“You’re the one who insists on a strict accounting,” he said as he shook out her hair. “You were always better at numbers and keeping accounts than I was, now that I think about it.”
“That part is true,” she admitted. “As your estate manager will tell you.”
“Excellent. Then you can handle the books from now on, which is an added bonus for me.”
She rolled her eyes. “This is becoming more ridiculous by the minute.”
“Patience, love.” He turned her to face the chaise. Then he sat down, leaving her standing before him, as if ready for inspection.
“Don’t I get to sit down?” she protested.
“No. You’re going to stand there like a good girl and let me illustrate the many assets you will bring to our marriage.”
Lia blushed, feeling too exposed and yet excited by the heat in his gaze as it roamed over her body.
“Starting with your hair.” Jack drew the thick locks over her shoulders. Lia’s hair was longer than the current fashion and it tumbled in a silky fall over her breasts. “I love your hair,” he said as he stroked it. “It’s like satin, and when the sun hits it, it glows like polished amber. I’ve had many a fantasy about you lying naked in my arms, covered only by your glorious hair.”
“Really?” she whispered.
His sensual smile sent butterflies wheeling through her stomach. “I’m happy to say that particular fantasy is about to come to life.”
He tugged her closer, positioning her between his spread thighs. Lia couldn’t help glancing down to inspect the healthy bulge that pressed against the fall of his trousers.
“So, we have amber, to begin with,” he said, combing his fingers through her hair. “The first precious jewel in the box of riches that is Lia Kincaid. Shall we go on to the next set of gemstones?”
She tried to stifle a laugh. “You’re talking nonsense.”
He gently kneaded her hips through the thin material of her chemise. “No, I’m keeping an accounting of all the riches you will bring to our marriage.”
“But—”
He cut her off with another kiss that quickly turned damp and heated, and Lia could do nothing but sigh with pleasure. When he finally drew back, Jack’s eyes were gleaming. “May I now continue with the accounting?”
Lia could hardly breathe, much less articulate sensible arguments to the contrary. “If you insist.”
“I do.” Gently, he traced a fingertip along her eyebrow. “Your eyes are next and they are infinitely precious. They’re sparkling sapphires, Lia, full of brilliance and light.”
It took a few seconds for Lia to answer. “Dear me, Lord Lendale, I had no idea you could wax so poetic.”
He smiled. “I find the subject matter very inspiring.”
“Very well, what’s next?” she said gruffly, trying to exert some control over her emotions. He’d barely touched her and she was ready to dissolve into a puddle and give him everything he wanted.
“Your skin.” He trailed a hand down her neck before skimming slightly rough fingertips along the top of her chest. It was so light a touch and yet it left delicious fire in its wake.
“Not a gemstone, obviously,” he said, “but exceedingly like the most precious porcelain. Chinese, I think, so smooth and delicate.” He inched the other strap off her shoulder, then kissed the hollow above her collarbone. “And so pure,” he murmured against her skin.
When he took a little nip, a lightning bolt arced to the very center of her core. Her knees wobbled, forcing her to grab his shoulders for balance.
“I’m hardly what anyone would call delicate,” she said breathlessly. A sturdy country girl was how people saw her. “Or pure,” she added as an afterthought.
Jack had been licking her collarbone, but his head reared up. “You are pure, Lia. It’s ridiculous of you to think otherwise.”
She grimaced, hating that she’d ruined the moment, but there was little point in mincing words. “Aside from my scandalous background, you’re forgetting what happened between us at that ball. That was hardly an innocent encounter.”
“I’ve not forgotten one second of that encounter,” he said, “but that’s not what I’m talking about.”
“Then what?”
He placed his palm flat over her heart. “I’m talking about what’s in here. It doesn’t matter to me what your background is, or even what you’ve done with me or anyone else. This is what is pure, Lia—your heart. It always was and I know it always will be.”
At the moment that particular organ was pounding so hard she could have sworn it was reverberating against his hand. “That’s . . . that’s incredibly kind of you to say.”
“I’m simply being truthful. Now, may I continue?”
She smiled and briefly pressed her hand on top of his. “As you wish, my lord.”
“Good. Next up, your lips. That one is easy, of course. They’re rubies, precious and delightfully red. But unlike gemstones, they’re delicious to taste.”
He captured her mouth in a kiss that made her head reel. It went from teasing to possessive in an instant, so hot, wet, and stimulating it made Lia squirm and softly moan. When he eased back, she could barely remain upright.
