The Chance of Love (The Book of Love 7) Read online

  He laughed. “You were perfect. Now it’s your turn. What did you like best?”

  “That it was you.” She rested her arm across his chest and cast him an impish smile. “I’ve hoped for this moment ever since I caught the resplendent sight of you stepping naked out of the tub. I’m glad you liked me enough to marry me. I was prepared to make an utter wanton of myself, shamelessly lure you into my bed. I wasn’t sure how to do it. Fortunately, I did not have to figure it out. You were prepared to make an honest woman of me.”

  “Hopefully, not too honest. I like the idea of having a wanton as my wife.”

  Her smile faded as she confided the true reason their coupling had been so special to her. “I thought of these past years and wondered if everything happened the way it did because you were meant to be my one and only. The first and only man ever to touch me. The one I was destined to love. At the moment we coupled, my anger and shame, all the years of guilt and blame, simply melted away.”

  She kissed his jaw. “You made love to me, and I knew someone in heaven was looking out for me. I am meant to be with you.”

  He sighed raggedly. “I’m still sorry for all you went through.”

  “It doesn’t matter anymore. Well, other than dealing with a demented marquess.”

  “He will be dealt with.”

  She nodded. “Until he’s back in his father’s care, I’ll keep a sturdy candlestick close at hand at all times. I intend to strike first and worry about his intentions afterward.”

  “My brave Holly. He won’t stand a chance against you.” He kissed her on the forehead. “I hope it will never come to that.”

  “I’m sure it never shall.” They were out of Lord Rawling’s reach for now, and she did not want this moment taken up by thoughts of him. “Are you hungry?”

  “For you?” He nipped at her shoulder. “Always.”

  “I meant food. Those scones look good.”

  He sat up and lifted her onto his lap.

  She gasped. “Joshua, we’re naked!”

  “I noticed, my love.” He dipped his head and drew the bud of her breast into his mouth, flicking his tongue over it.

  “Oh, sweet mercy.” She closed her eyes and clasped his head to her bosom.

  Wordlessly, he shifted her so that she straddled him as he sat on the bed.

  “What are we doing?”

  “Relax. I promise you’ll like it.”

  She was already stirring, and her body turned to fire when he slipped his hand between her legs. “Those scones, Joshua…heavens, what are you doing?”

  “They can wait, love.” He positioned himself at her opening and thrust in as soon as he felt her ready. Then he placed his hands on her hips and guided her to move with him. She had no idea this was a possible thing, but it put his mouth at the level of her breasts—which he probably knew—so he had unimpeded access to tease and suckle them while continuing to guide her hips.

  Really, this was quite clever.

  And quite exciting.

  She wondered whether rabbits did it this way, for they bred rapidly. And rapidly is how the heat and fire built within both of them.

  “Lord, you’re magnificent.” He fell back on the mattress, her atop him, with a satisfied groan. A moment later, he lifted her off him and drew her down against his heaving chest to embrace her. He buried his hands in her hair. “I love the way it spills over you. Golden and silky. I’ve never seen anything so splendid.”

  He kissed her lips and then rose, bringing her up alongside him. “You wanted scones.”

  She nodded.

  “Very well, let’s eat.” He laughed. “I promise to keep my hands off you for the next half hour.”

  “I will not hold you to that promise. But I am hungry and would like to taste real food.” She glanced around, realizing they had not yet unpacked their bags. “I think I have a robe in there. It should be right on top.”

  It was a thin, pale blue silk that hugged the curves of her body. It did not hide much, but she put it on anyway. At least she was not sitting without a stitch on. Joshua merely grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist.

  Her heart was in palpitations.

  Goodness, that big, gorgeous body and those hard, rippling muscles were all hers to play with. “I wish we could take a full year and sail around the world like this.”

  He winked at her. “I’m sure the Earl of Hume would not mind our stealing off with his yacht.”

