Lessons of Love (24 page)

“
Tell me one good reason I should allow you to live.”
Nicholas stared mutely at
Cole
, the cocky brute replaced b
y a cowering child. “
Tell Me!”

“
Beat me anymore a
nd I
’
ll ruin you financially.”

“
You fool. Do you think I care more about my money and my st
atus than I do about my wife?”

“
No... I ...”

Cole
deliver
ed a kick to the cowering man
’
s side. “
Get off my land. The only reason I
’
m letting you go is to protect
Jolie
’
s reputation. One word of this and I shall hunt you down and slit your th
roat. Do I make myself clear?”

Nicholas nodded and struggled to his feet
. With a final glance at
Jolie
who was still on her knees, Nicholas slipped around the side of the terrace.
Cole
went to
Jolie
and she looke
d up at him eyes full of fear.

“
I didn
’
t want him to touch me
Cole
. I swear to you. He forced me out here and twiste
d my arm and... I
’
m sorry
Cole
. I
’
m so s
orry. Please don
’
t punish me.”

Cole
gathered her up into his arms, carrying her to one of the stone benches on the terrace. He kissed her forehead and wiped away the tears rolling down her cheeks. “
Shush now love, it
will be all right. I know this wasn
’
t your fault little one. I
’
m not angry with yo
u. Hush now. Did he hurt you?”

“
Only a little. I was so scared
Cole
. I... I didn
’
t want to scream and cause a scene. He said he wo
uld ruin you.”
The last words were said so
quietly that they were
n
’
t
more than
a whisper, but they
rang loud and clear in
Cole
’
s head.

Jolie
began to quietly weep, and
Cole
crushed her to him, his face a mask of pain. Did she really think his reputation meant more to him than she did? Yes he was de
sperate to get out of the business, but not at her expense. He knew that
’
s what he
’
d said the day he accosted her at the swimming pond but in his heart he thought they
’
d come so far beyond those hateful words. Did his insistence on making her go without u
n
derclothes and wear daring gowns make her feel as if she was merely the showpiece he
’
d told her she would be? Did his quick temper and punishing hand truly make her think he didn
’
t love her, that he would be angry if she
’
d screamed for help? He hadn
’
t bee
n
able to say the words of love she longed to hear earlier that night and now she was laying in his arms after almost being raped, fearing what his reaction would b
e. Her doubts broke his heart.

“
I could never be angry at you for this little one. If your sc
reams had alerted all our guests to that bastard
’
s evil deeds I would have been overjoyed because he
’
d been caught and stopped, not angry because tongues would wag.
Jolie
your safety means so much more to me than my place in society. Please don
’
t ever thin
k I would rather see you come to harm. You mean everything to me my love. Yes I want to become established here, it is our home and I want to be able to give you everything your heart desires, but not by allowing you to suffer to prevent gossip. I will re
b
uild this plantation honestly, and it will be my only business. I
’
m through with the other. I
’
m going to gain respect from this community by my honest actions, not by relying on your fam
ily name and social standing.

“
You are not a showpiece little one, yo
u aren
’
t here to make me appear noble or to fool the matrons and cover the tracks of my past. I wish I could take back the hateful things I said to you that day at the pond. You are my very life. If you had been hurt tonight I would have killed that basta
r
d regardless of the consequences, because you mean more to me than anything else in this world. You
’
ve changed me,
Jolie
. You made me love when I thought I would never be able to. I never believed love existed, it was merely a fool
’
s emotion. Now I know be
tter, I know better because of you
Jolie
. I love you, little one.”

Jolie
’
s eyes stared up at him, luminous pools of green, shining with unshed tears. The surprise in them was reflected in the moonlight and
Cole
thought he could drown in their depths. “
I lo
ve you,
Jolie
.”
The words were whispered as he brought his mouth down on hers in a soft and gentle kiss. His lips barely grazed hers, seeking forgiveness for her fears and reassuring her with tenderness that he loved her above all others. This woman in his
arms was his very life and he would do anything to protect her. Their kiss was interrupted by Jonathan d
iscretely clearing his throat.

“
Excuse me, Sir. Celia and I wish to know if the Mistress is all right. She saw the man force
Jolie
onto the terrace and
is afraid she was hurt. Miss Celia came bounding down the stairs ready to do battle
,
and alerted me to
Jolie
’
s plight.”
Jonathan stood in the archway that led to the terrace with the worried chambermaid beside him. A smile played at the corner of his lips
at the memory of Celia heedlessly rushing into the ballroom intent on helping
Jolie
. Protocol be damned, her friend had needed her and she
had come running.

