“There will be no fucking until the doctor clears you,” she says with a very steely glare. Her eyes drop, catching me adjusting my eager beast, and she rolls them skyward. “If you don’t follow the rules, I’ll go stay with your sister. She’s offered to house me should I be forced to call the duchess. Said it would be safer that way. No one would end up in the hospital or prison.”
“My mother will never leave if I let her inside my house.” I’m not even kidding. She’ll send me to an early grave for sure.
“Then I guess you’d better be on your best behavior and not give me an ounce of trouble.” She smirks, like she already won.
I let her think she’s in control, but I know better. One kiss—her weakness—and she’ll surrender, the fight melting out of her.
When we arrive at the house, I start my seduction. I tug her up the stairs behind me, determined to get what I want. If I had the strength, I’d toss her on the bed, but damn, I’m exhausted from that short-lived trip.
Instead, I drop onto my bed and pat it. “I need a nap first.”
Ingrid gets a blanket, drapes it over us, and then snuggles up beside me. “What’s the matter? Are you not superhuman after all?”
As I pull her close and into the circle of my arms, I gently press my lips to hers. Damn, she tastes good.
“Give me five minutes and I’ll be fine. I love you.”
“Me too,” Ingrid whispers, and we stare at each other until I can’t keep my eyes open anymore.
Chapter 25
Darius
“I’m going to sleep in one of the other rooms if you don’t stop,” Ingrid whispers as my hand slides under the t-shirt she borrowed to sleep in. “I’m not even kidding.”
Kissing the side of her neck, I hum. “It’s my birthday, cupcake. Are you going to deny me on my birthday?”
I know it’s wrong to make her feel guilty, but fuck if I care. Sleeping next to her is torture, and if that’s what it takes to get her to let me get what I want, then so be it.
“Is it really your birthday?” She moans when the hand between her legs shifts upward and my fingers rub softly against her silky knickers. “How do I not know this?”
“Yes. My mother was hoping I’d be a New Year’s baby, but I had other plans. Made her wait ten more days before gracing her with my presence.” I slip one finger between her thighs and across her wet pussy. “Come on, sweetheart. Let me lick your frosting; it’s my favorite.”
Her legs part, giving in to my wicked ways, making me smile through the uncomfortable pain I’m still experiencing. I’m so done with feeling like hell, figure if I’m going to be in painI might as well have a damn good reason for it. Playing with Ingrid sounds like the perfect one; it will be well worth it.
But before I can do more, the doorbell rings, and she’s brought back to her senses quickly. Swatting my hand away, she rolls over to look at the clock on her nightstand. “Who the hell is here so early? It’s barely seven?”
Flopping onto my back, I stare at the ceiling and moan. “That’s likely my mother. She always makes me breakfast on my birthday.”
True, sort of. My mother doesn’t make the breakfast. She has her staff do it for her. Then shows up to my house early, if I’m in town, and forces me to have a meal with her. I call it her annual ambush breakfast, where she does her best to convince me that I’ve had my fun, bucked the system long enough, and now it’s time to man up and take my responsibilities as the Duke of Falcon seriously. Usually, she ends it with a list of ladies she thinks would be a perfect match and approved by all involved. Which is when I kick her out and typically take off, needing to put space between the crazy.
Ingrid sprawls out on the bed, her limbs spread out like a dead starfish. “I guess I’d better get up and head downstairs. Probably should shower first, and dress.” She pushes herself up and sighs. “Look presentable.”
I snag her wrist and tug on it until she turns to look at me. “You always look presentable. Please don’t go the extra mile and get all dolled up just because the duchess has a stick up her arse. In fact, it’s my birthday, so I’m making it PJ day. Anyone not dressed in PJs has to leave.”
Ingrid rolls her eyes as she laughs. “Even your mother? Because you and I both know she’s wearing one of her expensive pantsuits. I think she may even sleep in them. Every time I’ve seen her, she’s had one on. Even when she rushed over threenights ago around midnight when that bitch of a night nurse called her with false allegations.”
“Which is why I fired her on the spot.” With tenderness, I raise her hand to my lips. “Sent my mother home and told her to mind her own damn business.”
“You’d better go before she comes looking for you. I really don’t want to listen to her again.” She leans forward and kisses my lips then glances down at my lap. “Might want to get a handle on that first too. I’d help, but I know she’d walk in, and this time I just might enjoy giving her a show.”
And I’d let her if I thought it would send my mother running. Unfortunately, I doubt it would. She’d only squawk out her disapproval like she’d done that night.
The nurse, who was also one of the chosen, reported to my mother that Ingrid was refusing to let her do her job. Not true. The only thing Ingrid had done was tell the eager little nurse that if I required assistance in the bathroom cleaning up, she’d be the one helping me. Then locked her out while she helped me get in the shower, stayed to make sure I didn’t get too tired or overdo it. I hadn’t had a shower since the shooting, and I was desperate for one.
Sponge baths just weren’t cutting it, and after returning home I’d refused to let my mother’s hired help touch me like that. So once my doctor agreed I could take a shower, I jumped on it. Since I was still a little uneasy on my feet, I needed someone tokeep watch. I tried convincing Ingrid to join me, but she’d refused, said I’d try to do more than shower if she did. She’s not wrong; that’s exactly what I’d planned to do. But after a few minutes in the shower, I realized how weak I really was, and had to take a seat on the damn old man’s chair placed in it to keep me from falling on my arse.
My mother showed up and barged in right as Ingrid was helping me out of the shower. Caught both of us laughing at myweak arse, found me in a predicament no mother should, then accused Ingrid of taking advantage. I’d lost my shit. Said things that I probably shouldn’t have before sending her and her nurse away.
