Christie Kelley










A Week of Pleasure

by

Christie Kelley

 

 

 

Copyright 2005, Christie Kelley.

ISBN 1-59578-125-0

Published by Liquid Silver Books,
Imprint of Atlantic Bridge, June 2005

Edited by Ansley Velarde

Cover Art by April Martinez

Romance Historical Erotica

 

 

 

Desperate times call for extremely
desperate measures

 

After an exhaustive search for her
betrothed, Kendra Smythe realizes no one is going to pull her family from
financial ruin but her. Taking her best friend's advice, she decides to barter
her virtue with the most notorious rake in London. It's not as if her
despicable betrothed deserves anything from her after years of neglect.
Everyone knows that Derrick Thornton loves to relieve a woman of her virtue and
is willing to pay for the opportunity.

 

All Devlin Thornton, the Earl of
Blackpool has to do is impersonate his twin brother while Derrick is on a
mission for the Home Office. It should be easy enough, show up at a few of the
ton's best balls and act just like his arrogant, philandering brother. Until a
long-legged blonde walks into his brother's study and offers Devlin a chance to
take her virtue.

 

Using a fictitious name, Kendra
offers Devlin a chance with her for five thousand pounds. Instead he offers her
a week of pleasure and her virginity intact. As their Week of Pleasure ends,
Kendra receives a letter from her missing betrothed. But after a week with
Devlin, how can she return to her betrothed?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter One

 

London 1813

 

Kendra Smythe stared in awe at her
reflection in the mirror. The extremely low-cut, violet gown might be the exact
opposite of her normal attire, but it was just the look she required tonight.
The dress to seduce a hardened rake.

 

"Well? What do you think?"
She whirled away from the mirror to face her best friend.

 

Sarah's brown eyes widened at her.
"Perfect. He will never be able to resist you."

 

"I certainly hope not. Or I
don't know what I shall do."

 

Sarah reached for the high waist of
Kendra's dress and pushed it down further. The movement exposed more than she
had ever shown in public. If she took too deep a breath, her nipples might peek
out of their hiding place.

 

Her friend gave her a critical look.
"Are you certain about this? Perhaps you should wait to hear from your
betrothed."

 

"I have waited two months for a
reply from the Earl of Blackpool. I traveled to his estate, only to be told he
might return in a month, possibly longer. He obviously wants nothing to do with
me."

 

"Still, he might not be pleased
getting a 'used' bride."

 

"Then he should have answered my
letters and eased my worry. But he hasn't. So I shall fix my family's
predicament the only way I can."

 

Sarah nodded. "Before you go, is
there anything else you need to know?"

 

Know? Dear God, she had seen more
than enough last night. She knew Sarah ran with a fast crowd, but nothing could
have prepared Kendra for what she had observed. Her friend had arranged for
Kendra to watch through a peephole as she and her husband indulged in an orgy. Just
thinking about what she saw made moisture flow between her legs again.

 

She'd had no choice but to touch
herself as she watched Sarah straddle her husband's hips and bring his cock
into her wetness. As Sarah took her husband in, another man came up behind her,
spread light oil on his cock and entered her small puckered hole. And amazingly
enough, a third man forced her to suck on his penis. There were other men and
women in the room doing similar things with each other. Normally Kendra tried
to repress such actions, but last night she had rubbed her clit until she shook
with pleasure.

 

"I daresay I have all the
knowledge I need," Kendra finally replied. Her cheeks heated with
embarrassment as she remembered Sarah greedily licking and sucking on that man's
shaft. "You really can swallow that down without getting with child?"

 

"Yes," Sarah answered with
a smile. "I have done it many times. Until I give Humphrey an heir, he is
the only one who can enter me. But I can't wait to get Lord Ansley inside me.
His cock is enormous!"

 

Kendra giggled. She had noticed
Ansley's large appendage as he took Lady Perkins. She had no idea how any woman
could take all that inside her. With a mental shake of her head, she readied
herself for the evening ahead. If all went as planned, when she returned
tomorrow, she would no longer be a virgin. And she would no longer be destitute
either.

 

Armed with all the knowledge she
believed she needed, Kendra pulled on her blue pelisse.

 

"Remember, barter for your
virginity. Rumor has it that Mr. Thornton loves an innocent and is willing to
pay handsomely for the privilege of being a woman's first man," Sarah said
with a devious grin.

 

"I shall use all that you've
taught me." And Sarah had taught her plenty. How to suck a man's cock the
way he liked it. How a man liked to kiss a woman's private parts, and more
importantly, how utterly wonderful it was supposed to be. Oh, yes, she knew
enough.

 

If not for her dying father, she
would not even be in this position. As her father grew more ill, creditors
appeared on their doorsteps, demanding payment before he died. After selling
everything of value and giving out her dowry, there was only one thing left to
sell...herself. Being betrothed, she attempted to contact her intended first,
to no avail. Which left only her virtue to sell, there was no better place than
London; with its perversions and licentious behavior. Her best friend, Sarah
had married a year ago and offered Kendra the chance to come to town. Now she
just had to get up her nerve to go through with this plan.

 

Kendra departed the house and spent
the next few minutes in the carriage praying she had made the right decision.
Mr. Thornton didn't even know she had plans to see him. In fact, Mr. Thornton
had never met her, and she had never met him.

 

But she'd heard enough stories about
him to know that he was the right man for this mission. At almost thirty and a
confirmed bachelor, he went through mistresses like water. He enjoyed training
them in the sport of sex. And best of all, he paid them well. The gossip mill
reeled with the news that he had let his last mistress go only two days ago.
White's had bets on who his next woman would be.

 

And they would all be wrong.

 

Derrick Thornton would not be taking
Miss Sophia Morgan as his next mistress. At least, not until he'd taken Kendra
first.

 

She only hoped her nervousness would
ease so she could manage this feat. All she needed to do was concentrate on the
outcome. Her younger sisters and brothers would get all they needed, once she
had secured their future. David and Anthony could attend Eton or whatever
school they chose. Amy and Emily, while they might not get a Season in London,
at least their dowries would be replenished and they could find a suitable
husband in Hampshire.

 

The carriage rolled to a stop in
front of an imposing white limestone house. The candles flickering inside
brightened several windows, and even from the street she could see the
expensive furnishings. The rumors of his money must be correct if he lived in such
an elegant home, she only wished she had learned a little more about the man
before making her decision.

 

Sarah's groom opened the door for
her. "Shall we wait?"

 

Kendra bit her lip, staring at the
house. "Yes, please. If I am not out within the hour, you may return to
Lord Humphrey's house."

 

The groom gave her a smirk. "Of
course, ma'am."

 

Now she just had to walk up those six
stairs and knock on the door. She could do this. Her brothers and sisters
depended on her ability to go through with this task, not that they had any
idea of what she had planned. All she had to do was pretend she was an actress
playing a part. How hard could it be? With a breath for fortitude, she ascended
the stairs and banged on the door with the knocker.

 

Minutes ticked as she waited at the
door. Quite unusual. Most butlers stood in wait for a carriage to stop in front
of their house. Unless Mr. Thornton had gone out for the night after all and
the servants had retired for the evening. She didn't want to ponder that
possibility.

 

The door opened and a man who looked
far too young to be the head butler frowned at her. "Yes, miss?"

 

"I am here to see Mr.
Thornton."

 

His tawny brows rose.
"Indeed?" He looked down his nose at her. "Wait in the salon and
I shall see if Mr. Thornton is at home."

 

"Thank you." She followed
him into the salon, awed by the lavish furnishings and paintings the room held.
Too nervous to sit, she paced the room. But she had made it through the first
part--she had entered the lion's lair.

 

* * * * *

 

"I cannot believe you convinced
me to do this again," Devlin Thornton complained to his manservant,
Lindale. He sipped his brandy in the comfortable, leather chair of his
brother's home. It was furnished in a manner comparable to his own home, but it
never felt like home when he stayed here.

 

"The good of the country is at
stake, my lord."

 

"Yes, so it is. And as usual, it
is up to my brother to save it."

 

"He couldn't do it without you,
sir," Lindale replied.

 

"I suppose not. But I have my
own responsibilities with the estates, the tenants and all their needs."

 

Lindale refilled Devlin's brandy
snifter. "I believe they shall manage without you for a fortnight, my
lord." Lindale probably knew that fact better than he did. Lindale had
been raised on the estate with the other servants and tenants.

 

"But I do tire of pretending to
be him. I love my brother, but the man is a philanderer. He is with more women
in a month than I have in a year."

 

"Which is why you broke things
off with Miss Reardon two days ago?"

 

Devlin shook his head. "I am not
about to share a woman with my brother. She was his mistress and certainly not
my type."

 

Lindale looked away with a wistful
grin. "I remember the stories the two of you would tell of sharing the
same woman at the same time." He chortled. "I lived for those
tales."

 

Devlin smiled, thinking about his
exploits as a young man. "Yes, some of those women just loved to try and
figure out which Thornton was which. They loved the idea of giving themselves
to twins." He and his brother had been inseparable back then, until his
father died leaving Devlin, as the eldest, the new Earl. While not estranged, a
constant tension remained between them now. Still, he would do anything for
Derrick. And he hoped Derrick felt the same.

 

Lindale nodded as he handed Devlin
his correspondence. "I had all your letters sent to your town home then
picked them up today. As far as your staff is concerned, you are traveling
abroad but might return in a week, possibly two."

 

"Thank you, Lindale. I believe I'm
done for the night." He sipped his second glass of brandy. The liquor
warmed his body on this cold night more than even the bright fire could.

 

"As you wish, my lord."
Lindale retreated from the room and quietly closed the doors to the study.

 

Devlin ripped open several letters
from friends and put them in a pile to be responded to. As he read the next
letter, his heart lurched. His betrothed needed money to help her family. They
were about to be evicted by the creditors. His stomach clenched as he searched
for the date to this letter--two months had passed since the note had been
posted. Guilt ate into him for his negligence. He'd been traveling to his
estates for the last three months; verifying all the books and making certain
his tenants were well. At least he had been, until his brother located him and
recruited Dev to impersonate him for a short while.

 

He had ignored his duty long enough.
The time had come to marry the chit and be done with it. No matter what she
looked or acted like, he had a duty to marry her.

 

He banged his fist on the desk. Damn.
He couldn't do anything about Miss Kendra Smythe until his brother completed
his mission. A smile tugged at his mouth. The chit just needed money. He would
send her some money to keep her happy until he could marry the gel--whenever he
got around to it.

 

Leaning back into the soft leather
chair, he wondered what the girl looked like now. They had been betrothed since
her first birthday, which was what, a good twenty years ago? He had been ten at
the time, with no idea what his parents had done to him. Leg-shackled while
still a boy. He had only met her once, when she was eight. A little hellion,
she was then.

 

As a child, she'd had a head of
unruly blonde curls that couldn't be contained no matter how tight the braids.
She had been tall for such a young child. Would she have long legs and curly
blonde hair? His cocked twitched in his breeches. In all likelihood, she had
stopped growing early and was now a chubby little thing with thick sausage
curls and a surly manner.

 

He needed a woman. Thinking back he
realized it had been over three months since he'd been with a woman, one of his
longest stretches. Time had gotten away from him. The estates took up much of
his time and energy. But a good woman could be had in London, and he intended
on partaking in some of the town's best pleasures.

 

A knock at the door disrupted his
musings.

 

"Enter."

 

"My lord, there is a woman to
see you," Lindale said from the threshold.

 

"A woman?" Devlin swore
under his breath. "Probably just another of my brother's lightskirts. Get
rid of her."

 

Lindale cleared his throat. "I
tried, sir. Brooks let her into the salon, and she insists on seeing you
tonight."

 

"Show her in here." Good
Lord, what type of harlot insisted on calling upon a man at this hour of the
evening?

 

Devlin could not believe his ill
luck. He stared down at the bulge in his breeches knowing he'd never be able to
stand up and properly greet the lady. Then again, the woman must be a strumpet,
no need to stand on formality.

 

Soft footsteps preceded her arrival
into his study. A breath of air whooshed from his lungs at the sight of her.
Every fantasy he'd just had about a blonde with long legs appeared before his
eyes. Legs that seemed endless, encased in violet silk greeted him. Her blonde
curls were pulled up in a soft chignon with ringlets framing her face.

 

She hesitated for a moment upon
entering the room. With a quick shake of her head, she walked toward him. Her
green eyes sparkled in the candlelight like emeralds in the sun. She stopped in
front of the desk, looking down at him in a wholly sensual manner ... or maybe
it was just the fullness of her pink lips. A scent of rosewater, innocent and
pure, surrounded her.

 

He definitely wouldn't be standing up
now.

 

She leaned down slightly, which only
emphasized her full breasts. He repressed the urge to lean forward and kiss the
deep valley of her cleavage. Those breasts were almost too beautiful for
words--full, round and creamy white ... a perfect handful.

 

"Mr. Thornton?" She didn't
seem to know him ... or rather, his brother.

 

"Yes," he replied in an
even tone that betrayed his base emotions.

 

"I-I came to offer you a
proposition," she whispered. She leaned in closer still until her chest
was directly in front of him, separated only by the expanse of a desk.

 

"I doubt I can help you, but
being a gentleman I believe I should let you continue." He couldn't wait
to hear what the lady wanted from him ... or rather, Derrick.

 

She straightened her posture.
"I-I came to offer you something you seem to appreciate."

 

"Oh?"

 

Again, she hesitated as if unsure of
how to proceed. Finally she said, "I came to offer you my virtue."

 

Sweet heavens. She picked the wrong
night to make Devlin Thornton, the Earl of Blackpool such an offer. Rather, he
picked the wrong night to impersonate his twin brother. "Why do you think
I would be interested?"

 

Her sensuously full lips stretched
into a smile. Those lips were the devil's own. His mind raced with thoughts of
those pink lips sliding up and down on his cock.

 

"I have heard the rumors that
you prefer virgins and will pay dearly for one. So here I am."

 

Devlin would have to have a long talk
with his brother about discretion when he returned from France. Remembering
Derrick made Dev recall that he was supposed to be his brother.

 

Damn! Derrick would have no issues
with accepting this woman's offer. Although, Devlin highly doubted she was the
innocent she claimed. No woman of virtue would be seen entering an unmarried
man's house, wearing such a scandalous dress. The violet color might be
acceptable, but the neckline on her gown showed her assets to everyone. Or
possibly just him.

 

He would love to pull that dress down
just enough to let her nipples loose. Would they be large and pink? Or maybe
small and peach? Right now, he wouldn't mind either.

 

"Sir?"

 

He supposed she waited for an answer.
But what was he to do? If this woman made it known that Derrick Thornton
rejected her, it might jeopardize his brother's mission. He couldn't let that
happen. And damn, he needed a woman.

 

"I might indeed be
interested," he said, leaning back, appraising her completely. He hoped he
appeared as relaxed as he knew his brother would be under the circumstances.

 

"I came to offer you one night
with me," she said, but the catch in her voice betrayed her.

 

What was she hiding? Could it be a
trap for Derrick? It wouldn't be the first time that his brother's life was
threatened. Devlin's blood ran cold with the thought. He might not work for the
Home Office, but he could definitely keep his eyes on her. And there appeared
only one way to do that.

 

"Only one night? How much?"
he demanded.

 

"Five thousand," she
mumbled.

 

Devlin shook his head at the number.
Unbelievable! Even the highest paid prostitutes did not presume to ask for such
a sum. But his brother wouldn't balk at the number, so neither would he.

 

"Seems like a hefty sum. Do I
get to see what I'm buying?"

 

"What?" Her green eyes
widened in surprise.

 

"Take off your clothes, my dear.
I want to inspect the merchandise."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Two

 

Kendra stared at the handsome man in
front of her. He wanted her to take off every stitch of clothing and parade
around for him? Her first instinct was to run from the house as quickly as
possible. Think about the money, she told herself. Her younger brothers and
sisters would have no home if she backed out now. Her father lay on his
deathbed and creditors had already started to call. If removing her clothes
helped in this family emergency, then she would do whatever the man asked.

 

Staring at him, she realized no
matter what he wanted she might be inclined to do it. The man was captivating.

 

"You want me to remove my
clothing in here?" she asked, waving her arm to remind him they were still
in the study.

 

"We can move closer to the fire
if you fear you'll catch a chill. Though a chill does lovely things to a
woman's body," he replied with a smirk.

