A Dash of Scandal(91)

He returned her smile. “I’ve never had a lady pursue me quite like you did tonight.”

“You’ve never had reason to. You’ve always been the one in pursuit.”

“I fear I didn’t know what I was missing or surely I would have been much easier to catch.”

She laughed softly as she looked up into his handsome face. “Well then, you should thank me for awakening you to such wonderful delights.”

His long, dark lashes hooded his eyes attractively. He said, “Indeed, Miss Blair. Thank you.”

“Would what we just shared have been different if you had planned it?” she asked.

He nuzzled her hair a little and kissed her cheek. “A little perhaps.”

“In what way?”

“More words, more caresses, more time.”

She smiled at him. “A bed?”

He groaned and adjusted his arms, which were holding up most of his weight. “Most assuredly a bed.”

“Would all those things have made what we shared better?”

His gaze locked on hers instantly, piercing her. “It was the best for me. Nothing could have made it better.”

Millicent’s heart grew in her chest and she smiled again. He couldn’t have said anything that would have pleased her more. “Thank you for saying that.”

“I mean it, Millicent. It’s never been so good for me before.”

She nodded and reached up, letting her fingertips lightly caress his beard-stubbled cheek. She wished she could stay here with him for the rest of the night, the day, forever, but knew that wasn’t possible.

“I have to go.”

“I know. Don’t worry, I’ll have you home before dawn. I promise.”

He thought she was talking about tonight, but she meant she would be going home to Nottinghamshire soon and would never see him again. She would be saying good-bye, not good night. That thought wrenched her heart.

Chandler lifted himself from her and pulled up his breeches with one hand as he rose and pushed down Millicent’s dress with the other. In one fluid, sweeping motion he hooked one arm under her knees and the other around her shoulders and lifted her into his arms as if she were weightless.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“I’m going to make love to you the right way now.”

“Why? Did we do it wrong the first time?” she asked, a bit confused.

He carried her over to a thick, sable-colored fur rug that lay on the floor in front of the unlit fireplace.

“It wasn’t that it was wrong,” he said, kneeling down and gently placing her on the rug. “God no. It was impatient and a bit self-indulgent on my part. I know what we did on that settee was a damn sight more pleasurable for me than for you. I want it to be good for you.”

The pliant pelt cushioned her comfortably and felt deliciously soft. Pale yellow light from the lamp cast a golden glow around the room. It was quiet, not even the sound of a clock to disturb the magic of the evening, the thrill of lying half dressed on the floor with Chandler.

Chandler sat down beside her and pulled his shirt off his head, then threw it aside. Her breaths quickened at the sight of his strong chest with firm, rippled muscles filling out his skin. She saw a dark patch of hair low on his stomach where the waistband of his trousers parted invitingly. Her abdomen quivered with anticipation.

She raised up to a sitting position and touched his knee. “I was not disappointed, Chandler. I thought what we did was wonderful.”

He reached over and covered her mouth in a brief but deep, tongue-thrusting kiss. “Then wait until you find out what comes next.”

“There’s more than what we did?” she asked, relaxing a little.

“Yes. And I’m going to take my time and make love to you properly. The way you deserve to be loved.”

He untied his evening shoes and took them off, then rose up on his knees. He turned to her and removed her drawers where they hung on one foot. Chandler reached for the hem of her dress, which rested mid-thigh, but stopped as he looked at her clothing. Her high-waisted dress hung off her shoulders, showing a prim-looking stays.

“But not as much time as I would like. I want to undress you layer by layer, kissing you with each garment I take off, but completely undressing you tonight would take longer than we have.”

Chandler slid his breeches down his legs and kicked them aside. He was nude. Beautifully nude. Her heart lurched with love, with wanting. She felt hot and eager when he reached over and gathered her into his arms. His bare skin brushed hers and she tingled, relaxed and melted into his arms, giving herself up to Chandler.