A Moment of Passion (The Ladies Book of Pleasures)

by Jess Michaels

  The new position felt different, as if she could feel the entirety of his sex in a fresh way. She draped her arms over his shoulders and shivered at the feel before she flexed around him experimentally.

  He cried out and then pushed her breasts together, massaging the sensitive flesh before he rolled his tongue around one turgid nipple.

  It seemed like an eternity ago that he had demanded she ride him. She hadn’t understood his meaning, but now her body began to do just that of its own accord. She lifted up, thrusting her hips to take him in and out. Her pelvis rubbed his, and almost immediately her passion built, helped along by the heated slide of his tongue against her sensitive nipples. Her release, that thing she now had a name for—orgasm—built within her, a flame that could not be extinguished.

  She reached for it without thinking, increasing the strokes of her body, circling her hips wildly and finally, with a cry she muffled against his shoulder, her body gave her what she desired. Her sheath spasmed, gripping Jason’s cock, rippling with release that forced her to continue her thrusts until she was weak against him.

  Only in that moment did he take her control, flipping her onto her back and pounding hard into her a handful of times before he withdrew and spent his seed away from her.

  He flopped down next to her, his arm coming around her, a welcome weight across her bare stomach. His face was still buried in her coverlet when he murmured, “Forget him. Forget that bastard, Jacinda. I am your first.”

  She squeezed her eyes shut as unexpected emotion flooded her. Tears began to force their way past her lids and she swiped them away.

  “I wish you were,” she whispered.

  He moved at the break in her voice, lifting his head to look at her. She turned her face so he wouldn’t see how much he moved her, but he cupped her cheeks and wouldn’t allow it. He stared at her for a long moment, then swiped one tear with his thumb before he shook his head.

  “I’m sorry,” he whispered as he got up and began dressing. “I’m sorry, that was a foolish thing to say.”

  She watched him as he moved, his hands going so fast that he missed a button on his shirt and barely kept from tipping over as he shoved a boot on. He couldn’t wait to leave, that much was obvious.

  “Jason,” she said, sitting up and lifting the coverlet to cover herself, as she suddenly felt awkward being naked with him. “Did I do something wrong?”

  He looked at her, his gaze hooded and unreadable. She didn’t like that, for normally she could read his emotions so clearly.

  “You did nothing wrong,” he reassured her, reaching to touch her, then pulling away before he did. “We must simply be...careful. We don’t want to confuse what is happening between us.”

  She pursed her lips. “I see.”

  “I am helping you, Jacinda,” he explained, as if she were stupid and couldn’t remember their bargain. “And I enjoy it immensely, more than I ever could have dreamed. But that is all this is. All it can ever be.”

  She folded her arms and nodded once. “Of course,” she managed past dry lips. “What else would it be, Jason?”

  His jaw tensed, as if he didn’t like her agreeing with exactly what he had said. Then he opened her window and placed one foot onto the ledge. “Tomorrow you will likely receive an invitation,” he said before he exited fully. “Please be sure to accept it and wear your best gown.”

  Jacinda drew a breath. Sometimes she got so wrapped up in the sensual training aspect of their arrangement, she forgot about his drive to see her wed. Sometimes she wanted to forget.

  “Very well,” she said softly. “Good night.”

  He nodded once and then he was gone, leaving her to watching him disappear down her tree once again. And as she shut her window, she couldn’t help but think that one night he would depart that window and never return at all.

  Chapter Eleven

  “If the first man who pays you attention isn’t the one you like, why not strive for the attention of others? Choices are what make the world go around.”—The Ladies Book of Pleasures

  Jacinda shifted in discomfort as the footman finished announcing her and her aunt’s arrival to the ball being hosted by the very popular Viscount Berney. She had no doubt that her invitation had been arranged by...well, probably everyone in her acquaintance had a hand in it, and it did nothing to make her more comfortable.

