Free An Improper Seduction by Suzanne Quill Page B

his eyes hot, his breathing growing ragged.
    Angeline had been sipping her champagne then chewing a strawberry when his quick, sure movements came upon her. She gasped with his intimacies, embarrassed by the truth of his words and the telltale signs of her body confessing her desires, her needs.
    “We could make love here, my angel. It is private. No one will see us,” assured the marquess.
    “No. No !” protested Angeline as she tried to push his hand away from her woman’s center. “We mustn’t. And I am sore. You are too much. You are too large. I should not have to handle a man your size.”
    “You are only new at the game, my love. You will not be sore for long, then you will yearn to feel the pleasure my cock can bring you once more. In the meantime, our next lesson will be a little different. I promise.”
    “There can be no more lessons. I want none of it; I will not come tonight,” Angeline confessed to him.
    “Our champagne is finished, our berries eaten, it is time I escort you back. But I will wait for you in the cottage tonight. I will be ready when you arrive,” Geoffrey assured her warmly as he rose to his feet, then extended his hand to help her up. His smile was all seduction and knowing, a Cheshire cat grin.
    “Do not wait for me, my lord, for I will not come,” she vowed.
    Geoffrey escorted Angeline home. After dismounting, he came round to lift her from her saddle to place her lightly on the ground. But he did not release her. He left one arm round her and held her close as he raised her face with his thumb and forefinger. She could smell her own scent on his fingertips.
    “I enjoyed our afternoon together, Angeline. I always enjoy my time with you. I will hardly wait for you to come to me tonight.” He brushed his lips over hers, then let her go to remount his Arabian.
    “I will not come, your lordship.” Angeline held the mare’s ribbons in her hand as she called after him. Realizing he was leaving the mare, she shouted, “Wait, your horse. You’re leaving her behind.”
    Geoffrey stopped his progress and turned back to her. “She is yours, my Angeline. I bought her just for you. Her name is Aphrodite. What better than the Greek goddess of love and beauty for you? I plan to breed her with my stallion, Zeus.” He patted the neck of the black horse he straddled. “They both have fine bloodlines and their offspring will give us a stable of quality horses. Until tonight, my lady.” He reared the black, then rode away at breakneck speed toward Colburn Park.
    Again without the last word, Angeline turned the ribbons over to the stable lad who had come running up as Geoffrey rode away.
    She sighed heavily and headed for the house.
    The stalwart butler greeted Geoffrey at the front door with a quick bow. “I have news for you, my lord. I think I know who the father is,” he whispered.
    “Give over, Graham. What have you learned?”
    In conspiratorial tones, the manservant continued, “I have kept a close watch, your lordship. Brenda goes to the stables more than is necessary. She goes when she thinks no one is watching and she stays longer than propriety holds decent.”
    Graham closed the door behind the marquess, then continued, “The head stable boy is only eighteen, my lord, and he supports his mother, a younger brother and two younger sisters. It is just as she told you the other day, he makes not enough money to take her to wife as well.”
    Geoffrey rubbed his hand across his chin. “He is good with the horses, no, Graham?”
    “Yes, my lord. He has been working in our stable since he was two and ten years old. He learned from the ostler before him who died about two years ago.”
    “And the late Lord Colburn did not hire another to run the stable?”
    “Well, my lord, I would not be privy to such information as to why, but there has been no ostler since the last passed on.”
    “Is there another lad senior to this chap, what is his name?”
    “Lester, my lord. He has