Page 90 of Redemption

“What the hell are you going to do when someone knocks on the door,” he choked out as she pushed his coat off of him then pulled his tie off his neck.

“I’ll say I seduced you,” she whispered. “Seduced you so that you must redeem an unredeemable woman.”

“You’ve been redeemed a thousand times over, my love. But clearly I’ll have to remind you of that for the rest of our lives.”

“Then start now. Prove that you intend to redeem me with love.”

A dark groan rumbled in his chest as he roughly pulled her into his arms and kissed her. It was a hot, passionate, and demanding caress. Something about the way his mouth singed hers allowed one wave of pleasure after another to rise up and swirl around her. Hands splayed across his chest, she reveled in the hard, solid muscles beneath the tips of her fingers. She opened her mouth to him once more, and his tongue coaxed then demanded a response. The hedonistic caress served to arouse her more. Eager to touch him, she tugged at the buttons of his pants.

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The moment Rhea’s hand brushed across his cock, he released a groan of need and protest. What they were doing wasn’t just ill-advised. It was reckless, dangerous, worse, exceedingly intoxicating. His tongue still dancing with hers, he caught her hands and pinned them behind her back. It would take him a lifetime to ensure she knew just how wonderful and courageous she was. Everything she’d done for him—her family ensured her the redemption she thought she needed as surely as every breath he took belonged to her.

In a swift move, he half dragged, half carried her to the sofa. His mouth teased and controlled hers into a passionate response. Eager to please her, he grasped the silk of her skirt and tugged it upward. A quiet moan whispered against his mouth as his hand skimmed upward over her stocking to the garter holding it in place. She trembled at the touch, and his fingers stroked her thigh before seeking the heart of her.

With a growing hunger, he trailed his mouth across her cheek, downward to where he could suck on the hard nipple pressing into her white lawn chemise. She whimpered at the caress and arched upward in a silent plea for more, and he gently nipped at the hard pebble. The sob she released increased his desire, but pleasing her was more important. He slid downward until he was on his knees and he pushed her skirts higher. The moment his mouth caressed the rim of her sex, she dragged in a deep breath. It was followed by a small cry as his tongue swept into her folds.

She bucked against his mouth and her cream flowed warm and silky across his tongue. He reveled in the delicious taste of her. The sound of her soft cries caused his own arousal to intensify. With a small nip at the swollen nub of her sex, he quickly returned to the sofa and lifted her to straddle him. In one brief second, he sheathed himself with her white-hot heat. The way her body tightened around him wasn’t just pleasurable, it was mind-numbing. He would never grow tired of loving her like this.

Suddenly, she began to ride him hard and fast. The movement blinded him to everything except her, and the raw sensation of her body joined with his. Heat engulfed his cock as the friction of her skin against his made his erection tighten and stretch in a manner that was at turns painful and erotic. It was a sign that he was on the verge of completely losing his control, and his hands brushed aside the silk of her skirts and petticoats to grasp her thighs.

Desire barreled through him as he urged her to ride him harder and faster. Like a beautiful instrument she bended to his will. Their rhythm was a force of nature that echoed with a passion and love he knew would never be lost. His body tensed as her core flexed violently around him. The tight spasms clutched at him, until with a restrained cry he made one last, hard thrust into her and spilled his seed in an explosion of raw, visceral sensation.

She fell forward into him, and he breathed in ragged breaths of air as his body continued to throb inside her. The stillness between them was filled only with the sound of their labored breathing, which slowly eased until she lifted her head to stare down at him.

“I suppose I have no other option now, but to marry you, Mr. Rockwood,” she whispered with a sultry smile. “You’ve ruined me completely.”

“If that’s the only way I could convince you to do so, I’m not sorry for it,” he chuckled then frowned as a serious expression swept over her face.

“Are you certain you want to marry me—to come to Green Hill House?”

“I’m afraid you leave me little choice since you insist on burying yourself in domestic bliss in the countryside,” he said with a smile as he brushed his hand across her flushed cheek. She looked radiant despite the uncertainty in her beautiful eyes. “Although you’ll have to agree to visit Callendar Abbey whenever the Rockwood clan gathers there.”

Percy caught her face in his hands and kissed her quickly before setting her off of him so he could dress. As beautiful as she looked half-dressed, they’d already tempted the fates far too much. In a few brief moments, he’d dressed, and raised his head to watch as Rhea buttoned her shirt-waist. When she’d finished adjusting the upper portion of her clothing, she shook out the skirts of her dress making a fuss over smoothing out the wrinkles. With an intuition that was growing by leaps and bounds where she was concerned, he released a grunt of exasperation.

“Why are you doing your best to avoid looking at me?” At his question, Rhea’s head jerked up, and he frowned. “Out with it, Rhea.”

“Your brother’s party is tonight.”

“Yes,” said quietly. “But we’re not going.”

“I don’t understand,” she said as she shook her head. “You have to go. The Rockwoods never miss any important family occasion.

“True,” he said with a nod. “But I have no intention of feeding you to the wolves after what you’ve been through.”

“But you need—”

“No, my family knows you come first. I spoke to Sebastian earlier this morning, and he agreed with my decision whole-heartedly,” he said quietly as he pulled her into his arms.

“You would do that for me?” she whispered with an expression of disbelief, wonder, and love on her face.

“It’s a small sacrifice compared to the one you were willing to make the other night,” he said somberly.

What she’d done the other night humbled him. She’d been willing to sacrifice herself to protect him and the children. The memory of how she’d clung to him when he’d carried her out of the Bull and Hare made his gut twist. It wasn’t a moment he ever wanted to relive again. Her fingers brushed against his cheek, and he focused his gaze on her.

“I love you, Percy.”

Tears shimmered in her eyes as she looked up at him. From that first moment in the museum when he’d looked into violet eyes filled with anguish, he’d known his destiny was tied to hers. His heart full, he kissed her again, sealing his devotion to her for the rest of his life.