The Danger in Tempting an Earl

by Sophie Barnes

  Mercifully, he stroked her again, with added pressure. Still, it wasn’t enough, not when complete unrest had taken over her body and embers curled inside her, threatening to tear her limb from limb. She needed something, though she knew not what, but instinct told her that Lucien was the only person capable of sating this overpowering need that stirred within her.

  Eyes locked with his, she watched as he parted her folds, the indecency the image offered sending wave upon wave of pleasure soaring through her. Good Lord, but she had to be the most wanton woman on the face of the earth. And then she felt one of his fingers slip inside her, filling her the way she longed to be filled. “Yes,” she sighed as he moved in and out. His other hand released her breast and came down to stroke some magical part that sent sparks flying.

  “You’re just like I imagined,” Lucien murmured. “Better even. So responsive . . . so welcoming . . . so ready. Come for me, Kate. Reach for your pleasure. Let yourself go.”

  His words, ­coupled with his touch and the erotic image they portrayed in the mirror, buzzed along her every nerve, building the pressure within her until, on an unexpected pulse of energy, a thousand tingles burst through her. “Oh God!”

  “That’s it,” Lucien murmured, his lips tenderly kissing her shoulder as he wrought every last bit of pleasure from her until she felt well and truly drained. He held her quietly for a brief time after, before turning her in his arms and lowering his mouth over hers, his kiss fierce with passion.

  Katherine clung to his broad shoulders, reveling in the thrust of his tongue, the primal demand and possession it signified. “Lucien,” she gasped when his mouth left hers to kiss its way along her jawline. She needed to tell him how momentous the moment between them had been—­sensed that it was of the utmost importance that she did so. So she placed her hands firmly against his chest, gave him a little nudge and took courage. “I cannot offer you my innocence,” she said, embarrassed by the subject but knowing that she had to put the feeling aside and tell him the truth.

  He shook his head. “I know that, Kate.” He moved to kiss her again, but she wouldn’t let him.

  “What I can tell you is that no other man has ever made me feel the way you just did. I mean, I’ve never . . .” God, this was difficult. She sighed, closed her eyes and whispered, “I didn’t realize it could be so incredible.”

  Strong arms came about her waist, holding her close. “Thank you, Kate. You’ve given me a beautiful gift—­one that I will always cherish.”

  His breath was raspy, and she suddenly became aware of the hardness that pressed against her. He needed her just as much as she needed him, and she wanted suddenly, quite desperately, to do for him what he had just done for her. She’d never undressed a man before and felt a little uncertain about doing so now, but then she reminded herself that Lucien could be trusted and that he would not ridicule her for anything. She knew that now, and the thought that she’d recently feared he might felt remarkably silly.

  Reaching up, she went to work on his cravat, an intricate knot that was really quite annoying when haste was of the essence. Cursing the piece of linen, she evoked a laugh from Lucien, who was watching her with merriment dancing in his eyes. “Should I help?” he asked.

  “No need,” she said, determined to finish the task on her own. With a slight tug, she managed to loosen the fabric, and it eventually gave way. She smiled, pleased with her achievement.

  Lucien stared down at her. He could scarcely believe that this was really happening, that his foremost wish had finally come true. Katherine was his after all these years. It was miraculous. Joy flowed through him, filling him until he felt his heart might burst. Unable to keep away from her, he reached out and placed his hand upon her waist while she went to work on the buttons of his shirt. He needed the closeness, the contact, the evidence that she was really standing naked there before him in spite of her insecurities.

  She’d placed all her trust in him this evening, and the notion humbled him beyond measure. He realized just how difficult it must have been for her to undress in his presence, with the fear of rejection so forceful in her mind. But the marks that had coiled themselves around her and held her prisoner were of no consequence to him. He loved her for the woman she was, for her kindness, her sense of humor, her devotion to those she cared about and for her intellect. Physically, she would always be the most beautiful woman of his acquaintance. Nobody else would ever compare.

  His groin tightened with the need to claim her, to love her as much as he possibly could. Christ . . . to watch her face as she found her release once more, this time with him inside her, almost had him shoving her aside so he could make haste with his clothes. Her confession earlier . . . knowing that he was her first meaningful lover had spoken to his male ego and filled him with pride.

  His shirt finally slipped from his shoulders, and, shrugging his arms out of it, he let it fall to the floor. “Allow me to remove my boots,” he said, stepping back so he could give one of his Hessians a hard tug. Tossing it aside, he quickly removed the other as well, along with his socks. He stood before her now, in nothing but his breeches and not the least bit embarrassed about the proof of his desire, evident as it was beneath the snug fit of the fabric. Her fingers came toward him hesitantly, the touch of them as light as fairy dust as they skimmed along the edge of his waistband.

  Lucien sucked in a breath and raised his hand to one of Katherine’s breasts, delighting in its fullness. He’d be damned if he would be the only one getting tortured, and he delighted in the sigh of pleasure that escaped her when he found her nipple and squeezed. “The faster you get me out of these breeches, the faster we’ll both be able to find what we seek,” he murmured.

