Duke of Scandal (Moonlight Square, Book 1) (23 page)

“Hmm…an order?”

“Felicity!”

Laughing, she put her arms around him. “Of course I’ll marry you, you big dunderhead. It’s all I’ve ever wanted. Don’t you know that by now?”

He gazed lovingly at her, smiling at her taunts. “I suppose I do.”

She humphed. “It took you long enough.”

“Forgive me,” he whispered.

“Of course I forgive you, my darling.” She took his face between her hands and kissed him gently again, stunned, indeed, overwhelmed with emotion to think he would truly be hers, at long last.

“Are you all right?” he murmured, caressing her arms, when he felt her tremble.

She nodded, blinking away faint tears of joy. “You know, I
would
say I’m glad you’ve finally seen reason, but I’m not entirely sure the phrase fits, considering we are standing in the rain. Um, what are we doing out here? Besides getting wet, of course.”

He sighed. “It’s a long story.”

“Well, come into the house, you silly man. You’re soaked to the skin. We should probably get you out of those wet clothes.” She gave him a naughty little smile and ran her fingers through his dripping-wet hair.

He moaned as she leaned down from her higher position on the terrace, playfully drinking the rain off his cheeks. She kissed him all over his face.

“Why must you tease me, Felicity? I’ve wanted you for so long. This is just torment,” he breathed as she clung to him.

“Come inside,” she whispered, nuzzling his face with her nose, “and I’ll give you what you want.”

He pulled back a little and stared at her, looking slightly frantic at her invitation. “We should stay out here, sweet. If we start, I don’t know if I’ll be able to hold bac—”

“Hush.” Daring him with a defiant stare to try to stop her, she climbed up onto the stone railing, then over it, and into his arms.

Jason clutched her to him, kissing her with wild passion as she wrapped her legs around his waist, her arms around his neck, now as drenched with rain as he was. He pressed her back against the stone ledge of the terrace while his tongue swirled in her mouth. His body throbbed against hers, and the chilly rain turned to steam where it touched their fevered skin.

“Please let it be tonight,” she whispered between kisses.
Then you can’t change your mind about this.

“Are you sure that’s what you want? Are you ready for me, Felicity?” he ground out, pinning her against the stone wall.

She clutched him harder, thrilled to her core by his sensuous growl. She stared into his eyes. “I’ve been ready for you for a very long time, my love.”

He kissed her again in savage hunger, pausing only to watch where he was going as he carried her up the stone steps and back into the shelter of the porch. There he set her down on her feet, his stare devouring her as it moved down over her body.

“So beautiful,” he whispered hoarsely. She followed his gaze as he let it travel slowly over her, taking in the sight of her rain-dampened night rail clinging to her body, her erect nipples visibly darker through the semitransparent cloth. She groaned when he touched them, and then he bent his head to lick a water droplet running down her chest.

She was shaking with desire when she took his hand a moment later, looked at him without a word, and led him into the house. Both caught up in their intense awareness of each other, Jason shut the door quietly behind them and locked it, while she went and retrieved the small, punched-copper lantern she had left burning on the pier table as a night-light.

She picked it up to let its dim glow show the way and turned to him, lifting a finger to her lips—and then to his—to signal for silence.

We mustn’t wake the servants,
she told him with her gaze. He captured her finger in his mouth, seducing her where they stood with one of his devilish stares. Unable to resist, she stepped back into his arms and began kissing him once more.

Fearing they’d never make it to her bed but succumb to their passion right here in the hallway, she ended the kiss, shaking her head at him in blushing exasperation.

Come on!
she mouthed at him. The blasted stairwell was not where she intended to lose her virginity.

He feigned a chastened look of obedience, his dark hair falling across his brow. She looked at him and wanted to kiss him all over his wonderful body, but she bit her lip and found her patience with a sigh. Then she led him by the hand as they tiptoed upstairs to her bedchamber.

He left wet footprints and small puddles as they went, evidence of their misbehavior, but she was past caring. It was her house, her life, her body, to give to whom she willed.

Besides, he was to be her husband.