 

She knew exactly what cold did to her
body. Although, it didn't explain why her nipples puckered into tight buds
right now. She was more than warm enough with him so near.

 

"I'm waiting," he
whispered.

 

She wanted to wipe that smirk off his
lips; his perfectly molded lips that she wanted to feel pressed against her
own. The shock of seeing him finally started to wane. Sarah had informed her
that Mr. Thornton was a Corinthian. Dressed in all the latest fashion and never
without a beautiful lady by his side. But her friend must have forgotten to
tell her what the man looked like. Jet-black hair combed back from his forehead
only highlighted the sculptured features of his face. His eyes were as dark as
the night, and his light olive skin told of an ancestor's Mediterranean
background.

 

He stood, and she forced herself to
look up at him. The fact that she had to crane her neck to see him was unusual
for her. Taller than most of the men of her acquaintance, she normally looked
down at them, including her own father. Mr. Thornton's presence seemed to fill
the room. Strength emanated from his broad shoulders to the toes of his shiny
black Hessians.

 

Walking around the desk, he grabbed
her wrist, dragging her closer to the blazing fire. His nearness overwhelmed
her. A prickly sensation raced up her arm from the mere contact of his bare
hand on her glove-covered wrist.

 

"I believe you shall be warm
enough over here. Now, it is time to show me what my money is buying," he
murmured close to her ear.

 

A tremor shook her as his breath
heated her neck. The scent of sandalwood permeated the air while he stood
before her. He dropped into a nearby chair and stared at her, waiting for her
to disrobe.

 

"What if your manservant comes
back in?" she asked. Anything to detain the inevitable.

 

"Lindale knows enough not to
bother me when I am entertaining."

 

"Oh," she whispered.

 

"I'm waiting." He sipped at
his brandy as if bored by the entire show. A black brow rose in question at her
hesitation.

 

She licked her lips, remembering all
that Sarah had told her the past week. Slowly, she removed her gloves, watching
his reaction at all times. With trembling hands, she reached behind her and
unfastened the hooks that held the dress together. Once the material loosened,
she slipped the small sleeves down her arms. The gown glided down her body.
Violet silk pooled on the floor, reminding her of a sunset in Hampshire.
Thinking of home reinforced the reason for her being here. She paused for a
moment to gain the confidence to remove her stays and shift.

 

"Continue," he whispered
hoarsely.

 

Kendra licked her lips again, staring
at his dark eyes. "I shall need some assistance with my stays."

 

"My pleasure." He stood and
walked around to her back.

 

A heady sensation like alcohol
coursing through her veins overtook her with his nearness. She swayed back
toward him as his fingers skimmed the top of her stays. Even through the cotton
of her shift, she could feel the heat of him. Her stays dropped to the carpet,
and he returned to his seat in front of her.

 

She tried to ignore the wave of
disappointment at his departure from her. Instead of dwelling on her emotions,
she slipped the cotton shift down her body. The fabric skimmed over her
nipples, tightening them even further. She stood before him in only her shoes,
white silk hose and purple garters.

 

As she reached for the bows that tied
her garters, he said, "No, keep them on."

 

Heat burned her body as he eyed her
breasts, standing full and proud before him. His gaze traveled down her flat
stomach until it reached the patch of blonde hair at the apex of her thighs.
The pulsating sensation between her legs shocked her. Sarah had not told her
how a mere look could affect her body so.

 

"Turn around," he demanded.

 

She gave him a view of her backside
and smiled when she heard the ragged breath he released. At least he seemed to
find her attractive, and she certainly had no qualms about his features.
Letting this man take her innocence would be no hardship at all.

 

"Beautiful," he whispered.
"Face me."

 

She did as he demanded and waited for
another order. The minutes passed as he drank in her body. It felt odd to stand
before a complete stranger wearing nothing but her hose and shoes, and yet she
didn't feel humiliation or even embarrassment. She only felt the heat of his
gaze.

 

"Touch your breasts."

 

What? He wanted her to touch herself
as he watched? Sarah had not informed her that men like to observe a woman as
she pleasured herself. Then again, did it matter? The only thing that mattered
was getting rid of her virginity and being paid for the act. She knew what that
made her, but what choice did she have? If not for the callous behavior of her
betrothed, she wouldn't be in this position with a stranger.

 

She skimmed her hands over the tops
of her breasts and watched his reaction. He remained motionless, save the
slight movement of his chest as he took in a shallow breath. The bulge in his
breeches appeared even bigger than she had noticed when he originally sat down.

 

Kendra reached for her nipples and
tugged on them, stretching them even farther outward. He hissed. Rubbing her
nipples with her fingers caused the warm liquid to flow between her thighs. She
could feel her juices wetting the hairs there.

 

She couldn't believe the sensations
that washed over her just from playing with her nipples in front of him. She
wondered how much better it would feel if he were the one touching her breasts,
or better yet, if he were suckling them. Just thinking about his mouth on her
nipples caused her hips to wiggle and an aching need filled her.

 

"Sit down," he said,
pointing to the chair across from him.

 

Thankful that was over before she
embarrassed herself further, she dropped into the soft leather seat and gasped
as the cool material caressed her bare bottom. He sat only a few feet away,
still staring at her as if he hadn't seen a naked woman before. The ornate
mantel clock ticked away the minutes as she sat there waiting for him to say
something.

 

Could he be contemplating her offer?
The fire crackled and popped sending a shower of sparks up the chimney. Sarah
had convinced her that this would be easy. One look at Kendra in that dress and
he should have readily agreed to her proposition.

 

"Loop your legs around each arm
of the chair."

 

Dear God, if she did that then she
would be completely open to his viewing. She hesitated a moment. He cocked his
head slightly as if to question her uncertainty. The money. Think about the
money. But it wasn't thoughts of money that moistened her folds with the
thought of him seeing her most private of areas.

 

Reminding herself that she was just
an actress playing a part, she pasted on a pouty smile and slowly placed her
legs up on the arms of the leather chair. He tightened his grip on his own
chair until she could clearly see the white knuckles of his hands.

 

"Touch yourself again," he
hissed.

 

She reached for her nipples.

 

"Not there."

 

Her eyes widened, but she said
nothing. She let her hands gently glide from her knees to the soft folds. A
little shiver of desire coursed through her. She wanted release from the
tension in her body, and she wanted more than a finger inside her.

 

"Tell me your name," he
demanded as she rubbed her wet clit.

 

"K--Kate," she quickly lied.
How she managed such a fast lie surprised her.

 

"Kate what?"

 

"Katherine Smith." Close to
Smythe so perhaps it wasn't such a big lie. After all the initials were the
same.

 

"Show me what you want me to do,
Katherine Smith."

 

She eased her finger inside her as
her head dropped back against the chair. Oh God, she wanted him. Closing her
eyes, she imagined him standing over her. His broad shoulders shadowing her
body until he came to her. She wanted him right now to ease the aching pressure
inside her.

 

"Please," she moaned.

 

"Not yet."

 

She stroked herself and let her other
hand reach for a nipple. Glancing at him, she watched as he unbuttoned his
breeches and slowly released his shaft from its tight enclosure. Her movements
stopped as she realized the enormity of his cock. No man she had ever seen,
even at last night's orgy, had one this big or thick.

 

"Keep showing me, darling."

 

"I want you," she
whimpered.

 

"You like what you see?" he
asked, stroking his hand from the head to the base of his erection.

 

She nodded greedily. It would not be
easy, but she wanted that cock inside her, filling her completely.

 

"Not tonight. Tonight is all
about getting to know each other. But we will do that from this distance. Watch
each other pleasure ourselves so we learn what the other likes."

 

His breeches dropped to his knees.
The heavy head of his penis bobbed up toward his belly button. While she
doubted it would all fit inside, she still wanted to try. He reached for his
cock and rubbed the clear liquid around the head. As he sat back down, his
fingers drew across his balls, eliciting a groan from him.

 

"Continue," he mumbled.

 

She eased her fingers back inside her
wetness and this time, she rubbed her clit at the same time. She watched as his
hand slid down his cock. The thought of his shaft inside her made her tremble.
The glorious sensations built deep inside her, desperate for release. She
pressed against her clit harder, faster.

 

"Let go, Kate."

 

She closed her eyes as her climax
slammed through her body, shaking her to the core. Never had she undergone
anything like that. She reveled in the experience, the musky scent of her sex,
the knowledge that a man she barely knew watched her come. She willed her
breathing to slow down then opened her eyes.

 

Mr. Thornton stared at her. His eyes
were dark and stormy, filled with passion. He still held his shaft, but his
hands were motionless. "Come closer to me."

 

She willed herself to stand on her
shaky legs and walk toward him.

 

"Kneel," he commanded.

 

She knelt down before him and gazed
as his hand slid down his jutting cock. Resisting the urge to take over for
him, she could only stare at his splendid rod.

 

He tensed his muscles, moaning,
rubbing faster until he shook with pleasure and creamy white fluid erupted from
him. Kendra could only watch with amazement as the liquid flowed over his
hands, down his penis to his balls.

 

For a moment he did not move. Slowly,
he opened his eyes and looked at her. He yanked a handkerchief from his coat
pocket then wiped away the mess. A sensual smile widened his lips.

 

"Shall we go upstairs now?"
Kendra whispered.

 

Mr. Thornton stood, pulled his
breeches up and shook his head. "No. Now you leave."

 

"What?" Kendra jumped to
her feet. She stood before him with her hands on her bare hips. How could he do
this to her? He'd tricked her!

 

"I am not about to take your
virginity, Miss Smith."

 

"Why not?" she demanded.
"I offered you a perfectly good proposition. You made me do...do...do that
in front of you, but you won't take my virtue?"

 

He reached for her clothing and
handed them to her. "Get dressed."

 

A little sob escaped her. She turned
her back to him and dressed as quickly as she could. A tear burned her cheek
and then another until he finally handed her a clean handkerchief. Never in her
twenty-one years had she felt so humiliated. Just thinking about what she did
in front of him made her tears run faster. How could have done that to her?

 

The man could ruin her if he ever
discovered her true identity. Then what would she do? She'd be forced to break
her engagement, which suited her fine, but she would be left in the country to
rot like a bad apple.

 

Then she would live in scandal for
the rest of her days. She'd known the risks before she decided on this plan.
But Sarah had assured her that Thornton would definitely do the job.

 

As soon as the last hook was
fastened, she donned her pelisse and strode toward the door of the study. She
had to get away from this bastard.

 

"I have a different proposition
for you," he said as her hand reached the doorknob.

 

She whirled around and glared at him.
The devil had the nerve to lean casually against his desk as if nothing sordid
had just happened in this room. "I doubt I would be interested in any
proposition you could make."

 

He cocked his head.
"Indeed?"

 

"Yes, indeed."

 

He smiled smugly at her. "I
believe you might wish to hear this." When she didn't move or respond he
continued, "I presume you need money. I am willing to give you
money."

 

She closed her eyes. Money.
Everything came down to money. But if this man could humiliate her like he had,
just what might he want her do to for money. Not that it mattered. She honestly
had no choice.

 

"What do you propose?"

 

"Spend one week with me. Nights
only. I will give you ten thousands pounds and after the week is up you will
have your virginity intact."

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Three

 

Devlin had no idea what made him say
those words to her. Well, based on his still throbbing cock, he did know. He
wanted her like no other woman he'd ever met or fucked. But he wasn't like his
brother. He couldn't take an innocent woman's virginity when he was quite
certain she only offered it because of financial trouble. If he made love to
her, he'd be forced to marry her, and he couldn't do that while still bound to
another.

 

Poor Miss Smythe would be ruined if
he did. Everyone would assume his breaking their engagement meant something was
wrong with the girl. Which could be true for all he knew of her. But he wanted
the woman in front of him. And he would have her no matter the price...or at
least as much of her as he could without taking her innocence.

 

Watching Kate's finger slide inside
her wet folds as more glistening moisture dripped toward her tight end hole had
almost done him in. It had taken every bit of restraint he'd culled over the
years to keep from making love to her tonight. A week with her lush body near
him might be too much.

 

"Well?" he finally asked.

 

"How could I retain my virginity
if I spent a week with you?"

 

He smiled at her lack of knowledge.
Oh, the things he could teach her. "We can pleasure each other without
intercourse. I believe we just proved that."

 

A sea of emotions crossed her
delicate face. "So for one week of mutual pleasure, you would give me ten
thousand pounds?"

 

"Yes."

 

"Why?"

 

"Because I want you, but I
refuse to take what is rightfully your future husband's. I can only assume you
are quite desperate for money to make me such an offer in the first place. This
way we both get what we want."

 

She bit down on her full lower lip. A
drop of blood formed and he fought the urge to kiss it away. "Very
well," she said, looking up at him. "I agree to your
proposition."

 

"Good. Come back tomorrow night
and we shall start our week."

 

"Not tonight?"

 

"No." He needed some
breathing room to gain control over his lust and send Lindale out to discover
her true identity. If she stayed the night he might not be able to keep his
promise to her. "Lindale will see you home."

 

She glanced up at the mantle clock
and nodded. "Thank you."

 

"Lindale will also pick you up
tomorrow night at nine and bring you here. I have a previously scheduled
engagement so I may not be home yet, but you can take a bath and relax while
you wait for me."

 

She nodded and then left the room to
wait in the hallway. Devlin found Lindale and informed him of his plans.

 

"My lord, is this a wise course
of action?"

 

Only Lindale could get away with
questioning him, and only because they had known each other since birth. They
had become fast friends even with their different stations. When the time had
come to choose a manservant, Lindale had been his only choice.

 

"Probably not. But I am
desperate for a woman, and she has never been with my brother. If I rejected
her outright she might be suspicious and question her friends in town. That
would put Derrick's mission at risk, and I cannot allow that to happen."

 

Lindale nodded. "I understand,
my lord."

 

"Find out who she is staying
with and then find out exactly who she is. I highly doubt she is Katherine
Smith as she claims."

 

"Yes, my lord."

 

"We cannot let the rest of the
staff get wind of this either."

 

"I shall make certain everyone
has retired for the night before she enters the house."

 

Devlin nodded. Something still nagged
at him about this entire evening, but he couldn't determine what exactly it
could be. Perhaps he wasn't used to London's amusements any longer. After
gaining the title, he'd seen little of town, preferring his estates to the
amoral attitudes of London. And thinking back to what he'd just done in front
of a woman who claimed to be innocent, maybe he should return to the country
forthwith.

 

* * * * *

 

Relief flowed through Kendra when she
arrived at Sarah's house to find her friend out at a ball. She could not talk
about what happened yet, although she knew Sarah's curiosity would make it
impossible not to speak of her night as soon as she returned. After closing the
door to her room, she flopped on the bed. A tear slid down her face and she did
nothing to wipe it away.

 

She was a harlot.

 

What else could she be after what
she'd done tonight, in front of a complete stranger no less? She'd pleasured
herself in front of a man. And the worse part ... she enjoyed the act like no
other time. She loved seeing the desire in his eyes and watching him come.

 

He could have taken her right there
on the floor, and she might not have even asked for the money. She wanted him
... all of him. His hard body on top of hers, his shaft deep inside her until
they both reached their peak. She would have to have him. She would insist he
take her virginity. He was paying for it after all, she thought with a sly
grin.

 

The door flung open and Sarah
blustered inside. "Well? What are you doing home? Did he reject you? Or
did he just do the job and tell you to leave?"

 

"No."

 

Sarah rolled her big brown eyes.
After sitting on the end of the bed, she continued her inquisition, "What
do you mean? Did he take your virginity?"

 

"No."

 

"He doesn't want you?" She
frowned as she twisted a brown tendril around her finger. "I find that
hard to comprehend."

 

Kendra smiled. "I didn't say
that."

 

"What happened?"

 

"He wants to spend a week with
me and leave my virginity intact. If I do so, he will give me ten thousand
pounds."

 

Sarah's eyes widened in surprise.
"Ten thousand! That is over twice what you need to pay off your father's
debts."

 

"I realize that." She
frowned and pursed her lips. "But why do you think he'd want to do this?
It seems most odd."

 

"Perhaps he's having problems
keeping his rod at attention," Sarah said with a laugh. "I daresay if
that ever made the rumor mill, he'd be dreadfully embarrassed."

 

Kendra hid her face in the pillow.
"He definitely is not having that problem."

