Note from the author: Thanks to those who caught my little mistake, I can now correct the age gap. Penelope is twenty years old and the Marquess is thirty-two. They grew up as children and were contracted to be married by their fathers when she was six, and he eighteen. So there is a twelve-year gap and it has been about 10 years since they've seen each other. Sorry for the confusion...and any others that might pop up during these chapters due to the age-mistake! (Like the comment Jason made about the dancing lessons...) But your comments are much appreciated -- I love to hear what you think. Happy reading!
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Penny pulled Julian into the room before anyone could catch him. The second the door was shut, Julian closed his arms around her. He bent his head down to kiss her.
"God, I've missed you." He murmured against her lips.
"I hate this." Penny whispered. "I hate this sneaking around."
He frowned and pulled away. "Cry off from the engagement, Penny. I hate myself for asking you to, but...I need you."
She stared at the back of his head helplessly. "You know I cannot, Julian. Our fathers expect it of us."
Julian cursed under his breath. He never understood this of the upper class. What sane man would want to betroth his daughter to a man while she was a child? It made no sense. The upper class, with all their wealth and privileges, seemed to have little freedom in choosing whom they could marry. He could hardly ask her to elope with him, for it meant ruin for her and it would damage his business dealings.
"If you don't wish to become my lover after I'm married, I understand."
He clenched his hands together, closing her eyes at her words. It was their only option, and because they loved each other, they had to settle for being lovers. He hated the guilt that ate at him inside. He respected the Marquess of Fords both as a man and a businessman. To put Penny and the Marquess through this went against everything Julian believed in.
He turned and went to take her in his arms. "You know I couldn't turn away from you, Penny." He stroked her hair, running it through his fingers. He took a deep whiff of her lavender soap. She tilted her head up at him.
"I shouldn't be here."
She started kissing his chin, covered in stubble now. "You shouldn't. But here you are." Boldly, she started to pull at his neck cloth. "Make love to me, Julian. Make me yours."
He held her wrists fast. "You know we shouldn't."
Penny wanted to feel him as close to her as possible. She'd already resigned to the idea of becoming Jason's duchess and all the duties that went with the title. But for tonight, these two weeks, she wanted the freedom to do as she liked, to be who she wanted to be before it would all be taken from her. She wanted to be loved as only Julian could love her.
She rubbed her body against his in encouragement. Her nightgown was thin and she reveled in feeling his heat against hers. With his neck cloth tossed away, she began undoing the buttons at his shirt. "Then you should leave, Julian." She slipped her hand into his shirt, heard him exhale deeply when her hand met with his burning skin. She tangled her fingers in the curly hair that covered his chest.
He shook his head. "Listen to me, Penny, if I make love to you now...he'll know."
"I don't care, Julian. It is you I love -- I don't care anymore."
He took a deep breath. "Then do you trust me?"
"With my life." She sighed, before pulling him down for her kiss. She pushed his shirt off his shoulders as he pulled the ties of her nightgown. It fluttered to the floor, revealing her pale, flawless skin. Still kissing her, he shed his breeches.
"I don't want any barriers between us, Penny."
She was nervous, but she felt so safe with him. Her eyes darted down to his erection sprouting from a thatch of dark hair.
"Look at me, Penny. All of me." He instructed softly. He stood before her, naked, strong. Timidly, she touched her hands to his skin, running it down his chest to his stomach. He hesitated when she came upon his member. His hand came up to guide hers, wrapping her fingers around him. He groaned.
He kissed her hard, pulling her naked flesh against his. She was driven by her love for him, by the thrill of sneaking around, of doing something forbidden to young unwed ladies. His hands, rough and calloused from years of working at the docks, ran over her body, kneading her, caressing her.
He pushed her against the wall, cupping her full breasts. He closed his mouth over her nipple, sucking gently and heard her soft moan fill his ears. He worshipped her other breast, swirling his tongue around her repeatedly.
Penny was at a loss for breath. Her heart pounded so loudly, she wondered how the entire house couldn't hear. But nothing mattered. Nothing but Julian in her arms. He left a trail of hot kisses down her breasts to her stomach, before he knelt before her. Confused, she watched him part the hair between her legs.
"Lift your leg, Penny." She did as he said. "Spread yourself wide." He hooked her leg over his shoulder and she squirmed when she felt his hot breath against her there.
"Julian?"
"Shh...just trust me, Penny." She bit her lip to keep from crying out when his fingers touched her, tracing the lines of her wet folds. One finger slid into her and she nearly screamed. She bucked, grabbing for his shoulders for balance. In and out of his finger moved, working her pussy. Then she felt his mouth close over her mound, licking her, flicking her engorged clit. She covered her mouth with her fist and closed her eyes. The pleasure was too much as he continued to take her with his mouth and pumping two fingers in and out of her. All at once, everything exploded inside of her and she let out a choked moan. Julian drank her in, clutching her hips to his face.
"I...I didn't know." Penny said, breathless. Julian stood up and kissed her, letting her taste herself. Strangely enough, it only aroused her. Then she felt his arousal pressed against her stomach. "You didn't..."
"Do you still trust me?" She nodded. They traded places, where he leaned against the wall and he gently pushed her onto her knees.
"What do I do?"
"The same thing I did...but you can use your hands if you don't want to use your mouth." Like before, he guided her with his hands. He showed her how to take him by the base of his cock and run her hands up and down. "Keep doing that...alternate fast and slow if you want or go steadily, it brings me great pleasure." He groaned her name.
Curiously, she stuck her tongue out to taste. Her eyes shot up to Julian and she realized he was watching her intently. He tasted salty and slightly bitter, but it wasn't unpleasant. When she opened her mouth, this time she closed her lips over him.
Julian hissed, but his hand came up to rest on the back of her head, indicating that he enjoyed it. More confident, Penny slid him deeper into her mouth. She continued to do this and soon was able to take most of him into her mouth.
He was moving his hips slightly in rhythm with her mouth and once or twice, she felt the tip of him hit the back of her throat, causing her gag reflex to react. This is turn made him groan softly. Ever carefully, she tried to push his entire length into her mouth. She felt her throat tighten around his cock and pulled back. When she look up at Julian, his eyebrows were furrowed deeply, his face beaded with sweat.
"Keep...Keep doing that, Penny. That feels so good." She took his deeply each time now and the sight of her sucking him as skillfully as a whore made Julian's cock twitch. His stomach clenched and he thrust forward. "I'm coming, Penny....I'm coming."
She wasn't prepared for his load and swallowed each spurt instinctively. He pulled out as he began to soften in her mouth. He pulled them to the bed and lay there with her in silence.
"I thought making love is when you...well, when you enter me."
