One Night With You (The Derrings #3)(64)

He tossed back his head, tendons stretched taut in his neck as he impaled her. Neither spoke. Neither made a sound. Lodged deeply inside her, she could not tell where either one of them began, could never imagine not having this—not having him.

His gaze recaptured hers. Leaning his face close to hers, noses almost touching, he held her gaze as he took her. Swiftly, fiercely, his strokes deep and steady.

She moved against him, angling her body to take more of him, drawing her pleasure deep into herself.

He clutched her hips, the strong fingers digging into her soft flesh satisfying in a way no gentle loving ever could.

As they gazed into each other's eyes, their bodies joining together with desperate fervor, an incredible lightness filled her chest.

He was not immune to her.

And, more importantly, he would no longer try to be.

Suddenly anything seemed possible. Even love.





Chapter 26


Jane woke with a languorous stretch, the events of the night flooding back in deliciously vivid detail. Her hand drifted between the smooth valley of her breasts, the backs of her fingers curling down to the dip of her navel, her skin still sensitive and thrumming. Rolling to her side, she expected to find Seth gone. As before. Bracing herself, she shoved a hank of hair from her eyes—and eyed the big body tangled in the sheets beside her. Seth. He had not left her. Her gaze crawled over his ridged abdomen, the dark line of hair there that trailed into the nest of hair surrounding his manhood. Her eyes widened as that part of him grew before her very eyes. Her gaze flew to his face to find him awake and watching her with unnerving intensity.

"You're awake," she announced, the pulse at her neck hammering. Would he never cease to do that to her? Reduce her to a shaking mass?

One corner of his mouth quirked as he pushed himself up, moving toward her with the stealth of a jungle cat. "Clearly."

"You're still here," she breathed as he lowered himself over her, the warm, musky scent of him cloaking her.

He dipped his head until his mouth hovered a hairsbreadth from hers. "You have a bothersome habit of stating the obvious." His forearms rested on either side of her head, his fingers softly brushing her hairline.

Her heart clenched almost painfully in her chest. She smiled weakly, feeling suddenly shy. Always they came together at night. Never in the light of day. Never when he could see her clearly… see that she was not Madeline.

She swallowed, attempting to push free the awful thickness in her throat. The dark of night had always offered a measure of concealment, granting a sense of unreality to their intimacies. His mouth covered hers in a kiss that was tender and thorough, melting her deeper into the bed…

deeper in love with him.

He pulled back to murmur against her mouth, his lips feathering hers as he spoke, "From now on, we'll have this."

Eyes wide, she nodded. "Yes," she breathed, heart swelling in her chest, understanding that while he was not promising love, or his heart for that matter, it was something. It was a beginning. Perhaps, in time, love could grow. They could be the friends they had once been. They could be more.

Jane walked quickly toward the salon, where, according to the butler, Julianne worked on her needlepoint. She wrung her hands until they felt numb, bloodless. Determination burned in her chest. She could not keep Julianne's secret from Seth anymore. Not after last night. Not for a moment longer. Either Julianne told him or she would.

One of the tall double doors stood ajar. She pushed it open with her palm, stepping through the threshold. She stopped midstride, her jaw sagging at the sight of Mr. Knightly and Julianne locked in a passionate embrace on the sofa. Face flaming, she stepped back, hoping to save everyone the embarrassment of voicing her presence and wait until she found Julianne alone. With utmost care, she eased the door shut.

"Jane?"

Gasping, she spun around, one hand flying to her throat, the other pressing against the shut door behind her.

She must have revealed some of her panic, for he closed both hands over her arms, demanding,

"What is it?"

She closed her eyes against the warm feel of his hands on her arms, both seductive and reassuring. With a small shake of her head, she opened her eyes, meeting the concern in his brown gaze directly.

She opened her mouth, but no sound emerged. His gaze flicked beyond her, over her shoulder. As though he could see through the door to the lovers beyond, his eyes narrowed, his concern for her diminishing as his focus shifted from her.

His hands dropped from her arms. Reaching around her, he turned the knob. She didn't budge as he pushed the door open. Shaking her head, she spun around, hoping Julianne and Mr. Knightly had ended their heated embrace and would not be caught—

Seth's breath escaped him in a loud hiss, fluttering her hair, winging through her heart like a bitter breeze.

The couple was still locked in embrace, oblivious to the world about to crash down upon them. The pins had come loose from Julianne's hair, and Mr. Knightly took advantage, burying his fingers in the fiery mane.

Jane closed her eyes, regret rolling through her as Seth's enraged bellow filled the air. "Take your hands off her!"

Julianne and Knightly flew apart as if a bolt of lightning split them. Likely the same bolt Seth felt shoot through him at the sight of his valet ravishing his sister. Shouldering past Jane, he stormed into the room, hands flexing at his sides, the urge to lay his hands on Knightly powerful and violent. He stopped short of actually succumbing to the impulse and clenched his hands behind his back.