An Honorable Wish (A Lady's Wish 2) (18 page)

Tony deepened his thrusts as she wrapped her legs around his hips, reaching for more of the excitement she was starting to feel. She wanted more.

Tony reached down with one hand and touched her between her legs, rubbing against her sex in concert with his thrusts.

Juliet closed her eyes and came. Tony joined her a few minutes later, collapsing against her.

“I like waking up like this,” he said softly, his lips trailing over her skin. “Was it better this time?”

Juliet still had a silly smile on her face when she opened her eyes and gazed up at him. “Oh, yes.”

He grinned and kissed her again. “Save the waltz for me tonight at the ball.”

Juliet’s eyes widened. “I’d forgotten all about the ball.”

“Good, then I’ve achieved my objective of making you forget everything but me.”

Juliet giggled. “What time is it?”

“Early; just past dawn,” he said against her skin. “I’m going to have to leave you soon.”

She turned into his arms. “Do you have to?”

He chuckled. “Well, that’s a change from last night, when you couldn’t wait to get rid of me.”

Juliet snuggled against him. “I was stupid.”

“I’m going to love waking up next to you every morning, but I do not care for this night rail. I want to feel your skin, not linen.”

“I must have something to sleep in.” Surely women didn’t do that.

He chuckled again. “You look quite shocked. I assure you, many people sleep naked.”

Juliet poked him and lay back down. She wasn’t ready to concede this point yet. They weren’t even married yet. “We’ll see.”

“Which means no,” Tony said.

“That is not what it means,” Juliet defended herself. She pulled a few of his chest hairs.

“Ouch, stop.” He placed his hand over hers.

“It means that I’ll think about it.” She smoothed her hand over his chest.

Tony chuckled. “I’ll just have to convince you.” He rolled her over to kiss her. He was growing hard again.

She looked up at him. “Again?”

“You have that effect on me, love.” Tony kissed her softly. “But as it is your first time, we’ll slow down.”

She brushed his hair off his face. “It was your first time as well.”

“My first.” He kissed her. “My last.” He kissed again. “My only.”

This time when his mouth met hers, Juliet was ready. She poured all the love she had for him into that kiss. Their tongues tangled and she held his face in her hands. His whiskers were rough on her skin, but his mouth was warm.

Tony pulled away reluctantly. “If I’m going to keep my word about not having you again, I’m going to have to go.”

“I already miss you,” she whispered. And she meant it. She would miss his warmth and the way he cherished her.

He got up and pulled on his clothes. Juliet loved everything about him, but his bottom was especially nice—firm and hard.

“Keep looking at me like that and you’ll find yourself on your back again,” Tony said as he leaned over her in the bed. “I’ll see you at breakfast.”

“All right.” She savored one more kiss.

Juliet watched him leave and then lay back against her pillow. She smiled. He definitely loved her.

He’d never said the words, but it was in his touch, in the way he took care of her.

And the act had been so much better the second time. With practice, they could get quite good at it.

She chuckled to herself as she snuggled back into the blankets and fell back asleep.

“Y
ou look different,” Sophia said after staring at Juliet for a full minute.

Juliet squirmed. Did her lips still look swollen from Tony’s kisses? She had worn a high-necked gown to hide the rash his beard had left behind. “What are you talking about?”

“More relaxed, somehow. I would have thought the scare from yesterday would have left you unable to sleep, not to mention the ball tonight.”

Juliet managed to swallow her tea without choking on it. “I slept well. Perhaps that’s it.”

“You were moving around a lot last night—how could you have been sleeping?” Sophia said grumpily. “I didn’t get much sleep and now I’m going to look like a hag tonight.”

Juliet snorted. Sophia couldn’t look like a hag if she tried. “Take a nap before dinner.”

“We can’t,” Sophia complained. “Anne has a huge list of things for us to take care of.”

Lady Danford entered the morning room. “Good morning. I see we are all awake bright and early this morning.”

Juliet looked down at her plate.

“Juliet, you look different,” Lady Danford said as she waited for her tea to be poured. “Have you done something different to your hair?”

Juliet glanced at Sophia, who mouthed “See?” Heavens, she was never going to get through this day if everyone kept noticing how different she looked. “Perhaps I’m just happy.”

“As you should be; it’s your engagement ball.”

Tony came in for breakfast and Juliet couldn’t keep the smile off her face.

“Oh please, it is much too early to endure such happiness,” Sophia groused.

Tony leaned down to kiss Juliet. “You are going to have to learn to live with it, Miss Townsend.”

Juliet giggled as Tony stepped to the sidebar to fill his plate.

“I think I’m going to be sick,” Sophia said, resting her face on her hand. “Not even Anne and Nathaniel kiss at the breakfast table.”