 

"You saw it?"

 

"Yes," she squeaked.
"It's bigger than Lord Ansley's."

 

"Oh my!" Sarah exclaimed.
"What happened tonight?"

 

Kendra lifted her head from its
hiding place and began to tell her friend all that had happened. By the time
she finished her cheeks were burning, but so was the rest of her body. She
couldn't believe she could want the man after all that he'd made her do tonight
... but she did.

 

"I cannot believe it," Sarah
muttered, shaking his head. "He masturbated right in front of you?"

 

"Exactly. He didn't even want me
to touch him." And she'd wanted to touch him, all of him. From his
sensually molded lips down to his strong thighs covered in dark hair. Her
fingers fairly trembled with the thought.

 

"So what are you going to
do?"

 

"I plan to take him up on his
offer. But no matter what he thinks or says, I won't be coming home a virgin
when my week is up."

 

Sarah grasped Kendra's hand and
squeezed. "Is that wise? His way is definitely better. Your betrothed will
never discover what you have done, and your family will be out of its financial
predicament. All will be well."

 

While that might be true, she didn't
feel her future husband deserved her virtue. And she couldn't stop thinking
about Thornton. Her betrothed's rod was probably no bigger than her thumb. She
suppressed a giggle. This might be her only chance to have a real man in her
bed, and she wasn't about to miss out on that.

 

"I want this man, Sarah. And I
intend on having him ... all of him."

 

"Kendra, you must rethink this
plan. I know you're angry with Blackpool for ignoring you for so many years,
but he is your betrothed."

 

"Is he?" Kendra asked.
"For all I know the man is dead. At least he is to me."

 

* * * * *

 

Devlin paced his bedroom, waiting for
Lindale to return with the information he needed. The desire to know exactly
who she was consumed him. Although he knew it shouldn't. He had a woman to
marry--a woman he'd didn't love, know, or even want.

 

Unfortunately for Devlin, his father
had raised him to be a responsible man. And a responsible man did not break off
a betrothal because of lust for another woman. But his father had taught him
the benefits of retaining a mistress when a wife had done her duty and produced
an heir. Or in his father's case, deserted her family for a lover.

 

The only reason his father had never
divorced her was a sense of honor to his sons. Considering that Devlin and his
brother looked too much like their father to be denied, his father had never
allowed a divorce. Negating their marriage would have meant their children were
bastards, and his father needed his heir and spare. But Father had not flaunted
his mistresses either. Discretion seemed to be the answer to everything.

 

Devlin wondered what price Miss
Smith, or whatever her name really was, would put on a full time position. Not
that the price would matter. He could afford any amount she wanted, as long as
he could have her whenever and wherever he desired.

 

A knock at the door drew his
attention away from his deliberations. "Come in," he said.

 

Lindale opened the door with a frown
on his face. "She is staying with Lord Humphrey, my lord. I shall return
tomorrow and see if I can get the servants to talk to me about the girl."

 

"Thank you, Lindale."

 

"My lord," Lindale started
hesitantly. "Have you considered the possibilities that she might be a
spy?"

 

"No, she is not spy," he
answered a bit too quickly. "Just a woman down on her luck."

 

Lindale bowed. "Of course, my
lord. Goodnight, then."

 

"Goodnight."

 

Lindale slipped out of the room.

 

Devlin stretched across his brother's
large bed and thought about Kate. The Humphreys were known to run with a fast
crowd. He'd heard rumors about some of their "parties" and what
really went on inside the house.

 

So who was this Miss Smith to them?
Could she be someone they wanted deflowered so they could use her for their own
pleasure?

 

He thought about that for a few
moments. It made no sense. Humphrey could just as easily take the girl and be
done with her virginity. So why did Miss Smith choose him? Perhaps Lord
Humphrey might not be able to afford her price. Or maybe Humphrey wanted this
girl in Derrick's house. A pretty thing such as Miss Smith would distract any
man from his duties long enough to allow an intruder into the house.

 

Unless, as Lindale suggested, she was
the spy.

 

Devlin shook his head in frustration.
Now he sounded as cynical as his brother and his manservant. Still, it wouldn't
hurt to take some precautions just in case she happened to be a spy. He would
clean his brother's bedroom of all papers, books, and any items that might give
information away. Then she would only be allowed in this room. In addition, a
footman should be installed in his brother's study during the nights.

 

There had to be another reason for
her offer. And truly, it was the only one that offered him any peace of mind.
She needed money. Money to pay off her gambling debts or her other debts. He
rather hoped that was her reason because thinking of her as a spy left a bitter
taste in his mouth.

 

With precautions in place, he could
spend his nights enjoying the lush curves of Miss Smith. And tomorrow night
couldn't come quickly enough for him. Based on tonight's actions, she would do
anything he wanted or asked of her. But he truly wanted to know who she was and
just how far she would go to please him.

 

He felt pulled to her like no other
woman in his life. She intrigued him for no other reason than that she offered
herself to him. Or was it more than that? Something told him that she would
intrigue him even if he'd met her at a ball in the strict mores of society.

 

* * * * *

 

As Mr. Thornton had said, Lindale
picked Kendra up at nine the next evening. Within a few minutes, he had her
ensconced in a dimly lit bedroom, overpowered by a large four-poster bed in the
middle of the room. Heavy, red velvet drapes hung from the canopy and were
pulled back to reveal a thick gold coverlet and many silk encased pillows. Mr.
Thornton's sandalwood scent filled the room with its exotic aroma.

 

Kendra sat by the fireplace while
Lindale prepared the bath water. Her nerves raced with anticipation, desire and
apprehension

 

"Your bath is ready, miss,"
he said, wiping his fingers on a thick towel. "There are some fragrant
oils and soaps for your use."

 

"Where is he?"

 

"At a ball. He said he should
return by eleven, so you have plenty of time to relax." Lindale walked to
the door. "There is wine, sherry, port or brandy on the corner table. If
you need anything, all you have to do is ring."

 

She nodded. Once the servant left,
she retrieved a glass and the bottle of red wine. She poured a large glass and
placed the bottle within reach from the bathtub. The heady liquid soothed her
ragged nerves as she drank it down. She wasn't quite certain why she couldn't
control her apprehension. Mr. Thornton had seen her naked. He'd seen her
enthralled in her own passion.

 

But tonight would be different.

 

Tonight, he would touch her, kiss
her, make love to her.

 

Slowly Kendra stripped out of her
clothes and slipped into the warm sudsy water. Her muscles relaxed as the
heated water covered them. She couldn't help but stare at the bed and wonder
exactly what he would want to do. He'd said she would keep her virtue. So
exactly what could he do without entering her?

 

He.

 

She didn't even know what to call
him. Mr. Thornton sounded too formal for such an intimate act. Derrick made it
seem as though she had known him for a long time. Well, she would just have to ask.

 

She eased the soapy cloth over her
taut nipples and gasped at the sensation. As she let the rough material caress
her breasts, she glanced at the clock. How was she supposed to wait another
hour for him when already she throbbed for release?

 

The wine had made her slightly tipsy
and very, very warm. Unable to stop her hands, she leaned her head back and
closed her eyes. Her fingers reached the patch of curly hair and slipped
through until she found her clit, hard, swollen and craving to be touched. Her
left hand pulled her nipple, rolling the pebbled nub between her fingers.

 

Warm water splashed between her legs,
caressing the folds and kissing her clit. Oh God, she wanted relief, but she
wanted more than just her hand. She slid a second finger deep inside her,
arching her back to increase the sensation.

 

As she stroked herself, an unfilled
need overwhelmed her. Her fingers weren't enough tonight. She wanted that big
shaft embedded deep within her. With a groan of frustration, she slid her
fingers out and reached for another glass of wine.

 

She closed her eyes again, pulling at
her nipples, rolling the peaks, increasing her pleasure. Suddenly, a finger
slipped inside her, and it did not belong to her. She opened her eyes to see
Mr. Thornton leaning over her, his hand between her legs.

 

His black eyes blazed with passion.
"Couldn't wait for me?"

 

"No," she whispered. Her
entire body was on fire now, begging for release.

 

"Close your eyes and come for
me."

 

He eased a second finger inside as
she continued to rub her clit. Her stomach clenched and she clutched the edge
of the tub, when, for the second time in as many days, she shattered with an
incredible climax in front of him. Slowly, he stood and stared down at her.

 

"So you were telling the
truth," he mumbled.

 

Truth? "About what?"

 

"Your virginity." He
toweled off his hand. "I wanted to know if I had to control myself. Now I
know I do." He removed his jacket and then his cravat. She noticed the
dampness on his sleeve from delving into the water with her.

 

"You don't have to," she
replied with a seductive smile.

 

He smiled in return, showing a deep
dimple in his left cheek. "Yes, I do." He tugged his white linen
shirt out of his breeches and over his head, exposing his chest for her
inspection. Hard muscles covered with a sprinkling of black hair. Her fingers
tingled with the urge to touch the strong planes of his chest.

 

It seemed a bit strange that she
hadn't seen his chest but had seen his marvelous cock. She couldn't wait to see
all of him. She wanted to lick that rod, put her mouth around it and pleasure
him. But first she really needed to know what to call him.

 

"What should I call you?"

 

A puzzled look crossed his face.
"Dev."

 

"Dev? But I though your name was
Derrick?"

 

"It is," he answered
quickly. "B-but Dev is a family name ... a nickname of sorts."

 

"All right," she said with
a shrug.

 

Kendra grabbed the towel and stood,
droplets of water splashed into the water. As she dried, he yanked off his boots.
She put on the sheer nightrail Sarah had loaned her then glanced in the mirror.
The gown was obscene. Even in the dimly lit room she could see the dark rings
of her nipples and the hair between her legs.

 

She turned around to face Dev. He
reached for the bedpost and a groan escaped him as he stared at her.

 

"That dressing gown is too
beautiful for words." He pushed his breeches down his thighs, uncovering
his muscled legs and very much proving she affected him.

 

"Can I touch you?"

 

"I believe you should," he
replied with a lascivious grin.

 

Since he had pleasured her already,
it was his turn. She knelt before him and let her fingers skim up the hard
length of him. He grabbed the bedpost with both hands.

 

"Put me in your mouth," he
whispered.

 

Instead, she licked the top of his
cock, savoring the salty taste of the liquid that had pooled there. She never
felt anything so smooth and hard at the same time. Her tongue traveled the
length of his long shaft until she reached his balls. Slowly, she licked and
lightly sucked on them until she felt his legs tremble under her touch.

 

"Oh God," he mumbled.
"Take me in your mouth, now."

 

Devlin felt his control slipping, and
she hadn't even sucked him yet. He leaned back against the bedpost as her
tongue glided up him. This woman had a strange control over him, one he wasn't
certain he liked. She licked the head of his cock again. It twitched, causing
her to giggle.

 

He shook with passion. Her tongue
circled around him, pressing slightly into the small hole there. Slowly, she
opened her mouth and took him into her warm recesses. His balls tightened with
the pleasure.

 

A tingling sensation rushed through
him as she took over half of him in her mouth. He brought her hands up to touch
his balls and the base of his penis. With trembling hands, he reached for her
hair. After pulling every pin free, blonde hair flowed down her back, but the
slide of her mouth on him captured his concentration. Pressure built deep in
his balls, increasing as her mouth stroked him. He thrust into her mouth as his
climax roared through his body.

 

Greedily, she continued to suck him
as he spurted his seed down her throat. Devlin held her head still so he
wouldn't come again too quickly. Oh, he wanted to do that again. But the next
time he came, he wanted to be somewhere else.

 

She eased her mouth off him and
stood. Without hesitation he pulled her up against him and finally kissed her.
He had no idea what was happening to him. He'd never felt such a strong
attraction to a woman before this one. As he slid his tongue in to touch hers
he tasted the salty flavor of his seed. Already his cock was tightening, ready
for more.

 

But not yet.

 

Dear God, she kissed like the
innocent she was. She hesitated before she touched her tongue to his and
followed his lead, exploring, twining together like lovers.

 

Slowly he broke the amazing contact
and crawled into bed. "Come here, my love."

 

Her blonde eyebrows rose at the
endearment. She followed him under the covers and rested her head on his chest.
"Is it always this ... this...?"

 

"Amazing?" he finished for
her.

 

"Yes." She looked up at
him, her green eyes sparkling in the dimly lit room. "Well, is it?"

 

"No," he whispered. He drew
her back down and kissed her again. He was drowning in her passion, in her
innocent touch. How would he be able to keep her virginity when every time she
was near he thought of nothing but plunging deep into her?

 

There was only one way he could have
her. Although most women usually couldn't handle him back there because of his
size. But suddenly he couldn't think of anything else. He would have to prepare
her. Perhaps after a few days of stretching her, he could try...and there was
no time like the present to start.

 

"Lie on your stomach," he
said, breaking off their kiss.

 

He opened his brother's nightstand
and found a bottle of fragrant oil there. Slowly he removed her nightrail,
exposing inch after inch of her gently rounded bottom. He groaned at the sight
of her perfect bare ass and stripped the nightrail off her in one movement.
After straddling her hips, he warmed the oil in the palm of his hand before
gently messaging it into her back. She moaned in thanks as he kneaded her
muscles.

 

"That feels heavenly," she
mumbled into the pillow.

 

Kendra felt each muscle warm under
his strong hands. His hands drew up her spine, until they reached her neck
where they stopped to knead the tense flesh there. She couldn't remember the
last time she felt so relaxed. It had to be years. Long before her father had
become ill and his debts exposed.

 

It seemed odd that a virtual stranger
could make her feel so comfortable. Then again, everything was different with
Dev. She wanted to please him as much as he pleased her. She really would have
to watch her heart though. It wouldn't be difficult to imagine herself falling
for him, and that would be trouble indeed.

 

She shivered as his palms slid down
all the way to her buttocks. He shifted position, sitting between her spread
legs. A drop of oil plopped on her bottom. Then another. And yet more. Soon a
puddle formed and a creek of oil raced down the crack of her rear cheeks. His
fingers stopped the warm liquid from continuing down its chosen path. She
trembled again when she realized exactly where his finger halted.

 

He rubbed his index finger over the
puckered hole. Each time he slid a little deeper. Kendra knew what he was
attempting to do, but felt helpless to stop him. She'd seen Sarah taken from
behind, and her friend certainly didn't seem to mind.

 

"Relax, Kate."

 

She wanted him to call her Kendra.
But she couldn't say those damning words. Instead, she forced her muscles to
relax and enjoy the sensation as his finger entered her rear. Oh dear Lord, it
actually tingled.

 

"That's it, darling. Feel me
deep inside you and think about what it will be like when you stretch enough to
handle all of me."

 

"Yes," she mumbled. All of
him. Stroking her, caressing her, making her body tingle and shake until ...
for the second time that night she climaxed.

 

She felt his cock rubbing against the
oil-slicked crack of her buttocks. When she heard his moans she knew he was
getting closer to his own relief. He pressed her rear cheeks tighter together,
surrounding his shaft. Stroking up and down her crack, he suddenly tensed. She
felt the spurt of his seed and heard his moan of ecstasy.

 

Dev dropped his weight on top of her.
His rapid heartbeat pounded against her back. She wondered if she should feel
ashamed of her actions with him. She didn't. Perhaps because she still retained
her virtue, although, she didn't believe that to be the entire answer.

 

She had a feeling nothing he could do
to her or with her would ever make her ashamed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Four

 

"Well?" Devlin demanded as
Lindale walked into his study the next afternoon. All morning he'd been haunted
with memories of the previous night. He had to learn more about her. He'd spent
most of the morning attempting to look over the estate books, but he hadn't
changed a single entry or added one either.

 

"Nothing unusual down here last
night. Brooks stayed up and watched the house."

 

Anthony Brooks also worked for the
Home Office, and when Devlin impersonated his brother, Brooks stayed in the
house, too. Not so much for protection but in case anything happened that the
office needed to be made aware of.

 

"Any information on her?"

 

"They are the most
closed-mouthed servants I have ever met. Not one would say a word about the
gel," Lindale replied.

 

Devlin banged his fist against his
brother's cherry desk. "Damn. I have to know who she is."

 

"Have you asked her
directly?"

 

Of course he hadn't asked her. She
would never tell him the truth when she obviously wanted to remain anonymous.
Besides, they had been so busy getting to each other's bodies last night they
barely talked or slept.

