The Stranger I Married

“Gerard…” she breathed, her tongue brushing tentatively along his, making him groan.

“Yes.” He pulled her closer, taking ruthless advantage of that tiny show of weakness. “Trust me, Pel. I have so much I wish to entrust in you. So much to share. Please, give me-give us-that chance.”

“I am afraid,” she admitted, baring what he had known, but was waiting for her to say.

“How strong you are to reveal that,” he praised, “and how lucky I am to be the man you share your fears with.”

She tugged at the loose belt of his robe, undid her own, and pressed her bare skin to his. No barriers between them. Her cheek to his chest, he knew she listened to his heart, heard its steady beat. He reached beneath her dressing gown and stroked the length of her spine.

“I don’t know how to do this, Gray.”

“Neither do I. But surely, using our combined experience with the opposite gender, we can manage. I was always able to tell when a paramour was tiring of me. Surely-”

“You lie. No woman has ever lost interest in you.”

“No sane woman,” he corrected. “Did you see no warning signs with Pelham? Or did he just wake up one morning without his brain?”

Isabel rubbed her face in his chest and laughed. It was a shaky sound, but true mirth, nevertheless. “There were signs, yes.”

“So we shall make another bargain, you and I. You tell me the moment you see what appears to be a sign, and I promise to reassure you in a way that leaves no doubt.”

She pulled back and looked up him, her mouth lush and wide, her eyes fringed with chocolate-colored lashes. He stared, enraptured by her features, which were nowhere near refined or delicate. Isabel was a raving, brazen beauty.

“God, you are so lovely,” he murmured. “It hurts sometimes to look at you.”

Her creamy skin flushed, that telltale touch of color speaking volumes. Pel was a woman of the world if ever there was one, but he could make her blush like a schoolgirl.

“Do you think your plan will work?” she asked.

“What? Talking to each other? Never allowing doubts to fester?” He sighed dramatically. “Too much work perhaps? I guess we will simply have to stay abed and fuck like rabbits.”

“Gerard!”

“Oh, Pel.” Lifting her, Gerard spun in a circle. “I am mad for you. Can you not see that? As much as you worry about holding my interest, I worry about holding yours.”

Isabel wrapped her slender arms around his neck and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “I am mad for you, as well.”

“Yes,” he said, laughing. “I know.”

“Conceited rake.”

“Ah, but I am your conceited rake, which is just how you want me. No, don’t pull away. Let’s make love, and then talk.”

She shook her head. “We cannot skip dinner again.”

“You dressed to seduce me, and now that your curves are pressed to my skin, you withdraw? What torture is this?”

“Considering how no provocation is required to lure you to sex, that was not my intent. I am undressed in this fashion because I napped.” Her mouth curved in that wicked smile he adored. “And dreamt of you.”

“Well, now I am here. Use me as you wish. I beg of you.”

“As if you are deprived.” She stepped back, and he made a great show of struggling to release her.

Growling, he muttered, “I wish I could say coming here was an error, but I think not.”

“I think not either.” She shot him a seductive glance over her shoulder. “And…good things come to those who wait.”

“Do tell me more,” he purred, following her.

“I shall tell you while you help me dress. But first things first, you keep that woman away from you, Grayson. If I find you with her again, I will definitely take that as a sign.”

“Never fear, vixen,” he murmured, wrapping his arms about her waist as she paused in front of the armoire. “I believe your point was well and truly made.”

She laced her fingers with his at her abdomen. “Hmmmph. We shall see about that.”

“I thought she intended to scratch my eyes out!”

Spencer shook his head and looked across the Hammond lower parlor to where Isabel stood off to the side, speaking with Lady Ansell. “What the devil were you thinking?”

Barbara wrinkled her nose. “When I exited my rooms and saw Grayson entering his, I assumed Pel was still below with the other guests.”

“It was daft of you, however you look at it.” He caught the eye of his brother, whose glowering look spoke volumes. Rein her in, it said.

“I know,” she said morosely.

“And really, you know, I’ve tried to tell you-one Faulkner cock is as good as another.”

“Yes, I suppose that’s true.”

“Have you learned your lesson? Stay away from Grayson.”

“Yes. Yes. Will you promise to save me from her wrath?”

“Perhaps…”

She understood. “I will make my excuses in a moment.” Barbara moved away.

Anticipating a night of carnal gratification, Spencer watched her sashay away with a smile.

“Did I hear Lady Stanhope correctly?” bit out a voice from behind him.

“Mother.” He rolled his eyes. “You really must stop eavesdropping.”

“Why did you warn her away from Grayson? Let her have him.”

“Apparently, Lady Grayson took exception to that idea, to the point where Lady Stanhope fears for her person.”

“What?”

“And Lord Hargreaves has gracefully withdrawn from the field. The newly reunited Graysons no longer have any impediments to marital bliss.”

Glaring across the room, she muttered, “That woman agreed to cast him aside. I should have known she was lying.”

“Even if she had not been, Gray is so taken with her, I doubt anything would keep him away. Look how he devours her with his gaze. And truth be told, I spoke with him a great deal today and she makes him happy. Perhaps you should concede this particular battle.”

“I will not!” she retorted brusquely, brushing her dark gray skirts with gloved hands. “I will not live forever and before I take my dying breath I wish to see Grayson with a suitable heir.”

“Ah…” He shrugged. “Well, perhaps it will be that which decides events in your favor. Pel has never struck me, or anyone else for that matter, as the maternal type. Had she longed for children, she would have increased long ago. Now her age is advanced and likely prohibitive to conception.”

“Spencer!” His mother caught his arm and turned bright eyes to meet his. “You are a genius! That is exactly it.”

“What? Which part?”

But his mother had already moved away, her slight shoulders straightened with a determination that made him glad to be exempt from its direction. He did, however, feel bad for his brother and so he moved to Gray’s side as Lord Ansell left it.

“Sorry,” Spencer murmured.

“Why did you bring her with you?” Gray asked, misunderstanding the apology.

“I told you. I was certain this trip would be a bore of heinous proportions. You cannot expect that I would be celibate in addition to that. I would offer to exhaust her from her meddling, but I ache all over, damn it. My arse, legs, arms. Some good I shall be to her, though I am determined to make my best effort.”

Laughing, his brother clapped him on the back and said, “Well, her ‘meddling’ may have been fortuitous.”