Storm on the Horizon (Fated For Love) (23 page)

When she returned
home, the house was buzzing with activity. She dismounted in the front drive, and her mother was on her before she even stepped inside.

“
I’ve been looking everywhere for you. Why in the lord’s name would you go riding the day of your wedding?” she said frantically.

“
I needed to burn off some energy. I’ve been cooped up talking endlessly about flowers and menus. I needed to get out, feel some sun on my face.”

Her mother frowned and inspected her face.
“You’re the only bride I know who would risk freckles on her wedding day.”

“
Oh, Mother.” Olivia rolled her eyes. “Thank God it’s just a small wedding. I’d hate to see how you would react to a large society wedding.”

“
I am a Marchioness, Olivia, I react with grace and poise in every situation.”

“
Well, thank God I’m only going to be a sea captains wife,” Olivia said in mock relief as she pivoted around her mother and headed for the breakfast parlor.

“
Is that sand on your hem? Were you at the beach this morning?” her mother said disdainfully.

“
Ugh. Yes, Mother. I went riding in the surf. It’s very exhilarating,” she said over her shoulder as her mother dogged her heels.

They entered the parlor
, and her father was sitting at the table reading the paper.

“
George, your daughter thought it reasonable to go riding in the surf on the morning of her wedding. Can you please talk some sense into her?”

“
That sounds splendid, Olivia, did you enjoy your ride?” he father said behind the paper.

“
Yes, I did. I stopped at the tide pools and poked a medusa plant, and then a little boy named Gregory told me about the Kraken.”

Her father peeked over the paper.
“The Kracken, eh? Beastly devil, that.”

Olivia giggled and took a sip of tea.

“Oh, dear. What shall I do with the two of you?” her mother said in resignation and took her seat at the table.

“
After today, there will only be one,” Olivia reminded her.

Her mother looked at her with surprise and tears brimmed in her eyes.
“My little butterfly is getting married.” She started weeping into a napkin.

“
There, there, Mother.” Olivia patted her back. She felt loved and a little tearful, too.

Her father just shook his head and turned back to his paper.
“There will be plenty of grandchildren to console you, Ann. Just wait.”

There was a slap as a butter pat hit the back of his paper, but he just kept on reading.

***

Colton ate breakfast with Devon. Devon didn’t talk much
, but there was a growing comfort in the silence now. Solid food still did not sit well with Devon. When he tried, he was wracked with nausea and horrible stomach pains. He was sustaining on broths and bland soups, and there hadn’t been another liquor incident. Devon was better... but not. He was not wallowing in misery like before, but instead, he was angry, and ready to argue with anyone about anything.

They played a game of chess
, and then Colton went to his room to prepare for his wedding. He was blissfully happy, but he kept it hidden from Devon. It was obvious that Devon was envious and bitter about Colton and Olivia’s nuptials, so he kept his grinning to a minimum when around Devon. He would have to remember to prepare Olivia.

It was after lunch when he bathed and dressed, spoke to the staff about the new mistress of the house returning this evening, and then left to pick up his parents and sisters.

They arrived at the Brennton home hours later, his mother fussing with Annabelle’s hair and Hazel patently refusing to put down a book until the ceremony began. The front door was wreathed with pink roses, and the butler stepped out as they arrived and showed them to the location for the ceremony. Colton was surprised they were directed to the apple orchard. An arched trellis stood by the fountain, and the boy in the middle wore a crown of leaves. The benches had been moved, and a row of cushioned chairs replaced them for their small group of witnesses. Colton was taken aback. It was an unconventional location, and yet perfect. This was where their journey had begun. Not where he had begun to love her, but where loving her had become a real possibility. Her mother joined them, along with a few of the upper servants who had known Olivia all her life. They took their seats, and Colton watched them with nervous flutters in his stomach.

He couldn’t believe this was happening .He was marrying Olivia
. She would be his wife, his lover, the mother of his children, and the last person he saw when he left this world. He felt more blessed than any man alive ought to. He was afraid he looked terrified. Everyone’s eyes were on him at the moment, and he felt so panicked that he might do something embarrassing like break into song or faint because he was so ridiculously happy.

There was movement in the back of the orchard. The trees were thick and brimming with leaves and apples, but he thought he saw Lord Ellsley. They came into the row between the trees
, and his breathing froze. She was wearing a delicate pale pink. A fine lace of the same color covered her from her wrists to the hem. The square bodice emphasized her full breasts that almost overtook her petite frame but somehow balanced out the generous curve of her hips. She was ravishing; she was positively edible in that teasing confection of a dress. He had to fight the urge to carry her off like a mad man. They were coming forward slowly, her eyes sparkling with happy tears, her lips trembling with a smile. They finally stepped forward to the fountain and Lord Ellsley handed her hand to him. All Colton could do was look at her, then he pulled her close and kissed her.

There were gasps, laughter, and a loud cough. Then someone was patting him on the back.

“That’s enough, son.”

Colton reluctantly let go of her and looked up. He was surprised to see the pastor standing right beside them. He looked around and was surprised to see the faces of his family smiling at him, Hazel at the harp—when was there music?
He looked at Olivia again, and she was grinning, so he grinned back at her.

“
Let us begin,” the pastor began.

Hazel softly strummed the harp as the pastor spoke, accompanying his words
as if they were decrees from heaven. He mumbled on but Colton stopped listening until he said the words that mattered most.

“
Do you Jeffrey—”

“
I do,” Colton said suddenly.

Olivia stifled a giggle.

“Do you Olivia—”

“
I do,” she said emphatically.

More laughter was heard from the guests.

The pastor scowled at all of them. “Well, I won’t waste any more time.”

