He changed his tempo again, driving deep once more, watching her as he achieved his own culmination.
Fresh heat and wetness gushed into her in violent, draining spasms and he jerked with every one. He kept his eyes open, kept her gaze as each spurt of his seed jetted into her until she dragged him back for another kiss. Their mouths opened, tongues met, stroked, caressed and the violence of his thrusts brought her high again, a responsive orgasm jolting her body, so they shared the aftermath.
John looked so good like this. He rolled to one side, his body gleaming with well-earned sweat, and reached for her, demanding rather than requesting. She went to him, knowing she belonged.
He pulled her tight against him, their bodies connecting from head to toe. She tucked a leg between his, her wet sex pressing against his thigh, the scent of their lovemaking rising to remind them of what they had just done.
He kissed her cheek, her ear, then drew a deep breath. “I love you, Faith. For years I watched you, I wanted you. I dreamed about you in the wilderness, but I never imagined anything this perfect.”
She doubted what she was hearing, but he’d articulated it well enough. He deserved the truth.
She closed her eyes, still afraid of what she might see. She’d never been this close to another human being, never felt so intimately connected with anyone. The truth bubbled up inside her, refusing to be denied a moment longer. If she said it and she was wrong, she couldn’t take it back.
He’d had the courage to say what they both felt in their hearts.
So should she. She opened her eyes, stared directly into his, warm and waiting for her. “I love you too.”
With a smile that bade fair to break her heart, he cupped her cheek in one warm palm and kissed her. Soft, gentle, undemanding, but so full of joy all she could do was respond as fully as she could manage. No lascivious kiss of desire, this, but one of fulfilled and complete happiness. He finished the kiss only to touch his lips to hers again, as if he couldn’t prevent himself doing it. She snuggled closer, let him bring her completely into the shelter of his big body and set herself to enjoy this unique moment. He kissed away her tears, murmured to her, “No crying, Faith. Sweetheart, my love, don’t cry.”
Several moments, as it turned out. One kiss turned into another and his shaft, previously softly contented, showed signs of returning to life. With a chuckle, he disengaged and leaned back, bringing her with him so she lay over him, her legs straddling his body. “Faith, you’re a complete surprise. I never expected to come home to a wife, much less discover that wife was you. I didn’t expect to want you so much. And I didn’t expect to fall in love with you.”
“I didn’t expect you to be alive,” she said, smiling. “But I’m so glad you are!”
“Did you think you would be?”
She picked her words carefully. “I felt shock when I first saw you, as how could I not? Then fear, because I had no idea what you would do. You could have condemned me, commanded me to leave the house in Red Lion Square, because I bought it with your money.”
He shook his head. “Never. Even when I thought you an adventuress, a state of affairs, I have to admit, that didn’t last long, I wanted you.”
She stroked a lock of hair back from his forehead and he caught her hand and kissed it, sharing a smile with her. “Did you tell Wellington about us?” She didn’t have to explain what she meant.
He knew.
“No, he assumed we were married on the field. Our story holds.”
“What do we do now?”
His eyes turned grave. “My love, we stay together. That is my first concern. However, you know what I’ve been about.”
She thought of the piles of ledgers in the bookroom. “Yes. Did you find what you needed?”
“Yes we did. We compiled a report, and made copies, distributing them around various offices under seal. The report puts both Roker and Carlisle in the picture. It seems to have started as a series of minor deceits, such as go on in many estates. But these two escalated matters. Too ensconced in their positions to believe they could be ousted, they perpetuated ever increasing and ever more transparent deceptions. Carlisle pocketed the profits from the mines and invented non-existent disasters and purchases for imaginary equipment, as well as taking a share of each crop we produced. Roker set up a false company that charged the estate exorbitant amounts for work that could have been done for half or a quarter the price. It’s all there, and recorded now.”
“Will you prosecute?”
He grimaced. “Not yet. We need to ensure the estate is strong enough to weather the storm. Otherwise the gannets will arrive, picking over what’s available. If they discover the earldom isn’t as wealthy as they suppose, they’ll come in for the kill. Refuse us the loans we need, reject proposals for improvements or further investments. I’ll support it from my private income, something I’m well able to do, and institute new systems. Then we can face anyone.”
“How long will that take?”
“About six months. Can you bear that?”
She nodded. “With you I can bear anything.” Not rhetoric. She meant it, couldn’t imagine a situation she couldn’t put up with as long as John shared her life.
He smiled and kissed her. “Thank you for that.” He swallowed.
“I know I’m selfish, expecting you to take such a risk, but I need you with me. I need to know you’re part of my life, and always will be.”
“Always.” She promised without hesitation, an oath as binding as any she’d made in church.
They shared the kiss that bound them to the promise. He smoothed his hand up her back, pressed gently between her shoulder blades to keep her in place. Not that she needed it. His eyes were brighter when they finally broke the kiss.
“What next?” she said. Not because she cared, but because she’d need to know, so she could support him in whatever he decided to do.
“I’ll remove Roker and Carlisle from their positions of trust.
Roker isn’t in my employ; I’m one of many clients, but without my custom, he’ll lose the rest. He knows that. However, I won’t return the books to him and I won’t allow him to make any significant decisions. The likelihood is he’ll agree, if only to mollify his customers. He won’t fuss. Carlisle, however, might do that. I plan to send him north to a smaller estate. That should keep him out of the way for a while.”
“This wilderness you talk about,” she said. “Could I live there?”
“With the bears and the bugs?” His hold on her tightened. “No, my love. But you’d like Canada, at least the civilised parts. I might take you some day. But for the rest, I’m earl, and nothing can change that. It’s not as if I can resign from the position. So we carry on as we have been doing, caring for each other and taking care of business.”
“Business?” She smiled, relaxed as she’d rarely been before.
“The earldom, my business concerns, our baby, if there is one...”
he stopped when he saw the way tension had tightened her face.
She felt her smile turn rigid, the tears prick the back of her eyes. “If there isn’t, then we cope with that, too. The earldom has an heir. If we have a child then we’ll welcome it.” He touched his lips to hers, a brushing kiss. “We don’t even have to be concerned about the sex.”
“Don’t expect it,” she said, forcing calm into her voice. “I might disappoint you.”
“Impossible,” he assured her, and he pressed another kiss to her lips. “Whatever happens, you’ll never do that.” The next kiss took a little longer to accomplish and they were both breathless when it came to an end. “Faith, I love you. You heard me, and it won’t be the last time you hear it. You make me want to protect you and to make you proud of me.”