Keepsake (The Distinguished Rogues Book 5) (33 page)

“I was hoping you might be.” His length pressed hot against her and his arms bracketed her body tightly. He kept his weight off her, and the next moment he was there between her legs, begging entry to her body. Miranda looped one leg over his hip, opening herself to his invasion. He entered slowly: firm, hot, and wonderfully filling.

Miranda wrapped her legs about his waist as he buried himself, his groan against her neck when he settled against her signaling his complete satisfaction.

For Miranda it was as if she’d come home.

She kissed him deeply, twined her arms about his neck, and clung to him as they became one, straining toward their mutual happiness.

His pace quickened and Miranda’s body throbbed as she matched his passion. Very soon she would come, and she wouldn’t need anything more than this. Kit suddenly rotated his hips in a slow circle and Miranda stiffened.

She sobbed as she came, dragging her nails down Kit’s back as her sex clenched around him tightly. Kit slammed hard into her, his shout muffled against her throat. Miranda tightened her legs around his hips to hold him while he shook and gasped.

It was a long time before they drew apart. Kit lifted his head first. “How is your heart?”

Miranda lifted her hand to his hot face and smoothed her fingers over his rough, whiskered cheeks. “It beats for you.”

Kit kissed her hard, then rolled till she lay sprawled over him. His fingers trailed down her back softly, soothing Miranda’s heart in a way her potions never could. The past ten years had been terribly lonely without his touch. Remembering what she’d lost, given up, and had a chance to claim again made her smile. She kissed his chest, twisting her head a little more to flick her tongue over his nipple.

He groaned. “Miranda, do you remember what I said about claiming kisses for each day of our marriage?”

“Hmm.” She kissed his skin wherever she could reach easily.

His fingers tangled in her hair and he caught her eye. “I should warn you now that I’ve reconsidered my position on kisses.”

Miranda frowned. “Oh?”

“Kisses are all very good and exciting, but I think the bar should be set much higher. We should make love as often as we can. In every position and place that appeals to us. We have ten years of pleasure to catch up on, and I must say I am looking forward to beginning again.” To show his intent, he flexed his hips, proving himself well on the way to being hard once more.

Miranda laughed softly and raked her nails down the sides of his chest the way he liked. “You’ve made a plan already.”

Kit grunted and rolled her onto her back once more. He buried his face in the crook of her neck and licked and nipped at her skin until she was gasping. “One tries to make the most of every opportunity when one is in love.”

Miranda stilled as Kit rose over her.

“I love
you,
Miranda Reed, so very deeply, and yet I never understood the true reason I waited for you all this time. Don’t say anything in return, I don’t expect it after all we’ve been through, but I wanted you to know that you have me. You’ve always had me.”

Miranda bit her lip as tears filled her eyes. She had waited her whole marriage to know how he felt about her, but she didn’t know how to respond to him now. There was so much to talk about and set straight, and their relationship was fragile still. She was afraid to say the words and risk greater disappointment later. Giving in to desire was easy, but she’d never recover from losing him again.

She cuddled against Kit instead, and when he disappeared beneath the sheets to make good on his promised amended plan, she couldn’t think of much else but him and the wicked flick of his tongue against her sensitive flesh.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Kit rolled Miranda under him and lightly nibbled her neck. The room was filled with the light of a new day and Miranda was warm and unbelievably inviting. “I could get used to this,” he whispered.

Despite making love four times during the night, he was hard as stone this morning. He flexed his hips against her leg so she would notice that desire filled his mind and smiled as her hand shifted to grasp his length.

“So I see.”

“I’ve always missed you in the morning. I’m looking forward to starting our day with kisses.”

She released him suddenly. The tiny lines around her eyes deepened in amusement as she cupped his face, smiling. “Kit, I don’t think our morning will go quite the way you hoped today.”

“Oh? Why not?”

“Good morning, sleepyheads.”

Christopher’s piping voice cut through Kit’s skull, and he threw himself off Miranda to sit bolt upright in bed. He glanced around in panic.

Christopher grinned at him from the foot of the bed. “I thought you’d never wake up.”

“I was ah…” Kit glanced at the space beside him in the bed. Gods, he’d almost been caught making love to Miranda by their son. Miranda stifled a laugh, and then she shifted to sit up in bed, pushing pillows behind her back, drawing the sheets high up her chest over her nightgown. “Good morning to you, too.”

When had Miranda had time to dress, and why hadn’t she warned him sooner that the boy was in the room? He glanced down in horror and then jerked the sheet higher over his lap to cover his cooling ardor. The one thing he hadn’t expected was ever being caught in a state of undress by his own son. Was any man prepared for that shock when his passions were high?

Christopher glanced toward the door, frowning. “You have callers. Addison wasn’t sure what to do.”

Kit blinked sleep from his eyes. “Why the devil not?”

“It’s Lord Acton and Lady Brighthurst. Acton was going to come up, but Addison managed to delay him. But then he wasn’t sure whether to disturb you, so I had to come in.” Christopher stared at the door, his expression growing puzzled.

Kit glanced at Miranda and saw her expression change to wariness. “At least I don’t have to send for them to clear things up,” he reassured her quickly.

Miranda worried at her ring and he caught her hand tightly in his.

He winked at Christopher. “Have Addison say we will be down in half an hour. Have him also send in a tea tray for Lady Brighthurst and an ale for Lord Acton.”

Christopher walked to the door, spoke to someone just out of sight, and then said quite grumpily, “It’s perfectly normal. Lord and Lady Carrington always wake up in the same bed and it takes ages to get them out in the mornings.”

Miranda stifled a laugh. Kit grinned at her, thinking he quite liked the way their son viewed a normal married couple’s morning rituals. He could never remember his own parents sharing the same bed, but he’d never wanted the sort of marriage they had anyway. He’d happily start his own traditions with Miranda.

