Chapter 21

CHAPTER 21

Relief filled my soul as I sat in the carriage in anticipation of my escape to London. Much as I adored Bradford Hall, there was no choice but to flee. It was the only way to prevent Jeffrey from learning of my horrid behavior. The only way to save my marriage.

I patted my hat to make sure it still sat properly upon my head then prepared to depart, immediately, if not sooner.

Ah, London, with its shops and theater and balls. Everything would be fine there.

I waited for the carriage to move, but nothing happened. Had someone arrived to call me out on my bad behavior? Expose me to the entire county as a fake?

I leaned forward to inquire when the door flew open and none other than my husband reached in to pull me off my seat into a crushing embrace.

"Jeffrey! I did not expect you." I struggled to make sense of my sudden change in plans.

"The whole trip was unnecessary. I told the idiots who insisted on my presence that if they disturbed me again with such foolishness, I would fire the lot of them. Do they not understand I have important matters to attend to here?"

Any thoughts of London vanished in the onslaught of his lips upon mine. I clung to him and returned his kisses with matching fervor. I had no recollection of entering the house or traversing the first floor, yet soon we were inside his bedchamber, the door kicked shut resoundingly.

"My dear," I panted when he finally released my lips. "You will break it."

"There are seventy-seven rooms in Bradford Hall Hall. If the door to this one cannot withstand a good kick, then we shall find one that can. I mean for us not to be disturbed, little wife, so now the message has been sent loud and clear."

"Jeffrey!" I could not help but giggle. "What will the help think?"

"They shall think they are fortunate to work in a home with a master and mistress who are too busy making love to notice whether they have polished the silver or dusted the banisters."

He laid me against the pillows of the big bed then proceeded to remove his jacket and cravat. He untied the neckcloth and unwound it from his throat. I imagined him using it to bind my hands while he spanked me, then marveled at the eroticism of my thoughts.

He attempted to remove his boots. The first came off easily, but he hopped around the room on one foot in a frenzy to be rid of the second.

I left the bed and placed a calming hand on his arm. "Please, sit down. You'll hurt yourself. Then what good will you be to me?"

A saucy statement, even for me, but excitement combined with love emboldened me.

Jeffrey took a seat on the bench at the foot of the bed. I positioned myself in front of him and pulled his boot-clad foot up between my legs.

"Ah, yes." He used his hands to explore my backside. Soon they slid beneath my dress. "This is a brilliant idea."

Elation shot through me. Oh, how I yearned for his touch. I reveled in the feel of his hands on my thighs and buttocks, kneading my flesh.

"I have missed your sweet Yankee arse, little wife." The husk in his voice went straight to the knot of longing burning low in my belly, but his reference to my Yankee heritage reminded me of my horrible deception, and I worried anew at what his reaction would be. However, my desire to be with my husband outweighed the nagging anxiety, so I pushed the thought far away.

He continued to delve beneath my skirts, causing my legs to shake. I squeezed my knees against his thigh to steady myself.

"You do not seem to be making much progress with that boot, Sarah girl." He untied my undergarments, lowered them then skimmed his hand down the crease of my rear. "Might it be intentional?" His fingers probed the slickness between my thighs, then drew some of that moisture over the crevice of my buttocks. I stiffened, wondering what he intended.

I did not have to wonder long because within moments his finger, coated in my own essence, pressed the pucker of my backside.

I bit back a squeal. What madness was this?

"Hush, little duchess. I shall take good care of you," Jeffrey whispered, his voice husky. Then his finger pushed further into that most private opening.

"J-jeffrey…" I said, unsure what to think.

"Just relax, Sarah," he said, pushing his finger deeper.

Sensations unlike anything I had ever experienced before spread through my body. It was shameful and embarrassing, but the more he probed that intimate location, the greater my desire grew and I mewled deep in my throat.

"That's my girl," Jeffrey said, his voice a raspy wave over me.

He continued pumping his finger in and out and soon I moved my hips to mimic his movements. A climax built inside me, growing strong with each thrust of his finger into my bottom hole.

My body tightened and then exploded as the energy of my orgasm burst through me. I cried out as I reached the apex and then slowly drifted back down.

A sigh escaped my lips and I lay limp across my husband's lap as I caught my breath.

Unwittingly, my hands began to work against the leather of my beloved's boot, though not in a manner likely to lead to its speedy removal.

I could not have been happier.

A quick swat to my bottom got my attention. "I cannot remove my pants until my boot is gone, Sarah girl, so unless you want me to bend you over to take you with one boot on while my pants are around my ankles, I suggest you tend to your task." He squeezed my bum and whispered, "Then I shall tend to you."

The lusty promise of his words nearly sent me over the edge of passion again right then and there, but I managed to focus on my assignment, and soon my spouse was de-booted.

