by HELEN HARDT
Her heart pounded. “What about the luncheon?”
“Will your mother and sister really miss you?”
Lily shrugged. They would most likely think she had lost track of time painting. It happened often. “Probably not. But I do have to leave after lunch. I promised to spend time with my sister and my cousins. We’re going to skip the lawn party and…”
“And what?”
“Have some…fun.” She looked away.
“Doing what, pray tell?”
“I don’t really know yet. But we’ll find something.”
“I have no doubt of that.” Daniel kissed her fingertips, stood up, and walked leisurely to the door leading to the bath chamber. “Stay there, love,” he said, his gaze wandering over every curve of her body as she sat on the rumpled comforter. “I want to remember how you look right now. Your lips are the color of a ripe cherry, still swollen from our kisses. Your breasts are the most lovely I’ve seen, round and plump, with the most perfect little crimson berries that harden under my tongue.”
“Daniel…”
“And your hair. I love your hair. It’s so soft and dark, almost black, with little glints of brandy here and there. Mmm, your legs, so long and shapely, wrapped around me, and between them, the most luscious little—”
“Dear God.” Lily looked down. Her breasts were as red as she imagined her face to be.
Daniel grinned. “Vermeer himself couldn’t do you justice right now.”
Lily squirmed on the bed, the tender spot between her legs burning. “You shouldn’t talk like that.”
“Hush. I’m going to run your bath. I’ll call you when it’s ready.” He walked, naked, to the bath chamber.
She heard the rush of water as he filled the tub. I could be happy here. She lounged lazily on the bed. If I never left this chamber again, I think I could be content. Such musings surprised her, given her desires for art, writing, travel, so she banished them quickly from her mind. She couldn’t get attached to a man like Daniel. He had a renowned sexual appetite and would never be satisfied with just one woman. But for this one day, she would let him care for her. They had shared something intimate and beautiful, and she didn’t regret a moment of it.
“You can come in now,” he called.
She padded quickly to the door of the bath chamber and gasped. Gold veined marble walls encased a large room, in the center of which stood a giant porcelain tub with lion’s claws for feet. To her surprise, Daniel was already relaxing in it.
“I thought I was going to bathe,” Lily said.
“Of course you are. This tub is plenty large enough for two. You wouldn’t deny me the pleasure of bathing with you, would you?”
“I haven’t denied you any pleasures so far today, have I?” She couldn’t help smiling.
“Come to me,” he said.
She stepped into the tub. The water was warm and soothing as he nestled her back against him.
He touched her between her legs. “Does it hurt?”
“Not too much,” she said. “Just a little residual soreness. The warm water feels heavenly.”
He reached for a bar of scented soap and a soft cloth. He wet the cloth in the water, rubbed the soap on it, and placed it between Lily’s legs. “Let me wash the blood from you. I’m so sorry to have caused you pain.”
“You didn’t.” She gave a nervous laugh. “That is, I didn’t mind.”
“I’m glad.” He wrung out the cloth and placed it on the side of the tub. He grabbed the soap again and smoothed it over Lily’s body, caressing her with its lather.
“Mmm,” Lily said, breathing deeply, “that’s nice.”
She opened her eyes and took in the sights of the chamber. The golden faucet was in the shape of a lion’s head. A basin stood on a pedestal, also made of creamy white marble. A small door beyond led to a water closet, she assumed. “This is a beautiful bath chamber, and so modern. How long have you had it?”
“It’s all new actually,” Daniel said. “My mother had all the master bath chambers redone with the most efficient plumbing available after my father died. I was surprised to find it all when I returned from the continent.”
“It’s just decadent.” Lily closed her eyes and inhaled the natural scent of bodies in warm water. “I don’t know when I’ve enjoyed a bath more.”
“Is that due to the modern plumbing, or the company?” Daniel smoothed his fingers over her breast and pinched her nipple lightly.
She swallowed. “I guess I couldn’t have one without the other.”