Christopher disappeared, and Kit could hear him berating someone outside the door for not doing as he asked. When he returned, he carried a teacup and saucer very carefully across the room toward Miranda. The door was slowly closed behind him. “You have silly servants, Papa. Anyone would think you were shocking them by still being in bed at this hour.”

Papa?
Kit couldn’t keep the grin off his face. Until today he’d been only Father and had occasionally felt like his son was speaking to a stranger. He much preferred the informality of papa. He made to stand and then remembered he had nothing on beneath the sheet. Christopher handed the cup to his mother and sighed with relief. “Nothing spilled.”

Miranda winked at him and took a sip. “Thank you, darling.”

Kit fidgeted, unsure of how to escape the room without revealing his privates. “I should get dressed.”

“Pierce is already waiting,” Christopher told him.

Kit looked around, hoping to find a garment, any garment, that he might cover himself with. Where had he tossed their clothes last night? There was nothing but a pillow close by, or the sheet covering Miranda. He couldn’t exactly take the sheet out from around her. “I see you’re running the house well in my stead.”

“Yes, sir. Mama told me that you’d expect me to take charge.”

He smiled softly because it was true, yet he didn’t want his son to miss playing at being a child too much. “Ask Pierce for a robe and bring it to me.”

When Christopher left, Miranda began to laugh, so hard he feared she’d spill her tea. “That expression on your face was priceless.”

Kit laughed too. “That was one thing I’d never planned for.”

“You cannot plan for every eventuality. Children are unpredictable but very simple. They always turn up when you don’t want them to interrupt.”

Kit smiled and leaned across the bed. “Then I’ll remember to lock the door before we go to bed each night so we are not interrupted.”

Her smile slipped a little. “Don’t keep him at an arm’s length. I couldn’t bear not to see him in the mornings.”

Kit kissed her softly. “Some mornings he will have to wait a bit, especially when we want each other as much as we clearly do. We’re newly wed, after all.”

Her expression turned shy. “I suppose we are.”

He drew back reluctantly. “We will see them together,” he said, thinking of Acton and Emily waiting downstairs.

“All right. Then you should go so April can assist me. She won’t come in while you’re here.”

Kit kissed her cheek and then slid out of bed. Christopher hadn’t returned and Pierce had seen him without clothing many times. Since he usually slept nude, Christopher would have to expect that on some mornings his papa didn’t look at all proper when leaving his mother’s bed.

He dressed quickly and then loitered near the adjoining doorway to Miranda’s room while she finished having her hair dressed. He talked quietly to Christopher about everything and nothing at all. Every now and then, he caught Christopher smiling for no reason, watching them both with a transparent joy. Kit leaned forward and for the first time in his life, he kissed his son’s head.

Christopher wrapped his arms around his waist and squeezed him tightly. “Is this all right?” His query was hesitant.

Kit hugged him. “It will always be all right with me.”

They went down together, his arm about Miranda’s waist as they descended the stairs, Christopher holding his hand.

Lord Acton and Emily had been shown to the library, and Miranda paused a moment, her gaze wary as she looked up at him. “I love you too,” she said softly and then strode forward without the aid of his support.

Kit trailed after, his joy in the day soaring to incredible heights at her confession. Miranda loved him? Christopher squeezed his hand. “Everything will be all right now, Papa.”

Kit smiled. “It certainly will be.”

“I say.” Acton was on his feet in an instant, ignoring Miranda’s greeting to come peer into Christopher’s face.

Christopher smiled at Lord Acton, but his grip tightened in the face of so much intense scrutiny.

Kit moved around Acton and sat him and Christopher both down beside Miranda on a long leather chaise facing Emily. “Do sit down, Acton.”

Acton resumed his seat, his gaze boring into Christopher. Christopher moved close to Kit, whose eyes narrowed on the pair across from him. He put his arm about Christopher’s shoulders and squeezed. “Christopher, this is Lord Acton and Lady Brighthurst if you’ve not been introduced before. They are our nearest neighbor to Twilit Hill. His property abuts the southern border and you will see a great deal of them in the coming years, I expect.”

Christopher nodded. “I know who they are. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lord Acton.”

Kit glanced down when Christopher failed to offer a greeting to Emily. The boy stared at her, his lips pressed tightly together. If Christopher knew who Emily was, then why did he not greet her? With a start, he discovered Christopher was shaking.

Miranda caught Christopher’s other hand. “I’m here, darling.”

The boy nodded and he clutched at them both very tightly.

Acton frowned. “What’s going on? Is he simple?”

“I am not,” Christopher hissed.

Miranda eased closer to their son. “Surely you can understand that my son might be afraid of the people who tried to hurt him.”

Acton’s countenance changed to one of barely concealed hostility. “Madam, you insult me.”

She leaned forward, intense and angry. “Then explain why he’s afraid of you.”

“He’s no reason to be afraid of me.” Acton glared at Kit. “What is this nonsense? Are you sure the boy is yours and not some halfling?”

Kit watched his friends with dismay. “He’s mine, but I’d dearly like to know what’s going on myself.”

“I’m not afraid of
him
,” Christopher whispered. “She wanted the fire lit.”

Kit froze. “The fire that almost killed you?”

Christopher pressed closer and Emily smiled, saying, “Come now. What a fanciful suggestion. Why, I’ve never seen the boy before this very moment.”

“But you knew about him,” Kit interrupted. “Mother confirmed that before she left.”

Emily wrinkled her nose. “Perhaps I did.”

“And you said nothing to me. Why is that?”

“I had my reasons.” She tossed her head. “The child could have been anyone’s.”