Wronged (The Cuvier Widows Book 1) (32 page)

She pushed him away pulled her camisole over
her head, standing before him in her pantaloons, corset, and
chemise. She turned her back to him, so that he could untie her
corset.

He hurried with the lacing, his fingers
fumbling in his haste. And then he slipped the garment from her,
followed by her chemise, and last her pantaloons. The pale
moonlight streamed through the window exposing the supple gleam of
her delicate back, and he pressed his lips along the soft curves.
Shudders rippled through her as he worked his way up her spine to
the top of her shoulders, where he gently nibbled on the long
column of her neck.

She moaned and turned toward him, slipping
her arms around his neck, pressing her breasts against him. His
lips covered hers in a slow endless kiss as he gently propelled her
backwards toward the big bed waiting for them.

How many times had he dreamed of her in this
very bed? How many times had he pictured her naked and wanton
between his sheets?

When the back of her knees touched the bed,
he broke free of the kiss, his breath rasping with need. He stepped
back and while she watched him, he removed his underpants and
shirt. When he’d shed the last of his clothing, he moved toward her
and pushed her down upon his bed.

His leg touched her smooth satiny leg and he
couldn’t help but think it felt so right to have her in his arms,
in his bed. He covered her with his body, his hand caressing the
side of her face, brushing back her hair.

“God, you are so beautiful.”

She smiled, her hand reaching for the part of
him that throbbed thick and unyielding.

Her hand closed over him, enclosing the
fierce heat he felt building within his body and she stroked him,
fanning the flames into a raging inferno.

He laid back and she half covered his body
with her own as each long, slow stroke of her hand was a scalding
caress that took him closer and closer to the edge. There was no
guarantee of tomorrow, they only had this moment and he reveled in
her touch, in the soft sighs of her excitement. Nimble fingers
explored him, coaxing and probing his arousal as she clasped his
erection within her fingertips.

Finally, when he could stand it no more, he
flipped her to her back and put his mouth against her breast, his
fingers seeking between her thighs. Gently he cupped her, stroking
her moistness, wanting to give her pleasure.

Marian had made him realize his life was
empty and meaningless. She had shown him the importance of family
and honor. Her courage and strength had made him stronger and now
because of her, he was a better man. No woman before her had ever
made him feel so complete, so strong and yet so vulnerable at the
same time. He pleasured Marian, needing to hear her cry out his
name, wanting her more than anything he’d ever wanted in his
life.

In the soft light he laved the pebbled kernel
of her nipple. Soft sighs and murmurs came from her as he circled
the hardened nub of her breast with his tongue. He pressed his hot
flesh against the warm expanse of her skin, needing to get even
closer to her, to be inside her.

“Louis,” she gasped, her breath raspy, her
voice husky.

“Yes, love?” he asked, his hand closing over
her tremulous breast.

“Now!” she said, her lashes fluttering
open.

He chuckled at her impatience and brushed his
lips across her breast He rolled until his body covered her own,
careful not to press his full weight onto her.

But instead of giving her the satisfaction
she craved, he lingered, his lips covering hers in a long kiss that
swirled him closer and closer to the edge. He wanted to prolong the
moment, he wanted to resist as long as possible and give her more
pleasure than she’d ever experienced, but it was becoming more than
he could bear.

Breaking the kiss she begged, “Louis.”

Louis couldn’t wait another minute. He
plunged into her slick body, the feel of her tight and snug around
him, consuming him. Sensation whirled around him expanding his
perceptions as he covered her lips with his own. He wanted to be
inside her forever. He wanted to have her wake up with him each
morning, and go to bed beside him each night He wanted her with all
his heart and being, until they were old and gray, until death
separated them and eternity brought them back together again.

He needed her, more than he’d desired
anything in his life and this moment, plunging into her warm body,
he knew nothing would ever make him as happy as being with
Marian.

