Mary Balogh: The Double Wager

Henry seemed suddenly to come to her senses. "Don't," she said, jerking back.

"Why not?" he murmured, I thought you liked it, Henry. Can't you cope with the jelly?"

"No games, Marius," she said severely. "Nothing has been settled yet."

"What a shame!" he sighed. "Can we not wait and settle everything tomorrow?"

"No," she said, I know this is all a game to you."

"You don't like games, my love?" he asked softly, reaching for the buttons on her nightgown. "Let us get serious, then." One hand reached for her naked breast, and Henry had to gasp to get herself under control.

"You are not serious, Marius," she scolded. "You are making mock of me."

"Am 1, my love?" he murmured, his mouth against her throat again. His bands already had her nightgown off her shoulders and were easing it down her arms. I thought I was making love to you."

"Oh," she cried, exasperated, "I'll not stand for this, Marius?"

"Then you shall just have to lie down for it, my love," he said soothingly. "What a good idea." He lifted her into his arms and deposited her on the bed, where he joined her after removing his breeches.

He lay beside her on the bed and trailed his hand lightly down her naked body. "Now, what was it you liked?" he asked. "Can you remember? Was it this?" He leaned across her and kissed one breast, then the other. He took one tip into his mouth and caressed it with his tongue.

"Oh, stop this instant, Marius," Henry protested. "Oh, this is not fair."

"Maybe not, my love," he soothed, "but it creates wonderful jelly, does it not?"

"Oh!" wailed Henry as he lifted himself from the mattress and lowered his weight on top of her.

"I have just had an inspiration," Eversleigh whispered against her ear. I think maybe it was this that felt so good.

He parted her legs with his own and entered her deeply. Henry moaned and was lost. Soon her arms and legs were around him, urging him on to the climax that was very close for both of them. They both cried out when it came.

Henry wriggled out of Eversleigh's arms when he moved to her side. She lay on her back, staring up at the canopy above her head. I shan't let you go back to Mrs. Broughton after this, you know," she said belligerently.

"Shan't you, my love?" he asked sleepily. "And what makes you think that I want to go back to Suzanne?"

"Because she is all woman," Henry said severely, "and I am not. I look like a boy. I don't curve out at the hips and I have small breasts."

He laughed softly. "Naughty, Henry," he said. "You are not supposed to mention bosoms, Giles told you. You might embarrass me."

"Well, it's true, anyway," she grumbled.

"Yes, it is, is it not?" he agreed, surprise in his voice as he levered himself up onto one elbow. "Look! No curves, no bulges. Strange! You felt very much like a woman to me a few minutes ago." He lay back down and closed his eyes.

"Even so, I shall make you love me," she persisted, hurt. "I shall make you show me how I may entice you and tell me what pleases you."

He opened one eye and regarded her sleepily. "Always

wear your bonnet in public," he said mildly. "May I sleep now, Henry?"

"No!" she said firmly. "First you will promise to give up Mrs. Broughton."

"I promise, I promise," he agreed meekly.

"No, I mean really promise."

"Ah. I really, really promise, then."

"You are being quite absurd," she scolded. "Will you be serious?"

"What, again?" he asked, leering across the bed at her.

Henry slammed over onto her side and lay facing away from him, staring into the darkness. Soon she was aware of the warmth of his body close behind her. An arm encircled her waist.

"Henry," he said softly against her curls, "what a jealous little child you are. I have never loved Suzanne. I have not touched her since the day I met you except to half-throttle her this morning when she would not tell me where you were. Do you not know that I love you more than is good for me?"

"Don't make fun of me!" she snapped.

The arm around her tightened and he rolled her onto her back and into his body. "Silly little freckle-face!" he said. "How could I help loving you? When you first ran head-on into me at that dreary come-out ball, you bowled me off my feet. I was completely enchanted, and have been ever since. Don't you know how you have turned my world upside down? I thought it obvious enough. I have followed you around to every social function of this infernal Season like a lap dog just because I was bursting so with pride to display you as mine."

"What about that wager?" she asked doubtfully.

"Ah, you know about that, do you?" he said. "Well, touché, my love. What about yours?"

"Oh," she said. "Well, that did not make any difference. I loved you regardless."

"And I loved you regardless," he said.

"Really?"

"Really. And I will add this. I believe that was the most fortunate double wager ever made, my love."

"Oh."

"Now, will you let me sleep, Henry?" he asked wearily, peeking at her through one half-closed eyelid. "I have been living a celibate life for so long-with one memorable exception-that I fear I shall have to take this marriage very gradually again for a while. Advancing age, you know."

"No," she said. "I want to start finding out what pleases you. Is it this?" She leaned across him and blew a light kiss on his neck where it joined his shoulder.

"Minx," he commented. "I should have let you shoot Cranshawe and been hauled off to Newgate."

Iron-hard hands suddenly grasped her hips, and she found herself lifted up and deposited on top of his body.

"This might prove the death of me, my love," he sighed, "but I'll show you."

"Absurd!" she murmured into his ear.