She angled her face toward him and he caught her lips in a delicate kiss. Carefully she turned around so she was facing him, her legs straddling his.
“If you’re going to sit on me like that, I may have to take you again.”
She ignored his comment and gazed into his eyes. “You know, you have the most amazing eyes I have ever seen. They’re almost the color of emeralds, but not quite. There’s a touch of blue in them, but not enough to call them teal or turquoise. I can’t really describe the color, which is quite maddening, actually. There’s almost an undertone of…violet, if that makes any sense. Violet, yes, and a midnight blue. It’s like someone took an emerald, added just a touch of amethyst to it, and then melded it with a sapphire, but only on the bottom.” Lily ran her thumbs lightly across his eyelashes. “So beautiful.” She pulled him toward her and touched her lips lightly to his temple. “If I had some oil paints, the first color I would try to mix is the color of your eyes.”
Daniel stared at her. He started to speak, but she continued, lacing her fingers through his hair.
“And your hair. It’s so rich and thick. The color is like the afternoon sun shining through those high wispy clouds. I see highlights of burnt gold, and amber, and chestnut brown, and just a touch of silver.”
“The silver is grey, Lily.”
She reveled in the silk of his hair entwined in her fingers. “It feels like soft suede. I love how it falls in waves and touches your shoulders.” She smiled and paused for a moment. Then, “I want to wash it for you.”
“What?”
“Did I stutter? I said I want to wash your hair.”
Daniel shook his head, smiling. “You are, without a doubt, the first woman who has ever asked that of me.”
“I never claimed to be like any of your other women.” Lily batted her eyes. “Now, may I wash your hair or not?”
“I could never deny you anything, love,” Daniel said.
“Wonderful.” Lily reached over and grabbed the pitcher from the wash stand next to the tub. “Now close your eyes.”
Daniel obeyed as Lily poured warm water over his head until it was saturated. She grabbed a dry towel and dabbed his eyes. “You can open now.” She took some soft soap in her hands and rubbed it into a lather between her palms. “Now, now, this won’t hurt a bit.” She smoothed the soap onto his head. Gently she massaged him, his wet locks sliding between her fingers. Her breasts rubbed against the wet hair on his chest, forcing her nipples into erect nubs.
Daniel closed his eyes and groaned. “You have sensational hands, Lily.”
“So I’ve been told.” She smiled.
He jerked against her. “You have?”
“By my art instructor, you cad!” She threaded her fingers through his hair one last time. “There, I think it’s clean now. I love the feel of your hair, Daniel.” She reached for the pitcher again. “Close your eyes. It’s time to rinse.” She drenched his head with warm water until the last trace of soap was removed. Gently she toweled his eyes. “All done. I bet your hair hasn’t been that clean in ages.”
Daniel stared at her, his eyes rife with mischief. She looked down. The ends of her long hair were slick with moisture and clung to the swell of her breasts.
“Your turn,” he said, grabbing the pitcher and filling it with the warm bath water.
“Daniel, no!” Lily shouted, trying to scramble away from him. “My hair is long and thick. It will never dry in time!”
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“Too late!” He poured the water over her head. He wiped her eyes and rubbed into her hair. “Your hair is so long.” He added more soap, pulling it through to the ends of her tresses. “You’ve taught me something today, Lily. I never knew hair washing could be such an erotic experience.”
“No doubt you find something erotic in every experience, Your Grace,” Lily said, laughing.
He pushed her away slightly. “I don’t ever want you to call me that again. At least not when we’re alone.”
“I was only teasing.”
He gently pulled the suds through her hair and into the tub. “I love the way you say my name, Lily. I want to hear it all the time. Lean back now. I’m going to rinse your hair in the bath.”
He eased her down until her head was floating on the surface of the bath water. With one hand behind her back, steadying her, he rinsed the soap from her hair with the other. When the water was clouded with lather, he pulled her to him.
“Kiss me,” he said.
