“No, that would be pushing your luck rather too far. Still, it seems a shame.”
“What does?”
“You. Not being allowed to use that exceptional mind of yours. It’s a sad waste of talent.”
A shy little smile crept over her lips. “Do you think I’ve an exceptional mind?”
“How could I not? I’ve watched you work and have debated legal precedent and theory with you on more than one occasion, including tonight. Your father taught you well.”
“Yes, he did.”
“Besides, you defeated me in court. What would that say about me if I didn’t think you to be exceptional?”
She laughed, her face lighting with a pleasure that did odd things to his system, both above and below his waist.
“Well, it’s kind of you nonetheless.” Her eyes sparkled like polished silver. “Most men would not be so broad-minded or enlightened in their opinions about a woman’s intellectual capabilities.”
“That’s because most men are idiots, or haven’t you figured that out yet?”
Another laugh rippled from her throat, the rich, yet unabashedly feminine sound of it vibrating through his blood. Lord above, she is pretty when she laughs. He would have to be sure to make her do so again and often.
They each fell silent as the humor slowly faded away.
“Lawrence, I truly am most grateful for your willingness to keep my secret,” she said, meeting his eyes again. “I have no right to expect such forbearance, or forgiveness, most especially since I’ve lied so shamelessly to you. If there is anything I can do, anything at all, you’ve only to say. And once I tell Bertram about tonight, I am sure he will wish—”
“You will tell your brother nothing,” he interrupted.
“What? But—”
“Rosamund.” Christ, he liked the sound of her name. “Rosamund, my knowledge of your true nature is a secret, one I expect to be kept between you and me and no one else, not even your dear brother.”
She frowned, plainly puzzled. “But I don’t see what it matters if Bertram knows.”
“It matters because I wish to keep seeing you and somehow I suspect your brother won’t give you nearly the same latitude to spend time in my company if he knows I’ve twigged on to the fact that you’re a woman.”
“Oh. Well, no, I suppose he wouldn’t.” She worried the tip of one fingernail between her teeth for a moment. “Actually I already have to sneak out of the house to see you. He doesn’t approve even now. He says . . .”
Lawrence crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. “Yes, what does he say?”
“That you’ve a dreadful reputation when it comes to women and that I oughtn’t be alone with you, not even if you believe—or rather believed—that I’m a man.”
“Your brother is right. And far more intelligent than I’ve given him credit for. I see that I shall have to reassess my opinion of his capabilities in future.”
“What do you mean he’s right?”
“Exactly that.”
“I’m sorry. I’m afraid I don’t understand.”
“Do you not?” he drawled, his tone gentle. “I suspect you understand far more than you think you do.”
Her eyes widened. “But we’re friends. Or at least we were until I told you I’ve been lying.”
“Oh, we still are. Friends, that is.”
“Then what are you saying?”
He got to his feet, then reached out and pulled her to her own, securing her against him with an arm around her waist. He looked down into her eyes. “I’m saying that I want to be more than just your friend.”
“But . . . but . . . ,” she sputtered. “This doesn’t make sense. Until a week ago, you thought I was a man.”
“Yes, and it proved damned confusing and uncomfortable, I can tell you that. I’ve never had such inappropriate thoughts about one of my chums in my life.”
She drew in a sharp breath. “Then you—”
“Want you?” He laid a palm against her cheek. “Yes, Rosamund, I do. Quite badly, as it happens.”
“But . . . is that why you’ve decided not to betray my confidence? So you can—”
“Blackmail you?” He smiled slowly. “No, my dear. Whatever you and I decide to do in private has no bearing on my promise. Whether you say yes or no, I’ll keep your secret. You have my word.”
He felt her relax slightly against him.
“Then again, I believe I have reason to be offended,” he said. “I assure you I’ve never in my life had to force a woman into my bed.”
“No, I don’t suppose you have,” she murmured, so softly he almost didn’t hear her.
He nearly laughed. Instead he reached out and tugged free the cord that held her queue in place, letting her short, straight dark hair fall around her face. It softened her features, making her look like the woman she was.
“So, what shall it be?” he asked. “You did tell me you’d do anything to express your gratitude. Surely a kiss wouldn’t be too much to ask.”
“I—I suppose not,” she whispered.
And before she had a chance to change her mind, he pressed his lips to hers.
Chapter 14
Fire shot through her veins the instant Lawrence’s mouth touched hers, her entire body tingling from scalp to toes. For years she’d thought she knew what it was like to be kissed, but in a few quick seconds her entire perspective shattered around her. The memory of those long-ago kisses had been tender and sweet, rife with the promise of innocent hope and young love.
But there was nothing innocent about this kiss as Lawrence claimed her with a sophisticated passion that muddled her mind and stole her breath. He tasted of wine and smelled like warm, clean man, the grain of his whiskers slightly rough against her smooth cheeks. But she found she didn’t mind. In fact, she was excited by the sensation rather than repulsed. Her heart hammered out an erratic beat as he plundered her mouth with a thoroughness that left her reeling.
