Reason to Wed (The Distinguished Rogues Book 7) (11 page)

Oswin glanced around quickly to make sure they were still alone before continuing, “The maids say Lady Ames broke with Lord Avery. Quite upsetting for her. She’s kept to her room tonight, I am afraid to say.”

Oswin glared at the body on the floor.

“And my brother has been drunk since yesterday morning.” Richard groaned. “A lover’s tiff. That explains everything. When will he learn not to lead women on?”

Oswin cleared his throat. “Might I ask about your interest in Lady Heathcote?”

“My interest?” He glanced at his butler in surprise. “Of what concern is that to you? You are not her father.”

“No, but I felt compelled to inquire, given the care she has shown to me during her many visits.” Oswin lifted his chin proudly. “She is a good woman and her influence on you has been noted and approved of by your staff and tenants.”

“I see.” Richard blinked, blindsided by the fact that his staff had made so much of Esme’s visits. “That is unexpected.”

“The nursery has been empty for a long time,” Oswin said, smiling awkwardly. “It would be nice to hear the voices of the very young at all hours of the day and night and to have a woman of her strength of character once more commanding us. We all agree on this.”

The entire staff had placed their stamp of approval on Esme? It was too much. He scowled at the man he’d depended on to run his home. “My relationships are none of your business, not anyone’s, Oswin, and you’d do well to remember your position here. Anyone can be replaced.”

“Yes, my lord.” However, Oswin looked anything but abashed. The man had meant his endorsement of Esme.

Richard turned away, shaking his head. He nudged his brother with the toe of his boot and got no response that could be considered intelligent communication. “I’ll need some help getting him upstairs.”

A throat cleared. Richard glanced over his shoulder and spotted Mr. Hammond hovering at the door. He breathed a sigh of relief to discover Esme was not at his side. She would not appreciate the conversation he’d just had.

Hammond drew close, scowling at the man on the floor. “I wouldn’t trust me not to drop him on his head, but I am willing to take his feet.”

“Thank you.” Richard appreciated the offer of help. “I’ve always found that a tempting thought too, to drop him. He never could handle the drink.”

With Hammond’s help, and a great deal of grunting, they got him up the back stairs, awkwardly thrown onto his bed still in the clothes he was wearing. He stank of gin, but there was no help for leaving him that way. Avery slept through it all, heavy as stone and just as sensible. It wasn’t worth anyone’s time to try to undress him.

Hammond lingered a moment. “Stupid fool. You’ll never know what you had in her.”

Richard frowned at his remark, uncertain if the man was speaking to him or his inebriated brother. “I beg your pardon?”

The other man smiled tightly. “Never mind. Good night, one and all.”

He strolled out and disappeared quickly down the hall. Richard took one last look at his brother then closed the door to the room. Tomorrow he’d talk to Avery and find out what was going on. But tonight he needed to ensure Esme wasn’t upset.

He hurried to her bedchamber and tapped lightly on her door, hoping Hammond hadn’t left Windermere only to join her there.

“It’s open,” she called out.

He glanced around as soon as he stepped through, relieved to find she had not taken up with Hammond or anyone else in his absence. She was curled up in the window seat, an empty sherry glass in hand, her bare toes peeking from beneath her robe-covered nightgown. She was entirely too kissable like this and he hurried across the room.

She screwed up her nose when he got close. “Oh, it’s you.”

His hopes died. Had she not wanted him to come? “Were you expecting someone else?”

“No, but I thought to catch sight of you sooner than this.”

He slowly approached her. “One of the horses foaled tonight. I had wanted to be there.”

Her expression cleared. “A filly or colt.”

“Colt.”

She turned to glance out the open window. “Congratulations.”

Esme’s greeting was not terribly warm and his tension grew. “I apologize for my brother’s behavior if he has upset you. He seems very drunk.”

She leaned her head back on the wall and studied him. “I know. I confess I helped him along until he passed out.”

The news was somewhat of a relief. “He was rude to you.”

When she said nothing more, Richard quickly squeezed into a spot by her feet. He placed his hand on her calf and softly stroked her limb through the robe. “Is everything all right?”

Her smile was tight. “Of course.”

“Are
we
all right?”

“We?” She shook her head. “Windermere, we’ve enjoyed a few exciting trysts that have nothing to do with anything else. Your brother cannot affect my enjoyment of you no matter how drunk or uncivilized he becomes.”

He shoved her robe aside to touch bare skin. “It’s far more than sex between us and you know it.” He skimmed his fingers up the back of her leg and higher still, until he could feel the damp heat of her quim.

Her legs parted on a sigh. “Very good sex indeed.”

He stared at where his fingers played. Tonight, he wanted Esme in his bed completely naked for what remained of the night. “I hoped you might be amenable to joining me in my room.”

She moved her hips closer to his fingers. “You’re here. Why stop?”

He frowned. “I really do walk in my sleep.”

“Oh.” She glanced around swiftly, taking stock of the room with widened eyes. “Entirely too many breakable items?”

“Yes.” He swallowed and teased her curls again. “This would be an easy room to hurt myself in. I had hoped to make a night of it. To exhaust us both.”

“I would hate to see your blood on the carpets. These are lovely and your brother has already spoiled one chair with gin. A pity, that. You should make him clean up after himself tomorrow, and perhaps he would stop burdening your staff with extra work at a time like this.”

He grinned at how no matter what he did to her body, her managing tendencies remained unaffected. No wonder his staff liked her. With Esme, he always knew what she expected.

He held out his hand. “I might just suggest it. It’s about time he took responsibility for his actions and settled down.”

