The Earl's Desire (22 page)

Merrick emptied his glass and looked Robert straight in the eye. His stare demanded an answer to his challenge. Robert dropped his eyes first in defeat.

Allan got off his seat and took the chair that Lady Anne had just vacated. “Well, Merrick, I’ve introduced you to Mr. McLean. What do you say about our business plan?” he asked.

Merrick looked across the table at the fat man with bright red hair. He did not like that man.

“
Tell me, Allan, how did you become acquainted with that man?”

“
Lady Queensbury introduced him to me, of course, but why do you want to know that? Tell me, Merrick, about our ideas.”

Merrick stared at Mclean. He did not trust him. He thought himself a good judge of character, and this one, his gut instinct told him, was not to be trusted. “Nay, Allan, I don’t think so,” he said.

“
What?” Allan leaned closer. “Merrick, it’s a good idea. Don’t turn it down; this is your only chance,” he pressured.

“
My only chance or your only chance, Allan?” Merrick raised a brow at his cousin.

“
Do you really mean it then?” The younger man frowned.

“
Yes, Allan, I really mean it,” Merrick said.

“
Very well.” Allan stood and walked back to his chair.

“
Gentlemen, should we join the ladies then?” Mr. Robinson said.

They were crossing the hall into the drawing room when Merrick stopped. Mr. Robinson raised his brows when he saw the younger man staring at the front door. “Is something wrong, my lord?” he asked.

“
Mr. Robinson, I have a headache, would you excuse me and explain to the others that I cannot join them?” Merrick said.

“
Of course, my lord, you had better go and get some rest. A headache is a terrible thing indeed. Besides, your injuries, I’m sure, are not yet one hundred percent healed.”

“
Indeed.” Merrick nodded his head and walked out the door as a footman opened it for him. Mr. Robinson accompanied him outside. Merrick walked to the waiting carriage below. Seconds later he was off.

Merrick was back at Huntingdon Hall within an hour. He was feeling very tired because of his injury, and he didn’t like that one bit. He hated being weak.

He rubbed the back of his neck as he was about to walk into his own room when he saw shadows of light underneath the door coming out from the room next to his. He smiled. Before he knew what he was doing himself, he walked to the door and opened it.

* * *

Christine was sitting near the lit hearth. She was naked with the robe pulled down to her waist, exposing her slender back. Merrick saw her slender hands rubbing fragrant oil onto her shapely leg. The flickering of the firelight gave her body a golden glow. She looked like a goddess sitting there, with her golden skin a feast for his eyes.

Christine dripped the lavender oil onto her palm and then rubbed it against her stomach, round and round about so that the oil soaked into her skin. She applied more oil to her hands and started to massage them onto her breasts—kneading them, stroking them, caressing them with her innocent hands, causing Merrick’s senses to stir and heighten with desire. He wondered if he could hold on any longer, watching the beauty touching herself innocently, not knowing that her actions were arousing him.

Christine stood up and ambled toward the bed. Then suddenly she sensed a presence and froze. She stared into the darkness at the far side of her room. Her heart drummed as she saw a slight movement.

Merrick sensed her acknowledgment of his presence. He walked toward the light, watching her as he did so. Once in the golden hue, he saw her face go white with shock.

Christine thought she might die because she had been exposed.

Oh God, now what would he do to her?

She saw him looking at her oddly. She realized too late that she had no clothes on. She quickly pulled on her robe and closed it over in front of her so that her flesh was not showing.

Merrick smiled inwardly at her actions, though his face was still a mask.

Oh, too late, my little sweet, too late to cover all that up.

He moved toward her as slowly as a tiger hunting its prey, and his teal-blue eyes sparked with hunger.

She took a step back as he neared her. Christine did not like the way he was looking at her. She licked her dry lips.

Merrick stared at those lips—
delicious!

“
Merrick!” she said breathlessly. “You’re back already?”

He halted inches from her. He could feel her womanly body near him. He could feel her trembling before him. He stared down at her misty eyes, and then roughly he grabbed her chin between his large fingers and thumb, forcing her to stare right back into his eyes.

She avoided his gaze and shifted her eyes from side to side. He squeezed her chin and nudged her face up. She caught her breath. Her eyes met his. His powerful gaze peered into hers, making her whole body—and not to mention her soul—tremble.

He stroked his fingers along the small of her chin and slowly down to her throat.

She swallowed and licked her lips again. Her throat was dry. Her head was spinning, and her blood was running hot. Her stomach felt like it was on fire.

“
I see you finally show your true self,” he murmured thickly, mesmerized by the beauty before him as his finger caressed the delicate throat to her collarbone.

“
My true… true self?” she breathed again, looking up at him in confusion.

He did not respond. He just stood there, smiling down at her in that bizarre way of his. His fingers that were caressing her slender shoulder were shifting the side of her robe down.

“
Hmm.” His head came closer hers.

“
Merrick, you will punish me? I mean, I’m ever so sorry, sir. You see, it’s very important. Oh God, you’re going to whip me then—” She blinked, tears streaming down her cheeks. She released her hold of the robe and placed her hands on his chest. The action exposed her nakedness beneath the robe.

