CHAPTER 12

Madison lifted her head as far as his heavy weight on her would allow her.  She turned her head to look at the remains of the wrecked carriage.

‘I am sorry.  Your carriage seems completely destroyed.’

‘Damn the carriage.  Are you okay?’ He lifted his weight off her.  His fingers travelled over her arms down her rib cage.

‘What---what do you think you are doing?’ she questioned feebly.

‘Touching your body,’ he smiled devilishly. 

‘Get your hands off me.’

‘I must make sure you have no broken bones.’  His hands moved from her rib cage over her pelvis.  She winced, not from pain.

‘It pains?’  His eyes held concern.  ‘Are you hurt?’

‘No,’ she slapped his hands away.

‘I see,’ he grinned.

‘What do you see?’ she glared at him icily.

‘That you like my touch,’ his hands continued his methodical inspection over her thighs.

‘Stop it!’ She hissed pushing at his chest, but he was like a concrete boulder over her.

‘Be quiet!  I need to make sure you are fine,’ his one palm pinned her chest to the ground, whilst his other hand checked her out.  Could he tell her heart was pounding against his hand?

‘Satisfied?’ She hissed when he completed his inspection.

‘Yes,’ he smiled. ‘I am pleased all your delightful body parts are intact.’

‘Delightful?’ Her question was a soft murmur but leading nonetheless.

‘Yes,’ his fingers feathered her face, as he lowered himself over her again.  ‘Whatever were you thinking?’ His eyes blazed into hers.  Her eyes lowered to his tantalizing lips.

Very slowly, her dark eyes rose to meet his again.  Her eyes screamed heightened awareness.  Explicit desire blazed through her body.  A soft groan escaped his throat and filled her ears.  He leaned in and kissed her, she moaned opening her lips beneath his.  He took advantage of her trembling quiescent body.  Helpless desire swept through her.  Her hands buried in his mane of unruly hair, his grip around her tightened.  His tongue entered her mouth.  A soft gasp choked in her throat as his moist tongue entangled with hers.  Madison pulled him closer.  Off its own accord, her pelvis lifted pressing into him. He groaned.  His mouth and lips and teeth enjoyed a free reign, caressing, nibbling at her neck.  His hands forced apart the buttons on her dress.  An erect supple rosy nipple was captured between his teeth.

‘Chadwick,’ she breathed his name against his throat.  Her fingers cupped his face, pulling his lips back to hers.

‘Madison, I want you,’ his soft husky voice, was like a piercing shrill dragging her back to reality.

She pushed him away scrambling to her feet. ‘I---I cannot.’  Clumsily her fingers attempted to fasten the buttons together on her dress.  She watched at the corner of her eye as Chadwick rose with much difficulty to his feet.

‘Why the hell did you agree to it?’ Chadwick’s voice thundered.

‘What?’ Madison looked at him in confusion. 

‘Your betrothal to the swine,’ he hissed.  His fingers circled around her wrist like a metal grip piercing into her flesh.  ‘Why did you agree to it?’

‘Why not?’ She countered stupidly, finding the strength to release herself.

‘You care nothing for him,’ Chadwick gripped her by the waist and jerked her against his body angrily.  Instead of being angry at his aggression, desire flared in her eyes again.  Nervously she ran her tongue over her lower lip. 

‘The swine is not right for you,’ Chadwick’s eyes followed her tongue with interest.  ‘You will not be happy with him.’

‘I won’t?’ she questioned, her eyes locked on his.  His erratic breathing fanned her face.  The chemistry between them was igniting arousal in her like a dormant volcano.  Madison knew Rankin did not have the power to arouse her as this man did.  Whenever she was with Chadwick, the atmosphere was highly charged.  She would not admit to this, but with Rankin it would be mundane and emotionally dead.  This man just had to look at her through his hypnotic smouldering eyes and she was lost.  She felt nothing in Rankin’s arms.  Even Rankin’s only kiss had been a torture.  This man’s mere touch on the other hand turned her into his wanton slave.

‘You are making a mistake,’ Chadwick’s fingers brushed her cheek. 

Was she?  So who should she marry?  Certainly not him, because he was not available, so why exactly was she making a mistake marrying Rankin?  Maybe they may not have the passion, but she could make it work.

‘I will take my chances,’ Madison slapped his hand away.  His eyes blazed with fury.  The foolish woman!  What the blazes was wrong with her?

‘You do not know him.  He is going to hurt you,’ Chadwick’s piercing fingers burnt into her shoulder.

Madison laughed, ‘and you will not?’  She turned away.  It was already hurting her that she would never be able to be with Chadwick.  She must get away from him.   She had made her bed, now she must literally lie in it.

Chadwick watched her turn and walk back the way she had started.  He angrily kicked at a plank in front of him.  He looked at his horses standing idle where the cart had crashed.    They were separated from the harness luckily without incurring any injury.  Thanks to his quick thinking, he had swerved the carriage so the side crashed against the tree, freeing his horses. 

          ‘Sarah,’ Madison exclaimed uncomfortably, seeing her cousin alight the carriage with her fiancé.  Viscount Anthony,’ Madison offered self-consciously.  Did she look ravaged?  Was her hair messed up?  Did her lips look thoroughly kissed?

‘Madison why is your button undone?’ Sarah questioned her cousin.

‘What?’ Madison quickly fastened the culprit button.

‘And where are you coming from, without your maid again?’  Sarah knew her cousin’s penchant to buck protocol and wander off on her own.

‘Oh, I just needed some fresh air,’ Madison waved her hand carelessly, avoiding Sarah’s face.  Not that she got much fresh air.  The air in the restrictive space between her face and Chadwick’s had been sparse and sizzling.  Neither of them had much need for oxygen when they were greedily feeding of each others’ desire.  Madison could still feel Chadwick’s heated lips over hers.  The nerve cells on her fingers still tingled from its intimate touch of his smooth face.

‘Madison!’ Sarah exclaimed.  Annoyed at her cousin’s mind constantly going off on a tangent.

‘My dear,’ Anthony smiled.  ‘Do stop badgering your cousin.   That is if you want her to invite us in.’