Behind the Rake's Wicked Wager(47)
With a laugh he swept her up and carried her across to the sofa, where he sat down with her on his lap and began kissing her again. She responded eagerly, her lips parting to allow his tongue to roam wherever it would. She drove her fingers through his hair, revelling in the silky feel of it. Every nerve was alive and aching for his touch. She wanted to feel his skin against hers and she began to tug at his cravat. He stopped kissing her and put his hand up over her fingers.
‘Susannah, I cannot do this.’
Cold fear clutched at her heart.
‘Have I offended you, have I been too forward? I know some men do not like that in a woman...’
He gathered her into his arms and held her close, his cheek resting against her curls.
‘No, sweetheart, that is not it, but I do not want to do anything you might later regret.’
‘No...’ she ran her tongue over her lips ‘...I won’t regret this. It is what I want. Truly.’
‘Then I won’t seduce you.’ His smile was warm. ‘But I will make love to you, if you will let me?’
The burning look in his eyes sent a shiver of anticipation through her.
‘Oh yes, yes, please.’
With a look that promised everything he slid her from his lap on to the sofa and knelt on the floor beside her.
‘First we must dispose of some of these garments.’
He divested himself of his driving coat and jacket then slowly, and with infinite gentleness, he removed her walking dress, pausing occasionally to kiss the newly exposed skin.
Susannah lay back against the satin cushions, her eyes closed, revelling in the touch of his hands as they roamed over her body. He pressed kisses on her breasts where they rose up from the confining corset, his tongue flicking over the soft flesh and causing her to moan softly. When he stopped she opened her eyes and saw that he had transferred his attention to her feet. Gently he untied her ribbon garters and rolled down each stocking, caressing her calves as he did so. He kissed her ankles and toes, nibbling at their rosy tips while his hands slid up to her thighs. Her body tightened as his fingers moved upwards and immediately he stopped.
‘Tell me if you don’t want this,’ he murmured.
In response she reached out for him, pulling him down on the sofa with her, capturing his mouth and kissing him with a ferocity that left them both gasping. Susannah kissed him again while his gently roving fingers caressed her inner thighs until she was arching against his hand. She heard him groan and even as she was swooning with the new and delightful sensations he was rousing in her, he covered her with his body. Her hips rose up to welcome him. She gave a little cry but when he hesitated she gripped him even tighter.
‘No, no, don’t stop,’ she murmured, her mouth against his cheek. ‘I want this, I want this.’
She sought his mouth again and they kissed, their bodies moving as one, faster, harder. She clung to him, her fingers tracing the hard muscles of his shoulders while she matched his movements, delighting in their union. It was too much. She threw back her head, dragging air into her lungs while her limbs bucked and twisted, beyond her control. She felt rather than heard Jasper’s muffled cry and held on as he tensed above her, and she gave herself up to the delicious sensation of flying and drowning at the same time.
As their bodies relaxed together he held her closer.
‘Oh, my dearest love. I hope I didn’t frighten you.’
Her heart swelled with the words. She reached up and stroked his hair.
‘Now I know what they mean by taking one’s pleasure,’ she said, smiling. She grew still and he raised his head.
‘What is it?’
‘Did you mean what you said?’ she asked him shyly. ‘About loving me to distraction?’
‘Of course. Have I not just proved it is so?’ After another kiss he helped her to sit up. ‘I am afraid we will not be able to marry immediately. It will have to be a big ceremony, at Markham, with all the family and tenants as witnesses. I hope you do not object—’ He broke off. ‘What is it? What have I said?’
She looked away.
‘It is what you have not said. You have not yet asked me to marry you, my lord.’
With a growl he pulled her back into his arms.
‘On the contrary, I suggested it some time ago, but you refused me. However, I am taking what has just happened as a sign that you have changed your mind. Well, strumpet?’
She lowered her eyes, saying provocatively, ‘I suppose I must marry you now, even without a formal proposal.’
Her teasing provoked just the reaction she had hoped for. She was swept up into another passionate embrace and within minutes Jasper had once more carried her to such ecstatic heights that afterwards she could only lay docile and compliant in his arms, agreeing with all his plans for the future.
‘We must buy you a ring,’ he decided. ‘We will do that tomorrow. And while we are in Milsom Street we will retrieve the emeralds you sold.’
‘If they still have them. The manager said it was a very fine set.’
His grin was pure wickedness.
‘It is and they do still have it. I purchased it and asked them to put it aside for me. I had meant to give it to Lady Gisburne to return to you, once I had left Bath.’
She shook her head, distressed.
‘Oh, how can you be so good, when I have treated you so abominably?’
He gave a soft laugh and kissed her again.
‘You have made up for all that now.’
‘No, this has pleased me, too.’ She cast another shy look at him. ‘I did not realise being in love could be—’
His arms tightened.
‘Is that true?’ he demanded. ‘You love me?’
‘To distraction,’ she said, smiling. ‘I would have told you sooner if I had realised how wonderful it would be to have you make love to me.’ She cast a glance at her stays and chemise. ‘And we have not yet removed all our clothes.’
‘Your morning room is not the place for that.’ He dropped a kiss on her forehead. ‘But believe me, my darling, when I finally undress you, I shall make love to you even more thoroughly.’
* * *
Three months later Jasper was as good as his word, when he carried his new bride to the marriage bed at Markham. The costly linen nightgowns were soon thrown off and they lay together, exploring and enjoying each other until their mutual passions could no longer be denied and they gave themselves up to the consummation that carried them to new and exhilarating heights.
* * *
Later, in the first flush of dawn, Jasper knelt beside Susannah, gazing at her perfect, creamy body. She lay on the silken sheets, her hair spread across the pillow like a golden cloud.
‘My viscountess,’ he murmured. ‘When will I ever grow tired of looking at you?’
‘Never, I hope.’ She opened her sleepy eyes and reached for him. ‘My darling husband, seduce me again.’
* * * * *
Keep reading for an excerpt of Some Like It Wicked by Carole Mortimer!
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Chapter One
May 1817—Highbury House, London
‘Do smile, Pandora; I am sure that neither Devil nor Lucifer intends to gobble you up! At least...it is to be hoped, not in any way you might find unpleasant.’
Pandora, widowed Duchess of Wyndwood, did not join in her friend’s huskily suggestive laughter as they approached the two gentlemen Genevieve referred to so playfully. Instead she felt her heart begin to pound even more rapidly in her chest, her breasts quickly rising and falling as she took rapid, shallow breaths in an effort to calm her feelings of alarm, and the palms of her hands dampened inside the lace of her gloves.
She did not know either gentleman personally, of course. Both men were in their early thirties whereas she was but four and twenty, and she had never been a part of the risqué crowd which surrounded them whenever they deigned to show themselves in society. Nevertheless, she had recognised them on sight as being Lord Rupert Stirling, previously Marquis of Devlin and now Duke of Stratton, and his good friend, Lord Benedict Lucas, two gentlemen who had, this past dozen years or so, become known more familiarly amongst the ton as Devil and Lucifer. So named for their outrageous exploits, both in and out of ladies’ bedchambers.