But it was the ache between her thighs that currently held her attention.
She turned her face so her nose was now pressed to the sheets. The scent of sex clung to them, a reminder of her recent activities. Sweat had transferred from their skin to the fabric; it made her hair stick to the side of her face and sent a chill through her body. She wouldn’t change a thing. Though the bed was now cold from the absence of his body heat, the mattress still held the impression of Emmet’s body.
Emmet.
Grinning as a debutante would, Nicola closed her eyes and ran her fingers down the side of her throat, wishing he was here. They’d spent the better part of two days in this room, eating, bathing, sleeping, making love, learning each other. They didn’t speak of the future, of what they would do now that the danger had passed. Hell, she hadn’t even inquired about Thomas and what his fate would entail. She wasn’t foolish enough to believe he’d pay for his sins. The owner of the Illuminating Company had more money and influence than the common man, and would never be subjected to a common fate. She had no doubt their paths would cross again.
Only next time, she’d be ready for him.
Nicola closed her eyes, her thoughts going back to the man who’d unexpectedly shown her what true love was. Emmet had been pulled away from their bed by a summons from the Guild Masters. They demanded their report, and nothing Emmet could say to their representative would deter them. His last kiss still lingered on her lips, his deep rumbling words of love in her ears. This was worth letting her barriers fall, worth any potential heartache because for the first time in her life, she felt electrified.
There was a time when she’d believed that forging intense personal relationships would hinder her creativity, would cloud her ability to remain objective and clear-minded when it came to her inventions and scientific discovery. Pleasures of the body would interrupt the logical flow of the mind.
What a fool she’d been.
This wasn’t the same rush she got when an experiment went right. While her heart would race with excitement and she’d rattle off her findings to her closes colleagues, it never gave her the same sense of satisfaction. Simon had often denied it, but she knew the others were jealous of her creations. Jealous that a woman was outperforming them and had gained high praise from the Company. There was none of that with Emmet, and not because they were from different professional backgrounds and he didn’t care. He did care, quite a bit. She could see the pride shinning at her when she’d spoken to Sergeant Hawkins and Constable Timmons. No, he saw her as equal parts the woman he cared for and a brilliant scientist.
And that was the reason she loved him.
She must have drifted off, for the knock on the door had her sitting bolt upright and sent her heart racing. Damn, she was going to miss the leisure that privacy provided her. “Who is it?”
“A message for you, miss.” She slipped on her robe and opened the door enough to catch sight of the blushing maid, a message tube in her hand. “This arrived this morning. We didn’t think you and your, ah… friend would want to be disturbed.”
This morning she’d tied his hands to the headboard while she climbed on top of his body to ride his cock. That had been a pleasant distraction. “Thank you. Your discretion is appreciated.”
The maid scurried away the moment Nicola took possession of the tube. She’d have to remember to leave a little extra something for the poor girl. Closing the door, she carried the message tube over to the chair closest to the fireplace. The wood cracked and snapped. Heat from the fire wasn’t necessary as the room had been fitted with steam pipes, but she preferred the ambiance.
Yellowed paper slid from the tube, sporting the seal of the Hudson’s Bay Company. She’d been expecting a message from Simon for some time now. She had no doubt he’d been told of her misadventures and most likely was going to admonish her for not heeding his advice sooner. But as she broke through the stag’s head and unrolled the scroll, Nicola was surprised at what she saw.
Hello, Nikki.
I would normally start with a lecture on how you need to listen to me better as it will save you a great deal of heartache in the future, but I won’t. It’s come to my attention that you have formed a bit of an attachment to one of the zombies since your arrival. You know we don’t care about what you do in your personal life as long as it doesn’t impact your work. Well, I care, but I’ve accepted long ago that ours will always be a professional relationship.
My sources are quite good, as you are aware. I’ve heard things that have caused me concern. All I can say is that you have my blessing. I trust you to know what you’re doing. You might be a bit mad, Nikki, but you’ve got a good heart. It’s a good thing that you’ve finally started listening to it.
And for the record, you were right. Turning the Clock Tower into an energy coil that way. Brilliant. Simply brilliant. I expect you to work on the plans when you get back. The opportunities to expand on what you’ve done are endless. Though we’ll have to refer to it as a Tesla Coil, because Jacobs has his sonar coil contraption that he’s been working on. We’ll need to keep it straight.
I’ll book your passage home for three days’ time. I’ll book extra space in case you need it for equipment, trunks… other important things.
Come home. The frozen North isn’t the same without you.
Simon
How the hell had Simon known that much about Emmet? And what the hell had he meant by she had his blessing? One of these days, she was going to have a long chat with him about the idiocy of speaking in riddles to a woman of science.
More footsteps approached, only this time there was no knock chasing it. She tucked the note away and listened as the person paced outside her doorway for several minutes, before her frustration got the better of her.
“Emmet, if you don’t come in you’re going to traumatize the maid.” She didn’t need to hear his huff to know he’d blown one out.
