Her eyes heated, but not with fright. She peeled off her gloves, watching him all the while, tossing them near her hat as though challenging him.
“Julia, I don’t think you understand what will happen if you stay.” Oliver wanted to make certain she knew what she was doing.
She bit her bottom lip for a moment then nodded. “I do.” She ran her bare hands up his sleeves to his shoulders then to the nape of his neck once more.
“Julia,” he tried again, his hands settling on her waist. “I can’t resist you.”
“No one said you had to.”
With a sigh, he kissed her once more, his passion battling his will. He had to have more. He drew back to release her to search for the pins holding her hair and pulled them free. As the long golden tresses lay along her shoulders and down her back, he could nearly picture her naked on his bed, her hair splayed across his sheets as those amazing eyes stared up at him.
But his bed was too far away.
He continued their kiss, hot and deep. Her responsiveness was nearly his undoing.
Her modest dress included a bodice that buttoned in the front. He undid them one by one, kissing her as he went then drew it off to set it on the gloves.
As though refusing to be outdone, she unbuttoned his suit coat and vest then removed his tie. She unfastened the top buttons of his shirt before he paused her hands.
Next he removed her skirt and petticoat, his shaking fingers less than nimble.
As her lips sought the sensitive skin of his neck, she pushed his jacket and vest off his shoulders. He shrugged out of them to add them to the growing pile on his desk. Then after another heated kiss, he turned her away from him, sliding her hair over her shoulder so he could remove her corset, taking the time to caress her curves as he went. He pressed kisses along her neck, just below her ear. Her soft moans caused him to throb all the more but still he took his time.
The corset landed with a thump on his desk, leaving her in her thin chemise, and she turned within the circle of his arms and reached up on her toes to kiss him again. Her clever fingers unbuttoned his shirt, her hands dancing along his bare skin as she worked. She parted the shirt and ran her hands along his chest.
“So strong,” she whispered as she leaned forward and kissed his chest. “So warm.”
“Julia.” Heat sizzled through him as her lips moved along his body. He had to feel her against him, skin to skin. He ran a finger along the loose neck of her chemise, enjoying her reaction as she closed her eyes and tipped her head back. He kissed her neck, along her delicate collarbone, following the path of his fingers to ease lower. Then lower still.
The sweet curve of her breast remained hidden from view but he had a vivid imagination. His fingers moved to cup the weight of her and his thumb found the tip, gently flicking it until she moaned even more.
“I want to see you,” he whispered.
“Yes.” Her muttered response was all the permission he needed.
He lifted her breast free of the chemise. The pink tip beckoned and he bent to kiss it, using his tongue to repeat the motion of his thumb. He licked and lathed then took her into his mouth to suckle, gentle at first then more purposeful.
“Oh, Oliver.” Her breath came in short bursts as she held onto his shoulders.
“I want to see all of you.” He looked into her eyes as he said the words, wondering if he’d finally succeeded in frightening her.
“Yes.” Her tone held no doubt. Her eyes held no fear. “And I would see all of you.”
Much to his shock, she pushed his shirt from his shoulders then trailed her fingers along the flat planes of his stomach. When she reached for the fastening of his trousers, he placed his hands over hers, breathing deeply to slow the rapid pace. “Are you certain?” he asked. “I cannot make you any promises for tomorrow let alone the future.”
She stilled, and he saw the delicate line of her throat move as she swallowed. “Nor can I. So let us have today.”
~*~
Julia waited with bated breath, hoping Oliver wouldn’t deny her. While part of her wished he’d declare his undying love, beg her to marry him, and offer her the world, those were all dreams she’d put aside long ago. Before her world had narrowed to her father.
Even if Oliver did all that, she’d have to refuse.
But this...this she would take.
Surely there was no wrong in allowing herself this one opportunity for happiness. She refused to think of the years that stretched ahead of her, lonely and endless without Oliver’s presence. Those worries were for another day. Aunt Matilda had put this notion of exploration in her mind, and Julia couldn’t let go of it.
His hesitation was breaking her. Unwilling to allow him to refuse her, she eased closer to kiss the rise of his massive chest and run her hand along the rippled planes of his stomach. How a scholar could remain so fit was a mystery, but she appreciated it.
She continued her exploration to his broad shoulders where corded muscles tensed as she touched his smooth skin. Moving lower again, she kissed his chest until she reached his nipple, delighting in the jerk of his body as she licked the small nub.
He pulled her close against him in response, holding her tight. “How can I think when you do such things?”
“No need to,” she responded. “I only want you to feel.” She reached up on her toes to kiss him long and deep, letting her desire guide her. “Surely you can feel how right this is.”
“Oh, I feel,” he said after a long moment. “Have no doubt. Do you?”
Whatever control over the situation she thought she had was taken when he reached down to lift the hem of her chemise, his warm hands exploring her legs, her hips. Her skin heated under his touch. By the time he raised the chemise higher, she no longer cared what he might think of her body. She only wanted more.
