Mahogany Is The Color Of Devotion

Chapter 15

Nicholas prepared his rifle. There was a fire burning inside him and it was none other than jealousy.

He watched as Alfred presented his collection of rifles to Lafayette, parading them around her as if it were some new kind of hunting tool.

Irritation was setting in. He wanted to pummel the man. He wanted to throw his rifle and knock the lad upside the head. Anything to get him away from his woman! 

He froze at the at the thought. He was doing it again. He was placing some strange imaginary claim on her. He had been catching himself doing it so often these days that it was becoming the norm. This is why he wanted to put space between them. This was why he needed to get away.

He ran a hand through his shaggy brown hair, his eyes landing on Lafayette just in time to catch her peaking at him from the corner of her eye. 

He lowered the cleaning tool in his hands, handing it off to the attendant that stood beside him. "I do hope you're all ready for the hunt?"

Lafayette was dressed in her riding trousers and top coat. Leo had tried to talk her out of journey with them on the hunt but she wouldn't sit around and wait for them.

Alfred stepped up, a wide smile on his lips, "Let us go! I'm quite ready to accept my prize at the end of this." He winked in her direction and she mustered a small smile.

The men scattered, each of them travelling in different directions. Leo pulled Lafayette close, trailing behind Nicholas. "What are you doing?" She asked with impatience.

"I'm trying to help. You want Nicholas to win don't you?" Leo commented with snark. 

Lafayette sighed, "Of course I do. I'd be lying if I said I didn't. but I don't want you to help him. If he wants me, he'll put in the bloody effort! Otherwise I'll be dancing with you or..." 

Leo sighed, "Or Alfred."

"Don't remind me. Just go catch some pheasants so I won't have to spend the evening twirling in circles with Alfred Pennington." She mumbled as she hiked up her trousers and began moving through the trees.

"Where are you going?" 

She turned to look at him as she kept moving, "To find Nicholas and offer some... encouragement."

"Like hell you are!"

------------------------------

Lafayette stepped over rocks and fallen branches. She had managed to lose Leo after a tiresome game of cat and mouse through the line of trees.

She wiped at the pebbling of sweat across her brow and took a deep breath. She was sure she had seen Nicholas going in this direction. She continued on, moving through the eerily quiet area.

Suddenly there was a rustling through the brush and she froze. Was it an animal? Or maybe a hunter?

Her heart was pounding too much to try and figure it out. She turned to her left and ran, trying her best to keep her footing even until he slammed into a hard figure. The figure grunted, a gunshot went off, birds began to fly away, obviously disturbed by the loud sound.

"What are you doing here?" The voice beneath her demanded as she focused in on it. 

She sat up, her eyes meeting Nicholas's . "I was searching for you!"

He frowned before raising up enough to run his hands down her arms, her waist, her neck and just about anywhere else he could. "Are you alright? You shouldn't even be out here! You should be inside, away from stray bullets."

Lafayette wanted to comment but she was too distracted by the feel of his hands on her body and the warmth of his skin as he rubbed his large calloused hands against her neck and face. She knew she was flushed. She knew her heart was beating loud enough to be heard.

As if suddenly realizing how familiar he was being, Nicholas froze. He looked at Lafayette and his mouth suddenly went dry. Her cheeks were flushed with color. Her body was warm. She smelled like fresh spring air despite the growing cold around them. The look in her eyes was full of a look he recognized: arousal.

He cursed underneath his breath. "Fay, don't look at me like that. I'm trying to do the decent thing here."

She leaned in closer, her eyes trailing down to his parted lips. "Oh, shut up and kiss me, Nicholas. Who cares about the decent thing right now!"

He groaned but gave in, leaning in to meet her halfway. Their lips collided and it became a spiral of tongue and moans. They embraced, her arms encircling his neck, his arms around her waist.

He cupped her bottom in his hands, groaning as she began to rock her body against his. He trailed kisses across her face and ran his hands over her body.

"Nick, please, I need-," he cut her off with a kiss so passionate she lost all train of thought. They rolled on the grass until she was beneath. His hands fumbled with the buttons on her trousers. He stopped kissing her, focusing his attention on getting her pants off.

"Bloody hell! Never wear these again," he chastised as he finally got them down her shapely legs. 

She laughed as she kicked them off, "You would prefer me in my petticoats, then?"

He freed his hardness from his own trousers and slid between her legs. He found her entrance and slid home, kissing her gasping lips once more, mumbling breathily, "I don't care what you're in, I just want you, damn it!"

His words brought euphoria, his touch brought ecstasy. He kissed her until she was dizzy. With each thrust she shuddered and he shivered. Her arms were so tight around his neck he could barely breathe.

He slid his hands underneath his bottom, cupping each cheek in one hand as she began to truly take her. Her name was sensual and needy on his lips as buried his face in her neck. Her legs tightened around his waist as she arched her back, lifting off the ground with the force of her orgasm.

The feel of her pleasure was his undoing. He groaned like an animal as he followed her over the edge.