“Louis,” she cried, her body tensing around
him. With each stroke, he sealed their fate until she clung to him,
shudders racking her body, and his own climax came in a swift surge
of power coursing through his body.

Together they clutched one another, letting
the night soothe their racing hearts, their breathing ragged and
choppy.

After several minutes of just holding one
another, Louis slid down onto the bed beside Marian and pulled her
tight against him, patting her gently. Feeling warm and responsive,
her fear of lovemaking had disappeared.

He kissed her softy on the lips. “I meant
what I said earlier, Marian. I care for you more than anyone ever
before. I want to marry you and spend the rest of my life at your
side.”

She paused, gazing at him, her eyes luminous
in the darkness, her face rapturous yet contemplative as she stared
at him. Minutes passed and Louis was beginning to fear her
response.

“All right, Louis,” she said. “I’ll marry
you.”

I
t wasn’t until
Marian was in the carriage going home that the doubts begin to
assail her. Was she crazy? She’d just agreed to marry the man who
had done nothing but try to take the business away from her. Yet
for the first time in her life, she felt happy. A sense of
belonging enveloped her when she was in Louis’s arms that she could
never remember experiencing before.

In the last few weeks they both had changed.
The last time he asked her to marry him, she’d known his
declaration of love to be a lie. But this time, he seemed different
and he hadn’t mentioned the word love, only that he cared for her
more than anyone ever before.

Men were certainly not good at expressing
their emotions when it came to love and commitment. And while Louis
did better than Jean, he still could use some improvement. But most
important, he wasn’t Jean.

Louis was a decent man, who cared about
people, sometimes more than he should. He loved his family and
treated her children better than their father ever had.

And though she’d promised herself never to
marry again, she decided that Jean was not going to take away her
happiness any more. She had let that man’s actions influence her
decisions for the last time. Yes, she’d vowed never to marry again
to escape the pain and heartache that being married to Jean had
brought.

But marriage to Louis would be different,
because he wasn’t like Jean. She trusted him, she loved him. And
there was the biggest reason for saying “I do.”

God, when had she fallen in love with the
man? Could it possibly have been when he’d taken her to visit his
family, showing a part of himself that she hadn’t expected? Or
could it have been during the pretend picnic when he’d tried to
show her he was sorry for his blatant lie?

When had he broken down her defenses and
claimed her bruised and battered heart? When he found her son and
brought him home, giving her sister instructions to give the child
love and support?

She put her hands over her face, massaging
her forehead. Marriage to Louis would be good for her children. He
could ensure their lives financially and be the father that Philip
so desperately needed.

Louis had healed her wounded spirit and
though falling in love with the man had never been her intention,
she’d given her heart to him. And now she knew that though she
resisted, she belonged with Louis.

The carriage pulled up in front of the house
on Josephine Street and she glanced at the darkened windows of her
home. Midnight had long since passed. How would her children react
to the news she was marrying Louis?

Climbing out of the carriage she glanced at
her servant, knowing that never before had she kept him out this
late. “Thank you, Edward. I’m sorry for the late hour.”

“It’s all right, ma’am,” he said, and clicked
to the horses, driving the carriage around back.

She tiptoed into the house and climbed the
stairs to each of her children’s rooms. Slowly opening the door to
Renee’s room, she glanced in at the child. Curled safely in her
bed, her daughter slept soundly. Marian tiptoed into the room,
leaned over and kissed her cheek, love for her daughter swelling
within her. Then she hurried out the bedroom and quietly closed the
door.

Next she went to Philip’s room and found the
boy deep in slumber as she peeked in at him. The urge to protect
him and Renee overwhelmed her and she thought back on the last
three months of everything they had been through.

Her heart swelled at the thought of Louis and
suddenly she felt certain of her decision. Yes, she would marry him
and vow to stay with him until death did them part.

***

Marian sat in her office several days later,
reflecting on how happy she’d been the last few days. Louis had
come to the house and taken Philip to a baseball game, while she
and Renee had gone on a shopping excursion. Then later they met at
Antoine’s in the French Quarter for dinner.

