Down by the River Ch. 05

He nodded back. "I thought so. I wanted to take away that burden from you."

"Oh my." I let out a shaky laugh. "Well. We're still friends, aren't we?"

"The best of friends," he answered, "if you are willing to kick Lucas out of his spot, that is."

We shared a moment of laughter. I was so relieved that Lucas had been right. Things really did turn out to be easier than I feared.

"You know, in another lifetime, I would have fallen so hard for you," I told Marcus honestly. "In another lifetime, my heart would have chosen to love you as much as I love Lucas right now."

He smiled. "Unless Lucas is in those other lifetimes, too, yes?" When I smiled at him, he chuckled. "Oh well. That's good enough."

"I will always love you in my own way," I told him.

"I will always know that," he said. "And remember. If he ever hurts you, your uncle knows my Papa, and Papa will always know where I am. You can always run to me."

"Thank you," I said, smiling.

"Well." He bowed and kissed my hand again, before nodding at something -- or someone to my left. "I bet he's anxious to have you now."

I looked at where he was nodding and saw Lucas there, speaking with two men. As soon as he felt my eyes on him, he turned to my direction and smiled. I turned back at Marcus just in time to see him give Lucas a small smile and a little nod.

With that, all my qualms about the ball vanished.

*****

It was already past midnight when the ball ended. I was downright exhausted when two of the female servants walked me to the door of my room. As soon as I told them that I was fine on my own, they left me, wishing me a good night.

Just as I was about to open the door, strong arms wound around my waist and pulled me away. Without even looking, I knew that it was Lucas. He carried me into his room and locked the door behind us.

"Well." He leaned against the door and looked me up and down. "I guess you have just been abducted by a high form of mammal, madam. What do you do now?"

Smiling, I took a step toward him and nestled close. "What does my abductor want in exchange for my release?"

He put my face in between his palms and kissed the tip of my nose, grinding his hips against mine. "A whole night of you in his arms and a quick loving before you go at dawn."

I smiled, kissing his lips. "Sweet. He's got a deal."

"Nice," he groaned, lifting me up and whirling me around. "Exhausted, aren't you?"

"Very," I answered, sighing as I put my head on his shoulder. "If you didn't pull me in here, I would have collapsed on the bed as soon as I was in my room."

"Oh." He made me stand on my own and started taking off my gown. "First, you need to get out of this gown. You can't go to sleep in this."

I just let him undress me. "I know."

When the gown I was wearing was already pooled on my feet, Lucas looked me up and down. I was wearing nothing but my panties, thus exposing my breasts to him. He grinned at what he saw.

"Oh no," I moaned, stepping out of my shoes and into his arms. "Don't look at me like that. You make me want to forget that I'm tired so that I can have a go at the loving you promised me for tomorrow."

He chuckled, the sound of it a music to my ears, as he gently pushed me away so that he could grab a shirt from his closet. "You need to sleep."

I watched him, still in his formal attire, although his socks and shoes were off and his hair was already tousled. Maybe because he already washed his face, and my Lucas did not bother with combing before he went to sleep.

He did not just toss the shirt to me. Instead, he put it on me as if I were a little child. I smiled when he finished, glad that I was covered from his eyes. I was aware of how his mere looks could drive me to a sexual frenzy; I'd rather sleep tonight.

Lucas lifted me and deposited me on the centre of the bed, where I curled up and watched him change to his pyjamas. When he was through, he joined me on the bed, his chest warm on my back, an arm around my waist.

"Lucas?"

"Sweetheart?"

I smiled and touched his face, closing my eyes. "Wake me up as soon as you're awake. I want to pay my abductor as early as I can."

He chuckled and kissed the palm of my hand. "Yes, madam."

*****

Two weeks after the ball, Lucas finally talked to Uncle Matthew about our relationship. Uncle Matthew was surprised, but did not object to it, especially when Lucas told him that Grandmother knew. His only complaint was that we had to hide it from them.

I did not know how Lucas managed to convince Uncle that we should take a look at the house he bought, but Uncle gave us permission. His only condition was that we should take a chaperone with us, since Aunt Susanna would be going to an auction on the day that Lucas scheduled for our visit.

