Desire In His Eyes (20 page)

Harrison gently smoothed Juliette’s gown back into place. He pressed a gentle kiss to her warm cheek and eased her from his lap. He stood up, his legs shakier than he thought. She glanced up at him awkwardly, and he sensed her embarrassment. With his eyes fixed on hers, he held out his hand to her.

“Oh, we’re not done yet, my beauty.”

Her eyes widened as she stared at him, silent.

“We’re going home right now.”

She nodded and took his hand. He pulled her to her feet and into his arms once again.

“And into my bed,” he whispered in her ear before he released her. He was finished playing games.

They walked back to the Howards’ house without speaking, for there was no need for words between them. They gave their regards to Mr. and Mrs. Howard, while searching for Jeffrey to tell him that they were leaving, but could not find him. Eager to be on their way, they waited on the front porch for Harrison’s carriage to be brought around. They gazed at each other, the tension between them palpable. Harrison fought the desire to touch her, to kiss her, to pull her into his arms. Their little rendezvous on the river had left him aching for her.

Finally Jeffrey strolled out on the porch, a drink in one hand and a wicked smile on his face. “If you don’t mind, I’m going to stay here a little longer and enjoy the festivities.” He tilted his head and gave them an assessing glance. “You two go on ahead without me.”

Harrison grinned knowingly at him. “I’ll send my driver back with the carriage to wait for you.”

“Much appreciated.” As Harrison helped Juliette into the carriage, Jeffrey asked, “Did you enjoy the fireworks, Juliette?”

Juliette, completely flustered and her face suffused with color, did not reply.

“Yes, she enjoyed the display immensely. She said they were the best she has ever seen,” Harrison answered for her. “Didn’t you, Juliette?”

Her eyes widened at his reference and she quickly averted her eyes. Loving the fact that he had set her off balance, he winked at her.

Harrison turned back to Jeffrey. “Have a good time.”

“Oh, I will!” Jeffrey held up his glass in a silent toast to them and returned to the party.

Harrison settled himself on the seat beside her as the landau carriage lurched forward and the horses headed down the circular drive. Juliette placed her hand in his, giving him a shy smile. Not caring what his driver thought, Harrison placed his arm around Juliette. She rested her head on his shoulder and he stroked her wrist with his fingers.

After the short ride back to Fleming Farm, Harrison took Juliette’s arm and hurried her up the front steps and into the house. He sent her upstairs first, the young maid Lucy following her to her room to help her change for the night. Harrison waited in the parlor a few minutes before retiring to his bedroom. There he removed his jacket, cravat, and braces and splashed cool water on his face. He paced the length of the room, ticking off the minutes until a decent interval had passed. With his ear at the door, he listened for the sound of Lucy leaving Juliette’s room. As soon as he heard her footsteps, he would head down the hallway and finally make love to Juliette without any regrets, for he knew he would marry her. He had had enough of their little games and he intended to let her know it.

A soft rapping on his door startled him. Carefully he opened the door.

Juliette stood before him in nothing but a white, lawn nightgown, her long dark hair hanging loosely around her. The thin material of her nightgown hugged her curves in a most provocative manner, but it was her eyes that undid him. Her blue eyes, dark and heavy with desire, looked up at him with such longing and passion, he sucked in his breath. Fearing that someone would see her, he reached out his arm and quickly pulled her in his room, closing the door behind her.

“You took too long,” she said in a throaty whisper, before he could find his own voice to utter a word in response. She stepped on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around him.

He intended to go to her bedroom, but she had come to him instead.
She
had come to
him
. Juliette wanted him. His heart flipped over in his chest.

“Good God, Juliette,” he groaned before he crushed his mouth over hers in a searing, possessive kiss and backed her up against the door.

She kissed him back fervently, her warm tongue slipping into his mouth. His hands ran the length of her, reveling in the feel of her naked body beneath the soft cotton. Her body was not bound in a corset, layers of undergarments and a gown any longer but free for him to touch. And touch her he did. He slid his hand beneath the nightgown and up one silky thigh. To his surprise and utter delight, Juliette raised her leg and wrapped it around his waist. He then lifted her off the floor and she flung her other leg around him, her nightgown hitching up along her thighs.

