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  Gathering the folds of her nightgown Pixie turned toward him. She dropped the fabric and ran her hands up his chest to his neck, pulled his head to hers and kissed him soundly. She swallowed his groan as she flung herself over him.

  Jack enjoyed her aggression. He kneaded her derrière, and then stroked the back of her thighs, all the while devouring her with deep kisses. Nothing else mattered.

  He broke the kiss, but kept her tight against him. “I have something for you.”

  Her eyes glistened in the candlelight and he didn’t want to tear his eyes away. “It can wait,” she said, pulling his shirt aside with impatient fingers.

  From his smallest finger, he produced a ring—an exact match to the one he wore. “No. Wait. I want to do this right. Give me your hand.”

  “Oh, Jack, I love it.” She allowed him to push it on her ring finger and she held it up to catch the light. “It fits perfectly too. How did you get the size right?”

  “A man in love can do anything for his woman,” he boasted with a wide smile and kissed her cheek. “It is the original partner to the one I wear—my mother’s ring.”

  Tears glistened in her eyes again and she hastily scrubbed them away. Jack sighed and rubbed his nose to hers, relieved and excited to have finally claimed the woman he loved.

  Jack kissed her again, slow and hungry, and pushed her to the bed’s softness. Hovering over her, Jack did his best to keep his impulses under control, but he couldn’t help but try to kiss every part of her.

  Lying beneath him, Constance’s hands were busy. She attacked his remaining buttons and stripped his shirt from him. Soft hands glided over his chest as he followed the trail of freckles to the neckline of her nightgown. Using his teeth, he snagged the ribbon that held it closed and lifted his head slowly, watching the bow loosen to expose more skin.

  Pixie froze as he inched the garment from her shoulder and continued to kiss a path downward. His lips pressed to the soft swell of her breast and he impatiently slid the fabric aside, grazing the peaked pink nipple with the stitching.

  Pixie gasped and then her hand curled around his waist, pulling at him with no clear sense of direction. Her other hand swept a line of fire, following the contours of his body, rubbing against the grain of his chest hair until her fingers found his nipple. Desire burned as she strummed over the peak and he did the same to her.

  Jack caught her gaze and held it as he lowered his lips to her breast. He took the hard peak into his mouth. Pixie froze again until he suckled. The hands on his pulled him down against her curves, bending him to her will and her body.

  As he suckled, Jack inched her gown lower so he had clear access to both breasts. Shaping them with both hands, he changed sides and the moan of desire she breathed against his face was another distraction to master.

  She gripped his hair and pulled him up until he lay hard against her. Pixie appeared voracious, but he was not going to blunder and rush. She was a tiny woman. If he remained in control tonight, he would not have to wait long to make love to her again.

  Anxious to keep her aroused, Jack returned to her breasts. Pixie’s hands wove into his hair and encouraged his ministration. But she undulated on the bed so much that Jack had to lift away, as blind desire clouded his mind. He let his lips slip from her breast. She stared at him with lust-shrouded eyes.

  He grabbed hold of her nightgown and worked the thin material lower, her chest heaved as he exposed more of her skin. When her dark curls peeked above the linen, he ripped the material away and pressed his lips to her belly. Jack let his mouth wander lower, randomly kissing newly found freckles and the hard edges of her hips. He could not halt his downward progress if he wanted to. He kissed his way down her leg, over her knee, took the arch of her foot into his mouth, and pressed a heavy kiss there.

  Jack settled back on his haunches and let his gaze travel along Pixie’s perfect body. She watched him, breasts jiggling as she dragged in frantic breaths. He raised her other foot to his mouth, pressed lingering kisses from her heel to her toes. They wriggled, and he chuckled but continued his reverent kisses along her other leg.

  ~ * ~

  Jack was going to drive her insane.

  Constance had never dreamed he would expose her like this. That he would carry out such an intense inspection before they made love. She had thought tonight would be more like this morning’s frantic rubbings. Her heart raced just the same. But Jack appeared in no hurry as his lips branded her skin.

