Love Redeemed Read online

  “Not want you? Are you mad? I shall always want you.” He pulled her against him and kissed her soundly. His tongue slid past her lips and teeth to twine with hers in a velvety caress. The kiss ended with sweet nibbles on her lips.

  “You say that now, but after six months of me, day in and day out, you might find you feel differently. I might find I feel differently. What will I do if Madame will not have me back?”

  “You are still in her employ. I have simply paid for the pleasure of your company when and where I choose and for exclusivity.” His words should have soothed her, but there was an unmistakable annoyance in his tone. He resented having to pay for her time and services.

  “I’m sorry. I know how repugnant it must seem after I gave myself to you so freely.” Serena jerked from his hands and traversed the room. Reflexively, her arms crossed over her body. Was this a mistake? Would he come to despise her for what she was, as she had feared originally?

  A sigh slipped from his lips as he followed her, pressed his chest to her back, and cradled her in his arms. “It is unsettling, but I understand you need time to accept that my affection for you is real. I do not want you to feel trapped. Madame assured me, when I inquired, that a clause will be included in the contract allowing you to end the agreement at any time and for any reason.”

  “Oh my. Thank you, Brennan, for asking for that.” She squeezed his hand resting on her arm. Perhaps this would work, as long as she kept her heart well-guarded. He would see soon enough that his infatuation would wane, and she would still have her livelihood.

  “Now, I must go and prepare the house for your arrival and you must gather your things. I will be back at four o’clock to retrieve you. Will you be ready?” Brennan turned her to face him.

  “I will. Thank you.” Serena leaned up and kissed him, a gentle press of her lips against his. The urge to giggle and spin with joy so unusual she had a hard time holding it back.

  “You’re welcome. I will see you later.” He departed the room, leaving her alone again.

  A quick twirl and a laugh escaped from her before she composed herself.

  ***

  Brennan couldn’t cease smiling. Finally she stood in his home. Not the exact way he had imagined it over a month ago when acquiring the special license, but he had bought himself some time. Precious time he would need to convince her to stay.

  “Serena.” He nudged a small woman-child toward her. “This is Maggie. She will act as your maid, help you dress and whatever else it is maids do for women. Her aunt is Mrs. O’Keef, the housekeeper.”

  Serena smiled kindly at the girl. “Hello, Maggie.”

  The girl curtsied and mumbled, “Mum.”

  “That will be all for now. Miss Freemont will ring for you when she has need of your assistance.” Maggie curtsied and trod silently from the bedroom, closing the door behind her. “Now. Come here, Miss Freemont.” He towed her into his arms, unable to resist the lure of her body. Tilting her head back, he feathered his lips over hers in a gentle caress. As she opened to him, surrendered, he deepened the kiss, sweeping inside to claim her mouth. Their tongues tangled, twisted together in an intimate caress. Her body molded to his, his cock nestled between them.

  Desperate for more of her, but unwilling to wait long enough to remove the many layers of clothes, he turned toward the bed and bent her over. Her torso splayed across the mattress as he rucked up her skirts, covering her head. Finding easy access through the split in her drawers, he let loose his hard cock and slipped through her slick, swollen folds. Her tightness clutched him in a silken grip that threatened to push him over the edge as soon as he entered.

  With a slow retreat, he let his hard length tease her engorged tissues before slamming back into her body with a sure, swift stroke.

  “Yes.” Her soft moan, muffled by her skirts and the mattress, floated up to him.

  He repeated the tantalizing rhythm, trailing out in a slow drag and abruptly driving into her body. Brennan wouldn’t last much longer as her moans increased with each powerful thrust. Desperate for release, he reached down and searched her clit out through the opening in her under things. Ruthless, he flicked the sensitive nub and pushed her over the edge as his tempo increased. The silken walls of her passage clamped down around him then released. Over and over, the spasms squeezed him and pushed his control until he needed to explode. He pulled out to shoot his hot cum onto the linen drawers covering her bottom. Complete and relaxed, he drew the soiled garment down her legs and used them to clean himself up. Tossing them aside, he sat on the bed and tucked her into his arms.

