Chapter 43
“Iwant you,” Evan whispered against her lips.
“You have me,” she replied, looking up at him with her dark, trusting eyes. “We are getting married in the morning.”
“I know. But I want you tonight.” He pulled her closer to him, so she was pressed up against his body. “I am tired of waiting for you, Joanna. I want all of you.”
She giggled. “Tomorrow, my love. You can wait one more day.”
He sighed and rested his head on her shoulder.
One more day felt like an eternity to him.
Joanna had a way of making him feel impatient and reckless, despite his usual nature of being level-headed and rational.
“Fine,” he growled. “I can wait until tomorrow. But that doesn’t mean I will not have fun with you.
” He brushed a strand of loose hair out of her face.
“We are in the garden, and no one can see us, little mouse. Which means I can take what I please from you.”
A delighted shiver ran down her spine at those words, and he smirked in response. She looked up at him with a mischievous smile, only visible because of the moonlight. “And what does a bird of prey, like yourself, want from a little mouse like me?”
He chuckled. “I figured that would be obvious, sweetheart.” He pressed his index finger underneath her chin to raise her face to meet his own.
“I want to make your eyes glaze over with pleasure.” He pressed his lips firmly against hers before pulling away.
“On your knees, sweetheart. I believe I told you that I would teach you how to better take me, and I intend to make good on that promise.”
As Joanna knelt down, he could not help but glance in the direction of the manor, wondering which window belonged to her parents’ bedchambers. Despite all of his earlier talk about causing a scandal with her, he didn’t actually want to do anything to humiliate her.
Joanna seemed to read his mind. “Don’t worry,” she said. “They’re both sound asleep, and the curtains are closed. Even if they weren’t, they would not be able to see us when it’s so dark outside.”
“Good,” he whispered. He put his hand on the back of her head, gently entangling his fingers in her silky hair. “You are such a pretty sight, on your knees for me. Unlace my breeches.”
She reached up and slid her hands over the front of his breeches, feeling his bulge through the fabric. He sucked in a breath from her teasing. She giggled in response.
He tugged gently at her hair. “Enough of that,” he growled.
“But I want to have my fun too, my love.” The smile was evident in her voice, and the sound of it made him feel warm inside.
“You will have your fun, sweetheart. But you have to earn it. Now take it out and touch it.” His voice was commanding, and his tone would have been enough to make most of London’s society quake in terror, but Joanna merely huffed at him with amusement.
“As you wish, Your Grace.” She undid the laces of his breeches and reached inside to pull out his hard member. Just the feeling of her hand on his shaft was enough to make him inhale sharply. Her touch felt so good.
She stroked it gently a few times before tightening her grip slightly, and he groaned softly. “That’s it, sweetheart,” he said, gasping. “Touch it just like that.”
Her hand immediately dropped away from him, and he felt bereft from the absence of her touch. She looked up at him, smiling coyly. “I believe you were going to teach me how to better use my mouth, Your Grace.”
He growled softly. “Don’t toy with me, Joanna.”
She giggled. “You are to be my husband in the morning, Evan. I will do with you what I please, just like you do the same with me.”
Before he could reply, her mouth was on him. She licked the underside of his shaft, and he groaned in response as he gently put his hand on the back of her head. His fingers tangled in her hair. “Keep your eyes on me while you suck me,” he said softly. “I want to see you.”
She looked up at him, and even though he could not see much in the dim light, he could picture her warm, brown eyes looking up at him, full of trust and happiness. He would not have it any other way.
“Good girl,” he whispered to her. “Now open your mouth wider. Take me all the way in, as far as I can go.”
She took him farther into her mouth until the tip of his shaft reached the back of her throat. She coughed slightly and started to pull back, but he tightened his grip on the back of her head.
“It’s all right, sweetheart,” he grunted. “Focus on breathing through your nose for me. Deep breaths. That’s it. Good girl.”
She took deep breaths through her nose as she stayed frozen, with his shaft halfway in her mouth. He slowly pushed himself in more, only going a little at a time so she could get used to him. Soon, he was all the way inside her mouth, and she was practically swallowing him down.
He only held her there for a second or two, savoring the feeling of it, before he let her go.