  She shook her head and laughed. “I suppose we had better not. The army will probably notice your absence. And it would not do to have an angry Scottish earl chasing after us.”

  He poured her a cup of tea and placed a scone on a plate for her. “I think if the earl saw you as you are now, your hair unbound and your eyes as blue and shining as the silk of your robe, he’d never be able to hold his anger. Quite the opposite, he would be on bended knee, offering you everything he owned.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Thank you, my love. I highly doubt it. You are speaking like a besotted husband. Which is as it should be, I think.”

  When they finished their light repast, Joshua slipped the robe off her and hung it over the back of her chair. He glanced at the bed. “We ought to sleep. It will be dawn before we know it. I thought we could walk around Harwich for a bit, stop at one of the better inns to dine.”

  “That sounds wonderful.” When he settled in the bed beside her, she tucked herself against his body. “Sweet dreams, Joshua. I cannot wait until morning to wake beside you.”

  He kissed her forehead. “I’ll wake you with kisses.”

  “I’d like that.” She closed her eyes.

  But sleep eluded her.

  Perhaps she was too excited to drift off.

  She opened her eyes to peek at him. He opened one eye, catching her dreamily staring at him. “You aren’t sleeping,” he said, his voice affectionately indulgent.

  “I’m still in raptures over you. I can’t settle down.”

  His grin turned boyishly wicked. “Let me see if I can tire you out a bit.”

  “You needn’t. I didn’t mean to bother you.”

  “No bother, I assure you.” He propped on his side and watched her while he slid his hand down her body, lightly caressing her shoulder, then downward to cup her breast. He lowered his mouth over it but spent little time teasing it before he shifted down and began to feather kisses lower.

  She gasped when he kissed the inside of her thigh.

  And was certain, she’d expired when he applied his mouth to her most intimate spot and brought her to pleasure with his tongue. “Sweet mercy! How do you know such things?”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Joshua awoke shortly after sunrise, not fully awake but feeling quite spectacular. He started to move, then realized Holly had curled herself around his arm and was clinging to it. He gave her a light kiss on the top of her head. “Lord, you’re beautiful.”

  Her body was pink and warm.

  Her golden hair spilled over his arm, and some strands splayed across the pillows. She looked like a sleeping angel…rather, like a beautiful butterfly who had shed her cocoon and was ready to dazzle the world.

  He tried to remove his arm from her grasp, but only managed to brush it across the ample mounds of her breasts. Lord, he couldn’t get enough of them. Yes, he was pathetically obsessed with their glorious size and shape. Full. Firm. Creamy and pink-tipped.

  She was asleep, not even paying him any notice.

  He was in a low brain frenzy.

  He sank back and sighed, knowing he needed to contain these urges she aroused merely by being herself. When her leg shifted over his, and she began to rub her foot along his calf, he gave up on restraining himself. “Holly, are you awake?”

  She snuffled in response, something between a snore and a snort.

  Good enough for him. He shifted over her and began to kiss her body until she tugged on his hair and made him look up. Her smile left him breathless.

  He grinned back.
“Did I wake you, love?”

  “Yes, you naughty thing. But I’m up now, so we may as well not let all your hard work go to waste.”

  He hadn’t meant to overdo their lovemaking and leave her sore, but her body was a drug for him, arousing and intoxicating, leaving him mindless. He tried to be gentle, but it was not long before the two of them were groping and groaning, she wrapping her legs around him and holding him to her as they hungrily coupled.

  This time was fast and passionate, and as he spilled inside her, he knew he was lost to her completely. Heart, soul, and body.

  He was madly and truly in love with his wife.

  Not that this depth of feeling surprised him.

  He’d fallen in love with her at first sight, no matter that he still saw stars after she’d hit him with that candlestick.

  The yacht had anchored for the night just outside of London, perhaps somewhere near Tilbury. They’d only needed to get far enough out of London to be certain the marquess would not catch up to them. Now that the sun was up, the crew had raised the sails, and they were underway once again, sailing on the Thames toward the North Sea.