  Nor did her aunt, who was currently hissing at her side, “Be smart, missy. You haven’t been invited to an event like this in years. If you make a muck of it, you will only make yourself—and me—a fool, so step lively.”

  Jacinda gripped her fists at her sides. “That hardly helps my nerves, Aunt Cordelia.”

  “Well, why shouldn’t you have nerves?” her aunt blustered in reply. “When you know they’re all whispering about you, as usual.”

  Jacinda’s stomach sank all the way to her toes. She tried not to think of the whispers, but of course her aunt would cruelly throw them in her face. She glanced around the room and saw the occasional stare in her direction, the odd man or woman saying something to a companion before looking at her.

  She never should have agreed to this foolishness. She wracked her brain to try to think of a way out of it, when suddenly there was a hand on her arm. She gasped and turned to face the person who would be so bold, only to find herself looking up at the Duke of Carnthorn.

  She swallowed, trying not to think of his shocking suggestion that she become a mistress. His mistress. Her heated cheeks betrayed her.

  “Good evening, Your Grace,” she managed to squeak out.

  Her aunt did the same, but her glare remained focused on Jacinda.

  “Good evening, Miss Downing,” the duke said, all propriety and smiles, though he hadn’t yet removed his hand from her arm. “Mrs. Wentworth, how lovely to see you again. Do you mind if I steal your niece away for the first dance of the evening?”

  Her aunt waved them off with yet another warning glare for Jacinda and huffed away to find the other chaperones. Without asking Jacinda’s leave, the duke guided her onto the dance floor and swept her into his arms as the first song began. She flushed as she realized it was not a country dance tune, so she would be forced to remain in the other man’s arms for the entirety of the musical interlude.

  “You do look lovely tonight, Miss Downing,” the duke began, his friendly and utterly proper words belied by a certain light in his eyes. Now that she had been with Jason, now that she understood desire, she recognized that light for what it truly was.

  Could two very handsome men actually want her? She, who no one had even noticed for nearly a decade?

  “Have you been stricken mute?” he whispered, teasing in his tone.

  She shook her head. “No, I’m sorry, Your Grace. I simply wasn’t expecting your invitation to dance so early in the night.”

  “And you do not enjoy these events,” he supplied for her. “These stuffy Society parties where everyone stands and judges the others in the room.”

  Jacinda tensed. “I admit they are not my favorite kinds of gatherings.”

  “The ones for mistresses are much more fun,” he whispered, too close to her ear before he placed a hand on her hip, and they continued to glide across the floor.

  Jacinda’s cheeks were so hot, she felt they might burst into flame at any moment. At least the fire would give her a means to escape.

  “I’m not certain I’ll ever know about that, my lord,” she said.

  “No.” He frowned. “Not if Lord Northfield has any say about it, at any rate. He paid me a visit after our last encounter, you know.”

  She nodded slowly. “Yes. I did hear about that from him.”

  “He explained to me that he has an interest in courting you,” the duke continued, his eyes completely focused on her even as they continued to dance.

  She blinked, for those words sounded so foreign to her, even if she knew they were nothing but a ruse.

  “Yes,” she said, probably a beat too late and a bit too brea
thlessly. “So he says.”

  “Yet you did not tell me that when I met with you in your parlor,” Carnthorn continued, his voice a low drawl.

  She turned her face. “You caught me off guard with your suggestions for the direction of my future, and I was too aflutter to respond the proper way I should have, by letting you know that there was another interested party. I apologize for that, my lord.”

  She didn’t know how she expected him to respond to what she hoped was her final gentle refusal, but it wasn’t with the wide, rather attractive grin he flashed at her.

  “Do not apologize,” he said. “But I do hope you aren’t being seduced.”

  Jacinda nearly tripped over her own feet as her gaze flashed to his face. Did he know what she and Jason were doing in her bed at night?

  “What do you mean?” she managed to ask, though her throat was now dry as the desert.

  “By offers of marriage,” he clarified. “And staid propriety.”

