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Chapter 9

Mariana paced back and forth in the front room of her house, unable to tear her gaze from the window. Edward had left hours ago, and he should have returned by now. There was a great amount of treasure, and Edward had taken all of the horses and wagons that she had in her stables, but even still it had been quite some time.

He was loading the ship tonight, and she wondered how soon he would be leaving. Selfishly, she wanted him to stay for a time, but of course, it made no sense for him to pay for a ship to remain in the harbour while he enjoyed himself with her, putting both them and the treasure at risk.

She wished she had someone to wait with her. She knew if she asked Raquel, she would do all she could to help her, but it was as Edward had said. Raquel had a family of her own. She didn’t need to leave them for Mariana and her worries.

And truthfully? All Mariana wanted was to be with Edward himself.

After what seemed liked hours, she saw a lone lantern held up by a rider come piercing through the darkness, and she breathed a heavy sigh of relief as he neared.

“Edward,” she called out as she let herself out the front door, running toward his horse, which he pulled up shortly right before he reached her.

“Mariana,” he greeted her. Sweat lined his brow in the heat of the evening, and she could only imagine the physical labour moving such a treasure had taken.

“Is it done?”

“It is,” he said, a tired but satisfied smile crossing his face.

“Did anyone see you?”

“I do not believe so,” he said, dropping down from his horse. The stable hands were ready for the rest of the horses and now-empty carts as they appeared from behind Edward. After they ensured all would be well, Edward thanked Rodrigo, who told them that the rest of the men had retired for the night but would be prepared when Edward was ready to depart.

“They are going with you?” Mariana asked as they walked up to the house.

“They are,” he said. “They are good men, without roots at the moment. They can choose if they would like to remain in England in my employ or eventually find their way home.”

Mariana swallowed, not wanting to ask the next question but needing to anyway.

“When will you go?”

“Tomorrow,” he said, the moonlight reflecting off of his angular cheekbones. “If you’d like to come with me?—”

“I can’t,” she said instinctively, shaking her head. “What would I do there? I am sure your family would not exactly welcome a Spanish noblewoman to their home, and nor would I likely be comfortable.”

She also didn’t voice the question of just what role she would assume there.

“I understand,” he said wistfully. “If I could stay, I would. But?—”

“I know,” she said with a sad smile, interlacing her fingers through his as they stepped through the door. “Well, since this is going to be our last night together…”

“Then let’s make it worth it,” he said, finishing her sentence, his lips fused upon hers before they could even start up the stairs.

He stepped into her until her back hit the wall, his hands running up her arms, pushing them up so that they were overhead, leaving her stretched out before him. As his lips tasted and his tongue plundered, he wedged his knee between her legs, smiling into her mouth when she began to rub against him, feeling the wanton for doing so but unable to help herself.

“Edward,” she said, breaking away, his name coming on panting gasps.

“Yes?”

“We should go upstairs.”

“Of course,” he responded, although he couldn’t seem to tear himself away from her as he trailed kisses over her neck. Finally, it was Mariana who drew away, although she tugged on his hand as she pulled him up the stairs after her, not wanting to let him go far.

She led him down the hallway, opening the door to her room, surprising her lady’s maid, who let out a gasp at seeing that her lady was not alone.

“My lady?—”

“I will not be needing you tonight, Rosa. You may retire.”

“Of course, my lady,” she said, rushing out the door, her mouth agape.

“Rosa?” she called after her.

“Yes?”

“Please be discreet.”

“Of course.”

“Can you trust her?” Edward asked as she closed the door behind her, to which Mariana shrugged.

“I don’t overly care at the moment.”

He let out a low growl, pushing her backward, but she practically fought him as she wanted too badly to remove his clothing, to see all of him without covering, for his body to be hers to do with as she wished.

Soon enough they both got what they wanted, and they were skin against skin, slick and hard against supple and soft as Edward backed Mariana up until she was lying on the bed and he was holding himself up over top of her.

His lips fell upon hers, and he kissed her with all the passion that had been building between them since he had returned, assaulting her mouth with his tongue as she took all he had to give and returned it in equal measure.

His hand came to her hip, holding her against him as she began to rock her hips up and into him, the friction enticing and yet not quite as satisfying as she would have liked it to be.

He left her mouth, raining kisses down her neck, and she arched for him as she wrapped her leg around him, trying to draw him closer, needing him inside of her again.

