Chapter Seventeen #2
“Right here on the floor?”
“Why not?”
“Well, I am an old man.” Though she made him feels years younger.
“There is that.” With a laugh, she stood and brought him up with her.
“Then the bed it is.” She slipped a hand behind his neck and tugged him closer.
“I want you, William. When I thought you were dead, when I assumed Francine would win…” A shiver racked her body and brought his attention once more to the hard tips of her nipples visible through the thin cotton of her shift.
“I need reassurance, something to chase away my fears, to show me all will be well.”
“Understandable.” It was insane how much he wanted her. “Almost being murdered by a madwoman puts everything into perspective.” His fingers were in her hair, plucking out the few pins. When her tresses fell down her back, he tangled his digits in that soft waterfall and sighed. “So gorgeous.”
And she was his. Somehow, he’d won her, and he still wasn’t certain how. I hope I’ll always prove worthy of you.
“Rogue.” With the same enthusiasm she’d shown for everything up until this point, she helped him strip down to his breeches.
With each touch, his stomach muscles clenched.
He forgot his aches and pains. “Make love to me. Right here, right now. Give me the freedom to explore your body, mark you as mine.”
How the devil did she plan to do that? “Are you a vampire, then?” Though it was a joke, there was a nervous edge to his chuckle.
“No, but I want you to understand that since we’re moving forward with this engagement—truly—you are not to dally with any other woman.”
“How could I when you are everything I want?” Was this who he was now, a man who spoke the truth?
Her eyelashes fluttered, and that mouth prone to pouting curved with a soft smile. “Do you promise?”
“For as many times as you need it.” Gently removing her spectacles, he tossed them to the side of the bed. Then he claimed her lips in a barely-there kiss he hoped would form an unbreakable vow. Once he pulled away, he grinned. “On the bed with you, woman.”
“Mmm, I rather like you being forceful,” she said, as she perched on the edge of the bed.
“Dangerous words, sweeting.” He couldn’t help but tease her, and when that still wasn’t enough, he tugged at the hem of her shift. “Let’s have this off, shall we?”
“Absolutely.” Charlotte removed the last piece of clothing that prevented him from seeing her form, and when it fell to the floor, he gawked at her like a green youth.
She sat there with her legs slightly parted and heat in her eyes behind the spectacles’ lenses.
It was a powerful aphrodisiac. “Your turn.” As she spoke, she slid her gaze down his body.
“It looks like you are in great need.” And she reached for the waist of his breeches, but he moved away.
“Ah, Charlotte. I have missed you.” She wasn’t merely a lovely bedmate; she was the perfect companion for everything life would bring. He fell to his knees before her. “I’m not strong enough to resist you.”
“Then don’t.” She opened her legs a bit wider while briefly biting her full bottom lip. “Show me your regard. Make me scream.”
Holy fuck! This blatant teasing tightened his shaft and had need tingling through his stones. “I rather think you’ll need to restrain yourself. Scarborough and his wife are still in residence, as well as my physician.”
“Spoilsport, but shouldn’t they suspect this result?”
“I would have no idea.”
She snorted. “Are you certain I’m good enough to be your countess?” she asked in a choked voice as he raked his gaze up and down her person.
“So much. You have no idea.” He pressed a kiss to one of her knees.
“You have turned my world upside down and changed my outlook on many things, and everything will be better with you in the mix.” He placed a kiss on the opposite knee.
“Do you know how freeing that is but frightening at the same time? Far too long I’ve been on my own.
” Despite being so aroused and hard he could drill through the wall, vulnerability slipped in.
“What if you find me disappointing? What if I’m not able to be the husband you need? ”
“Stop that. No one is perfect.” Charlotte kissed his lips, caressed a hand through his hair. “I didn’t fall in love with an ideal, William. I fell for you, flaws, past, potential, and all. As I hope you did for me.”
The words along with her intent humbled the hell out of him.
Not knowing how to respond, he caressed first one of her legs and then the other, grinning as she shivered.
When he drew his fingertips up the inside of those limbs, skimmed his touch along the sensitive skin of her inner thighs, a moan escaped her, prompting a chuckle.