He stepped through the door, closing it with a quiet precision she’d come to recognize as his nature. He continued to stand by the door, his hand holding the handle and his gaze locked on the window. Since they’d taken up residence in her bed after Mary’s destruction, Emmet had been far more relaxed in his manner. This wasn’t the man she’d grown accustomed to.
“What’s wrong?” She pulled her robe tighter around her and started to her feet.
“Don’t get up.”
“All right.” The cushion swallowed her bottom and legs as she relaxed once more. “Are you going to tell me what the matter is?”
“Yes.” He finally released the handle and stepped a few paces more into the room. “I don’t know quite how to put it.”
“Will it help or hinder if I’m naked?” Flipping one side of her robe over the chair, she enjoyed the rush of air against her naked breast. “I’m open to discussing options.”
Emmet’s gaze traveled down her exposed side, lingering on her thigh. “You don’t play fair, do you, Nikki?”
“Not if I can help it.”
“The Administrators wanted to congratulate me on not only seeing to the repairs of the Archives central machine, your safety, the destruction of Mary, and the continued safety of New London, but also for undergoing an extraction under less than pleasant circumstances.”
“That’s good, right?”
“Yes.” He patted the side of his thigh. She could smell the cold outside air that he’d brought in on his clothing. It was fresh and brought life to the room. Perhaps she could convince him to go for a walk after they made love again. “They’ve offered me a position of Administrator.”
The idea of stripping him of his clothing quickly left her. “What?”
“It’s an honor. I’m the youngest archivist to ever receive the appointment, which the Guild Masters stressed several times. It’s the very thing I’ve worked toward, a position of status within the guild. Something even my father would be proud of.”
She hadn’t considered the thought that their time togethe
r would be coming to an end. Not a permanent one. But she had Simon’s summons, and Emmet had finally found the position he’d always wanted. The outside world had come crashing down upon them, raining shards far sharper than the glass from the Clock Tower.
“When do you begin?” The pain in her throat and chest was entirely unexpected. She should make note of it, a detached observation on how the body responds to soul-wrenching grief.
Emmet slipped his greatcoat off, letting it fall to the floor without care. He held her gaze as he crossed the room, the white rings around his irises becoming more prominent with each step. The moment he reached her, he dropped to his knees and placed his head in her lap. The ragged roll of his breath across her naked thigh sent a shiver through her.
“It’s the one thing I’ve always wanted. Position and status to make my father proud. Since I was a child, I was made to feel less worthy of his attentions than my brothers. He’d forbid me to join the Archives, but I forced his hand. I needed him to know I was my own man, capable of accomplishing my own feats of wonder.”
She should be trying to distance herself, to keep what little dignity she had by not dissolving into a mess of tears. Her life had been complete before Emmet had crawled into her life inside the guts of a machine, it would be as complete when he crawled away.
It would be simply a little less.
“I should be ecstatic that I finally have what I want.” He gripped her thigh with his hand.
She in return carded her fingers through his hair. “You’re not?”
Neither of them spoke for a time. The snap and crackle of the fire slowed in frequency. The hiss of the steam through the pipes increased. A rush of pattering against the window pane drew her attention. It was snowing. That was something she did miss about her home in Canada. The quiet that would descend upon the land when the snow would come, giant flakes falling from the sky as one would drape a blanket upon the bed. She’d change the date of her return trip to tomorrow, if possible. There was no way her heart could bear it to stay in New London, knowing Emmet would be gone from her.
All I can say is that you have my blessing.
Nicola stilled her hand, her fingers buried deep in his fair locks. “Emmet?”
“Hmm?”
“Have you already accepted the position?”
“Not yet. I asked the Guild Masters for a day to collect my thoughts. Used the excuse that I’ve only completed one extraction and might wish to continue on as an archivist for a bit longer. They were surprised, but agreed to the time.”
The idea was more than a little mad. There were many things she hadn’t considered, implications and fallout. If she gave herself more than a moment, she would realize that this was a terrible idea indeed.
You might be a bit mad, Nikki, but you’re got a good heart. It’s a good thing that you’ve finally started listening to it.
Tugging on his head, she couldn’t stop herself from laughing at the confused look on his face. “Why are you looking at me as though I’m one of your experiments?”
“How do you feel about secondment?”
Even his frown appeared cute to her now. “What do you mean?”
“I think you should accept the role. It’s critically important and one you’ve worked quite hard to obtain. You’d be a fool to cast it aside.”
“Nikki—”
“And then they will receive a message from the Company thanking them for taking such good care of me. Management would like to offer their congratulations and thanks in person. It would be a way to further the good relations between the archivists and our own interests.”
“You want me to give up my life and come to Canada?”
“No, I want to you take charge of your chosen profession and see it expanded. There is a lot the Guild Masters could learn from us about their central machine. This is critical information and would require extended study. Not the sort of thing an archivist could do, given the nature of their role.”