  She set her jaw. He was mocking her now, teasing her.

  “You must know that is what ladies expect,” she responded, lifting her chin.

  His smile widened yet again at her subtle admonishment. “True. However, I must be allowed to respond to this.”

  “The dance is nearly over,” she said. “Take whatever time you desire to respond.”

  “I only want to warn you, as a friend, that you may not get your freedom this way.” His smile faded a little, the hardness back in his stare. “I would wager this sudden interest Lord Northfield has taken in you will not be as strong once you are Lady Northfield.”

  Jacinda shivered at the words. Lady Northfield. But no, she would never be that. Whenever Jason discussed their “courtship” ending, it was never with Jacinda as his countess, no matter how successful or unsuccessful his plan ended up being.

  “Wouldn’t it be a shame to be left at home while Northfield…” He hesitated, though the hard grin returned. “While he finds entertainment elsewhere?”

  Jacinda couldn’t deny the sting this man’s words created in her, false courtship or not. And why shouldn’t it sting when he was probably right about not just Jason, but any man? She knew a few love matches amongst those around her, but they were not the fashion. If she did wed, Carnthorn’s prediction was likely to be true.

  But he didn’t have to take so much pleasure in suggesting it to her.

  She frowned at him. “Is that not what you are doing to Lady Carnthorn yourself?”

  The moment she said the words, she wished she could take them back. Not only were they far too bold, but Carnthorn’s smile faded away entirely and a coldness settled over his face that was nothing short of frightening.

  “We do that to wives, my dear. Not mistresses.” He hissed the last word, spitting it at her as if it would stick.

  She had thought him attractive, but now that was gone. The music ended and she sighed inwardly with gratitude. She moved to extract herself from him as she said, “You go too far, sir.”

  “Do I?” he growled back, his fingers tightening around her wrist so she could not escape.

  She stared up at him, fear flooding her for the first time. He was no longer asking or suggesting she do his bidding, he was demanding. And because they were in a crowded ballroom, she could do nothing to escape him without causing a scene that would be more unpleasant for her than for him.

  “Jacinda!”

  Her name came from over her shoulder in Jason’s warm voice and Jacinda all but sagged in gratitude. A feeling that doubled when Carnthorn released her wrist and stepped back.

  “There you are,” Jason said, taking her arm and tucking it into the crook of his elbow. Her fingers came around his arm and she clung there, regaining her breath.

  “I-I looked for you when I arrived and couldn’t find you,” she said.

  “And the duke here was kind enough to dance with you in my stead,” Jason said, but his tone had hardened as he frowned at the other man. “Carnthorn.”

  “Northfield.” Carnthorn looked at her. “Thank you for the dance, Miss Downing. I hope I’ve given you much to think about.”

  Jacinda nodded. “Indeed you have, Your Grace. Good evening.”

  He turned on his heel and walked away, leaving her alone with Jason. But also alone with the confusing and often frightening thoughts the duke had put in her head. Ones he was correct in guessing would take a long time to erase.

  Jacinda was doing everything right as she spun in his arms across the dance floor, a smile plastered across her face. And yet Jason could see that she was not entirely focused on the task at hand...on him. It was doubly frustrating a fact when he thought of how focused she had seemed on Carnthorn when he saw them dancing.

  He scowled. He was not jealous. That wasn’t his nature. He was concerned, which was something different. Jacinda didn’t fully understand what a man like Carnthorn was capable of doing to her.

  “You don’t look very happy,” Jacinda said softly. “I thought we were supposed to smile and act like we were enamored with each other.”

  Jason changed his expression quickly. “I’m sorry, I only see that you are troubled. I want to know why. What did Carnthorn say to you?”

  She stiffened at the mention of the other man, but didn’t answer for a moment.

  “Nothing,” she finally said. Lied, for he could see that plainly.

  “Jacinda,” he said, warning in his tone.

