuel's jaw ticked. He'd never been told that his opinion on the matter was absurd before. Not that he'd told so many people. The only person he had discussed that with was Benedict.

"Perhaps if you believed that, you wouldn't be here instead of finding a husband who would love and adore you," he said, regretting his words when she reared back, her eyes widening in shock.

She glared at him. "Maybe you should take your own advice. I don't believe your mother would have to find you a wife if all you needed was mutual agreement."

She looked down as shame filled her eyes. She looked back up at him, unable to hold his gaze. They had both been hurtful with their words, and they knew it.

Samuel leaned back. He had not realized how heated their conversation had gotten or how close they were to each other, their lips merely a hair's breadth apart.from each other.

"Perhaps a lesson is in order for how rude and mouthy you are being," he said, leaning in to brush his lips against her ear. "It is one you will thoroughly enjoy. Don't worry, you can stop it at any time, although you will be pleasing me if you obey me."

He kissed her, running his tongue over her bottom lip to get her to open up, and slid his tongue between her lips.

"Do you wish to obey me, little rabbit?" he asked her, grinning as she nodded slowly.

"Good, come here."

He looked into her green eyes, eyes that he could get lost in if he stared any longer than he already was. His eyes flicked down to her soft lips.

Samuel pressed his lips against hers, closing his eyes to savor the sensation. He leaned over with his hands on the side of her face, angling it slightly as he deepened the kiss.

Nora moaned into his mouth. She returned his kiss, sucking his lower lip into her mouth. He pulled her up until she was standing beside him and then sat her on his lap. His hands trailed down her sides, grazing the sides of her breasts until he stopped by her hipscupping her bottom in his hands.

He slapped her bottom, sending a jolt of shock through her as she stared at him with wide eyes. Samuel grinned up at her, massaging her bottom with his fingers. He pulled her back to him, his fingers fumbling with the bodice of her dress.

He unlaced it, allowing it to fall down her sides to expose her milky shoulders. His lips latched on her shoulder blades, nibbling until her skin turned red and bruised underneath his ministration.

Samuel grinned as she shook. Unlike the first time, she didn't stop him when he tried to pull her skirts up to her waist. He pulled her into a standing position and placed her over his knees. He bunched her skirts up until she was bare from the waist down..

"So beautiful," Samuel said, groaning as he rubbed the moons of her ass. He raised his hand, allowing it to come down on her ass hard.

Samuel groaned as she mewled, the sound sending waves of pleasure all the way down his length. He rubbed the slowly reddening spot, taking away the sting.

"Is this all right?" he asked her and let out a shuddery breath when she nodded.

His hand came down on her ass once again, mirroring the exact spot on the other moon. She moaned once again, her hands tightening around her arm.

Samuel spanked her over and over again until she was reduced to a moaning mess. He rubbed his hands over the sting to soothe her, letting her calm down from her high.

"There we go. You look so beautiful," he said, staring at her as she stood up.

Her cheeks were red with exhaustion, and her hair hung around her face, falling out of her bun she usually placed it in.

Samuel blinked. She truly was beautiful.

"You've been so wonderful," he cooed. "Come here."

She went to him, lowering herself on the seat beside him. Samuel pulled down her chemise, taking a pebbled nipple into his mouth. He suckled, rolling the nipple between his teeth. Nora gasped at the sensation and arched her back, pushing her breast into his mouth.

With his other hand, he massaged her other breast, pinching her nipple. His hands trailed up her thighs to her heated center, his fingers parting the red curls as he prodded gently. He rubbed his thumb against her clit, his eyes fully focused on her, completely enamored by the pleasure on her face..

He slipped a finger inside her, shocking her. She jerked as her face pinched in pain. Samuel slowed down, rubbing her slick on his finger before trying again. He gently slid his finger inside her.

A strangled moan escaped her as he stroked her. Samuel knelt down and licked a long line up to her clit even as he continued to pleasure her with his finger.

"Samuel," she groaned, putting a hand on his head.

Her legs tensed as his tongue pushed between her folds, teasing and tasting. He had truly missed the taste of her. Having her on his tongue now was like an addiction he did not want to give up.