  “I . . .” A blush rose across her chest and traveled to her cheeks. She paused and held completely still.

  Lucien studied her closely. The fingertips that rested at his waistline were trembling ever so slightly, and there was something apprehensive about her—­a nervousness to complete the task she’d set for herself. It dawned on him then, so forcefully it was almost as if he’d been punched in the chest: not only was this the first time she’d experienced the pleasure of lovemaking but it was also her first time undressing a man . . . touching him like this. “Take your time,” he soothed, reigning in his urges, “there’s no rush. However, I want you to know that I crave your touch. I long for you to be bold, Kate, and I promise that you’ll get nothing but gratitude in return.”

  She nodded, still hesitant, it appeared. Lucien held his breath, waiting for her to proceed and wondering if she would. The last thing he wanted was for her to back away, so he drew on every ounce of patience he possessed, immensely relieved when she finally began unbuttoning the fall. Happily, her fingers began moving with increased confidence and speed until he sprang free, brushing against her hand. With a startled gasp, Katherine pulled away, but Lucien caught her lightly by the wrist, halting her retreat. “Relax,” he whispered. “It’s just me, the same person you’ve known your whole life. I’ll never judge you for anything. You’re safe with me.”

  “I know that, Lucien, truly I do. It’s just—­”

  “I love you.” There. He’d said it. With three little words he’d torn away whatever barriers remained between them, hoping that their powerful meaning would be enough to save Katherine from the burden of her past.

  She gazed back at him with wonder pooling in the depths of her eyes. Lucien’s heart knocked against his chest as he stood there, completely vulnerable in every conceivable way, with his manhood thrusting toward her and having just offered her his heart. Would she reciprocate? Did she even feel as strongly for him as he did for her? Fear reared its ugly head, and he opened his mouth to speak—­to offer her a way out of the awkward moment he’d just created. But then she spoke, cutting him off, and the words that slipped from her lips were like a concerto rising through the silence. “Oh, Lucien, I love you too. So very
much my heart aches with it.”

  His own heart soared with elation and he brought her hand back to the waistline of his breeches. “Then don’t hold back. Know me the way you know yourself—­let the last barriers between us fall away. Explore me just as I’ve explored you, because truth be told, I’m really quite desperate for you to do so.”

  A smile captured her lips and a small chuckle escaped her. She took a deep breath, and then, gloriously, she tugged his breeches down over his hips, freeing him completely. Stepping out of them, he raised her hand to his lips and placed a kiss against the back of her wrist before lowering it to his aching manhood. “Don’t be shy,” he murmured when he felt her flinch. “There’s nothing wrong with what we’re doing.”

  Tentatively and with his guidance, she curled her fingers around the hard length of him. The pleasure of her touch upon him was intense, and when he showed her how to move her hand smoothly back and forth, it was all he could do not to stop his eyes from rolling back in his head from the sheer ecstasy the movement wrought. He ran his hand over her hip, squeezing the flesh of her left buttock before continuing down behind her. She groaned with pleasure when he found her center once more, his fingers fueling her lust and increasing her wetness until she was more than ready for him.

  Unfurling her hand, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the bed, where he placed her gently against the pillows before climbing up between her thighs. He kneeled there, gazing down at her while his hands roamed up over her legs, over her hips, across her belly and onward to her full breasts. She sighed when he cupped them, arching against his touch as he kneaded that tender flesh. “Tell me you want me,” he said, desperate to hear her invitation spoken aloud.

  “I need you, Lucien.” She tilted her hips toward him, leaving no doubt as to where exactly she needed him most.

  This was it. The moment he’d dreamed of for so long was finally upon him, and the responsibility that came with it washed over him. He had to make this good for her.

  Placing himself at her entrance, he eased himself inside. “You’ll tell me if there’s something you don’t like?” His voice was tight with anxiety and the strain of holding back.

  “Yes,” she murmured, rocking toward him, inviting him closer.

  Pushing himself forward, Lucien reveled in the feel of having her around him—­the welcoming warmth and the tightness. “Bloody hell,” he gasped, fearing for his control. It felt like a very thin thread was about to snap at any moment.

  “Is everything all right?” Katherine asked, wide-eyed with concern.

  He nodded, took a breath to steady himself. “It’s just . . . I’ve spent years imagining this and now . . . it feels so damn good, Kate. I don’t want to frighten you, but I don’t think I can hold back any longer.”

  “Then don’t,” she whispered, reaching up and dragging him down for a kiss. “Claim me, Lucien. Make me yours.”

  Primal instinct took control of his body at those words, and restraint fled. Pulling back, he drove back inside her, the movement forcing a groan from his throat. He did it again, and again with increasing speed, watching as Katherine’s eyes glazed over, her breath coming in short pants as she moved in time with his thrusts, her skin flushed and her breasts rocking back and forth with the motion. Tremors started to rise up his legs, and he knew he had to lower the pace if he was to take Katherine with him. But it was beyond his control, and he was powerless to stop it.