Lily slid against his chest as her mouth found his. Daniel’s arousal prodded against her as she straddled him, and she rubbed against it. Suddenly she couldn’t kiss him hard enough, deep enough. She let her tongue wander into the deep recesses of his mouth, exploring every hidden crevice while grinding her pulsing sex against his hardened shaft. He groaned as she teased and stroked. She was near climax when a knock on the door startled her. She broke the kiss and looked up, quivering.
“That’s just our lunch,” Daniel said gruffly. He pressed his mouth to her cheek. “I’ll make this up to you, I promise. Stay here. Don’t come out until I call you.” He left the tub, toweled himself off, and grabbed a dressing robe from a hook on the wall, closing the door of the bath chamber behind him.
Quietly Lily stepped out of the tub, smiling. What would Daniel do about his raging erection when he answered the door? No doubt the servants would act as if it were totally normal. For Daniel, it probably was totally normal. She wrapped herself in a dry towel, found another for her hair, and began wringing the moisture from it. It would never dry in time to meet Rose and the others for the afternoon. She would have to braid it wet and hope no one noticed.
Daniel opened the door and handed her a velvet dressing gown similar to the one he was wearing. “You look delectable in that towel, but I think you’ll be more comfortable in this.”
“I need to borrow a comb.” She dropped the towel and put on the robe. “If I let my hair dry like this, I’ll never get the snarls out.”
“Of course.” He grabbed a comb from a nearby shelf. “Here, allow me.”
“You don’t have to…”
“I want to. Your hair is beautiful, Lily.”
“My hair is wet, Daniel. Ouch!”
“Sorry, love. I’m not used to combing long hair.”
“All the more reason why you should let me do it.” She took the comb from him. “I’ll only be a minute.” She quickly finished and replaced the comb on the shelf. “Shall we?”
Lunch had been set on a table by the bay window. Lily sat down and looked out onto a spectacular view of the luncheon on the front and side lawn. “Lord, my mother and my sister are down there.”
“All the ladies are down there. It’s nearly one. They’ll be gathering for lunch and then for the lawn party afterward.”
“Gossiping and talking of other frivolous nonsense, of course.”
He filled a plate and handed it to her. “I hope you’re hungry.”
“Famished, actually. This looks delicious.” She speared a quail egg with her fork and popped it into her mouth. “It looks like a pleasant afternoon. I love April, especially when it’s warm like it is this year.”
“Do you ride?” Daniel asked. “It’s excellent weather for riding.”
“I love animals, and I’ve always wanted to ride more,” Lily said, “but I abhor riding sidesaddle. It’s dreadfully uncomfortable. I never really understood it, anyway, and frankly, now that I have a keener, shall we say, understanding, of male anatomy, it seems to me that men should ride sidesaddle and women astride.”
Daniel’s laughter rang out like holiday bells. “Lily, I can’t recall when I’ve had a more enjoyable time. I didn’t know it was possible to have this much fun with a woman outside the bedchamber.”
“We’re still in the bedchamber,” she said.
“You know what I mean. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever relished a woman’s company more than I have today.”
“You flatter me, Daniel. You’d better watch out, or I’m liable to take you seriously.”
“I am serious.”
She smiled at him. He was likely feeding her one of his many practiced lines, but her heart thumped anyway. The reasons for Rose’s and Ally’s interest in the opposite sex was becoming clearer. She cleared her throat. “Back to riding. My sister, Rose, is an excellent rider. She doesn’t mind riding sidesaddle. Sometimes I take Thomas’s gelding out and ride astride on his saddle. With his blessing, of course. If my parents knew, they’d probably lock me up.”
“I’d like to take you riding.”
“We’d need a chaperone.”
“We’ll take Thomas with us, or your sister.”
“My twenty-year-old unmarried sister is hardly a suitable chaperone.” Lily laughed aloud.
“What’s so funny?”
“I’m talking about a suitable chaperone whilst I’m lunching, nearly naked, with a duke in his bedchamber. It’s absurd, is it not?”
“Not to me. Now, about riding.”
“Do I have to ride sidesaddle?”