With the interfering footwear dispatched, Jeffrey went to the basin and washed his hands, then he brought a wet cloth over and washed my backside with tender care.

Once that was finished, Jeffrey pulled me down to sit on his lap. "I have missed you, my little Yankee." He gently traced my hairline.

"I have missed you, too, Jeffrey," I said, though I could not meet his eyes. What would he say if he knew I was pretending to be anything but a Yankee girl?

He tilted my chin up to force my gaze to meet his. After a moment, he covered my mouth in a sweet, gentle kiss.

Soon, we were both overcome with need. The kiss moved from sweet to sensual. My mouth submitted to his urgency. His tongue brushed across my teeth and enticed my tongue to join in an erotic dance, leaving me breathless. I pulled back and attempted to remove his shirt.

It was bold behavior, but his absence stoked my longing to be one with him. I plucked at the closure of his shirt. In my eagerness to remove my lover's clothes, I created a tangle, slowing our progress toward nudity rather than expediting it.

Frustrated, he set me from his lap, stood, yanked at the opening until he removed the shirt and was left in only his breeches.

"You know the rule, little one. You are never to be more dressed than I am, so off with your dress."

I giggled at this stern expression then turned for his assistance in unfastening my garment. In moments, I wore only my corset. I had become somewhat accustomed to nudity with my husband, but his absence had restored some of my modesty, so I raised my hands to cover my sex.

"Oh, no you don't." Jeffrey moved my hands away and slowly ran his gaze over every inch of my exposed figure. "Your body is mine, and mine alone to enjoy. Do not be shy with me, my wife."

The possessiveness of his voice sent goose bumps prickling across my skin. He clasped both my hands in one of his and kept them behind my back while he continued to peruse my blushing form.

"Do you know what I am doing, Sarah girl?"

"Looking at me?"

"I am memorizing every inch of your delectable body, so the next time we are parted, I will have this to think about."

The idea he would think about my naked form when he was alone flattered me immensely.

He reached out and swept a finger across the pebbled tip of my breast. "Did you think about me during my absence?"

What would he say if he knew I fell asleep imagining his heated body next to mine? That I slipped one of his shirts from the laundry basket and slept in it because it smelled like him?

He tweaked my nipple. "I assume, naughty girl, if you had not you would have said so right away." He smiled then squeezed a bit harder until I gasped with pleasure. "Therefore, the answer must be yes, but you are too shy to say so."

I nodded, unable to put my feelings into words.

His arms wrapped around me, and I reveled in the ruggedness of his flesh against my own. I slid my hands up to the muscles of his shoulders, which rippled under my touch when he reached behind me to yank at the ribbon holding my corset in place. Fabric tore, my husband swore, but I did not care. I only wished to surrender to Jeffrey and the crush of passion squeezing me from the inside out.

He stepped away momentarily, the absence of his strength leaving me lost and disoriented. My eyes, which had closed as soon as he enfolded me in his arms, opened again to see where he had gone. Very quickly, he returned.

"Here I am, poppet," he whispered as he scooped up and carried me to the bed. He was now completely naked. The proof of his desire prodded my backside as he carried me.

He laid me upon the bed and gazed down the length of me, his eyes settling on the juncture of my thighs. "Open for me, Sarah."

The throaty whisper of his voice sent a thrill through me. I complied, sliding my legs across the bed covers until the cool air of the room wafted over my sex.

Jeffrey trailed his hand the length of my leg and teased the edges of my opening. "You are so wet, my Sarah."

I mewled deep in my throat and raised my yearning hips closer to his fingertips.

He joined me on the bed, lying on his side with his head propped on his right hand while his left drew lazy circles on my quivering stomach. He lowered his head then tugged one breast between his lips.

His fingers moved south to enter my womanly place again, plunging in and out of my tight passage in rhythm with his mouth tugging at my nipple. Fire stormed my body from every direction, emanating outward from the throbbing in my pussy up to the delirium created by his tongue on my breast. I moaned and clutched the back of his head. My spine arched as I strove to get nearer to him in any way possible.

My feet scrabbled against the quilt while I writhed in response to his sensual onslaught.

"Please, Jeffrey," I begged. "It's been so long."

"I was not gone more than two days, but I appreciate your eagerness. I missed you as well." My husband moved above me, his knee forcing my thighs farther apart. "As you wish, your grace," he said.

His mouth covered mine, as he slid his length into me. I clutched his shoulders and wrapped my legs around his hips, clinging to him as though my very life depended upon it. He filled me completely. I cried out his name as I reached my climax.

He held me close and whispered comforting words in my ear as we settled into the bed together.

Later, I woke during the night to find myself ensconced tightly in my man's arms, his body enveloping mine. His deep breathing assured me he slept. I sighed and whispered into the darkness the words I was still too afraid to speak aloud.

"I love you, Jeffrey."