  Since he and Holly were quite awake, they took care of the necessaries, then washed and dressed.

  He’d helped her don her gown and had just finished tucking his shirt in his trousers when there was a knock at the door. “Captain Brayden,” someone called from the hall.

  Joshua crossed the cabin to open the door. One of the crewmen stood before him with a breakfast tray. “Good morning, sir. Morning, Mrs. Brayden.”

  Joshua noticed the man’s besotted gape when Holly turned to him with a smile. “Good morning…er…”

  “The name’s Rannulf, Mrs. Brayden. Rannulf Hume at yer service.” He was a tall, skinny man of about forty years, Joshua would guess, although the sun and salty air had a way of leathering a man’s skin so that he might have been younger.

  “Good morning, Mr. Hume,” she said cheerily. “What have you brought for us?”

  “Just a little something to break yer fast.” As he stepped in, she began to gather the remains of last night’s meal in order to make room for this new tray. It appeared to contain a fresh pot of tea and perhaps eggs and porridge.

  “How thoughtful of you.” She cast him another smile. “Please convey our gratitude to Captain Hume.”

  “I will, ma’am.” He almost tripped on the lip of the door as he carried the old tray out, for he was still gaping at Holly and not looking where he was going.

  Joshua shut the door to close them in again. “You mustn’t smile at the crew when we are on deck, or you will have men toppling overboard because they can’t take their eyes off you.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Ha! A bit of an exaggeration, don’t you think?”

  “Not in the least.”

  “Is every man aboard a Hume?” She shook her head and laughed softly. “This is the Earl of Hume’s yacht. The captain is Archibald Hume. And now we have met Rannulf Hume.”

  “They’re all part of the one clan. It’s quite a large and powerful family. I doubt they’re closely related, perhaps sharing a grandfather eight times removed. Back then, who knows if any of them actually had family names? They probably just adopted the laird’s name. Care to eat? I’m famished.”

  “Yes, let’s. I fear you might waste away to nothing if I delay you any longer,” she teased.

  He dug in heartily, but Holly ate like a bird. Then again, he and his brothers ate like beasts in the wild, pouncing on any fresh kill. Of course, they did have table manners, so he made certain Holly chose first and ate her fill before he polished off whatever was left.

  Afterward, he escorted her on deck. But not before she’d braided her hair and pinned it in an elegant bun at the nape of her neck.

  The sky was clear. The early dawn mist had burned away soon after the sun rose on the horizon. However, the wind still whipped across the deck, and it was quite cool. Joshua drew Holly against his chest and wrapped his arms around her so that they stood with her back to his chest as they viewed the towns they were sailing past.

  She’d brought her cloak up with her, so he tucked it over her shoulders to provide an added layer of warmth. “I’ve never sailed before,” she said, staring in fascination at the expanse of water that had turned from a murky, brownish-blue to a clear, deep blue the nearer they sailed to the open sea.

  “We’ll turn north soon. If the wind is in our favor, we ought to reach Harwich by early afternoon. Keep your eyes open. We might spot a whale or two if we’re lucky.”

  “Joshua, do you really think we might?” It was as though she were seeing the world for the very first time, her eyes wide as she took in every detail. More important, her beautiful eyes were no longer shadowed.

  They stood in silence for a while, she still in his arms, as the yacht cut across the water like a sleek fish, its motion smooth and calming as it dipped and rose upon the waves.

  Joshua listened to the whistle of the wind and the caw of the gulls that seemed to float in place as they hovered over the water hunting for fish. Ropes groaned, sails flapped, and water sloshed against the hull.

  He wondered if his life could possibly get better than this moment.

  Which started him worrying about what would happen when they returned to London. What if Lord Rawling had not been found?

  Holly immediately sensed the change in him.

  She turned in his arms and cast him a gently chiding look. “Now who is fretting?”

  He kissed her on the nose. “Just thinking.”

  “Fretting,” she insisted. “You’re the one who told me it does no good.”