 

"Try more talking and less
fucking and maybe you'll find out who she is," Lindale retorted then
quickly left the room.

 

Sometimes his manservant overstepped
his boundaries. But Devlin didn't want to do less fucking. Even now, after
three times last night, he wanted her again. He could still smell her sweet
musky scent and the redolence drove him mad.

 

Each time he'd satisfied her the urge
to delve inside her warm body grew. He wanted to sink into her soft flesh. He
wanted to lunge into her wet passage and make love to her until they were both
sated. But would he ever be sated with her? Somehow, he doubted he would.

 

He'd never felt such a driving need
with any woman. Within a few days of bedding a new mistress he would start to
tire of her. And even though he'd only been with Kate two nights, he didn't
believe boredom would occur any time soon, if at all.

 

If he married her, he'd have no
problem staying faithful. If he married her? Where the bloody hell had that
thought come from? He was engaged. Betrothed since he was ten. He couldn't
break his promise to his late father, and he certainly could not let his
intended's family down either.

 

He had to marry Miss Smythe. She
needed him. Her family needed him.

 

But he wanted Miss Smith. He needed
her.

 

Devlin had only five more nights with
her. And already, he knew it would never be enough.

 

* * * * *

 

Devlin spent the remainder of the day
impersonating his brother. He rode through Hyde Park at the fashionable hour of
five in the afternoon and waved to every one of Derrick's friends. Ignoring his
own friends was the difficult task. A few would wave believing it might be him,
but Dev had learned how to sneer like his brother. Once he sent them a scornful
look, they believed Derrick, not Dev, had acknowledged them.

 

And now hours later, he sat in his
brother's box at the opera. His brother kept a marvelous box at the opera.
Normally, this was one of the few pastimes he enjoyed while in town pretending
to be Derrick. But the last few days had been anything but normal. During the
intermission, he had been inundated with married ladies offering him a chance
to fuck them either during the performance, which seemed to titillate them, or
better yet, after the opera, in their own beds while their husbands were off
tupping another man's wife.

 

This wholly immoral atmosphere was
part of the reason he'd delayed marrying Miss Smythe. She would desire to be in
town for the Season. The gentlemen in London would consider her a new a filly
that needed to broken in. He knew how the betting book at White's would flare
with wagers on who would be the first to have her after she'd borne his heir.
The idea of being cuckolded did not set well with him.

 

But most importantly, he hadn't
married her because he still believed all women were like his mother--willing
to desert their families and responsibilities for a good fuck. Well, he wanted
no part of that. Watching his father's health decline after his mother left had
made Dev realize that a woman should never be trusted.

 

Pulling out his pocket watch, he
growled in frustration. Even though Lindale was not picking her up until ten
tonight, Devlin could think of nothing but departing the opera and getting
home. Well, not home exactly, but his brother's house, and the passionate lady
who awaited him.

 

After another excruciating hour the
performance finished, and his duty to his brother completed for the night.

 

"Derrick!" a high-pitched
feminine voice called out to him before he could make his escape.

 

Damn. He glanced up to see a
beautiful blonde woman approaching. He had no idea who she might be but he
guessed his brother would know her.

 

"Derrick, how have you
been?" she asked. "I have not seen you in ages. And you did promise
me you would pay me a visit the next time my husband was out of town." She
leaned in closer to him, pressing her full, silk-covered breasts against his
arm. "And he is."

 

"Not tonight, darling," he
replied, hoping his brother used the endearment with her. "I have other
plans."

 

"I don't mind tagging
along," she answered suggestively. "I haven't had that kind of fun in
a very long time."

 

"No."

 

"You are getting stuffy in your
old age," she said. Her breast pressed invitingly into his jacket.
"If you don't have a care you shall end up like your brother."

 

Devlin stiffened. So Derrick thought
he was stuffy? "Perhaps, I am just gaining some of my brother's
wisdom."

 

The woman laughed. "Oh, that
must be it. Maybe another time, then." She stood on her tiptoes and cupped
her hands to his ear as if she had a great secret to share. Instead, her tongue
circled his ear. "I really don't mind sharing you with another
woman," she whispered, "or another man. But don't make me wait too
long."

 

"Lisette," another woman
called. "Do hurry."

 

Lisette moved away with a wistful
smile. "Not too long. I've missed you and that," she said with a
pointed look at his crotch.

 

Thank God that was over and he could
leave. He had made his appearance at the opera; he did not need to attend the
Markston ball. He waited for his driver outside.

 

"Blackpool?"

 

Damn again. Only this time it was a
friend of his. With the casual arrogance he'd seen his brother use so many
times he shrugged. "Wrong brother, Maxwell."

 

"Pardon then. Tell Devlin I'd
like to see him."

 

"The next time he's in town to
take me to task for something, I'll be certain to tell him."

 

Maxwell shook his head and left.

 

The carriage rolled up just in time.
Devlin had had enough of being Derrick for the night, enough of deceiving
friends he hadn't seen in years. Although a certain Miss Smith still thought of
him as Derrick Thornton. Dev clenched his fists. There wasn't a damned thing he
could do about that.

 

As the carriage rolled over the
cobbled streets back to Mayfair, he thought about the evening ahead of him.
Tonight, he would take things slower with her. He hadn't even really seduced
her yet. Last night had been more a speedy release for them both than a
seduction.

 

His cock twitched in anticipation. Finally
the coach slowed to a stop in front of his brother's home. He jumped from the
carriage before the groomsman could even open the door. Lindale opened the
front door.

 

"Good evening, my lord."

 

"Lindale," Dev said with a
nod. "I trust everything is ready in my room?"

 

"Exactly as you requested."

 

"Thank you."

 

Dev's anticipation got the best of
him. He raced up the stairs and then stopped in front of his brother's bedroom.
A faint hint of jasmine revealed her presence as he opened the door. He liked
that scent on her far more than the innocent rosewater that she'd worn the
first night. The exotic perfume suited her erotic nature better. He had given
her the perfume last night. Thinking about her reaction to the gift made him smile.
She'd been surprised and acted as if she'd never received something from a man
before ... perhaps she never had.

 

Looking around the room, the breath
whooshed from his lungs. She lay on the bed, completely, beautifully, naked for
him. Her golden tresses spread across her breasts, hiding her large pink
nipples from him.

 

"You are later than I
expected," she said with a seductive smile.

 

"Then I shall have to make it up
to you," he replied, tearing at his cravat. After lifting a small box from
his jacket pocket, he tossed it on the bed next to her.

 

"What is this?" she asked,
picking up the box.

 

"Open it." He tossed his
jacket to the floor before yanking off his boots. After divesting himself of
the rest of his clothing, he stalked her slowly, staring at her until she
understood that she was his. So much for taking things slower tonight, all he
wanted to do was thrust his cock inside her.

 

He breathed in deeply, slowly. He had
to get his body under control.

 

She sat up, staring at the box in her
hands. With a slight frown, she opened the box and gasped. Lifting the emerald
necklace out of its velvet box, she said, "I cannot accept this."

 

"Of course you can." Dev
took the necklace from her hands and clasped it around her neck. The large
emerald gleamed against her flushed chest. He wondered if she had pleasured
herself before he arrived. Not that he minded. It would only make her hotter
and wetter for him. "Dev, you cannot give me such extravagant gifts."

 

He only laughed at her reaction.
"The necklace is yours." Control. He desperately needed control. But
looking at the emerald, which fell exactly between her sweet breasts, did him
in. Her nipples tightened as he stared at them. Laughter rose softly from his
chest as he realized she was just as excited as he. She licked her luscious
pink lips as he stretched out on top of her, easing his weight down on her.

 

Damn. His unruly cock landed right
between her legs and nestled against her warm, moist folds. She smiled at him
with one brow raised when she noticed where his cock settled. It wouldn't take
much to move slightly and be at her opening. And even less to thrust deep
inside her until he reached heaven.

 

"I missed you today," she
whispered, drawing her fingertips across his cheeks. "I couldn't stop
thinking about you."

 

"Indeed?"

 

"Yes. What were you doing today?
And who were you doing it with?"

 

"Jealous?"

 

She glanced away. "Perhaps.
Although I have no right to be."

 

He kissed the tip of her nose.
"You have every right. Just no cause. I spent the day..." Doing what?
He certainly couldn't tell her that he'd spent the day impersonating his
brother.

 

"Yes?" she asked.

 

"Catching up on correspondence,
riding, and then the opera tonight."

 

"Oh."

 

He didn't wish to talk any longer.
Her mouth called to him like a siren. He concentrated on her lips, teasing her
bottom lip with his tongue until she gasped. He was drowning in a sea of
passion. Dying to be inside her. Instead, he used his tongue to plunge inside
her mouth, showing her what he wanted to do with his cock.

 

Kendra tried to catch her breath as
his lips tortured her. His tongue twisted with hers. He suckled the end of her
tongue, sending an aching fire to her belly. He burned a path down her neck,
stopping at the spot where her pulse hammered her neck, he lightly kissed it.

 

She didn't want to think about what
the man did to her emotionally. Keeping this relationship on a purely physical
plane might be the only way to survive. She trembled as his lips continued
downward until they reached her breasts.

 

But he made her feel loved.

 

No! She couldn't think like that.
After kissing circles around her areola, he finally drew her pebbled nipple
into his mouth. She arched her back to get closer to him. Flames licked her
belly as his mouth suckled harder and harder.

 

"Oh God, please, Dev."

 

"Not yet, darling. We have all
night and you can come as many times as you want. But first, I want to taste
you ... all of you."

 

She shivered. He skimmed her stomach
with his tongue, circling around her belly button, delving lower until he
reached her curly private hair. Spreading her folds with his fingers, his
tongue slid lower still. She almost sprang from the bed when he kissed her
clit. Sarah had told her about how nice this was, but nice didn't do the
sensations any justice. Closing her eyes, she gave in to the tingling that
showered her every nerve.

 

He continued to lick and suckle her
nub, sending her closer and closer to the precipice. He brought her hands to
her breasts. Instinctively, she knew he wanted her to roll her nipples between
her fingers, pull them to increase the pressure between her legs.

 

A thick finger finally slid inside
her as his tongue continued its assault on her most sensitive body part. Her
passion climbed higher with each flick of his tongue. As a second finger joined
the first, she clenched her muscles and shook with an all-consuming orgasm.

 

"Dev!" she shouted as
pleasure rolled through her body.

 

But he didn't stop. Before she could
fully recover from her first climax, another shook her to the core.

 

"Oh God!" she called out.

 

She heard his warm chuckle as he
withdrew his fingers and looked up at her.

 

"Did you like that?" he
whispered.

 

"Yes," she answered
breathlessly. But she felt as if she couldn't move, and she had never felt so
completely sated in all her life.

 

"Will you let me do what I want
to you?"

 

"Anything," she answered
without hesitation. She trusted this man, although she had no idea why. He was
a virtual stranger to her.

 

Slowly, he slid his thick cock up to
her folds and rubbed against her. He eased down toward her swollen lips,
circling the entrance to her. She couldn't stop herself from pushing slightly
toward him until she felt the tip of him stretch her. His shaft slowly entered
her. As wet as she was the sensation didn't really hurt, but she wondered how
she was to stay a virgin if he slid inside.

 

But he didn't. He only let the tip of
his penis inside her.

 

"Dear God, you are so
tight," he said. A bead of sweat rolled down his face. "I want you so
badly."

 

"Take me," she whispered
back. "Take me now and rid me of this damned virginity."

 

He froze for an instant as if
pondering her words. "No." He withdrew completely and stroked her
clit with his rigid cock. Lightly he slapped his penis against her clit drawing
moans from deep inside her.

 

Kendra brought her hand down to cover
his shaft as he glided through her folds. The action had the desired effect on
him. He closed his eyes and went rigid as pleasure rode him. His seed coated
her hand, making them even more slippery. The combination of wetness and his
movements against her clit sent her over the edge for a third time in barely
half an hour.

 

"You are a passionate woman,
Kate Smith," he said, relaxing next to her. "I could get very used to
this."

 

"Me too," she mumbled
against his chest.

 

"Why?"

 

"Why what? Why would I get used
to this?"

 

"No. I do believe I understand
why you could get used to this," he said then kissed the tip of her nose.
"I daresay you are not the type of woman who would normally proposition a
man for sex. So why now?"

 

She remained silent, trying to
determine exactly what he wanted to hear. And how she could say it.

 

"Money?" he questioned.

 

It was always money. It had been for
as long as she could remember. That was one of the reasons she had been
betrothed at such a young age--a debt the former earl owed her father for
saving his life. They both assumed joining the families would protect her
family should something happen to her father.

 

"Why do you need the
money?" he whispered.

 

"Pardon?"

 

"I can't see you asking for
payment unless you desperately need the money. So, why do you need it?"

 

She stilled her hand from caressing
his flat nipple. It wouldn't hurt to tell him some of the truth. As long as he
didn't know her name, it could not matter. "My father is dying.
Unfortunately, he is also very much in debt."

 

"You had no other relations to
take you in?"

 

"No." Other than a
betrothed who cared more for his sheep than her. But she couldn't tell him
that.

 

"No offers of marriage?"

 

Not when everyone knew she'd been
betrothed since she was one. "No," she answered flatly.

 

"I see."

 

"So why did you agree to my
offer, but then add a stipulation of your own?"

 

He chuckled and reached for her
breast. Instantly her nipple hardened under his rough hand. "Because you
all but threw these beauties in my face. What man could resist that?"

 

She had hoped her one asset would
secure her a position of favor. "But still, what kind of man refuses such
a blatant offer? You could be inside of me ... right now," she said,
teasing him in hope that he might change his mind.

 

"I won't take what rightfully
belongs to your husband."

 

She turned away from him, angry that
he brought up the one man she wanted to forget. The one man who had made her
life miserable and probably would continue to do so for the rest of her life.

 

"Darling?" He curved his
body up against hers.

 

"He doesn't deserve it,"
she mumbled into pillow.

 

"Who doesn't deserve what?"

 

"My future husband doesn't
deserve my virginity."

 

He clamped his hand down on her
shoulder, turning her back toward him. His eyes blazed with some untold
emotion, something between passion and anger.

 

"What are you talking about? You
don't know if the man you will marry deserves your virginity or not."

 

Rage rushed over her for his reminder
of her future, stuck married to the Earl of Blackpool. A man she didn't even
remember meeting. A man who wouldn't even help her family in their hour of
need.

 

"I do know all about my future
husband. He's a blackguard who cannot even send my family money to help them.
He's made me a laughingstock at home because I've been betrothed to him
forever, and he's never deemed it necessary to marry me."

 

"Surely something must have
caused his delay?"

 

"Nothing I know of because the
bastard won't even answer my letters."

 

"I am sorry," he mumbled.
He pulled gently her against his chest.

 

"It certainly is not your
fault." Kate yawned and placed her head in the crook of his arm. Her
breathing slowly evened out until he knew she'd fallen asleep. As she napped,
his conscience berated him.

 

Damn. A slice of guilt at the
treatment of his own betrothed ate at him. He hadn't been much more attentive
than Kate's intended. Just as soon as his brother returned, he'd be off to
Hampshire and let his future wife know she had a week to prepare for a wedding.
Although, he would do so only with great regret at leaving the passionate woman
by his side. He had to find a way to keep Kate. Paying her father's debts might
just be the one thing to make her see reason about becoming his mistress.

 

But deep inside he knew that his
quest was wrong for too many different reasons.

 

He was a cad to think blackmail would
work with Kate. He was an even bigger cad to think about keeping a mistress
when he hadn't even seen his betrothed. Perhaps she was a lovely woman who
would keep him happy...perhaps he'd even fall in love with her.

 

Dev shook his head. No, he had no
doubt that he would never fall in love with his future wife. Not while he had
memories of Kate to warm his heart.

 

At least he had satisfied his
curiosity about Kate. Money was a powerful motivator. If she truly had no one
else to turn to, then like most women, she would sell her most profitable
commodity--her body.

 

While she could still be a spy, he doubted
it. Her actions were far more like those of a woman scorned, than an agent.

 

He could only wonder, just who had
scorned her?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Five

 

"Come with me," Sarah
begged for the hundredth time. "I hate these musicales where some
untalented simpleton sings and we must fawn all over her."

 

"I cannot. What if he is
there?" Kendra said.