Her children responded to Louis as if he was
a good friend and he treated them well, catering to them and
spending more time with them than their father had. They were
waiting for just the right moment to tell Philip and Renee they
were marrying. But in the meantime, Louis came to the house for
dinner every night and later while the children were in bed, they’d
sat in the parlor and kissed until their lips were swollen and they
were frenzied with desire. Then she’d sent him home.

Her heart warmed as she reflected on the way
her life seemed to have changed in these last few months. Even
before Jean’s death she’d been unhappy, but now she felt almost
giddy with joy. Slowly her heart and her mind were both agreeing
that marrying Louis was a good decision and when she gazed at him,
she knew deep in her heart she really did love him. But she had yet
to whisper those three little words to him. She wanted to, but
somehow every time fear seemed to clog her throat and keep her from
saying them aloud.

A knock on her door jerked her out of her
reverie and she looked up to see Jon standing in the doorway.

“Mr. Fournet is not here and a Mr. Stephen
Hudson is here to see him. I wondered if you could talk to him,”
Jon said.

Marian nodded her head. ‘‘All right, bring
him back.”

Less than five minutes later an older
gentleman with a scruffy-looking face entered her office.

“Mrs. Cuvier, I’m sorry to intrude. Maybe I
should come back later when Mr. Fournet is here?” he said looking
at her hesitantly.

“Whatever it is, I’m sure I can help you,”
she said.

“It’s just that I didn’t want to disturb you.
Mr. Fournet informed me you were in mourning for your late
husband.”

She glanced at him oddly. Why would Louis
tell him she was in mourning when he knew she’d hardly grieved the
death of Jean?

“It’s all right, Mr. Hudson,” she said.
“Please come in and have a seat”

“It’s nice to finally meet you,” he said
walking in and shaking her hand. “I was terribly sorry to hear
about the death of your husband.”

“Thank you,” she said politely. “How can I
help you?”

The man frowned. “Mr. Fournet told you that
I’m the attorney handling the sale? Right?”

She knit her brow in confusion. “Sale? What
sale are you referring to, Mr. Hudson?”

He took a deep breath his eyes widening. “Why
the sale of Cuvier Shipping, of course.”

“Cuvier Shipping?” Marian asked, in stunned
disbelief.

“Yes, Mr. Fournet came to me and asked that I
arrange to sell the business for you and him. I’m here to talk with
you regarding signing the final papers.” Marian felt as if the
world was suddenly ripped away from her and for a moment she sat
there staring at the gentleman, her heart crumbling. She cleared
her throat and reached for the glass of water sitting on her desk,
anything to bring her back to the present and not the devastating
black void his words had sent her spiraling into.

All Louis’s words of trust and marriage and
happily ever after seemed to rise in her throat, choking her.

That lying bastard had arranged to sell the
business without her knowledge. His words of caring and affection
rang empty and hollow in her heart, and she wanted to cry, but
refused to let the tears come, knowing once they started, it would
be hard to stop. There would be plenty of time for that later, but
right now she must deal with his deceit.

“Mr. Hudson, Cuvier Shipping is not for
sale.”

“Are you certain?” he asked staring at her,
his expression full of doubt and confusion. “Mr. Fournet said there
was another business he wanted to invest in and he needed the money
from the sale of the shipping company to start that business. He
asked me to rush the sale.”

Unspeakable rage filled Marian as she
remembered his talk of wanting to start a business involving his
father’s plantation. Suddenly everything seemed to fall into place
and she realized her earlier fears were correct. He only wanted to
marry her for her signature and the subsequent sale of Cuvier
Shipping. That tiny niggling doubt she’d felt concerning Louis had
been right.

“Mr. Fournet owns only half of the business
and I own the other half. I’m not interested in selling.”

“He told me you wanted to sell your half, but
he asked me not to bother you, since you were in mourning for your
husband.”