Mahogany Is The Color Of Devotion

Chapter 8

Nicholas sat deep in his cups. His hand gripping the glass of sports before him. The bar maid walked toward him, a grin on her face. "Another drink, sir?"

He drank down the last of what remained his cup before taking the newly filled cup placed before him. He played with it in his hands, his face scrunched up in thought. Shame and desire intermingled in his gut, his mind. When did Lafayette become a woman to him? When did she become more than just his friend's daughter?

They warmth of her body pressed against his own, the sweetness of her breathe against his neck as he had whispered in her ear. Her responsiveness... He groaned. He could have taken her right there, against that tree. Skirts bunched up at her waist, skin against skin, he drank down the rest of the cup.

He ran a hand through his hair, fisting at bunches of it as he went. Good, lord... The chit was off limits to him. She was off limits!

It had been a week since he had last seen her. Every note, letter and missive she had sent, he quickly sent back. Unable to read them or touch for fear of being fixated on the girl... Girl, ha! Woman. She was a woman! Being alone with her was out of the question now! When he had seen her as nothing more then his friend's daughter being alone with her did him not harm but now all he saw was a woman. A sensual, passionate woman. He was avoiding her and every other Hugh like the bloody plague! 

How could he face Andrew after such a thing? How could he entertain the thought of accepting his friend's kindness when he bloody well wanted to ravage his daughter like an inexperienced youth?

The image of his Lafayette in his mind was picturesque. Her brown skin, her melodious voice... His face flamed. He stood up so quickly, his chair went crashing onto the floor. He swiftly paid for his drinks and staggered with a quickness out of the tavern. He was beet red in the face as he climbed into his waiting carriage. Embarrassment gripped his lungs like a vice. He had actually been getting aroused at the thought of her. What kind of man was he, was his only thought as the carriage began to move.

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Lafayette was in a foul mood. All of her letters to Nicholas were being sent back. The irritation brewing within her was likely to explode at any moment. How dare he ignore her?

The bloody man was a fool if he thought even for a second that he could get away from her that easily. Besides. She had had taste of him. And though she had always known he would be a passionate lover, he had confirmed it for her.

She stood with determination, grasping her skirts in her hands as she fled from her room and headed down the stairs. "Papa? Papa, where are you?"

She almost stumbled into a maid, she was so focused. She quickly apologized before asking after her father.

The maid was a petite girl, with dark brown skin and the tannest of freckles, coarse hair pulled back in a cloth wrap. "Mr. Hugh is in the parlor, ma'am. He got in a fight with the missus. Frightened us all with that yelling they were doing."

Lafayette struggled to hide the grin that was spreading across her face. "My parent's had an argument, you say?" The giddiness in her voice was all encompassing, "Dear, girl. Do me a favor and fetch clean paper for a missive. My father will be needing it in a moment."

The maid raised a brow but merely nodded her head and went off to do just that.

Lafayette made a beeline toward the father, nearly sprinting down the hall. Her parent's arguing tended to involve quite a bit of spite in the after math. Anyone who knew her father, knew that Andrew was a baby in the form of a man. Whenever Hany was angry with him he tended to pout and purposefully found ways to annoy her until she stopped ignoring him.

They communicated in strangest of ways but it worked for them, for when they made up, they would disappear for days on end, hidden away in their bed chambers.

She made it to the parlor. She took in a couple of deep breaths before running her hands over her gown and smoothing down her hair. She couldn't seem desperate, her father would see right through her. She gently pushed the doors open, finding her father sitting in love seat, a drink in hand and a pout on his face. Upon seeing her, he sat up and smiled, though there was still a glint in his eyes.

"Darling, come here, let me see you." Andrew exclaimed as he drank the rest of his drink before sitting it down heavily upon the table beside him.

Lafayette smiled, closing the doors behind her. "Papa, I heard that you and mother got into a spat. You two should really love each other with more peace, you know."

He scoffed, standing to hug her close. As he pulled away he frowned, "Tell that to your bloody, stubborn mother! Why is everything an argument with that woman? I say no she says yes. I say yes and for God's sake she says no! I'm starting to think she's doing it on purpose!"

Lafayette chuckled. Her father really was very much like a youth in an adult body. "Just agree with her sometimes."

"What? No way in hell!" He snapped.

"Well what ever shall you do? You know how mum is. She'll ignore you until you turn grey."

He sighed, "I haven't thought about it. I was thinking of drinking until courage hit me and just demanding she talk to me. But that so rarely works."

She grimaced at the thought. "That never works, papa. She threw an entire stalk of cooked corn at you last time..."

Andrew's face twisted up and then he grinned. "I'm not fazed, darling. That's actually become a past time for me. Your mother has quite the throwing arm. That's one of the reasons I love the woman, the matter how stubborn or unreasonable she is."

Lafayette smiled, they were like children, the both of them. She cleared her throat then, deciding now was the time to encourage her father to invite Nicholas over. "You know... if you really want to press her buttons... Oh, never mind."

Her father perked up, curiosity in his eyes. "Out with it, Faye, no need to tease and old man."

She scoffed, "You're not old in the least."

"Faye." He said impatiently.

She chuckled, "You know she absolutely hates it when Nicholas comes over. He bloody well talks too much. You know she hates how he rambles on and on about dribble."

Andrew's eyes widened but the smirk that turned up his lips couldn't be missed. "Go and fetch me a missive, darling. And tell the kitchen staff we're expecting a dinner guest. "

Lafayette struggled to contain the excitement she felt bubbling from her triumph. She grabbed her skirts in her hands and headed for the door, "I'll hop to it now."

As her hand landed on the door handle curiosity struck her. She turned to look at her father, "What on earth did you and mum fight about this time?"

The smirk on his face completely faded. "To hell if I know. Ask her your incorrigible mother!"