Page 24

Chapter Twenty-Two

C olin couldn’t take Lily to his home, not with his mother and sisters about.

Nor could he return her to Ellesmere Park.

Instead, he told her to put her hood up as he led her to an inn at the far end of Salford. He could only hope that no one here would recognize her, likely because no one had ever been close enough to truly see her face.

The cut of her clothing was a problem, but he wasn’t overly concerned about that at the moment.

“A room for Mr. and Mrs. Thornton,” he told the innkeeper impatiently. The man was likely well aware that this was no Mrs. Thornton, but he had seen enough not to comment or even to change his expression as he passed over the key and told Colin where to find the room.

It was more expensive than he could afford, but he would do anything to see to Lily’s comfort.

Not that this entire night was exactly selfless, for it was everything he had been waiting for.

They said nothing as they walked through the tavern attached to the inn, then up the stairs and down the corridor, Lily’s fingers trailing over the balcony railing that overlooked the courtyard below.

Colin held up the lantern to read the room numbers, stopping in front of number eight. He paused before inserting the key into the lock.

“Are you sure about this?” he asked, giving her one last chance to walk away from him and this night together.

“Absolutely,” she said, her breath coming in a rush, and he nodded, his entire body heating at her intention, before turning the knob and opening the door, taking a step in before her to make sure nothing was amiss before he held the door open and allowed her to walk in.

The room was dimly lit, with flickering candles casting shadows on the peeling wallpaper. A large four-poster bed sat in the corner, its mahogany frame carved with intricate designs, while a lone chair sat near the waning fireplace on the other side of the room.

The furniture was well-worn and somewhat shabby, but it appeared clean from what Colin could see. He couldn’t imagine how it looked to Lily’s eyes, but this was the best he could do.

Colin closed the door behind them, his heart racing as he turned to face Lily. She stood before him, her cheeks flushed and eyes wide with anticipation. He stepped closer, reaching out to gently caress her face.

"Lily," he whispered, his voice rough as he could not hide his desire. “You must know that nothing needs to happen here tonight. All I want — all I have ever wanted — is to spend time with you, time that seems far too rare. I have no expectations."

She nodded, her lips parting slightly. "I feel the same. But Colin — I've never been more certain of anything. I want you. I want all that could be between us. I want… I want us to come together."

He needed no further encouragement. Colin captured her lips with his own, kissing her deeply as he pulled her into his arms. Lily melted against him, her hands clutching at his shoulders as she returned his kiss with equal fervor.

Without breaking away from her, Colin reached out to begin undressing her, desperate to see what she looked like beneath the high-necked, long-sleeved clothing she wore, but was shocked to see his fingers trembling as he unlaced the ties of her cloak.

The heavy fabric slipped from her shoulders, falling to the floor with a “thunk” as it pooled at their feet.

Conscious of her gaze upon him, he reached around her back, running his fingers over the buttons down her spine.

One by one, he unfastened them, reveling in the feel of her smooth skin beneath his fingertips as more of it was revealed.

Lily shivered as the cool air met her heated flesh, and Colin pulled back to look her deeply in the eyes, drinking in the sight of her standing before him in her undergarments.

"You're so beautiful," he murmured, trailing his hands down her arms, taking the fabric of her sleeves with him. "I can scarcely believe this is real, that you're truly here with me."

"I am," Lily breathed. "There is nowhere that I would rather be. With you, like this."

“Do you honestly wear this many layers of fabric every day?”

He knew he might be ruining the moment, but he couldn’t help to take a moment to stare at her in astonishment.

While she no longer wore the two pieces of her gown, she was still wrapped in a bone-structured corset, more layers of fabric around her waist, and her chemise beneath. And that was only what he could see.

“Yes,” she said with a laugh that sounded like tinkling music to him. “This is my everyday clothing.”

“It makes me glad to be a man.”

“Among other reasons, I’m sure.”

He nodded, reaching out and drawing her close to him. “The most important one being that it gives me this opportunity to be with you.”

“Would you like me to help with the rest of this?” she asked, her lips tilting upward.

“As unromantic as that would be, it would be appreciated.” He laughed before his face turned more serious and his tongue slid over his lip. “Leave the chemise to me, though, please.”

It didn’t take her long to shimmy out of the rest of her layers until all she wore was her thin, breathy chemise.

Colin smiled softly before capturing her mouth once more. As they kissed, he gathered the hem of her chemise and slowly pulled it upward, savoring the view of every glimpse of skin exposed. Lily raised her arms, allowing him to draw the garment over her head and toss it aside.

He took a step back, his heated gaze roaming over every inch of her now fully bared to him.

Lily watched him through hooded eyes, her chest rising and falling rapidly with each shallow breath.

Her small smile was shy, but he loved that she was comfortable enough to stand here, completely vulnerable, before him.

Unable to resist any longer, Colin reached for her, splaying one hand across the small of her back as the other cupped her breast. Lily gasped, arching into his touch.

"Colin," she whimpered as he kneaded the soft mound, his thumb flicking across the hardened peak of her nipple. "Please..."

He growled low in his throat before slanting his mouth over hers in a searing kiss. Lily threw her arms around his neck, pressing the length of her naked body flush against him, reminding him that he was wearing far too much clothing himself.

Colin walked them backward until Lily's legs hit the edge of the bed.

He lowered her down gently, never once breaking their kiss as he followed her onto the mattress, covering her body with his own.