She blinked dizzily up at him, her spectacles tilted at an awkward angle when he let her briefly come up for air. To her surprise, she found her fingers twisted in the material of his shirt as if she’d been trying to anchor herself to him. She tried to make herself let go but only ended up petting his chest instead.
Lawrence stared down at her, his eyelids heavy with a look that sent fresh quivers chasing over her skin. “Hmm, not too bad for a first kiss,” he murmured. “Shall we see what we can do with a second?”
Considering that he’d nearly made her head explode, she didn’t see how it could possibly get better. But if he thought so . . .
She supposed she must have nodded, or else made some faint noise of agreement, since he paused for only a few seconds more before tunneling the fingers of one hand into her hair to cradle the back of her skull. Gently he angled her head, tipped his own to one side and began to kiss her again.
Although she’d assumed it would be impossible to top his first effort, this second kiss was indeed even better. What began as a slow, sultry dance of passionate warmth and tactile sensation soon turned incendiary, her limbs becoming liquid as she trembled in his embrace.
But she needn’t have worried—his strong arms were there to support her as he arched her body even closer against his. Catching her lower lip between his teeth, he played upon her tender flesh, nibbling gently until her mouth opened on a shaky breath. Without hesitating, he slid his tongue in deep to trace every silken inch. Her mind spun, overwhelmed, as he led her places she’d never even thought to go.
Without quite realizing, she began to kiss him back, following his lead with an eagerness that ought to have shocked her but only left her wanting more. She tangled her tongue with his, meeting his demands with an instinctive need that transcended any doubt or shame. She’d been drunk before on alcohol, but she hadn’t realized that she could get drunk on a ma
n’s touch, each new caress more intoxicating than the last.
Dimly she felt his hand reach down and tug the tail of her shirt free of her trousers before delving beneath the material. She shuddered as his fingers moved in a hot slide across her bare skin, over her back and around to her stomach. She sucked her belly in on a gasp, shifting her thighs against the sudden, inexplicable ache that lodged itself between them.
Kissing her all the while, he worked to untie the cloth that bound her breasts. But it was too well secured for an easy release and too tight for him to slip his fingers underneath. He stroked her there anyway, over the cloth, her ribs straining uncomfortably as she fought for air.
Then he gave up.
Or at least she thought he had until his hand turned and went in the opposite direction.
“Oh!” She jumped, her eyes flying open as he slid his palm over the curve of her buttocks. He cupped her there, massaging her flesh through the fabric of her trousers before giving a gentle squeeze. Her hips arched involuntarily, pressing her closer.
But he wasn’t through. Using the hand on her bottom to guide her, he pressed a muscular leg between her own so that without her quite knowing how he managed it, she suddenly found herself straddling his thigh. He rocked her there against his leg, kneading her buttocks as he urged her to ride him. The intimacy of the act both shocked and enthralled her, leaving her dizzy with a need she couldn’t fully comprehend.
He continued kissing her with ardent intensity before breaking off to bury his mouth against her neck. He teased her there with the tip of his tongue before scattering kisses along the length of her throat. Onward he roved, over her chin and cheek, temple and ear. He caught the lobe between his teeth, then suckled for several heart-stopping moments before blowing warm breath across her damp skin.
Hot chills burst like gooseflesh all over her skin, her eyelids falling shut on a wave of uncontrollable delight.
“I never realized before how advantageous a pair of trousers could be on a woman,” he murmured darkly. “Gives a man all sorts of unanticipated access.”
His hand slid lower, then lower still. He took her mouth again in a series of raw, openmouthed kisses as he insinuated his fingers between her legs, nudging them even farther apart. He rubbed her through the cloth, eliciting sounds she barely recognized as her own. Hazily she became aware of a growing dampness where he was stroking her, each touch more sinful than the last.
“That’s right,” he said, bouncing her lightly against his thigh as he continued rubbing her with his fingers. “Just let it happen.”
Let what happen? she wondered, too lost in the sensations to protest anything he did. Not that she wanted to, the ragged ache lodged deep in her core too insistent to be denied. She felt as if she were poised on the precipice of something extraordinary, though what she didn’t know.
He rocked her again, turning his hand over so she was rubbing against his knuckles now, while behind, he stroked and squeezed her buttocks.
Suddenly, with no warning at all, a staggering pleasure erupted inside her, spreading hot throughout her body. She sagged in his arms, grateful for his strength. Otherwise, she knew she would have fallen in a heap to the floor.
He held her secure, supporting her weight as if it were nothing, then crushed his lips to hers. He kissed her long and hard, demanding her participation. She reciprocated as best she could, moaning as she let him drink his fill of her.
His breathing was coming in quick drafts by the time he raised his head. “God, you make me wild. I could lay you down on the floor and take you right here, right now.”
He made her wild too. Why else would she be here with him like this? If he wanted her now, would she have the strength to deny him? Would she even wish to?
“It’s getting late, though,” he continued, his voice strained with clearly suppressed longing. “Our first time together shouldn’t be some hurried coupling here in my study. When I take you to my bed, I want there to be no rush, no interruptions.”
He brushed his lips over hers, once, twice, in slow, plucking touches. “I plan to be quite thorough with you, Rosamund Carrow. Any woman as passionate as yourself deserves to be satisfied to the fullest extent possible. What days do you have free this week?”
