Surrender (45 page)

he would lose his self-control entirely in

another moment or two.

 
Lucas, are you all right?" Victoria began

to sound genuinely worried.

 
After that night we spent together at

the inn, you should know what your touch

does to me, my sweet."

Her hands stilled instantly on his thigh.

 
Do you want me to stop?" she asked

hesitantly.

 
Never. Not in a million years. A man

could die happy under such torture."

 
Lucas, are you by any chance trying to

get me to
  
to seduce you?"

He opened his eyes and looked straight

at her.
 
I would sell my soul to get you to

seduce me."

She blinked at his bluntness. Then her

eyes filled with longing.
 
I do not think the

price would be quite so high, my lord."

He touched her face and then let his

fingers slide along the chain of the pendant.

 
Thank God for your honesty in matters of

a/m

intellectual inquiry."

 
Oh, Lucas." With a small cry she threw

herself against his chest and nestled there,

her arms wrapping around his waist.
 
I

have thought about that night so often.

I was so happy with you for those few

hours."

 
Only your pride is keeping you from

being happy in that way again." He stroked

her arm, enjoying the weight of her against

his chest.
 
Is your pride worth all this

disharmony between us? We are bound

together for life now, Vicky. Do you intend

to put us both through hell every night?"

She kept her head tucked against his

shoulder so that she did not have to look at

him.
 
When you put it like that, it does not

make much sense, does it? Aunt Cleo said

that I had made my bed and now must lie

in it. She said it was up to me to make

that bed as comfortable as possible."

 
Much as I appreciate your aunt's

sentiments, I'd just as soon not have

a martyr in my bed. I narrowly escaped

that fate once before, as you will recall,"

Lucas said.

Her shoulders shook with soft, nervous

laughter.
 
Yes, I do recall. Very well,

Lucas, I shall view my decision to carry

out my responsibilities as your wife as a

matter of logic and common sense, not a

matter of duty. There is, as you say, no

point in putting us both through hell."

 
Give me the logical bluestocking rather

than the pious martyr any day." Lucas

tipped up her chin and kissed her.
 
At

least when the bluestocking talks herself

into succumbing to passion, she doesn't

have to pretend she cannot enjoy it." His

mouth moved slowly on hers.

Victoria seemed to hesitate briefly, as

if silently running through her logic one

more time to be certain this was the

right solution to the problem she had

set herself. Then, with a tiny gasp, she

responded with the sweet, hot fervor that

Lucas always found so enthralling.

Her hands tightened around his back

and she parted her lips for him. Lucas

let his tongue plunge into her mouth in

anticipation of the way he would soon be

surging into her body. She pressed herself

against him. He could feel her breasts

beneath the bodice of her dress and his

entire body throbbed with impatience.

 
Sweetheart, I have waited so long for

our wedding night." He tore his mouth

from hers and reached for the amber

cloak on which she had been kneeling.

He tossed it out deftly with one hand

so that it formed a blanket for her to

lie on.

 
It will get dirty." Her protest was

automatic, but without any real heat.

You have others." He fumbled with her

gown, a part of him appalled by his haste

and the unaccustomed clumsiness that

accompanied it. So much for strategy.

Another part of him was running wild

and free now that the torment of waiting

was nearly over.

That first time he had prepared himself

to hold back until he was certain she was as

eager as he was. He had been so intent on

not hurting her or alarming her, so intent

on pleasing her. But this time he could

think only of possessing her once more.

He had to reassure himself that she was

his again.

This time he could not contain himself.

Victoria looked startled by his urgency, but

she went willingly over onto her back as he

eased her down onto the cloak. He gave

up fighting with her clothes and contented

himself with pushing her skirts up to her

waist. Then he looked up quickly to see if

she was offended by the lack of gallantry.

When he saw her luminous smile and the

reflected heat of the fire in her eyes, he

went to work on his own clothing.

 
Damn."

 
What is it?" she asked softly.

