Page 98 of Scandalous Heiress
His two daughters, however, took the hands of his bride and walked her toward him.Ada wiggled her brows as she approached him.
“Papa,” said Vivienne, giggling, her turquoise eyes dancing, “you must leave now.Take Miss Hanniford away.”
“She’s ‘Mama’ now, Viv,” Deirdre proclaimed.“Isn’t she, Papa?”
He grasped his wife’s elegant fingers and stroked her wedding ring with his thumb.“She is indeed Lady Victor Cole, your new mother.”
“The girls asked me where we’re going,” Ada said, her voice soft and her eyes full of fond regard for him.“But I told them I have no idea.”
“It’s a secret.”He led his wife to his side and looped her arm through his.From this day forward, he wished to never let her go.He wanted her so badly, he’d have to tear his heart out if all failed and his hopes to remain in England were dashed.“If everyone knows then they can intrude…and they mustn’t.”
Ada leaned close, her small smile angelic, her blue gaze molten with desire.“Please.I’ve seen everyone.Might we leave?”
“It still smells of fresh paint.I’m sorry about that.”He lifted the sash of one of the bedroom windows.The gentle breeze of the June afternoon billowed the sheer white curtains and made her smile.
She took a stroll around the master bedroom, her fingers stroking the azure brocade bed hangings and the white silk upholstered chairs.The way she caressed them made his body swell with need of her touch.
She spun toward him.“Did you choose all this yourself?”
“I did.”He folded his arms, refraining from grabbing her and throwing her to the mattress.Steadying himself, he admired the way she moved, graceful as flowers that turned their faces to the sun.“The fabric is mine.From my warehouse in the East India Docks.”
“May I visit?”
He arched a brow.“The warehouse?”
“Yes.”
“I suppose so… I’ve never had a woman to the floor.”
“Now you will.I’m no stranger to factories.We often went with our father to the Baltimore wharves.We’d play among the crates.He owns a clothing factory there, too, and we’d go to sew with the seamstresses.”
“I never knew,” he said astonished and proud she’d go.But he wanted less talk, fewer clothes, her maid…
“Papa said we must know how to sew on buttons.Have you any clothes with buttons missing?”
He barked in laughter.“No.”
“Good.I want to go.”
“Go where?”The only place he wanted to go was to bed with her, quite stark naked.
“Your warehouse.”
“Oh, right.I’m delighted you’d ask.”
“Are you?”She flounced upon the edge of the four poster bed.“Why?”
Well, he had to be honest with her.And wouldn’t wish to side-step the issue.“I’ve never known a woman to want to go.”
“You do now.”She folded her hands in her lap.“Come here.”
He pointed a thumb over his shoulder.“I should call your maid.”
“No.You shouldn’t.”She widened her eyes in demand and crooked her finger.“Come here.”
He swallowed back madness and took his time stepping to her.
“You’re quite remarkable, you realize.”She was unbuttoning his morning cutaway and pushing it from his shoulders.At once she went to work on his suspenders, undoing the buttons of his white satin waistcoat and stripping it away.Her warm hands working on him made him stiffen with erotic needs.