  But then, just when he felt his climax rising, her muscles quickened, contracted, and his name was flung from her lips as she shuddered around him. Lucien followed in her wake, the rush of energy bursting through him, carrying him forward in an upward spiral until he knew without a doubt that he’d just found heaven. On a sigh of sated satisfaction, he drifted back to earth and to the soft comfort of the bed, where Katherine waited. He placed a tender kiss upon her lips before settling down beside her and hugging her body against his own. Curling to match his shape, Katherine nestled her head against his shoulder and sighed with contentment.

  “Are you happy?” Lucien asked, simply to hear her voice.

  “Unbelievably so,” she murmured. “Are you?”

  “I can’t remember when I was more so,” he said. Allowing his hand to trail along her waist and over the curve of her hip, he placed it on top of the red mark and added, “Indeed, I feel extraordinarily blessed to have won the attention of the loveliest woman in England.”

  Turning her head, she gazed at him, and he saw in her eyes such gratitude that had he been standing, it would have brought him to his knees. “I love you,” she whispered. “I’m sorry it took so long for me to realize that you wouldn’t care about the marks.”

  Lucien hugged her closer, still desperate to prove that he would never judge her like that. “It’s quite all right,” he said, brushing his lips against her cheek. “You’ve been hurt and had good reason to be wary.” He hesitated, cautious about what he wanted to say next. Their relationship had progressed with startling speed and without agreeing on how to proceed after. She’d said before that she’d no intention of marrying again. What if that was still true? He couldn’t stand the thought of her rejection—­not now, after everything they’d shared. She loved him though, had told him so just now. Surely that meant she wanted to be more than his lover. Didn’t it? Swallowing all apprehension, he decided to ask the question that would clarify where they stood with each other. “Kate, you will marry me, won’t you?”

  She didn’t respond, and Lucien realized she’d fallen asleep. Expelling a deep breath, he closed his eyes, knowing that the matter would have to wait. Hopefully he’d find the courage to ask her again later, and he silently prayed that when he did, she’d answer him “yes.”

  Chapter 14

  Stirring a spoonful of honey into her tea, Katherine sighed with exasperation and stared across at Lucien, who was happily reading his morning paper. Three days she’d been trapped inside his house, not even able to look out the window at the passersby and with nobody save Lucien for company. Not that she didn’t enjoy his company, of course, but he’d seemed very reserved lately, considering how forward he’d been before—­almost as if he’d accomplished his goal, and now that he’d bedded her, his appetite for her was sated.

  It bothered her, not only because she was more than eager for him to make love to her again but because she was beginning to doubt his intentions. He’d spoken of marriage with great enthusiasm before, but he hadn’t mentioned it since, though he did occasionally approach her as if he meant to say something of great importance. To her increasing frustration, he never did and would invariably end up saying something banal about the weather instead. Then he’d frown at her the way most men frowned when studying something that puzzled them, and eventually he’d give her a kiss upon her hand or her cheek.

  In short, the blazing heat of a few days earlier had cooled dramatically.

  Katherine sighed again. It was only made worse by the tedium of her situation. She needed something with which to distract herself from the threat that loomed and from her worries about Lucien. Her greatest fear, of course, was that he hadn’t found her pleasing after all—­that the birthmarks had repulsed him and that he was too kind to say anything about it because he didn’t wish to hurt her feelings. Logic told her this wasn’t the case, considering how eager he’d been during their coupling, yet she couldn’t help but worry.

  She stared at him as he turned a page of his paper. Whatever was going on inside that thick skull of his, he wasn’t doing a very good job of easing her concerns. “I’d like to host a dinner party,” she found herself saying, her voice curt and irritable.

  “You know that’s impossible,” he said, lowering the paper so he could look at her, his eyes filled with sympathy. It was the last thing she wanted him to feel toward her.

  “Why?” she protested. “We could have your sister and Gray over.”

  “T
hat wouldn’t be much of a party,” Lucien murmured.

  She felt like flinging her teacup at him. “Even so,” she said, tempering her tone, since she knew that screaming her head off was unlikely to work in her favor, “it could be fun. We could play whist after supper, perhaps even charades.”

  He studied her for a moment. “You know how concerned I am for your safety, Kate, particularly following the missive we just received from your secretary.”

  The letter worried Katherine as well. Apparently there had been another fire—­this time at the mill in Ancoats. It couldn’t be a coincidence that her investments were being targeted in such quick succession. After breakfast, she would send letters to the other enterprises, warning them to beware.

  “Until we find the culprit behind the threats against you,” Lucien continued, “I’d rather be overly cautious than risk . . .” He winced. “I just want us to be careful. That is all.”

  “And we are being. I wouldn’t be leaving the house—­they would come here. I don’t see why anyone should be the wiser, when you know as well as I that they can be trusted.”

  “Of course I do.”

  “Then please invite them over. You cannot possibly imagine how difficult it is for me to just sit here day in and day out. You at least have the excuse of going to your club—­a freedom which you’ve been taking great advantage of lately. I don’t think it’s the least bit fair.”

  “I’ve been trying to gather information about Donovan.”

  “Yes, I am aware. However, if things don’t change soon, I am likely to go mad.” Rising, she crossed the floor to the door. “You’ve been warned.”