“I’m so damned fortunate.” Perhaps that was the key to surviving life.
“Yes, you are.”
“Such a tart mouth today.” Wanting her to fall beneath his spell, he played with her pebbled nipples, gave each one a light pinch, then returned to bedevil her legs and thighs all over again.
Then, because he could, he encouraged her legs parted wider.
With a wink, he buried his face between them and ran his tongue along her heated folds.
“Mmm.” Charlotte squirmed from his attention. She reclined back onto her elbows, which gave him greater access.
And he enjoyed every moment tasting her.
Perhaps she was already primed, or that hidden pearl was highly sensitive, but it took next to no time before she fell over the edge. Her fingers in his hair tightened, pulling as she rode what appeared to be a gentle wave of release. A moan left her throat and she shivered.
“That was lovely.”
Seeing the glaze of passion and the slight sheen of perspiration on her upper lip enhanced his own need. “Only lovely? You didn’t scream. I’ll have to do better, hmm?”
“Can you?” One of her delicate eyebrows rose in challenge.
Was it any wonder why he adored her? With a growl, William kissed his way up her body as he scrambled to his feet.
Every inch of skin he covered with kisses or licks or gentle nibbles depending on his whim, and when he finished exploring her with his mouth, he did it all over again with his fingers.
The curves she despised were exactly what made her so irresistible.
“You will drive me insane with this pace,” she whispered and clutched at his shoulders in the attempt to bring him fully over her body.
“That is quite the point.”
“Then come onto the bed. Let me guide this coupling while you are still healing so you won’t overtax yourself.”
“Managing baggage,” he said on the heels of a grin, but he did as she dictated. As soon as he planted his arse on the mattress, she pounced.
Buttons on his front falls slipped from their holes.
“If things need doing, then yes. If you need encouragement, then yes. But I will not drag you around as if you have a ring in your nose. We are our own people.” With a few tugs at his breeches, she had the garment down his hips.
Another couple had the clothing off his legs then a heap on the floor.
“This is a partnership, which means we are equals. If you are high and I’m low, I’ll lean on your strength. Then we’ll switch if needed.”
“I don’t deserve you.” He reached for her, and she willingly came over him to straddle his lap.
“On the contrary, you deserve every good thing. It’s fortunate, though, that I’m here, for a woman weaker than me would be frightened of all you represent.” She rested on her knees, caressing her hands down his back in the process.
“And you aren’t?”
“No, I’m excited to see how we will grow together, to discover what we will accomplish. As your countess, I’ll have much more reach and authority than I do as merely me, and I want to do good with that.”
“I don’t doubt you’ll turn London on its head.” Being with her was like coming home, with a welcome like he’d never had before. He took one of her nipples into his mouth.
“Oh!” She squirmed beneath him. “More of that,” she panted and held him close with a hand at his nape. “Much more of that.”
“So needy.” When he switched his attention to her other breast and she cried out, sharp desire surged through his hardened shaft.
“Can you blame me? I haven’t had nearly enough of you yet, and I feel as if I’m welcoming you back from the dead.” As she leaned backward, his erect member brushed against her arse. “No more talking or teasing. Show me that we aren’t making a horrific mistake.”
“Do you feel we are?” He frowned with his lips at her collarbones.
“No, but I want you to be certain as well. After everything.”
Fair enough. “Don’t worry, sweeting. Out of everything I have ever done, there are no doubts surrounding us—together.” Then he nipped and nibbled the skin of her torso, her breasts, her neck, her shoulders. “So soft, so beautiful.” It wouldn’t be long before he completely lost himself in her.
“So delusional, Wolcott,” she said with humor in her voice but adoration in her eyes. She wriggled, obviously hoping he would get on with it. “I want someone who will kiss me like it’s the only thing keeping him alive. Someone who will push me to do better.” Her chin trembled. “Are you that man?”
He stared into her eyes, stilling his fingers on her breast. “I am.” There was no more doubt.
“Good.” She tugged his head down and kissed him, teased his mouth open, chased his tongue with hers until they were both panting hard.