"I want to woo you for the next two days before I leave," he murmured with a devilish grin.

And he did just that.

The late morning sky was clear and made for a beautiful day. Enough to accept an invitation for a stroll in the park. The missive that arrived both intrigued her, and had her stomach in knots with eager anticipation.

She was invited for a stroll with Justin.

Her mother sadly could not be bothered to accept as she was too busy. Therefore, she sent her two maids and Lady Agatha, The dowager Baroness of Brant, a trusted friend in her steed as a chaperone. Tempest wanted to scream. The Dowager was ancient by anyone's standards. Propriety in all things was Lady Agatha's biggest concern in life and she took to her duties strongly.

Their stroll through the park was painstakingly slow which made Tempest broodingly walk in careful strides beside the elder woman with her two maids in tow. As they slowly approached the main garden's entrance, she could see him up ahead. He stood straight, hands clasped behind his back, muscular and tall in contrast to his other male counterparts that walked nearby. Dashing and devilishly handsome as ever.

Her stomach fluttered in earnest with his watchful gaze. The distance between them shortened, and as it did, images of the night during the ball when they made love; came back to her.

She flushed with such vivid memories of the exquisite pleasure he gave her as she got closer and closer. She caught his gaze as it suddenly grew dark, sensual, knowing.

Finally, she stood before him quietly meanwhile he regarded Lady Agatha with a cordial greeting and low bow before turning to face her and do the same only this time, his greeting was accompanied by a warm gentle kiss on her gloved hand.

Under the watchful- scrutinizing eyes of The Dowager, he smiled down at Tempest and offered his arm. With no time to waste, they turned to walk slowly only to be stopped by Lady Agatha and informed that she would rather sit and wait by a nearby bench. She sent the two maids to walk behind them.

For a while, they walked in silence taking slow steps down a narrow pathway. They began a light conversation appropriate and loud enough for her maids to hear. They spoke of everything from daily Tea Parties she would attend to the next upcoming Soiree's.

Deep down she knew that their small talk was only a diversion from what he really wanted to tell her. The intimate gesture of rubbing his fingers softly over hers was indication enough. She turned her attention to the path before her then and concentrated on the graveled pathway filled with leaves and flowers while listening as he spoke in a low deep rich tone that warmed her down to her core.

In the distance, she heard footsteps approaching before them. Then looking up, her heart seized to a stop. The familiar faces of two men strolled leisurely in their direction.

Bellamy and Quinn strode by them in customary humor and held their gazes with tricky mischief she knew too well. She felt Justin's fingers gently squeeze her own. Her lips curved into a smile admiring the two sailors that transformed remarkably from what they wore at sea.

Now they wore elegant attire befitting men of respectable wealth. They acknowledged her and Justin with a curt nod passing them and continuing on. The sensation that they were up to no good was short-lived as they approached her two maids at a distance.

Their jovial tone approaching them could be heard as she continued to walk along with Justin, not daring to look back.

Shortly after, in horrified fascination, she felt Justin pull her into a secluded spot of low branches, closed the space between them, and pulled her tight against him. They stood with scarcely a hair's length between them.

"I needed a little distraction so that I may have two seconds of privacy," he said.

"Privacy?" her heart sped up.

"Aye, so that I can do this," He lowered his lips to hers. It was a sweeping kiss, warm and sweet. He reluctantly pulled away to look at her trying to maintain control, he lovingly caressed her.

"I secured a license to marry as soon as I return," he whispered. Breathless and dizzy she leaned into him. She lifted her gaze to his that brimmed with so much pleasure and happiness.

"Why can we not marry now?" she asked. The slight disappointment in her tone crushed him. Deep down he knew she was miserable without him as he was miserable and suffering without her. The thought that she would forgo simple tradition and not care of scandal just to run off and marry him, left his body humming with love for her. But she deserved better and she will get the proper wedding befitting a queen, if he had to sell his ship and spend every bit of his wealth he owned, he would do it.

He lifted her chin and looked down at her, losing himself to those lovely blue-green gems of hers that swirled with so much need and love.

