Chapter Eight
Residual tremors fluttered through Diana’s body as she held the viscount’s gaze. “Why are you not seeing to my pleasure, Lord Holdcraft?” Even in this, she couldn’t resist teasing him, for he’d already done so much more for her—to her—than her husband had ever done in twenty-two years of marriage.
“My apologies. Let me rectify that post haste,” he said with heat and humor in his eyes.
When he reached for her, Diana uttered a soft squeal and darted toward one of the shelves and away from the grouping of furniture. “You’ll have to try harder than that.” Who knew carnal relations could be so whimsical or fun?
“Ah, is that how it’s going to be tonight, then?” With a grin of his own, he stalked her over the floor, chuckling when she retreated. “Why so skittish, my dove?”
The endearment gave her pause, but then she put it out of her mind.
“As I said, it’s very different from what I’ve known before.
” She shook her head, for with that look in his eyes and the way he prowled over the floor sent tingles of need through her lower belly.
“You are quite intense.” Then she let her gaze rove over his naked body, from the lean length of him, to his slightly ridged abdomen, to his rampantly erect member, he was every inch a rake of some account.
“Well, I’m hardly like Atterbury,” he scoffed.
“No, you are not. Thank goodness.” And she couldn’t wait to play with that thick shaft of his. With a giggle, Diana nodded as he stepped close to her, easily trapping her between his large body and the bookshelf. “I doubt any woman has bid you nay when sexual release is in the offing.”
“Perhaps, but there is only one woman I am interested in pleasing tonight.” He gently tugged her into his arms, and seconds later claimed her lips with his.
Despite her pinwheeling thoughts, Diana slid a hand up his chest to rest at his shoulder, and slowly, she gave herself into his care.
He was the first man to see her naked since her husband and he would be the first man she coupled with since him as well.
Did that show flawed logic, or merely carnal desperation, ever since he’d brought her to release with his mouth?
Not knowing, she shoved that thought away as well in favor of kissing him back.
Every nerve in her body felt alive and on edge.
The fires in her blood became molten rivers of need, and she gasped at the intensity of desire sparking between them.
With a sound that was both a moan and a cry, she looped her arms about his shoulders and clung to him without a shred of decency or decorum as she returned that embrace.
“You are quite the siren,” he whispered while taking her more comfortably in his arms and teasing her with intense kisses that hinted at exactly what he wished to do next.
“Such gammon, but I rather like the description. Perhaps I should do this more often with other men. You know, to compare skills.” It was far too easy to tease him.
“If you do while we’re conducting an affair, I can’t be held responsible for all the clocks I’ll clean for such trespasses.” He moved his hands up her back. “I want you so much, but I alternately wish to make this interlude last.”
She snorted. “If we are truly having an affair, that assumes we will do this many more times in the future.”
“Good thinking, and yes, we will definitely have more of this.”
“Mmm, I can’t wait.” Then her propriety fled, for she dragged her lips beneath the sharp line of his jaw, licked a path down the strong column of his throat merely to discover if it would drive him wild.
“Diana…” A groan issued from him as he drew his palms up her sides to cup her breasts. “Damn, but having you in my arms, naked and willing…” He shook his head. Seconds later, he nipped and nibbled the side of her neck. “My young man self is stunned by the audacity, yet rejoicing at the luck.”
The fact he’d had a crush on her years ago sent a wave of heat through her chest. “Well, let’s give that young man something to gawk at, hmm?”
“I rather think this session belongs to no one but you and me as we are now.” Nathaniel held her breasts, squeezed them, teased the nipples until she whimpered with anticipation. “Rather desperate, aren’t you?” he whispered, when she arched her back.
“Yes, of course I am, especially since you’ve already made me fall over the edge once tonight,” she said on the heels of a gasp while he continued to bedevil her breasts.
When he stimulated her nipples, intense sensations streaked from her breasts to her core.
“Please touch me, Nathaniel.” If that made her a wanton, then so be it.
Never in the whole of her marriage had she implored Atterbury for anything.
“Mmm, begging. I could get used to that,” he murmured and gave her nipples a quick pinch. When a sound that was a mix of a gasp and a moan escaped her, he chuckled. “I would love to hear you do more of that for many other things we have no time for, right now.”