She pulled back, gasping and coughing. “Heavens,” she said, wiping her mouth. “You are so big. It will be difficult getting used to that.” She looked up at him with a smile. “I think I will enjoy practicing until I can take you easily, however.”
Her words sent affection and arousal through him.
Affection because her innocent eagerness to please him was incredibly cute and beautiful.
Arousal because he could not help but think about all the nights to come, where she could ‘practice’ on him.
“You did so well for me,” he said, taking off his coat.
He laid it on the ground so it covered the cobblestone path in the garden. “Lie down on your back.”
She didn’t hesitate to crawl into the coat and lie down on her back. She smiled up at him. “Is this acceptable, Your Grace?”
“Of course, my love,” he said. “But what have I told you about calling me Your Grace when we are alone?”
“But it’s so much fun to tease you,” she said. “Especially when you get all commanding like this.”
He chuckled. “I know, my love. But I would much rather hear you say my name.” He settled himself between her legs and slowly slid her linen nightgown over her legs to expose her sex. “Of course, if I do my job right, then you will have no choice but to scream it to the high heavens.”
She shivered a little at that, which sent a rush of pleasure through him. He wanted to take her right then and there. He wanted to claim her completely, there on the ground. But he would respect her wishes and wait one more day.
He gently spread her legs further to fully expose her most intimate area. He palmed it with his hand. “You are already so wet for me,” he said. “You must have enjoyed taking me in your mouth.”
He teased her entrance with the tip of his finger, wishing to slip it inside of her, but holding back. Instead, he lowered himself down, so he was resting on his elbows, and he could smell her sweet scent. He licked her, and she cried out.
Evan chuckled. “Careful, sweetheart. Or you will wake up the neighbors.”
She muttered a very unladylike curse in response, which only amused him further.
He used his fingers to spread apart her lower lips, exposing the sensitive little bud.
He started to tease it with his tongue, licking it over and over while she squirmed in response.
Her whimpers and sighs were muffled. He glanced up to see that she had covered her mouth with her hand to keep quieter. Good girl.
He grabbed her hips, letting his fingernails sink into her skin just slightly as he licked her harder, tasting her like a starving man tasting food for the first time in weeks. Fuck, she was perfect.
Her entire body began to shake, and he knew she was on the verge of climaxing. Let go, my love. Give your pleasure to me.
She let out a shuddering, almost silent gasp as she climaxed. He licked up every trace of it, savoring her taste. They had only been together a precious handful of times, and he was already addicted to her.
Joanna was still trembling as he sat up. Gently, he gathered her in his arms, arranging her on his lap, before draping his coat over his shoulders. “Are you all right?” he asked. Perhaps it was too much, especially late at night, in the garden.
She must be chilled. Maybe she would even catch a cold from being out like this, with only a thin nightgown. He wondered if he would ever forgive himself if she were sick on her wedding day.
“I am perfectly well,” she said as she buried her face in his chest. “Do not fret over me.”
He chuckled. “I am going to be spending the rest of my life fretting over you. I suggest you accept that fact now.” He kissed the tip of her head. “Let’s get you inside. Thank you for meeting me one last time before tomorrow.”
She sighed and stood up before handing him back his coat and brushing herself off. “Will you be able to get home all right?”
He nodded. “My carriage is waiting for me a block away. Allow me to walk you to your door.”
She tucked her arm in his and rested her head against his shoulder as they walked out of the gardens.
Warmth spread through his chest from the casual touch.
As much as he enjoyed teasing her to the point of ecstasy, he liked these quiet moments more.
These moments were when they provided comfort for each other, just because they could.
There was some quiet beauty in it, and he could not believe he had been planning to deprive himself of those moments by staying a bachelor forever.
When they reached the front door, he looked around to make sure they were not being watched. But because it was so late, the streets were empty. He relaxed, knowing he didn’t expose her to a scandal again.
She turned to face him, and he touched her chin to raise her face to meet his.
He kissed her gently, wishing he could prolong this moment for an eternity before their lives changed forever.
But luckily, the practical side of him won out.
They both needed rest before the wedding, after all.
He pulled away. “Sleep well, sweetheart. I cannot wait until the morning.”
She smiled. “Neither can I, my love.”