"I want to marry you, spoil you, pleasure you, and grow old with you with nothing hanging over my shoulders," he said caressing her cheeks.

"Understand?" He followed her gentle brow knitting into a sad frown.

"Besides Quinn will have an apoplexy if we don't marry on the ship," he chuckled pulling her close.

The dimpled smile that formed after, set his heart into a patter and he soared as she beamed up at him with a nod. He lowered his lips once more tasting the answer on her lips. It was hot, tender, and passionate. Bloody hell he wanted to just disappear with her and not return at that moment.

Hesitating, they pulled away and returned down the path and walked back content and filled with joy. Her two maids suddenly appeared flustered followed by Quinn and Bellamy with their dresses rumpled and Hair bonnets askew with coy glances not able to meet her eyes directly. The two men graciously bowed and gave them all winks before leaving. Justin squeezed her hands with a wolfish grin as she gasped at their insinuating winks.

They walked back to her carriage to await the Dowager, their conversation drifting from future plans of more strolls in the park to anticipating the next upcoming social event. At the carriage, Justin took her hand and helped her in. She settled in the seat fixing her dress around her waiting for The Dowager to arrive. Looking carefully around at the maids that had their heads bowed as they walked with the elderly woman, he boldly leaned in just enough to graze his lips over hers.

"I will see you soon," he murmured.

And with those last words, he pulled away just in time to face The Dowager and graciously help her into the carriage, then bid them all a formal farewell. As the carriage rolled away, his gaze remained transfixed on hers filled with intense passion until they left the gardens. Knowing her face flamed with embarrassment -and yes desire- Tempest turned her gaze to the window and listened, better yet tried to focus on what the Dowager spoke of.

Throughout the ride, she remained silent with her mind adrift to his words. "I will see you soon."

He made it sound like a promise. A dark seductive promise.

Again, her mind drifted off to the time they spent together, barely aware that Lady Agatha was speaking to her until her name was mentioned again.

"Tempest?"

Blinking, she brought herself back, struggling to find the words to respond to The Dowagers question. She was lost until it was repeated and she went on to mention Justin's attentiveness. The elder woman went on deeper into the conversation.

"I hear he is a man of wealth. He has no title, which would somewhat displease your mother." she pointed out.

Shocked at the thought, Tempest paused on the woman's words and looked away praying that her disappointment was not apparent. "But...then again money will not be an issue which is very important to Lady Fontaine. He will have no need for a dowry," she offered pensively.

"What does he do, my child?" she asked leveling her questioning gaze with Tempests.

Terrified for a heartbeat that she would say something unacceptable, she swallowed and looked at her.

"He is in the trading business, He is an independent merchant," she whispered hoping her voice didn't sound shaky as she imagined it.

"Well I do say, in all honesty, my dear girl, he seems to be the perfect prospect for marriage."

Those words alone gave her hope. There was nothing she wanted more. She truly wanted to make her own choices in life instead of having everything chosen for her, such as picking a husband. The carriage came to a halt bringing her back to the present. She waited for the footman to help her out. After the long day, she felt exhausted and decided to retire to her room for the evening.

She wearily closed the door to her bedroom. Shortly after a brief moment of solitude, her maids entered to help ready her for bed. She leaned against the bedpost as one maid undressed her and the other turned down her bed and fluffed her pillows. Her mind raced from the day's event turning and turning in her thoughts that she could barely keep her eyes open.

They gathered her things and backed out of her room, finally alone now she climbed into bed and settled beneath the sheets. She lay there in tune to the exhaustion and closed her eyes then slowly drifted off to sleep.

******

"Why are you sneaking into her room at two o'clock in the morning?" Quinn began to question.

"Be quiet!" Justin hissed turning to face him.

His nostrils flared. "Lest you rather our throats slit or we swing from the gallows, be quiet. Now help me up."

He had sat in his carriage with the conflicting urge to see her before he retires to his dwelling in town. It was either go home and lay beneath the sheets with an aching erection or risk his neck and sneak into her room for one last kiss for the night. An illogical reasoning at best he would admit, but she left him with a carnal need that was driving him to the brink of madness. But now as he stood at the foot of her bed watching her sleep, the never-ending pang and growing desire to be with her overtook his senses. There was no turning back.