Jack was rather short of breath, too. His sharp cheekbones had flushed under his tan and his eyes glittered with barely leashed desire.
“I must say I do like rubies,” she managed.
He laughed softly. “As do I, love. So much so that I want more of them.”
Jack lifted her arms, then bunched up the hem of her chemise and whisked it over her head. Lia emerged from the garment clad only in her garters, stockings, and shoes. A fiery blush swept from the crown of her head to her toes. Her dazzled brain put up a brief, incoherent debate as to which part of herself she should attempt to cover first. In a halfhearted compromise, she clamped her thighs together and crossed her arms tightly over her breasts.
“Are you quite certain the door is locked?” she blurted out, casting a nervous look over her shoulder.
“Positive.” Gently, he pulled her arms down to her sides. “Besides, Smithwell knows I would murder him if he let anyone in here.”
Lia winced. That meant Smithwell knew exactly what they were doing.
“That’s embarrassing,” she said, jerking a hand over to shield her mound.
He covered her fingers with his hand, pressing down and sending a jolt of delicious sensation right into the nub of her sex. He rubbed gently and slipped through her fingers to her soft folds. Lia could feel herself growing hotter and ever more damp.
“He knows we’re having a serious discussion,” Jack said. He slid a blunt fingertip right to the entrance of her body. “Very serious.”
Lia grabbed on to his shoulders, swaying a bit as she met his intent gaze. Jack was right. This was one of the most serious moments of her life. Nothing had ever felt as important as what was happening between them.
“Are you ready to find out what comes next?” he whispered as he continued to tease her. When he pushed two fingers just inside her, she whimpered and went up on her toes.
“Um, what?” She’d entirely lost the thread of the conversation.
“The next set of jewels in your jewel box.”
Lia forced herself to concentrate. It seemed impossible because his every touch was a beautiful devastation.
“More rubies, you said,” she gasped.
“Correct. These rubies, to be precise.”
He withdrew his fingers and reached up to touch a nipple, now flushed as red as a berry. His fingers were slick, and when he rubbed the stiff point, Lia almost fainted from a bolt of lust that turned her knees to water.
“Jack, what are you doing?” she squeaked.
“I’m going to taste you.”
Jack sucked her nipple into his mouth, drawing hard. Lia practically had to bite her tongue to keep from shrieking. She felt the tug all through her body, especially low in her belly. A hard shudder racked her, and his hand clamped onto her
bottom, holding her firmly.
He went from one breast to the other, licking and teasing. Her nipples burned in a delicious fire that made her squirm. Deep inside, the first tiny contractions were building into a luxurious ache.
Lia pushed her fingers through his thick hair, holding him to her body. To stand before him like this—every part of her exposed to his demanding mouth and his roving hands—was outside the realm of anything she’d ever experienced.
“Jack,” she finally moaned when he’d tormented her to unbearable heights of pleasure. “Stop. Please stop.”
He gave one last nuzzle, then glanced up with an almost comical grimace. “I’ll do so, if you wish, but I’m dead certain it’ll kill me.”
She choked out a laugh as she stroked his hair back from his damp forehead. “I didn’t mean stop completely. Just stop doing that particular thing.”
“Did I hurt you?”
“No, it felt wonderful,” she confessed. “But it made me want . . . other things.”
His tense mouth relaxed into a teasing smile. “Other things? Could you be more specific?”
“No, I cannot. Besides, I’m sure you know exactly what to do next.”
“It would be helpful if you could articulate your expectations.”
Lia waved a vague hand. “You know. I want you to . . . to touch me.”
He wrapped his fingertips around her nipples and gently tugged. “You mean here?”
She whimpered. “Um, no.”
When he pinched the stiff tips, she grabbed his arms. “Stop teasing me, Jack Easton,” she gasped. “You know very well what I mean.”
He raised a sardonic eyebrow that nonetheless managed to look lascivious.
Lia pointed downward. “Down there, you brute.”
He huffed out a soft laugh as he softly cupped her mound. Lia had to resist the impulse to push into his hand, seeking immediate relief from the sensual ache at her core.
“Yes, I am a brute,” he said, sounding smug. “But I simply assumed a woman of your vast experience would be more precise in expressing her needs.”
When Lia grumpily crossed her arms under her breasts, unconsciously pushing them up, she couldn’t fail to notice the flare of lust in his eyes. And even though he was being annoying, his teasing made her feel very naughty.