She watched as his mind turned the idea over and over, looking for the flaw in her logic. She knew Simon would support her, would go to whatever lengths needed to help her bring Emmet home with her. They would then have the time away from the prying eyes of his overlords to see if this thing between them was as strong as she suspected.
Emmet slowly began to smile and rose to his knees. “You really are brilliant.”
“I know.” She leaned in and kissed him.
Their mouths opened as they deepened the kiss. Her tongue sought its mate, teasing the moist flesh with her tip. Her mind slowed and her senses picked up, reinforcing that this was exactly the right thing. They needed this, balanced each other. Nicola wrapped her arms around him and promised herself that she’d never let go.
“Nikki…” He sucked the side of her throat, pulling a gasp from her. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” Tears filled her eyes as emotions overwhelmed her. “Come with me.”
He chuckled, his mouth pressed to the skin below her ear. “How could I refuse?”
“Quite easily, I suspect. You would simply tell me that the third son of the Duke of Bedford would never subject himself—”
Emmet growled and yanked her from the chair so she landed hard on her ass on the floor. “Bastard!”
He pushed her robe aside, fully exposing her body. “You have no idea.”
Nicola took hedonistic pleasure in watching him remove his clothing. First the boots went flying across the room, landing who knew where. Then the layers of the archivist’s uniform fell bit by bit—black waistcoat, crisp white shirt, black pants—until there was nothing left but Emmet the man, standing bared before her.
“You’re the first person to see beyond and really notice me.” He stood straight and proud, his cock already hard and thrusting toward the sky. “I never felt like a third son of a duke, or a zombie, or an outsider. You teased me. Spoke to me, in a way even my friends never quite managed.”
Emmet dropped to his knees and placed a hand on each of her knees. They’d been here enough over the past three days that she knew what to expect from him now. He was a man who preferred to make the most of what he was given. Leaning forward, he hooked his hands beneath her thighs and lowered his face to her pussy.
Oh, she could spend a lifetime with him and never grow tired of this. The press of his tongue around her clit had her moaning in pleasure and anticipation. He’d somehow trained her to crave his touch, her body growing wet from the closeness of his body to hers. She could only imagine it would get worse the longer they were together, and relished finding out for certain.
Sucking her clit into his mouth, Emmet pushed two fingers into her waiting body. He’d taken to fanning them out, stretching and teasing her, touching deep inside her in a place that made her see stars. All she could do was hold on and let the sensations wash over her. She’d tried to stop them, to hold the pleasure back until she was ready for the mind-blowing rush. All pointless. He was relentless, sucking and coaxing her body to give up what he wanted from her. So she lifted her legs so they rested upon his shoulders, held his head tight and closed her eyes.
He circled her clit with his tongue before lowering his mouth and licking the skin around where his fingers lay. With his free hand, he reached up and found one of her hard nipples, squeezing the tip in time with the flick of his tongue. Her body responded, her hips bucking gently to the pace he set.
“Killing me,” she whispered and turned her head to the side. Heat from the fireplace washed over her skin, adding to the torrent of sensations racing through her.
He chuckled again, this time with his mouth against her thigh. “You want me to end it all?”
“Please.”
“You want me to make you scream?”
“God, yes.”
This was it. He pinched her nipple and sucked her clit hard. His fingers continued to thrust into her the way she wanted his cock to. Her body was an instrument he’d mastered, he a maestro and she his faithful follower. But as
wonderful as this was, she wanted more from him. As the first tingling of her orgasm approached, she tugged at his head.
“Not like this. I want to feel you inside me.”
His lips were wet from her and glowed in the firelight as he smiled. “Ah, sweet Nikki. Whatever you wish.”
The floor was far from comfortable for either of them, but she was past caring. Bracing her feet she waited for him to position his cock between her legs and thrust hard into her pussy. They held still in that moment, staring at each other, their breathing falling into a rhythm. Her mind latched onto the idea that together they were as cog and gear, working as one to move the world around them. But in her heart she knew it was far simpler than that.
This was love.
Nicola bucked her hips again, encouraging him to move. She then tightened the muscles of her pussy, squeezing his cock as hard as she could manage. She’d discovered that little trick quite by accident during one of their previous lovemaking sessions. Emmet clearly appreciated it. His eyes rolled into the back of his head and he thrust into her without mercy.
Yes!
Her body had been primed for release before this, and it took little time for her to feel the return of the now familiar tingle of pleasure. Her breasts grew heavy and her nipples sent pleasing jolts down to her clit. Stars appeared in her vision and she knew she was racing toward the edge. She curled her body around Emmet’s, pulling him as close as she could until the first waves of her orgasm slammed into her. She tensed, screamed, and writhed beneath him.
With his face pressed to her shoulder, he continued to pound into her. She turned her face, nearly breathless from the strength of her release, and kissed the shell of his ear. “I love you. I need you. Come for me.”
Emmet growled before throwing his head back to cry out. The rush of his seed spilled into her pussy, giving her a sense of rightness. They hadn’t done anything to prevent the possibility of children since their return. The idea of children no longer terrified her the way it once had, as long as they were with him.
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