Page 12 of The Countess's Awakening (The Lovers’ Arch #3)

CHAPTER 12

W ang had been right. As usual. They had taken the first train out of London that morning and arrived in Bath just a few hours ago.

After securing lodgings near the famous baths that gave the city its name, they had gone into the thermal spas in search of a place where she could have her therapies. So far, they had visited several establishments, The King’s and Queen’s Baths and the Royal Bath Hospital. The facilities were adequate, but they wouldn’t allow Wang to be with her while she used the pools. In the case of the King’s and Queen’s baths, they had strict rules regarding male and female bathers not mixing. In the hospital’s case, the use of the baths had to be under one of their physicians. And they would not recognize Wang as a medical doctor.

As night fell, they returned to the hotel and ordered the meal to be brought to her room. She was tired, deflated, and not up to attending the hotel’s drawing room.

“We could keep trying tomorrow,” Wang suggested. “There’s the Cross Bath. I learned it’s smaller. Maybe they will allow private bathing and would not oppose—”

“No. You were right. It’s futile. Even if we secure a bath for private use, there will be gossip if we go into the bath together. And we can be sure it will reach society. Bath is the aristocracy’s premier spa town. The rumors will be all over London the next day. I can’t risk causing a scandal during my daughter’s first season. Bad enough that I had to leave her.”

“There’s always America,” he reminded her.

“But how will I manage? Where would I live?” The notion was so daunting. She desperately needed to resume her therapies. She could feel her muscles tightening and cramping. The water exercises did wonders to alleviate that.

“My home in New York is near the hospital, so it’s convenient for the therapies. It’s not as grand as your house, but it’s adequate. You may stay there for as long as you need or want.”

Oh, his offer was so tempting. “How will I explain this to Elizabeth? When I spoke to her this morning, I told her I was coming to Bath for a few days to take the waters. Leaving for America for months is a different matter altogether. I will miss her entire first season.”

“You are missing it now, anyway, Esther. You don’t accompany them to any events.”

“But at least I’m there if she needs me.”

Wang’s warm hand settled on top of hers, the warmth infusing calm. “Write to her. Ask her opinion. Your daughter is a kind and intelligent young woman.”

“I’m not sure my maid would be able to travel with us.” It was a weak excuse. Her maid had been with her for over twenty years. The woman was steadfast and loyal. “I can’t manage without my maid. I need her help to get dressed and undressed, getting in and out of a bed, a bath—”

A corner of his mouth hitched up in a provocative grin. “I’ll do the honors if your maid can’t accompany us.”

“Oh?” Warmth suffused her face at the memory of what had transpired the last time he had lowered her into a bath. She offered a seductive smile. “Are you as adept at removing my clothing as you are at getting me into a bath?”

“Only one way to find out. It seems I will have to prove my prowess.” Wang shrugged out of his coat and unbuttoned his waistcoat as he advanced on her. With deft fingers, he untied the knot of his tie and let the material slither to the floor. There was no doubting the dexterity of his fingers. Those long, well-shaped fingers that had caressed her with such masterful skill.

“Will you remove all your clothes before removing mine?” Her voice was a little breathless.

He smirked, confident of the effect he was having on her.

“If my lady desires.”

He started on the buttons of his shirt, the parting material offering a glimpse of the sculpted muscles that made her quiver like aspic, before he discarded the shirt and stood bare-chested in front of her.

“Come here.” Her mouth had gone dry, and her heartbeat accelerated as he stepped right up to her chair. With a not-quite-steady hand, she reached out and caressed the ridged abdomen, sliding her hand up the smooth chest that resembled slabs of stone.

His hands came up to cradle her head, tilting her chin upwards, positioning her for his devourment. He bent down and took possession of her lips, commanding her mouth and extracting exquisite pleasure with consummate skill. His lips sucked, slid, pressed. Her own lips parted in welcome, yearning for more of him, of his flavor, his texture. He took advantage of the opening, and his tongue slid into her mouth, where it slid sensuously against hers. So engrossed was she in the kiss that it was a surprise when her bodice sagged and his warm hands cupped her naked shoulders, dislodging the sleeves, then following them down her arms to let them pool at her waist.

“Oh!” she breathed, unable to comprehend how he had undone her bodice without her noticing. “Your fingers are nimble.”

He grinned. “You should know that already.” Saying so, he tangled his fingers in her hair, causing the entire mass to cascade down her back in a mahogany mantle.

“And you removed my pins without pulling my hair.” She purred as he massaged her scalp with delicious strokes. “I think you are better than my lady’s maid.”

“Shhh, don’t tell her, or she might get jealous.”

