Taming a Rake into a Lord: Taming the Heart Series Read online

  Chris clapped his friend on the back, thankful for the help. “Once the tree is cut, I’ll make a kissing bough.”

  Barrett nodded in agreement. “Tis as good a plan as any. You know I never asked. I know why you would want Liz to marry. It would keep you in the Earl’s seat. But why would Liz agree to a rushed marriage?”

  “For May’s sake. I agreed to provide for May. If a new earl takes my place who knows what he might do with the girl―“

  A small cry emitted from the other side of the breakfast room door. Neither Alex nor Barrett looked up, but Chris, who was closest to the entrance, could have sworn he heard it. “Did you hear that?”

  “What?” Barrett asked.

  Walking to the door, Chris peeked around the frame.

  “Anything there?” Alex asked.

  Frowning, Chris looked again. Perhaps one of the maids dropped something and didn’t want to be discovered? “Nothing that I can see.”

  “You’re probably hearing things.” Barrett shrugged. “Nerves.”

  “I am not suffering from nerves.” At least he didn’t think so. Returning to the table, his thoughts shifted back to his plan. “Let’s make a party this morning to find a tree. The day is overcast and any outdoor plans would be best done earlier.”

  With a nod of agreement, the gentlemen sat down to breakfast.

  An hour later, everyone assembled in the main hall, getting ready to search for a tree for Christmastide. A light snow had begun to fall, dusting the ground in a blanket of white.

  Liz was pointedly ignoring Chris, but he had expected as much. He’d been mucking up his chances with her but with a little time, he was sure he could make it right.

  “Where is May?” Liz asked, scanning the group.

  Chris could see concern on Lizzie’s face. “I can’t believe she would miss this.”

  “She did hear about it at breakfast, correct?” Lizzie, for the first time that day, addressed him directly.

  His brow furrowed, had he seen May this morning? “I don’t recall seeing her at all. Does anyone else?”

  With a frown, Liz turned up the stairs. “Please start without me. I’ll just find May and then we’ll join you.”

  “If it’s all right with you, I would rather search for May.” Chris placed his hand at her back as she gave him a look of gratitude. It softened her features in the loveliest way.

  “I’ll check the kitchen, you search her room.” Lizzie made a dash for the stairs down to the kitchen.

  “We’ll start on the tree,” Alex called to her back. “If we don’t do it now, we may be snowed in.”

  With a nod, he ran up to her room but Chris could easily see the girl wasn’t there. Everything was in its place. Moving faster, he searched the library, the study, her favorite parlor, no luck. Where could May be?

  He met Lizzie back in the main hall, her face pale. “Cook says that she departed the house twenty minutes ago with a bag full of food. Said she needed it for a trip. Cook just assumed she meant tree hunting with us but she thought it strange when May exited out the servants’ door in the back.”

  “Let’s go look,” he said grabbing her hand. Fear was knotting in his chest.

  A set of small tracks could clearly be seen in the fresh snow across the back lawn and into the woods. Chris tugged Liz along, his mind working circles as to why the girl had left. Suddenly, he understood.

  “This morning, Barrett asked me why you had agreed to find a husband. I told him the truth.”

  “What does that have to with anything?” Lizzie asked, confusion knitting her brow.

  “I heard a cry just outside the room but when I went to look, no one was there.” He pulled faster, the tracks were still visible but the new snow falling was quickly covering them up.

  Liz gasped. “She ran away. She thinks she is a burden!”

  Pulling her along faster, they continued through the snowy woods. As the snowflakes grew fatter and heavier, they filled in May’s prints. More than an hour had passed and they hadn’t caught her. If they didn’t find her soon. They would lose her trail.

  After another fifteen minutes, Chris grabbed Lizzie up in his arms and all but sprinted through the snow. Fear was building deep inside of him. It was cold and getting worse. He wasn’t sure how much longer they could be out here before he and Lizzie would have to turn back. Not only would her trail disappear but he was worried Lizzie might begin to suffer from the elements.

