The Unlikely Lady (Playful Brides #3)(87)

He turned her slowly. The bodice gaped away. She held it to her with both hands.

“You’re unbuttoned, my lady.”

Nerves took over then. “Th—thank you.”

Gently cupping her shoulders, he pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Would you like to keep your spectacles?”

Jane looked up into his face and realized he was teasing her. “It would make things easier to see. What if I miss something important fumbling around blind as a mole?”

“I won’t let that happen,” he breathed, slowly pulling her spectacles over each ear. He pulled them away from her face and led her to the bed, where he placed them on the table next to the huge mattress.

Jane clutched at the front of her gown.

“Wouldn’t you like to remove it entirely?” he asked, turning back to face her.

“Yes.” She nodded. She let go and the gown pooled around her waist in waves of white satin. She pushed it over her hips and it fell to the carpet in a whoosh of fabric.

Her stays remained and her chemise beneath that. She took a shaky breath. The voices in her head returned to haunt her. Would Garrett think she was too plump? Not beautiful enough?

“You are gorgeous,” he whispered, pulling her into his arms and kissing the column of her throat. Jane’s head fell back, the hint of a smile on her lips. Well, it certainly bolstered her confidence to be told she was gorgeous.

“Would you like me to help you with your stays?” he asked.

“They’re not easy,” she warned.

“I remember.”

A flash of heat spiked through Jane’s body. “Do you have a knife in your bedside drawer?”

“No, but we should remedy that as soon as possible.”

That caused another rush of heat, this time between her legs. “Are you going to tie me up?” she asked, another shadow of a smile on her lips.

“Do you want me to?”

“I did enjoy it. Perhaps I’ll tie you up next time.”

“That can be arranged.” His voice was positively devilish.

He’d been busily pulling the ties of her stays loose, one by one, but stopped and turned her to face him. “Jane, do you know what happens between a man and a woman in bed?”

Jane fought her blush. “Yes. I told you. I am extremely well read. And, er, Lucy mentioned a thing or two.”

His face relaxed. “Please do not tell me a word Lucy said.”

“Don’t worry. I won’t.”

He rubbed Jane’s shoulder. “All I ask is that you trust me.”

A shiver chased through her. “In case you use a knife or tie me up?”

“Nothing like that.” He kissed her tenderly again. “Tonight I want to make you touch the clouds.”

Jane’s shivering increased. “It sounds positively delightful.”

He finished unlacing her stays, and Jane faced him wearing only her chemise. “I refuse to remove another piece of clothing until you do, sir.”

He grinned wickedly. “With pleasure.”

Jane climbed onto the massive bed and propped herself against the pillows. “I’m going to need my spectacles for this.” She rummaged on the side table to locate them.

Garrett began by slowly untying his snowy white cravat. His eyes didn’t move from hers, and he didn’t say a word. He tugged the bow at his neck and unwrapped the material from his throat. He pulled it away and tossed it on the foot of the bed. Then he undid his shirtsleeves, removing the links of his cuffs one by one and setting them on the bedside table.

Jane watched in fascination, her tongue darting to wet her lips.

Next, Garrett tugged his shirttails from his breeches and used both hands to pull the white linen shirt over his head in a crisscross motion. He crumpled the fabric into a ball and tossed it onto the foot of the bed as well.

He stood before Jane, naked from the waist up. The broad expanse of his chest mesmerized her. She let her gaze play over it, memorizing every detail. She winced at the scar from the bullet that had nearly taken his life, but the imperfection did nothing to detract from his pure, male beauty. Her fingers ached to touch him.

He took a seat on the edge of the bed and removed first one dark boot and then the other. By the time he was done, his tight breeches were all that remained.

“I believe we’re even,” he said, sliding toward her on his hands and knees.

Jane panicked. “Usually when I’m up this late, it’s be—because I’m reading. Then I find I’m unusually tired in the morning.” It was a ridiculous thing to say, but nerves had quite got the best of her.

“You know what I think?” he asked, hovering over her.

“Wh—what?” she managed.

“You should be tired from being made love to all night. Not from reading.”

Jane’s throat went dry. All she could do was stare at the wide expanse of chest above her. Then he pulled her into his arms. His hands pushed into her hair and savagely tore out the pins. She didn’t even feel the slight pain.

His mouth was on hers, mastering her. His groin pushed against her most intimate spot. He was hot and hard and heavy, reaching for her. She pressed her lips together and looked up at him. “I want to see all of you.”

His smile was downright sinful. He rolled onto his back, undid the buttons under the fall of his breeches, and used both hands to pull them over his hips. The garment was gone in one quick movement, tossed to the end of the bed.