Engaging the Enemy (The Wild Randalls 1)

Leopold pressed his lips to her skin again and licked a path toward his fingers. Mercy shuddered when he reached her opening and he tasted her desire on his tongue. All his—just for this brief space of time allowed. Leopold lifted one of her legs over his shoulder as he kissed her. The soft moan above his head, the fingers tightening on his scalp made his cock swell for release from confinement.

He pushed into Mercy with one finger, feeling her depths grip him as he set his mouth to her tender skin. Mercy hissed and wriggled as he lapped at her nub. But she was open, pinned in place by his mouth and hands and didn’t fight him too hard for release. He curled his tongue over the hard bud and sucked gently while his finger moved in and out of her body. He loved her taste, loved the power of giving her pleasure, and the way she couldn’t hide how aroused she was.

All because of him.

He lifted his mouth when her moans grew too loud, startled that her release appeared imminent. He wouldn’t grant her mercy so soon. Not at least until he wished it. Leopold added another finger inside her as he looked up along her body. Her careless abandon, bedroom eyes, and parted lips inflamed him. He widened her legs further and carefully added another finger to her depths. The fit was tight, constricting. He loved that she would allow him this.

He dropped his head, painfully aroused by her responsiveness and lapped at her nub again. She breathed in rough pants as he moved his fingers, as he drew upon the tight nub to increase her pleasure. All of a sudden she stiffened, body clamping on his fingers, and sobbed. Leopold swiftly covered her mouth with his free hand, smiling that she’d made so much noise.

He stilled his fingers when she twitched away and slowly withdrew them from her body. He pressed a quick kiss to her folds and then sat up.

Mercy’s leg slid from his shoulder with an inelegant thump. Her breath churned in and out.

Leopold, despite having blue balls, was quite proud of himself.

He rolled to his feet, ignored his own unfulfilled desires, and left Mercy to check that their activities had not disturbed the boy. Edwin still slept, so he pushed the door closed again and returned to Mercy.

Mercy tossed her head from side to side. “You astound me, Leopold.”

He grinned and tugged her gown over her knees. “How so, sweetheart?”

Mercy’s face broke into a huge grin at his endearment. “I have been led to believe that most men would take what they want first. You prove them all wrong. Why have you stopped, Leopold? Do you not want to feel as good as you made me feel?”

“Of course, I do.” Most men would hardly find themselves in this situation. He had to take particular care not to leave Mercy with her belly full. He would have to abstain to save her future embarrassment. “It’s just too great a risk.”

“Do you mean the danger coming to Romsey or the danger of wanting to stay here with me?”

He smiled at her and slid a lock of dark hair behind her ear. “Both. I cannot protect you like this. I will be more vigilant after tonight, I promise.”

Mercy stood and Leopold backed up two paces. She was delightfully disheveled, with her flushed cheeks and rumpled skirts. “You will protect us. I am sure of it. But remember that I am here for you, too. I may be a duchess, but I am not so selfish as to deny you pleasure. If you think it too dangerous tonight to continue, so be it. But I warn you that I will find a way to repay for every pleasure you bestow on me.”

Leopold shook his head.

Mercy settled her finger over his lips. “Shh, Leopold. Not tonight. But later you and I will have a long and very necessary chat. Now, I think I should retire so that you may be easy again.” She lifted onto the balls of her feet and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Goodnight, my dear sir.”

Mercy stepped back, turned, and disappeared from the room. His cock ached again from that simple affectionate kiss and he wished he could call her back. But the night was passing and he had family to protect. He eased open the door to the hall and listened for any sound. When none greeted him, he closed the door and slipped into the other room. Mercy had already changed into her nightgown and was just settling in next to her son, so he pulled the blankets higher up her chest, and pressed a kiss to her hair.

She snuggled down for sleep without a word and Leopold was profoundly grateful. He didn’t want to preempt the discussion she felt they needed because he feared she would ask him to stay with her forever. To his vexation, he didn’t know how he might answer anymore. Always in the past, his answer was certain: he would leave Romsey behind like a bad memory. Unfortunately, the good was now outweighing the bad.

He crossed to the window, stood concealed behind the drapes and peeked outside. Romsey Abbey’s grounds were lit as bright as day by the moonlight and Leopold was pleased. He could see the north drive and eastern fields as if it were early morning. If he moved to the next chamber, he would have an even greater view. But he was hesitant to move so far away from Mercy and Edwin.

There was a chance they might call for him during the night. Another foolish thought. They hardly needed him as it was.

Leopold straightened as a shadow moved across the grounds. The figure was human, dressed in a flapping coat and trousers, but without a hat covering their longish hair. His heart raced as the person avoided the main door and approached the abbey’s lowe

r windows. The stranger tried window after window and Leopold strained to see them when they disappeared out of sight. Whoever it was seemed very determined to get inside the Abbey. It couldn’t be a servant; they’d have gone around to the servants’ entrance immediately and knocked. After a few tense moments, the shape came back into view, but this time the stranger scanned the upper floors where Leopold hid. Leopold ducked out of sight, fearing the moonlight might illuminate his location. He did not want the stranger to know they were observed.

But Leopold couldn’t hide forever, not when someone prowled the exterior of the building. He eased the drape back an inch, peering out on the grounds again. But the stranger was gone. No trace of them remained anywhere and although Leopold kept watch until the early morning sun lightened the horizon, he gained no further sightings. All he had gathered as to the stranger’s identity was that the person was fully grown, and determined. But at this distance, he couldn’t tell for certain whether the stranger was male or female.

~ * ~

Mercy roused herself from the worst sleep of her life. She had heard every movement, every soft breath that Leopold had taken during the night, or so it seemed. She rubbed at her eyes wearily and turned for her son. But Edwin was gone from the bed.

Alarmed, she looked around wildly. The room was empty, but then voices drifted in from the connecting chamber. Leopold’s deep rumbling tones and Edwin’s piping queries. She drew her knees up under her chin to listen.

Edwin asked a lot of questions. Leopold never sounded like his next answer would be his last. He had much more patience than Mercy did at this hour of the morning. There was nothing harder than to give a satisfactory answer when you were half asleep in bed. If she had been lucky enough to have had more children, Edwin would not be so alone as he was now. But Mercy had only conceived once during her marriage. Edwin was destined to be an only child.

Perhaps if Leopold could be convinced to stay here at the abbey, and he managed to find Oliver, Rosemary, and Tobias, Edwin might have the benefit of cousins to play with one day. It wouldn’t be as good as having real siblings at his side though. She had always wanted him to have the kind of childhood she’d had.