One True Love (17 page)

William and Cassie stayed bound together with their limbs intertwined, and his cock buried deep inside of her. He heard her sigh and noticed her wiggle beneath him. "Forgive me, sweetings. My weight must be too much to bear." He slipped out of her, and rolled off, then pulled her to him. He cradled her like a babe in a mother's arms. "Are you alright?"

"I am perfect...wonderful...absolutely delicious." Cassie beamed, and it made his heart flip inside his chest. "I had no idea, not even a clue. Can we do that again?"

William laughed and pulled her tighter against him. "Again and again, as often as you would like."

"I think I would like to do it again now, please." She did not wait for his answer, but pulled his head down for a kiss.

They spent the night getting to know one another, and learning each other's bodies. They laughed and talked between bouts of lovemaking. William could not ask for a more perfect wedding night, even if it were the night after. He wrapped her in his arms after a long night of loving, and she laid her head on his chest then fell into a blissful sleep.

Peaceful and content, William drifted in and out of an erotic sleep where he relived the night over and over again. Tomorrow...his dreams told him...tomorrow he would buy her new dresses and jewelry. He turned to his side with his back against her.
His bride, his lovely bride
. Her face appeared before him, and smiled like sunshine on a gloomy day. Then it faded away.
Cassie!
He called out to her, but she was gone. He turned again and felt her body against him.

William wrapped his arms around her, and took her plump breast in his hand. He kneaded it, and listened to her whimpers. He stiffened against her backside, and readied to wake her. Moans escaped her throat as she arched against him. He came awake, fully aroused, and increased the pressure on her breast. He rubbed her nipple between his thumb and forefinger. She wriggled her bottom against his hardness. William continued his exploration as he rained kisses on her shoulder.

She cried out,
"Mr. Parker!"

William froze.

His world crashed down around his ears like metal clanging against a stone floor. His face tightened as sudden tension rolled through his shoulders.

D
ear God in Heaven
, he thought he would win her heart when he took her body. Obviously he was wrong.

He wanted to pull away, and leave her delectable body, while he washed away the bullets shooting through his soul with a strong bottle of whiskey. He eased away from her. His heart wrenched at each small movement. The pain of his foolishness cut through him, sliced him like the sharp edge of a knife, drew his blood, and cut out his heart.

He should have known, and expected her feelings for her first love to stand, rather than wither away like dying flowers on a vine. Exhausted from the lovemaking, Cassie turned into her pillow and mumbled incoherent sounds, bitter to his ears as he imagined she dreamed of her Mr. Parker.

The fire in the hearth died out to nothing but embers, but the coldness that gripped him came not from the sharp penetrating air of the room, but from deep inside him, where self-preservation fought to close him off to her forever.

William donned his clothes and looked back at his sleeping angel, who was fully loved and sated, with her peaceful innocence in his bed.
His wife
.

He closed the shutters of his heart, and quietly left the room.

***

Cassie stretched like a kitten waking from a long nap. Never before had she felt so relaxed, and so completely and thoroughly loved.

She almost purred.

Deeply satisfied, she reached over and felt the empty space in the bed. She frowned, turned on her side, and pulled the covers over her naked body.

Slivers of a red-orange dawn peeped through the window and illuminated his space in colorful shadows. Where was William?

Cassie ran her hand along the bed sheets and over his pillow, and sought his warmth. Perhaps he was an early riser. Surely he did not return to his own chamber after what they did last night.

She sighed, contented by his loving, but frustrated by his leaving. Why was he not here, in her bed, soothing her throbbing body? Now she knew why she throbbed down there, and she wanted to feel him again, deep inside of her, thrusting in her until the ache eased and she felt that wonderful splendor all over again. Warmth tinged her face at her naughty thoughts. William would most likely be shocked if he knew that she was thinking such sinful, wanton thoughts. Couples did not make love in the daytime, or
did they
?

Cassie snuggled deeper under the covers. She reached up and touched her full breasts, and the tight buds of her desire. She recalled his mouth on her, and the exquisite pleasure he gave her
there
. Her hand moved to the secret place he touched last night, now sensitive, but still wanting. Every part of her craved his touch again, but she was alone, so all she could do was turn into her pillow and groan.

***

Rosehill Manor left little room for escape. William could only go so far before he ran into his wife. He knew he could not avoid her forever, and if he were honest with himself, he did not
want to
avoid her, especially her bed. Annoyed by his own self-imposed life long prison sentence, he knew he needed some space and time to sort out his muddled thoughts and feelings. He could not do that with his wife in his constant presence.

During the night William debated leaving Cassie in the country while he went to London alone, but he decided it was best to avoid unnecessary gossip. After all, there was no one else but himself to blame. William knew about Cassie's feelings towards another man
before
he offered for her. She could not switch her feelings overnight, despite his attempts to make her forget. Time and attention were his only weapons, but right now his own wounds were too raw.

Cassie's cry in the night for Mr. Parker cut deep. He needed a certain amount of distance before he made a besotted ass of himself. Somewhere between twilight and the rising sun, he realized his dilemma as a fallen man. All of his life he admired his parent's unconditional love, but their love was two sided, unlike his sham of a marriage, where only one heart was engaged.