Lucas decided to bring Olive and Betsy, and I could already guess why. Both were nineteen years old, but Betsy was outgoing the way that Olive was shy. Still, the two of them got along very well, being each other's best friend.

"You are planning to bribe them to leave us alone, aren't you?" I asked Lucas conspiratorially as he was leading us to the coach.

"The town square is about two hours walk from our house," Lucas said, winking at me. "All I have to do is give them money to spend on anything they would like. Olive might refuse the bribe, but Betsy wouldn't and would drag her best friend along. Smart, huh?"

I could only smile at him. At another time, I would have reprimanded his plans, but not right now. From the moment Aunt Susanna found out about Lucas and me, she had been guarding me so well that I actually banned Lucas from visiting me at night. That meant three and a half weeks of no sex. I never thought I could last that long.

Wilson had to drive Aunt Susanna to the auction house, so Lucas was allowed to drive another coach to his house. I say 'his', because I was still hesitant about calling that house 'ours'. I did not want to tell myself that it was mine, too, until I was married to Lucas. And speaking of marriage... He has not said anything about that at all.

Which had me feeling somewhat nervous. I had something to tell Lucas, but only after we were married, or at least after our wedding day was set. I wanted to know that Lucas would marry me because he loved me, not because of what he would hear.

I should have had my period the week of the ball, but it never came. Not even after almost a month after the week it was supposed to come. I was starting to be afraid that I was pregnant, although I really had no way of knowing, since my stomach remained as flat as it ever looked. Worse, I could not bear to tell Lucas, mainly because I did not want him to suddenly propose to marry me because I might be pregnant.

We left the estate even before dawn, because the house Lucas bought was almost half a day's ride away. Betsy and Olive were inside the coach with me, entertaining me with their stories about life in the estate or about the girls downtown. I noticed that Olive could be just as talkative as Betsy when the latter was around, and I was glad.

When lunchtime neared, the girls and I ate foods from the basket the cooks prepared for us. I began to worry about Lucas, but then he stopped the coach and joined us inside to eat, driving the two girls to silence. I was actually amused.

"Are we there yet?" I asked him.

He smiled. "Just a half-hour ride away."

I was thrilled, although I tried to contain my joy. Even though I always told myself that it was not my house until Lucas marries me, I could not help but think of myself as being mistress of my own house. Not a hut like the one I used to share with Grandmother, but a real house -- and if Lucas should be believed, a house as big as Mary's. Slightly bigger, I mean.

All four of us ate in relative silence. When Betsy and Olive were not talking, Lucas would sometimes mouth whole sentences to me, telling me what he wanted to do to me when we were finally alone. I would glare at him, blushing terribly. More than once, I caught Olive watching us, and I knew every time she blushed and averted her eyes that she actually knew what Lucas was telling me. It made me blush harder. But Lucas did not mind; he found it amusing, and for that, I wanted to strangle him.

At last, when lunchtime was over, Lucas left us alone inside the coach, but only after he had kissed my lips quickly in front of our two chaperones. I was terribly mortified, but then the two maids started teasing me as soon as Lucas was driving the coach again. Even though my face did not lose its redness, I could honestly say that I was not blushing out of embarrassment.

After about half an hour, Lucas announced that the house was already visible. I quickly looked out of the window. Indeed, we were already so close to it. Yet, the moment I saw the house, I realized that Lucas lied.

He said it was slightly bigger than Mary's house, but it was obviously way, way bigger. I wished I were beside him so that I could slap him and tell him how big of a liar he was.

"Lucas!" I called in a reprimanding voice, sticking my head out of the window.

He only laughed.

God! He actually laughed! How could he find that amusing? He lied to me!

"Lucas!" I called again, ignoring Betsy and Olive who were trying to tell me that I should sit down properly. "Lucas, if you don't stop the coach right now, I swear I am going to jump off it through the window!"

Still laughing, he slowed the horses down, until the coach stopped moving. Olive and Betsy tried to stop me, but I got off the coach as soon as I could and rounded it so that I could glare at Lucas.

"Get off!" I ordered him, glowering as fiercely as I could. "You said it's just slightly bigger than Mary's house!"

He frowned, feigning confusion, as he got off his seat. "Well, isn't it?"

