Seduce Me Please (35 page)

Glancing at Piper, he smiled. She was exhausted, leaning against his arm for cushion and no doubt support. He prayed no one saw them driving through the streets, especially with the condition she was in.

They reached Ashford House to find Poppy waiting anxiously, pacing back and forth in the foyer. She ran towards him as he carried Piper through the front door. “Oh, Rockwell, is she well?” She cried her voice raspy with emotions, tears spilled down her pale cheeks.

“
Exhausted, but well, Your Grace,” he replied. “Where shall I take her?”

“
Bring tea and warm water to Piper’s room, Bertie,” Poppy ordered, making her way to the stairs. “Follow me.”

He carried her upstairs and laid her gently on the freshly laundered linens scented with lavender, making sure to fluff her pillow before he positioned her head in the center. Stepping back from the bed, Graydon dug his hands into his pockets, pacing back and forth at the foot of Piper’s bed as Poppy gently washed the dirt from her face and hands. He didn’t know how to describe what his heart was doing. The tight feeling in his chest foreign and one he never wanted to feel again.

“
Rockwell, go home,” Poppy begged. “You will do her no good if you expire from exhaustion.” She sat down in a chair near Piper’s head and began mopping her brow with a cool cloth. “There is no fever, she is just tired. Let her sleep.”

“
No,” he croaked. “I promised I would never leave her again.” He scrubbed his hand over his stubbled jaw. “I cannot break that promise so quickly.” He wanted her safe. He knew logically those that threatened him were taken care of, but emotionally he wouldn’t stop worrying until she was awake. “Surely you understand.”

“
She will understand.” Poppy threw him a sympathetic smile. “And I understand.” Slowly standing, she patted the seat she had vacated. “I on the other hand must rest for this child’s sake.” She rubbed her distended belly tenderly. “You can watch over her while I’m resting.”

“
Thank you, Your Grace.” He produced a weak smile, before he caught up her hand and pressed his lips to her fingers.

Poppy rested her hand on his shoulder. “It is obvious that you are going to be my brother very soon, is it possible you can stop ‘Your Gracing’ me?”

“
I would like that.” He managed.

After Poppy’s departure, the only sound to be heard was Piper’s slow, easy breathing.
God how he loved her
. He wondered if when she woke, she would remember his declaration when he couldn’t remember if she had even answered him.

He whispered, “Piper, I’m on my guard for the rest of the world, but with you I’ve bared my soul.” He leaned his forehead on the mattress and prayed. He prayed for anything and everything that had to do with Piper.

“
Graydon?” Came Piper’s raspy voice seemingly from a distance. She barely remembered the carriage ride home, but she couldn’t forget Graydon’s heroic rescue, she would never forget it. He’d saved her life. She knew that Fulton and Whitman had no intention of letting her survive, they were too far gone, too angry to be reasoned with. She believed they would have just let her waste away.

He opened his eyes not realizing he had fallen asleep until the sound of her soft voice calling his name permeated his exhaustion. Lifting his head, he noticed Piper propped up on her elbows, her blue eyes looking back at him. “Piper. My love, how are you feeling.”

She smiled, then groaned at the pain. Reaching up she gingerly touched the bruised and swollen flesh that surrounded her right eye, swallowing hard. “As well as can be expected.” Moaning, she lay back against her pillow. “I feel like I’ve been beaten up.” She chuckled weakly.

The tightness in Graydon’s chest eased a bit at her wit. He sat up and took her hand in his, linking their fingers. “Truly, how are you feeling? He peered closely into her eyes, waiting for her response, grimacing as his eyes roamed over the large bluish, purple bruise surrounding her eye. “You don’t have to be strong now, Piper. You’re safe.” He released her hand and poured a glass of water, holding it to her lips to quench her thirst. He watched as her throat moved with each swallow.

When she spoke, her voice was full of emotion. “I ache everywhere.” She winced. “I’m aching in places I didn’t know that I could, my skin even hurts.” She gripped his hand tightly when she noticed her attempt at humor fell short of the mark once again.

