Page 15 of My Lady Rake
“I think that scares me as much as my feelings toward him do.” Verity sighed and took a bite of a biscuit, letting her thoughts tumble while she chewed. Then she spoke. “I imagine the only promise I’ve broken is the one to myself. I can’t deny I have feelings for St. Ervan.”
“Has he discussed marriage already?”
“No, other than at his party when I asked what the wager was. And no, before you ask, he didn’t suggest what either of us stood to lose. But that’s becoming clear to me, the more time I spend with him.”
“You know what your choices are. I suggest you think good and hard before turning away a man such as St. Ervan.”
Verity nodded. “I shall. I don’t have to make a decision today, or even this week, do I? But I could never break my promise to Levi. How does any woman marry for the second time?”
“That’s something each woman must determine for herself.” Amelia offered a knowing smile, and Verity wondered what might be happening in her life. But she’d taken up too much of her friend’s time already.
Rising, Verity said, “Thank you so much for listening to my prattle. You’ve helped me immensely.”
“I’m glad.” Amelia stood and led the way to the door. “And if your choice takes you in the direction I think it will, I do hope you’ll invite me to the wedding.”
Verity laughed and said goodbye. She chose to walk as far as she could to clear her still-tumultuous thoughts—if necessary, the entire route home. Somewhere along the way she got distracted though, and found herself standing in front of a modiste’s shop. She needed a few new gowns now that she was being escorted about Town by St. Ervan.
* * *
The hours passedlike days before St. Ervan knocked on Verity’s door. Having let her housekeeper take the night off, Verity allowed him to enter and grasped the front of his shirt. “Now, what were you saying you were going to do to me?”
He kissed her with all his pent-up passion. Running his hands down her back he cupped her buttocks, squeezed, and lifted her, drawing her legs around his waist. “The game’s different now. We’ve got all night. We’re shall take this slow. I’m going to kiss every inch of you, devour your breasts. Taste the sweat on your skin. We’ll find out how long you can hold out without exploding.”
“You’d better get started. I’m halfway there without you,” she said.
He carried her into the bedchamber and set her on the bed. She reached for the hem of her gown but he grabbed her hands. “My job, not yours. You just enjoy.”
The cool air sent chills over her as he lifted her gown and shift. The fine fabric brushed over her breasts, making her nipples tighten. She wanted to pull him close to warm her. Before she could, he scooted her up the bed like she was a tiny doll, setting her head on a pillow. “Lift up,” he commanded as he untied a ribbon holding up her stocking.
In no time she was naked. She’d been naked with him enough to not be self-conscious, but something in the way his gaze raked over her made her worry that he’d see her flaws. She lifted one knee, needing to do anything but lie still.
St. Ervan’s clothes landed on top of hers when he tossed them aside. He stood before her in the glow of the candlelight for a moment, shoulders back, head high, like a proud lord of all he surveyed. She half expected him to thump his chest.
Her gaze dropped low. “Don’t point that thing at me unless you plan to use it.” Verity licked her lips.
“You’ll get your turn with it, don’t worry.”
The bed sank beneath him, and Verity rolled his way. She ran a finger down his spine, then back up, spreading her fingers over his ribs. He had more muscle than she expected from a gentleman, more than his clothes revealed. Exploring them was like having her own personal playground.
He shifted, twisting toward her. With his hands, he surveyed familiar territory before he ran his thumbs up the insides of her thighs, kneading, urging her open.
The closer he came to her apex, the more her lungs threatened to burst from holding her breath. When his thumbs reached her curls she moaned and cursed. “You do realize I hate it slow.”
“Well then, there’s something you can work on. Learning patience.” He crawled to kneel between her legs and continued to tease.
The lack of touch where she wanted it drove her even madder than his stroking usually did. Need built up, knotting deep inside her. She stroked her fingers over her abdomen, fighting the urge to take matters into her own hands. “St. Ervan, please…”
His smile was victorious. Stretching out between her legs, he propped himself up on his elbows before finally nibbling her inner thigh. His kisses and love bites drew closer to where she needed him.
She twitched, rocked, as waves of heat and gooseflesh alternated over her skin. Glancing at him when his touch withdrew, she found him watching her, his eyes burning with something she hadn’t seen before. Her heart swelled with the realization she’d already come to love this man. She needed to wrap herself around him “Come here.”
His eyelids fluttered but he ignored her plea, continuing to tantalize her until she had to close her eyes and let her head roll back. He continued to torture her with his controlled finesse in knowing what her body craved. His tongue, his fingers, even his breath brought sensation after sensation to her body. Her mind was beyond sated long before he collapsed on top her.
Her life was perfect. She prayed it would continue to be.
* * *
Sometime later she awoke,wrapped in St. Ervan’s arms, the bedding at their feet. She shivered, but didn’t want to wake him by reaching for the covers. His breath was steady in her ear, and everything felt perfect.