Chapter Thirty-Three

Jamie and Maddy remained pressed together for several long minutes, kissing lovingly, murmuring affections to each other. After a few minutes, though, Maddy could feel Jamie’s desire stirring against her belly as their kisses became more ardent, more insistent, more passionate.

With a shaky laugh, she pulled herself away from his embrace, noting his heightened breathing and cheeks that were as suffused with red as her own were.

“We should return to the party before we are missed,” she said, drawing in a deep breath and forcing a smile. “It wouldn’t be proper for us to have disappeared unescorted.”

Jamie looked at her and raised a lazy eyebrow. “My god, we don’t want to be improper.”

She grinned at his sardonic tone, and pressed a hand to her temple, brushing back a lock of hair that had come undone under the pressure of his kissing her. “Jamie, we have to go back to the party,” she said, firmer now, seeing the suddenly predatory expression in his eyes. “Fitz will notice I’ve gone. And every lady in the room will notice that you’ve gone.”

“Fitz only has eyes for Rose tonight, and I only have eyes for you, and all the other women can mind their own business,” Jamie said huskily. “I came back from London early to see you, and I’ve been dreaming about being with you again since the last time we were… together,” he said with a wicked smile.

She couldn’t help but smile in return at his implication. “What do you suggest? We make love in Lord Fitzhugh’s spare room?”

Jamie raised that damned eyebrow again, and Maddy paled slightly. “Jamie, no. We can’t.”

“We can. And we will,” he added, his voice deep and full of promise.

“I’ll scream,” she said without conviction.

“I’ll stop you,” he said, sounding almost bored.

“I’ll run away,” she tried again, enjoying the game between them.

“Not if I keep you my prisoner here,” Jamie shot back and she laughed out loud, delighted by the prospect of having Jamie whisk her away, away from everything to a place where only the two of them existed – a plan that definitely had appeal to her. “Unless, of course, you are no longer interested in me, my lady.”

“Definitely not,” she said with a straight face, and he advanced a step, closing in on her. “I find you vile and unwholesome.”

“Oh?” he asked, taunting her. “Would you like me to show you just have depraved I am?”

“Absolutely not,” Maddy said, backing up a step and bumping into the wall behind her.

“I didn’t think you would,” Jamie said evenly, pouncing forward and pressing himself against her again, crushing his mouth to hers insistently even as he tried to push him away with her hands against his chest, feeling the speedy thrum of his heart beneath them. She squeaked out a half hearted protest, even as he captured the hands she was about to beat against his chest again and yanked them firmly up above her head, pinning her in place.

She struggled for breath until he finally released her mouth, only to begin assaulting the pulse in her neck, making her groan at the touch of his lips against that tender skin. Keeping her hands above her head, he switched until he was only holding them with one hand, so that his other could roam down, starting at the notch in her throat and ending as he clutched a breast, hard, through the silk of her gown.

She writhed against him, shifting her hips forward to rub her body against his erection, making him growl against her throat. “You are definitely my prisoner now,” he whispered, and she shivered at his husky tone. “And prisoners must do as their captors say.”

“I have only one thing to say, my lord,” Maddy said breathily, her eyes fluttering closed. “What goes around comes around. I may be your prisoner now, but believe me when I tell you that you will be my prisoner soon enough, and that I will return it back to you threefold.”

“Promise?” he asked, lifting his head to meet her eyes hungrily.

“Oh, absolutely,” she said with a wry grin as she opened her eyes again. “Absolutely, my lord.”

“In that case…” Jamie trailed off as he squeezed her breast again, kneading her pebbly nipple beneath the thin fabric, making her arch her back as the pad of his thumb stroked against the raised skin. He repeated the movement with the other breast, then with a growl of frustration, tugged at the neckline until it shifted down beneath her breasts, framing them for his enjoyment. The dim light made her skin look milky like moonlight, and he lowered his mouth to her arched breast, suckling at her nipple, and then biting down with his teeth, making her entire body tense with the sheer pleasure of it.

She could suddenly see the appeal of his dark secret – finding herself completely at his will, at his mercy, and being bound up and made to please him was strangely erotic, dangerous and satisfying – not to mention the sheer fear of discovery by someone else in the house. She was sure she could feel every nerve ending in her body screaming for his touch, and for release, despite the danger of their being discovered.

She hoped his torture wouldn’t last too long, and that it would last forever, she thought in the same breath.
Even as he teased her nipples, his hand slid down her side, down to her quivering thigh, where she could feel him ruching up the fabric of her gown carelessly, his fingers trailing along her bare skin in its wake.

She gasped as his fingers slid inward, tracing the line of her folds through her thin panties, even as he bit down on her nipple again, making her cry out at the fireworks of sensation it wrought through her body.

“It seems you missed me too, my lady,” Jamie murmured against her skin, and she flushed anew at his words, and then as one finger slid slowly, so slowly inside the lace of her panties, seeking her soft skin beneath.
Her knees weakened, and she could feel him renew his grip on her hands to hold her upright, even as he continued to tease her womanhood mercilessly.