I wanted to laugh at his poor performance, but I needed to teach him a lesson about lying. "What are you talking about? It's twice as big as Mary's!"

"Oh." He was already in front of me, and when he heard my complaint, he opened his eyes and mouth wide, looking at the house, as if he were really that shocked. "You're right!" He reached for me and pulled me close. "I never thought that Mary's house was that small, really. It has always been filled with love. I don't think that so much love could have been contained in so small a house."

In spite of my plans, I broke into a smile. "I should punish you for deceiving me, you know."

He nodded to the house. "There. Remember, you're going to punish me for punishing you?"

I laughed. "Is there a bed in there?"

Lucas grinned. "There's carpet covering the floor."

"Well..." I bit my lower lip, surprised at the intensity of the desire that was starting to melt my insides.

His hands were starting to caress my waist, and I could not help but press my body closer to his. God, how I missed his touch! Almost a month without it, and now, I was dying to be held in his arms.

A soft cough made us freeze. We looked at the coach to see Olive and Betsy watching us, Olive blushing furiously for it was her who feigned the cough.

I looked at Lucas, tugging at his sleeve so that he would release me. He did, but only so that he could reach into the pocket of his coat and take a pouch of money from there. He walked to the window of the coach and handed it to the girls.

"I was told that there are many pretty things sold in the shops down the town square," he told our chaperones. "Besides, there are foreign merchants camped there for about a week, and the things they sell won't be seen in the estate or the surrounding towns for more than a month."

That did it. Betsy squealed, although I heard Olive arguing with her inside, telling her that they were not there to enjoy themselves but to act as my chaperone. Lucas winked at me before looking back at the servants.

"You don't believe that I won't let anything bad happen to Selene?" Lucas asked them.

"It's not that," said Olive. "That's not the only reason why we're here with her."

Of course. I smiled. They were here to protect me from Lucas, not to leave me with him. And if either Uncle Matthew or Aunt Susanna would find out...

I did not want either girl to get in trouble because of me, but I wanted to be alone with Lucas, so I walked to the window of the coach. "I can protect myself from this man, if that's what you are worried about."

Betsy and Olive looked at each other, both of them looking hesitant. But I knew that Betsy would give up, and once she did, she would drag Olive with her.

We were all silent for a few minutes, with the two of them thinking about our offer, and with Lucas and I hoping that they would take the bribe. After that long, long stretch, Betsy took a deep breath, taking the money Lucas offered.

"They won't know anyway," she told Olive when the latter glared at her. She looked at us, then. "We will only take two or three hours, and then we'll be back. Do you want anything from the market?"

"Food," Lucas answered, smiling at her. "For the four of us, just in case it's already too dark to travel later."

We both watched as the two young women walked away, tracing the path we travelled by coach. Olive looked back one last time, bowing to us when she saw us looking. We passed the town square on our way, and I was certain that it was about two hours from the house even if they walked as briskly as was allowed a young woman. Which would only mean that we would all be spending the night there.

I frowned at the thought. Lucas said that there were no beds; were we all supposed to sleep on the floor?

Logical thoughts fled my mind, though, when Lucas swept me off my feet and started marching to the house.

"Lucas!" I squealed, clinging to him as he laughed. "Aren't you supposed to drive the coach into a carriage house or something?"

"Later," he said, kissing my neck. "First, let us look at the house, shall we?"

Even though I really thought he should look after the horses first, I could not help but smile. "All right. But, sweetheart, I forgot my handkerchief in the coach. Fetch it for me?"

He groaned but put me on my feet, kissing my hand before turning back to the coach. I started walking quickly toward the house, careful about being silent as I walked on the stone pathway leading to the front door.

"What handkerchief are you talking about?" he asked, turning to me with a frown on his face when he could not find anything in the coach.

But I was already more than halfway to the house, and laughing, I waved my handkerchief to him. "I'm sorry, sweetheart! I thought I forgot it!"

He glared at me. "Ah. You forgot it, huh?"

When he started running toward me, I squealed and instinctively ran away, laughing. It did not matter that I knew I would never get away from him anyway; it was still better than waiting for him. I was near the porch when he caught me, wound his arms around my waist, and whirled me around.

