Page 37

D iana stood in her hotel room, staring out a window.

She shouldn’t have left the club in a huff, but seeing Sebastian and Mrs. Swinson together unsettled her.

Her emotions could be considered jealousy, but it was more than that.

Watching them side-by-side made Diana realize how well-suited the woman and Sebastian were.

She sighed, hating how she felt and wishing they had never come to Livorno. She knew their interlude would end but assumed not until they reached London. Now, Arthur and possibly her mother may return to England on the SS Lark . Maybe Sebastian had already decided to move on.

A quiet knock pulled her away from her thoughts. She moved to the doorway, suspecting Arthur was checking on her. He’d been concerned about her on the carriage ride to the hotel. She opened the door. “Arthur—”

“Why would Tremont be coming to your door so late?” Sebastian said quietly. A tenseness flowed off him.

Her own annoyance flared. He’d spent tonight and last night flirting with ladies at a club. He had no right to be mad.

“Sebastian, I don’t have time for you right now.”

He walked in, disregarding her statement. The annoyance in her shot to fury. He paced back and forth before leaning against the foot of her bed. “So, you are waiting for Tremont?”

Diana scowled. “That isn’t your concern.”

Her body thrummed as Sebastian’s eyes raked over her. She was still in her gown from the club. He softly said, “Not my concern?”

“I’m sure any of the ladies you flirted with last evening could easily replace me for a brief interlude in Tuscany.”

A black brow on his face shot up. “Do you think it is that easy for me to trade you out?”

His blunt words flared her anger. She scowled at him. “Apparently so, as you seem more interested in finding a new flirtation.”

Sebastian laughed darkly. “Excuse me if I didn’t want to run to your bed after you spent all day with Tremont.”

“I had no control of that. I had no idea he would be here.”

He smirked and shook his head. “Well, here I am, Lady Hensley, to do your bidding. You didn’t even have to fetch me. I’m unable to resist you.”

She was so angry with him but the ache in the southern region of her body flared at his words. “You probably just haven’t found a new lady. You, no doubt, will have your pick in Livorno.”

Diana didn’t know why they were being hurtful to each other, but neither could seem to stop. He strode to her, his furious footsteps echoing on the floorboards. One of his arms looped out and snaked around her waist. He grinned at her cockily. “I could have my pick.”

A furious gasp escaped her. She pushed against his chest with one of her hands. “Leave, Sebastian.”

His mouth dipped down to her ear. “But I only want you. I’m standing here wondering how long it will take me to get between those lovely thighs of yours. Wishing that instead of your sharp tongue, I can hear your whimpers.”

“My tongue may have been much sweeter had I seen you last night.”

She was not happy with him. He growled, and her quim clenched. Sebastian nuzzled her neck. “Do you want me to go?”

Common sense told her to say yes, but her traitorous mouth whispered, “No.”

He palmed one of her breasts as his tongue plunged into her mouth.

Diana moaned, bending her body closer to his.

Sebastian attempted to pull her flush but was prevented from doing so by her gown and petticoats.

With a growl, he spun her around and undid the buttons going down her back.

Frustrated, he hastily tossed aside her dress and petticoats.

His hand slid down the front of her drawers, and a groan escaped him as his fingers dipped down into her feminine folds. Yes. This is what she needed. Her body rubbed against him, enraptured by the sweet torment. “Sebastian.”

He quickly removed the rest of her clothes before discarding his own. They toppled into the bed with him spooning her. His cock pushed against her from behind. “Please,” she whimpered.

“You are mine until we return to London,” he said bitingly as his shaft slid into her quim.

She pushed against him, wanting him deeper. He pulled her closer. “Say it. You are mine until we return.”

Diana suspected she may be his forever but would never utter the words aloud. Instead, she simply said, “I’m yours.”

His grip on her hips tightened as Sebastian pumped into her.

He kissed her neck as one of his hands slid back up to her breast, pinching and teasing her.

Diana bucked herself against him. The ache in her core intensified.

She rocked harder as his fingers moved down to the sensitive nub of her quim. A loud sob of pleasure escaped her.

