Page 39 of The Baroness of Sin
She simply grinned impishly up at him as she slid the hand of her uninjured arm over the bulge in the front of his trousers, her minor ministrations quickly provoking the desired response. Her curiosity about him had been great for a long while now, and as he grew hard at her gentle touch, she realized there was a great thing there for her to be curious about.
“Martha,” his voice was a husky whisper, a mixture of surprise and pleasure. “You do not… Damn,” he swore as tiny sparks of pleasure traveled up him while he fought to resist temptation.
“Of course not; this is something I want to do.” She hushed and gently worked him free of his trousers. She finally saw his member up close and bare for the first time, and while she never suspected she would be disappointed, she wasn’t anticipating the charged, almost apprehensive, reaction she felt spark through her. He was impressive in size. “And it looks like it’s something you want me to do too! So, let us both enjoy ourselves, My Lord.”
She only had one hand she could easily use, and she couldn’t support herself with the other while she lay, so she was forced to lay on her back while she squeezed and held him. He was hot and extremely firm, throbbing with each touch. She loved the feel of him, and, while she longed for him to touch her, she knew that would defeat the point of the little game she had started.
“My Lady, that feels amazing,” he said breathily, clearly trying to maintain his composure. She was tickled. When all was said and done, she wanted him to take her, to claim her, this was true. But it was occasionally fun to let herself feel like she had his passions firmly in her control, maybe even a bit literally.
James on the other hand was very much out of his element and wanted to take that control that she had offered him, but his concern for her was far too great and outweighed his desire. His fists were clenched tightly at his sides as she gently stroked back and forth, slowly increasing in pace and pressure.
“I know this isn’t the same as expressing yourself as you desire to me, but I hope this is a suitable expression for the moment,” she purred at him, “and please, as we are compromised in such a manner, you should really call me Martha in these moments.”
“The more you tease me, the worse it will be for you when there is nothing holding me back,” he said, voice constricted in pleasure but flecked with the authority that he planned to give her when they shared a bed. Her grin widened.
“Why do you think I tease you?” she asked innocently while looking up at him.
All the Earl could reply with was a low growl from his throat, all of his concentration and willpower committed elsewhere. She watched his eyes close to focus on her gentle touch. She liked the effect she was having on him but didn’t want him to take his eyes off of her and knew just how to get his attention again.
She gently took him into her mouth, wrapping her lips around him firmly. It took all of her own willpower not to giggle when she watched, and felt, a shiver travel up through him. She was uncertain if he would prove too excited for her to handle, but she was eager to find out.
“Martha!” he whispered with surprise and enthusiasm. He was excited at her initiative despite his reluctance in regard to her arm. His breath had clearly grown much harsher and forced as she brought his pleasure to untold levels. While her injury may normally have made lovemaking quite difficult, the situation proved almost perfect for this sort of coupling, and Martha grew earnest in her need to show her lover her adoration for him.
“Your injuries be damned,” he grunted in frustration. She watched James' hands flex and grip tightly at his sides, clearly fighting every urge he felt to reach out and touch her. She wanted him to, so desperately, but didn’t want to overly frustrate him. Luckily, it was only a moment later that she felt one hand gently cup her cheek as she attended to him. They clearly both wanted more, more force and physicality, but that gentle touch will do for now. Even still, his fingers dug light, encouragingly, into her flesh.
“My Lady, I… I’m…” She knew what was coming, and she didn’t pull away. She wanted him, all of him, no matter what, and would hold onto him as long as she could. James felt the telltale fire and heat as it pulsed through him over and over. He would have sworn it took longer to subside than it ever had before, and by the time he was spent, he found himself panting from exertion, despite having done little more but stand there.
In spite of her confidence, Martha still wanted to be assured of her lover's enjoyment. “Did that feel good, James?” she asked, trying to mask the nervousness in her voice.
He didn’t answer at first. A moment after she asked, not long enough to doubt, he answered her with another kiss. A desperate and thankful kiss that was longer than the others, one that was only a fraction of what he wanted to express to her.
“Thank you, my sweet Martha,” he whispered to her, his breath hot against her ear.
Neither wanted to wait for the other. Martha had given him what she did in the hopes that it would abate their desire, slake their thirst for one another, if only for a short time. They realized afterward, during that kiss, that she was mistaken. It quenched no flame, but only fed fuel to the fire and made them burn for one another that much more intensely.
The wait had been hard before, but now it was agony. It was, thankfully, a wonderful agony that they were sure would lead to a long-awaited, and desperately desired, release.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
“Lord Barristen, I’m sure you have proved to be a proper caretaker in our absence, but her family is here now.” Benjamin’s voice always carried well despite being soft. These were the words that awoke Martha and signaled to her that her family had arrived.
Actually, a messenger had arrived from Martha’s family days before. A letter had been sent ahead by Benjamin to inform both James and Martha that the roads were quickly drying but still questionable. It told of the carriage they had at the ready, that they were checking the roads hourly, and Emma, Barbara, and Benjamin would travel as soon as possible.
“Obviously they are going to try and get here as fast as possible,” Martha remarked with a sigh. “I hope they find the roads safer than I did. Or at least take their time.”
“I’m sure your family is using sound judgment considering the circumstances,” James commented as she read from the letter in her bed.
Martha nodded but frowned. “It would be a terrible irony for them to find themselves in the same predicament while attempting to come here to tend to me.”
James would be the first to discover that it would be less than two days, if just barely. The Lady of Carrington’s family would arrive late in the night requiring James to wake the staff and prepare them to be received. Normally, they would have been sent to their rooms, but it became quickly obvious that they hadn’t eaten on the road, and a meal was needed for nourishment.
“How is Martha?” Emma eventually asked, clearly feeling revitalized by the bread and cheese that sat before her. The family members had asked upon their initial arrival, but after he assured them that their dear Martha was sleeping peacefully, their minds turned to the matters of room and board. Now, though, they had a chance to sit and discuss her wellbeing.
“She is doing well. Better than expected, actually,” James told them. “The initial assessments of her injuries were much direr than they turned out to be. I imagine she will be up and about in a matter of days.”
Emma and Benjamin looked relieved, but their aunt looked wholly unsurprised. “As to be expected. Martha was always the hardiest of the sisters. Least often sick and recovering the quickest when she was.”
“Still, it is a relief,” Emma followed up, “We will have to make sure to send word to Harriet and father so that they know what happened, but Martha is all right.” Emma smiled tiredly, “And despite the road weariness, I cannot expect you to keep watch over someone who isn’t even your blood, My Lord.”
