The Earl's Outrageous Lover (13 page)

Edward finally gave himself permission to climax when he felt her body shivering with her third climax.  But his mind was already coming up with the next position he wanted to show this responsive, incredible woman.

Chapter 9

Jessica felt as if her stomach were tied in knots.  She and Edward still hadn’t agreed that they would be married today but here she stood, in a fabulous white wedding dress that he’d sent over last night.  She never would have guessed that he had such incredibly good taste in wedding attire, but the man had selected the most gorgeous, slightly outrageous dress that she’d fallen in love with from the moment she opened the box.

The shimmering organza was gathered at the waistline with a wave of shimmering flowers along one side of the waist.  The fabric then flared out with embroidery along the scalloped edge of the hem that ended just below her waist with layers and layers of organza to poof it out like a tulip.  It was perfectly white, but the fabric made it almost glow with energy and beauty.

When she’d opened the box, not sure what to expect after he’d left her yesterday afternoon, she’d almost been afraid to look inside.  As she’d pulled the tissue paper back, she gasped in surprise and delight.  She picked up the gown immediately and held it against her, peering into the mirror to see how the fabric would look against her skin.  With a laugh and a skip, she raced up to her bedroom and tried it on.  As soon as she saw herself, she knew that this was the dress she wanted to be married in.  She twirled around and looked at her figure from various angles, amazed at how the bodice made her waist look so tiny.  The bust was a bit snug and perhaps too much of her ample breasts were visible from the top, but she loved it regardless.

Edward had come to her house that morning, just to ensure that she would be ready on time.  Now, standing outside the judge’s office, she felt as if she should say something, as if she should call this whole charade off and tell Edward that it didn’t make sense for the two of them to get married.

Why was he doing this anyway?  Unless they were having sex, Edward appeared to truly dislike her.

“Are you ready?”  the judge asked, a paternal smile on his face as he looked at Jessica.

“I guess so,” she replied, wishing she could come up with a perfect argument to stop this ceremony.  Turning to Edward, she said, “I still have seven weeks before the deadline, Edward.  You really don’t need to make this sacrifice.  Won’t Julianna be hurt when she hears about this wedding?  I mean, I know that she and James sort of….well, you know….but getting married so soon after breaking up with each other might be….hurtful.”

The side of his mouth lifted in amusement and a sense of pleasure that she had so much concern for people she barely knew.  “I guarantee that Julianna will not be hurt by our marriage.  In fact, if I’d thought you were worried about that, I would have asked her to be here as a witness just to put your concerns to rest.”  He paused and took her hand in his and led her into the judge’s chambers.  “As for the rest, I don’t consider this a sacrifice at all and there’s no way you could have met someone I would have approved of you marrying in seven weeks.  So let’s get this done, shall we?”

Jessica wasn’t sure she liked the fact that Edward wanted to ‘get this done’ but she couldn’t seem to stop him.  He was like a bulldozer, plowing through the days and dragging her along with him.  When Edward wanted something, he really didn’t take no for an answer.  No matter how many times she said it, he just ignored her and continued on with his plans.

Unfortunately, she wanted this too much to put any real heat into her refusal.  She’d longed to be in this position ever since he’d held her in his arms during that evening of dancing.  She’d tried to fight it, but he really was an amazing man.  He was her dream man.  And where other girls found their dream man and were disappointed, Edward just continued to surprise and impress her.  She’d found him fascinating before.  Now she was completely and utterly in love with the man, mysteries and all.

She had no idea why Julianna wouldn’t be upset by the wedding, but that was a question for another day.  Edward had to nudge her when it was her turn to say “I do,” and fifteen minutes after walking into the office, they turned around and left, husband and wife, forever bound by the laws of the courts.

She knew that he’d kissed her to seal the vows, but she didn’t remember the kiss happening.  She knew that the others in the room had offered her congratulations and wished her a happy future with Edward, but she didn’t know what they’d actually said or even who they were.  She felt dizzy and confused and scared.  Why had she done this?  She’d worked hard to be crazy and outrageous since leaving her parents’ house for university, wanting to live her life on her own terms but had she just made the biggest mistake of her life?