 
Nothing. Merely my own clumsiness."

He finally managed to get the breeches

open. He decided he could not take the

time to remove them or his boots. His

need was raging through him.

And then he was falling on her in a

white-hot fever. He put his hands on her

thighs and she opened them for him,

offering herself. He moved between her

legs, feeling the moist heat of her as he

pushed against her softness. He took one

of her nipples into his mouth and bit down

with exquisite care as he surged into her

tight, hot channel.

She cried out and clung to him. He

could feel the initial resistance of her

body as he pushed steadily deeper. He

reminded himself that this was all still

very new to her.

 
Lift yourself, sweetheart. Open yourself

for me." He slid one hand down under

her to cup her lush buttocks and urged

her upward so that he could sink himself

even deeper into her clinging warmth.

 
Lucas."

 
Am I hurting you?" His voice was husky,

even to his own ears.

 
No, not precisely. But the feeling is

indescribable. Oh, Lucas."

 
I know, I know, darling, I know." He

sank himself slowly to the hilt. He felt her

thighs shiver as they closed around him

and the knowledge that she had willingly

made herself so vulnerable to him nearly

undid him.
 
Wrap your legs around my

waist. That's it. Yes."

With a soft exclamation, she gave herself

to him just as she had that first night.

She was clinging to him, whispering his

name, pleading with him for the release

he promised.

Glittering shards of sensation flickered

through his senses. Lucas was aware of

the heat of the fire, the alluring scent of

Victoria's aroused body, the silky strength

of her soft thighs as they tightened around

him.

He opened his eyes and saw that hers

were tightly closed. She was breathing

quickly, her throat arched back over his

arm. She was in the grip of her passion and

the sight was devastating to his senses. He

was utterly fascinated. He moved slowly,

deliberately, within her, letting her pull

him back every time he had retreated to

the entrance of her tight little channel.

 
Lucas."

 
Yes." He eased back into her again,

glorying in her hot, clinging warmth. He

was sweating now, his whole body surging

toward release. Then he felt the sudden

tension in Victoria and knew she was close

to her own climax.

He moved his hand on her buttocks,

letting one finger glide intimately along

the dark cleft to the point where their

bodies were joined.

Victoria's eyes flew open and her lips

parted on a soft, startled, purely feminine

shriek.

 
Lucas? Dear heaven, Lucas."

And then she was convulsing gently

around him, drawing him even more

deeply into her. Lucas heard his own

triumphant shout fill the small room as

his release swept over him.

Several minutes passed before he felt

like stirring. When he did, it was only

to roll onto his side and gather Victoria

close against him. The fire was still blazing

merrily, casting cheerful, dancing shadows

on the walls. Lucas felt his wife's leg slide

lazily along his as she allowed herself to

be cuddled.

 
You must admit there are some benefits

to marriage, madam. At least this time we

do not have to concern ourselves with

being discovered and threatened with social

ruin." Lucas yawned mightily, aware of a

singular contentment.
 
But do you think

that perhaps next time we might try it in

the comfort of your bed or mine? That

mattress at the inn was lumpy and this

floor is damned hard."

 
We are having an adventure. Don't you

think it might be a bit ordinary to use one

of our own beds, sir?"

 
This is what I get for marrying a woman

with a taste for excitement. She only wants

to make love in unusual locations and

under novel circumstances." Lucas ruffled

her short curls affectionately.
 
Fear not,

madam, your husband will do his best to

keep you amused and entertained in your

own bed."

 
It sounds like a great deal of work on

your part," she said.

 
Believe me, it will be infinitely easier

to dream up interesting things to do with

you in the comfort of your bedchamber

than it is to chase after you at midnight,

wondering what mischief you're up to."

She did not respond to that. Instead she

wriggled a bit, quite delightfully, in fact.

She made no move to free herself from his

arms but her silence continued for some

time. Lucas began to worry.

 
Lucas?"

 
Yes, my sweet?"