Dark Passions

45.

Marcus loosened the cravat from his neck, and tossed it aside, before undoing the cuff links on his shirt. Then he opened the buttons on his waistcoat and shirt, letting them fall open, displaying his muscular chest. He dropped onto the bed, crossing his ankles, his hand supporting his head with one hand, while he swirled brandy in a snifter with his other hand.

"Isobel, dear, are you coming to bed?" he asked, looking over to where she sat brushing her hair. They were at his townhouse, where they spent most nights together.

She turned to peek at him over her shoulder. "I don't know, perhaps you would prefer the charms of Lady Addison..." she teased him. "Since she was so bold with you earlier this evening."

Marcus muttered something under his breath, before getting to his feet and walking over to her. He placed his hands on her shoulders, leaning down to press his mouth against the back of her neck. "Never again," he assured her, their eyes meeting in the beveled mirror. "Why would I prefer the charms of a she-devil, when I have a perfect angel to warm my bed? My sweet Isobel..." He lifted her heavy hair away from her back, kissing along her spine, dropping to his knees behind her. The thin silk of her nightgown was no barrier to the heat of his kisses, and she felt each imprint of his mouth as he moved lower.

"Marcus..." she sighed, leaning back against his solid strength. "You are the only person who calls me Isobel. Why don't you ever call me Izzie?"

"Izzie doesn't suit you, my dear. Isobel is a sensual, womanly name," he replied, his hands splayed at her tiny waist, his mouth returning to her throat. "A name to invoke passion and heat..." His tongue danced along her collarbone, as he moved around beside her.

"Marcus...until I met you, I did not think of myself as sensual. Quite the opposite - just plain Izzie..."

He gave her a wicked little grin. "Then I am fortunate to have drawn that out in you, my love. There is nothing plain about you." And he jumped to his feet, and swept her up into his arms, to carry her over to the bed. He held her suspended there for a moment, claiming her mouth, his tongue stroking hers, sending more shivers of desire along her skin. "And fortunate that you are most willing and eager as well..."

"Oh...!" Izzie gasped, "I'm not sure if that is a good thing...good girls should not be so eager, should they?"

Marcus dropped her down onto the soft goose down bedding, his hungry gaze raking the skin exposed where her nightgown rose up on her hips. "Darling...you are a good girl - good enough to accept me, despite my rakish ways."

"So, when you were with Lady Addison, what made you want her? Was she so beguiling that you couldn't resist her, despite the fact she was betrothed to Lord Derek?" Izzie asked softly.

Marcus groaned and moved onto his back, lacing his hands behind his head as he looked up into the canopy above them. "I told you, Isobel, I was stupid and let my cock direct my actions. Admittedly, she was the one who flirted with me, who was shameless in her open desire to bed me, but I could have turned her down. I was weak, and I regretted it as soon as it happened the first time. After that, it was too easy to quell my conscience, to tell myself it was all right, even after Derek caught us in bed together. I let her use me, Isobel, and I'm not proud of it." He paused, closing his eyes at the memory. "Until Derek forgave me, I hated myself and what I had become. Addison tried to get me to help her in her twisted plot to discredit Meredith, and it was the last straw. I told Derek, and he made me realize that his love for Meredith was strong enough that he didn't care whether or not she had anything bad in her past. I wanted the same kind of love, but I did not think it possible until I met you." He propped himself up on one elbow, looking down in her soft brown eyes. "I know we have not spoken of this before, and I should have told you all of this. I hope you still wish to marry me..."