Her hand brushed the front of his trousers, surprised at the unexpected hardness there. Belatedly it occurred to her how little she knew about what came next. Other than overhearing the maids giggling about a footman’s well-endowed form and what they’d like to do with it along with a descriptive book she’d read, she was uncertain how to proceed.
But she didn’t want Oliver to take that uncertainty as hesitation. Surely enthusiasm for all that was happening would convince him otherwise.
And there was so much happening. His hands were everywhere. His lips alternatively sent flames and shivers coursing along her body. It took a moment for her to realize just where his fingers were roaming as they moved on her hip, her belly, then lower. The shivers were nothing but a distant memory as the flames took over entirely.
Her body had become a foreign landscape under his hands. It jerked and shifted, the moistness between her thighs shocking her. Then he touched her center. Her legs weakened under the onslaught of passion coursing through her. As shocking as his intimate caress was, her body welcomed it.
Relying on instinct, her hands moved along his body, learning his form as he did hers. Once again, her hands arrived at the barrier of his trousers. This time, she unfastened them, brushing away his hands when they tried to hold hers.
His moan told her she was doing this right. She moved to push them down over his hips only to be interrupted when he removed her chemise as though impatient at the barrier. As the soft linen fell away, she suddenly realized she was standing naked in Oliver’s library.
Before fear could take hold, Oliver drew her into his arms, kissing her as though he’d never have enough of her. His hands left hers but only to shed his pants at last. The sight of his body in all its glory gave her pause. He was so very big.... Everywhere.
She’d seen paintings and statues of the human body, but he looked nothing like those. Curious, she reached out a timid finger to touch his manhood, surprised when it bounced in response. She did it again, lingering longer this time as she realized how velvety soft it was, yet also so hard.
He moaned again, his eyes closing. At his obvious enjoyment, she wrapped her fingers along hi
s length. She’d only made two or three passes when he grabbed her wrist, halting her.
“You will have me finish before I start,” he muttered.
She had no idea to what he referred but before she could ask, he ran his hands along her body, working magic as he went. Waves of need pulsed through her, blocking out all worries of what came next. She only knew she wanted him.
“Oliver?” She didn’t know what to ask or say. If only he could read her mind.
“Yes,” he answered, kissing her as he lifted her into his arms and carried her to the settee at the other end of the room where the fire burned brightly.
After he set her down, he gestured for her to wait for a moment and quickly locked the door before returning to her. He spread a soft blanket on the settee then drew her down to lay beside him.
“So beautiful,” he murmured as he moved his hand along her body. He said it so reverently that she believed him.
His sweet murmurs and caresses eased her concern. Perhaps he could read her mind after all.
He kissed her deeply before his mouth returned to her breasts, giving each one his undivided attention. His questing fingers returned to her slick folds and her hips bucked in response as sensation built, lifting her higher and higher. When he shifted to settle between her legs she held him tighter, loving the feel of him against her. On her. Everywhere.
“I want you so much,” he whispered.
“Yes,” she replied, never wanting anything as much as she wanted this now.
He rose up onto his elbows, his manhood coming to rest against her center. Her breath caught at the unfamiliar sensation, waiting for the ‘invasion’ the maids had discussed. He pressed against her, easing forward little by little, her body adjusting to the feel of him.
“Hold tight, Julia.” He thrust forward, filling her to the hilt.
The sharp pain caught her by surprise. She couldn’t help but push at him, wanting him to stop until she could get her bearings.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered as he kissed her cheek. “Wait just a moment more.”
The pain was quickly gone, leaving her... She didn’t know how to describe it. She felt complete—a glorious sensation. Her hips moved and nothing had ever felt so good. She did it again, deliberately this time, and sighed at the pleasure coursing through her, realizing it hadn’t ever left.
“Wait,” he demanded, but it was too late.
She couldn’t have stopped for all the stars in the sky.
“Julia,” he muttered then withdrew only to thrust again.
“Yes.” This was exactly what her body wanted. She soared in his arms, kissing and moving, loving the give and take of the union.
“So sweet. You feel so good. So perfect.” His words filled her spirit as much as he filled her body, lifting her even higher.
She didn’t want it to end, yet she wanted more. Was there something different she should be doing to make this complete? “Oliver?”
He reached down between them to touch her center once more. She felt as though she teetered at the edge of a cliff, uncertain if she could stop the fall. Then the sun burst behind her eyes, shattering the light, shattering her.
Oliver withdrew from her, his body pulsing as his moans echoed her own. While she hadn’t known all the details of this act, she knew he’d chosen to protect her from having a babe. Then he was pressing gentle kisses along her cheek and neck, holding her tight, making her feel cherished.
As their breathing evened out, she kept her arms locked around his broad shoulders, worried what might happen when she let go.
Chapter Twenty
“It is by laying hands on these children, and providing them with employment, the pleasurable exercise of which shall of itself convince them how infinitely superior as a ‘policy’ honesty is to be preferred to that which consigned their father to Portland, that we may do more good than by the concoction of as many legislative enactments as have had birth since Magna Charta.”