With quickened breathing, Lily clung to him, clearly relishing his touch as his weight pressed her into the sheets.

His hands and mouth mapped every curve and hollow, committing all of her to memory.

He pushed himself up onto his hands, pausing to admire Lily’s naked form in the candlelight, marveling at her delicate curves and creamy skin. She was breathtaking. He committed this vision to memory, knowing he would return to it time and again in his dreams.

In a fluid motion, he slid his jacket off his arms, glad he was still wearing his simple attire from practice. It didn’t take much for him to slide the suspenders off his shoulders and slip out of his pants and shirt until he was as naked as she was.

He couldn’t stop the smug smile that spread over his lips when he saw how her eyes roamed from the top of his body to the bottom and back again, nor how she bit her lip as though she wanted to take all of him for herself.

Which she was absolutely free to do.

He leaned down, trailing kisses along her neck and collarbone, well aware that this was likely the first time she had ever been with a man and intent on being as considerate as possible, even though he had never wanted anything more in his entire life.

He lowered himself over her until he was inches away, and she fidgeted beneath him as though waiting for him to begin.

He was about to show her this would not be the experience of gritting her teeth and bearing through it as someone had likely instructed her.

Oh, no. She was going to enjoy every bit of this.

He trailed kisses along her neck and collarbone until dipping his head to take one perfect nipple between his lips, causing her to cry out in both shock and pleasure.

While she was distracted, he slid his fingers down her body until delving between her thighs to stroke her, and she cried out again, her hips lifting to meet his touch.

"That's it, luv," Colin groaned once he lifted his head, circling the sensitive nub at the apex of her thighs. "Let me hear you."

She complied, gasps and moans tumbling from her lips in a breathless, unrelenting stream as he worked her higher and higher. When he could tell she was on the cusp of finishing, he pulled back, settling his body between her thighs.

“I want this to be good for you,” he panted, his own desire nearly overcoming him. “But I need you to know that there are so many ways to do this, and we will discover every single one.”

Before she had a chance to respond, he held himself up. “I’ll be gentle,” he said. “I promise.”

Lily nodded, her fingers threading through his hair. "I trust you," she breathed.

Her permission allowed him to slowly, reverently, sink himself into her inch by inch, savoring the little gasps and moans she made as she took him in, a little more at a time, her entire body shuddering as she did.

Her nails dug into his back as she tensed around him, and he paused, allowing her to become used to him.

Once he felt her gradually relaxing around him, he began to move, slowly at first, until they found a rhythm that increased in speed and intensity.

It was clumsy at times, even awkward as they learned one another, but it was raw and real and absolutely perfect.

"Colin," she panted, her head thrown back against the pillows. "Oh God, Colin..."

"Lily," he groaned, burying his face against her neck as he lost himself in her warmth. "You are everything."

They clung to each other desperately as they neared the edge, and when Colin reached down and caressed her most sensitive place to allow release to claim them both, it was with each other's names on their lips. Colin collapsed beside her, gathering her close and pressing kisses to her damp brow.

For a long moment, they held each other, basking in the afterglow. Colin had never known such peace, such contentment. With Lily in his arms, he felt whole.

"That was...indescribable," Lily murmured eventually, nuzzling against his chest. "Is it always like that?"

Colin chuckled softly. "No, luv. That was something special… because it was with you."

He pulled her in close, tucking her head beneath his chin. Nothing felt better than lying here with Lily in his arms, and yet, he knew it was a stolen moment in time. He closed his eyes and tried to live in the present.

“Colin?” she said, tilting her head back to look at him, her brow furrowing. “What do we do now?”

He knew she didn’t just mean tonight but every night to come.

“I was trying not to worry about that,” he said wryly, lifting his head to rest it on his hand. “What are you thinking?”

“I am thinking about how I will never feel for another man what I feel for you,” she said, her eyes dipping down for a moment before lifting to meet his once more.

“I am thinking about how I would love nothing more than to be with you in truth. I would have no problem leaving behind all that I know, Colin. None of it is worth what I could have with you.” He opened his mouth to respond, but she lifted her finger and gently placed it against his lips before he could say anything.

“I know that you believe I don’t know what I am saying and would not enjoy the life you could offer me, but that is where you are wrong.

I know what I would be giving up. I do. And I am ready for it. ”

“I sense a ‘but’.”

“But if I leave my family, I do not know what my father will do to you. He would probably force you out of your job, away from the team. You would have to give up everything.”

“I would easily give it all up and leave it behind if I were the only one affected, which I could never ask you to do,” he said, to which she nodded in understanding.

Still, his heartbeat seemed to slow as he imagined what his life could look like—of Lily with him everyday, waiting for him when he returned home. But home from where? He knew she was right. Her father would never forgive either of them if he took Lily from them.

He had been over this again and again.

“Perhaps I try to find somewhere else to work.”

“The only other mill nearby is Lord Montgomery’s, which would no longer be an option, for Lord Nathaniel knows who you are and what you have done.”

“I would never want to work for a man like that, anyway,” he said bitterly. “There are other types of factories, or we could move elsewhere.”

“What about your family?”

He sighed, rubbing his brow. “Perhaps they would come along.”

But they wouldn’t want to leave the only place they had called home. They would do it for him, but at what cost?

“We will find a way,” he said. He had no idea how, but the thought of being without her was nearly too much to bear. “I will find us a way. I promise.”

She snuggled in close to him, and he wrapped his arms around her once more, even as he wondered how he would ever keep his word to her.