Taking a wet cloth from the cool water he placed it lightly over her swollen eye. “I’m so sorry, my love. I’m sorry you were hurt because of me.” Graydon shuddered, his fear of almost losing her threatened to surface once again. “I’m sorry I didn’t take the threats seriously.”

Piper lifted her eyes, shimmering with unshed tears. “It’s not your fault, Graydon. Those men had problems that you could not have foreseen.” The cooling cloth was beginning to make her head feel better. “I’m grateful you rescued me.”

“
Thank you for not blaming me.” He managed a weak smile. “I was sitting here all night blaming myself for the suffering you had to endure because of me.”

“
Tell me, why?” She tilted her face to his. “Why were Fulton and Whitman so angry with you? What had you ever done to them?”

Graydon began the long tale, shocking Piper with his detail. “Whitman was a by-blow from one of my father’s numerous affairs and Fulton just so happens to be the father of Roberta Carlyle’s child.”

Piper’s eyes widened, “How did they come to know of each other?”

“
That’s the remarkable part of the story.” Graydon ran his thumb in slow circles over the back of Piper’s hand. “Two men complaining of their so-called circumstances, met by chance in a pub drowning their mutual sorrows over watered-downed ale.”

“
Then the two of them plotted this elaborate scheme just to get back at you?” Piper shook her head with astonishment.

“
Roberta and Fulton had initially started the scheming.” He shrugged. “They thought if they could cuckold some rich man to be the father of their child, then they could run off together later with all the money. Very rudimentary scheme strictly hatched for greed’s sake. And Whitman just wanted me to pay for my father’s neglect, the son paying for the sins of the father, and all that.”

“
Most definitely a simple and direct plan.” Piper was pale, but her eyes smiled. “I’m glad this mess is over.”

“
Your brother is helping out right now. He locked them away in his cellar until I can decide what I want to do.” He frowned. “Not a very easy task. I cannot decide if they were just victims of tragic circumstances or truly bad men that need to be punished.”

“
Must you decide their fate today, Gray?” Piper looked at him for a long moment, watching from beneath her lashes. “You are a compassionate man. I know you will do what is right.”

His gaze ran over her, hot and possessive. “There are some decisions that I feel cannot wait another day for an answer,” His voice deep.

“
Is that so?” She swallowed the air around them crackling with desire.

Locking his gaze with hers, he touched her, sliding his finger down her jaw and over her mouth. “I don’t believe you truly answered me yesterday.”

A puzzled look passed over Piper’s face. “I didn’t?” Piper eyed Graydon thoughtfully. “I was sure I made myself fairly clear.”

Graydon grinned a little. “So when I insisted that you were going to marry me, you said…” he trailed off waiting for Piper to finish, rubbing his forehead as if to ease tension.

She sighed. “After all of the dramatics over the past few days, I’m going to have to think about it.” She bit her lip forestalling her smile.

He released her hand, rising partway from his chair. “You’ll t-t-think about it?” He just stared at her aware of a twisting sensation somewhere in his chest.

Piper grimaced as she rose up on her right elbow, still sore from her ordeal, lifting her left hand to trail over the scruffiness of his unshaven jaw. “How could I refuse such a heartfelt declaration, especially one coming from such a catch? I should be flattered to have captured a man that hundreds possibly even thousands of women have tried to tame.”

“
Piper,” he growled, his gaze narrowed when he spotted the mischievous twinkle that appeared in her eyes.

“
Yes, Graydon?” she questioned with one eyebrow raised, her lips quirked.

“
I cannot believe you would tease me so, at such a time as this.” Relief shot through him. “And after I risked life and limb to see you rescued. Say you will marry me.” He captured her face in his hands. “If you do not marry me I vow that I will perish. Can you live with my demise on your conscience?” He looked down into her shimmering eyes. “Piper, will you please be my wife?” Then he kissed her. Kissed her so completely that she had to cling to him when he finished.

