Combustion (16 page)

Chapter Twenty-Eight

By the time the doorbell rang at seven o'clock Thursday evening, Astrid had finished the first order of felicitation devices for Cecily, as well as half a bottle of wine. She'd also made what was perhaps the greatest misstep of her friendship with Josian and written her the truth, the entire truth, all the claptrap she'd been dealing with for the past month. When she sobered up, she might regret sending that glass canister back up the delivery tube, but for now, the wine meant she felt very little at all. She opened the door with a less than steady hand.

Cecily gave her a hug as soon as she entered, then pulled back. “Goodness, Astrid, have you been drinking?”

“Yep.” Astrid made her way over to the sofa and sank down, putting her feet up on the coffee table. She was at the stage of drunk where she didn't care about anything, and manners were included in that list. “But don't worry. I'd already finished your toys when I started on the wine.” With a wave of her hand, she gestured to the large crate of toys she'd left open on her worktable across the room. “One model of everything as you requested. I've been working on them day and night since last week.”

Cecily investigated the toys. “These look perfect. Were they especially difficult?”

“Nope.” The sofa seemed to be moving, and Astrid held on tightly to the armrest to keep from getting dizzy. “Easy.”

After Cecily had examined each toy and repacked it, she joined Astrid on the sofa. She seemed to study her friend for a long while before speaking. “Why the wine, Astrid?”

Astrid picked up her half-full glass from the table and swirled the liquid around, momentarily mesmerized by the way it traced the curved edges of the glass. “The World's Fair opens on Saturday. I thought I should celebrate for all those fine businesspeople who are setting up their booths tonight.” She raised her glass and drained it. The wine had ceased to have a taste by now, becoming a dull warmth that spread through her extremities, numbing any feelings that had begun to return. “I thought maybe I should get drunk, and then none of it would matter.” She set the empty glass down on the table with a bit more force than was necessary. After a pause, she turned to Cecily, who had become blurry around the edges. “So far, it still matters.”

“Well, I have some good news.” From her handbag, Cecily produced an envelope. “I have tickets to the private viewing of the Fair tomorrow night. Only open to business owners and those of us with connections. I thought you'd like to go.”

Was she serious? Astrid stared at her, trying to determine if this were true. Why would Cecily think she would want to go? “That's nice, but I would rather…” She tried to think of an alternative that would be worse, but in her current state of mind, couldn't come up with any. “I'd rather not. Thanks. I think I'm going to buy another bottle of wine and spend tomorrow like today.”

“I think it will do you good. You can do some networking, perhaps.”

“I don't give a fuck about networking right now.” Astrid folded her arms, which took two tries. “And I don't want to go.”

Cecily shook her head. “Astrid, I'm not going to let you waste away the best business opportunity in a decade while you're getting drunk in your flat. I want you to get out there and meet people and make some new contacts and get your mind off of Eli.” Her smile was firm. “Please, Astrid. As a favor to me. You owe me that much.”

Astrid sighed. Cecily was right, and this wasn't worth fighting over. “Fine. But we don't go near Eli's booth. I don't want to see him.”

“Of course.” Cecily leaned over to pat her hand. “Oh, and Astrid, please be sober.”

Astrid narrowed her eyes. “Fine.”

Chapter Twenty-Nine

As the train roared through the city, Astrid was plagued with an unpleasant sense of déjà vu. Less than a week earlier, she'd ridden this same train to the fairgrounds with Eli, excited and anxious about the judges' responses to their invention. That same night, she'd ridden it home again alone. Now, here she was again, heading back to the fairgrounds, the sunset filling the train car with orange light.

Out of her handbag, she withdrew the ticket Cecily had given her the night before. She wanted to find the gold calligraphy pretentious, but it just made her feel jealous. If only Cecily were there to talk to her and take her mind off the situation, but she had a previous engagement and had promised to meet Astrid at the fairgrounds. So Astrid was left to ride the train alone, lost in her own thoughts. At least she'd recovered from her vicious hangover.

In the week since she'd seen it, the fairgrounds had exploded into an immense display of color and light. After disembarking from the train, she stood staring up at the gates, her mouth open in awe despite how much she wanted to resent the Fair itself. She found herself getting caught up in the excitement of the crowd, much thinner than the opening day crowds would be tomorrow, but still a hubbub of energy. They punched her ticket at the main gate, and she stepped into the chaos of the World's Fair.

“Astrid!”

Cecily's voice made her turn. Her friend was pushing her way through a crowd, her face alight, and she pulled Astrid into a close hug. “I'm so glad you're here! I was worried you wouldn't come.”

“Have you been waiting for me long?”

