Courtship Wars: To Pleasure A Lady Part 16

Her eyes widened as comprehension dawned: Marcus meant her to view his naked loins.

Her breath went shallow as he drew out his long member. Thick and darkly rigid, it jutted out from a sprinkling of crisp black hair at his groin. The sight of that huge, swollen arousal caused her throat to go dry, her stomach to contract.

"I presume you have never seen a naked man before," Marcus remarked.

"No," Arabella rasped.

"Are you shocked?"

Not shocked exactly, she thought dazedly. Despite her genteel upbringing, regardless of the dictates of modesty, she was captivated by the sight of him. Indeed, she would have liked to see all of Marcus naked. She suspected his body was far more beautiful than any other man's. Virile, masculine, hard, corded with lean muscle.

While she stared, he cradled his shaft, running his thumb over the blunt, velvety head. The casually erotic *

caress made her breath catch.

"You should watch as I pleasure myself," he suggested.

Fascinated, she could do nothing else. Her eyes fixed on his loins, unable to look away, as he cupped the heavy sacs beneath his phallus.

"Of course this would be much more pleasurable with you," Marcus said, curling his hand around his turgid length and squeezing.

Arabella inhaled a sharp breath when he began moving his hand slowly up and down, stroking himself.

"I'm imagining making love to you right now, sweet Arabella. It's very arousing."

She swallowed hard. It was indeed arousing. She felt a shameful thrill at the intimate picture Marcus painted.

"Can you imagine having me inside you?" he asked as he gripped his heavy shaft harder. When she didn't reply, he raised his head. "I would like very much to be inside you, Arabella."

He met her eyes, held them intently, as deliberately he increased the pace of his strokes. Shortly his face became tense with control, the skin flushed, Arabella saw. The teasing glint in the blue depths darkened into something both primitive and powerful.

Her heart began to pound while an aching tightness coiled throughout her body. She could almost feel Marcus's lengthy shaft gliding slickly between her feminine folds...

His jaw locked as his fingers kneaded harder, sweeping up and down his tumescence in swift jerky motions. His breath was harsh and uneven...until his climax came abruptly.

Clenching his teeth, Marcus shut his eyes and arched against the explosive release. A low groan escaped him, but as his pulsing seed shot out, he captured the spurting milky liquid in his cupped palm.

Arabella watched, her heart thundering in her ears. Her body felt as if it had suddenly burst into flames with him.

When a moment later Marcus opened his eyes, he smiled. "Regrettably, my little exercise in self-satisfaction is only a temporary solace. I still want you as fiercely as before."

Arabella couldn't find the voice to respond. She was still staring at him, her lips parted, her breath shallow.

He took out a handkerchief from his coat pocket and wiped his hand clean, then quite calmly refastened his breeches. She remained speechless even when he sat up and fastened his gaze on her still bare b.r.e.a.s.t.s.

Then he reached up to brush her nipples with his thumbs, making her gasp again. "Now that you know the kind of pleasure you can feel," Marcus murmured, "you will be antic.i.p.ating our lovemaking with relish."

Before she could deny his prediction, he drew up her chemise and then her muslin bodice to cover her *

b.r.e.a.s.t.s. "However, we don't need to debate the issue now. Finish your wine, sweetheart, so I may take you home. You have another cla.s.s to give this afternoon, remember?"

"Y-yes...I remember."

Arabella shook herself. She did have a cla.s.s later today, yet her dazed mind had trouble concentrating on such mundane matters when she could still feel the erotic stroke of his hands and mouth on her body, still imagine his hard flesh moving inside her. Marcus had given her a stunning experience she would never, ever forget....

Arabella felt herself frowning as she readjusted her clothing into some semblance of decency. It wasn't his lovemaking that was so troubling, she suddenly realized. It was that for the first time in her life, she could begin to understand her mother...why her mother had succ.u.mbed to the incredible pleasure an attentive lover could bring.

Of course, she would never fall in love and lose her head over a man the way her mother had done, Arabella vowed. She would never destroy her family for the sake of her own amorous gratification, no matter how rapturous.

Her gaze went to Marcus as he gathered up the remains of their picnic.

But at least now, however, she could wholly understand the temptation.

Chapter Eight.

