Chapter Eleven #3
He was turning it so she could see its pearly interior dancing with rainbow lights in the sun, and she dutifully admired it. But really, she was transfixed by the way in which he was examining the intricacies of the shell, fingering the delicate curves and indents.
He had fine hands; she had always been aware of that.
They were long-fingered and powerful enough to crush the shell, but he held it with something that was almost tenderness, and she was fascinated.
Her gaze strayed to his profile, the very definition of nobility and strength, except for those soft lips…
‘My lord?’
‘Please,’ he said quietly, ‘call me Dan. Have you a question for me?’
‘Not a question, but there is something I must say. I have heard that Cecily is very beautiful. You must understand that I would not have blamed you if you had returned to her.’
It was as if a shadow had darkened his features. ‘Tell me this,’ he said. ‘Tell me truthfully, because I would like to know the answer. How in God’s name could I have been tempted by her, when you must realise by now that all I can think of is you?’
The waves curled closer, making a purring sound as they rolled up the beach and sucked at the pebbles as they withdrew.
The breeze was warm and soft, but not as warm and soft as the palms of his hands when he tilted her face up to his and said, ‘I was only away for one night. But I missed you, Kate. Badly.’
He kissed her, a gentle kiss at first, lightly on her lips.
But then—then, he clasped around her waist, holding her close so that his hips were pressed against her abdomen and she could feel the rigid proof of his desire.
He kissed her again more insistently this time, with his tongue teasing and probing in that way that thrilled her whole being.
Her brain tried to hold on to sanity. It was happening again, and it was wrong.
Men did not desire her, and anyway, all she wanted was to live a life that was independent and free!
But what had happened? This man had happened, that was what, and he was kissing her, needing her.
His tongue was ravishing her mouth, her breasts were tingling and a low and insistent ache throbbed in her belly.
Cold reality, in the form of a foam-tipped wave curling around her toes, brought her back to her senses. ‘My shoes!’ She was half laughing, half gasping. ‘They are soaked!’
He looked down at the now-retreating wave that had left its salt water mark on his riding boots and he laughed too, saying, ‘Do you know, I believe I’ve entirely changed my mind about this place. I love Brighton. I love the sea.’
Another wave was sweeping in and he clutched her hand, pulling her further up the beach. She was out of breath but still smiling. ‘So do I. In fact, I would love to be a mermaid, but I suspect that at the moment I look more like a stranded fish.’
‘Never,’ he said. ‘Never.’ Once more there was that expression on his face that sent a bone-deep longing surging through her, a longing that physically hurt.
Then he seemed to shake himself a little, and after looking round he said, ‘You are soaked, Kate. Not just your shoes, but your skirt as well. We must try and get you dry. Come.’
Swiftly he took her hand and led the way to where some abandoned bathing cabins, with paint peeling off their sagging walls, were huddled like shipwrecks out of sight of the main beach.
Still holding her hand, he kicked aside the canvas door to one and went inside, helping her to sit on the wooden bench in there before stooping to examine her soaked skirt and her shoes.
‘You’re cold,’ he said. ‘Here, take this.’
Already he was shrugging off his heavy riding coat and was about to put it around her shoulders, but she shook her head and rose to her feet, pushing his coat aside.
She was smiling, but there was a catch in her voice as she said, ‘Do you honestly think I care about my clothes? Please, Dan—will you kiss me again?’
He kissed her.
It was a hungry kiss, a desperate kiss, there in the shadowy confines of the little wooden bathing cabin.
A kiss that at first was all hands and lips and the taste of salt on one another’s skin.
She ran her palms over those shoulders that were so broad and muscular, feeling the heat of his body through his thin shirt, and because it was unbuttoned at the top, she reached to feel the rhythm of his thudding pulse at the base of his throat.
At her touch he groaned and pulled her closer.
She loved the scent of him. He wore his usual cologne, spicy and fragrant, but now it was mingled with the smell of the sea and a musky hint of sheer maleness.
He kissed her again, then he set her away from him and her spirits sank—but it was only so he could kiss her throat, moving his mouth down to the uncovered upper curve of her breasts, letting his tongue trail across the sensitive flesh.
Then his hands were cupping her there, his thumbs were moving across her nipples and she felt them harden into tiny peaks of utter desire.
