To Seduce an Earl (39 page)

Alex brushed his lips across her brow, his hands offering only comfort as he stroked her hair. “I don’t want to hurt you.” Braced on his elbows, he stared down at her as if attempting to read her soul.

“Then take me, all of me,” she urged.

He lifted his hips slower, more gently this time. As he pulled from her, his cock receding, that aching need flared to life. Grace tightened her arms around him, squeezing her thighs to hold him close. “Don’t leave me.”

“Never.” He thrust into her again. This time when he moved, she lifted her hips, meeting him, taking him as deeply as she could. Alex closed his eyes, groaning. His reaction emboldened her. “Blast, but you’ll be the death of me.”

“A wonderful death it will be,” she said with a cheeky grin.

He found no amusement in her jest. His eyes had grown dark, full of a desire so intense that a shudder swept through her body. Grace’s smile wavered, her breath catching. He looked at her as if he owned her, and perhaps he did. She belonged to him, body, heart and soul. But did he belong to her as well?

“I adore you,” he whispered as he lifted his hips and thrust into her again.

As he rocked against her, with each thrust he sent her spiraling higher…higher, toward that ultimate reward. Grace wrapped her legs around his calves, clinging to the man as if her life depended upon it. As her body grew desperate, her emotions got the better of her.

“Show me you care,” she whispered.

Alex, as if sensing the desperateness of her feelings, paused, those beautiful blue eyes softening. He slipped his finger under her chin, tilting her head back and pressed his mouth to hers in a devastating kiss. Grace moaned, meeting his tongue thrust for thrust.

Desire shot to her core, swirling down between her legs once more. She wanted to get closer, wanted to move, wanted the ache to ease, wanted to crawl completely inside of him. She shifted her hips, taking him deeper.

“Come for me, Gracie.”

The ache inside her intensified, coiling tightly. Stars were there, just out of reach. Brilliant, achingly beautiful stars.

“Alex,” she whispered his name.

He lifted his hips, surging into her again, and again. His hard body rocked against her, pushing her into the sand, sending her toward those stars.

Just when she thought she could take it no longer, Grace burst forward upon a wave of pleasure so intense, her entire world faded. White stars danced behind her eyelids as she floated, floated in a world she never wanted to leave. It wasn’t what she’d expected. It was more, so much more.

Vaguely she heard Alex groan, felt his body shudder as his wet seed burst into her womb and Grace trembled all over again. He collapsed atop her, his hard body sleek with sweat and bringing her back into reality.

But Grace was happy to be back on earth, if it meant she could touch him, kiss him, taste him. She swept her hands down his back, pausing near his bottom and cupping the tight mounds. When she pulled him closer, Alex sucked in a sharp breath.

“You’ll kill me,” he rasped.

She couldn’t quite help herself. Giddy with a happiness that could barely be contained, she moved her hands up his muscled back. His scent was on her skin, branding her. He was hers finally, completely.

“We shouldn’t have done that here.” He lifted just enough to rest upon his elbows and kiss her forehead. “What would the neighbors think should they happen upon us.”

There was no seriousness to his tone. Grace giggled. “Tis the perfect place. Our own spot of heaven.”

She felt as if she had just experienced perfection. Perhaps this was heaven. She slid her fingers through the soft curls at his temple, shaking loose the bits of sand that had found their way into the shiny locks.
 

He grinned down at her, those dimples flashing. “Do you know how lovely you look with the glow of the setting sun kissing your skin?” His hand trailed down the side of her face, his fingers outlining every feature as if trying to memorize the details. “You’ve exhausted me. You’ve brought me back to life only to kill me here. But oh what a way to die.”

“And tonight,” she whispered. “We shall bring you back to life once more, this time in your new home.”

“
Our
new home,” he said, kissing her gently.

Grace grinned and wrapped her arms around his neck, clinging to him much like the tiny pieces of sand clung to her arms and legs. The gritty texture didn’t bother her in the least. Not even the thought of being seen in such a compromising position by the neighbors made her stir.

She was content here with Alex…her life…her love.
 

Nothing could be more perfect.

Chapter 21

Nothing could be worse.

For three days it rained. Dreary, cold weather that left them huddled in the house, wishing for coal and a hearth that was cleaned. Alex supposed some would have found their banishment romantic, and there was nothing more Alex would have liked than to be ensconced in a cottage with Grace… if he hadn’t been so bloody worried about the treasure.

Truth was, the more time he spent with Grace, the more his feelings grew, spreading through his body, seeping into his heart…his soul. The first night Alex had made love to Grace in a sweet and slow manner that left them both trembling and vulnerable. She’d snuck into his heart and he knew he never wanted her to leave. Much to his relief and dismay, she’d told him she loved him once more, and then had promptly fallen asleep, curled like a kitten against the side of his body. He’d gone to bed with dreams of a future, hope for a new life and fear that it would be taken away.

But by morning, when they’d awoken to rain dripping from a hole in the ceiling and soaking their pathetic bed, his hope was fading, swept away on the cool breeze that seeped through the cracks in the walls. First he worried the cottage would fall down upon their very heads. Then he worried that between the cool air and rain, Grace would get sick.

She’d insisted she was quite hardy and had gone about the day, helping him search the house as if they were on a grand adventure. And for a while… he’d managed to forget his despair and worry. For awhile, she’d managed to make him believe.

But after three days of searching the house for a mythical treasure, the situation was growing rather dire.

Grace, the wonderful, blasted woman didn’t know when to give up. She knew as well as he that he couldn’t support her, her mother and sister without that treasure, but he sure as hell would die trying. Even now she was trudging through the weed-ridden front garden, studying the house and searching for something odd that might indicate a secret hiding place.