  “Yes, love. You’re right. The moment was so perfect, and this is how I want our life together to be. Always perfect.”

  “But that is never the path life takes, is it? I’m sure we’ll have happy moments and snappish moments, as well. Every married couple must have their ups and downs. Hopefully, we’ll have little sadness in it, but if we do, we’ll weather that storm together.”

  He laughed. “Wise words, love. I fear I shall be forever your besotted fool.”

  “That is your low brain speaking. You are merely fascinated by my breasts and my long, blonde hair. You had your hands all over both often enough last night. I doubt you were listening to a word I said.” She grinned. “Just wait until my hair turns white and my breasts sag to my navel. You won’t be quite so besotted then.”

  “I shall be even more in love with you then.” He kissed her on the lips. “Which is something you would know if you’d ever bothered to read that book on love you were so determined to hide. Are you cold, Holly? Shall we return below deck? I’m sure we can think of something to pass the time until we reach Harwich.”

  “Naughty man. I see the gleam in your eyes. I know what you want to do.”

  He arched an eyebrow. “Well?”

  “Yes, of course. Although I feel it is my duty to point out that we have just dressed for the day, and it seems a lot of effort to undress so soon again.”

  “Duly noted, but it is completely worth the effort.” He took her hand and led her back to their cabin.

  He helped her to remove her clothing and quickly tossed off his own clothes while she unpinned her hair. He wasted not a moment getting her back in bed and into his arms. He’d never seen a more beautiful woman than Holly. It wasn’t just her body, although it was warm and soft.

  It was her smile and the light in her eyes.

  It was the shape of her lips and the impudent arch of her eyebrows.

  It was her breathy moans and the way she held on to him as he brought her to pleasure.

  By afternoon, they were dressed again and watching on deck as the yacht neared Harwich. They were still several miles away when Holly suddenly cried out. “Look, Joshua!”

  He followed to where she was pointing, and there was a pod of whales gliding just below the surface, spouting water out of their blowholes as they broke the surface and then went under again.

&
nbsp; Holly had seen her whales.

  Her smile was as bright as a sunbeam. “They’re beautiful, aren’t they?”

  “Yes, love. They are,” he said as they swam closer to the yacht. He put an arm around her, for she was leaning against the rail now, and he didn’t want her tumbling overboard. Not that she would; he was being overly protective.

  “Oh, my. Joshua, look at the size of them! Even the baby is enormous.”

  They were both in excellent spirits as the yacht moored at Harwich in late afternoon. There were several inns of good quality just up the hill from the immediate dock area and a few quaint shops along the way.

  Joshua invited the yacht’s captain to dine with them at the Three Cups Inn, and he happily accepted. They would meet him there in an hour. “I’m taking you shopping,” he told her. “We need a remembrance of everywhere we stop on our journey.”

  “May we buy something for Captain Archie and his crew?”

  “Yes, love. But not before you purchase something for yourself.”

  He could see she was about to protest, but the stubborn set to his jaw must have warned her that all arguments would fail. In truth, he wanted to spoil her, for she’d denied herself these small luxuries for so long.

  Holly was obviously thrifty by nature; he’d seen it in the care with which she’d supervised the decorations in their new home. She wasn’t miserly by any means, but neither was she extravagant. He doubted she’d choose anything expensive for herself.

  He would not quibble with her now.

  Once they were back in London, he would get her something special.

  They stopped at a ladies’ shop not far from the inn where they were to dine. A pleasant woman smiled at them from behind the counter as they entered. “We’ve just got in a shipment of lovely shawls. Let me know if those might interest you. I haven’t put them out yet.”

  “Thank you,” Holly said, “but we’re just browsing.”

  At the same time, Joshua said, “Yes, we’d like to see them.”

  Holly sighed. “Yes, as my husband said. We’d like to see them.” She turned to him as the proprietress bustled to the back room. “And what about you? If I must get something new, then you must get something, too.”