Still reeling from his proposal, she fetched a couple of towels from the closet on the way, already fantasizing about how he’d look naked.

When they arrived at her chamber, Jason locked the door behind him while she set the little lantern on the chest of drawers. She paused to make sure the curtains were firmly drawn across the windows, and when she turned around to face him, she found him still leaning with his back against the door.

He gazed at her, looking just a wee bit overwhelmed by what was finally happening between them.

Felicity did not intend to give him the chance to go all virtuous on her again, as he had tried to do that lovely afternoon in the parlor. She brought the towel over to him and lifted a corner of it to his face, blotting away some of the rain. She wasted no time in drawing his untied cravat off his neck and parting the top of his shirt to touch his muscled chest.

“I love your body,” she murmured.

“Likewise, my lady.” But he caught her hand and stopped her caresses. “There’s something I have to tell you first, though.”

“Oh, Jason, I really don’t feel like talking.” She pressed herself against him, running her hand down his side. “Why don’t we get out of these wet clothes, hmm?”

“No—Felicity, there’s something you need to know first. If I don’t tell you now, you’ll be angry at me later,” he said softly, leaning his head back against the door.

She furrowed her brow and looked askance at him. “Very well. What is it?”

He took the towel from her and wiped his hair. The expression on his face alerted her that he was not really keen to impart whatever it was he had to tell her.

“I, er, I made a mistake, Felicity. Well, it’s just…I’m pretty sure I caused a scandal tonight after the ball,” he said. “Concerning us.”

Her eyebrows rose. She took a small step back. “Oh?”

“But maybe it
wasn’t
really a mistake,” he amended. “Because it seems to have brought so much into crystal-clear focus for me. Things…I didn’t really see before. Wouldn’t let myself see. Like the fact that I’ve been in love with you for as long as I can remember, and that’s the truth.”

She quaked at his darling confession but folded her arms across her chest, searching his face. “What happened, Jason?”

He sighed. “Well, for starters, I got thrown out of my club. After the ball, I mean.”

“For what?”

“Punching a few people. Burning the wager book.”

She arched a brow and searched his face, baffled and slightly amused. “Is that why you were walking in the rain? You were angry at your friends?”

“No, no. Not really. I just needed to think. And I needed to see you.” He hesitated. “You’re not going to like hearing this, I must warn you.”

“All right,” she said cautiously, and waited.

“There were a few chaps speaking about you at the club in a manner I didn’t appreciate. Admirers of yours, of course, but they were being rather too lewd for my liking. And, well, let’s just say all London knows exactly how I feel about you now. Nearly before I did,” he added. “Honestly, I don’t know where it all came from. I just…I heard their crude remarks about you and it seems I went berserk.”

“Oh, Jason, what did you do?” she chided fondly.

“Got into a milling match. Thrashed a few chaps. Got thrashed a bit myself. And like I said, I tossed the club’s betting book into the fireplace. I think I’m blackballed for that, but I’m not entirely sure. Didn’t wait around to find out.”

“You did all that just because of me?” she asked, ridiculously flattered. “Defending my honor?”

He scowled. “You’re missing the point, love. They made a wager over you—who would win you!”

“Me?” she echoed in surprise.

“Yes, you, and I wasn’t going to countenance that! I don’t know what came over me. I suppose…everything I’ve been trying not to feel was just suddenly
there
. And it all came barreling out in the most…disgraceful fashion,” he said with a wince. “The point is, in hindsight, my reaction may have been worse than the wager itself. That’s why I had to see you tonight. I had to warn you, Felicity. By morning, the whole
ton
will be gossiping about us, and—me being me—some will probably speculate that we’ve already…you know.”

“Made love?” she whispered in anticipation.

He nodded, and she could see in his eyes that he wanted it as much as she did. Perhaps even more.

But then a worrisome thought managed to pierce through her haze of desire. “So, we
have
to marry, then? Oh, Jason…” She suddenly closed her eyes. “Please tell me that’s not the only reason you proposed.” She flicked her eyes open in distress. “To shield my reputation? Out of duty? Respect for my brother?”