 

Sarah paced the drawing room. "I
daresay, he will not be. But just in case, we introduce you as Katherine Smith.
It's not as if anyone has met you," she smiled at Kendra, "save
him."

 

"But if someone knows who I
am?" Kendra sipped her tea, hoping the flavorful liquid would relax her
wary nerves. If introduced as Katherine Smith but recognized as herself, her
reputation would be ruined.

 

"You never had a Season because
your father saw no need as you were already betrothed. Who would know you?
You've lived your entire life in Hampshire."

 

"I am supposed to be at his house
by ten."

 

"Send him a note and tell him
you shall arrive late. The waiting only makes the sex better."

 

She'd been stuck in Sarah's house or
Dev's house ever since she had arrived in London. Not even straying for a visit
to the booksellers or shopping. It might be worth the risk of being recognized.
She wondered if he would mind terribly. Even if it were just a dreadful
musicale, she would be out of the house.

 

"Very well. I shall accompany
you."

 

Sarah gave her a big hug. "Thank
you!"

 

Kendra penned a note to Dev and asked
Sarah to send her most trustworthy footman. Hopefully he would understand her
need for a delay. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt his feelings or do
anything to make him go back on his word about their arrangement. He'd been
more than kind to her so far.

 

Sarah loaned her a beautiful ice blue
gown shot with silver threads. The dress shimmered in the candlelight of her
room. Her maid dressed her hair in an upswept chignon and pinned in small
silver flowers throughout. The dlleteckline showed more of her breasts than she
thought would be proper, but Sarah convinced her otherwise.

 

"It's absolutely perfect!"
Sarah exclaimed. "The men will be drooling to get near you. And if Mr.
Thornton is not in attendance, you will be able to see if any other man strikes
your fancy."

 

Not likely, she thought. She'd never
met any man who struck her fancy like Dev. Unfortunately, she only had three
more days with him.

 

Each night had been the
same--frenzied lovemaking as if they couldn't get enough of each other. Yet, he
never completely lost control and took her virtue. But every night, she felt he
came closer to doing just that.

 

"Kendra?"

 

"Pardon? I was lost in thought
for a moment."

 

"And based on that high color, I
know whom you were thinking of," Sarah said with a grin.

 

"I want him inside me,
Sarah." Kendra sat carefully on the bed so as not to wrinkle her dress.
"Yet he never does."

 

"Ahh, so that is the
problem." Sara sat down next to her. "But you two have the perfect
arrangement as it currently stands. Your future husband shall never know all
that you've done because your virginity will be in place when he takes you the
first time."

 

"Perhaps I want Blackpool to
know that I refused to wait for him."

 

Sarah frowned. "Is that wise?"

 

"Most likely not," she
replied, straightening out the folds on her dress. "But I refuse to care
any longer. I did everything in my power to avoid this moment. I even traveled
to his estate, only to be turned away as if I were a pauper, which I am. Blackpool
deserves nothing from me. Not my virtue, not my respect and never my
love."

 

"Still, we are talking about the
rest of your life. If Blackpool discovers the truth, he will be beyond angry.
He will want revenge against the man who took your innocence. If he learns of
Thornton, he may call him out. And he will make your life a hell on
earth."

 

"He has already done that
task."

 

Sarah grabbed Kendra's shoulders.
"No, he has done nothing yet. You have no idea what a man is capable of
when incensed."

 

Kendra stared into Sarah's brown
eyes, shimmering with unshed tears. "Sarah, I already hate Blackpool for
what he hasn't done. Do you think I could hate him any more for what he might
do in the future?"

 

"You will be his chattel. He can
do anything he wants to do to you once you are married."

 

"Then perhaps I shouldn't marry
him at all," Kendra replied. "I want Thornton and I want him deep
inside of me. Once he pays me for my week I won't need Blackpool or his money
any longer."

 

"I can't convince you to change
your mind?"

 

Kendra shook her head.

 

Sarah released a heavy sigh.
"Very well. If you want Thornton that badly, you shall have to do this
yourself."

 

"And just how am I supposed to
that?"

 

Sarah only chuckled at her. "Get
on top of him. Slide your folds up and down his cock until he is close to his
climax. Just before he comes, grasp the base of his penis and slide yourself
down on him. He'll be so lost he won't be able to stop you. Once it's done, he
won't care and will make love to you over and over again."

 

Well, that had possibilities, but she
wondered if he would be upset with her for her trickery. He'd been such a
gentleman. Kendra bit her lower lip in thought. He seemed most sincere about
letting her husband take her innocence. Still, Blackpool didn't deserve it. He
deserved to be cuckolded and played the fool. After all, hadn't he played her
for the fool for the past three years?

 

"Come along," Sarah said,
pulling Kendra off the bed. "Perhaps Thornton shall even be at the
musicale tonight and you can show him just what he's waiting for."

 

And perhaps a little teasing would
help his control slip away later.

 

* * * * *

 

Damn. He hated musicales. But after
receiving Kate's note, he felt he had to see her before midnight. Even if it
meant staring at her from across the room. Perhaps he'd even learn more about
her. Some hint as to her true identity. He'd become obsessed with her, wanting
to know who she was and where she had come from. Lindale had come up with
nothing from the Humphrey's servants.

 

Each night they spent together, he
felt his heart pull towards her. How the bloody hell was he going to break it
off with her in a matter of days?

 

He leaned against the wall drinking a
glass of port, watching the lovely ladies enter the room. He spied Lady
Humphrey as she crossed the threshold dressed in a lovely plum creation. A
vision in a pale blue gown followed her. His heart pounded in his chest when
Kate walked in the room.

 

Most of the men openly stared at her
as Lady Humphrey introduced her around to everyone. Kate looked as if she'd
been born to such opulence. She curtsied when appropriate and laughed when
necessary. She acted as if she'd been raised with the proper manners of a lady.
Never once did she appear nervous or uncomfortable in the situation. Still, it
wasn't enough to be a countess.

 

Especially when his future countess
waited for him on an estate in Hampshire, which is where he preferred she
stayed forever.

 

He had to face the facts. No matter
how much he might want Kate, it would never work between them. She had a
betrothed while he had his own future wife. They could not break their promises
for a simple case of lust. Or was there something more there than lust? He
pushed that thought quickly from his mind. He did not love her ... did he?

 

Slowly the ladies made their way
around the room until they reached him.

 

"Mr. Thornton, may I introduce a
dear friend of mine, Miss Smith," Lady Humphrey said, trying to contain
her grin.

 

So Lady Humphrey did indeed know what
he and Kate had been doing the last few nights. "A pleasure to meet you,
Miss Smith," he said, bowing over her hand. He felt her tremble as his
index finger caressed her gloved wrist. Already, his breeches were getting
tighter due to her nearness.

 

"Thank you, Mr. Thornton,"
she replied, pulling her hand away.

 

"You look vaguely
familiar," he said to keep her from moving from him too quickly.
"Have we met before tonight?"

 

A pink hue colored her cheeks.
"No, sir. I am quite certain we have never met before now."

 

"If you say so."

 

Her green eyes twinkled with laughter
while her countenance remained stoic.

 

The hostess told everyone to take
their seats so the program could begin. Devlin took the opportunity to hold out
his arm. "May I escort you to your seat?"

 

Lady Humphrey giggled from behind her
fan. "I believe Miss Smith would love that."

 

Kate linked her arm with his and they
moved toward the last row of seats. "Shouldn't we sit closer to the
singer?"

 

"Have you ever heard Miss
Tanglewood sing before?" he whispered in her ear.

 

"No."

 

"Trust me, the back row contains
the best seats for this performance."

 

Kate smiled at him for the first time
that evening, causing his breeches to tighten uncomfortably. They sat down in
their seats with Lady Humphrey on the left side of Kate.

 

As the off-key singer started, he
grazed his thigh against hers.

 

He heard her slight gasp at the
contact. Sitting in the back row he had a bit more leverage than if he were
seated in front. He leaned in closer to her and blew in her ear. She stiffened.
The floral scent of her jasmine perfume infused him, reminding him of her lying
in his bed, making him want her even more.

 

"I want you," he whispered
in her ear. "Right here, right now."

 

Pulling out her fan, she attempted to
cool herself. But he knew she was hot already and not from the warmth of the
room. She wanted him. She stared straight ahead as if he hadn't said a word to
her, but based on her rosy color, she'd heard every word. He shifted in his
seat to get nearer to her.

 

"I want to pull your gown down
around your waist and suckle your pert little tits."

 

She pressed her lips together as if
suppressing a laugh.

 

"I want to pull up your skirts
and lick your sensitive clit until you scream my name in passion."

 

Kate shifted in her seat.
"Stop!" she hissed.

 

"I want to put you on my lap and
sink deep into your wet depths while everyone listens to this dreadful
girl."

 

She pressed her lips together again
to keep from laughing aloud. Once her emotions were in check, she leveled a
feigned angry glare at him. Not that such a look would stop him. It only
encouraged him. He wanted her hot for him. He wanted her so wet that he could
slip right inside her wet passage. Of course, he would not do that. She had to
remain a virgin otherwise he might feel obligated to marry the chit.

 

He certainly could not do such a
thing.

 

Yet, as he glanced at her, he saw
things he hadn't noticed while lying in bed--the way her posture matched every
other young lady in the room, the aristocratic slope of her nose. Her perfect
manners and the way she seemed to know how to speak with anyone of quality.

 

Dear God! She couldn't be a woman of
quality.

 

No mother would let her daughter go
off with Lady Humphrey. Unless their finances were so dire that she'd been left
with no choice. Perhaps her mother was no longer even alive to know what her
daughter was doing with him. Kate had never discussed her mother, only her
father.

 

How could he have been such a fool?
The evidence sat right next to him, in perfect precision with every other woman
in the room. How could he have missed it? The obvious answer to that bloody
question was also right in front of him--he'd never wanted to even think about
the fact that she might be a lady.

 

Of course she was a lady--a lady who
desperately needed a man's money. Yet, in the past few days she had not spoken
one word about money, only what she wanted to do with him in bed.

 

She was a distraction. That was all
she could be to him. His father had set Dev's course when he was merely a
child. A distraction might be all right, but she could be nothing more to him.

 

Tonight, they would talk before they
did anything else. He needed answers, and he needed them now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Six

 

Lindale showed Kendra the way up the
back staircase as he'd done the past few nights. So why was it that only
tonight their path made her feel like a servant? Or worse, a strumpet for the
master's use. The more time she spent with Dev, the more her heart became
involved.

 

He treated her with more than
kindness. They had an intimacy that bordered on love. She couldn't do this. She
mustn't fall in love with Derrick Thornton. She was pledged to the Earl of
Blackpool.

 

Her footsteps faltered as she neared
his room. Dare she end this before their week was over? And even if she did,
would she ever forget him? She knew the answer to that question--never. The
first time Blackpool took her to his bed, she would think about all that she'd
done with Dev. It might be the only way to survive a loveless marriage.

 

She would take Sarah's advice
tonight. By morning, she wouldn't be a virgin any longer.

 

Lindale opened the door to his room.
Dim light from the fire drew long shadows on the walls. Shadows filled her
heart, too ... and they would remain long after the fire had died.

 

"Thank you, Lindale," Dev's
voice came from a chair by the fireplace.

 

Lindale nodded and left.

 

"Come sit and have some brandy
with me, Kate," he said, pouring her a snifter.

 

She did as he asked, sinking into the
chair across from him. Her hands shook as she took the crystal from his grip.
Why was she suddenly nervous?

 

"You look beautiful
tonight."

 

She sipped her brandy, hoping to find
some courage in her glass. Instead, she choked on the heady liquid.
"T-Thank you," she sputtered.

 

"You looked beautiful tonight.
As if you'd been born to such gatherings," he commented, staring at her.

 

He must have finally realized the
truth. She had always wondered why he had never questioned her further on her
family. "Does it matter?"

 

"I daresay it does." He
took a long sip of brandy and then poured himself some more.

 

"Why?"

 

"I am not entirely certain. I
believed you must have been a woman of some stature, perhaps merchant class,
but I never would have believed you to be a lady."

 

"Of course not," she
replied, taking small sip so she wouldn't choke on the warming liquid. "A
woman of quality would never take her clothes off in front of a man and
pleasure herself while he watched. Nor would she offer a gentleman her virtue
for money."

 

"So why did you?" he
whispered.

 

She stared down as she swirled the
amber liquid around in her glass, anything to avoid his probing stare. "I
believe we have already discussed this matter. My family is near to being
thrown out of their home. My betrothed has conveniently forgotten I exist. What
choice did I have?"

 

"Uncles? Cousins? Someone who
might have loaned you enough money to get by until your callous betrothed came
to your rescue."

 

"There is no one else," she
cried. "My mother died years ago. Her family disowned her for marrying a
mere baron when she could have had an earl or better yet a duke. I would never
go to them and even if I did, they would never give me a farthing."

 

"What about your father's
family?"

 

"They are all dead." She
slammed her glass down on the table next to her and then rose to her feet.
"Why is this so important to you?"

 

"Guilt for what I have done to
an innocent lady."

 

"I absolve you of any guilt in
this affair. I offered myself to you. I knew what I was doing."

 

"Still as a gentleman..."

 

"As a gentleman? I chose you
because you were a known rake. A man who wouldn't ask too many questions, just
get the job down. And I certainly did not come here tonight to discuss my
problems with you." She strode for the door.

 

His hand snaked around her, slamming
into the door. Unable to move with his body pinning her to the door, she
waited. And waited. His hot breath seared her bare neck. The spicy scent of his
cologne and the hint of brandy surrounded her, reminding her of the nights they
had spent together.

 

"I'm sorry," he whispered.
His lips skimmed the back of her neck sending shivers down her spine.
"You're driving me mad with longing yet, I feel guilty for doing this with
you when you are to be married to someone else."

 

"Do not feel guilty. The man is
a bastard."

 

"I feel guilty for my thoughts.
My desire is barely in check." He unhooked one button on the back of her
dress. As he did, he kissed the skin he exposed. "All I want to do is sink
myself deep inside you and stroke you until you tighten your inner muscles
around my cock and let your passions flow."

 

She groaned. She wanted him deep
inside her.

 

"But then I remember your virtue
and I attempt to control my base urges."

 

"Don't think about it. Just make
love to me," she whispered.

 

"I am a gentleman, no matter the
untruths you might have heard through the gossipmongers."

 

Drat. She didn't want a gentleman.
She wanted a rake, a despoiler of innocents. Yet she wondered if she would feel
the same about him if he had immediately taken her innocence. Somehow she
doubted she would.

 

Another button released, another
kiss. "You didn't wear a chemise," he said, smiling against her back.

 

"I didn't have one that would
work with this dress."

 

"Do you have any idea what that
does to me? To think, you sat right next to me tonight wearing only this dress.
Did it make you hot?"

 

She nodded. She'd felt as if she
might explode from the desire coursing in her veins tonight. And all his little
whispered comments hadn't helped matters either. He had taken every opportunity
to brush against her, sending tingles down her back.

 

He pushed the sleeves down on her
dress and let it fall into a puddle at her feet. He quickly divested her of her
stays until she stood in front of him in only her stockings and shoes. Just as
she did the first night she'd met him. And just like that night, her wetness
fairly dripped from her.

 

She had to have him ... all of him
tonight.

 

Dev kissed down her back until he
reached her derriere. Spreading her legs apart, his mouth slid down her crack
until it reached the moisture his presence produced. His lips circled her
folds, flicking her clit, imitating what his cock would do to her if he'd just
let it.

 

She started when she felt his warm
mouth sliding against her clit.

 

"Ready to come for me?"

 

"Yes." She shuddered as his
tongue flicked her clit again.

 

"Good?"

 

"Better than that," she
muttered. Each slight movement he made caused a tingling sensation that started
in her bottom and raced over every nerve. Her nipples tightened and she longed
to touch them. But her hands held the door, keeping her upright when she was
certain her knees would buckle under her.

 

"Come for me, Kate."

 

"Not yet," she said with a
husky laugh. She didn't want the sensations to end just yet.

 

"Now," he ordered.

 

She pressed her palms against the
smooth oak door. His tongue entered her dripping passage, and his thumb rubbed
her clit. Fire built deep within her. She wanted him inside her. But her body
refused to wait for him. She clenched her fists as her head hit the door and
she reached her orgasm.