“Would you like something, my lady?” he asked, and she swatted him when she heard the chuckle in his voice.

“You’re toying with me,” she accused him.

“Never.”

“Teasing me, then.”

“Perhaps.”

“How can you stand it?” she gasped as she rubbed against him in just the right way.

“Patience. Have you none?”

“Agh!” she said, before flattening her palms against his chest and pushing him backward so that he was lying beneath her on the bed.

His startled expression quickly turned dark as his pupils dilated while she climbed over him and straddled him, taking his girth between her hands.

“We will do this my way,” she said, her teeth gritted in determination. “No more teasing.”

With that she sank down on him, throwing her head back in pleasure as he filled her. She let out a low moan as she began to move, amazed at how he seemed to thrust against her in exactly the place she needed him. His hands encircled her hips as he ground her down against him while he thrust up into her, and it wasn’t long before she was spiralling close to her peak again.

“Edward,” she moaned. “Don’t stop.”

“Never,” he grunted.

“Yes… there…”

He reached up and began to roll her nipples between his thumbs and index fingers. Seconds later, she came undone. As she pulsed around him, her world blew apart, and when she sank down onto him, her lips finding his, he thrust hard into her twice more before stilling, finding his own release.

He lay his head back down on the bed, holding her body close against his. As much as he brought her to highs that she had never felt before, she couldn’t deny that he made her feel treasured, worthy.

Their limbs intertwined, Mariana kept her eyes closed, wondering how she could hold this moment forever in her mind. Edward’s fingers were stroking her hair, a heavenly feeling as she sighed into him.

“I assume your marriage was not a love match?” he said quietly, and Mariana shook her head, her hair moving across his chest.

“No. Our families thought it would be a strong match, although I was not opposed. Javier seemed a good man.”

“But?”

“After we married, he showed himself to be cruel. Always criticizing me, harsh and threatening.”

“He never struck you?”

“Just once,” she said softly, and her heart jumped at his growl of protectiveness.

“That is once too often,” he muttered.

“I know,” she said with a nod. “When I heard the words that he had been found dead… I felt so guilty for how relieved I was, not having to worry about him threatening me ever again. Does that make me horrible?”

“Not at all,” he said. “It only makes you human.”

“Now that I know of his deception with the treasure, I assume that his drowning was a consequence of his actions,” she said. “He was likely trying to do as we are – preparing to sail the treasure away from here. Or he was killed.”

“Most likely,” he said, stretching his arms overhead as he yawned.

“You can sleep now,” she said softly. “I know tomorrow will be a tumultuous day.”

“I would rather stay awake and present here with you, in this bed.”

“As would I,” she said with a soft laugh. “I do wonder, however, if it is me that you will miss, or if you are concerned about returning to the life that awaits you in England.”

“Can I say both?”

“Of course.”

“I am committed to staying where I am needed. To not following my every whim. I will admit to you, Mariana, that I am scared of the responsibility that I must take on.” He paused before looking down, his eyes caressing her skin. “I’ve never told anyone that before.”

“I am glad you can trust me to share it,” she said softly. “And I do understand. But I’m sure you will do a wonderful job, and I know that your brother will help you.”

“I certainly hope he does or I will be lost,” he said fervently.

“You are a good man, Edward,” she said, running a finger over his lips, and just when she leaned up to kiss him again, there was a shout from outside the window, and Edward was jumping from the bed to see just what the commotion was.

“Your Grace! We must go!”

Mariana’s heart began to beat in fear at what the call could mean. Certainly, whoever was outside would have a good understanding of what Edward was doing in her bedchamber, but Mariana didn’t altogether care at the moment.

“Rodrigo, what has happened?” Edward yelled down, out of the window.

“One of my men discovered that the pirates have heard where the ship is docked and are gathering their strength to board it. The captain has agreed to depart, but we must go now, before they can prepare their own ship and chase us down. Are you coming?”

“Of course!” he shouted. “I’ll meet you there as quickly as I can.”

He moved gracefully around the room as he collected his clothing, shoving his arms through sleeves and pulling on his pants. Likewise, Mariana was donning her most simple of undergarments and dresses on over her body.

“Mariana,” he said, breathing heavily. “I am so sorry. I had hoped we would have more time.”

“We do.”

“But—”

She looked up at him, meeting his eyes as they both paused for a moment, so many unsaid words filling the air between them.

“I am going with you.”

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