his life, gave her to him as his wife, and he intended to keep her.
He knew how stubborn she was. Given her intractable nature, it was quite probable she still believed he was a selfish, lazy cad, interested only in his own pleasure.
She wasn’t wrong. When it came to her, he was selfish and a cad. However, she’d learn soon enough that he was not lazy and he was interested in more than his own pleasure. In fact, he found her pleasure quite fascinating.
Perhaps they had only a limited time together. It mattered not. However long they had, he would bed her over and over until she was so mindless with pleasure, she wouldn’t want to leave him. And, in the process, he would finally rid himself of this stupid obsession he had with her.
Then, when their time was up, he would be the one to walk away.
…
It took them less than a full day to get to his estate. It was a modest estate by some standards, but she found the three-story brownstone home beautiful. She still hadn’t managed to quite look her husband in the eye after their previous night together. Her cheeks heated with a blush every time she replayed the way he’d brought her body pleasure, the words he’d said, his intoxicating kisses.
Thankfully, once they’d arrived at what he foolishly referred to as “the cottage,” he’d claimed he had business to attend to with the housekeeper and he’d sent her off to rest from their travels. Now, after a short nap, Sullivan had come to retrieve her for her first walk on the Southend-by-the-Sea pier. She was ridiculously excited about seeing the ocean for the first time. Hearing the sounds and smelling the fresh salty air.
She’d dressed herself in her smartest new walking gown, a blue and white striped confection that fit her perfectly and even had a matching parasol. Of course Agnes had made a few adjustments to the umbrella so that it could serve a dual purpose and offer Tilly protection (in the form of a thin dagger) should she require it. Not something she would share with Sullivan, since he was still holding to his unreasonable demands that she not do her duties as a Lady of Virtue. She refused to quit, though, no matter what he said. She’d simply be more careful so he was none the wiser to her activities. It had never occurred to her to inform her mother of her training and special skills. Tilly was quite accustomed to hiding the truth of her group.
So now she and her husband, still a strange notion to consider, walked together, her gloved hand looped through his elbow to rest upon his forearm. As they walked, she could feel the play of the muscles in his arm. Oh the wicked things he’d done to her body the night before. Not to mention the way he’d slid his hand up her skirts in the carriage on the ride to his estate. Twice. She blushed at the memory of how she’d clung to his arm and cried out his name. What a wanton she was turning out to be.
The ocean sprawled in front of them, the water so blue in some places it appeared to be made of glass. She gasped and stopped walking as she took in the view. Never in her wildest imaginations would she have conjured this reality. So much water. It was endless. There was an entire world out there. Suddenly, she felt very small.
“What do you think?” he asked.
“It’s so breathtaking. I had no idea.”
He inhaled deeply. “I’ve missed the sea air.”
“You grew up here?”
He nodded, leading them to the wooden planks of the boardwalk. Vendors lined the sides offering everything from ribbons and baubles to food items. The crisp salty air mixed with the tantalizing smells of one particular cart they strode past.
Sullivan stopped abruptly. “You must try one of these.” He retrieved some coin and purchased two of the small half-moon shaped pastries. “They are the very best. Somewhat like a cottage pie hidden within a crust.”
She had to admit they did smell delicious.
He bumped shoulders with her. “And the best part, you can eat while you walk.” He gave her a wink.
How had she known him for all these years and missed this playful side of him? Had she misjudged him? That seemed unlikely. She watched people carefully. It was a requirement for her sanity; a lesson learned again and again. She remembered all the times