And he’d thought Nicholas was trouble.
An hour later Timmy and his mother enjoyed a lengthy reunion. There were tears and embraces and profuse expressions of gratitude.
Jack sat in the carriage and scowled while Maddie hugged Timmy and his mother at least a dozen times. He’d tried to urge her to hurry the reunion along, but she ignored him. Finally, he pulled her into his lap, waved good-bye, and closed the carriage door.
“Jack!” Maddie said, the worry line he’d like to banish appearing between her brows. “That was rude.”
“You think it would have been better if I’d done this in front of little Timmy?” And he bent and took her mouth with his. When he pulled back, she was breathless. “More? Or are you still worried about Timmy?”
She pulled his head down. “I’m sure Timmy’s fine. Kiss me again.”
He did, then traced his lips along her jawline to the soft spot on her neck, just below her ear.
“You drive me mad,” she whispered.
He knew the feeling. She was driving him mad, and not just with her wriggling body. He’d known she was a do-gooder, but he hadn’t anticipated it would go this far. Bears, lost children, he was afraid to ask what was next.
Suddenly, she jumped back. “Jack, I forgot about Dover. You found out about him?”
He nodded and opened his mouth to tell her, but she was shaking her head.
“I cannot believe I forgot about him. I’m a horrible person.”
“He’s not dead, Maddie.”
“He’s lucky not to have married me, God rest his soul. He’s—Wait, he’s not dead?”
Jack shook his head and tried not to smile. He’d never met anyone who cared so much about everything and everyone. One minute a bear. The next a lost boy. “Dover is fine. Several people told me that your father only grazed the professor’s shoulder. He was up and walking around before we’d even left Carlisle.”
“But where is he now?” Maddie asked. “Is he still in Carlisle? Should we offer to take him back to Town?”
Jack didn’t know where the hell Dover was, and he didn’t really want to find out. He certainly wasn’t having Maddie’s former fiancé sharing his carriage—not when he wanted Maddie all to himself. “Maddie,” Jack said, drawing her back to him and kissing her again. “Dover is fine. He can take care of himself.”
“But, Jack—”
“Forget him.” He nuzzled her neck and pushed her gown off her shoulders. He kissed the soft skin there.
“I can’t,” she whispered.
Jack slipped his hand in her gown and kneaded her breast, taking the hard nipple between thumb and forefinger. She arched against him, and Jack murmured, “Forget him.”
Pressing her body closer, she moaned. “Maybe just for a little while.”
Chapter Sixteen
It turned out to be quite a long while, as Maddie didn’t think about Dover again for several hours. Making love in a coach had been fun, exhilarating, and, she was certain, most improper— even for a married woman. But Jack had ignored her admittedly weak protests. And, as usual, she had to acknowledge that when Jack wanted something, he usually got it.
That worried her somewhat. Her husband was even bossier now than he’d been before. She decided it was probably because they were newly married and that it was understandable that a new husband would feel protective of his new bride.
They stopped for the night in a small town with a pretty name that immediately flew out of Maddie’s head. She was so hungry and so tired and so ready for a bath that nothing else mattered.
Well, except for Blackjack. She waited to be certain that the bear was settled comfortably and had been given food and water. One of the outriders was engaged to keep watch over the bear all night, and only after Maddie had spoken to the youth herself did she feel confident enough to go up to her room.
And Jack.
Earlier, he’d followed her so closely that he’d all but stepped on her toes, until she’d finally convinced him to go upstairs and take a bath. He had, but he’d engaged the other outrider to shadow her. Now, Maddie waved the boy away and paused outside her bedroom. Hearing the unmistakable sound of water sloshing against a tub, she took a deep breath.
She hadn’t forgotten how wonderful Jack looked that first morning of their marriage. Even now, just thinking about all that bronze skin and those hard muscles made her stomach tighten and the spot between her legs feel damp.