“You must be quiet, love. It torments me to say that because I have fantasized about letting you be as loud as you like. To have you unencumbered by the thought of someone hearing you is almost bordering on an obsession for me.”

Diana wanted that, too. He continued to stroke her, eliciting more whimpers and cries of pleasure. She was beyond caring who heard her. He chuckled. “I shouldn’t tell you about my fantasies. It only makes your cries worse. Are you close?”

She nodded, and he continued to tease her nub as he slid in and out of her from behind. The ache bordered on a delirious precipice that she wanted to crash over. She needed her release. Her rocking became more frantic. He littered kisses along her elegant neck.

She was a wanton mess and didn’t care. Diana rocked into him harder until a strangled gasp escaped her. Her climax shattered and throbbed through her in millions of pieces.

His full hard cock was still buried deep in her. She pushed against him, and he groaned. “This is all I could think about since arriving in Tuscany.”

“Good,” she said, still vexed about Sebastian’s flirtations.

Sebastian started to pound into her, taking what he wanted. She met him stroke for stroke. “Remember then, you are mine too until we return to England.”

A surprised chuckle escaped him, but she wasn’t joking. For now, he was as much hers as she was his. “I mean it.”

Her words seemed to increase his desire as his cock swelled even more within her. Sebastian shifted her, grabbing both her hips and pounding into her even harder than before. He let out a strangled groan and released her, pulling out and spending.

Diana heard him rise and could tell he was cleaning up. She had an absurd thought that she wanted him to finish in her, to feel the closeness such a release between two people brought. The thought disconcerted her. They were only having an interlude, she reminded herself.

After seeing to them both, Sebastian rejoined her, cradling Diana along his hard, firm body. “You have me until we reach the shores of England.”

What if she wanted him longer? She didn’t dare say the words. Afraid she would appear na?ve to a man whose frequent liaisons were widely known. He kissed her neck. “I don’t like that Tremont is here.”

“I don’t like that you spent last night flirting with ladies,” she responded tartly.

“I was being friendly, not flirting. I think Mrs. Swinson was looking to cause trouble.”

Diana pulled out of his arms and turned so they were facing each other. “That doesn’t explain why you went there in the first place.”

He sighed. “This trip is somewhat of a fantasy. Tremont being here brought me back to reality. I needed time to mull that over in my mind. He may be your husband someday.”

She frowned at him. “I have promised him nothing.”

He stroked her face. “A man doesn’t journey across the continent if he doesn’t at least hope for more. He would be a good match for you.”

His words were like a stab to the heart. She reminded herself this thing with Sebastian was only temporary. She said, “I would like to spend as much time together as we can, while we are here.”

“Me too,” he agreed before turning her around and pulling her against him.

Sadness filled Diana that her closeness with Sebastian would be coming to an end soon, and she had the overwhelming feeling so much between them had been left unsaid.

*

Sebastian sat in the carriage, annoyed. Tonight, Diana’s mother was hosting a dinner, and Tremont had insisted he and Diana depart earlier for the event than everyone else.

A possessiveness swirled within him about the precious time he had left with her.

Time that was slowly being taken away by Tremont.

He was fortunate that, somehow, he and Diana had spent the last few days with their normal group sightseeing.

Tremont wasn’t present. Sebastian suspected he was more interested in socializing with his peers than touring any of the ruins of Livorno and the adjoining cities and towns.

They’d also managed to spend every evening together.

He felt lucky they were staying on the same floor at the hotel.

Tremont was always hovering around Diana when she wasn’t sightseeing or in her room, but Sebastian did his best to tolerate it.

Still, tonight, it annoyed him that Tremont would be escorting her to the dinner.

Sebastian had no claim on Diana, he reminded himself.

The carriage came to a halt, and the door opened to a beautiful house.

They were not the only ones arriving. A crush of people made their way into the event.

It appeared the dinner was to be a grand affair.

He helped Lady Clark out of the carriage.

She grumbled, “My sister has to have so much pomp.”

He smiled but said nothing. He’d come to adore this feisty woman. His mother would like her. He made a mental note to introduce them someday. They, along with Spoor, Monroe, and Haggerty, finally made it into the house. His group went off to find refreshments, but Sebastian stayed in the same spot.