“No, only a few minutes. Isn't this incredible?” Cecily gestured to their surroundings.

“I've never seen anything like it.” Astrid couldn't stop gaping. Downtown London was sad and deserted compared to this colorful showcase. “Where should we go first?”

She took Astrid's arm. “Let's head right down here.”

After a half hour of wandering from stall to stall, Astrid had almost forgotten she was supposed to be upset. Cecily had started her at the local business section, so she saw familiar shingles hanging from the booths. These businessmen had set out their best wares, including items she'd never seen before, so it was like seeing their shops for the first time. She felt awed and amused and fascinated in equal measure.

She was completely unprepared to turn away from a haberdashery and find herself facing the shingle for the Rutledge Emporium.

For a moment, she stood frozen, Cecily's hand tight on her arm, keeping her rooted to the spot. Eli's booth was full of people, all gathered around him. She could barely spot him through the crowd, explaining something. Seeing him caused a well of emotions to rise up inside her.

“Come on.” Cecily tugged her forward.

“Cecily, I said I didn't want to be here. I was perfectly clear on that last night.” Digging her heels into the dirt, Astrid tried to stay rooted to the spot. “Please.”

“No. You need to see this.” Cecily was larger and stronger than Astrid and easily dragged her into the booth.

The crowd parted enough that they could pass. When Astrid saw what they were looking at with such intent, all the air rushed from her lungs.

Hanging above a large display table was a banner that read “In partnership with the Bailey Felicitation Emporium.” On the table, arrayed and showcased for everyone to see, were all her felicitation devices. At one side of the table, complete with its own display banner advertising its name and function, sat the Ossy.

For a moment, Astrid just stood there, her heart pounding so hard she thought it might bruise her ribs. Eli hadn't seen her yet; he was engaged in animated conversation with a middle-aged woman who was filling out what appeared to be a mail-order form while she spoke. She caught his voice above the crowd.

“That's right, ma'am. All work is guaranteed. Miss Bailey stands behind her brand. Felicitation devices ship in four to six weeks.”

He was taking orders for her. He'd set up a display of her items, somehow, and he was selling her products. Her eyes felt hot, all of a sudden, and she pressed her lips together to steady her breathing. Then Eli caught her gaze, and his conversation died mid-sentence.

The rest of the people in the booth seemed to dissolve in the intensity of his stare. Before she knew it, he was excusing himself from the conversation, passing through the crowd, and at last standing next to her and drawing her away from everyone else. It took her a moment to find her voice.

“How did you do all this?” Astrid looked to where Cecily had taken up a position of authority behind the table, explaining the felicitation devices. None of this made sense. She looked back to Eli. “Where did you get the products?”

“Cecily. She arranged all of this. It was her idea. She came by my shop earlier this week and helped me set everything up.” He had taken her hands. She'd forgotten how warm his hands were and how good they felt in hers.

Of course. The first delivery of products Cecily had picked up the night before. Things were beginning to come together. “What about the judges? How can you get away with this?”

He smiled down at her. “There are no regulations about what products you can sell in your own booth, just what you can enter in the contest. Since I'm a ‘reputable business', I already have a booth, and they can't stop me. The IFCT wasn't happy about it, but there's nothing they can do.”

“But…your business. Your reputation. What will the London Business Council say?”

Eli exhaled, seeming to steel himself. “Actually, I resigned from the council.”

“You…resigned?” Astrid suddenly felt dizzy. “I don't understand. Last week, after the viewing, you left, and I thought…” Her voice trailed off. Words weren't coming to her.

Eli looked down at their intertwined fingers, then back up at her. “I guess some things are more important than status. If I can help you build your business, and get your shop, then it doesn't matter what some stodgy business owners think of me.”

Astrid looked back to the crowd. Now that she had time to look properly, she recognized several familiar faces: the women from Tea and Talk had shown up, some with husbands in tow. There was Becky Peregol, and Rowena, Sarah, Mildred, even Edwina, with her mop of frizzy hair and high-collared dress. She felt a rush of affection for their support. And behind them all stood Josian. When their eyes met, Josian beamed at her. She even made a motion to rush over, but paused, seeing her with Eli. Her eyes said they would catch up later.

“Your friends all came.” Eli rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand. “Josian said she got a letter of yours and came down right away? I don't know. But everyone's here. They're here for you.”

The Tea and Talk members were only a handful of the two dozen or so people gathered in the booth, the overflow spilling out into the alleyway where they stood. “And all these people…they like the products?”

Eli nodded. “People have been placing orders all night. Between tonight and the next two weeks of the Fair, your earnings should be enough to get you started with a shop, I think.”