  The tracks had all but disappeared but he kept pushing faster. When he had nearly lost all hope, a small figure came into view up ahead. Relief washed through him and he pushed even faster.

  At the sound of his steps, May turned to see them coming towards her. She gave a small cry and Chris set Lizzie down so they could reach her together. “May, what are you doing out here?” Liz cried.

  “I-I_I’m so so c-c-cold, Li-Lizzzzie.” The child chattered. Liz gathered the girl against her. Her lips were blue and her skin deathly pale. She shook from the cold.

  “What do you we do?” Lizzie’s worried eyes met his and his heart contracted. It was his duty to keep them both safe.

  “She’s too cold, I don’t know if we have time to return and the temperature is dropping.” His breath hissed out in clouds of white steam.

  “There’s a cabin just up ahead the gamekeeper uses. It should be stocked with supplies.”

  Chris ripped off his coat, and draped it around the girl’s shoulders. Pulling it tight around her, he swept May up in his arms. “Which way?”

  Liz pointed to the east and then both began running. Within five minutes the outline of a cute little cottage could be seen. Chris pressed ahead with May in his arms, sure Lizzie could find her way. Banging open the door, he set the child in a chair and then collected all the blankets he could find, piling them on top of her. Wood was prepped in the fireplace and he lit a match to it just as Lizzie came through the door.

  Within minutes the room began to warm and May’s teeth stopped chattering. But the snow was falling at an alarming rate and Chris didn’t think they would be able to withstand the weather for the time it would take them to return to the main house. “If the storm worsens, we may have to stay here.”

  “There is f-f food in my bag,” May called helpfully.

  “I’m sure the cottage has some provisions as well. After we’ve eaten, there are some things we need to discuss, May.” Liz looked at the girl who was looking down at the blankets that covered her. Chris’ heart swelled with emotion for both of them…. He loved them. All at once, he knew. If he hadn’t been sure before, he was sure now.

  Chris reached for Liz’s hand. “We are all safe and we are together. May, I think I know why you left but Lizzie loves you more than anything in the world. Never doubt that.”

  “I didn’t mean to make you worry. I don’t want Lizzie to marry a beast just to keep me safe.” The girl’s voice trembled with tears.

  “That isn’t going to happen either. You and Lizzie are all the family I have in this world. Even if I were no longer lord here, I would still care for you both. It would be a much simpler life, but if we have each other that is what matters.”

  Lizzie’s eyes shined as she looked at him. Her hand squeezing his. “Do you really mean that? You would take us with you?”

  “Of course I do.” He looked in her eyes trying to make her see the truth there. “There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you.” Did this count as his daily groveling? He hoped so.

  In response, she threw her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his. Then she reached over and extended an arm to May who joined them in a hug.

  “You two should get married,” May nodded. “It would solve all of our problems.”

  “Yes, it would,” Chris agreed, chuckling.

  “Indeed,” Lizzie gave him a shy smile.

  * * *

  THE TRIO ATE a simple meal and then Lizzie tucked May into the small bedroom at the back of the cottage. Chris stacked pillows and blankets on the floo
r for himself to use for the night. Adding more wood to the fire, he looked up when Lizzie exited the room.

  “I thought you might go to bed too.” He was lounging against some of the pillows, his feet stretched out by the fire.

  “I can’t sleep. Do you think the others are terribly worried?” She bit her lip and sat next to him.

  His answer was to pull her into his arms. “I hope not. There’s nothing to do now. The storm is letting up some. We should be able to return in the morning.”

  She snuggled into him, her soft curves settling perfectly against his body. Gritting his teeth, he tried not to think about how close she was, or how much he wanted her.

  “You chose us today,” she whispered softly. “You said we were a family and you would keep us safe.” Her hand drifted up, caressing the stubble on his cheek.

  For a moment he was surprised. Then he realized she was right. “After last night, I had an elaborate plan to prove my affection. It involved a Christmas tree, kissing boughs, and large presents if it came to that.”