She could feel the shivers start but couldn’t do anything to stop them.  She and Edward were back out on the street and she could see Tim grinning in the distance as he held the door for her and Edward but she was so terrified of what she’d just done she couldn’t smile back at him.

“Congratulations, my lord,” Tim said and bowed as the two approached.

“Thank you, Tim.  I’m not sure Ms.  Livingston has really accepted the reality though.  Give her time,” he said as he nudged her into the back of the limousine.”

Jessica sat in the back, staring straight ahead, her gorgeous dress floating around her.  The vehicle wasn’t as dark as normal, her mind thought.  She looked around, forcing her mind to come out of the stupor the ceremony had put it under, trying to make sense of everything.  When she focused on her surroundings, her eyes widened and she gasped in delighted surprise!  There were roses everywhere!  Red roses on every seat except the two she and Edward were occupying.  There was even a bottle of champagne in an ice bucket nestled off to the side.

Her lips were numb, her mind barely functioning, but she looked over at Edward and realized that he was just staring out the window himself.  He was holding himself stiffly, his fist underneath his jaw as he rested his elbow against the door.  The image popped into her mind of the day of his mother’s funeral, the first time she’d seen him and the similarities were painful to view.  Was he just as confused and overwhelmed as she was?  Her fingers twitched as she attempted to work up the courage to touch him, to comfort him just as she needed to be comforted right now.  She wanted his arms around her and she wanted to hear his deep, strong voice tell her that he loved her, or at least that they would be happy and could make this marriage work.

Edward looked out the window feeling like a fool for wanting this day to be special.  Jessica was barely going through the motions, so stunned and out of it that she might not realize where she was.  He wondered if she even realized that they were married, she’d barely acknowledged the judge and his wife who happily agreed to stand as their witness.  Edward had tried to make light of Jessica’s wide eyed gaze throughout the ceremony, but she had barely even blinked when everyone laughed.  She just bowed her head as if she’d just been sentenced to the gallows for the rest of her life.

Now, sitting in the back seat and smelling all those roses, she’d barely realized what he’d done.  Well, to be fair, he’d instructed Tim to do it but it had still been his idea to fill up the back seat with roses.  It had been such an abrupt ceremony and Jessica was an emotional little woman, he’d wanted to do something as outrageous as she was to help her through the day, to show her that they could get through this together.

But he hadn’t realized that she viewed their marriage as a punishment.  A lifetime sentence to be dreaded and endured through stoic aversion.

He’d never seen her this still.  She was always moving, always smiling and turning her head to see what someone else was doing.  Her curls bounced around her pretty face and her lush body moved with sensuous grace as she took in the world around her.

But not on her wedding day.

He sighed and pushed all thoughts of their marriage to the side, thinking about the business deal he was working.  He was just about to pick up the phone to tell Tim to take them home instead of the hotel he’d arranged for the night when he felt her move beside him.

He was stunned when she settled her adorable little bottom on his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck and looking at him with a slight smile.  “The flowers are amazing,” she whispered.  “Thank you.”

He couldn’t stop his hands from coming up and holding her in place.  It was like her body was water and life and he’d been in a desert for years with no sustenance or liquid.  Every time he saw her he wanted to touch her, to feel her and make love to her.  And now she was his wife and she was touching him first.  He wasn’t one to ignore this kind of invitation, especially when her lush breasts in the strapless gown that could barely contain their fullness were so close his mouth.

“You're welcome,” he ground out, waiting to see what she would do next.  He’d seduced her into their previous intimacy, was she going to take the initiative this time?  And would that ease his guilt over railroading her into this marriage?  Probably not, but when her slender arms wrapped around his neck and she leaned against his chest, he groaned and took advantage of what she was offering.

Jessica leaned over and kissed him, not sure how to initiate the kind of kiss she wanted, especially when he looked so grim.  But she wanted to try, she wanted to make him feel better and make up for the sacrifice he’d made for her.

She kissed him with all that she was feeling, all the sweet and passionate emotion that was welling up within her and she was overwhelmed with his response.  He took her breath away and made her dizzy so she didn’t even realize when the vehicle stopped.  Tim was opening the door before they pulled away from each other.