“Something to look forward to, hmm?” she asked as she stared up into his face. “One of the rewards of having an affair?” Suddenly, she couldn’t wait to start.
Humor twinkled in his mossy eyes. “Absolutely.”
“It will mean you’ll need to give up all other women if you wish to have me.”
“I consider that more than a fair trade.”
“Cheeky.” Was he being truthful or saying that for her benefit? Did it matter in this moment? Diana’s head lolled onto her shoulder, for his attentions were quite potent. “Nathaniel…” A shiver racked her being while he continued to manipulate those aching buds.
“I know.” Quickly, he urged her arms above her head then caught her wrists in one hand and cupped a breast with the other as her back was pressed against the shelf of books.
He nibbled a path along the column of her throat, licked and nipped her breasts, teased her with his hot breath on her skin.
“There is so much I wish to do merely to see your reaction, hear the sounds you’ll make as I send you to the brink. ”
“Haven’t you already witnessed that tonight, as well as the first time you dared to touch me?”
“Yes, but there is so much more.”
“We have plenty of time.” She expelled a soft moan when he bedeviled her nipple with his tongue and teeth. “Please! I need you inside me.”
“Not just yet, I think, unless you can convince me quite handily.” With a wink, he released her wrists and then spread his arms wide. “Would you care to try?”
“Don’t be an arse, Holdcraft.” If she sounded more waspish than she should, it was because she didn’t like being denied, but she caught his head between her hands, pushed up onto her toes, and then kissed him as if she didn’t have any shame.
Perhaps she didn’t, and that didn’t matter either.
Already she would melt into a puddle at his feet if he didn’t hurry.
When it didn’t appear he was on the same level of desperation as her, Diana slipped a hand between them to cup his equipage, gave him a good squeeze and a bit of a fondle.
Oh, she wanted time to explore his bits. “I want you.”
“Damn it, woman. I’ll spend if you don’t leave off.” Desperation propelled the words from his throat, but he grinned as he pulled away.
One of her eyebrows rose in challenge. “Really? You cave after just one touch?”
“I’m nearly insane with desire for you. But there will be retribution for that.”
“So many promises, and from a rake, no less. Will you keep them, I wonder?”
“Do you doubt me?” Confusion briefly flickered in his eyes.
“Should I?” Not giving him a chance to answer, with a last caress to his hot, hard shaft, she once more put her hands on his shoulders. “Don’t waste time. I want you to claim me, show me why you’re so sought after within society for just this purpose.”
With an intensity that stole her ability to speak, Nathaniel pinned her between his hard chest and the shelf.
She felt the individual book spines against her skin, and it was quite a lovely sensation.
The kisses he treated her to were deep and drugging; he dueled with her tongue as they both fought through the flames in their blood and the clouds of desire to find common ground.
When he encouraged one of her legs upward, she hooked it over his hip and wrapped her arms about his strong, broad shoulders.
In this moment, in his embrace, there was an odd mix of security, contentment, and desire pressing upon her that hadn’t been present within her marriage.
Interesting that it came from this man. His eyes were dark with need, and his hands were at her buttocks holding her against the shelf as he set out to apparently devour her whole.
Diana forgot everything as she wriggled into a better position, clung to him while she kissed him back.
She shuddered as he fit his tip to her opening.
Her moan of satisfaction sounded overly loud to her ears, but he swallowed the remainder of the noise and at the same time, he flexed his hips, penetrated her swift and deep, to the hilt without stopping.
And it was like being given a gift she’d no idea was coming.
“Merciful heavens.” Awe threaded through her utterance, for this was every bit as satisfying as she’d hoped, and frankly, the worry of being discovered enhanced the act.
The viscount was large, thick, and he filled her so completely she wanted to cry from the perfection of that joining.
But her eyes shuttered closed as she savored the coupling, while the most delicious sensations bounced through her insides.
“Though I’m enjoying the hell out of this, I’m also angry that I was cheated of it for so many years. ”
“Then you have much to look forward to.” He moved, thrusting with short strokes, forcefully spearing into her, which set her blood on fire and each nerve ending tingling.
As best as she could, Diana matched his rhythm. Nathaniel continued to move, so she pulled him closer with her leg around his waist.