“Look at me,” he ordered suddenly, and she struggled to open her eyes against the sensation of his touch against her folds. “Look at me when I bring you, Maddy. I want to watch you,” he said huskily, and she finally opened her eyes and settled her unfocused eyes on his, biting back a scream as he slid a finger inside her, teasing her open for him. His finger slicked in and out, slowly at first, then building in speed, even as his eyes remained locked on hers, full of heat.

She felt her entire body tremble, felt her entire body screaming for release, and with a final flick at her clit and another finger slid deep inside her, she came apart in his arms, shuddering around him, though she did manage to keep her eyes on his throughout.

She did collapse then, and he used his body to prop her against the wall, her hands still trapped by his strong ones.

“Jesus Christ, that’s the most erotic thing I’ve ever seen,” Jamie whispered against her hair. “Watching you like that… watching your release…”

Maddy struggled for breath, glad for the solidness of his body holding her up against the wall. “I’m glad I please you, my lord,” she said shakily.

“You do,” he replied, then gave her a small smile. “Almost.”

“Al – almost?” She asked, suddenly worried that she hadn’t pleased him enough.

He grinned devilishly, and she could feel one of his hands drop, fumbling at the closure on his breeches, releasing himself from the prison of his clothes, and she understood what his ‘almost’ meant.

Still clasping her hands in his, he pushed aside the fabric of her gown and panties with his free hand, and shifting position slightly, buried himself inside her in one thrust, both of them crying out at the feel of him sheathed deep inside her.

Shifting his hips and bending his knees to accommodate his height against her lack thereof, he began a slow rhythm, obviously enjoying torturing her with his lack of speed, all the while building his anticipation of his own release.

He slicked in and out of her, increasing his speed until she thought she would truly die from the feeling of their bodies entwined together so intimately. Then, she could sense a change in his rhythm and knew he was close to his own release, his lips crashing into hers, his tongue taking possession of her mouth.

Faster and faster he thrust into her before he tumbled over the edge of passion, taking her with him, both of them shuddering and gasping for breath as they climaxed together.

Tenderly, he pressed a kiss to her temple, and then stepped away from her slightly, reclosing his breeches and then lowering her hands in his, kissing them each gently at the wrist where he could see the impression of his fingers bruising the tender skin.

“Depraved enough, my lady?” he asked sweetly, and she smiled at him affectionately.

“Absolutely not, my lord,” she replied, even as she stood on tiptoe to press her lips to his again.

He grinned, and took another step back, admiring her flushed cheeks and satisfied smile, her clothes and hair in disarray.

His little sprite looked absolutely well loved, he thought. And he wanted to remember this vision for the rest of his days.

“I do have one question, though,” he said, finally catching his breath.

“Yes?” Maddy asked, distracted as she tried to right her clothing again.

“I realize I’m vile and unwholesome…”

“Indeed,” she replied tartly, and he swatted her bottom playfully as she turned to unwrinkle the back of her skirt.

“And I know I have a terrible temperament, an obvious lack of wit, and am a sloth,” he continued, and she grinned, remembering her teasing of him during their walk in Bath so many weeks ago when they were becoming reacquainted, as he echoed the very words she had said at the time.

“Very much so,” she said, brushing her skirts again.

He took both her hands in his, stilling her movements, and forcing her to look up at him. “Despite all those faults, and the many more of mine you’ve learned of over the last few weeks…”

She looked up at him, puzzling by this line of questioning and character assassination.

“Despite that,” he said, drawing in a shaky breath. “I was hoping you might do me the honor of becoming my wife.” He paused, watching her carefully. “Marry me, Maddy. Marry me.”

Maddy’s jaw dropped open as she absorbed this earth shattering moment.

Lord Jamie Carrington, Earl of Wyrestone, wanted her for his wife.

Despite the impact on society, despite their differences in temperament, despite his secrets… he wanted her.

Forever.

“I… I don’t know what to say,” she whispered, absolutely taken aback.

“Say yes,” he prompted. “Say yes, Madeline.”

“Jamie… are you sure about this?” Maddy asked hesitantly. “I mean, are you really sure? I know we’ve talked and talked about what a poor match we are, and yet despite that, here you are, proposing marriage.”

“I’m sure,” he said firmly, and her heart melted slightly at the conviction in his tone.

“Jamie… I just… I don’t want you trapped into an unhappy marriage because of…” she gestured weakly between them, indicating their recent passion. “Simply because of our desire for each other.”

“I could never be unhappy with you, Maddy,” Jamie said softly. “Never. Never. Never. Please… say yes. Make me happy. Right now. I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life than I am of wanting you in my house, my bed, my heart – forever.”

“Oh Jamie…” she said, tears spilling down her cheeks even as she flung herself into his arms. “Yes. Yes! A million times yes!”

Jamie swung her up into his arms, twirling her in a circle before setting her gently back on the ground. “I believe that at this moment, I am the happiest man in England!” he said, a wide grin splitting his face.

And melting her heart for good.

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