Chapter 6 #2
A dark, fiery lust lit his eyes. “Don’t tempt me if you don’t mean to.”
Ellis put her hands on his chest. “I will never say something to you I don’t mean.”
Keele’s mouth captured hers. Ellis slid her hands up his chest and around his neck, where she clutched his nape. She stood on her toes and kissed him with an urgent desire she’d never before experienced.
He grasped her waist and held her against him as he parted his lips against hers.
She did the same and touched her tongue to his.
With a tortured groan, he accepted her invitation to deepen the kiss.
She dug her fingers into his flesh as he moved his hands down over her backside, cupping her and bringing her flush to his groin.
Kissing in men’s clothing allowed her to feel far more than the layers of a woman’s garments did. Ellis was keenly aware of his erection. A desperate ache bloomed in her sex.
She was also annoyingly conscious of her facial hair, and the impediment it caused to kissing. She did not like the feel of it between them and could only imagine what Keele thought of the nuisance.
He brought one hand around her waist and slid it up beneath her coat to cup her breast. Only they were flattened because she bound them beneath her corset before dressing as a man. Keele lifted his head briefly. “Well, that is disappointing.”
“Quite,” Ellis agreed.
Keele continued his ascent and cupped her neck, which forced her to move her arm down. She mimicked him and slipped her hand between his coat and waistcoat, pressing her palm against his ribs as he ravaged her mouth with an onslaught of deepening kisses.
She dug her fingertips into him again, eager for more. Soft whimpers escaped her between kisses. He slid his hand from her backside to the back of her thigh and applied pressure for her to lift her leg. As soon as she did, he clasped the space just above her knee and brought her leg around his hip.
Ellis gasped into his mouth as her sex became more accessible. He held her against him as he thrust his hips forward. A thrilling ecstasy shot through her, and she didn’t think it would take much effort for her to fully climax.
Keele dragged his mouth from hers and kissed over her beard to her throat, where his thumb rested against her pulse.
“I’m sorry about the hair,” she murmured.
“I don’t care about it. I assume you have hair down below, and I believe I’ll quite enjoy kissing that area.” He snagged his teeth on her earlobe.
A rush of heat made her sex throb. “We can’t do this here,” Ellis rasped. Though she was powerless to stop him. She wanted to tear off their clothing and beg him to kiss her everywhere.
“I know. Just one more minute.” He lifted his head and kissed her again, thrusting his tongue into her mouth as he caressed her thigh. His hand moved higher, and she kept her leg wrapped around him. Her breath caught when his fingers pressed against her sex.
A distant sound broke into Ellis’s fevered state. Was that the door?
“What are you doing?”
Roman withdrew his hand from between Ellis’s thighs at the same moment she slid her leg from his hip. He lifted his head and stood back from her, painfully aware that the outline of his hardened cock was likely unmistakable if anyone looked at his groin.
Margot stood in the doorway, gaping at them.
Ellis put her hand to her mouth as her face flushed scarlet. She angled herself away from Margot.
“Come in and close the door,” Roman said, his voice gruff as he worked to quell his lust.
Margot did as he asked, quickly closing the door and standing in front of it. “Well, this makes the reason for my visit much easier.”
Roman moved to stand behind his desk. It didn’t cover his erection, but moving helped pull him from his impassioned state. “What’s that?”
“I came to talk with you about our engagement,” Margot said primly.
Ellis darted her gaze to Roman. “You’re betrothed?” She sounded shocked and perhaps even angry. He noted that she did not bother to disguise her voice.
“Not yet,” Margot replied. “And not ever, I hope, particularly after what I’ve just witnessed.”
“Let me explain,” Roman said.
Margot held up her hand. “There’s no need.
I’m actually relieved it appears you have other interests.
” She stared at him, her eyes rounding slightly.
“Is that why you were hoping for a marriage of convenience with me? Because you don’t care for women, and that is the only kind of marriage you can have? ”
“I am not a man.” Ellis exhaled as she briefly closed her eyes.
Roman was surprised Ellis had so quickly revealed herself to Margot.
Although Roman wasn’t sure how else he would have convinced Margot that she’d misread the situation.
But had she? Though Ellis wasn’t a man, she was someone to whom he was clearly attracted.
That seemed to also support a marriage of convenience, or at least a marriage that wasn’t destined to be a love match or perhaps even happy.
