He groaned. She wondered if he would continue to feign sleep or master her as he always had. She didn’t have long to wait. His black eyes snapped open and a feral grin split his face. He was her pirate tonight, home from his long quest at sea. It did not take him any time at all to grab her hips, slide into her center, and find his treasure. Their connection was instant and insistent. True.
“Welcome home,” she whispered. He watched as she rode him hard, oblivious to heat or vanity. He would see her, all of her, in the moonlight. He was a noticing sort of man. His hands wove through her hair, cupped her swollen breasts, stroked everywhere, finally coming to rest on her stomach. The moment he realized, Bay’s hand stilled, the touch so gentle she thought she’d weep. He smiled slowly, his cock pulsating inside her.
And then he held her in place, his orgasm fierce, almost frenzied. She came along with him, grateful.
His hand returned to her belly in wonder. “My God! Charlie, why didn’t you tell me?”
“You’re not angry?” She attempted to move, but he wouldn’t let her. The warmth of his protective palms went straight to her heart.
“Of course not! But why go through this alone?”
She pushed a tangle of hair behind her ear. “I wanted to tell you, the day I left. But I wasn’t really sure then, and so frightened, and I didn’t think you’d let me leave if you knew. I was sure she’d do something, and I had to get away.” The words rushed out, but she couldn’t say Anne’s name. No matter that she was married and on a boat half an ocean away, there would always be residual fear of Anne Whitley.
“Oh, sweetheart.” Bay brought her down to his chest, his arms strong around her. “You’re safe. Our baby is safe. You just don’t know how much I’ve hoped for this day. I’ve even got a special license, you know. No banns for us. When?”
“The doctor thinks February. It must have happened right at the first.”
“When I didn’t know you. But I know you now. Thank God for it. I’ll go see Vicar Kemble in the morning.” He kissed her forehead, both cheeks. Then her mouth, spending a bit more time on that consummate kiss. A kiss that promised their future happiness. Oh, she would be cross and he would be fiendish, but she loved him enough to believe in the possibility. “You don’t want a big Little Burpup wedding do you?”
“We just had one. I did the flowers. They were lovely. You truly aren’t angry?”
He squeezed her tighter. “I would have been wild with impatience getting everything settled had I known. A madman. As it was, it was sheer hell. I’ll tell you about it sometime. God, I missed you so, Charlie. I even missed you yelling at me.”
“I can do that if you want.” She snuggled into his shoulder.
“Tomorrow, my love. We’ve got tomorrow and the rest of our lives for you to yell at me. Right now, all I want to do is sleep with you in my arms.”
“I suppose that’s as good a plan as any.”
All those weeks of waiting, over. She’d sleep very well tonight. She was drifting when he spoke again. “I do have just one request, however.”
She yawned. “Just one?”
“Those caps of yours.”
“Don’t worry, Kitty and Angus will take care of the cats.”
“No, no. the
“They’re very proper.”
“But you are not. My wife is the most improper woman in Dorset. See?” He nudged her hip with his stiff cock. “See what you do to me. I think the plan to sleep has changed.”
Margaret Rowe