  ***

  Serena lay in bed sipping her hot cocoa when Maggie appeared bearing a folded note. Setting her drink down, she read the missive in which Brennan explained that a modiste would be arriving within the hour.

  “It seems we will have company soon. I should get dressed.” She stretched and sat up, her chocolate abandoned on the bedside table. “I’ll wear the navy blue dress with the white trim.”

  Her maid scampered to find the dress and left Serena to see to her morning ablutions. Refreshed with her hair brushed out and her undergarments in place, Serena finagled the dress over her head with Maggie’s help. After a few moments of struggling the gown fell into place and the girl could work on buttoning the back of the dress. “Thank you, now do you know anything about fixing hair?”

  “Yes, mum.” She watched Serena move to the vanity.

  “Come then, how would you style my hair for a meeting with a dressmaker?” The girl was painfully shy, not something Serena was accustomed to dealing with. At The Market all of the girls tittered and chattered like sisters, even the maids.

  “Perhaps a simple knot at the nape would be best if you’ll be in and out of your gown.” Maggie walked over to where Serena sat and picked up the brush from the table.

  “That sounds like an excellent notion. I leave it to you to sort out.” Serena sat still and waited for the stroke of the brush through her tresses. Soon her hair appeared coiffed into a neat knot. A knock at the door heralded Mrs. O’Keef’s entrance.

  “Miss Freemont, Madame Le Fleur has arrived. She is in the front parlor.”

  “Thank you. I will be down directly. You may go get your breakfast if you have not eaten yet. I shouldn’t need you again until later.” Serena rose and left the two women. Nerves got the best of her on the way downstairs. Brennan had left no instructions regarding what he expected her to buy. She entered the parlor, her hands damp with sweat and her stomach full of butterflies. She could do this. She could act like a lady as well as any gently reared daughter of the Ton. Pasting a pleasant expression on her face she greeted her guest.

  “Thank you for coming, Madame Le Fleur.”

  “Ah, at Monsieur Whitling’s behest I would travel to the far reaches of the earth,” the flamboyant woman drawled in her fake French accent, laced with slips of Cockney.

  “Well, shall we look at some designs? I am in need of a new gown.” Serena strove for a calm she did not feel. How many dresses should she order? Stupid man left no instructions, no clue about what or how much.

  “Oui, I have many beautiful gowns for you to look at.” She presented a thick stack of drawings for her to peruse.

  After an hour of discussing the merits of various designs, Serena found four that she wanted. Without any direction she placed her order. “Please send the bill for two of them to this address.” She scribbled an address on a piece of paper and handed it to the dressmaker. She would send a note around to Madame with instructions to pay for the dresses out of her personal account. Madame’s man of affairs handled all the finances for the girls who chose to save their pennies.

  “Non, I cannot. Monsieur Whitling insisted the full bill be delivered to him.”

  “But, I wish to pay for these two myself.” Frustration rankled her composure.

  Madame Le Fleur’s chin took a stubborn tilt. “Non, he gave strict instructions.”

  “Fine. Reduce my order to the gre
en baize and the dark blue riding habit.” Serena rose to leave the modiste and all her wares.

  “But, Mademoiselle…the other two gowns—”

  “Will not be ordered unless the bill is sent to the address I gave you.” Serena carefully tensed the muscles in her face, taking on the superior mask Madame Marchander had taught all her girls to use when dealing with recalcitrant servants and rowdy patrons.

  “As you wish, Mademoiselle. I will send the bill for the other two gowns to that address.” The woman shrugged in defeat. Serena knew she would give with the threat of losing the sale. Money always won in the end.

  ***

  Brennan fought for control of his fury. Two dresses. He had ordered the modiste to provide a complete wardrobe and the fool woman had billed him for two dresses. Two! He took a deep breath. This must be Serena’s doing. He crumpled the insufficient bill in his hand and stalked upstairs. He found her in the sitting room she had taken over. She perched at a small writing desk. Bathed by the sun’s rays, her hair resembled a nimbus of living flame. Despite the arresting vision, Brennan stormed into the room and slapped the bill down in front of her. “Please explain this.”