“What?” She blinked, confused by the question.
“Your schedule. Which days can you slip off by yourself for several uninterrupted hours? If I recall correctly, I’ve this Wednesday open.”
“I—I don’t know.” She frowned, trying desperately to think, but he seemed to have driven all the sense out of her.
He laughed softly at her befuddled expression. “Don’t fret. We’ll figure it out later. For now, I suspect we need to get you home before your brother realizes you’re not in the house.”
It took a moment before the words sank in. Once they did, she stiffened in his arms. “What time is it?”
He angled his head to look at a small clock that sat on one of the shelves. “A few minutes shy of eleven.”
“Eleven! Oh, dear Lord, I’ve got to go. He’s rarely out past midnight and he’ll be sure to hear the door if I get back after he does.”
She pressed her hands against Lawrence’s chest to extricate herself, lurching away as she looked wildly around for her discarded clothes. Off balance, she stumbled and might have fallen had he not reached out and caught her in time.
“Whoa there,” he said, steadying her, hands on her shoulders. “It won’t do to have you break a limb. Talk about spoiling all the fun.” He smiled at her with amused reassurance. “Now take a deep breath, Counselor. Everything is going to be fine.”
Her eyes were wide as they met his. “Will it?”
“Yes,” he said with quiet authority. “We’ve ample time yet to see you safely across town.”
She frowned. “Not if I have trouble finding a hack.”
“You aren’t taking a hack. I shall escort you home.”
“But, Lawrence—”
“No arguments. I may be amenable to letting you continue your charade, but I won’t have you traipsing around London alone at night.”
“You’re as bad as Bertram. As I keep reminding him, everyone who sees me thinks I am a man.”
“Perhaps so, but even men are set upon by thieves and miscreants on occasion. I am accompanying you home.” Gently he reached up and adjusted her spectacles so they sat straight on her nose. “Now, tuck your shirt in. Then I’ll assist you with your neck cloth and coat.”
“You need to put yours on as well.” She eyed the open collar of his shirt, noticing the hint of golden chest hair that peeked over the lower edge.
“Indeed.” He skimmed a fingertip across her flushed cheek. “But ladies first, even ladies who dress as gentlemen.”
In under ten minutes, Lawrence had them both neatly attired once again. He’d even smoothed her hair and tied it back into its usual tidy queue.
With an efficiency she could only admire, he ordered his coach and in a few scant minutes more, the two of them were on their way. She leaned back against the plush upholstery, studying him through the darkness as an occasional streetlamp illuminated the interior.
From the seat opposite, he watched her as well.
“You’re not going to be able to look at me like that when we’re in company, you know,” she murmured softly.
“And how am I looking at you?”
She hesitated before whispering, “Like you want to ravish me.”
“That’s because I do.” A wicked smile spread over his face before he sobered again. “But I’ll be careful. I promise. At least when we are not alone.”
A small silence fell, the rhythmic rumble of the coach wheels rising to fill the void.
She ran nervous fingers over her trouser leg. “Lawrence, maybe this isn’t such a good idea.”
“What isn’t?”
�
�You and me. What happened between us tonight. I think you may have the wrong impression of me.”
“Really? What impression is that?”
She drew a shaky breath, wondering if she should go on. But she was the one who’d started this, so she couldn’t very well refuse to answer now. “That I’m a bit of an adventuress, I suppose. Someone who is brave and bold and unafraid of the consequences, no matter how scandalous they might be. But I’m not. Neither am I the kind of woman who is in the habit of taking lovers.”
“I know that.”
“You do?” She couldn’t help the sound of surprise in her voice.
He chuckled softly. “Unquestionably. I realized that the moment I kissed you. You’re delightfully . . . untried.”
“Then why?”
“Why do I want you?”
She nodded.
“That’s simple enough,” he answered. “You are without qualification the most fascinating individual of either sex I’ve met in a long time, perhaps ever come to that. Plus, you’re remarkably beautiful.”
“I’m not.”
“Oh, but you are. Inside and out.”
He shifted seats so that he was suddenly next to her. Leaning close, he took her chin between his fingers. “I know I probably oughtn’t press you, shouldn’t try to lure you into my bed where I can corrupt you in the most shameless of ways. But, you see, I just can’t seem to help myself. You bring out the very devil in me, my dear Rosamund.”
Her heart pounded, her breasts straining against their binding as if longing for his touch. As for the place between her legs, it was aching again, her flesh remembering.
His lips met hers in the dark for a soft, slow kiss that shook her to her core. It was only when he drew away that she realized the coach was no longer moving.
They had arrived.
He lowered his hand and drew back a couple of inches. “I shall await word from you, to let me know when we can meet.”
“And if I change my mind? If I don’t contact you?”
“Then I will be more disappointed than you can imagine. But regardless of your decision, your secret is safe, exactly as promised. Now, you’d best go inside before your brother returns from his evening out. I don’t want you rousing his suspicions before we even have a chance to begin the next chapter of our association.”
Bedchamber Games Page 13