Edward lifted her up and set her onto the sidewalk, then took her hand and led her through the brass doors of a strange building.  “Where are we going?”  she asked, skipping to keep up with him.

An older man was standing in the middle of the marble lobby, an ingratiating smile on his face as he handed Edward something.  “Everything is as you requested, my lord,” he said with a slight bow.  “And may I say….”  He was still talking when Edward stepped into the elevator and took Jessica into his arms, kissing her just as the doors closed.

Jessica was only vaguely aware of the elevator ride taking them to another level of what she now suspected was a hotel, but while Edward was kissing her, she couldn’t think about anything other than him.

The doors opened with a soft swish and he lifted his head, smiling at her dazed expression.  This one was similar to what she looked like after their wedding, but this expression had a different feel to it.  He knew that she was looking like this because of the way he could make her feel and not because she’d just gone and done something monumentally stupid like marrying him.

He led Jessica out of the elevator straight into the penthouse of the hotel and waited for her reaction.  The limousine had only been the beginning and the hotel manager had done an excellent job.

Jessica looked up at Edward, wondering why he wasn’t taking her back into his arms.  She stepped forward, not willing to wait any longer.  When he was touching her, everything felt right and wonderful.  But when he stopped, she felt cold and the insecurities starting infiltrating her mind.  She didn’t want to worry today since it was her wedding day.  She wanted to celebrate and pretend like everything was going to be wonderful for the rest of their lives.

Standing on tiptoe, she reached up and kissed his jaw, her hands sliding up his shirt and reveling in the feeling of his muscles underneath her hands.

Edward wanted her to see his surprise, but the way she was touching him made him just a bit out of control.  He wasn’t going to do that this time though.  No more insane tearing off of clothes and heated rush to be inside her.  He was going to take his time, be in control and show her that he wasn’t an animal.  He could do this, he told himself as that surge of lust started to blind him to his goal.  He lifted her into his arms and carried her through the penthouse living room and into the bedroom, laying her carefully on the bed.  As he looked down at her, his hands slipping her shoes off, he vowed that tonight would be different.  He could bring her to the peak of her pleasure and show her things she never thought possible.

Chapter 10

Jessica woke slowly, her body still content to lie in the large, fluffy mattress.  As her eyes opened and started to focus, she thought she was seeing things.  There were flowers everywhere!  On every possible surface, there was a bower of perfect, red roses.  She turned her head and looked to the other side of the bed and sure enough, there were roses there as well.

She sat up and realized that the entire room was filled with roses and she finally understood what she’d been smelling last night.  The lights had been too dim and Edward’s hands so overwhelming that she hadn’t had a chance to look around, but now that she was, her heart swelled with love for the man who would take the time to do this.  She had to smile and shake her head, because he probably just instructed someone else to do this, but it was still an incredibly sweet gesture.

She stepped into the shower, hurrying through so she could find the man who had done something so sensitive and caring.  Slipping her arms into the fluffy robe with the name of the hotel embroidered on the top, she padded barefoot through the penthouse, her mouth dropping open as she saw that it wasn’t just the bedroom that held the flowers.  They were everywhere!

She touched one flower gently, afraid to mar the perfection of the petals as she twirled around, looking at the hundreds, possibly thousands of red roses.  She finally pulled one free and took it with her as she searched the rest of the penthouse.  She eventually found him out on the balcony in an identical robe and she stood in the doorway watching him for a long moment, just admiring his strong profile and the intelligence as his eyes swiped through the newspaper.  She couldn’t even look at things that quickly but she suspected that he was reading every word and memorizing the information for future use.

He must have heard her move or something because he turned and saw her standing there.  He didn’t smile or change his scowling expression as he took in her wet hair and makeup free face.  She touched her skin and realized that this was the first time he’d ever seen her without makeup.

“You look beautiful,” he said, sensing her insecurity over her lack of facial enhancement.  “I ordered coffee and tea.  Are you hungry?”

Jessica glanced at the table and saw the silver tea pot and her heart melted a bit more.  “I’d love some tea,” she said and walked over to the chair next to him.  “The flowers are incredible.  Thank you,” she said shyly.