Desperately she arched herself closer to him, clinging to his firm back because his touch was unsteadying her, melting her to the point where nothing existed except this man.
She wanted him to kiss her again and he did, fiercely now, until the throbbing torment that possessed her warned her she wanted far more than his kisses.
‘Dan?’ Her voice seemed scarcely recognisable. ‘Dan, please…’
Since the bitter experiences of her Season, her belief that marriage was not for her had never been challenged.
She had felt no temptation to change her mind.
But with Dan, everything was different. She understood at last what women whispered about and longed for.
His kisses, his caresses, his obvious and urgent need for her, were like fireworks, fizzing through her bloodstream to set up a sensual onslaught on her most vulnerable places, making her want something she had never dreamed she could desire so badly.
Oh God, this was dangerous, and the most dangerous thing of all was that she just didn’t care what the consequences might be.
She didn’t care, and she welcomed the way that he was lowering her to that wooden bench again, with his coat spread across it so it cushioned her.
She loved it as he knelt at her side, pressed his lips once more to hers, then eased one strong hand under her skirts and stroked his way up to the cleft between her thighs.
She was lost. A delicious surge of heat was warming her blood and melting her insides.
She knew she should feel embarrassed, should protest perhaps, as a lady ought to, but she wasn’t a young debutante anymore, and this was Dan.
She closed her eyes, revelling in the delicious languor that was stealing through her and instinctively rising to meet him as his clever fingers stole up and down that slick, most secret part of her, creating a delight so intense that she stopped thinking altogether.
He had found the very heart of her, where he was probing gently but wickedly with his fingers, and then—then his mouth was somehow on one exposed breast and he was sucking at it.
A piercing rush of need flooded her body. It was so exquisite it was almost unbearable, only suddenly it wasn’t, because sharp, soft waves of indescribable pleasure were washing over her, and she heard herself crying out his name as he steadily caressed her into ecstasy.
Through it all she clung to him as if she were drowning. She felt herself trembling even as the pleasure slowly receded, like the waves on the beach, but leaving her changed for ever.
Slowly she opened her eyes and looked up to see that his hooded gaze was unreadable.
She was still in his arms, still dizzy from that unspeakable delight, but what was he thinking?
And what about his own desires? Surely he too required some form of release?
She longed to kiss him back and give him pleasure too, but she didn’t know where to begin or what to say.
Then all of a sudden, the peace was shattered by a muffled clamour that was growing nearer and nearer.
She sat up abruptly because she could hear the sound of bells tinkling and children shouting in glee, together with a strange braying noise. Dan was on his feet. ‘What the hell is that din?’
‘I know that sound. It’s the donkeys that the children love to ride!’ Kate couldn’t help it, she wanted to giggle. ‘I never realised they came this far along the beach.’
Dan had gone to peer out through the rickety canvas door. ‘Good God, you’re right. There are donkeys, at least a dozen of them, and they’re heading this way. We must get out of here.’
She was already smoothing down her frock and trying to tidy her hair ‘If we meet anyone, I hope to goodness nobody notices how damp my skirt and shoes are. And… Oh, heavens!’
She had just realised that her bodice was unlaced, revealing far too much of her breasts where he had kissed her.
Where he had— Really, Kate? She felt that secret little smile return to her lips, with the slow heat of remembered desire.
Especially when the man who had awakened her to such pleasure drew closer to her so she could see his smile too as he reached to deftly lace her up again, but let his fingers caress her there just one more time.
‘Delectable,’ he said softly. ‘Quite delectable. You look very pink and very pretty, Miss Kate Summerby. But we need to get away from here and we mustn’t be seen together.
If you meet anyone you know, you shall have to pretend your high colour is because of the fresh sea air.
Now, you must go first and I’ll make my escape a few minutes afterwards. ’
She reached up to touch his cheek. ‘Dan. Before we leave here, I just want you to know I don’t regret this, and never will. Any of it.’
He nodded and pressed her hand swiftly to his lips. ‘We’ll get a chance to talk soon, I promise. But right now, we need to get away from here and we mustn’t be seen together. You must leave first and set off back towards the crowds.’
She left the cabin to head along the beach, but there was no avoiding the donkeys and their riders, followed by several anxious parents. Trying to ignore them, she walked on steadily. But suddenly she heard a child call out excitedly, ‘Look! Look, everyone! It’s Aunt Kate!’