Roman would never do such a thing, since that was precisely what Clarissa had done.
Margot’s brow creased. “You aren’t—”
“Look closely,” Roman said. “The disguise is good, but it’s not perfect.”
Margot stepped toward Ellis and narrowed her eyes slightly as she scrutinized Ellis’ face. After a moment, she gasped. “You are a woman. Why are you dressed as a man?”
“Because I wanted to work as a secretary,” Ellis replied wryly.
“Why?” Margot blinked at her in disbelief.
“I needed employment, and I thought I would be good at this.”
“She’s an exceptional secretary,” Roman declared. “I expect you to keep her secret, as I don’t want to lose her.”
“Just because she’s an exceptional secretary?” Margot asked dubiously.
“What you witnessed was a regrettable lapse in judgment,” Ellis said.
“Please try to put it from your mind. I know I’m going to.
” She did not look at Roman, and he couldn’t help feeling incredibly slighted.
He didn’t regret their kissing one bit. But he supposed she was right that it had been a lapse in judgment since they were in his office in the middle of the afternoon.
The door had been closed but not locked.
Still, Roman hadn’t thought anyone would just walk in without knocking.
Margot nodded. “I will happily do that.” She cocked her head. “Why can’t you just be a woman since Keele doesn’t seem to mind and is quite happy with your performance?”
“I don’t wish my true identity to be known,” Ellis replied. “I am…hiding from my family. I can’t explain why.”
“You poor thing,” Margot said, instantly sympathetic. “Your reasons must be truly terrible if you’ve taken such drastic measures.”
“You must tell no one about Ellis,” Roman repeated.
Margot pressed her hand to her heart. “I promise I will not.”
Roman crossed his arms over his chest, relieved that his lust had cooled and his pelvic area was no longer an embarrassment. “What was the purpose in coming to speak with me about our potential engagement?”
“I came to tell you I don’t wish to marry you.
It’s nothing to do with you,” Margot said diplomatically.
“I actually like you very much, but I honestly think of you in more of a brotherly sense because you were married to my sister.” She wrinkled her nose faintly as she referred to him as a sibling.
“That is understandable. I confess I typically think of you in the same way and wondered if that would be an obstacle for us.” Roman was surprised at the surfeit of relief he felt.
Margot’s dark blue eyes sparkled with a hint of mischief. “There’s also the fact that I am already in love with someone else.” Her face beamed with joy, and Roman felt a small stab of envy. He didn’t think he’d ever known that kind of happiness and never expected to.
Roman was also keenly aware that her sister had been in the same situation—already in love with someone else. Only Clarissa hadn’t told Roman. She’d gone through with their marriage anyway. Roman gave Margot a great deal of credit.
“Who is the lucky gentleman?” he asked.
“You may be surprised to learn it’s Oliver Pritchard, the librarian at our Oxford branch.”
“That is quite surprising.” Roman wondered how they even knew one another. “I imagine you will be equally surprised to learn that your father wants to bring Pritchard to London and have him oversee the New Bond Street branch.”
Margot gasped again, but this time with excitement. “That would be wonderful! I was hoping for a way he could move to London and continue to work for Lacey and Company so that we could live here after we are wed.”
“I think you’re getting ahead of yourself,” Roman said evenly.
“You’re going to have to convince your parents that Pritchard is a worthy husband.
” They’d been very clear about wanting both their daughters to marry titles if possible.
Whilst Pritchard was the third son of a baron, he had little possibility of inheriting as his older brothers already had offspring.
Roman wasn’t aware of his having any sort of measurable wealth, either.
“I know.” Margot clasped her hands and twisted them. “I’ve been nervous about telling my parents.”
“How do you even know Pritchard?” Roman asked.
A faint grimace creased Margot’s brow. “We’ve been secretly writing to one another for several months.”
“Is that why his letters to you come here?” Ellis asked.
Margot’s eyes rounded briefly with surprise. “You noticed that?”
“It’s hard not to when I receive one every other day,” she replied with a smile.
“I was not aware of this,” Roman said, trying not to scowl. He would speak to Ellis about informing him of any odd correspondence patterns. And why? Was there anything wrong with Pritchard and Margot writing to one another?
Ellis shrugged. “I found it curious but not notable. Now it makes sense.”