He pulled back the hood of her clit, sucking it into his mouth as she buckled. Her moans were loud, like music to his ears. He coaxed her orgasm out of her, groaning as her center tightened around his finger, sucking him in. She gasped out the last of her release, breathing heavily as she struggled to catch her breath.

Samuel picked her up, carrying her to the chair behind them. He gently placed her in it and smiled at her. "You are ever so beautiful when you are like this."

He smiled when she ran her hand down her hair self-consciously. He gripped her hands and shook his head. "Leave it. You look perfect this way."

"I didn't do anything for you," she said, her hand going to the drawstrings that held up his pants.

Samuel gently pushed her hand away. "Perhaps you can give me some special attention next time. This was more for you than me. I love watching your face when you let go. It is a blissful sight."

Samuel hid a grimace as her face flushed red. He had never been a man to wax poetry, and yet here he was, doing just that.

What is wrong with me?

He'd asked himself that question for the past few days, and yet there didn't seem to be any answer coming his way.

"Come lie with me," she said, moving to the side.

Samuel indulged her. He lay beside her and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his arms affectionately. He kissed her hair and tightened his arms around her body.

"So, I know that I shouldn't pry, but I've been curious to know. When will you be leaving?" he asked, his breath catching as he awaited for her answer.

She remained silent, not saying a word to him in response.

Her"Nora?"

His Christian name slipped from his mouth before he could stop it. He'd stopped thinking of her as Lady Nora, and now it made the slip more difficult to manage. He would need to put in effort to make sure he never called her that.

They'd only ever used their given names in the throes of passion, when neither of them could control themselves.

He heard a

A soft snore, and he looked down at her in shock. he hadn't expected her to fall asleep at all. He laughed as another snore escaped her just as she stirred in his arms.

"I'm sorry to have woken you up," he said. "You looked so peaceful in your sleep."

Nora blushed. "I apologize. I didn't realize I had fallen asleep. I must have been so tired."

Samuel grinned in response. "It is nothing to be sorry for. One is often tired after their release. It does make you more relaxed. Like a massage of sorts."

Nora laughed, the sound like a soft morning bell. "I suppose you are right. I did feel quite relaxed afterwards, and being in your arms like this is so comforting."

Samuel's eyebrow rose in shock. She was more vocal now than she'd been during their first meeting.

He sighed. "When we spoke about marriage earlier, was there a reason why you were set on the idea of love?"

Nora remained silent for a moment, and he had begun to think she'd drifted off once again before she answered him.

"I know someone who was in love and happy. But now, they're married to someone else who they believe they love, but it isn't truly so, and it's the worst union I've ever seen. I wish it would come to an end already."

"Does it truly hurt so much to watch her lose herself?" he asked.

Her face contorted with pain, her eyes closing as if his question made her relive the moments again.

She nodded, her lips forming a shaky smile. "Yes. More than anything ever has."

Samuel ran his hand up and down her bare arm. Her voice held sadness when she spoke, and she'd let out a shuddery breath afterwards. He wished he hadn't pried and had any reason to bring her pain.

He sighed. Perhaps it was time he told her about his own experience. She was not alone in the way that she was feeling. He sighed as he prepared to speak about what he'd always held at bay.

"When I was younger, I was raised more strictly than others. For many years, I thought it was how everyone was raised, until I started to notice that it wasn't, but there was nothing I could do about it, except endure it."

She placed her hand on his jaw as it ticked. It wasn't something he usually wished to talk about, but with her, it was easy to forget and completely open up until they had no secrets between them.

Samuel's hand paused, and his eyes widened slightly. He had never opened up to anyone before. He preferred to keep people at arm's length, and yet here he was, opening up to her.

"You should leave," he said suddenly, pulling her hand off his face.

"What? Have I done something?" she asked, sitting up. "If I have, I would like to apologize for?—"-"

"Get dressed and leave. Now," he said, his voice devoid of emotions.

She gasped as she looked at him in shock. Samuel held back from consoling her as tears welled up in her eyes.

She got up wordlessly and dressed herself, wrapping her cloak around her shoulders before disappearing into the night.

Samuel held his face in his hand, disgusted with himself.

I did the right thing.

Yet, why did he feel like he had made the biggest mistake?