Chapter Eight #2
“I’ve had years to perfect the art.” He shrugged. “However, there are parts of me that couldn’t care less if the servants—or anyone else—wishes to gossip about me. Their tongues are never satisfied, and they move on to others faster than a bee to flowers.”
“I understand the sentiment all too well.” With a nod, she touched a finger to a porcelain shepherdess who had a lamb lying at her feet.
“Since I have fielded my fair share of gossip, I no longer care about it either. Sometimes, I even enjoy listening to the tales others have created about my when I’m holding up my place as a wallflower at various society events. ”
“How dismal.”
“What, that I detest gossip, and think those who engage in it have small minds?”
“Not at all. It’s dismal that you believe you are a wallflower and act like it when you are out in public.
” He drifted close enough to brush a curled finger along one of her cheeks.
“Dressed in the proper colors and perhaps with your hair dressed a tad more interesting, you would take a ball or rout by storm.”
“So you say.”
“So I know.” As he spoke, he lowered his head, but before his lips could touch hers, a footman bustled into the room with a silver tea service on a tray.
Charlotte sprang away from him as if he’d caught fire. She glanced at the tea service then at the young footman. “Thank you,” she murmured, then berated herself silently, for she wasn’t the lady of the house.
“Yes, thank you,” William responded. He followed the young man to the door. “Miss Primrose and I will be discussing our future. Such things are quite serious, and we won’t miss to be disturbed, at least for the next hour or so.”
“Of course, Your Grace.” The footman nodded.
Then the earl softly closed the door behind him and went further to turn the iron key in the lock.
The click of the mechanism echoed in the sudden silence that followed.
As soon as William faced her, he came toward her with prowling steps and a certain wicked gleam in his eyes that promised lovely things for her.
“I suddenly find myself hungry for something much more pleasurable than tea,” he said in a low voice as he hooked a hand around her nape and then dragged her against his body. “This should be quite fun.” Before she could respond, he lowered his head and kissed her.
And, oh, what a lovely kiss it was, too!
He moved gently over her lips, as if introducing himself to her all over again.
As she rested a hand upon his chest, curled her fingers into his lapel, a certain longing loosed deep inside her, and she wanted nothing more than to join with him like they’d done yesterday, but she suspected that wasn’t what this afternoon was for.
Wrenching away, William stared down at her, peered into her eyes. “Come with me.”
“Where?” Though she pouted, for they’d barely gotten started, she suspected more lovely things were in her immediate future.
“One of the sofas.” After grabbing her hand, the earl tugged her over to the closest one and then encouraged her to sit.
Quickly, he settled beside her and gently pressed her backward until her head rested comfortably against a bolstered end.
He stretched out beside her with his back to the high side of that piece of furniture.
“God, I want to do unspeakable things to you,” he whispered as he smoothed his hand up her side, tracing each of her ribs as he went.
Tingles raced down her spine to lodge between her thighs. “There is nothing stopping you.” How bold she’d grown since meeting him. What would her parents and sisters think if—when—they found out?
He silenced further explanation by pressing his lips to hers in an exquisite long and drugging. Perhaps he wished to show her how much he desired her; perhaps not, but she didn’t care, for whenever he kissed her, she ceased to be her dull self and could fully imagine someone better.
When he let her up for air, Charlotte shivered.
She cupped his cheek with one hand. The whiskers there tickled her palm and enhanced the need already circling restlessly through her core.
At his lifted eyebrow, she nodded her permission.
He kissed her, again, explored her mouth, her lips, and the scent of him nearly drove her out of her mind.
Never would she have enough of this soft but firm lips that sent her world tilting when he smiled, unguarded.
In those moments when he forgot to hide his true self, she had a glimpse into what he could be.
Would he join with her this afternoon if she asked?
Pressed as he was against her, his hardened length twitched against her hip.
How much did she want to explore that member?
She shifted, rolled onto her back, and he grunted his apparent thanks, for he deepened the kiss.
When he licked the seam of her lips, she opened, letting him in.
He found her tongue with his, darting and retreating, and she dueled with him, satin sliding against silk.
Her moan twined with his, and she clung to his shoulders, wishing to keep him closer.