"You naughty girl," he said, nipping at my shoulder. "You will pay for this dearly."

I felt his fingers undoing the buttons at the back of my gown, and I somewhat panicked. "Lucas! We're still outside!"

"We are," he moaned.

Before I could say anything else, his fingers began lightly stroking along my spine. It felt so exquisite that I held my breath, closing my eyes.

"What were you saying?" he whispered on my ears.

I groaned, running my fingers through his hair. "I missed your touch so much..."

Chuckling softly, he carried me into the house, nuzzling at my neck along the way. He managed to unlock and open the door, and then to close it once we were already inside. He only took three or four steps from the door, before putting me down on the lush carpet.

He exposed my breasts and started licking an already hard nipple. I grasped at his hair, encouraging him with my moans. My god, how I wanted him! The full impact of not feeling his touch for almost a whole month was catching up with me, and I hungered for Lucas more than I had ever done before.

As his mouth moved from one nipple to another, I began squirming under him. I knew by the feel of it that my panties were already wet -- so wet in fact that I would need to take it off soon or it would feel as if I had peed in it.

"I'm wet," I declared in a grunt, stroking his face. "So wet, baby..."

What I liked about him was that he knew exactly what I meant by what I said. Kissing up to my face, he asked me to turn around, which I gladly did. He resumed unbuttoning the rest of my gown so that he could pull it off me.

Still on my hands and knees, I felt him take off my already soaked underwear. I did not bother to lie on my back, and neither did he. Lucas started stroking my thighs, his mouth kissing my back. In a slow motion, he let his palms move up to my slit, rubbing it. A few minutes later, I felt the tip of his cock positioned at the entrance of my hole, and I purred in anticipation.

I felt his hands on my hips, restraining me as he started pushing into my folds. I let out a low cry of delight when I felt him enter me.

"That's it, Lucas," I urged him on, closing my eyes to savour the sensations he was giving me. "Love me."

His grip on my hips tightened as he moaned and thrust his cock in and out of me faster. I revelled at the feel of it. He filled me so wonderfully; I could not have asked for more. Wanting to give him as much delight as I was receiving, I squeezed my cunt muscles around him.

"Oh, god, Selene!" he growled, driving in and out of me in slower strokes.

He gently steered me so that I lay on my side, with his cock still lodged inside me. This way, he was lying on his side, too. Then, still holding my hips, he rolled again, so that he was lying on his back and I was straddling him in a kneeling position, although my back was turned to him and I was facing the closed door.

"Oh," I whispered, moving my hips up and down, delighting at the pleasure that gave me.

I moved that way as fast as I could, but it was not nearly fast enough to bring me to orgasm. Grunting, Lucas held my hips steady halfway on my movement, and started drilling his cock into me very quickly. I screamed as pleasure built higher and higher, urging Lucas to drive his shaft harder, faster...

A part of my mind registered the whinnying of horses, the sound of their hooves, and the sound of the coach's wheels moving outside, but I was too far into the world of bliss to actually pay attention to it. God, somebody could have opened that door to the sight of Lucas and me in our lustful preoccupation, and I would have ignored him! I was past caring what the world held; I could only feel Lucas' cock moving in and out of me, bringing me closer and closer to orgasm.

It was Lucas who came first, but I was not long behind. As I did, I let out a loud scream, aware as I was that the house was wonderfully secluded and so nobody would hear me.

I stretched my legs and leaned back until I was lying on top of him, his chest hard and warm against my back, my head on his shoulder. Lucas immediately cupped my breasts in his hands, gently squeezing them as our mouths found each other.

That was when I noticed. To my left (where I was looking) was a fully furnished living room.

"I am not hallucinating, am I?" I asked him softly, not trusting my eyes, whose lids felt heavy at the moment.

"Hmm?" Lucas asked, turning so that he could look at where I was looking.

"Do I see a fully furnished living room?" I asked in the same soft voice.

He chuckled and kissed my lips again. "Yes."

I smiled and rolled off him. I realized as I lay beside him -- on my stomach -- that he was still fully clothed. Only, he pulled his pants down to his knees in order to release his cock. Again, I smiled.

"Why did we end up having sex on the floor?" I asked, even though I was not really bothered.