Astrid tried to read the emotion in his eyes. “But why do all this?” She thought she knew, but until he said it, until she was absolutely sure…

He looked up at the canvas roof, shaking his head. When he looked back, he was actually laughing. “Cecily's right. We are both the most stubborn people in the world.” He cupped her cheek with his hand. “I did it because I love you. It scares the hell out of me, because I can't believe you really want to be with me, but I'm choosing to hope.”

Astrid blinked up at him with incredulity. “You don't care that I'm working class?”

Eli's look of incredulity matched hers. “Of course not. I didn't want to get close to you because you're so much more confident than me, and I keep thinking you're going to leave because I'm just another boring businessman.”

Astrid almost laughed, his words sounding absurd. “You're not boring! How could you ever think that you're boring? Eli, you helped me make a fucking machine, and then you had me riding it at the Judges' Viewing last week where anyone could have walked in. That's not boring. That's the opposite of boring.”

Eli smiled a small, secretive smile as his face colored. His blush was endearing. “I suppose I'm trying.”

“I like that you're trying.” Astrid entwined her fingers with his. “I don't want you to think you aren't enough for me.”

Eli looked down at their entwined fingers. “I think we can make a go at this. If you want to.”

Astrid smiled, her heart so full she thought it might burst. “Of course I want to make a go of this. I love you too, you prat.”

Without waiting any longer, Eli took her mouth under his and kissed the words right out of her. A few catcalls caught her attention, made her draw away with her face hot with embarrassment, but she couldn't stop smiling.

Chapter Thirty

The World's Fair preview wrapped up well after dark. Cecily had gone home already amid mutual well-wishes, Josian had managed a few quick words to Astrid before promises that they would all catch up soon, and Astrid stayed to help Eli clean up before the grand opening of the Fair the next day. With the booth hangings locked closed and the fairgrounds almost deserted, they boarded the last train back to town. Eli couldn't stop touching Astrid, wanting to reassure himself that she was really here beside him. In their empty train car, he drew her down onto his lap, and she turned her mouth to his.

Her kiss was chaste at first, an affectionate brush of the lips, but one touch and he needed more. He curled his hand in her hair and opened his mouth beneath hers. God, the feel of her, her taste, the noises she made in the back of her throat, he couldn't get enough.

A loud throat-clearing near him ended their intimate moment. The train conductor stood beside them, flushed with embarrassment as he held out his hand. Astrid giggled into Eli's neck as he handed over both their tickets. When the conductor left, trotting away in haste, she pressed an open-mouthed kiss to Eli's neck.

He buried his face in her hair. The anxiety, the sacrifices, the most stressful week of his life, it had all paid off. He was still a little uncertain of the future, but he could live in the moment. He could learn to trust.

As if reading his mind, Astrid murmured the question in his ear. “So you think I'm worth all of this headache?”

Eli leaned back and brushed a lock of her hair out of her eyes, tucking it behind her ear. It slipped out again, making them both smile. “Are you kidding? A lifetime of Gowen Woodbridge and the London Business Council, or a lifetime with you? No contest.”

She dropped another kiss on his lips, her mouth curved in a teasing smile. “I don't know if I'm ready for a lifetime. You're kind of an arse.”

“Like attracts like, doesn't it?”

When she opened her mouth to object, he swallowed her protests, kissing her slowly, thoroughly, exploring her mouth as though he had a lifetime to kiss her. And he did, didn't he?

When he had to come up for air, his head spinning, he rested his forehead against hers. In the dark train car, her face was illuminated only sporadically by the lights of the passing city buildings. They would reach their stop soon.

He asked the question into her lips. “Your flat or mine?”

“Mine.”

Fog had rolled in by the time they disembarked in the center of the city. The walk back to her flat was dreamlike. In the thick haze, broken only by the amber glow of streetlights, they passed like shadows. When he looked back, he would remember little. Her warm hand in his was the only solid thing in the world, their walk punctuated by kisses between the orange halos of light.

In her flat, though, she dragged him into her arms and everything became real again. His need for her was so urgent he thought it might tear him apart, but he simultaneously wanted to take things slowly, to memorize every inch of her skin. She dragged him into the bedroom, her hands on the lapels of his waistcoat, pulling him on top of her as she fell back onto the bed.

He broke the kiss to catch his breath, his heart racing as he sat back on his heels. They were both fully clothed. “Hey, slow down.”

She tugged at his jacket, pushing it off his shoulders. “I don't want to slow down. I want you now.”

Her urgency was hard to resist. He let her undress him, working through the buttons on his vest and shirt. She brushed against his erection, first on accident, then deliberately, tracing his length through his trousers. Her touch sent shivers through his body. All at once, he needed her naked.