He broke off from kissing her to look at her face. She gave him a look full of yearning before she slid her hands down to the front of his shirt. One by one she began to undo the buttons. When the last one was unfastened, she pushed the fabric aside and ran her hands across his upper chest. As he held her, she lowered her head and kissed his chest, her lips hot on his skin.

Unable to bear her assault on his senses while standing, just as he had done aboard the
Sea Minx
, Harrison carried her to his bed. Slowly he allowed her to slide from her perch around his waist until she was on the bed. Keeling on the mattress before him as he stood on the floor, Juliette tugged the hem of his shirt. He raised his arms as she lifted the shirt over his head and tossed it to the floor. Now that he was bare-chested, Juliette focused her attention on the buttons of his pin-stripped trousers. Impressed with her determination to divest him of his clothing, he allowed her the freedom to undress him while he watched in fascination.

When her skilled fingers made short work of the buttons, with one swift movement she pushed down his pants. He gamely assisted her by stepping out of his trousers. Once again he stood before her as her nimble fingers caressed the taut planes of his abdomen to the waistband of his underclothes. With deliberate slowness she untied the strings and little by little slid the garment down his legs, revealing the rock-hard state of his arousal.

With her black hair spilling around her, she lowered her head to him. Glancing up at him through her eyelashes, she smiled before brushing the length of him with her soft lips, her heated breath sending shivers of bliss throughout his body. Harrison groaned with pleasure when her warm tongue flicked across the tip of his shaft, and he nearly exploded when she took him in her mouth. He brought his hands to her hair while she caressed him with her mouth. He let her have her way with him for sometime, before he had to stop her.

Pulling her up toward him, he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her with an unfulfilled hunger. In one smooth and swift movement he lifted her cotton nightgown up and over her head and sent it flying to join his clothes on the floor. She knelt on the bed, naked before him, her supple body begging to be touched. He eased them both down onto the bed and covered her naked body with his. He kissed her face, her throat, her neck, her chest, her breasts. His tongue burned a path down her satiny skin until he took her nipples in his mouth, making her gasp. He kissed his way back up to her mouth.

Their kisses became more intense, more heated, until Juliette broke free. She wriggled from beneath him and rolled over, straddling him. With her intense eyes set on his, she slowly lowered herself over him. He held his breath, watching as she took him inside of her. She looked so erotic, so beautiful, and so confident; he could not take his eyes off her. No longer the shy virgin she had been on the
Sea Minx
, Juliette had become more certain of what would please him and, more importantly, what would please her in bed. The sight of Juliette, uninhibited, with her silky, dark hair, her creamy white skin, and her full, round breasts, on top of him aroused him beyond belief. He reached out and placed his hands around her slender waist, guiding her as she began to move her hips, raising and lowering herself on him. Closing her eyes, she arched her back and shifted herself to seek her own pleasure and her movements became more rhythmic, more forceful.

God, but she was beautiful.

The intense sensations she caused within not just his body but also his heart, stunned him. Never before had he felt such a strong desire for one woman. It was more powerful than desire though, but he couldn’t describe it.

As Juliette continued to seductively shift her hips, her movements caused untold waves of ecstasy within him. She moved faster, her eyes closed in concentration, a half-smile on her face, losing herself in feelings. He held her. Moved with her. Wanting to give her everything she needed, everything she wished for. Then her whole body tensed and he felt her climax around him even before she let out a long, rapturous cry.

When he could bear no more of this exquisite torture, he rolled her onto her back and thrust deep within her. His need to possess her fully drove him wild. Juliette cried out again and wrapped her legs around his waist. Her fingers pressed into his back and she clung to him, as he moved within her. She lifted her hips to meet his thrusts as he drove into her over and over, deeper and deeper, until he was sweaty and out of breath with exertion. Finally he called out her name and collapsed beside her, panting and too replete to move.

They lay there together for some time. Juliette snuggled next to him and Harrison wrapped his arms around her, his heart beat gradually calming to a slower pace. With Juliette in his arms, he felt a peace and contentment he had never known and it occurred to him that he wanted her with him this way always. He closed his eyes and thought,
I love her.