  Constance fought to hold still and not let the moans she wanted to utter break free. When he reached her breasts again, she threw him over onto his back and held him down.

  Constance needed a moment to regain her sanity, but Jack laughed at her audacity and pulled her to him, sliding her skin against the heat of his. Dear God, she’d never be cold again. She wrestled his hands back to the mattress and kissed his neck. He gasped as she kissed a path to his shoulder, down to his nipple, and then kissed them too.

  The encouraging groans he uttered were supremely satisfying.

  He escaped her clutches and cradled her head against his skin. She nipped and kissed her way lower, sliding over the ridges of rib and the muscles of his stomach.

  When he pulled away she grinned up at him. “Are you ticklish?”

  “So it would seem,” he admitted, a touch of humor in his voice.

  Constance wriggled lower and used her fingers to follow the trail of hair that disappeared into his breeches. She slipped her hands to the buttons and slowly undid them, looking up as she finished.

  His chest heaved.

  Smiling in complete understanding, she uncovered him. The rigid length pulsed and jumped as her breath stirred his blonde curls. His moan was tortured. She curled her fingers into the waist of his clothes, tugged them over his hard thighs, and tossed them off the bed.

  Finding herself at his feet, she grasped both and raised them for her inspection. He had big feet, nicely shaped toes and, to her amusement, they were extremely ticklish.

  Constance giggled as he drew his feet away. “Just how ticklish are you?”

  “Too ticklish it seems. Come here.”

  She had a full view of all of his endowments and what she saw made her mouth water. Images from the picture book caught in her mind and gave her a wicked idea. Grasping one of his restless legs, she lowered her mouth and kissed a curling path from the inside of his calf to his hip until her face was level with what she desired.

  Before he could stop her, she pressed her lips against the smooth flesh. She had just enough time to appreciate how lovely his skin felt against her lips before he gripped her with both hands, and pulled her up his body.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  JACK LIFTED HER away from temptation and into his arms. How had she become so knowledgeable in such a short length of time? He wasn’t complaining, except that her enthusiasm wasn’t helping him remain in control. Jack sank back on his haunches and arranged Pixie so she straddled him, letting her body rest a moment.

  But Pixie was unwilling to be still. She wriggled as she kissed him, so he stroked between her legs. At his persistent touch, she moaned heavily into his mouth, and curled her arms tight around his shoulders.

  He lifted her up and fitted the head of his cock to her entrance. “My love, this might hurt. I’m sorry.”

  Pixie met his gaze. Tousled as she was, she had never looked more beautiful. Her lips were full and well kissed. “Better you than anyone else.”

  Jack growled low in his throat as he eased her down. No one but him, ever. He used all of his control to take it slow, fought the urge to surge upward to impale her. She was a virgin, small, and bound to be incredibly tight.

  Even with his controlled entry, she squeaked his name.

  “Yes, love?”

  “Is that it?” she asked, panting and digging her nails into his shoulder muscles, as if she needed an anchor.

  “No, there is quite a bit more of me,” Jack said through clenched teeth.

&nbs
p; “Finish it, Jack. I think I am going to explode.”

  “As my lady desires,” he agreed. There was no finishing between them, but he understood her. She was so aroused it was agony. Jack was absurdly pleased and he pushed up with one hard thrust and held still as she gasped.

  He was buried deep inside her and he was home. Although his body craved friction, Jack remained still until she removed her nails from his shoulders. He kissed her fiercely when she turned her lips to his and rolled her onto her back.

  Pixie’s eyes widened. “Oh, dear. I’m going to be a marchioness.”

  Her husky laugh drew him deeper. Jack held himself above her, grateful for the distracting conversation because all he wanted to do was move. “Damn right you are.”

  Constance wriggled beneath him awkwardly. “Oh, the ton is going to go up in flames when they realize.”