He reached out and poured her a cup of tea, then re-filled his own coffee from the other silver pot.  “I’m sorry that we won’t have a traditional honeymoon.  I have some meetings that can’t be shifted this week.  But I’ll take you on a trip soon.”  He snapped his newspaper back, folding it in half so he could read the back side while he picked up his coffee with the other hand.  “Do you have a preference on where you’d like to go?”

Jessica wasn’t sure what was going on.  How could he be so stiff and formal after last night?  He’d taken her higher than she ever thought possible and then she’d woken to a room full of flowers.  Where was the romantic man that had to be underneath that gruff exterior?

Come to think of it, where was the passionate man she’d had sex with the previous nights?  Last night, he’d made her cry out until she was completely out of control, but he hadn’t even let her touch him, had been in complete control throughout the whole interlude.  Every time he’d touched her last night he’d made her so desperate for release that she was begging him to just let her climax, but he’d been grimly determined to not lose himself in the experience and almost a different person than he’d been before.

“I don’t think I really have a preference,” she said, trying to think of something to break through the stiff formality of the conversation.  “Do you?”

He shook his head while he read through another article in the newspaper.  “I’ll have my assistant contact a travel agent tomorrow and she will give you some options.”

That didn’t sound very romantic.  She fiddled with the handle to her china cup, wondering what she could say, how she could break through.  “Do you have a lot of work this week?”  she asked.

“No more than usual,” he replied, not even looking up.

She bit her lower lip and glanced around at the views off of the balcony.  “This is really lovely,” she finally said, wondering if she should just leave him to read.

Edward glanced up briefly, looked at the views of the other buildings and the trees in the distance, then went back to the newspaper.  “I suppose so.”  After a moment, he looked back at her curiously.  “If you’d like to live in a place higher up rather than a house, I’ll buy you a place in London.”

Jessica immediately shook her head.  “No, there’s no need for anything like that.”  But that brought up a very interesting question.  Where were they going to live?  Was she supposed to move in with him?  And if so, when was that going to happen?  Not to mention the fact that his parents hadn’t shared a bedroom.  She’d discovered that little fact the last time she’d spoken to Tim.  Were they going to share a bedroom?  It seemed archaic for a married couple to have separate bedrooms, but she didn’t know his thoughts on the subject.  He might prefer to have his own bedroom.  In his present mood, she hesitated to say anything to him, much less ask about their living arrangements.

He seemed preoccupied with his newspaper so she sipped her tea quietly, her mind racing through all the repercussions of her marriage yesterday.  She just glanced to the side and gasped.

“What’s wrong?”  he asked, the corner of the paper flopped down so he could see over to her.

She pointed to the picture in the gossip page, the one that clearly showed Edward in the elevator with his arms wrapped around her.  Jessica’s face was obscured but it was obviously a very passionate embrace.  Edward’s eyes went to where she was pointing and the scowl on his face deepened.  She heard a faint curse before he snapped the paper around to read the caption.

He tossed the paper to the side with disgust.  “I’m sorry Jessica.  There will probably be a media circus outside when we leave.”

Jessica smiled, thinking that she had the perfect solution.  She curled her legs up underneath her, glad to have the previous Edward back, the one who occasionally showed emotions and passions.  “Well then, I guess there’s only one thing to do.”

He looked at her as if she were only halfway sane.  “What do you propose?  I dislike having my name in the newspapers, much less my picture taken during a public display of affection.”

She had to laugh, excited to see him showing something besides that intimidating impassiveness even if it was anger.  “We should just stay here until they go away.”

Edward’s scowl immediately left his face and a small smile formed on that handsome and oh, so talented mouth of his.  He took the hand that had been laying on her lap and pulled her out of her chair, then directly down onto his lap.  “And what did you have in mind to do while we hide out here?”

Jessica looked out at the skyline and shrugged.  “Oh, I think we could just sit here and stare at the view for a long time.  What do you think?”

He laughed softly while his hand snuck inside of her robe, glad to find that she hadn’t put anything on after her shower.  “I don’t really like the skyline.  Nothing changes.  I like it when things move.”

Her smile broadened, relieved that he was thinking along the same lines.