While blissfully wrapped around each other, sleep overtook them both.

Juliette awoke to find Harrison’s arm around her waist and for a moment she thought she was back on the
Sea Minx
. The dim, predawn light filtered in through the long windows, confusing her as to her surroundings. It took her a moment before all of the events of the night before came rushing back to her memory. And that memory almost made her blush.
Good heavens!
Last night had been blissful, from the magical interlude during the fireworks display to their passionate lovemaking in his bed.

Her behavior last night had shocked even herself.

She had acted as a wanton or a strumpet would have done with him. Not that she hadn’t enjoyed every second of it, but still it was certainly not the way she would be expected to behave. It was as if Harrison had cast some sort of spell over her. With just a smoldering look or a sensuous touch, he could extinguish all reason from her mind, and she would do anything he asked of her. What Juliette allowed him to do to her on the bank of the river was outright disgraceful. Even for her. Yet she could no more have fought against him than she could stop the rain from falling. She felt her face grow warm at the memory of sitting on his lap, yet part of her loved that he could make her feel that way.

And how very exciting it had been!

It surprised her that she had missed him so much. Missed sleeping in his arms at night. Missed kissing him. Missed spending the day with him. She had not realized how much the time they spent together on the
Sea Minx
had meant to her.

She stared at the man who lay naked next to her. This man who had this extraordinary effect upon her. She admired the masculine lines of his face. A strong chin, a straight nose, a full mouth. The features in and of themselves were unremarkable, but somehow when put together they created a classic handsomeness. Harrison was a handsome man.

With his eyes closed and deep in sleep, his face was relaxed, almost innocent looking. She could see the image of him as the little blond boy he had once been, trying so hard to take care of his family. She gently reached out her hand and smoothed down some wayward strands of his golden hair, her fingers hesitantly brushing his stubble-lined cheek. He pulled at her heart in a way that no one ever had and it confounded her.

Did she love him?
She was afraid that she just might.

Harrison had accomplished so much in his life and everything he did amazed her. Especially how he treated Melissa. If it were not for him, Melissa would have been placed in one of those wretched asylums by now. His devotion and dedication to his sister touched her. She wondered what she would do if one of her sisters had the same type of ailment that afflicted Melissa. Would she care for Yvette, Paulette, Lisette, or Colette in the same manner? Of course she would, for she could not bear to think of any of them in an asylum. She loved the fact that Harrison loved his sister and refused to send her from her home.

Suddenly his eyes opened and Juliette found herself staring into Harrison’s sleepy gray eyes and her heart skipped a beat.

“Good morning, beautiful.” He beamed at her. “What are you doing awake so early?”

“I think I am too excited to sleep.”

He held her tighter. “That is excellent news.”

She smiled and placed a sweet kiss on his cheek. “Happy birthday, Harrison.”

“You remembered.”

“Of course I did.” She explained, “Obviously I don’t have it with me at the moment, but I do have a present for you.”

“I think you already gave me a present.” An unabashed grin lit his face, making him seem even more boyish.

“Yes.” She smiled in agreement, thinking of last night. “Perhaps I did, at that.”

He rolled on top of her and kissed her deeply, causing a thrill to race through her. Surrendering to his muscled arms and endless kisses, she reached her hands around his neck, her fingers splaying into his blond hair.
Good heavens, it was going to happen again!
She drew him closer to her and kissed him back. Giving in to the desires that flooded her, she let Harrison make love to her once more.

Afterward he gathered her close, as thunder rumbled in the distance. The cloudy morning cast the room in its gray dimness, but Juliette rested safely in Harrison’s strong arms. She breathed deeply beside him, her legs still intertwined intimately with his. She could stay this way all day, but knew she must go soon.

She kissed his chest and whispered, “I think the rain might ruin our picnic plans today.”

“We can picnic in my bed.” He gazed at her suggestively.

Shaking her head with a laugh, she made a move to get up. “I should get back to my room before someone finds me here.”