  “Talk about it later,” Jack suggested as he pulled out a little then pressed in again, watching for a grimace of pain. When he saw none, he thrust again.

  Jack began slowly, pushing down his own need for friction and letting her adjust. When her knees relaxed, he nudged in stronger, varying his thrusts, adjusting the angle until she breathed raggedly and she was with him again. He watched her eyes, but worried over the glazed look in them.

  “Are you all right?”

  “Yes,” she gasped, wriggled her hips then pulled him closer with her hands on his ass. “Love me, Jack. Just love me.”

  “Forever.”

  With one arm bracing his weight, he caressed her breast and demanded her lips come back to his. Kissing made short work of his remaining senses.

  When her sobs grew louder, he lifted her hips from the bed, encouraging her to wrap her legs higher around his back. When her feet touched his ass, he groaned and ground his hips into the cradle of her thighs. Pixie cried out as Jack pushed her over the edge and she dragged him with her. His whole body convulsed, and he let loose a groan of the deepest, earthiest gladness.

  ~ * ~

  Virginia lifted her pink skirts above the long grass and trudged her way to the stream. Of course, Bernard would be at the far end of his estate when she wanted him. It was a beautiful day for a stroll, but she was impatient and had quite another matter on her mind.

  A tussock tripped her up, and she cursed it but kept walking until she found what she sought. She cursed when she saw Bernard dripping sweat over a chopping block.

  She cupped her hands around her mouth to yell over the noise. “Did you scare away all the workers when you returned?”

  Perhaps her greeting lacked the affection she felt, but she was hot and uncomfortable from the long walk, and fast losing her temper, which annoyed her the most.

  Bernard dropped the axe but spoke before turning. “I’m not such a beast to expect them to work every minute of every day. I’m merely doing this for the exercise.” Bernard turned and reached for a cloth to wipe the sweat from his face. “When did you get home?”

  “This afternoon.”

  “Is Jack with you?”

  “No, he and Pixie married yesterday morning and no longer require a chaperone. Tomorrow they depart on their honeymoon. Apparently, the list of places to visit is very long. I shall not see them for a while. I thought I should come and pay my respects.”

  “You saw my mother already?”

  “No, I came to see you,” Virginia ground out. He was just so dense for an over-educated man.

  He froze then he moved away from her. “I need a swim.”

  He stalked to the water’s edge, pulled off his boots and shirt, removed his trousers, and then dived straight in without a backward glance.

  Typical.

  His long arms propelled him away and out of sight. Virginia sighed, disappointed to be denied a longer view of all that muscled perfection. Virginia settled next to his clothes to wait, lying down to watch the clouds go by; making shapes out of the puffy whiteness until they rained on her.

  Bernard shook water from his hair again as she sat up. “Oh, don’t do that.”

  “If your eyes hadn’t been open, I would have thought you asleep. What were you thinking about?”

  “Lots of things. How was the water?”

  “Cold.”

  “Not that cold.” She indicated his upstanding cock in amusement. “Is that for me?”

  “Could be,” Bernard chuckled. “If you’re very lucky.”

  Virginia fought not to smile. “What if I were to beg?”

  “Well, if you really feel you must.”

  Virginia touched him, sliding her fingers over his skin until he grunted. “I want children.”

  “To be above scandal, that would require a wedding. I had heard you were not keen to do that again.”

  She ran her finger from the tip of his cock to the root. “I’ve changed my mind.”

  “Congratulations, when is the happy event?”

  He hissed as her fingers found his balls and she tugged. “Just as soon as I can arrange it. I would need a groom.”

  “No shortage of those lying about the countryside,” Bernard offered, but he didn’t voice any objection or encouragement.

  He was not going to make this easy. Nothing between them ever had been. She rolled to her knees, wrapped her fingers around his cock tighter, prepared to ask the question that had hurried her from London as quick as she could go. “Bernard Hallam, would you do me the very great honor of marrying me. I want my children to be yours.” To make her question all the more enticing, she began a lazy stroke with her hand.