“Oh, you make me feel so good…”
“And this is just the beginning.” William nuzzled the spot where her shoulder met her neck, and when she sighed, he grinned against her skin.
“So responsive. That’s a good sign.” As he dragged his lips up the side of her throat, he danced his fingers along the edge of her bodice.
When her breathing accelerated, he chuckled.
“I think I’d like to go exploring.” He dipped a finger beneath the fabric, and then as he held her gaze, one by one he undid the buttons on the front of her cotton day dress of robin’s egg blue. “This hue is lovely against your skin.”
“Thank you.” She furrowed her fingers through his hair, applied the slightest bit of pressure on his nape to guide him closer. “Why are you dragging this out?” Her words trailed off as he tugged down the fine bleached muslin of her petticoat as well as the sateen of her shift.
“Because it enhances the pleasure you’ll receive.
” Once her breasts were bared, he dipped his head, closed his lips over one of those sensitized buds.
As he sucked her nipple into the warm cavern of his mouth, she moaned.
How could she not while he worried it with his tongue and lips in an effort to discover how she enjoyed being teased?
“Oh!” The little squeak surprised her. “I like that. Sometimes I touch my nipples at night when I have a particular needful feeling.” Why had she admitted that to this man? He would no doubt think her pathetic.
“There is nothing wrong with self-exploration. And your breasts are quite exquisite,” he whispered, rolling the other nipple between his thumb and forefinger.
“These breasts, these lovely pink nipples… they’re perfect with the smattering of freckles, and only a nodcock wouldn’t wish to worship them. ”
“So charming.” Yet she couldn’t concentrate on the conversation, not when his teasing of her nipples caused her back to arch, which only put those globes more firmly into his keeping.
“Only the truth. You would have been a popular subject for Renaissance painters.”
“Because I’m what society deems pleasantly plump?”
“No, because you have natural beauty.”
“Rogue.” Her eyes shuttered closed, and she sighed. “Merciful heavens, I’m going to break.”
“Good.” When he continued to worry a nipple with his tongue and teeth, she bit her bottom lip.
Thoughts flooded her mind. With regret, she went still in his hold.
William slid his hand down the length of her body.
Dear heavens, she wanted—no needed—so much more from him, but was her mother correct when she said women who enjoyed such activities were no better than prostitutes?
“Stay with me, Charlotte.” He rucked up her skirts and then his fingers slipped over the soft swell of her stomach and flitted through the feminine curls at the apex of her thighs. “Gorgeous.”
“I…” Confused, she lay motionless, her limbs still, her muscles tense. “This is wrong, I think.”
“What? Why?” He peered down at her with a frown tugging at the corners of his sensual mouth. “Are you not enjoying this? I assumed you wanted me to…” A trace of ruddy color crept above his loosened cravat and collar. “I won’t touch you further if that is what you wish.”
“No, I do, but…”
“Then it’s my hands on you that you don’t like?”
“Absolutely no.” Charlottle shook her head. Her chest ached. “My mother always told us girls that if we acted like harlots, men would treat us as such. I…” Her voice broke. “I couldn’t bear it if that is what you think of me, and that is what you’ll use me as.”
“Fuck that. Such gammon.” He put a palm against her cheek, forcing her to meet his gaze. “Parents put their own fears and preconceptions onto their children, which damage them before they can make up their own minds. It’s maddening, and it’s also simply not true.”
“Why?”
“There is nothing wrong with coming together sexually. Harlot or not, it is an act meant to tease and tantalize, soothe and calm, at times offer solace and relief,” he whispered with a grin.
“Foreplay, as well as intercourse, is meant to be enjoyed by both parties, not merely the male.” He dropped a kiss upon her lips.
“Finding pleasure in what I’m doing to you is not bad, and I’ll never look at you differently, nor will I treat you as a prostitute. ”
“Truly?” Even she heard the hope in that one-word inquiry.
“Yes.” He nodded. “From here on out, you are my fiancée and mine to protect. No matter what. No matter how our engagement came about.”
She gawked at him. “Then you mean to go through with it? The engagement, that is? You aren’t angry any longer?”