All About Seduction(99)

He looked at the canopy and sighed. “Fine.”

She closed her eyes. This was so wrong.

Besides, she knew copulation would hurt, and hurt worse than it had the night before. Mr. Broadhurst had ensured that, which perhaps was his plan.

In the first month of her marriage, she had to beg Mr. Broadhurst for time to heal between his visits. Coldness swept through her. Perhaps he derived satisfaction from knowing the act of conception would be uncomfortable for her.

The bed rustled as Jack removed his nightclothes.

She reached for the frogged buttons of her dressing gown, but her fingers felt wooden.

“Caro,” he whispered.

She jerked her eyes open. He sat, his bare chest gleaming in the firelight, the covers thankfully around his waist. Her body went hot and then cold.

He held his hand out. “Come here and let me help you.”

She hesitated, not knowing if she wanted this done faster or slower, but her fingers were clumsy. The loops seemed too small to fit around the covered buttons. She stepped up to the side of the bed and Jack slid toward her. His hip peeked out and she tried to avert her eyes, but the smooth flesh drew her gaze.

He wrapped his warm fingers around her hands, stilling her shaking. “It will be better tonight, I promise,” he said softly, his brown eyes holding hers.

She shook her head and pressed her lips together. After Mr. Broadhurst, it couldn’t be better. She would have to try harder to keep Jack from seeing her pain, since it bothered him.

He pulled her hands toward him and put them on his shoulders. His skin seemed to leap under her fingers. Her breath snagged as fresh tingles traveled up her arm, almost as if touching him electrified her. He slid his hands along her forearms and then reached for the button at her throat. “I’m just going to undo these, sweetheart.”

She nodded, thinking he would make short work of them. But he didn’t.

The one at the top of her neck was first, and then he scooted closer and reached for the lowest button. He didn’t have trouble with them, the fastenings almost seemed to melt open, but he took a painstakingly long time between each button, until she was mentally urging him to hurry. Then the heels of his hands rested against her breasts as he unbuttoned the center. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, and with each breath his hands were there, not groping or pinching, just there, making her want . . . more.

When he finally undid the last one, she stepped back, jerked the dressing gown from her shoulders and tossed it across the bottom of the bed. She turned her back to him as she lifted her nightgown, untied her pantalets, and let them fall to the floor.

She turned around to find Jack leaning on one palm and frowning.

“I’m ready,” she squeaked.

He shook his head. “No you’re not.”

“Jack,” she protested.

His eyes narrowed. “If you’d let me undo the top of your nightgown, I could touch you as I did on the stairs.” His voice was low and coaxing. “Nothing more, unless—”

She shook her head.

“You liked it,” he whispered.

She couldn’t allow herself to savor his touch, but she didn’t know what explanation to give him. She drew on the otherwise useless hauteur bred in her. “You surprised me is all. I don’t—”

“I just want to make this less unpleasant for you,” he interrupted, sliding closer to her and tilting his head toward hers until his breath whispered across her lips.

It would take so little to close the distance, to feel his lips on hers. She couldn’t allow this, but oh she wanted to, and she tilted closer. His gaze alternated between her eyes and her lips. Her pulse raced, her lips tingled, and her mouth watered. He drew her like a flame draws a moth.

“Kiss me,” he rasped.

His words broke the spell. What was she doing? She had nearly . . . Twisting her head to the side, she fought to pull back. Panic rolled through her in waves. “I only need you to get me—”

“I know why I’m here.” His voice was flat and his mouth tightened. He moved back toward the center of the bed and then lowered himself to his back.

Her throat tightened and a wave of sadness rolled through her. She cared for him too much as it was. Hell, she more than cared for him, she feared she already loved him. But she couldn’t, Mr. Broadhurst would punish him. And there was no future for them. Her chest grew tight, as if her heart were being squeezed. Her whisper was scratchy as she said, “This is all it can be.”