After a moment, she slipped her small hand over his and he brought her to her feet. They stood next to each other, barely touching but his pulse sped. He bent to kiss her cheek then guided her toward the door.

In the hall, she faced him. “Did you leave your brother snoring below stairs?”

“Hammond and my butler assisted me getting him into his room. It was a near thing for all of us. We each wanted to drop him on his head, I think. I cannot help but worry about him.” He glanced at Esme in time to see a dark expression form on her face. “Esme, do you know what’s amiss?”

She waited until they stood outside his bedchamber before answering. “Perhaps.”

“Lady Ames is upset.” At her obvious surprise, he shrugged. “I don’t always wait for you to tell me everything I need to know. My servants advise me of small tidbits of gossip from time to time during the house party. I am sorry. I hope my brother hasn’t been an utter beast to her.”

“It’s more than that.”

He blinked. “What else is there?”

Her frown grew. “Another time.”

She slipped into his bedchamber and before the door was properly locked, she slipped off her robe. As was his usual habit, Richard crossed the room and slid the room key under his dressing-room door. “Don’t be alarmed. My valet will unlock the chamber at half-five, long before the guests awake. You’ll have ample time to return to your room unseen.”

He faced Esme and his eyes widened. She was already undressed, slowly stroking her own breast. Her lips curved upward at his shock. She clearly enjoyed surprising him every way she could.

He hardened immediately, the stirring of desire he’d experienced earlier roared into impatience to have her again. Three strides placed him directly before her. He didn’t dare touch her but admired the pert breast she caressed. He let his gaze rove over her deliciously pink skin, taking in every dimple, every curve, and growing even more aroused by what he found before him. “You have the figure of a young woman.”

The wicked sparkle dimmed from her eyes. “The only advantage of never being blessed with children.”

Her mention of children brought out a keen desire to see her body big with child. His. He almost groaned out loud as he imagined a life with Esme as his wife. Could she be happy with him and him alone?

He gently touched her head, slipping his fingertips into her silky hair.

He brushed his lips against hers slowly, keeping their first kiss light and gentle. The delicious scent of Esme’s arousal curled around him and before he realized it, Richard had her cuddled into his chest, her fingers digging into his shoulders through his clothes as they held each other close.

He lowered one hand to her shoulder and circled his thumb over the delicate skin of her collarbone, finding her softness compelling. But it was her strength of character he’d grown to adore, and not just the sex that kept him coming back for more.

Against his lower back, Esme’s touch was light as a feather, skimming his waist and quickening his heart with the relentless torture. He backed her toward the bed, but stumbled as his trousers slid down his legs and tangled about his knees.

He glanced down in surprise. Esme had undone them and he’d not noticed. The minx.

Her smile was rather smug, so he released her to finish undressing himself. “I take it you want me naked too?”

“I do.” Esme circled him slowly, her fingertips skimming his stomach, his hip, gliding over the muscles of his arms and chest, teasing across the swells of his bottom before she stood before him again. “Much better.”

Richard caught her up in his arms and held her against him. “Definitely, my sweet.”

“Sweet?” She scoffed.

“Would you prefer to be called a feisty wench instead?”

“Oh, yes.” She grinned then laughed softly. “I’m no milksop madam.”

The smooth slide of her slender body against his increased the urgency to join with her. Instead, he lowered her to the bed, rolled her onto her stomach and kissed both cheeks of her bottom. Next, he whacked the right one.

“Windermere,” Esme warned as she twisted around to see him.

To his relief, her expression wasn’t outraged but puzzled.

“I have always wanted to do that,” he confessed with a laugh.

She raised one brow haughtily. “I assume you mean during our arguments—or was it every time you laid eyes on me?”

He waggled his eyebrows, and traced the faint outline of his fingers on her white skin. “Usually as you walk away from me. I’ve often wanted to reach out, throw you over my knee, and spank you for making such devastating use of the naughty tongue in your head. You’ve the devil in you some days, I swear.”

Esme flattened herself on the bed, resting her head on her folded arms. “I’m rather restrained compared to some.”

“Believe me, you are certainly not.” Richard bent and kissed the mark he’d made because his heart truly wasn’t interested in punishing her. He just wanted to do everything with her, at least once, to see how she’d react. He was going to store up her every reaction for later use. He intended to have ample material at his disposal when he met with her during the coming months. It was about time he had something to hold over her head.

“You are exciting.” He ran his fingers along her sides. “Do you enjoy lovers who spank you?”

“Occasionally.”

He pressed a kiss to her waist and whispered, “What other naughty things do you like to do, Esme?”

“Richard, you don’t need any suggestions to improve your technique with me.”

He grinned at her rare use of his given name. So far she’d only said it, screamed it, during release. He took in her form—arms raised; bare, tempting skin—and rejoiced in his good fortune in being her lover at last. He’d never intended to become intimately involved with Esme but he couldn’t imagine denying himself the satisfaction of making love to her.

He slid his fingers around her ankles and widened her legs, posing her so he could glimpse the damp pink lips of her quim.

But if she were standing, she would be the most perfect Hill bride in history.

He swallowed hard at that train of thought. Damn Oswin for suggesting it. He could actually imagine abducting, tethering and fucking Esme in the dark forest according to family tradition. Where he normally grew appalled at the notion, imagining Esme that way filled him with intense desire to take her there tonight. Gods he wanted her. Wanted to keep her. Wanted to fuck her all night and every night for the rest of his life.

He hung his head and tried to push the desire away. He couldn’t do that to Esme; take her to the woods, not without her permission or at least feeling she could accept such a situation.

He turned her over and crawled onto the bed. He set his hands on each side of her shoulders and stared into her eyes. “Have you ever been bound for sex?”