In London, he could keep her busy with fittings for new dresses and social engagements. He would need to escort her on occasion, but for the most part they could follow separate social agendas. He could escape her by spending time at his club and Gentleman Jackson's.

As William sat down for breakfast, Cassie breezed in with a smile so brilliant he nearly lost his resolve. The woman took his breath away, and this morning she looked particularly pleasing in a lavender gown with a deep cut revealing her delectable breasts. He schooled his expressions, stood and greeted his wife, but could not take his eyes off of her. His wife's golden locks, let loose, reached her waist and formed an angelic vision that never looked so lovely.

Cassie's eyes fluttered downward, and a blush sweetened her milky skin. Her shyness after last night's passion touched a deep cord inside of him, a place he desperately tried to close up and lock away. The temptation to sweep her into his arms and carry her back upstairs almost won out, but he fought off the thoughts in the same way a man being choked would fight off his attacker.

"Good morning, William." Cassie's face glowed and her heat radiated around him, and tightened the already protruding bulge in his breeches even further. Her eyes were dreamy as if last night meant something, but he remembered her cry and tightened the reins on his heart.

He fought for control and normalcy. He forced a smile to curve his lips, and he reached to kiss her cheek. The softness of her skin tormented him, so he turned to the buffet to fill a plate with coddled eggs and kippers. She followed and did the same, blushed and turned from him more than once before they made their way to the table.

Yes, London would be a good thing. Lots of diversions. His family being the first on his list of ways to keep his little wife occupied. "I have instructed Katie to pack your things. We will leave for London this morning."

Cassie's fork stopped halfway between her plate and her mouth, her full pink lips gaped open. The idea of yanking her onto his lap and kissing her mouth took hold of him. Instead, he took a deep breath and gathered his composure. Is there a name for a madness of the heart?

"Today? So soon?" She lifted the fork to her mouth and took a bite of her egg, then had the audacity to dart her tongue out and lick her lips.

William held back a groan that threatened to escape his own lips. His attraction towards his wife vexed him. "The Season is about to begin. You will need time for shopping and fittings and such."

"What about our plans for Rosehill Manor?"

He stumbled. The renovations were almost finished, but the house still required decor and furnishings. He thought of another way around this new obstacle. "You can consult with London's premiere designers and order everything Rosehill Manor requires from our London townhouse. By the end of the Season, the house will be complete, and when we return our home will be in order."

"I feel as if I have yet to become used to one place, and now you want to go to another. Not that I am arguing. I have long looked forward to seeing London, but it is just that I feel as if my life is a sudden rush in so many unexpected directions." Cassie held her teacup and looked at him with her startling green eyes.

"Are you complaining of too many changes in scenery in such a short time span?"

She set the cup down. "Yes, I suppose I am. In one week's time I have been halfway to Scotland and back, married, moved into Rosehill Manor, and now you want me to leave for London. Could we not wait a fortnight more?"

Halfway to Scotland and back
. William tossed his napkin down and stood. "No madam, we will not wait. We will leave for London in an hour." William marched out of the room, and left Cassie in shock.

Cassie moved from the first blush of love to the first moment of reality in her marriage in a single heartbeat. What, pray tell, brought that on? What angered him so? What did she do to displease him?

Last night, William seemed more than pleased. Good grief! All she did was express her feelings about so much change at once. Perhaps she should not have mentioned Scotland. It reminded him of her disgrace.

Cassie's blood simmered. William knew of her ruin when he proposed marriage. The incident with Mr. Parker yesterday was uncomfortable at best, but she thought him over his anger when he came to her last night, and took her to his bed. Everything felt so right with the world, but now, she was unsure.

Well, there was nothing for it. This week was one adventure after another, and now it appeared she would be adventuring again. She finished her breakfast and made her way to her room.

"Everything is packed, my lady. I left out a traveling dress for you." Katie curtsied and waited for her instructions.

Cassie did not know if she would ever get used to having a lady's maid. "Thank you, Katie. Lord William wanted to leave soon, so I had best hurry." She changed into her serviceable gown and went to the front hall to meet her husband.

Her husband's efficient staff brought the carriage round and stowed their trunks away in record time. William handed her up and they were off to London Town.
London
. She might have been thrilled if William was not so out of sorts, and if the trip had not been announced just this morning.

Cassie looked out the window, and avoided her husband's sour disposition. This was a side of the man she could live without. She much preferred him smiling and cheerful. Right now he reminded her too much of her father, who almost always wore a puckered look on his face as if he swallowed a canary. She chuckled at the thought.

"What is so funny?"

"Nothing, my lord. I am simply lost in my amusing memories."

"Would you care to share these amusing memories?" he asked.

"I was thinking how you remind me of my father, a dour expression indeed, as if you just swallowed a canary. The vision I created amused me."

He twisted his lips as if he debated between a scowl and laughter. "I am glad my mood entertains you, my lady."