  She ignored it. “Others are watching us,” she whispered. “Is there something I should do?”

  He shook off his annoyance at her reticence to be open with him and glanced around. She was correct, people were watching them.

  “Laugh,” he directed.

  She gave him a confused look. “Laugh?”

  “Yes. Pretend I said something amusing. Like Miss Round’s skirts turn brown when she walks through town.”

  He emphasized the last word, drawing it out and Jacinda laughed, but not in a pretended fashion.

  “You did just say that,” she said. “And it is a disgusting little rhyme, you cad.”

  He stared, losing a step in the dance. When she laughed, there was no one who could deny how beautiful she was. Her face was open, bright, filled with life, and he couldn’t help but be drawn in by her expression.

  The music ended and she slipped her arm from his as she curtseyed slightly. “Thank you, Lord Northfield.”

  She turned to go, but he caught her arm and drew her back for a moment. “I’ll find you shortly for another dance. Don’t stray too far and do not allow Carnthorn to corner you.”

  Her face lost some of its pleasure as she extracted herself from his grip. “Of course.”

  She walked away without another word, and he stepped from the dance floor with a frown. He didn’t like seeing her back disappear into the crowd.

  He turned to find something else to occupy his time and nearly collided with Seth. He caught his breath as he shook the other man’s hand.

  “Didn’t see you there, old friend, you startled me,” he admitted. “I wasn’t certain you and Isabel would be here tonight.”

  “Isabel wouldn’t have missed it. I believe she and Grace went to speak to Jacinda for a moment.”

  Relief flooded Jason’s every pore. At least Carnthorn wouldn’t pester her with her friends around. Isabel and Grace, especially, would never allow for that.

  “You are playing your role very convincingly,” Seth said as he motioned them toward a table along the back wall of the room, where whiskey was being served by liveried servants.

  Jason shot his friend a look. “Hush. Do not make mention of that here,” he said beneath his breath.

  “My apologies,” Seth said, giving him an appraising glance. As they approached the table, where several eligible and powerful men gathered, his friend continued, “Let me make it up to you.” He spoke louder now “Of course you have always been Jacinda’s friend, Northfield, but there is something different now about the way you are together. Do not tell me tha
t the unreachable bachelor has finally been moved by a woman.”

  Jason blinked, the words Seth said sinking beneath his skin in a way he didn’t wish for before he shoved that emotion away. He looked at the men around them, all of whom were listening to their exchange while pretending not to do so. He smiled. Good old Seth.

  “I do not know what it is, my friend,” he said with a shrug. “But there is something about Miss Downing that I never noticed before. Something that makes me…” He trailed off and shook his head. “No, I will not say more. But I also must consider that perhaps I have been a fool for not truly seeing Miss Downing earlier.”

  He caught up a drink and handed another to Seth before they walked away. Once he was certain they were no longer being eavesdropped upon, he grinned.

  “Well played, Seth. That should help plant a seed.”

  Seth nodded, motioning back to the table they had just departed. “There are a few of them already looking at Jacinda.”

  Jason jerked his gaze back and found his friend to be right. There were two men eyeing Jacinda at that very moment. He should have been happy about that fact, for it was the purpose of his ruse. Instead he was...irritated.

  “Now that no one is listening to us, I must ask,” Seth said. “How are things going in truth? Tonight you have begun your act, but I can’t help but notice that there does actually seem to be a change in your relationship with Jacinda.”

  Jason glared at his friend. He wasn’t about to confess that the difference Seth noticed had to do with the passion they’d been sharing.

  “You are too caught up in the game, my friend,” he said with a laugh he hoped would put the marquis off the scent. “I must be a very good actor indeed.”

  Seth frowned. “Perhaps you are. But she isn’t. You aren’t playing with her, are you?”

  Jason drew back in surprise. “Would you truly accuse me of such a terrible thing?”

  Seth arched a brow. “You might not mean to do it, but you could easily make her—”