  She gasped and jumped at the thump of his palm on the desk. She glanced down at the paper and up to his face. Her mouth drew down and her gaze narrowed in anger. “I ordered two dresses because you neglected to give me any direction regarding what I should order or how much I could spend. If I overspent, it is your own fault.” She rose and pushed past him.

  A fool. He was an utter fool. He thrust his fingers through his hair and cursed roundly under his breath. “Stop right there.” His command rang out and she stopped, which caused her skirts to swish around her trim ankles. “You are right. I should have told you what I wanted you to do. I assumed telling the modiste would be sufficient. It is clear I was mistaken.”

  “I see. She tried to have me order more, but I believed….” She sighed and turned to face him. “I believed she was pushing for a sale. It never occurred you would have given her instructions.”

  Brennan laughed so hard his shoulders shook. “I can just imagine how that exchange went. Madame Le Fleur is very tenacious when following instructions. However did you convince her to only make you two gowns?”

  “It wasn’t an easy fight. I purchased two others in addition to those two. She departed rather unhappy about our arrangement.” Serena giggled.

  “I only received a bill for two though.” Brennan’s mind raced. What happened to the other gowns?

  “Oh, I had her send me the bill for the other two. They are all quite lovely.”

  His temper flared to life anew. Bloody hell, she had paid for the clothing herself. “Serena, you will give me those bills so I may pay them. I intended to furnish you with an entire wardrobe, not just four dresses. Now, please send me those bills, and then I would like you to order at least five more.”

  “No. I have no need of a new wardrobe. The four gowns, two of which I will pay for, is more than sufficient.” Her brows drew together in a scowl.

  She dug in, her body stiffening, and Brennan had no clue how to prevent it. “Serena. Now come, sweetheart. I want to buy you a bunch of beautiful things. Why won’t you let me?”

  Her chin tilted up in defiance. “It is not necessary. That is not why I am here, and it’s ridiculous to spend so much money on clothing. Obscene really.”

  Recognizing defeat, Brennan let the issue of the two frocks go. However, the modiste had her measurements, he could order additional items without her agreement. “Very well. I will deal with Madame Le Fleur. Do you like what you selected?”

  “I do. They are quite lovely.” Her smile eased his irritation.

  “Excellent, we should take you out and let all of London see you.”

  “Oh.” She appeared daunted by the notion of venturing into society on his arm.

  He hauled her against his chest and ravished her mouth. Driving his tongue into the wet cavity, he stroked her teeth and over the hard palette.

  Separating to catch their breath, he looked deep into her eyes and experienced a wave of pure emotion unlike anything previous. Sweeping her into his arms, he walked to the settee and lowered her legs. Her breath hitched, causing her chest to rise and fall in a sensual heave designed to torment him. His gaze wandered over her collarbone, and the urge to nibble and taste her there made his knees weak.

  Lowering his head, he sprinkled light kisses from her jaw down to that oh so tempting ridge. He sucked on the prominent edge as though he could draw the marrow through her skin. Her moan cut through the haze of lust and helped him resume his oral exploration. Deft fingers unlaced her bodice letting it droop to expose her linen-clad breasts. Such lush curves on his woman. He molded one with his hand, while the other one gripped her bottom and pinned her to his hips.

  With a slow, taunting grind of her pelvis, his control snapped. He loosened her petticoats and shoved them down her hips. “You women wear too many bloody clothes,” he mumbled in frustration as he ripped at the laces of her corset. If he had a knife, he’d cut the damned thing off.

  “One could say much the same of men.” Her breathy rejoinder slithered over his ragged patience. At last, the corset came loose leaving nothing but the fine linen chemise as a barrier. In a single swift motion he ripped the fabric right down the center leaving the frayed edges at her sides and her breasts exposed. “Brennan!” She pushed at his shoulders. “That was my good chemise.”

  “I’ll buy you another one.” He growled and trapped her arms at her sides ceasing her feeble display of resistance. Mine. He latched on to one breast and sucked the hardening peak into his mouth. Still, she writhed in his arms as though struggling until a sexy little whimper escaped. He released her arms to better hold her while she gripped his head and urged him closer.