“You can ride any way you want.”
“That’s very kind of you. Of course, you know I would refuse if you made me ride sidesaddle.” She laughed again.
“Damn it, Lily, I don’t care what you do. As long as you do it with me.”
Clearly he was joking, but she decided to ask for the world. “In that case, may I see the rest of your art collection? I’ll need a private invitation.”
“Of course, anytime you wish.”
Even under the heavy velvet, her skin warmed. She was enjoying herself more than she ever thought she could with a man. They shared an easy banter unlike anything she had experienced. Nothing about being with him seemed awkward, which surprised her, given they hardly knew each other. He was very nearly perfect, but for his past. But we only have today. She could live with that. She had to.
She gazed out the window once again. The ladies took their lunch on the white wrought iron tables set up on the lawn. She frowned at the sight of Lady Amelia Gregory. She had to keep that woman away from Thomas.
“Daniel,” she said sweetly.
“Yes?”
“Who prepares the seating charts for dinner?”
“My mother and Aunt Lucy, I suppose. Why do you ask?”
“I was wondering if you could do something for me.”
“Anything.”
“Well, I want to make sure that certain people are seated next to certain other people at dinner tonight. Is that possible?”
“Perhaps. Why do you care? Is there someone you wish to be seated with?”
“No, not me. I was wondering if my sister could sit next to Lord Evan Xavier. She seemed quite taken with him last night at the ball, and he with her. And Thomas seems quite enamored with Miss Emma Smythe.”
“Is she the blond woman he was with last night?”
“Yes, do you know her?”
“I recognize the name. She’s my banker’s daughter.”
“I had the pleasure of meeting her last evening. She’s charming and intelligent. Frankly, my brother’s taste in women hasn’t always been so discriminating. Is there another attractive young woman with a brain who could sit on his other side?”
Daniel smiled and shook his head, but said nothing.
“Well, I’ll think on it,” Lily continued. “I don’t want him seated next to Regina Wentworth. She’s been trying to drag him to the altar for months, and truthfully she’s a ni
nny. And keep that horrible Lady Amanda Gregory away from him too. She’ll do anything to snag another title. As for my cousin, Alexandra, Lord Wentworth seems slightly interested in her, although she can do better. I’d prefer that he be kept away from me also. He’s been trying to court me for the last year, and I’m not at all interested.” Lily’s mind raced with deviltry. “In fact, put Wentworth next to Amanda Gregory.”
“It’s Amelia Gregory, Lily.”
“I don’t give two figs what the doxy’s name is, Daniel. Just keep her away from my brother. Put her next to Wentworth, and find some old lecherous codger for her other side. Now, for Alexandra, perhaps you could seat Lord Victor next to her.”
Daniel spoke slowly. “Polk seems taken with you, Lily. You spent a lot of time with him last night.”
“He’s very nice and I did enjoy his company, but as you know, I’m not in the market for a husband. I think he and Alexandra would get on well, and she finds him quite attractive.”
“So you’re not at all interested in Polk?”
“Not in the slightest.”
“I’m glad to know that,” Daniel said, smiling.
“No need to worry. Now, can you do all that, Daniel?”
Daniel shook his head and laughed.
“What is so funny?”
“You are adorable, do you know that?”
“Don’t change the subject. Can you take care of this or not?”
“Lily, do you really expect me to remember everything you just said?”
“Of course. What’s so difficult about it?”
“Why don’t I just have the seating chart sent to your chamber later for your approval?”
“There’s no need to tease me. I’m only asking for a simple little favor.”
“Simple?” He chuckled. “I’ll take care of it.”
“Thank you.” She leaned over and brushed her lips against his cheek. “Lunch was fabulous, but I really must go now.” She stood and walked to where her clothes lay in a heap on the floor. “Could you help me with my corset and gown?”
“I’d rather help you out of them.”
“I’m already out of them.”
“Then stay out of them. Come back to bed with me.”
“Didn’t you say you had business to attend to this afternoon?”