“Maybe because they have breakfast in their room.” Juliet would like to have breakfast in bed with Tony. They could get more strawberries.

“What are your plans for today, love?” Tony said as he sat beside her.

“Helping Sophia finish the flowers for tonight. And doing whatever Anne tells me to do. I’m sure she’ll have a long list.”

“So no sneaking away with me today?”

“Over my dead body,” Sophia said. “You are not leaving me with all the work again, Juliet.”

“Tony, I expect you to take Mr. McDonald to do whatever it is you men do before events like this. We don’t need you underfoot while we try to get the house ready for our guests,” Lady Danford said. “Besides, your bride-to-be will be busy preparing for tonight.”

Ugh.
Hours of bathing, hair styling, and dressing. Having an engagement ball wasn’t necessary, but Anne insisted. Juliet would be happier to have the banns read followed by a simple service at church.

But she had to admit that her dress was lovely. She couldn’t wait for Tony to see her in it. She also couldn’t wait to dance with him.

“I cannot deal with this any longer. You two are positively sickening. I’m going to work on the flowers. The maids won’t have time to work on them with their other duties. I’ll be in the ballroom when you’re ready, Juliet.” Sophia stomped out of the room.

“We aren’t that bad, are we?” Tony said with a grin.

“There’s a time and a place for that kind of nonsense. The breakfast table is not it,” Lady Danford said.

Juliet felt her face flush. “I’d better help Sophia. We have so much to do today.”

Tony stood as well, leaning over to kiss her cheek. “Until tonight.”

Juliet’s heart skipped a beat. She ducked away from Lady Danford’s knowing glance and escaped the morning room.

Tony returned to his coffee, ignoring the look on Lady Danford’s face. It was all he could do to keep the grin off his own face. He felt so good that he thought his face might freeze in permanent happiness.

“So that’s how it is,” Lady Danford said between delicate bites of egg.

“What do you mean, Grandmother?”

“You just couldn’t wait, could you?” Lady Danford set down her fork. “What is the matter with you young people today? Can’t even wait for the wedding.”

Tony was stunned. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” “You have that look about you. And Juliet was blushing.”

“What look would that be?”

“Don’t be impertinent. You know exactly what I’m talking about. You’ve compromised her. Why you young people think you invented marital relations is beyond me. How do you think you got here?”

“It’s between Juliet and me, Grandmother.”

“If you’re going to keep this behavior up, you might as well plan a trip to Gretna Green. Have you even set a date yet?”

Tony fought the urge to squirm. No, they hadn’t set the date. They hadn’t even discussed it, except that Juliet didn’t want a special license but rather the banns read in church. He probably would get a special license now anyway, because he had in fact compromised her, quite thoroughly. “No date is set, but I’m sure that will be resolved once we’re past this ball.”

“There’s something you’re not telling me,” Lady Danford said.

“Honestly, Grandmother, there is nothing to tell.” Tony picked up his coffee and motioned for a refill.

“If you back out of marrying Juliet Townsend I will personally horsewhip you. Your rakish ways will not do for her. She’s not prepared to deal with them.”

“You’d be surprised,” he muttered. “Trust me; I am marrying Juliet Townsend. In fact, it cannot happen soon enough for me.”

Lady Danford must have been satisfied with his answer because she went back to eating her food. Tony tried not to sag with relief. Not that he had much to hide anymore, but he did not want to anger his grandmother. She had the power to make his life a living hell.

“Tony, in the library when you have a moment,” Nathaniel said sternly from the doorway.

When was his brother going to treat him like an equal instead of a child? He downed his coffee and stood to follow Nathaniel to the library.

“One of the maids saw you coming out of Juliet’s room early this morning,” Nathaniel said with no preamble when they were both in the room. “I’m assuming you’ll be going for a special license?”

“I had planned to, yes.”

“Good.”

“Might I remind you that you did the same with Anne? You two spent the night alone at an inn before you were married. Not to mention how many times you snuck into her room here at the Lodge,” Tony said.

“I’m not denying it. I had every intention of marrying Anne,” Nathaniel said.

“I will marry Juliet.”

“Do you love her?” Nathaniel asked in a different tone of voice.

Tony rather thought he did, but he wanted Juliet to hear it first, not his brother. “I don’t think that’s any of your concern.”

“Let me caution you against tying yourself to a woman you have no feelings for.”

“Did it occur to you that I’d like the lady to be the first to know?”

Nathaniel smiled. “I suppose she has that right. Should we go over her dowry information?”

“If you wish. And just so you know, I’ve purchased Horneswood. I thought Juliet would want to be near her sisters,” Tony said. He kept his stance casual, though inside his stomach was tightening as he waited for Nathaniel’s response. He couldn’t believe he still craved his brother’s approval. “I plan to raise sheep for wool.”