Jolie
peeked up shyly from
Cole
’
s arms. “
I
’
m fine, really I am, just a bit shaken up. Thank you fo
r coming to my rescue.”
Truth be told, she was more than fine. Her heart was singing and she felt as if she would float away from pure joy if
Cole
loosened his hold on her. He loved her, he truly loved her and they were going to bu
ild their life here toget
her.

“
Jonathan, make sure that the bastard who accosted my wife has left the property. If you see him, shoot him on the spot. Tell Hank that
Jolie
feels ill, and that I would be grateful if he
’
d see to the guests as they leave. We shall see you both tomor
row
. Thank you for your concern.”

“
Yes, boss. You won
’
t be bothered again tonight. Goodnight Mistress, I am relieved that you are unhurt
.”

“
Thank you, Jonathan. Goodnight Celia. I
’
ll tell you a
bout the ball in the morning.”

“
You won
’
t be seeing Celia until
well into the afternoon, love.”
Jolie
blushed at his remark and buried her face in his strong chest as Jonathan and Celia left them alone.
Cole
stood and set her on her feet, kissing her forehead and nibbling her ear. He was finding out that love was
a ve
ry powerful aphrodisiac.

Cole
continued to kiss and nibble
Jolie
’
s neck and ears, his hands moved over her body with ease, driving her mad with longing. Every stroke sent a tingle of need coursing through her, readying her body, making her breathless. Her
thighs dampened as her desire built, and she moaned deep in her throat, rubbing up against
Cole
’
s hard body, feeling his manhood prodding her stomach. She wiggled, pressing her swollen nubbin against his shaft, needing contact for the fire in her loins, f
rustrated by the layers of petticoats that kept
her from satisfying that need.

"Love me."

“
Not yet, sweet. Come walk with me in the garden.”
Cole
nibbled his way back up from her nipple to her ear and then set her from him.
Jolie
made a little sound of dis
may and
Cole
chuckled.

“
Patience, sweetheart. Don't worry, I plan on ravishing every inch of you. I simply want to look at you in the moonlight. Then I will make wild passionate love to you until your hungry body is sa
tisfied. Would you like that?”

“
Yes”
Her answer was a husky whisper.
Jolie
gazed up at
Cole
, her passion clearly evident. The gleaming white skin of her breasts shone in the light of the moon and he couldn
’
t resist them. He dipped his fingers into the neckline of her gown and pulled one of he
r nipples free. It stood out in a proud little peak looking very much like a berry
Cole
would love to eat. And eat it he did. He feasted until he felt
Jolie
’
s knees weaken.

“
Not yet, love.”

They strolled along the paths,
Cole
holding her close, fingers gr
azing the side of her breast. He led her deep into the garden to a fountain surrounded by magnolia bushes. The air was heavy with their scent and the moon made the water shimmer like diam
onds as it shot into the air.

"It's beautiful."

"So are you.”
Cole
p
ulled her into another embrace and kissed her hard while bending her backwards. He ravished her lips, tickling and sucking as his tongue battled with hers. Leaving her mouth he let his lips travel downward, pulling the other nipple from the confines of he
r
gown to pleasure it as he
’
d pleasured the other. Back and forth he went between the two, while his hands roamed over her back and bottom. He bunched the skirt of her dress in one fist and quickly delved into her hot cleft, his fingers sliding in easily a
s
her honey flowed ov
er his hand.

Jolie
cried out and wiggled against his manhood until he groaned. He
’
d gotten hard and ready to take her every time they had danced and
Cole
growled as her heat pressed against him. Her hand boldly slid between them and she
stroked him up and down, pausing to squeeze the head of his shaft and then sliding down again. Her fingers fumbled with the fastening, but managed to release his cock from his tight breeches.
Jolie
stroked it with wild abandon after setting it free, seeki
ng to give pleasure as his lips and hands continued their wonderful a
ssault of her body and senses.

Cole
moaned and rocked his hips in time to her pumping, loving the feel of her tiny hand encircling his shaft, squeezing the head then sliding up and down o
ver and over until he was ready to explode. To her surprise he suddenly stilled her hand and took a step back. He had other more pleasurabl
e games in mind for the night.

"Will you do something for me love?”
His tongue found her nipple as his fingers tantal
ized her swollen nub.
Jolie
parted her thighs wider, inviting him in. She purred as he delved in deep then ran the rough pad of his thumb over her nubbin, totally lost. If he didn
’
t
take her soon, she would die.

“
Will you little one?
Will you do anything f
or me?”

“
I need you now
Cole
.”