He drew her back into the pillows. “Stay one more minute.”

“All right,” she acquiesced readily. “But only because it’s your birthday.”

Harrison kissed her for that entire minute.

“Stay with me,” he murmured seductively in her ear.

“No,” she whispered with a slight shake of her head. “It would be terribly scandalous if I were caught here.”

He gave her a thoughtful glance, but released her.

Feeling dreamy and satiated, Juliette left his bed with great reluctance and found her nightgown amidst his discarded clothing on the floor. She slipped the garment over her head, knowing that Harrison was watching her every move. Once she was covered, she turned to face him. He lay on the pillows with his hands behind his head, grinning at her.

“I shall see you later,” she said.

“You certainly will,” he promised.

Unable to resist, she ran back and surprised him with another kiss, before hurrying to the door.

Her heart pounding, she glanced down the hallway, and seeing that it was clear, she carefully made her way back to her room. Her bare feet padded quietly along the carpeted corridor. The house was beginning to come awake as sounds of morning activity downstairs could be heard. She offered a silent prayer that she would not run into Jeffrey. Idly wondering who had diverted him at the party and what time
he
finally came home if he came home at all, she opened the door to her bedroom with great care.

Slipping inside, she softly closed the door behind her. She would crawl back into bed and sleep for a little longer. Then she would bathe and dress for the picnic she had planned for Harrison’s birthday. If it didn’t rain that was.

“Good morning, Juliette.”

Almost jumping out of her skin at the sound of a feminine voice, Juliette gave a little shriek. Then she noticed Melissa sitting cross-legged in a pink silk robe on the middle of her neatly made bed, yet again.

“Oh, Melissa, you frightened me!” Juliette exclaimed when she could find her voice. With her hand over her heart, she stared at the woman who once again had entered her bedchamber uninvited and most unexpectedly. “What are you doing in here?” she demanded rather crossly.

Melissa answered with a decided calmness. “I wished to talk to you.”

Annoyed and embarrassed to be caught sneaking back into her own bedroom, Juliette snapped at Melissa. “It is rather early in the morning for a visit, don’t you agree?”

Melissa eyed her nightgown suspiciously and Juliette felt her cheeks redden. “You are up and about already, so I do not think it is too early.”

“Well, I consider this time of the morning entirely too early for a visit. Why don’t we do something together later this afternoon?” Juliette suggested nervously.

“Where have you been all night?” Melissa asked, twisting a long strand of her blond hair around her forefinger. “You haven’t slept in your bed.”

Oh good heavens!
Juliette frantically searched her mind for an excuse to explain her whereabouts and her current state of undress. “I—I couldn’t sleep last night. So I…I went downstairs to the library to get a book to read, and I fell asleep on the sofa there.” That actually sounded almost plausible.

“No, you didn’t.” Melissa shook her head slowly and gave her a sly smile. “You are lying to me.”

Juliette felt her stomach tighten and her mouth went dry. She had no words.

Then it seemed as if the very heavens themselves opened. Driving torrents of rain fell to the ground. The intense pounding noise of the violent deluge upon the house and the trees outside echoed in the strained silence between the two women.

Melissa said clearly, “You spent the night in my brother’s room, didn’t you?”

She knew, she knew, she knew. Somehow Melissa knew.
Shame and mortification ripped through Juliette’s entire body. Not once had she been ashamed while she was with Harrison on the
Sea Minx,
nor did she regret for one instance doing anything she had done with him, including last night. But somehow standing in nothing but a thin, rumpled nightgown in front of his sister, Juliette suddenly felt like a common strumpet. What on earth could she say in her own defense? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Harrison had just made love to her again that morning. She was guilty of…of…adultery? No. Fornication? Those words did not seem to fit her situation, but surely she was guilty of something quite wicked.

In any case, she wished to God that the floor would suddenly open and swallow her up. Facing Harrison’s sister this way was utterly humiliating. Her cheeks burned and her hands shook. “Melissa, I can explain—” she began softly and then stopped. She had no defense, no excuse. She could not justify her behavior at all.

Still twirling her hair, Melissa said, “You don’t have to explain anything to me. I know you spent the night in Harrison’s bed.”