Why did women wear so many layers of clothing? As he fumbled with the hook-and-eye closures of her corset, she took mercy on him and unfastened it herself. After more pulling and tugging and endless rows of buttons, they were both undressed.

Her body was glorious; he felt as if he were seeing her for the first time, all cream-colored skin with dusky brown nipples he had to suck. She threaded her fingers in his hair, her nails scratching the back of his head as he moved from one breast to the other. It wasn't enough. He wanted her mewling, crying out beneath his hands and tongue. He kissed his way down her stomach and spread her legs.

It only took one slow, thorough swipe of his tongue to make her arch up off the bed with a wordless cry. He loved that sound. When he did it again, she moaned, breathless. He took her clit between his lips and listened as her cries became louder, less restrained, her body beginning to writhe beneath his ministrations. It was about all he could take; he wanted to bury himself inside her, feel her shuddering around him, her muscles milking his cock. He slid two fingers inside her tight, wet sheath, and pressed upward.

“Fuck! Oh
fuck
.”

He loved the way she swore when she was close. A bit more, and she would come on his fingers. He could pull back now, make her wait, but at that moment, he wanted to bring her that pleasure. Rather than drawing back, he continued, sucking her clit, even catching it gently between his teeth as he added a third finger.

She came with a keening cry, her hips arching, then automatically pulled back as the pleasure became overwhelming. He held her in place with one hand on her hip, forcing her to ride out the waves as he kept sucking her sensitive bud. Her cries sounded like sobs as she shivered through the aftershocks.

Astrid collapsed, spent, body glistening with perspiration. Eli waited, feeling smug as she tried to catch her breath. At last she smiled, reaching up to pull his lips to hers, probably tasting herself in his mouth, and a moment later he felt her fingers wrap around his dick. His arms buckled as a wave of pleasure washed through him, and he buried his face in her neck.

Each stroke of her hand sent a shiver down his spine. She rubbed over the head of his cock, now slick, and a moan slipped out of his lips. That was incredible. She needed to stop, needed to give him a moment to recover, or this would be over too soon. He brushed her hand away and sat back on his heels, catching his breath.

Leaning past him, she opened her nightstand drawer. He saw her pessary box in the back, nestled amid a collection of felicitation devices. She took out the box and slid her pessary inside, and he watched her finger disappear, wanting nothing more than to bury his cock right there. When she went to put the box back, though, she paused, hand hovering over something in the pile. She sat up with a brass toy in her hand and looked up at Eli with a devious smile.

“Do you know what this is?”

He took it from her, turning it over in his hand. It widened gradually down its length, then narrowed sharply before a flared base. He wanted to shake his head no, but from the smile on her face, he had an idea about the device's purpose. His mouth suddenly felt dry, his heart pounding. He gave a sort of shrug.

Astrid knelt up on the bed, taking his face between her hands. She kissed him, her mouth warm and soft, putting one hand on his chest. Could she feel how fast his heart was beating?

Drawing back slightly, she met his eyes. “Will you let me fuck you with this?”

Eli felt his cock stiffen and his face color. Her hand moved from his chest to his erection, wrapping around the thick shaft and squeezing. His eyes fluttered closed and it became difficult to think. As she worked his cock, she kissed him again, and his hand tightened on the toy he was still holding. God, what would that feel like?

Astrid drew back again, her hand still wrapped around him. “Well?”

He nodded.

“Hmm? I didn't hear you.” Astrid took the toy back, smiling. “What was that?”

He pushed her onto her bed and climbed over her, devouring her mouth, wanting to kiss away that smug smirk even while he held back the urge to part her legs and plunge inside her. “Yes,” he said against her lips. “Yes, I want you to fuck me.”

With both hands on his chest, she rolled him over onto his back. His erection bobbed against his stomach. Blood thudded in his ears; she must be able to see his heart beating against his ribs. Astrid leaned over to grab a jar off the nightstand, then sat between his legs, forcing them apart. She was actually going to do this. He couldn't help but watch as she dipped her finger in the jar of what must be lubricant. Then he felt her rubbing his ass, dipping in and around the hole, and he gripped the bedsheets with both hands. She probed with her finger before he felt the cold brass.

Astrid moved the toy slowly at first, pressing inward, and Eli's cock stiffened impossibly at the sensation. This shouldn't feel so good, but it did. Inch by inch, she moved it inside. It seemed to go on forever, but before the toy slipped all the way in, it rubbed against a spot inside him that made him buck up off the bed. Astrid began drawing the toy back out again, just as slowly. When only the tip remained inside, she pushed it in again, hitting that same place. In and out, in and out, she was fucking him, and the motions lit him up from the inside.

