Page 21 of Marrying a Marquess (Widows of Mayfair #3)

“Thank you,” she said, curtsying, as Nick took his leave.

Her cheeks burned from David’s intense stare, but even so, she perused him as he had done her.

He looked handsome in his evening wear. He had added several fripperies to his ensemble.

A gold handled walking stick, a gold pocket watch, bows on his shoes, and several rings on his fingers that only he could make look fashionable.

He cut a dashing enough figure to give even Beau Brummell competition.

She could not fathom how he managed to pay his tailor since he’d admitted to needing her dowry.

“I can see the gears working inside your curious mind,” he said softly. “You wonder about my extravagant tailoring bill.”

“I . . .”

“You were,” he said with a chuckle. “Fear not; I haven’t purchased anything new for my wardrobe in over a year. Gentlemen are fortunate in that respect. Switching waistcoats and cravats makes an outfit look fresh and new. Also, my valet is a miracle worker regarding men’s attire.”

“Forgive me,” she murmured, feeling awful about her assumptions. But how could she not, given the way he dressed? Though he spoke truthfully about men’s wardrobes. They had it easy when it came to wearing things more than once.

“Of course. On another note, will you save a dance for me? Preferably a waltz?”

“Yes. I promised Hollingsworth a waltz. After I dance with him, you will be next.”

He didn’t do a good job of hiding his disappointment in coming in second to Nick.

The sound of footsteps approaching and a clearing of a throat got their attention. “Forgive my intrusion,” Nick held out his hand, his head tipped down, his amused eyes on her. “Lady Priscilla, I believe this dance belongs to me.”

The opening cords of a waltz tickled her ears. “So it does,” she said as she took his hand, and he led her to the already crowded dance floor where graceful couples floated as though their feet hardly touched the ground.

Soon, she and Nick joined them. “I hope you will wear this lovely gown again. It is most becoming,” he said, his eyes falling on her low-cut neckline, which exposed her breasts nearly to the tops of her areolas.

Her nerves had her giggling. “Pardon. I hadn’t noticed how daring the neckline was until my final fitting, and Madam Serena forbade me from adding lace. She said it would spoil the gown’s effect.” The heat of her blushing encompassed her entire body.

His hungry eyes met hers, and the heat increased dramatically. “Perhaps we can sneak away to a private part of the pleasure gardens, and I can find out if you taste as good as you look.”

Her steps faltered. Nick tightened his grip on her to keep her from falling flat on her face. A face that must be red as a berry. “Don’t say things like that to me. Are you trying to shock me?”

His chuckle was deep and rumbly. “Guilty. You are easy to rile. ”

“If we weren’t on a dance floor in sight of half the ton , I would slap you across the face. Please remind me to slap you later when we are in private.”

“Promise,” his eyebrows rose, and he grinned, looking devastatingly handsome.

“Have you never grown up?”

“Most definitely, but sometimes it’s fun to let my guard down and enjoy life’s little pleasures.” He winked at her. “Such as a dance with a beautiful, desirable lady like yourself.”

“Are we ever going to talk about us?”

His muscles tightened up beneath her hand.

“If you recall, I mentioned something about us sharing something special in the Trowbridge gardens, and you didn’t want to discuss it then.

You reminded me our courtship was fake. But fake or not, I enjoy my time with you. It’s nice to be myself around you.”

Her insides tingled. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to talk about their special moment when he mentioned it.

It was just that her feelings were too raw from their intimate tryst. In her own way she was protecting herself from the feelings she had for him.

It would be too easy to let herself fall, but she couldn’t let that happen unless he declared his love for her.

Not the love of friends, but the I love you with all my heart, soul, and everything I have sort of love.

Sadly he didn’t love her that way, which was why she was courting David.

David was kind and considerate to her and she enjoyed his company.

It wasn’t a hardship to spend time with him.

Since it seemed clear they weren’t going to talk about the sort of love she longed for, she would ask several other questions she wanted answers to.

“Perhaps we should speak of something else,” she said, a little breathless from dancing.

“How are you handling the issue with your ex-mistress?” Issue didn’t seem like the right word, but it was all she could come up with.

Now it was his turn for his steps to falter, but he recovered quickly. “ As well as can be expected. I dread the day my mother finds out. Ever since I was sent down from Eton, I’ve tried not to disappoint her.” He shrugged one shoulder. “At least not too much.”

“You were sent down from Eton? How did I not know about that?”

His eyes turned troubled. “I was expelled for fighting. End of story.”

There was definitely more to the story, but she would drop it for now. However, her interest was piqued and she would look for a moment to bring it up again. “Have you made any decision about whether you wish to court Lady Grace?”