  “This was so much better,” she breathed and her lips came up to meet his again. The embers within that he had been trying to keep at bay roared to life at the contact of her lips.

  “I meant it. I don’t know when it happened, but we are a family now.” His lips dipped to take hers again.

  “If you ruin me, do you promise to make an honest woman of me?” she asked her lips curving into a seductive grin.

  “Ruin you?” He couldn’t help it. He wasn’t going to but his hand dipped lower, down her cheek, following the neckline of her gown. When it reached the swell of her breasts, he swelled too. “Only if you promise to make a real lord out of me. By some odd stipulation, I must have my ward married in order to become the permanent lord.”

  “Oh dear. Well then, if I must. But I’m fairly certain you must ruin me first.” She opened her mouth under his and a delicious tightening spread through him as their tongues touched. Never had a kiss spread such lust. A sure sign he was making the right decision.

  His hands reached for the buttons of her dress, quickly undoing them so that her gown gaped open. “I would think you might be ruined enough, just staying here with me.”

  “My but you’re good at that,” she murmured as he pulled down the front of her gown, revealing her corset and chemise. “As you’re my guardian, I believe I am allowed to be alone with you. You may have to be more thorough than that.” She gasped as his hand slid over the mound of her breast.

  Chris couldn’t help but notice that they were the most perfect breasts he had ever held. Round and full, filling his palm without being overlarge. He slipped her chemise down her arms to see their glory and then dipped his lips to take one of the rosy peaks into his mouth. She gasped, clutching his head. Winding her fingers into his hair. “Perhaps I should kiss the other one to make sure you are, in fact, thoroughly ruined.”

  A moan slipped out of her mouth. “I didn’t realize being ruined would be so… delightful.”

  He chuckled. “I can’t wait to make it even better.” His hands slid to her breasts, softly pinching her nipples and she gasped her pleasure. Then he untied her corset and slid it over her hips, pulling the chemise down too. “So beautiful,” he murmured as he quickly shed the rest of her clothing.

  Lizzie grabbed a blanket then and began pulling it up her body. “I know you’ve seen other women… I’m so plain―“

  “Don’t let anyone tell you that ever. I’ve never met someone so stunning, inside and out.” He took off his shirt, and moving the blanket back down her body, he pressed his bare chest to hers. She shivered underneath him at the contact and his heating blood threatened to boil over but he took a ragged breath. He needed to go slow and make her understand. “This entire time, I’ve not asked you to marry me because I thought I didn’t deserve you.”

  She gasped and he slid his hand over her belly, feeling the tiny waist and lush hips and then further, through her soft curls, and into the soft warm flesh of her womanhood. “Don’t deserve me? I am less than a wallflower. Even a girl such as that has attended the ball. I’ve just been at home. I….ooohhhh…” She stopped as he slipped his finger deep inside of her.

  “Please tell me you will be satisfied to continue to be less than a wallflower. Because I will take you to every London party that you wish but I would much rather stay here exploring other delights.” Her legs began to quiver as he gently stroked her. Her breathing was rapid as her body strained under his. His own lust made his breath harsh but he kept calm. As she approached the edge, he pulled out and untied his pants, moving between her thighs.

  “I believe I do enjoy my status as it is.” Her arms snaked around his neck, exploring his back and shoulders, winding in his hair.

  He kissed her over and over as he slowly pushed past her barrier. She gave a tiny intake of breath but then a smile pressed against his lips. “Am I ruined?”

  “I am afraid so.” He gritted his teeth around the words. He had been attempting to go slowly and carefully, to show her how precious she was. But his will was close to breaking. Soft and divine, he wanted to lose himself in her body. This was what he had to fight, though. He had to be a better man for her sake. And so he held still.

  As her hands slid lower on his back her body wiggled under his causing the smallest bit of friction. A moan of pleasure rasped in his ear as she moved again. He slid out and then back in and her hips met his, her body arching towards him.