 

"Oh Dev!" she screamed from
the exquisite gratification.

 

Wave after wave of delicious pleasure
crashed over her as he continued to imitate the act of sex on her.

 

"Dev," she moaned.

 

"Come again for me. I know you
can."

 

He flicked her clit harder, producing
another storm of pleasure. Just as she thought it would never happen, he
inserted two fingers deep inside her. She couldn't be filled more completely
unless he entered her. Just the thought of him inside her sent her over the
edge. Her knees could barely hold her as another orgasm roared through her.

 

"I love to watch you
climax," he said smugly.

 

Slowly her breathing returned to a
near-normal state. She opened her eyes and noticed the wetness staining Sarah's
dress. Of course her friend would want to know every detail of exactly how it
got stained after the party.

 

He turned her around, still pinning
her to the door and kissed her passionately. She tasted the salty, tanginess of
her own cream.

 

"Come to bed with me,
darling."

 

She looked into his eyes and knew it
was over. Trying to fool herself would never work.

 

She loved him.

 

She would always love him even when
she was married to the damned earl. She would love him forever.

 

He led her over to the bed, stripping
off his clothes as he walked. By the time they had reached the bed he only had
on his breeches and boots. And she wanted to relieve him of those things
quickly.

 

"Sit," she ordered.

 

"Yes, ma'am." He sat on the
edge of the bed with a self-satisfied grin.

 

Kendra grabbed his boot by the heel
and pulled. Only nothing happened. His foot was still firmly in the boot. She
frowned down at the offending footwear.

 

"Try from another angle,"
he said. He turned her around and slipped his leg between hers. "Now bend
over slightly and pull."

 

Devlin groaned at the sight of her
wet folds staring at him while she attempted to pull off his boot. The hairs
around her folds were still damp with come.

 

"Am I hurting you?" she
asked.

 

Like no other woman could, he
thought. "Let me get these off," he ordered.

 

She pouted as she turned around.
"I only..."

 

She stopped as he kicked off his
boots in seconds and started tearing at his breeches. After watching her in
that dress all evening, then making her come twice, he was frantic for her.

 

"Would you help me get these
damned things off?"

 

"Yes, sir," she said with a
grin. She pulled his breeches down, and he kicked them off his ankles.

 

"Lie down," she ordered
with her hands on her naked hips.

 

Without a word, he did as she
commanded. She placed one silk encased leg on the bed and slowly untied her
garter. Her green eyes sparkled as she rolled the silk down her leg and licked
her lower lip. From this angle he could still see her wetness and it took every
ounce of control he had to not yank her down on top of him and make love to her
until the morning.

 

As she slid the next piece of silk
down her leg, she watched him intently. With one leg on the bed, she slipped a
finger right where his cock wanted to be. He groaned.

 

"You're driving me mad."

 

"Good." Her finger slipped
in and out of her, drawing more moisture to her folds.

 

"Dear God, get over here,"
he said, drawing her over his body.

 

She had never been on top of him like
this. He had no control like this and he hated that feeling. But for once, he
would let her take over. She kissed him passionately. He pulled at the
remaining pins holding her hair up. He loved to see her blonde curls fall about
her body, hiding pink nipples, exposing hints of ivory skin.

 

She skimmed her lips down to his
nipples and slowly drew one into the warm recesses of her mouth. She flicked
her tongue over the flat nipple.

 

"Kate," he moaned. Then she
did the most incredible thing. She sat up on his hips and glided her silkiness
along his cock. The wetness of her folds made him slick with need. Her breasts
bobbed up and down as she moved, pressure built deep inside him. His balls
tingled, tightened, drawing closer to release.

 

"Oh God, Kate." He moaned
only slightly aware of her hand at the base of his erection. Her fingers
flicked over his balls sending pleasure throughout him. "Yes, Kate.
Yes."

 

"I love you," she
whispered.

 

He barely heard her whispered words
of love. So caught up in his own passion, he closed his eyes to the sensations.
Slowly his cock was cloaked in a tight, velvety wetness. Slick moisture coated
his hard length as she slid down on him, and the small barrier nothing to the
thick head of his erection. It felt as if he was inside her warm, tight sex,
but that was impossible. She would never do that when she knew how he felt
about her innocence. She moved against him, pulsating, clenching his cock in a
taut embrace.

 

The tingling rushed from his balls,
up further and further. He heard her slight cry of pain, but ignored it,
concentrating on the overwhelming pleasure as his climax slammed into him.

 

It wasn't until he heard her small
sob again that he realized exactly what she'd done.

 

His eyes blinked open. Tears streamed
down her face as she stared at him. He moved his gaze to their joined bodies
and white-hot anger scorched him.

 

"Did you think this would change
things?"

 

She scrambled off him. "Please,
Dev. I love you."

 

He had taken her virtue. He stared at
her. There was nothing he could do for her. His father had warned him about all
the ladies that would do whatever they could to become the next Countess of
Blackpool.

 

He'd just thought for a few days that
she might be different. She wasn't. She was a woman. A woman like the others,
who could never be trusted. She must have known exactly who he was for the past
few days.

 

But he had a way out of this one.
They were identical twins, no one could tell them apart so even if she believed
he was Blackpool, he never had to admit the truth. He was supposed to be
Derrick Thornton, not the Earl of Blackpool. Derrick would never care if a
woman gave him her virtue as long as he could fuck her. Well, for tonight, he
was Derrick Thornton.

 

"Did you honestly think that
just because I was the brother of the Earl of Blackpool that taking your
virginity would make me marry you?"

 

"You're what?" Her green
eyes stared him. "You cannot be Blackpool's brother. I would have known if
you were."

 

What a splendid actress the little
harlot was tonight. "Oh, but I am. Born five minutes too late to become
the earl, I am the lowly second son. And everyone in London knows who I
am."

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Seven

 

Kendra's mouth gaped open. She raced
to the door, grabbed her dress and flung it over her body. Not everyone knew
who he was, she certainly hadn't known. Oh Lord, she slept with her betrothed's
brother!

 

She couldn't think about this right
now. Leaving was the only answer.

 

Before he could say another word to
her, she slipped out the door and down the back staircase.

 

"Lindale!" she shouted, not
caring if she woke the servants.

 

"Yes, miss?" He peered
around the corner.

 

"Take me back to Lord Humphrey's
house immediately."

 

He stared at her for a moment then
ushered her out the back door. "Right this way, miss."

 

She sat alone in the carriage
realizing the ramifications of her action tonight. It was one thing to sleep
with a man before marriage. But it was quite another to sleep with your
betrothed's brother at any time.

 

What was she going to do? She'd fallen
in love with Dev, deeply in love with him. Based on the look on his face
tonight, he hated her for what she'd done. She'd betrayed him. He had promised
to keep her virtue in tact for her husband--his brother.

 

Could he possibly know who she was?

 

It didn't matter. The look of
betrayal on his face would be etched into her memory for the rest of her life.
Even if she weren't engaged to his brother, Dev would never want her back. He
didn't want a wife, only a lover.

 

The carriage rolled to a stop in
front of Sarah's home. She prayed her best friend was fast asleep in her
husband's arms, or better yet, out of the house for the rest of the evening.

 

Lindale gave her a hand to help her
down from the carriage. "Are you certain you are well, miss?"

 

She only nodded, hoping he couldn't
see her tear streaked cheeks in the pale moonlight. Sarah's stooped old butler
opened the door for her.

 

"Home early, miss?"

 

"Yes." She said no more
even though she normally enjoyed a good gossipy conversation with him.
"Goodnight."

 

She ascended the stairs still in
shock from her discovery. As she opened the door to her room, she heard a creak
and looked back to see Sarah walking toward her. Kendra didn't want to have
this conversation.

 

"You're home early," she
whispered.

 

"You're up late," Kendra
said.

 

"All I ever do is wake up to use
the necessary." Sarah followed her into the bedroom. "I'm very late
and believe I might actually be with child."

 

Kendra turned and hugged her friend.
"Congratulations, Sarah. Have you told Humphrey yet?"

 

Sarah laughed. "Of course not.
If I do he won't allow me to attend any of our parties. I must delay this as
long as possible." She stared at the rather large stain on the front of
her blue gown. "So how did you obtain this?"

 

Kendra's face heated. "Don't
ask. I shall replace the dress as soon as I get..." Would he pay her? They
still had two more nights left in their bargain. He couldn't possibly want her
again after what happened, but would he fulfill their agreement? Why should he?
She had completely wrecked everything with her foolish plan to lose her
virginity.

 

Sarah eyed her critically. "What
happened tonight?"

 

"Do you know who Derrick
Thornton is?"

 

"Derrick Thornton," she
said with a shrug, looking away from Kendra.

 

"He is also the brother of the
Earl of Blackpool."

 

"No," she replied in an
innocent tone.

 

"Oh, yes."

 

Sarah walked toward the fireplace and
held out her hands to the heat. "And how did you discover this
information?"

 

She remembered his cold words,
"everyone in London knew who he was." "Oh my God! You knew,
didn't you?" Kendra strode to her best friend and turned Sarah around to
face her. Her friend attempted to look away from Kendra's probing stare.
"Tell me the truth. Did you know Derrick Thornton is Blackpool's
brother?"

 

"Yes," she whispered.

 

Kendra sank to the chair by the
fireplace before her legs gave out on her. Her best friend had betrayed her.
"Why?"

 

"Because I knew I could not stop
you from your foolish plan." Sarah dropped to the blue chair opposite
Kendra. "I thought that at least if you were going to go through with your
idea it would be best if you chose Thornton."

 

"How could choosing my future
husband's brother be a good thing?"

 

"Because your future husband is
an Earl, with a title that should be handed down to a blood relative. If you
became pregnant due to your liaison, at least a Thornton would still inherit
the earldom. And your child would look like his father so you could fool
Blackpool."

 

Pregnant.

 

She had never really considered that
possibility when she decided to trick Dev. She truly deserved every
repercussion--pregnancy, broken engagement, scandalous reputation, loss of the
only man she had ever loved. Kendra pressed her lips together and closed her
eyes to keep the tears at bay. She had made a mess of her life.

 

What would Dev say when he discovered
she married his older brother? How would she react at family gatherings? She
loved Dev. Her attraction to him would be impossible to resist when she saw him
at family gatherings.

 

"So how did you discover the
truth?" Sarah asked gently.

 

"I did not find out this
information until after I had followed your instruction." Kendra rose from
her chair and pulled at the buttons on her dress. She wanted this gown off her
as quickly as possible. Perhaps that would stop her from reliving every minute
of the past two hours.

 

Sarah only sat there watching her.
"So you did have intercourse with your betrothed's brother?"

 

Kendra fell onto the bed.
"Yes!"

 

Sarah sat down on the bed beside her.
"Intercourse? Not what you've been doing up to this point."

 

"He took my virginity just as
you said he would."

 

"Did he withdraw?"

 

"Withdraw?" Kendra peeked
at her friend's ashen face.

 

"Pull his penis out before he
came."

 

"No."

 

"You might be pregnant,"
Sarah whispered. "It only takes one time, Kendra. I know plenty of women
who have become pregnant on their wedding night. Or before," she added
under her breath.

 

Kendra sat up and looked at her friend.
Sarah had been the one to convince her that her plan made sense. Well, not
entirely. Sarah had tried to stop her from taking their bargain to the fullest
completion. She had tried to warn Kendra about the repercussions of the act,
but she had forgotten to remind Kendra of the most important reason for not
following through--conception.

 

"What am I to do?"

 

Sarah bit her lip. "Nothing.
Wait and see if he comes to you. But while you wait, you must send another
letter to Blackpool demanding that he marry you as quickly as possible."

 

"Won't he suspect
something?"

 

"It won't matter even if he
does. A betrothal was made and he is a gentleman who will do his duty."

 

"And if Thornton doesn't come to
me?" Kendra asked softly.

 

"Then you shall go to him and
demand your money."

 

Tears burned down her cheek. "I
don't want his money."

 

Sarah lay back against the bed.
"Oh dear Lord, have you fallen in love with him?"

 

Kendra could only nod. She was such a
fool. She'd meant nothing to him but a quick tumble. Now she would end up
married to his brother but in love with him.

 

"I can't do this. I must leave,
return to Hampshire." There was nothing for her in London but
heartbreaking memories that she could never face.

 

* * * * *

 

"Bitch," Devlin said,
hurling a glass at the fireplace in his bedroom. The remnants of brandy fired
the flames as shards of glass rained down into the firebox. How could she do
this to him? He'd told himself that this arrangement would work because he'd
leave her virtue in tact and thereby no risk of a bastard from her. But the
conniving bitch had tricked him.

 

"Damn her!"

 

And worse than her trickery was the
empty feeling in his heart. Only a few hours had passed since she'd left and
already he missed her. He missed everything about her--the sound of her laugh,
the intoxicating fragrance of her skin, the taste of her. When she'd run from
him, he had been unable to chase her. Her virgin blood stained his sheets,
holding him immobile unable to look away or move.

 

He shouldn't feel bad about his
treatment of her, yet he did. Even now at seven in the morning he had an urge
to ride to Humphrey's home and beg for her forgiveness. Not that it would do
any good.

 

If he broke his engagement to Miss
Smythe she would be ruined. But how could he marry her now? For all he knew,
Kate might be carrying his child right now.

 

Damn Derrick for putting him in such
a fix. It was time his brother quit his job with the Home Office. His father
had left Derrick more than enough to live on and Dev would be happy to supply
him more money. But he knew it was no more Derrick's fault than Kate's. He'd lost
control and let her have it. That had never happened to him before her.

 

"Excuse me, my lord."

 

He glanced up to see Lindale staring
at him with a slight smile on his face. "Yes, Lindale?"

 

"I have some information that I
believe you might find quite fortuitous."

 

He doubted he'd find anything
unexpected or good today. "Not now. I am in no mood to hear
anything."

 

"It concerns a woman."

 

"What is it?"

 

"Your betrothed is in
town."

 

Devlin poured another brandy even if
it was morning. The past night had been dreadful and this morning was only
getting worse. Why was Miss Smythe in town? "Damn."

 

"I also discovered the name of
the woman living with Lady Humphrey."

 

"I don't want to know." If
he didn't know then he couldn't feel guilty. Of course he was only fooling
himself because he'd felt guilty for the past few hours and no matter what her
name he would always think of her as Kate.

 

"Oh, I believe you may want to
hear this name," Lindale said with a grin.

 

"Very well. What is the lady's
name?" He dropped into a chair by the fireplace. Rubbing his temples, he
waited for the answer to the question that had haunted him for the past few
days.

 

"Miss Kendra Smythe."

 

Shock held him immobile. "Say
that again, Lindale."

 

"Miss Kendra Smythe, of
Hampshire."

 

"My betrothed?"

 

"The very same, my lord."

 

He'd made love to his future wife.
The thought should have brought relief but it only made him angry. His future
wife propositioned his brother to have sex with her! If not for Derrick's
position with the Home Office he might have made love to her.

 

"Ready my carriage."

 

Lindale grinned. "Yes, my lord.
I presume we are off to the Humphrey's?"

 

"No." Devlin tapped his
fingers against the arm of the chair. "We have another stop to make."
First to the Home Office and then to the archbishop.

 

* * * * *

 

Kendra sat in the breakfast room of
her parents' home in Hampshire. The congealed mess on her plate held no appeal
so she pushed the odorous plate away from her. Only the flavorful scent of her
warm tea helped to soothe her ragged nerves. She arrived home last night to
find her father had taken a turn for the worse. After sitting up all night with
him, she'd had time to think about her future ... or certain lack of it.

 

Before she had left Sarah's house,
she wrote a short note to Dev, apologizing for what she foolishly had done.
Then she stupidly waited almost two hours for a reply that never came. She was
a fool to think she'd meant anything to him. He took his pleasure and that was
all that mattered. Although she knew that wasn't true. Dev had been more than
kind to her, showering her with gifts, with pleasure, with love--or what felt
like love.

 

She banged her fist on the dining
room table in frustration. Forgetting him seemed like an insurmountable task,
but she had to try. Her sister, Amy walked into the room and sat down next to
her.

 

"How was he last night?"
she asked.

 

Kendra shook her head. "Not
well. He was awake coughing more than he slept. I called for the physician this
morning."