“
Yes, Graydon,” she replied with a watery chuckle. Tears shown, turning her eyes into shimmering pools. “I knew you were the one the very first time that I laid eyes on you.” She kissed his jaw, his cheek, his neck.

He captured her chin, his gaze darkened when he saw that her eyes mirrored his love. His need. He watched as a single tear rolled down her cheek, he caught it with his lips before he lowered his mouth to hers again, capturing her lips, knowing at that moment it would take more than a lifetime for him to grow tired of the feel or the taste of her.

She was his forever.

Forever.

His body tightened, his erection swelling requiring him to leash in his desire. She was not yet healed from her ordeal, and he would be damned if he harmed her in anyway.

She reached up and cupped the curve of his jaw, kissing him back as fervently as he her. Her days trapped in the cramped cell gave her ample time to prioritize what she thought truly important for her future. And the most important aspect to her future she found was Graydon. She couldn’t imagine growing old without him by her side. Her husky laugh reverberated through his already tight body. “I love you, Graydon.” The words whispered into his mouth. She could feel the smile that spread across his lips at her whispered declaration.

Graydon groaned against her mouth. “I love you too, Piper.” He claimed her mouth, devouring her. Hot, wet and full of raw need. Their tongues clashed, urgent and aroused. He slid his hands up to span her ribcage before cupping her breast through the thin fabric of her night-rail, her nipples puckering, poking into his palm.

Streaks of pleasure shot directly to her pulsing core, her muscles clenched hard, as her ardent desire dampened her thighs. She felt shameless, writhing with frustration when suddenly; he dipped his head to suck one taut nipple into his mouth, tugging and biting.

She cried out, shuddering at the decadent feel of his lips when he took more of her breast in his mouth.

Lost in the sensation, neither heard the door open.

“
I see you’re feeling better, Piper.”

Gasping, she pushed Graydon away, pulling the blanket up to shield her breast covered by the wet night-rail. Her cheeks flamed. Her breath, deep gulps. She looked up to find Parker propped against the doorframe. His brow raised a hint of a smile on his lips.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

What is it Shakespeare wrote? ‘The course of true love never did run smooth?’ Truly a man of great wisdom.

Piper’s journal

22 August

WELL, SHE MOST CERTAINLY wouldn’t call it the wedding of the season, but it was quite close and it was a definite triumph. She was now known as the lady who tamed the earl, which suited her perfectly fine. Even if outrageous rumors abounded that she had to resort to—shall we say—extreme measures to capture his attentions.

If only Society knew what those extreme measures truly were.

Piper smiled as she straightened her mother’s diamond tiara which rested lovingly atop her glossy brown curls. The bruises across her face had faded over the past few weeks and only her glowing countenance remained. The woman she saw in the mirror was luminous, a true reflection of the love that swelled her heart to near bursting. She preened in front of the freestanding cheval glass situated in the corner of the antechamber, glad that she had a moment alone to catch her breath before reentering the chaos in the other room.

Planting her palms flat against the door, she pushed. Her face glowing with an indescribable incandescence as she walked into
his
library, now
their
library, which at that moment was full of friends and family eager to celebrate their recent nuptials.

Taking a moment to look about the room, she smiled at Poppy who sat near the fireplace; Declan standing watch like a sentry next to her. His hand rested protectively on her shoulder.

Scanning the crowd further, she spied Auntie Adele and Lady Rockwell sitting with their heads pressed close together, looking like two cats that got the cream when strong arms captured her from behind, surprising her, surrounding her with his warmth. Hot breath wafted over her ear as his huskily whispered words floated on the air. “You’ve cast a spell over me since the day I first laid eyes on you.”

Twisting in his grasp, she wrapped her arms around his waist. Her eyes flickered to his chest and then back up, considering the hungry, possessive look mirrored in his eyes. Without warning, a smile caught the corners of her mouth and a sparkle settled in her eyes. “
C’
é
tait le coup de foudre
.” She closed her eyes for a moment, breathing in his essence. “I was struck by lightning, as well.”