Her humiliation and degradation now complete, Juliette stared in mute horror at Harrison’s sister.
Why was she in her room?
How did she know exactly where Juliette had been? It was a big enough house and Juliette could have been practically anywhere. She could have been with Jeffrey for all Melissa knew.
So how did she know?
Melissa’s eerie manner unnerved her.

Melissa knew that she spent the night with Harrison.
How?
Had she spied on them?
Heaven forbid!
Just what did Melissa intend to do with this information? What was Melissa doing in her room so early in the morning in the first place? And again, where was Annie Morgan, who was supposed to be keeping an eye on her charge?

“Don’t worry, Juliette.” Melissa gave her a sympathetic look. “I won’t tell anyone what you did.”

Juliette remained motionless. An intense wave of nausea swept over her as Melissa came toward her. She could think of nothing to say that would alleviate the situation. Juliette had been caught doing exactly what Melissa suspected her of doing. She could not deny or refute the truth.

Somehow when she had been on the
Sea Minx
sleeping in Harrison’s bed had not seemed wrong. It had seemed completely natural and right. But now, hearing the words from his sister’s mouth…Juliette wanted to crawl into a hole and never come out again. She wondered if she should go back to Harrison and let him know what happened.

A flicker of lightning lit the room before a terrific clap of thunder rent the air. The rain continued to pour down in torrents.

“Did their plan work?” Melissa asked amid clamor of the ensuing downpour.

Confused, Juliette could not follow Melissa’s train of thought. She could not even catch her own breath. “What plan?”

“The plan that Harrison and his friend Jeffrey Eddington came up with to trick you.”

Stunned by this bit of news, Juliette could barely choke out the words to question her. “What are you talking about?”

“I heard them talking the other night, Harrison and his friend. They were out on the patio.”

A sickening feeling began to blossom in Juliette’s stomach. Almost afraid to know any more she felt compelled to ask anyway, “What did they say?”

“They said a lot of things.” Melissa thought for a moment. “But perhaps I shouldn’t tell you after all.”

Her legs shaking and unable to stand any longer, Juliette woodenly sat on a nearby blue, toile-covered chair. She took a deep breath to steady her trembling limbs. This was going to take a while. “I think it may be important for me to know what they said. Were they talking about me?”

“Yes.” Melissa nodded. “They think that you should marry Harrison.”

“Oh, do they now?” She just bet that Melissa heard an earful that night. Juliette would have loved to have listened in on that conversation between Harrison and Jeffrey. Imagine the pair of them deciding what was best for her!

“They don’t understand you.”

Juliette certainly believed that. Neither one of them understood her or her reasons for not wanting to get married. “What else did they say?”

Melissa tilted her head to the side. “That they should trick you into marrying Harrison before his friend Jeffrey leaves for London.”

As the rain continued to fall, lightning flashed and thunder rumbled noisily overhead.

Blinking in disbelief, Juliette was stunned by the complete and utter stupidity of the two men. Harrison and Jeffrey must have been drinking that night. Quite a lot. “How are they planning to trick me, Melissa? Did they say?”

“Yes…” she admitted reluctantly with a frown. “But you won’t like it.”

Juliette’s gut instinct was that Melissa was about to tell her was the truth and she definitely would not like it. “You’re more than likely right, but please tell me anyway.”

Melissa actually hesitated before revealing their plan. “Well, they thought if Harrison could get you in a compromising position and someone discovered the two of you together, then you would
have
to marry him.”

Dear God.

Harrison and Jeffrey had not been jesting but were serious.

Last night!

Juliette began to tremble, recalling the party on the river the night before during the fireworks. Harrison had most definitely had her in a compromising position. Any of the guests from the party could have happened upon them, and apparently that was what Harrison had counted on.
Anyone could walk by, Juliette, and see you like this. Someone could be strolling along the beach and see us…you…sitting on my lap, kissing me, with my hand up your dress.
Harrison had whispered those very words in her ear. At the time she had thought their encounter was highly erotic, now she felt sick to her stomach. She felt manipulated and used.