Merrick frowned darkly because he had to control himself when he saw her creamy breasts parading proudly in front of him. His throat went dry. He looked back up at her face. There he saw her concern. She was concerned how he was going to punish her for her deception. She was not concerned about her nakedness, which for his sake she should have been indeed.

“
Merrick, you can whip me, but don’t fire Grandpapa,” she said.

“
Aye, I will punish you, all right, Chris. It is Chris or—”

She looked down, feeling very ashamed. “It’s Christine,” she supplied.

Ah, Christine, a lovely name.
He liked it very much.

“
Aye, Christine, I will punish you for your deception.” He felt her whole body tremble.

“
What will you do to me?” she asked, turning her face up to him.

Merrick smiled at that. He knew she was scared. Damnation, but he liked playing this little game with her. In fact, he was enjoying every moment of it.

Christine, however, did not like the way Merrick was smiling. It was as if he was playing a winning game, and he enjoyed every moment of his victory. She knew she should have locked the door. Well, she had locked the door in the past. Grandmamma had told her to be very careful. Well, she had been very careful before, but not tonight. It was entirely his fault. If he had not told her that he would be late then she would have been more careful.

“
What will I do to you?” He repeated her question as if in consideration of such importance. He stroked her arm lower—up and down, up and down—and all along, his long square thumb was lightly caressing the side of her breast. He saw her pink nipple harden and erect proudly in response. He smiled with pleasure.

Christine shifted. She was starting to feel very funny now. One minute she was running hot and the next she was cold. There were goose bumps all over her body.

“
What will I do to you?” he repeated. “I won’t whip you, Christine.” He smiled as he lowered his head toward her. His nose was touching her cheek. “And I won’t fire your grandfather either.” His hot breath fanned her cheek.

Merrick gave her a devilish smile, and his eyes sparked with mischief.

She sighed with relief and smiled up at him, quite unaware of what was going on in Merrick’s mind.

“
However, I do have other ways of punishing you.”

“
Oh, Merrick, I don’t care what it is as long as you don’t fire Grandfather,” she said.

“
Will you do as I tell you?” he said.

She nodded, wondering what punishment could be worse than being whipped.

“
Very well.” He dropped his hand from her arm then and moved to the bed. He sat down and looked up at her. He saw her staring at him in confusion. Her robe was down on one side, exposing her breast to his eyes. He stared at it. His eyes gleamed at its magnificence.

She felt uncomfortable with him staring at her so, and her breasts were hurting. She could feel them expanding into hardness. Why her body was doing so, she did not understand. Oh, but she understood, all right—she understood that she did not like this feeling one bit. Quickly, as if embarrassed at such a response, she pulled the robe up to cover her nakedness.

Merrick was amused at her embarrassment. She was not embarrassed when she thought he was going to fire her grandfather.

“
Come here, Christine,” he commanded.

Her body shook involuntarily again. She didn’t move. He ordered her to come to him with his stare. She understood that there might be consequences if she did not obey for his stare all but made her wish the ground would just open up and swallow her.

Uncertainly, she moved toward the big man sitting on her small bed. She stopped beside him. He touched her arm, pulled her toward him, and made her sit on his lap.

“
You’ve put me through hell,” he said.

“
I’m sorry, Merrick. I didn’t mean to. I didn’t want to trouble you. ’Tis honest, Merrick.” She sighed. “Do you regret taking me in?” she asked uncertainly.

“
Nay,” he said.

She smiled. “How will you punish me?”

He laughed and grabbed her chin. His head came toward her, and he took her lips.

Christine’s eyes widened as his firm lips met her soft ones. She liked the warm sensation that this gave her and shut her eyes in bliss.

Merrick moved his head back and looked at her. She was sitting there with her eyes shut. She looked so serene. He chuckled, and she instantly opened her eyes. She frowned at him.

Merrick cupped her face and said, “You must open your mouth for me, sweetheart.”

She blinked and stared at him. He lowered his head to kiss her again. He pressured his mouth against her lips, and his tongue enticed them to open. Still, she did not obey his command. She moved her head away from him, but he pulled her back with the pressure of his hands behind her head. She pushed him away and frowned at him again.

“
Why?” she asked.

“
Why what?” He raised his eyebrows at her.

“
Why do I have to open my mouth?” She stared up at him. He raised his eyebrows again and smiled as though she should know the answer. When she still looked at him blankly, he sighed.

“
Do you trust me?” he asked.

She bit her lip and nodded without hesitation.

“
Then you know I won’t hurt you.”

She looked at him and then nodded again.

“
Will you do as I tell you?”

She bit her lip and then nodded.

Merrick touched her chin and notched her face up to his. His head came down, and his lips softly touched hers. As he gently lured her lips with his hot tongue to open, she submitted to his bidding, thinking that he might not be mad after all. She opened her mouth. In an instant, he pushed his tongue into her mouth and started exploring.

Christine whimpered as his tongue stroked hers. God, she had never experienced such things before. He was demanding, hot, and very sweet. She liked it very much. She put her arms around his neck, pulling him closer as if by instinct.

Merrick felt the encouragement. He pulled her body toward him.

God, in all the days and nights since he first laid eyes on her, he had dreamt of doing this to her. It was a blessing that now his dream had come true.