“Fuck, Astrid. Oh my
God
.” He couldn't seem to stop babbling. He wanted her to stop, wanted her to continue, couldn't think and couldn't form a coherent sentence. He could feel his cock dripping against his stomach, knew that if she did so much as touch him, he would explode.

“Does it feel good when I fuck you?” Her voice sounded throaty and low, and just the sound of it was almost enough to send him over the edge.

Eli groaned, not sure if he could answer, and she sped up. “I'm going to make you come. And I want you to watch me.”

He managed to open his eyes. The sight of Astrid sitting between his legs, that naughty expression on her face, made him shiver. He was so close. Each time she thrust that toy inside, she brushed the spot that seemed directly connected to his cock so that he was painfully close without any contact at all. It wasn't enough, though. He needed her touch.

“Please touch me.” Past the point of caring, he wanted her so badly, wanted this climax that hovered right out of reach.

Astrid smiled, continuing to fuck him over and over again, and finally reached out and grasped his cock with her other hand.

He came immediately, his orgasm exploding from somewhere deep inside him, the toy driving him through heights of pleasure he'd never experienced. Maybe he was crying out, maybe he was moaning, but he couldn't focus on anything but the climax. As he began to come down, he felt her push the brass plug a bit farther, and his ass closed around the narrow part of the shaft, holding it in place. He shivered, still feeling the aftershocks of his orgasm. With a soft cloth, she cleaned up the mess from his stomach and leaned down to kiss him.

“That was amazing.” He ran a hand through her hair, and she smiled.

“Thank you.”

Shifting slightly, he could still feel the toy firmly seated inside him. In the aftermath of his climax, it felt strange. “Are you forgetting something?”

Astrid raised an eyebrow. “I hope you don't think we're done here.”

A tremor ran through him as she moved down his body again. Without any hesitation, she took his softening cock in her mouth.

He was not ready for that. She didn't seem in a rush, laving his tip with her tongue, waiting for his body to catch up. He was a little too sensitive, but after a few minutes, he began to stiffen in her mouth. As he became more aroused, she pushed on the base of the plug again, and he was rock-hard in no time at all. God, he loved this woman. Eli pulled Astrid up to his mouth and rolled her over, plunging inside her with one long stroke.

The first thrust was all velvety warmth and unbearable tightness. She gasped, her fingernails biting into the skin of his back as he settled into the cradle of her hips. He held still for a moment, relishing the feeling of being inside her, until she began to squirm beneath him. Her impatience made him smile; even with the plug inside him, the urgency of his first orgasm was gone. “Easy. There's no rush.” Holding himself in check, he slowly withdrew, then thrust again, and again, setting up a steady rhythm.

When he began to move, her eyes fell closed, back arching, the long column of her neck exposed. He bent down to suck and bite the tender skin there, needing to taste her again. She writhed beneath him, her pussy clenching once around his cock, and he paused at the sudden pleasure threatening to overwhelm him. Rolling slightly to one side, he worked one hand between them.

As soon as he brushed the swollen bud, her mouth fell open with a gasp. He bit his lip, focusing all his concentration on her pleasure, willing himself to hold out even as each thrust moved the plug exactly right inside his ass. When she curled her legs up, wrapping them over his hips, he felt himself sink even more deeply inside her wet heat. The urge was too great; he found himself thrusting harder and harder, moving her back and forth on the bed with each stroke, and she was beginning to flush beautifully across her neck and chest.

“Look at me.”

At the sound of his voice, she opened her eyes, large and luminous in the dim light. His gaze locked on to hers. “I want to watch you when you come.”

Her eyes widened briefly, and he felt her muscles flutter again. So she liked that, did she? He wanted to drive her out of herself, wanted to watch her in this most beautiful and vulnerable moment, her body succumbing to pleasure. His thumb pressed harder on her bud until he could feel her fall over the edge. Her entire body stiffened as if in slow motion, then she clung fiercely to him, her eyelids fluttering as she struggled to keep them open. She gasped, curling up into him, pressing her breasts into his chest. Her pussy contracted in rolling spasms, squeezing his cock so tightly it took his breath away. That was all he needed to tumble over too, euphoria tearing through him as he erupted inside her. He closed his eyes and collapsed, the aftershocks rushing through him in shivering waves.

Finally, Eli regained thought. He must be crushing her. Rolling off her, he took care of the plug, his entire body still trembling. She was going to be the death of him. Feeling her gaze on him, he turned back to face her. Astrid was watching, smiling, and held out her arms to him. Eli went willingly. Cupping his cheek with her hand, she brushed her thumb across his lips. “I love you.”