*****

Something stirred her out of her sleep. It pressed above her, encasing her. She groggily opened her eyes and her breath hitched in her throat. Before a scream could rip out of her throat, a hand shot out and smothered her mouth. She bit his finger and wildly tried to get out of his hold.

The low hiss and voice that followed stilled her immediately. "Hell-cat!" her eyes widened, her ears filled with the dull, quickening thuds of her heartbeats.

"Be still, love." the familiar voice chuckled low and deep. Gently he removed his hand. "Justin?" she whispered.

"Aye, love t'is me," Amusement laced his voice and her mind conjured up that devilish smile of his as he leaned in and brushed his lips against hers nuzzling her cheek and her ear. She sighed and slowly relaxed beneath him. Their breaths mingled as he lifted his head to look down at her trying to focus on her face with the little moonlight that lit the room.

"How did you know which room was mine?" she asked amazed that he would risk being caught.

"It wasn't that difficult...it is the only room that had a familiar beautiful lass pass the window," he grinned.

"But if you're caught---," she whispered nervously but he stopped her.

"Then I will be the happiest man standing at death's door," he chuckled.

She gasped. "Don't say such a thing not even as a jest," she caressed his jaw. The thought of losing him left a dreadful feeling in her.

"You have nothing to worry about my love, you are mine and I am yours. Nothing or no one will ever change that," he pressed his forehead to hears. Her body warmed with such an admission and heat pooled at the pit of her stomach.

A calming silence settled between them as they caressed each other and kissed in the dark; slowly igniting their desire for one another.

"I need you," he broke the silence and brushed his lips gently over hers. Wanting him with need that surpassed all else, she reached up and pulled his head slowly down for a kiss.

Since her return to London, she hasn't been able to sleep, her bed felt too empty, she felt so lonely and she needed him.

Warm strong hands slowly pulled the edge of her chemise up and caressed her softness . She reveled with his touch as the night air kissed her bare skin. His mouth gently glided down the hollow of her throat , nudging the front of her chemise apart as he placed warm loving kisses along the valley of her breasts; only to rest where her heart fiercely pumped beneath his lips.

She was lost to his touch as his teeth tugged the strings at her front to reveal her breasts. Her fingers dove into his hair feeling his lips lather her breasts with kisses as his mouth sought each nipple. She trembled beneath him as he passed the velvety smoothness of his tongue over one before drawing the soft peak into his mouth. He caressed her lovingly gliding his fingers up her spine and pulling her closer. She let out a muffled sigh as he pulled away and lavished the other breast with the same attention.

With a primal need that needed calming, he settled between her thighs, they spread wide for him and him alone. Feverishly they kissed as he undid his breeches then settled it at the best of her moist entrance and with a muffled groan, he sunk his erection into her hot core. It spun them both into a world of true bliss. More him than anything just feeling her body against his, her soft breasts pressed against him and her thighs circling his waist was like heaven as he slowly withdrew and entered her then made love to her.

Riding the tides of passion, he brushed his tongue along the velvety smoothness of her own. With each tender thrust, he whispered passionate promises into her ear and gave her loving caresses. He glided into her gently, enjoying the feel of her wetness, her soft curls that brushed his own and her inner muscles stroking him; tightening around him more and more until it pushed them over the edge and they saw stars. Their lips locked together quieting their sensual moans as they reached their peak as one, clinging to each other afterward in breathless, boneless satiation.

After some time, they lay tangled in each other's embrace. He whispered his plans to get his life back and his desire to have a future with her. The mention of baring his children was a true delight. She listened to his voice, deep masculine and beautiful in the dark confines of her room. She felt his fingers brush tenderly over her bare skin. She enjoyed the heat of his body and how moments ago, it glided along her own; expressing possession, devotion, and intense love.

And before she drifted off to sleep replete and happy, she could hear his heart silently plead with her own.

To love him with the same intensity that he loved her.

*****

Woooooo here we go my lovelies...this was a long one.

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