  Yes, she belonged to him. She responded like no other. He switched to her other side to lap and nibbled the twin tip. She had such fantastic nipples, long and made for a man’s mouth. His cock throbbed as it chafed against his trousers. After retreating a step, he peeled off his clothes in the span of a few heartbeats.

  She shed her ruined chemise and sat with her legs splayed on the settee in an obvious erotic pose. He lunged toward her, crazed with lust. Dropping to his knees, he spread her glistening folds and slipped his tongue over the engorged flesh. Her tangy sweetness burst over his taste buds zinging straight to his groin. The tightening of his balls was painfully exquisite. “Play with your nipples while I sip from your body…your deliciously sinful body.”

  She groaned, but followed his directions. A heady rush of pleasure at her small submission flowed through him as he returned to licking her pussy. Surrounded by her sweet smell and decadent flavor, he knelt and immersed himself in the woman he loved with no place else he’d rather be. Sliding two fingers into her soaked core, he fingered her in time with the pulsing sucks of his mouth on her clit. Her hips thrust into his hand and face as she sought to quicken the pace. No. It was his orgasm to gift her, and he would not let her take control. He used his free hand to press her hips into the cushion and still her movements. Her panting evened out as he waited for her to settle.

  “Slide to the edge of the couch.”

  She complied again. Moving her bottom to balance at the edge of the cushion, she leaned her head against the back of the furniture. Satisfied, he resumed his ministrations. Collecting as much of her cream as he could, he removed his fingers and dragged them down to the tight sphincter of muscle. He swirled the tips of his fingers over it, causing it to ripple in awareness. Desire snaked through him as he slid the first finger in causing him to groan at the tight grasp on the digit. He could imagine how snug she would feel when wrapped around his cock.

  She moaned and urged him on, so he added the second finger. With a gasp, she tensed then relaxed at the intrusion. Working the two fingers in and out of her forbidden entrance, he resumed tormenting her swollen nub. Her cries escalated and she exploded on his tongue with very little en
couragement. Her backside clamped down on his fingers, grinding them together as he worked to pump them in and out to prolong her orgasm.

  She floated in the aftermath of release, very relaxed. Limp on the couch. He spread the fingers still lodged in her rear to open her wider for his cock. He wanted to bury himself in her and claim her in a way no other had before him. He burned with the selfish need to imprint himself on her so thoroughly she could no longer deny their connection. When he added a third finger, a moan ripped from her. His desire surged from the ashes of her climax.

  Realizing he had no salve available to ease his entry, he slipped his fingers from her bottom, rose, and slung her nakedness over his shoulder. Peeking into the hall, he spied no servants and made a quick dash to his chamber. There, he dropped her facedown on the bed and dug into the drawer in his nightstand. A jar of salve awaited this moment. He pulled it out and slathered it on his cock. Using the remains on his fingers, he pushed past the rosebud and worked to stretch her a bit more. Satisfied he’d made her as ready as possible, he raised her up on hands and knees and nudged her opening with the tip of his rigid cock. He shoved forward slowly, working the crown of his erection past the tight grip of muscles. With the head in, a burst of lightheadedness whipped through him at the intense heat of her body. Shaking it off, he drove deeper until she gasped.

  “Wait.” She panted and squirmed, forcing him a bit deeper. “More.” Her husky demand made his toes curl and his balls draw up. He took a deep breath and plunged the rest of the way in as she pushed back against him. Fully seated, he savored the moment, reveling in the tight clutch of her channel around his cock. The snugness was even better than he had imagined.

  In a slow, delicious slide, he withdrew until just the glans remained within. Then, he pushed back inside. With each stroke, he increased the pace and power of the thrusts. Reaching down between her legs, he sought out her clit and stroked it. Once. Twice. Three times and she exploded. Her back passage clamped down around his cock, squeezing and releasing in a rhythm that gave no quarter. The first wave washed over him in a gentle caress, but as he continued pumping into her, it grew into a tidal wave sweeping the breath from his lungs and thought from his mind. He grunted and groaned, burying his cock in her ass to the hilt. The burst of semen into her body only added to the searing warmth surrounding him.