“No!”
he whispered fiercely. He leaned closer and stared hard into her eyes. “Felicity, I’m in love with you. What happened at the club merely forced me to face it. This has nothing to do with your brother; it’s about us. I’m here because you and I belong together. I know that as well as you do, and I’m done hiding from it.”

Relief flowed through her as she held his gaze. How could she be angry at him when he looked at her like that? When he spoke so frankly from the heart?

“I have to thank you for your patience with me,” he continued in a softer tone as he reached for her hand and drew her to him. “It seems some of us males are just too thick or too stubborn to admit how we really feel until it slams us in the face. Literally.”

“Poor thing,” she murmured with a tender smile, lifting her hand to his brow. “Now that you mention it, your left eye does look a little swollen, I think.”

“Kiss it for me,” he mumbled with a playful little sulk. He leaned down to let her brush a very light kiss to his brow, where he had apparently been pummeled.

She shook her head wryly. “I can’t believe you got into a brawl over me. A duke!”

“Dukes get angry, too,” he grumbled.

“You
promise
you didn’t propose tonight just because you feel obligated?”

“Felicity.” He slid his arms around her waist and gazed into her eyes. “I’m here because I love you and I’ll wither up and die if you don’t marry me.” He lowered his head. “I am sorry I caused a scandal, though.”

She caressed his chest. “Ah, don’t worry, I knew what I was getting into with
you
, sir. But, really, if they’re going to accuse us anyway, don’t you think we might as well be guilty of the crime?”

“Oh, I agree,” he said, running a hand down her back. “But there is the small matter of your reputation. That is, won’t you be ruined?”

“Hmm, it seems fitting for a girl set to marry the Duke of Scandal.” She chuckled when he grimaced at the nickname. “Darling, first of all, you’re standing in my bedchamber. I’d say I’ve been teetering on ruin since that day in the parlor, and I regret it not a whit.” She bit her lip and smiled at the memory.

As did he.

She walked her fingers down his chest and continued. “Secondly, girls who are engaged to dukes don’t
get
ruined, you see. It’s socially impossible.”

“It is?”

“Indeed. We’re far too important,” she teased. “As long as your little heir doesn’t arrive too far in advance of the usual nine months—as best I understand it, mind you—dukes and their future duchesses are fairly well immune to such rules.”

“Is that so?” He lowered his head.

She searched his face, noticing the deeper angst that briefly seemed to flit behind his dark eyes. “Jason, what is it?”

“I’m afraid there’s something
else
I have to tell you.”

She shook her head. “No. No more talking. Take your clothes off, now.”

“I beg your pardon?” he asked abruptly.

“You heard me. As your future wife, I want you out of those wet clothes before you catch your death.”

He narrowed his eyes. “You are a saucy thing, you know that?”

“That’s why you love me,” she said sweetly. “Besides, you need a firm hand.”

“Hmm. I’m beginning to think you know me too well.”

“But not yet in the biblical sense, which I’m very keen to do. Strip, Duke.”

“Yes, ma’am.” A roguish smile spread across his lips as he apparently decided that, whatever else was troubling him, it could wait. They had more pressing matters to attend to. “But, darling, you’re wet, too,” he chided, plucking at her night rail.

When his touch grazed her nipple, both their flirtatious smiles faded. All that was left was the raw need so long denied. He took hold of her elbow and pulled her up against his big, hard body.

She stepped into his arms as his lips swooped down onto hers. His tongue plunged into her open mouth; his hands captured her face, caressed her neck. She grasped the lapels of his ruined black tailcoat and pushed it almost roughly off his shoulders, suddenly trembling with the craving to feel his bare skin against hers.

Likewise inspired, Jason slipped his hand inside the vee-shaped neckline of her night rail. A pained sound of lust escaped him as he cupped her bare breast in his warm, large hand. Her chest heaved as he fondled her. Kissing him endlessly, Felicity fumbled with the buttons on his waistcoat. Heady moans escaped her as she worked, and before long, she had stripped it off him.