I must concede I was mistaken about the earl. He has some redeeming qualities after all.

-Arabella to f.a.n.n.y "Roslyn, Lily...whatever are you doing here?" Arabella asked when she found her sisters waiting in the academy's reception office where she and the headmistress conducted the business of running the school.

"You are not scheduled to teach any cla.s.ses this afternoon."

"We came to discover how you are faring," Roslyn replied, a look of concern on her lovely face, "and to see if you need our help. Since we couldn't very well visit you at home, we thought this would be the best place. Tess told us the alarming news, Arabella-that Lord Danvers actually proposed to you."

"Yes," Lily agreed, her expression even more troubled. "How in heaven's name did that happen, Belle?

The earl has only been here for four days and already you are making outrageous wagers with him?"

Had Marcus only been here for four days? Arabella reflected in amazement. It seemed like far longer.

Debating on how much to reveal, she settled in a wing chair opposite her sisters. "Did Tess also tell you *

the stakes involved? Lord Danvers promised to grant us our legal and financial freedom if I can manage to resist his courts.h.i.+p for a fortnight. The prospect was too enticing to pa.s.s up."

"She told us," Roslyn said. "And we appreciate the sacrifice you are making for us-"

"But we are worried for you," Lily interrupted. There was none of the usual laughter in her warm brown eyes. "Tess says his lords.h.i.+p is sinfully handsome and charming."

And enchanting and irresistible, Arabella thought.

Aloud, she sighed. "Regrettably, he is. But I agreed to give him a fair chance to woo me."

She proceeded to give her sisters an edited account of what had happened between them the past few days, leaving out entirely Marcus's lessons in pa.s.sion.

"This is our opportunity to win emanc.i.p.ation from his guardians.h.i.+p for good," Arabella concluded.

Lily frowned. "So he doesn't mean to make us abandon the academy or force us to marry?"

"Not if I can win the wager."

"Tess said you found him more agreeable than expected," Roslyn added, "but what sort of man is he?"

Arabella had no ready answer for that. After seeing Marcus yesterday with her pupils, she had to concede that he was someone she could admire and respect. Or so he seemed on the surface. One couldn't fully judge a person's character so quickly. And thus far he was acting the ideal suitor in hopes of convincing her he would make the ideal husband.

"He is indeed much more reasonable than his solicitors' letters led us to believe," she admitted.

"There is no chance the earl will win your wager, is there?" Lily asked, still worried. "He won't convince you to accept his proposal? You have always said you wouldn't risk being miserable in a marriage of convenience, Belle."

Arabella smiled rea.s.suringly. "You needn't distress yourself. I haven't changed my opinion about marriage in the least."

She might not be able to resist Marcus's devastating kisses but she had no intention of wedding him. She certainly wouldn't be so gullible as to let herself fall in love again, and true love was the only thing that could possibly induce her to brave the perils of betrothal and marriage a second time. She was much wiser now, more careful with her heart.

"Do you want us to come home and help you deal with the earl?" Roslyn asked. "We promised Tess we would finish her charity baskets by next week, but your welfare is more important just now."

"Yes," Lily seconded. "Perhaps we should come home to support you against the earl."

"Thank you, but no," Arabella replied. "I am dealing with him well enough, truly. And contributing those baskets to the war families means so much to Tess."

She was about to inquire how her sisters were faring when she heard footsteps out in the corridor, then a *

soft rap on the door. When she bid entrance, the headmistress, Miss Jane Caruthers, entered, followed by a tall, athletic, raven-haired gentleman who was instantly recognizable, even before Jane announced their visitor. "Lord Danvers to see you, Arabella."

Arabella froze as her gaze connected with a pair of keen blue eyes. It unsettled her that Marcus had shown up uninvited at her school, not merely because she had hoped to keep her sisters safely concealed from him for a while longer until she could be certain of his intentions, but because his presence here now badly fl.u.s.tered her.

She couldn't help recalling that two hours ago she was lying in his arms, hot and damp and clinging, while he roused cries of pleasure from her. Arabella flushed at the memory, still feeling the warmth and strength of his hands on her skin, the eroticism of his kisses.

And Marcus, blast him, was clearly remembering too, she realized as their gazes locked for an instant.