His shirt sleeves rolled to his elbows, trousers covered in dust, Alex leaned against the door jamb, merely content watching her. The way her hips swayed when she paced. Her brows drawn together in concentration. Locks of hair had come loose and floated on the late afternoon breeze. She was so devoted to finding that bloody treasure, she didn’t notice he stood there. Grace wouldn’t give up, ever. He admired her for that. Respected her, even. Yet, there was a time when one needed to accept reality.

Impatiently, she brushed back a lock of hair and nibbled on her lower lip. The brown dress she wore had a smudge of dirt on the skirt and the hem had torn as they’d searched the gardens. Beautiful, always beautiful, but damn it all, she didn’t deserve this life. Alex’s heart clenched painfully, the emotions so intense, he was forced to look away. He wanted to build her a bloody castle. Dress her in silks. Drape her in jewels.

“Perhaps I shall go to town to look for work tomorrow,” his voice came out unnaturally gruff.
 

Grace paused between a red rose bush and a patch of wild daisies. Her horrified gaze flashed toward him, her every emotion in her hazel eyes. “No, Alex! You will not work in the mines! It’s too dangerous.”

He stepped off the stoop and started toward her, cursing every weed that wrapped around his boots, preventing him from reaching her more quickly. “Gracie.” He cupped the sides of her face, breathing in her warm, vanilla scent and taking comfort in her presence. “Merely until we can save enough money.” But they both knew that wasn’t true. He’d never have enough.

She stepped back, away from his touch, shaking her head so furiously fast another lock came loose, falling charmingly against her right cheek. “Not yet. I feel it. Today we’ll find the treasure.”

But what if they didn’t? Surely it was better to be realistic, instead of clinging to some ridiculous fantasy. “Grace—”

“We will find it,” Grace assured him, her voice coming out a little harder than normal. There was a frantic gleam in her eyes. A gleam that saddened him, that touched his heart, his soul. He didn’t dare destroy her hope.

“Right.” He gave her a tight smile as a low rumble of thunder shook the skies. Another storm was coming and their clothing had barely had time to dry from the last. “Of course we will.”

But obviously he’d never make a career on the stage. Sighing, she turned away from him and moved toward the path that led to the beach where they’d first made love. “We will find it, Alex. We will.”

The setting sun pierced the dark clouds and outlined her body with a heavenly glow. Her hair practically sparkled with flames of red and gold. A goddess so deserving of more than what he could offer. Whether he accepted it now or later, he knew deep down he had failed her.

“Grace.”

“No, we can’t stop, Alex, we can’t,” she called out over the roar of ocean waves.

They’d eaten the last of their food today. Tomorrow their bellies would be empty. He would not see Grace hungry. He would not see her in pain as he’d had to see his mother and brother those few days before he’d left with Ophelia.

“Fish!” Grace called out, her face flushed with excitement as she turned toward him. “And…and oysters.” She raced up the beach toward Alex, her skirts hiked to her knees. “We have plenty of food here! Along the shore!”

As she danced in excitement around him, Alex glanced toward the beach where the waves were great, gray, and tumbling from the approaching storm. Years ago he and Dem had fished. He could still remember jumping and skipping along the boulders, looking for hidden treats. Perhaps she was right. The memory of his grandfather searching for oysters was fresh in his mind. They did have food here, all around them. In summer the berries up on the hill would be ripe. Wasn’t there an apple orchard not far down the lane?

“Stop worrying, Alex!” She spun around, twirling so her skirts flared wide. Her laughter warmed his very being; how he always wanted her this happy. She was a perfect portrait of a fairy, one at ease and in love with life and nature. “We are free! We have everything we need here!”

A burst of sunlight pierced the clouds, making the dew on the grass sparkle like diamonds, as if the very heavens were applauding her effort. And for a moment, a brief moment, he thought perhaps she was right. Perhaps Grace was a fey person, full of magic and hope. Mayhap she knew more than he did about life.
 
 

“We have each other Alex.” She paused, smiling up at him. In her smile was love, acceptance. “Alex,” she stepped closer to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I do love you.”

The emotion in her gaze almost brought him to his knees. She loved him. She trusted him. She believed in him. Just like that, any hope vanished. How he wanted to beg her to forgive him for bringing her here. Yet, at the same time he wanted to beg her to stay. When she uncovered the truth, that he hadn’t a bloody clue how to support her, what would she think of him? And she would uncover the truth, eventually. Then what?

As she leaned into him, her eyes closing, her head tilted to kiss him, he thought of their children. They would have children. Children who would need clothing, toys, and food other than fish and oysters. What about winter when the food was scarce? Startled, horrified, Alex stepped back, away from her touch, away from her comfort. Christ, even now she could be with child.
His
child. And what would his son or daughter think if the truth of his past was ever uncovered?

“Don’t, Alex,” Grace demanded, her lower lip quivering. She knew where his thoughts led. Anger and frustration flashed in her hazel eyes. “Don’t push me away. Don’t look at me with that haunted gaze.” She marched by him, headed toward the house once more. “I will not let you destroy what we have, what we
can
have.”
 

“Grace, I’m merely being realistic.”

But she didn’t pause, didn’t even slow her pace. “I will not give in. We can uncover a way to make this work, we
must.
”

He sighed and started after her, exasperated. “Life is not a fairytale.”

“Life is whatever you want it to be,” she snapped back, pausing in the doorway. She spun around to face him, her eyes flashing with a furiousness he’d never seen before. An anger that gave him pause. “She controls you still, Alex. Even now. You may not be at her estate, but she is still here.” She shoved her finger into his chest for emphasis.

His insides grew stiff and chill. “What do you mean?”

“Lady Lavender.” Grace gripped the sides of the door frame. “Don’t you see? She stole your childhood, but you are no longer a child! You’re an adult, don’t let her steal your future as well.”