“She is a sweet, kind person—nothing like her mother. I haven’t made up my mind about her though. The only thing I do know is she deserves an equally kind and caring gentleman. And I’m nothing resembling that.”

Priscilla frowned at his last comment. When had he begun to think so little of himself? Indeed, he had his moments of being selfish, arrogant, and unkind, but she had also caught glimpses of his caring and kind soul.

Because of her woolgathering, she didn’t realize when the orchestra stopped playing.

Nick stepped back and held out his arm, which she took immediately. “Instead of returning you to your friends, would you care to visit the gardens? I feel as though I owe you a stroll through them to lighten the mood and beg your forgiveness for making you uncomfortable while we danced.”

Now that he mentioned it, she had felt uncomfortable, but she was to blame as well for her personal and intrusive questions.

“Yes. I would like that.” Her heart beat so fast it ricocheted inside her chest at the possibility that he might kiss her while they were alone again in a garden.

They meandered down a stone path flanked by beautiful plants and flowers.

Glass lanterns were glowing every five feet, illuminating the stone pathway.

They arrived at a copse of shrubs and trees, entirely private from onlooking eyes.

“Let us stop for a moment.” Nick looked around and laughed.

“Do you think the gardeners planned this little section for private rendezvous? It is the perfect place for a man to ravish a lady.” His hands circled her waist, and he tugged her close to his hard body so their hips pressed together tight, and she gasped.

Her body had tensed up when they first made contact.

Now, her body liquified, and she wrapped her arms around his neck.

All she could think about was kissing him.

Her eyes flittered from his eyes to his mouth and back to his eyes.

“Perhaps a lady can have her way with a gentleman of her choosing in this very spot as well,” she teased, completely shocked she’d said such a thing.

“Do you think so?” he breathed as he lowered his head and took her mouth in a kiss that left nothing to the imagination.

His teeth nipped her bottom lip. His tongue tasted every secret hideaway in her mouth, his lips punishing her with their assault.

A moan escaped her as she curled her hands into his hair, holding him tight.

Everything around her vanished as she leaned as close to his body as she could.

If she could crawl inside him and never leave, she would.

Everything about this kiss resonated more.

Feelings of more. Wanting more. Needing more.

She broke the kiss just long enough to whisper, “Touch me.”

His answer was a deep, primitive growl. His mouth retook hers, only this time he made passionate love to her with his kiss.

Slow, languid strokes of his tongue had her body trembling.

Large hands traveled up and down her sides, pausing briefly to rub his thumbs across her breasts.

He broke the kiss as they both gasped for air.

Her chest rose and fell with her inhale and exhale.

He stepped back, his eyes dropping to her exposed neckline.

“I could devour you. The taste of your mouth is intoxicating. I want to taste you everywhere. Especially down here.” He cupped her through her dress.

“I imagine it is sweeter than honey and as addicting as the nectar of the goddesses during ancient times.”

Wetness pooled between her thighs, right where his hand touched her.

Before she could beg him to touch her again, he reached for the hem of her gown and ran his hand up the inside of her thigh, causing her knees to nearly give way.

He took his time, staring into her eyes as his fingers danced up the inside of her thighs.

He had that crooked grin that always turned her insides to mush.

Her breath suspended inside her lungs as she waited and waited until finally, he found the opening in her pantaloons and inserted a finger inside her womanhood. She exhaled. “Ohhhh.”

Their eyes were still mesmerized by each other. She whined when he removed his finger. He brought it to his mouth and sucked on it. “Just as I thought. Sweeter than honey.”

When he pulled the skirt of her dress up again, he didn’t take his time. He parted her folds until he found the heart of her womanhood. He swirled his fingers around and around.

“You’re so wet,” he moaned. “What I wouldn’t give to have you in my bed right now. I would make love to you all night until neither of us could move.”

“Nick,” she murmured, “I love you.” The second the words escaped her mouth without her permission, she knew she was doomed.

She had promised herself when she was sixteen that she would never admit to Nick that she loved him without him saying the words first. Though at the tender and impressionable age of sixteen, it really was more of an infatuation than love, and since she had always been led to believe they would wed, she assumed she loved him.

But recently, since they had been spending time in each other’s company, her girlhood infatuation had come back.

She knew she falling for him, but the last thing she wanted to do was give him any sort of control over her. Not when he didn’t feel the same.

She also had David to consider. While she didn’t have strong feelings for him—nothing close to love—she still liked him.

Nick withdrew his hand and smoothed down her skirts. At least he didn’t step away completely. He held her close and kissed the top of her head.