  “Well,” he gasped. “Since you put such feeling into your request, I might be persuaded.” He dropped to his knees. “I was going to ask you, you know. I have a ring in my bedchamber waiting for you to come home.”

  “I’m home now. I missed you,” she confessed as she wrapped her hands around his wet hips and squeezed. She kissed him. She simply couldn’t wait another moment.

  Bernard lowered her to the ground, kissing her all the while. This was perfect—everything she’d ever wanted. When her legs were spread, and he was about to enter, he paused.

  “When did you become so bold?”

  Virginia twisted, brushing his cock with her curls. “My darling new sister gave me a wicked little book she found in the library at Ettington House. It was very edu … cational.” Her breath fractured as he joined with her and she wrapped her legs around his wet thighs, running her nails over his damp skin.

  “I think I know the book. What else interested you?”

  Bernard rocked his hips and set up a gentle stroke that made her body sing. “Oh, lots of things. It’s good that you’re so strong. A couple of them require strength and concentration to achieve the appropriate angle.”

  Bernard groaned and nipped at her neck. “It’s good that you want to marry me. I've been having a lot of trouble keeping my head around you.”

  She gasped as his hand closed on her breast. “You, Bernard?”

  “Be quiet. Thank God I don’t have to leave.”

  He sped up his thrusts, turning their gentle loving into blinding passion. He groaned deep into her neck before she was halfway to finding her release, but she did not care. She would get to have his children. She would get to have him.

  “I love you,” Virginia whispered into his ear.

  Bernard sagged his weight upon her then pulled out, flipped her over, and dragged her to her knees.

  Virginia squirmed at the unusual position. “What are you doing?”

  He positioned to enter from behind, and she gasped as he filled her. “Position four is a favorite of mine. You better not expect a small family, Virginia. I am not going to be patient about creating our children. I have a lot of work to do, and I always honor my promises. Christ, I love you.”

  He slid a finger into her curls and pushed her over the edge.

  EPILOGUE

  “JACK, STOP THAT.” Constance giggled, swatting at her husband’s wandering hands.

  He laughed into her ear. “No. Wriggle a bit
to the left.”

  Constance turned and swept her hands over his chest, admiring the cut and color of his new wardrobe. “We are supposed to be serious. How can you laugh at a moment like this?”

  “Easily, I have been hoping this day would come for years,” he whispered. “Can we go in yet?”

  “There they are. Now, you remember what you have to do?”

  “I am the older party here, Pixie. I think I can manage one last performance.” Jack tugged his waistcoat. “Did I mention how much I admire that gown? Can you wear it to bed tonight? I want to peel you out of it with my teeth.”

  “Jack, you have mentioned it several times all ready. Do you think you could keep your mind focused on the task at hand,” Constance asked impatiently.

  Jack sighed, but Lord Daventry’s bored voice interrupted their repartee. “If you two are done bickering like a randy married couple, do you think we could hurry this along? I have someone to meet.”

  Jack laughed. “Daventry, someday I hope you will fall in love so hard that you cannot see straight.”

  Constance giggled as the biggest rogue in London crossed himself. It would require a very strong woman to take on the biggest rogue in London.

  Constance nudged Jack toward the ballroom. “Off you go,”

  When he was out of sight, Constance risked a peek around the doorframe to watch the effect he had on the ladies. As she had predicted, there was a vast sea of fainting. She didn’t blame them, but did enjoy the theatrics. Perhaps one or two were genuine. The rest were fraudulent copies. They gasped on the ground like stranded carp, and looked quite uncomfortable.

  When it became apparent that the gorgeously disheveled Lord Ettington was not going to rush to any one lady’s rescue, they struggled to rise to their feet.

  “You were supposed to go in already, Daventry,” Constance worried.

  “Ettington wasn’t happy to leave you out here dressed like that alone. I’m here to make sure you remain unmolested until your entrance.”