“Good. The estate needs some work, but nothing overwhelming. I think you made a good purchase. I take it Brighton is out of the question?”

Tony nodded. “I’m afraid so, with the wedding and all.”

“You could always take her there for a wedding trip,” Nathaniel said slyly.

“I’d rather spend my nights with my wife and not at the gaming tables with future clients.”

Nathaniel chuckled. “I don’t blame you there. It’s not a bad thing, being married.”

Tony allowed himself to relax. His brother knew his plans and approved. It was a huge relief. “You seemed so happy, I thought I’d try it myself.”

“I can’t recommend it more. Especially if you love her,” Nathaniel said. “I’ve never been happier.”

“I can only hope for the same.”

Nathaniel stood and reached behind him, moving a painting away from the wall to reveal a safe behind it. He opened it and pulled out a jewelry box. “These were Mother’s.”

“I thought you gave Mother’s jewelry to Anne.”

“She insisted I save a set for you and your bride.” Nathaniel pulled out a velvet pouch and handed it to him. “I think these will suit Juliet very well.”

Tony opened the pouch and poured the contents into his hand: a necklace, earrings, and a ring of blue topaz and diamonds shimmered in the light. “Are you sure?”

“Do you think Juliet will like them?”

Tony had no doubt she’d love them. The settings were old, but not overly intricate. Juliet favored simpler things, so these were perfect. “Should I give them to her tonight?”

“I think she should wear them to her engagement ball, don’t you? Mother would be proud of the man you’ve become. She’d approve of your choice of bride.”

Tony’s throat closed with emotion. “Thank you—that means a great deal to me.”

“Now go fetch that special license before I have to force you to make a dash to Scotland.”

Tony grinned as he put the jewels back into the velvet pouch. He couldn’t wait to see them on Juliet. How beautiful she’d look wearing his jewels.

For the first time in years, he felt good about himself, about his future. He felt like the honorable man he wanted to be, like his brother was. He couldn’t wait to start the rest of his life with Juliet by his side.

 

Juliet trimmed the thorns from the stem of a rose and placed it into a bucket with the rest. She was horrible at floral arrangements so she had been relegated to preparing the flowers for Sophia to arrange.

The beauty of having a spring ball was the abundance of flowers. Everything was in bloom. Peonies lay in piles on the long table, their scent heavy in the air.

“I hate the smell of peonies,” Sophia complained as she jabbed another flower into the large arrangement she was creating.

“Where is that going?” Juliet asked as she passed her another rose.

“The entry hall, I think.” Sophia turned the large urn and placed another rose into the center. She turned it again, looking for empty spots. “There. Done.”

“I wish I could do that,” Juliet said wistfully. “I’ll never have flowers in my house if I have to do the arrangements.”

“You can have a maid do it. So you really are going to marry Tony?”

“I love him.”

“I heard you two last night,” Sophia said smugly. “The bed was banging on the wall.”

Juliet did not want to discuss this with her sister. “How many more arrangements do we need to do?”

“Three more, so you are going to have to answer my questions.” Sophia pulled another urn over and poured water into it. “Hand me those pale pink peonies over there, and the ivy too.”

Juliet did as she was told. Sophia was in her element. The woman was born bossy. “Will these work?”

“Yes, those are good. Are there any more of the yellow roses?”

Juliet picked through the piles of flowers and found a handful of stems. She trimmed them and handed them to Sophia.

“Was it good?” Sophia asked, her voice low.

“Was what good?”

“You know, last night with Tony.”

“Why would you want to know?”

“Really, Juliet. Do you think Anne is going to tell me? I’d like to be prepared when my turn comes.”

“Don’t you want to fall in love?”

“Falling in love is completely up to chance. I have no wish to leave my future to chance. I want to live in London.”

“I’ll be happy to never see London again,” Juliet muttered. “Except for the bookshops.”

“I can’t wait to go back. I hated having to come home early.”

Juliet slid a glance at Sophia. “Will you dance with Mr. McDonald tonight?”

“I won’t have a choice.” Sophia sighed.

“He’s a very nice man.” Juliet couldn’t help but feel bad for Ian McDonald. He was doomed to be hurt by Sophia.

“He’s not a peer—and you’ve totally avoided my question.”

Damn.
She did not want to discuss it. “It was nice,” Juliet said reluctantly.

Sophia laughed. “Nice? I wouldn’t tell Tony that.”

Juliet giggled. “The first time wasn’t so good, but the second time was really—quite pleasant.” Juliet’s face was burning.

“Pleasant?”

“I’m not comfortable discussing this with you.”

Sophia stopped what she was doing and leaned close. “Did it hurt? One of the ladies in London told me she screamed with pain.”

“It was like a pinch. It hardly hurt at all.”

“I wonder why she said that, then. She was quite adamant. Of course she’s married to some old man.”