The heat in his eyes raised her temperature; the intensity of his look made her feel as if he'd put his wonderful hands on her, his sensual, sinful mouth....

Chiding herself, Arabella rose to her feet, while Lily murmured, "Speak of the devil."

"Oh, were you discussing me?" Marcus said blandly, turning his attention to the younger sisters. "You must be my lovely missing wards."

As Jane bowed herself out and shut the door behind her, Arabella stepped forward protectively.

Knowing there was no choice, however, she made the introductions.

When she was done, Marcus bowed and treated her sisters to the full force of his devastating smile. "It is a pleasure to meet you at last, ladies."

Roslyn blinked at the sight, while Lily narrowed her eyes. "We cannot say the same, my lord. We would much prefer that you return to London and leave us alone."

"What my sister means, my lord," Roslyn said more politely, "is that we believe your guardians.h.i.+p to be unnecessary."

"I know you do. But surely you will allow me the chance to prove I'm not the villain you think me."

Rather than succ.u.mb to his blatant male appeal, however, Lily determinedly returned his gaze. "You must admit that your actions have been rather villainous thus far. Your solicitors said you intend to find proper husbands for us."

"That was before I came to understand your particular circ.u.mstances," he replied mildly.

"It would be extremely unfair to make us give up teaching at the academy, my lord. We have striven for years to make it a success, especially Arabella. And now you are trying to make her wed you."

Marcus's half smile was meant to disarm. "I doubt I can 'make' your sister do anything she doesn't wish to do."

But obviously Lily still saw him as a threat. "Arabella won't be taken in by a handsome face or suave charm, you know."

Marcus shot her one of his roguish half grins. "Of course she won't. She is far too astute for that. Which is why I have endeavored to show her that I have more substance than the typical wealthy n.o.bleman."

When Roslyn eyed him thoughtfully, Marcus continued in the same amiable tone. "I presume you are taking refuge with Miss Blanchard while I am residing at the Hall? Never fear, I have no intention of dragging you both home by your hair. In fact, I am pleased for the opportunity to court your sister in relative privacy-"

Arabella decided it was time to intervene before Marcus could expound on his wicked notions of privacy. "Why have you come here, my lord?"

"Why, to offer my services."

"Services?"

"As a dance partner during your lesson this afternoon. I understand you mean for your pupils to practice ballroom etiquette in preparation for the ball the local magistrate is holding on Monday. When I visited here yesterday, Miss Caruthers was lamenting that young ladies can only learn so much from a hired dancing master. So I thought to a.s.sist."

Arabella regarded him in surprise. His offer of a.s.sistance was beyond generous, considering how torturous it would be for Marcus to suffer another afternoon with a gaggle of schoolgirls.

Of course, he was still attempting to win her favor. Yet she could think of no good reason to decline.

Her pupils would indeed benefit from having a real gentleman as a partner. Her sisters usually helped with the ballroom instruction, playing the male roles, but Marcus would be a significant improvement.

"Very well," Arabella said slowly, "if you are certain you don't mind?"

"I don't mind in the least," he a.s.sured her. "Your cla.s.s starts shortly, doesn't it?"

"Yes, in a few moments." Arabella glanced at Roslyn, intent on offering her sisters a chance to escape the earl's focus. "I think we can manage without you this afternoon."

To her surprise, Roslyn shook her head. "I believe I will stay."

"So will I," Lily seconded with a penetrating look at Marcus. "I wouldn't dream of missing it."

Arabella suspected her sisters wanted the chance to observe their new guardian, and to provide her moral support as well. Touched by their concern, she preceded them to the ballroom, where their two dozen pupils were already a.s.sembled under the supervision of Miss Blanchard and Miss Caruthers.

Lord Danvers's arrival caused quite a stir. Two dozen pairs of female eyes lit up, not merely at the prospect of dancing with a real earl, Arabella suspected, but of dancing with such a handsome, charming one.

The girls first rehea.r.s.ed entering the ballroom gracefully, pausing to be announced by the butler, being welcomed by the hosts' receiving line, then how to respond to requests to dance by various supplicants, including how to turn down undesirable partners. When finally they came to the actual dancing, Miss Caruthers moved to sit at the pianoforte to play.