 

Amy's brown eyes widened in shock.
"We cannot afford the physician. Even though you were only gone a
fortnight, several creditors were here. They are demanding their payments now
and threatening Father with debtor's prison. Oh Kendra, I don't want to be sent
to the workhouse."

 

Kendra dropped her head to the smooth
surface of the table. The movement caused the emerald pendant to swing toward
her breast. She reached for the necklace and held it tight. Selling it would
solve a few of her family's money issues, certainly not all, but at least a few
creditors would be satisfied.

 

The last thing she wanted was to part
with the necklace Dev had given her. But it would help her put her past to
rest. "I have to go into town," she announced, her voice bouncing off
the cherry wood table.

 

Amy smiled. "Wonderful, I could
stand a little time away from here. Emily can watch over Father..."

 

"No, Amy." She lifted her
head and looked at her younger sister. Now almost eighteen, Amy looked far more
like a woman than the little girl Kendra used to play with. "I must go
alone."

 

"Why?"

 

Why? What possible excuse could she
have for going to town alone? "I am meeting with a creditor to ask for a
short extension. I--I just can't do it with you there too."

 

Amy pursed her lips and frowned.
"Very well."

 

Kendra forced herself to leave the
room, dress and walk to Basingstoke. There was a jeweler there who might still
be friendly enough with her father to do business with her. Opening the door to
the shop, a little bell rang over her head.

 

"Be there in a moment," a
voice cried out from the back of the store. A wiry old man with shock-white
hair rounded the corner. "Miss Smythe, how lovely to see you today. How is
your father?"

 

Kendra looked down at the worn wood
floor. "Not well, Mr. Blackwell. That is why I have come." Slowly,
she lifted the emerald out of its nest between her breasts and unlatched it
from around her neck.

 

"Oh my," Mr. Blackwell
exclaimed, walking toward her for a closer look. "That is exquisite."

 

"Thank you. It was..." A
gift from a lover? She could hardly say that. "It was my mother's. She
gave it to me upon her death."

 

White eyebrows furrowed in confusion
and gradually his expression changed and blotches of red stained his cheeks. He
coughed. "Of course, my dear. I remember your mother speaking of the gem
and how she never wanted it to part from the family."

 

It was Kendra's turn for
embarrassment as she realized that Mr. Davis had made up an excuse for her.
"Yes, I would love for it to stay in the family, however, you must know of
my father's condition."

 

"We all do, my dear." He
held out his hand and waited for her to place the pendant there. Holding it up
to the light, he whistled softly. "Miss Smythe, this is indeed a fine gem.
But I'm afraid I cannot give you near what it's worth."

 

Her heart sank. All she'd wanted to
do was solve her family's problems, and she couldn't even do that properly.
"Thank you, Mr. Blackwell," she mumbled.

 

"If you really need the money,
your best chance for a better price would be London."

 

Of course no one had told her that
before she'd left London. "I cannot afford a trip to London again."

 

"Let me see what I can do."
He walked behind the counter and pulled out some money. "It's all I can
give because this will be a very hard sell."

 

Kendra glanced down at the money,
quickly tallying the total. It was nowhere near enough to settle the accounts
with the creditors. But it would pay off a few and allow her to bring the
physician home to see her father.

 

* * * * *

 

By the time she arrived home
exhaustion had settled into her bones. All she wanted was her soft bed, not the
hard settee in the salon. But sleeping had to wait until she heard from the
doctor who was currently examining her father. Amy, still miffed with her for
not taking her into town, sat in the chair opposite Kendra darning a stocking.

 

"A message arrived for you
yesterday," Amy said, cutting off some string. "In all the excitement
of having you home, I forget."

 

A message? Could Dev have found out
who she really was? A thrill of anticipation coursed through her veins. She
could hardly contain herself from running to the front hallway where the note
waited for her. With shaking hands, she broke the unknown seal and read the
note.

 

Miss Smythe,

 

I have been traveling to my estates
and just now received your note regarding your family's finances. The best
course of action is immediate marriage to regain the respectability your family
deserves. I should arrive in Basingstoke by the 15th of May. Expect our vows to
take place the next day.

 

Regards,

 

Lord Blackpool

 

Kendra could only stare at the note
in utter shock. He was coming to marry her.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Eight

 

"Why am I here again?"
Derrick asked his brother for the second time. "I had almost captured the
spy when suddenly I have two officers in my room demanding that I return to
London."

 

Dev sipped his brandy wondering how
to best tell his sordid story. "At least you were only in Dover and not in
Paris."

 

Derrick leaned back against the sofa.
"Yes, but I was in Dover in my room with two beautiful women. You could
have at least waited to demand my return until morning."

 

"Yes, I suppose I could have,
but I have my own problems with women ... well, woman."

 

His brother tilted his head.
"You? My brother has women problems? I thought you were betrothed to some
country chit."

 

"I am. And she is the problem."

 

"I thought you hadn't seen her
in a decade?"

 

Dev almost wished he hadn't seen her
in over a decade. He wished he could take back the last two weeks of his life.
Forget about the passionate woman who warmed his bed ... and his heart. "I
met her again a week and a half ago."

 

Derrick sat forward, leaning closer
to him. "And? What is the gel like? Is she a little mouse? A cow?"

 

"Neither," Dev growled.

 

"I see." Derrick leaned
back and gulped down his brandy. "So what is the issue? You're betrothed
to her, marry the girl."

 

Marry the girl. It sounded so easy.
He knew in his heart as a gentleman that is exactly what he should do. But
could he trust her? Would she turn out like his mother?

 

"Dev?"

 

"Sorry," he waved his hand
at his brother. "I was lost in thought for a moment."

 

"When is the wedding?"

 

"Friday."

 

"I shall stand up for you
then." He raised his glass again before sipping it.
"Congratulations."

 

"Thank you." Damn. He had
to tell Derrick some of what happened because she might return to talk to him.
"Have another brandy."

 

Derrick reached for the bottle.
"What is wrong?"

 

He wasn't surprised that his brother
sensed his frustration. All their lives they had had the uncanny ability to
judge each other's feelings. "My future wife believes I am you."

 

"Bloody hell." Derrick
drained his glass in one long draught. A chuckle rose low and rough from his
throat. "And did I do something I shouldn't have to my future
sister-in-law?"

 

"Oh, yes. Quite a few things for
that matter."

 

Derrick laughed again. "And I
didn't even get to enjoy it. I certainly hope you did my reputation
proud."

 

"A little too proud." Dev
leaned his head back against the soft leather chair. "I made a mess out of
this, Derrick."

 

"So she thinks she slept with me
when in fact she slept with you." He shrugged. "On Friday you tell
her the truth."

 

"But she is in love with
you," he whispered.

 

"Ahh, therein lies part of the
problem. But only part if I am correct."

 

His brother knew him too well.
"She was unfaithful to me with you."

 

"Actually, she was unfaithful to
you with you." He waved his hand in dismissal. "Never mind the
semantics. The fact is you believe she would have had an affair no matter who
the man. And after what Mother did to our father you do not believe you should
marry her."

 

Well that just about summed up the
issue.

 

"So," Derrick continued,
"exactly why did she feel the need to experiment before marriage? Had she
heard some vicious rumor about your lack of performance and thought to find out
what a good fuck was before a lifetime commitment to you? I find that hard to
imagine since we are identical twins, you couldn't be that bad."

 

Devlin almost laughed ... almost.
"She needed money for her family."

 

"Then why didn't she come to
you?"

 

A clock chimed four times in the
distant hallway. "She did. Only I did not receive the note until just a
few minutes before she walked through the door of your study. And at the time,
I had no idea who was offering me her virtue."

 

"And since you were supposed to
be me, you willingly agreed to her proposal." Derrick poured them both
another glass of brandy. "It's a damned pickle your in, Dev."

 

"I believe it really is."

 

"So, what are you to do?"

 

Devlin drained his brandy. "I
wish I knew."

 

"What bothers you the most, the
fact that she attempted to sleep with me? Or the fact that she didn't wait for
you?"

 

Dev stood up and paced the room.
"How can I trust her?"

 

"How can any man trust a woman?
You either do or you don't," Derrick answered with a shrug.

 

Easy for Derrick when it wasn't the
rest of his life on the line. Dev had to know if he could trust Kendra, because
if he couldn't trust her, there would be no marriage. He could pay her off,
settle a large sum on her and pray she wasn't with child.

 

* * * * *

 

"Shouldn't you buy her
something?" Derrick said as the carriage rolled into Basingstoke.
"After all, if you do marry her tomorrow, a wedding gift would be the
romantic thing to do."

 

The romantic thing to do. With a
woman he loved but didn't know if he could trust. "Very well," he
said with a sigh. "We shall stop at the jewelers before we reach the
inn."

 

He banged on the carriage roof and
instructed his driver to stop at the nearest jewelers. The carriage stopped at
a small shop and Dev quickly departed, heading directly for the store. He
wanted this over as fast as possible. A little bell rang over his head as he
entered. A wizened old man looked up and smiled. Dev knew that smile. That was
the smile of a man who knew that a bloody lord had entered his establishment.

 

"Can I help you, milord?"

 

"I need a gift for my
betrothed," Dev answered.

 

The man's smile became even more
cat-like. "I have just the thing. I came into this only yesterday."
He held up a brilliant emerald, sparkling in the sunlight.

 

Dev's heart lurched when he saw the
pendant he'd given Kendra. How quickly she pawned the gift, the little whore.

 

"The poor dear who sold it to me
said it belonged to her mother. Unfortunately, the family has fallen on hard
times..."

 

"Box it up, I'll take it,"
Dev ordered. How could he have forgotten her reasons for everything she had
done? Money.

 

After paying for the necklace a
second time in only a fortnight, he left the shop and ordered his driver to
take Derrick to the inn, and then him to Smythe Manor. He scrambled into the
carriage and crossed his arms over his chest.

 

"So what did you find in
there?" Derrick asked.

 

"Nothing."

 

"Of course," his brother
mumbled. Sometimes Derrick had the decency to know when not to say anything
else. Unfortunately, this was not one of those times. "Seems odd that you
were in and out of the shop so quickly."

 

"Leave it be, Derrick," Dev
said in his coldest voice.

 

The carriage stopped in front of the
Lion's Head Inn. Derrick climbed down and looked back at Dev. "Are you
coming?"

 

"Not yet. I have decided to pay
my betrothed a visit."

 

"Very well, I shall talk to you
later."

 

Dev nodded. As the door shut and the
carriage rolled out of the town toward Kendra's home, he wondered what he
should do. He had to know if she would betray him as his mother had betrayed
his father. But there was only one way to know for certain. And he dreaded
hearing her answer more than anything in his life.

 

By the time the carriage stopped in
front of the old manor home, Dev's nerves were stretched to the breaking point.
He wanted this confrontation over. Looking up at the house, he observed the
signs of neglect--paint peeling on the windowsills, broken mortar and missing
bricks. At least she hadn't lied about her family's misfortunes.

 

He walked up the pathway to the front
door, expecting a butler or footman to greet him, yet no one did. After banging
on the knocker, he waited ... and waited for someone to answer. Finally a young
woman with dark blonde hair and brown eyes opened the door. The resemblance to
Kendra was notable; the girl's coloring just a bit darker.

 

"May I help you, sir?" she
asked with apparent hesitation.

 

"Miss Smythe?"

 

"Yes, sir. I am Miss
Smythe."

 

"Miss Kendra Smythe?" he
repeated only for show. He wanted Kendra's sister to believe he hadn't seen
Kendra in years, instead of days.

 

The girl giggled. "Oh no, sir. I
am not Kendra."

 

Dev handed her his card and watched
as her eyes grew large in amazement. Miss Smythe's hands trembled, her face
grew pale and then suddenly her lips turned upward.

 

"You have finally come to rescue
us," she muttered.

 

"Oh?" he asked innocently.

 

She clasped her hand over her mouth
and mumbled, "Nothing, my lord." After giving him a quick curtsy, she
moved backwards. "Come into the salon, my lord."

 

He did as she requested and followed
her into the salon. The worn furniture looked as if it had been there for a
hundred years ... and probably had.

 

"I shall go retrieve my
sister."

 

Devlin took a deep breath and sat in
a wingback chair by the window, waiting for either his future wife, or his
former lover.

 

* * * * *

 

"Kendra, come quickly!" Amy
shouted as she barged into her bedroom.

 

Kendra sat up on her bed and stared
at her sister. "What is wrong? Is Father all right?"

 

Amy waved her hand at her.
"Father is fine. Your Earl is here, in the salon."

 

Fighting back a wave of nausea, she
rose to her feet. Blackpool was here. In her house. Waiting for her to join him
in the salon. She couldn't do this. It wasn't right that she marry him now.
"I cannot see him."

 

Amy's brown eyes turned almost black
with rage. "Oh yes, you can. This family is in dire straits and you think
you can deny us the one chance we have at solving our problems? You obviously
didn't find Blackpool in London as you told us you would. What exactly did you
do in town? Let your slutty friend Sarah show you the amoral side of
London?"

 

Everything Amy said was right. She
couldn't let her family down because of her lack of morals in London. Yet, she
couldn't marry Blackpool either. At least not until he knew the truth.

 

"Very well, sister. I shall
speak with my betrothed."

 

With heavy feet, she descended the
staircase all the while wishing Blackpool would be swallowed up by a mysterious
hole in the salon floor. As she reached the threshold, she noted there was no
hole in the salon floor and her future husband sat casually in a chair. She
grabbed the doorway for support as she looked at him. Her knees begged to give
out on her.

 

He looked just like Dev. Exactly like
him to be sure.

 

Twins. She had forgotten what Dev had
said about being born five minutes after Blackpool. Identical twins by the
looks of him. Examining him closer, she could not see one thing that appeared
different between him and his brother. Now she knew for certain that she would
never be able to marry this man and face him every day.

 

"Miss Smythe," he said,
standing to his full height.

 

Dear God, the man had the same
presence as his brother, only stiffer. No, marriage was definitely out of the
question. "Lord Blackpool, this is a surprise," she finally managed
to get out.

 

"Indeed? Did you not get my
note?"

 

"Yes."

 

He tilted his head and gave her a
questioning look. "Please join me in the salon, Miss Smythe."

 

Until that moment she hadn't realized
that she still stood at the threshold. "Of course." Just make it to
the sofa, she told herself.

 

"I thought it would be nice if
we spoke before the marriage tomorrow. After all, we haven't seen each other in
over ten years."

 

Nice? He thought this would be nice?
Oh dear Lord, she going to faint if she had to be in the room with him much
longer. He looked too much like his brother and all the memories of being with
Dev came surging over her. She couldn't take this a moment longer. "I'm
sorry, my lord. I cannot marry you tomorrow."

 

"Would Monday work better for
your busy schedule?" he asked, sarcasm tainting his voice.

 

"My lord, I cannot marry you
ever," she whispered. She dared not look into his dark eyes.

 

"I believe you owe me more than
that, Miss Smythe. We have been betrothed for almost twenty years."

 

There was nothing else she could do
but tell him the truth, or some part of the truth. "I have not been
faithful to our betrothal."

 

She glanced up at him and noted the
look of surprised satisfaction that he quickly hid behind a hard fae. Why would
he look pleased at her comment? She suddenly realized that he did not wish to
marry her any more than she did.

 

"I do not think that will be an
issue," he said, surprising her completely.

 

"What?"

 

Lord Blackpool sat back down in the
wingback chair. "As long as this affair is over between you and this other
man."

 

"It is, but still, you cannot
mean to marry me if I'm not ... not..."

 

"Not a virgin?" he asked
with a laugh. "I assure you I am not a virgin so I suppose since I delayed
in marrying you, it is my fault that you felt the need to discover the physical
aspect of love."

 

He tapped his finger against his full
lips. Lips so much like his brother's that Kendra had to look away from him.
She had to find another way to get him to denounce their betrothal. Although,
she knew by doing that she would ruin her family.

 

"Will you remain faithful to me
after we marry?" he asked.

 

Kendra blinked in surprise at the
question. Never had she imagined anything but being faithful, once she had
married. "Of course."

 

"You are not carrying his child,
are you?"

 

"No," she answered. Even
though she had no idea for sure and wouldn't know for another week or so.

 

A look of disappointment crossed his
face, again quickly changed to his stoic expression. "Very well, then. I
shall arrive here tomorrow at nine with the minister." He stood and strode
to the door. "Good day, Miss Smythe."