This playful side of him, one he didn’t reveal often, was irresistible. Her hands came to rest on the waistband of his trousers, and she ran her fingers along it, causing his muscles to tense and harden under her light touch.

And talking about hardness…

She cupped the bulge in his trousers, testing and molding her hand along his hard-as-iron rod. He drew a ragged breath, but didn’t pull away. On the contrary, he leaned against her hand. She wanted to touch him. Skin to skin. A smile tugged at the corner of her lips. Two could play this game.

While her corset distracted him, she worked on the buttons of his fly, massaged his rod, and dotted kisses and little licks along his stomach. His dexterous hands faltered and became less so, struggling with the laces.

It was a heady feeling to have this strong, vital man under her power. She popped the last button, and his member sprang into her waiting hand. What had he called it? A staff? It certainly resembled one. She closed her fist and slid her hand up and down the length of it. Marveling at the slide of soft skin over rock hardness. The tip was the softest skin of all, shiny and glistening. It beckoned her to taste it.

Without doubting her impulse, she leaned forward and closed her lips over the engorged crown.

The groan that escaped his mouth seemed torn from his chest. His hands abandoned her corset to once again tangle in her hair, cupping her head, massaging, fisting on the strands, combing them away from her face, holding back the mass of her hair with a fist as her head bobbed on his cock.

She explored, emboldened by his enthusiastic enjoyment. Cupped his heavy sack, rolling his stones in her palm, rubbing them softly while her mouth sucked and her other hand pumped the base of his rod.

“Esther.” Her name was a ragged groan. Tortured and needy. “Easy now. Wait.”

When she didn’t heed his warning, his hold on her hair tightened, and he pulled her off him. She looked up at him, licked her lips, and his fist tightened even more on her hair. It didn’t hurt. It exerted just enough tension to let her know he was in charge. His features seemed carved out of stone, and with his muscular arm stretched, holding her captive, he looked like a conqueror.

“You are being naughty. Trying to distract me from my task.” He leaned down, licked her lips, then bit the lower one. “Do you want me to fail?”

A small shake of her head was all his hold of her allowed, but she found she rather enjoyed being dominated by him.

“Good. Because now it’s my turn to drive you to distraction.”

So saying, he released her hair, but only to bend down and lift her from her chair. He brought her to the bed and laid her down on the soft comforter. Her bodice pulled around her waist, while her corset remained on, but half askew. He rolled her onto her stomach.

“Stay like that, while I finish divesting you of your clothes.”

Her corset loosened and then fell away. Her skirt and pantalets offered no resistance at all. He stripped them away with exhilarating ease. Then his hands were on her thighs, inching higher and higher, to her private place, which felt slippery. Wet. He had touched her thighs before. During the therapeutic massages. But this was different. He was now touching her as a lover.

His hands mapped her body with possession, exploring places he had never gone before. Sliding between her thighs to rub her pearl. Cupping her backside, then spreading her before one of his fingers traced her crevice with shocking familiarity.

“So pretty. So wet,” he murmured.

One of his fingers dipped into her core, sliding easily in the abundant moisture. She buried her moan in the pillow while her hands fisted in the sheets.

“You are so ready for me, aren’t you?”

She nodded, desperate for the fullness his rod could offer.

“Tell me,” he whispered in her ear, his rod nestled in the cleft between her buttocks.

“I am. I am ready,” she moaned, hoping it would be enough to satisfy him. She was almost insensible with need.

He grabbed her left leg and slid it up, bending it at the knee. Opening her and turning her slightly on her side. When his staff slid into her from behind, she gave a little yelp of surprise at the novel position.

“Are you all right?” he whispered in her ear, immediately halting his movement.

“Never better,” was all she managed, and he slid all the way in.

Their sounds of pleasure melded in a perfect symphony.

“You feel so good, Xiǎo Lù.”

“You as well,” she managed before her voice dissolved in a moan when he tongued her ear and slid his hand up her torso to pluck and torment her nipples.

“Kai…”

She needed the release. The sensations were too much. She was wound tight, so tight. At any moment, she was going to snap. And still his wonderful cock pumped into her, winding her tighter. His hand crept down between her legs. It found the bud where all sensation coalesced and pressed on it, sliding over it, rolling it in small circles.

“Is this what you want? What you need?”

“Yes,” she panted. “Right there. Oh God, it feels so good. Kai…”

“Come for me, my darling. Let me feel your pleasure exploding around my cock.”

How could she do anything else? The twin efforts of his finger on her bud and his cock stroking inside set off the explosion inside her as she muffled her cries in the pillow.

He followed her soon after, the deep throbbing of his flesh inside her letting her know he had stayed with her until the end.