  At her acceptance, he repeated the movement, faster and faster they moved. What had begun slowly was spiraling to dizzying heights as they moved together, breath mingling. His lips found hers and he captured a moan as her body tightened around his.

  Gathering her close, they came together in one last heaving moment. He knew it was the first time for her but it seemed like something entirely new for him too. Never in his life had he been so connected to another person.

  “Lizzie,” he breathed.

  Her own breath was still coming in short gasps and she moaned her reply. “Yes, oh, yes.”

  They climaxed together, their bodies shuddering as they moved in unison. Slowly, they drifted back down, holding and caressing one another.

  “I love you.” He gazed deep into her eyes.

  “I love you, too.” She snuggled her body into his and he held her tight as she fell asleep.

  10

  Lizzie woke to the strangest sound… jingle bells. Why would she be hearing jingle bells in her room?

  She stretched her arms and realized she was in her chemise rather than a night rail and, as her eyes peeked open, the cabin’s interior came into focus. “Oh!” she cried.

  May popped out of her room. “Do you think it’s Saint Nick?”

  “I doubt it,” Lizzie responded, grabbing her clothing and pulling it on. “Christmastide isn’t until tomorrow.”

  Chris strode through the door looking more handsome than ever, with his broad shoulders filling the entire frame. A little flutter of nerves filled her stomach. Would he feel the same today as he had last night?

  He gave her a grin as he strode over and without a word began doing up the buttons of her gown.

  “What was that noise?” She tried to turn and look at him but he held her straight as he worked.

  “We’ve been rescued,” he said and then lightly kissed her neck before doing the last of the buttons.

  “May thinks it’s Saint Nick.” She did turn then and he winked.

  “Unfortunately, it’s someone much grumpier. His Grace, the Duke of Manchester.”

  “He isn’t grumpy,” May called. “He’s handsome.”

  Chris rolled his eyes then. “Don’t even think it, May.” Looking at her, he clucked his tongue. “If Barrett Maddox is the type of man she likes then we are in real trouble.”

  A giggled bubbled out of her then. It was the joy that came from a future bright and cheerful. She was going to stay in her home, with a man that loved her and she loved in return. “It will be much
easier with you by my side.”

  His hand came to her cheek, brushing it softly. “I will have the banns posted today. We’ll be married in two weeks and then we will be a family for real.”

  She nodded. It didn’t need to be said but in her eyes, they already were a family.

  Striding through the door, Barrett filled the entrance. “Happy Christmas.”

  “Happy Christmas,” May chirped back.

  “You gave us a scare, but I’m glad to see you are safe.” Barrett opened his arms and May ran towards him. He gave the girl a hug.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. I thought that I was a burden. I thought…”

  “Never think that.” Barrett squeezed her again. “If Lizzie or Chris couldn’t take care of you then Piper and I would.”

  Tears stung at her eyes. Her family was bigger than just Chris and May.

  Barrett and Chris set the cabin up as they had found it so it would be ready the next time it was needed and then they bundled up for the sleigh ride home.

  “Wait till you see the tree we’ve picked.” Barrett gave May a grin and she giggled in response. “We’ve even cut some boughs for kissing balls.”

  “Oh this is such fun,” May bounced as she spoke. “Can you believe it, Lizzie? It’s been so long since we had a Christmastide such as this.”

  “Perhaps we will make it a tradition to all spend it together,” Chris said as he settled his arm around her, pulling her close.

  Barrett quirked a brow and Lizzie smiled softly.

  “Our friend, Bernard, has left, but a new guest has arrived in your absence. Barely beat the storm.” Barrett pointed towards the house.

  “Who?” Chris asked.

  “Mr. Manly.” Barrett gave them both a long look.

  “What is he doing here?” Liz asked becoming a flutter with nerves. Their solicitor had never once made the trip. It seemed odd he do so know, a few days before the holiday.

  “Checking on our progress, most likely.” Chris gave her a wink, looking unconcerned. She relaxed at his ease.