 

"But--but..." her voice
trailed off as he left the room and then the house before she could utter one
more word of objection. She had one day to prepare herself to marry her lover's
brother. Dropping her head into her hands, tears burned her cheeks. There was
no way out of this mess she had created.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Nine

 

Kendra entered the salon in her best
blue silk gown, only two years old, and a small bouquet of daisies in her
trembling hands. Amy walked into the room first and all Kendra had to do was
follow. But her feet didn't want to cooperate. Her feet wanted to turn around
and run all the way back to London and beg Dev's forgiveness. And yet, as she
stared into the room she noticed the backs of two identical heads, two men the
same height, the same bearing and there was nothing she could do.

 

Her younger sister, Emily coughed
loudly to remind Kendra it was past time to walk into the room and face her
future. She forced her legs to move. This was for the best. Her family would be
saved.

 

She reached Blackpool's position, and
he clasped his hand with hers. Looking over at Dev, she beseeched him to speak
up and stop this farce. He glanced over at her with a small smirk on his
arrogant face. Perhaps if she were extremely lucky, Dev would speak up at the
appropriate moment and offer to marry her.

 

Of course she had no such luck. When
the minister paused for any objections, only silence filled the room. Before
she knew it, she was the Countess of Blackpool.

 

There was an awkward silence that
filled the dining room as they convened for the wedding breakfast. Dev had made
an excuse and left with only a whisper of congratulations to her and Blackpool.
She hated him for his cowardice. She despised him for knowing who she was and
doing nothing to save her from this marriage. But she would get even. She would
fall deeply in love with her husband, over the years, and give him beautiful
sons who would inherit so Dev never would. She would show her husband just how
passionate and loving she could be with him, and only him. Dev could go to the
devil.

 

But she wondered how many years it
would take to get over Dev and fall in love with her husband. Or if she ever
really would.

 

"Are you ready?" Blackpool
leaned toward her chair and whispered in her ear.

 

Kendra blinked, realizing that
everyone had finished their food but she had barely touched hers. Then again,
she had no appetite. "Yes, I'm ready."

 

She wasn't ready. She wasn't anywhere
near ready to go and make love with her husband, as he would expect.

 

Ignoring the little shiver that ran
down her back, she rose and gave hugs to her family before saying goodbye.
Blackpool had promised that all their debts would be paid in full and servants
hired to help around the manor. She linked her arm with his as they walked to
the carriage.

 

"I have a lovely room in
Basingstoke that we can stay in for the night. Tomorrow we will head to
London."

 

Kendra only nodded in reply, too
aware of the virile man next to her. Too aware of the tingling sensations
running through her body with his nearness, the way her nipples were puckered
into hard nubs, the warm moisture pooling at her folds. She didn't want to be
attracted to him. Perhaps it was just the fact that he looked so much like Dev,
he smelled like Dev. Her senses were overcome with him.

 

He helped her into the carriage and
then he entered. The large carriage seemed to shrink as he took his seat across
from her. His knee brushed against hers.

 

"Pardon me," he whispered.

 

She looked into his eyes, noticing
the blatant desire burning there.

 

"You looked beautiful this
morning." He shifted in his seat, again brushing against her knee.

 

"Thank you," she mumbled.
Should she tell him how handsome he looked?

 

"When we return to London we
will have a large ball to celebrate our marriage. Then after the Season we will
return to Blackpool Manor."

 

Kendra nodded, praying this strained
conversation would be over soon. Thankfully the carriage ride and the stilted
conversation did end. The carriage stopped before the inn and Blackpool jumped
down. Holding out his hand, he waited for her to place her own hand in his.
With a deep breath for strength, she took his hand and was ready to start her
new life.

 

He walked with her to their room and
opened the door. A large four-poster bed took up the majority of the bedroom. A
bright yellow coverlet was draped over the imposing bed and several pillows had
been tossed on it for comfort. Blackpool walked over to the curtains and drew
them shut, suffusing the room with darkness.

 

Turning back toward her, he stalked
toward her. "I have been waiting for this moment since I saw you
yesterday."

 

She wished she could say the same,
but she couldn't. He took another step closer to her. The spicy scent of his
soap tickled her nose and sent a wave of desire pooling in her belly. She
shouldn't want him. It was only because he looked so much like Dev. But her
body didn't care. Her body wanted the man in front of her.

 

"Kiss me, Kendra," he whispered,
lowering his mouth to hers.

 

His lips burned hers with a passion
so much like Dev's she almost said his name. As his tongue slid across her
lips, she sighed, allowing him entry. Her passion increased as he deepened the
kiss, drawing her nearer, caressing her tongue with his. His hands squeezed her
derriere against his erection.

 

"I want you, Kendra," he
whispered as his lips trailed a burning path toward her ear. "I want to
sink into your wet depths and fill you with my big cock."

 

Kendra shivered with his words.
Remembering just how big Dev's cock was, she wondered if they were identical in
every aspect. There was only one way to discover the truth. She reached for his
starched cravat and untied the knot. After unwrapping the cloth from around his
neck, she kissed the pounding pulse she'd uncovered. Hearing his light moan
only made her more curious about the reaction he would have if she suckled his
nipples, or better yet, his cock.

 

Since he knew she wasn't a virgin,
she didn't have to pretend. She slipped his jacket off his broad shoulders and
then worked at the buttons on his soft linen shirt. He growled and waved her
hands away so he could pull his shirt over his head. Seeing his muscled chest
with a sprinkling of black hairs, exactly like Dev's, made her moan. She kissed
down his chest until she found his nipple half hidden by the hairs. Taking his
small nipple into her mouth, she suckled him.

 

Dev moaned as her tongue lashed at
his sensitive nipple. If she kept this up, he'd be done before they even
started. Somehow Kendra had taken control over their lovemaking, and he didn't
have the heart to stop her. So instead of stopping her, he found each pin in
her hair and removed them. One by one they hit the floor with a slight tinkling
sound. Running his fingers through her hair, he pressed her closer, encouraging
her to suckle harder.

 

And she did, suckling each nipple
until he thought he might die from the glorious sensation.

 

She reached for the buttons on his
breeches and made quick work of them. Sliding his breeches down, she released
his rock hard erection, ready and impatiently waiting for her.

 

"Oh my," she whispered,
staring at his cock.

 

"Put your mouth on me," Dev
said in a strained voice. He knew his control was slipping but he needed to
feel her hot mouth on him. He wanted to feel her tongue circle the head of his
penis.

 

She grasped the base of his member
and slowly lowered her head to his cock. His knees almost buckled as she licked
the head, savoring the salty liquid she'd found there. Slowly, her mouth
enveloped him, taking as much of him as she could handle. He caressed her hair,
trying to think about anything cold and not the warm wetness of her mouth
sliding up and down, tightening the pressure then slacking until he was so
close to coming he finally had to push her away.

 

"Not yet, darling. When I come I
plan to be inside you to the hilt. Pumping you with my seed."

 

She moaned and slid her clothed body
against his penis. Pressing her hips to his, wiggling until he could think of
nothing but pulling her skirts up and plunging into her wetness. He moved away
from her and sat on the bed.

 

"Why is it that you still have
every stitch of clothing on, while I sit here with my pants around my ankles,
and my shoes and stockings on?"

 

Kendra giggled in reply. "Should
I take off my clothes?"

 

Oh God, he loved it when she stripped
off her layers of clothes in front of him. "Yes!"

 

"Very well then." She
licked her full pink lips in a wholly erotic manner.

 

Before she started, he kicked off his
shoes and slid off his breeches. He wanted to be completely ready when she
finished removing her gown.

 

"Would you mind?" she
asked, turning her back to him. She lifted her blonde hair, revealing rows of
pearl buttons down the back of her blue dress.

 

"Gladly." He stood and
released each button from its hole, letting his fingers trace the line down her
spine. She shivered and he prayed it was desire and not the coolness of the
room. "All finished," he said, moving back to the bed.

 

Kendra turned around and let the blue
silk slide down her body, pooling at her feet like the sky on a summer day.
"I shall need your assistance with my stays," she said in a coquettish
tone.

 

So she was deliberately trying to
tease him? He liked that. Rising, he quickly unfastened her stays, watching
them drop to the floor. Before she could turn to face him again, he lifted her
shift over her head.

 

"You were not supposed to do
that," she said in an insincerely innocent voice. "I might have to
punish you now."

 

Oh God, yes! "How would you do
that?"

 

"By making you watch as I
pleasure myself."

 

He sat back down on the bed and
smiled. "I have been bad. I suppose some form of punishment is
necessary."

 

"Definitely." She placed
her foot on the bed beside him and untied her blue garter. Rolling the silk
hose down her leg, she watched his reaction. After removing her shoe and hose,
she put her foot on his thigh and slid her foot between his legs and tickled
his balls.

 

"Oh God," he mumbled as the
touch of her toes on him sent desire coursing through him. He desperately
wanted to pull her down on his lap and sink into her. But he restrained
himself.

 

Slowly, she removed her foot and
sensually removed her other stocking in the same manner. Moving back a step,
she let her hands glide across her chest to her pert nipples. She rolled them
in her fingers, pulling, stretching, driving him mad with longing. Her hips
moved in small circles.

 

"Touch yourself," he
whispered. "I want to watch your finger dip deep into your wet
pussy."

 

"Very well." One finger
slid down her belly and found its way through the springy blonde hair to her
clit.

 

Dev watched as her eyes grew heavy,
her breathing grew shallow. Small moans escaped from her as she rubbed her clit
harder. "Are you ready for me?" he asked.

 

"Yes."

 

"But I didn't see you put your
finger where I want to be."

 

A small smile curved her lips upward.
Then she placed her foot back up on the bed giving him a perfect view of her
moist folds. She was definitely ready for him. A thin tapered finger slid from
her nub through her folds until it slowly disappeared inside her. Dev clenched
his fists to keep from taking her that second.

 

She reached for his hand and placed
his index finger in her mouth, just as she had his cock, twirling her tongue
around it. Then she guided his finger to her clit, using his hand to rub
against the nub.

 

Dev had reached the end of his
control. In one swift movement, he stood and bent her over the bed, opening her
legs from behind. Slow down, he had to remind himself. She'd only been with him
once. He grasped the base of his erection and rubbed it across her clit,
stimulating her even more.

 

"Now," she moaned. "I
want you deep inside me."

 

How could he deny her request?
Circling around her moist entrance, he let her wetness lubricate the head of
his cock. His muscles clenched as he entered her velvety tightness. He wanted
to pump himself deep inside of her, but he controlled himself. Inch by inch he
slid further into her. Finally, he reached the end. Unable to move without
coming, he waited for her adjust to his thick penis. He slid his hand under the
pillow and pulled out the emerald necklace. Encircling her neck, he hooked the
clasp and let the pendant fall free.

 

"Oh," Kendra mumbled. There
was no pain this time, just a sense of fullness. She had felt him put something
on her, but she didn't care what it was since his finger had found her clit
again.

 

He slid out slightly then back deep
inside her. A tingling spread from her vagina through her body with the
movement.

 

"Are you all right?" he
whispered, gliding back out again.

 

"Yes."

 

"Thank God," he replied and
increased his pace.

 

Every stroke of his thick cock,
accompanied by a rub against her clit, sent her closer to her climax. He sped
up once more, this time she could feel his balls slap against her as he reached
the hilt. Faster and faster he stroked her until she closed her eyes and
screamed as exquisite pleasure flowed over.

 

She collapsed on the bed as lethargy
filled her muscles. Blackpool remained still embedded deep inside her and very
much still erect. Had he not come yet?

 

"Are we finished?" she
whispered.

 

"Oh no, we are definitely not
finished." He chuckled, causing his rod to twitch. "I thought you
needed a moment to recover."

 

The idea that he had not come sent
another rush of desire coursing through him. She wanted him to climax. She
wanted to make this memorable for him, even if she was still a little
inexperienced. Remembering how she made Dev lose control, she climbed up the
bed and patted the pillow.

 

"Perhaps you should lie down
here," she said seductively.

 

"Very well." He moved to
the bed and laid on his back, waiting for her.

 

She grabbed the base of his erection
and slid it between her soaking wet folds, drenching him with moisture. She
climbed on top of him, and settled him deep in her. "What do I do
now?"

 

"Ride me like a randy
stallion," he replied. He grabbed her hips and lifted her so she would
understand the rhythm he wanted.

 

She quickly caught on, stroking him
up and down, watching as he came closer to release. His hands continued to lift
her hips, faster until he slammed into her and threw his head back as he came.
She liked watching his face as he came inside her, filling her with the seed
that might just make the next little earl.

 

She adjusted her hips on him and
noted the cool touch of metal against her breast. Glancing down, she gasped.

 

"Where did you get this?"

 

"A jewelry store in
Basingstoke."

 

"Did your brother pick it
out?" she demanded, stopping his hands from caressing her hips. She had to
know why he bought this particular necklace for her.

 

"Why would Derrick help pick out
my wife's wedding gift?"

 

Tears of frustration burned her eyes.
How was she supposed to forget her brother-in-law when her husband had picked
out the same necklace? "I cannot accept this," she finally mumbled.

 

"Why not?"

 

"I just cannot."

 

"You accepted it once before.
Why not now?"

 

Oh my God! He knew! Her entire world
was spinning out of control. Her husband knew she'd had an affair with his
brother. "I can explain."

 

A smug smile tilted his lips upward.
"I don't like it when my gifts are pawned for money."

 

Kendra shook her head in confusion.
"Your gift?"

 

He reached for the pendant and rubbed
his thumb over the sparkling emerald. "Yes, my gift."

 

"Dev?"

 

Gazing up at her, he asked, "Did
you not hear whom you married this morning?"

 

She pressed her lips together and
tried to remember what the vicar had said. Nothing came to her because she had
paid him no heed. She had been staring at Dev, no wait, this was Dev. Who had
she been staring at during the ceremony?

 

"Who are you?"

 

"The man you married. Devlin
Brookfield Thomas Matthew Thornton, the Earl of Blackpool. The same man you
took off your clothes for in my brother's house."

 

Devlin? Dev? His brother's house?
"I married the right man?" she blurted.

 

Dev threw his head back and laughed
soundly. "I believe you did since my brother never met you until this
morning."

 

He moved her off of him and brought
her close. As he told her exactly what happened, he caressed her hair. Tears
pooled on his chest. "Why are you crying?"

 

"I thought you hated me for what
I had done that night when all I wanted to do was prove how much I loved
you."

 

"I did hate you for a moment.
Until Lindale told me who you really were."

 

"Why didn't you explain when we
met yesterday?" She wiped away another tear.

 

"I needed to know if I could trust
you," he mumbled.

 

Trust her? Kendra pushed away from
him and stared down at him. "What do you mean?"

 

"You went to my brother's house
to have an affair. I needed to know that you believed it was over and you
wouldn't stray again. My mother left my father for another man. It not only
broke his heart but his spirit as well."

 

She nodded. "And you wanted to know
that I wouldn't do that to you?"

 

"Yes."

 

"And do you trust me now?"

 

His dark brown eyes sparkled with
love and desire. "I believe I do."

 

"You had better because I will
never be unfaithful to you."

 

"Why not?" he asked with a
smile.

 

"Two reasons," she
answered. "First because I love you."

 

"And second?"

 

She reached for his penis and traced
her index finger down his soft length. Quickly it hardened under her light
touch. "This," she whispered.

 

She replaced her finger with her
tongue, sweeping up the very hard length of him.

 

"I love you too," her new
husband whispered.

 

 

- The End -
______________________________________________________________________________

 

 

 

About the Author:

 

Christie was born and raised in
upstate New York. As a child she always had a vivid imagination and the bad
dreams that go along with it, or perhaps the dreams were caused by the five
brothers and three sisters she lived with. After being scarred from writing by
a few nameless English teachers, she went to college and studied Business and
Computer Science. A reduction in workforce changed her life, when for the first
time, she had the opportunity to concentrate on writing and discovered how much
she loved it.

 

Always a lover of history and
romance, she focused her writing on historical romance and only recently
started writing romantica. She's having a great time writing the sexier side of
Regency London.

 

When not writing, Christie is usually
ferrying one of her kids around or working in the yard.

 

She now lives in Maryland with her
husband and two future romance heroes. Come visit her on the web at
www.christiekelley.com

 

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Liquid Silver Books/Atlantic Bridge