~The Seven Curses of London
Julia sighed with disappointment as she exited the tiny bookshop on Hook Lane, her maid directly behind her. Not that she’d truly expected the owner to know anything about The Book of Secrets, let alone have a copy available for sale. But she’d hoped to discover it tucked on one of the shelves in the back of his musty shop.
Her father’s obsession with locating the book had driven her to a less than desirable area she would’ve normally avoided. This was the third store she’d visited in the past two days but to no avail.
She’d been tempted to share her efforts to find the book with Oliver, wondering if they might compare the sources he’d searched with her own. But she knew he wouldn’t approve. How could he when he wanted the book for himself?
Never mind that she hadn’t seen him since her visit to his home two days ago. He’d called on her father once but she’d been out at the time, much to her disappointment. She couldn’t help but worry that after the interlude in his library, everything had changed.
After all, she had.
She’d almost expected her family or even her maid to see the difference in her. No one had noticed it, much to her surprise.
But truly, his lack of pursuit of her was a good thing. Their relationship had no future. If only she could convince herself that it was better this way.
She looked up and down the crooked, narrow street but didn’t see the carriage. “Surely our driver will be here any moment.”
“He said he’d circle the area until we were done,” Sally, her maid, added as she, too, searched.
“Lady Julia.” The male voice had her turning to see Lord Malverson approaching.
Her stomach sank. She hadn’t come upon him since he’d accosted her in the garden and certainly didn’t care to speak with him now. Yet good manners held her in place, especially since the carriage was nowhere in sight. She acknowledged his greeting with a nod but looked away, hoping it was clear she had no desire to visit with him. Oliver’s warning about the man was fresh in her thoughts.
He stopped beside her, standing far too close, one side of his mouth tilted in a semblance of a smile. “How good it is to see you.”
“Oh?” She couldn’t say the same. Though she dearly wanted to take a step back, she knew that was what he wanted. Instead, she barely bothered to look at him, hoping her expression would make it clear just how unwelcome his approach was.
His pale blue eyes and light coloring were not appealing to her, or perhaps it was the look in his eyes that repelled her—as though she was an apple he’d like to bite.
“I’ve been hoping for the chance to speak with you. I wanted to apologize for the misunderstanding in the garden. I do wish Frost hadn’t interrupted us.” His smile twisted his thin lips. “I felt like I was just getting to know you better when he so rudely disturbed us.”
She glared at him, well aware that was no apology. He obviously didn’t regret his behavior. If she had to guess, she’d say he’d be more than happy to pick up where they left off. Unease crept down her spine as she watched him. Surely he wouldn’t bother her on a public street in the middle of the day, but she reminded herself they were not in the best neighborhood.
“I don’t see your carriage,” he noted as he glanced about. “I’d be more than happy to offer you a ride.” He took her arm but she jerked away.
“It will be along shortly.” Her heart raced as she realized the lord was not in the least concerned at being seen.
“I can’t leave you unattended.”
“My maid is with me and our carriage will be here any moment.”
“Nonsense,” he said as he took her arm once more and pulled her close. “I insist. You’re obviously in need of rescue.” He glanced at her maid. “She can wait for your driver and inform him you’re with me.”
No amount of tugging removed her arm from his hold. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a carriage approaching, but it wasn’t hers. The sleek black conveyance drew to a halt directly before them. A livered foot
man hopped down from his perch to open the door, his gaze never meeting Julia’s.
Panic took hold as she realized Malverson could drag her into his carriage and there was little she could do to stop him. Her maid wouldn’t be able to do a thing either.
“Release me,” she demanded, digging in her heels and pulling on her arm again.
“My lady?” Sally stepped forward, obviously uncertain how to help.
“Stay back,” Malverson ordered then looked at Julia once more. “I might not be so determined to have you if it weren’t for Frost’s interest in you.” The strange light in his eyes only frightened Julia more.
“That is no excuse for your behavior,” she bit out even as he forced her closer to the carriage door. This couldn’t be happening in broad daylight. She glanced about for someone to aid her, but the few passersby gave them a wide berth.
“You’re right.” He sounded proud of himself. “I take complete responsibility for it.”
Despite the fear making it difficult to think, to move, she drew a breath and let anger fill her. Her shoes found no purchase on the walkway. The best she could do was drive her elbow into his ribs to dissuade him while she continued to struggle, doing all she could to make it impossible for him to force her into the carriage. Sally joined in the fray as well, tugging on his arm.
Malverson released her as he suddenly flew backwards. She stared at him, trying to understand what she’d done to cause such a dramatic reaction. Then strong hands turned her.
“Oliver?” She could hardly believe her eyes. How had he come to be here right when she needed him?
But the cold look in his eyes surprised her far more than his presence. Rage sharpened the lines of his face, the lack of any other emotion stripping his familiarity.
“Are you all right?”
Charming the Scholar (The Seven Curses of London Book 2) Page 22