Colton lost himself in Olivia again until the magic words were said.

“You may now seal your vows with a kiss.”

Colton pulled Olivia into his arms
, so fast she came off her feet. He kissed her soundly to the applause of their families until he had no more breath in his body.

It was a lovely and rather informal wedding dinner. There was an exceptional amount of laughter, a few ribald jokes from two fathers who may have imbibed just a tad too much, and in Colton’s opinion
, it lasted entirely too long.

It was almost eight o’clock by the time he could pull Olivia away from the festivities and get her in his carriage. Her trunks were strapp
ed to the boot, she was firmly tucked under his arm, but he didn’t truly relax until they were pulling out of the drive. Olivia had insisted bringing Devon some cake, and taking a few extra slices for themselves and for the staff.

He told the driver to go be quick about it and get them home. The trip was rather bumpy, and Olivia was a bit foxed on the champagne she had
consumed during the many toasts to their happiness. Soon they were home. He liked the sound of the words, so he said them aloud.

“
We’re home, Livie.”

She turned and smiled at him.
“Yes, indeed.”

They disembarked and went inside. The staff was all lined up for introductions. They graciously greeted their new mistress and departed for the night
. Colton ushered Olivia up the stairs towards their room, but she resisted.

“
Wait, I want to see Devon and give him a piece of cake.”

Colton grumbled, but led her to his room. He knocked softly and prayed Devon was asleep.
“He may be asleep, you know. He doesn’t sleep well, so if he is, we shouldn’t disturb him, and he cannot eat cake just yet.”

They peeked in his room. Colton silently thanked God for small mercies. Devon was sound asleep. They closed the door and headed back to the maste
r suite. He opened the door and then picked her up and carried her in. She giggled into his neck and gave him a little lick. He already felt harder than a fence post. He dropped her legs and let her slide down the front of his body. She smiled and bit her lip.

“
I have a surprise for you.”

“
Unless it involves you naked, it can wait.”

Her smile broadened.
“It does.”

There was a knock on the door.
“Wait here.”

Colton groaned.

Olivia opened the door, took something, and closed it. She had a plate with another piece of cake on it.

“
More cake?” Colton said incredulously.

“
You didn’t have any cake at dinner.” Olivia set it on the nightstand.

“
I’m not fond of sweets.”

“
You may change your mind after tonight.” She turned her back to him and lifted her hair

Colton’s skin felt red hot. He slowly raised his hand to undo the buttons, afraid that if he moved
too quickly he would lose control and rip the beautiful gown from her body. As he undid the buttons, he revealed inch after inch of creamy skin.

“
No undergarments?” His voice was as rough as gravel. He had to clear his throat.

Olivia just looked over her shoulder and smiled. She shimmied out of her
dress, turned, and presented a slippered foot. Colton let his hands skim the sides of her body as he knelt down to remove her shoe and then her stocking. The latter he did slowly, teasing them both. He did the same with the next leg, and then she was completely naked.

“
Now turn around until I tell you to face me again.”

He narrowed his eyes at her.

“Just do it. You have to trust me,” she pleaded.

He turned around and heard her move
away. He was dying to know what she was doing, dying to get her on that bed and sheath him inside of her. He wanted to spend all night making love to her.

“
You can turn around now,” she said with a sirens voice.

He slowly turned and saw her. His jaw hit the floor
, and he felt his knees buckle a little. She was lying on the bed. She had covered her nipples and mons with icing, and had trailed little bits of cake over her body. He closed his eyes and seared the image into his brain. When he opened them, he devoured her with his eyes again, and then he moved to the bed to devour her with his mouth.

He climbed on the bed and wasted no time taking her breast into his mouth. She hissed in pleasure and arched her back. He massaged her breast, molded
them, and tortured them until they were full and rosy. He licked them clean and moved on to the cake in the hollow of her throat. He dragged his teeth along her skin, playfully nipping and licking. Next, he licked the icing from her neck and then moved over to the trail of crumbs leading to her navel. He tongued her navel, licking and tickling until she begged him to stop. He moved lower still, licking up swirls of icing until the flavor on his tongue was only hers. She spread her legs for him, no shyness, only trust, and the expectation of pleasure. He would not disappoint her. He suckled the small bead of intense pleasure and made her cry out his name. He licked the folds of her sex until she was dripping wet and then entered her with two fingers. She began to shake. Already she was on the brink of climax, and he wasn’t even half way done tasting her. He slowed down, licking, tasting, soothing, until her legs relaxed, and she was bucking her hips against the motions of his tongue.

This was where he wanted her. He moved back and began to take off his
clothes.

“
Wait. I want to do it.” She sat up, eyes dazed with desire and reached for his coat. He helped her pull it off, but then she pushed him back and tackled his shirt herself. She urged him to sit up so she could pull it off. Next, she moved to his pants and removed those. When he was finally as naked as she, she reached for the cake. She dabbed some on his neck, his nipples, the lines of his abdominal muscles, the merry trail leading to his groin, and then on his manhood. She started with his neck, licking and teasing. She reached his nipples and took her pleasure in watching him struggle not to touch her and groan her name. Then she moved lower, taking her time to lick and tease each rigid muscle of his abdomen, giggling when it would twitch under her tongue. She moved lower still, reaching the course hair of his groin, and the demanding jut of his erection. She savored this part the most, slowly running her tongue up the hot, silky smooth skin to the head, and then going down the other side. She circled the head with her tongue, relishing each moan he made. She took him into her mouth finally, using her hand to grip him firmly and squeeze him until he groaned in pleasure and begged her not to stop. She didn’t. She loved him with her mouth until all the icing was gone, and then moved up his body to straddle him.