“We both know I’m a complete failure as a courtesan,” she said tartly.
“And thank God for that because I want you all to myself.”
“Then because you now have me all to yourself, I propose you get on it with.” She was all but twitching with frustrated desire. “I believe you were cataloging my, er . . .”
“Ah, yes. I’ve been saving the best for last.”
Finally, finally, he rubbed her sex, slicking his fingers over her tight knot. Lia moaned and leaned into him, closing her eyes and letting herself drift on the tide of exquisite sensations. Jack massaged and teased, murmuring heady, erotic words of praise that drove her need to a white-hot pitch.
When he slowly pushed two fingers deep inside her, Lia choked out a soft cry. Wide-eyed, she stared down into Jack’s flushed face. His features were tight with lust and his fierce, dark gaze pierced her soul.
But need lurked behind the lust in his blazing eyes, and she also saw a vulnerability that matched her own. Jack was willing to risk everything for her, even the relationships he held most dear. He’d laid himself open for her, and at great cost to himself.
How could she not love him with every fiber of her being?
He leaned forward and nuzzled her breast as he slowly pumped his fingers inside her. “You are riches beyond compare, Lia. More than any man could ask for.”
She heard it in his voice—he wasn’t playing anymore. He meant every word he said.
For a few torturous, wonderful minutes, they played with each other. Lia stroked and caressed his face and neck, leaning in for languorous kisses that drove them both mad. Jack kept his other hand clamped firmly on her backside, kneading her as she pushed against him.
“And this,” he growled, shaping her bottom. “I love this too—your plump, gorgeous arse. And this.” He slowly inched his fingers even deeper, making her gasp. “I can’t wait to feel my cock inside your wet heat.”
His bawdy language thrilled her. Lia moaned, clenching in a desperate effort to hold back her climax.
“All right, you’ve convinced me,” she managed, grabbing the edges of his waistcoat. “I’m the bloody crown jewels of England. Now please do something before I go insane.” “What do you want?” he demanded in a harsh voice. “Tell me.”
She shook him. “I want you deep inside me. Now.”
“God, yes.” He ripped at the fall of his breeches to free himself. His shaft was thick and long and so aroused that it sprang tight against his belly. Unable to help herself, Lia reached out to caress the broad, flushed crown, slipping her fingers through the moisture that had collected at the tip.
Jack pulled her hand away.
“You got to play with me,” she protested.
“I’ll spend if you keep touching me like that. Climb up, darling,” he said as he urged her onto the chaise. He lifted her and arranged her body so that her thighs were spread wide and her knees snug against his lean hips.
Bracing her hands on his shoulders, she stared down at him, wide-eyed. “We’re going to do it like this?”
His fingers played with the edges of her stockings, slipping up the inside of her thighs. “I think you’ll find it easier for your first time. And this way I get to see all of you, too. All of you.”
She flushed, which she wouldn’t have thought possible given the scandalous activities they’d already engaged in. “But you’re fully clothed, except for down there.”
He waggled his eyebrows. “How naughty of us. It’s like I’m the pasha and you’re my little harem girl.”
Her snort expressed what she thought of that comparison. Still, she found it unbearably exciting to be perched naked on top of him, while only that one vital part of him was exposed.
She glanced down. Very vital.
“Now what?” she whispered.
“Now this,” he whispered back.
He eased her onto the head of his shaft, then curled his hands around her hips and began to guide her as he slowly pushed up. She was so wet she thought he’d slip right inside, but he was large and thick and she was tight. Lia winced and closed her eyes as he forged into her in a steady, determined slide.
“Look at me, darling,” Jack said in a rasping voice.
Sucking in a deep breath, she dragged open her eyelids and met his gaze. His eyes were obsidian black and he looked drugged with pleasure.
He was so handsome and so hers that Lia’s heart throbbed with a joy that felt almost like grief. It was too beautiful, too impossible to last in the real world.
Jack pressed a tender kiss on her lips. “Ready?” he murmured.
She frowned. “Aren’t we already doing it?”
“Almost. Right after . . .” He gave one firm thrust and Lia felt a stabbing pain, her maidenhead finally and fully breeched.
“. . . this,” Jack growled.
She grimaced. “Good Lord. That part was not particularly pleasant.”
He leaned his forehead against hers, his hands moving in soothing circles on her damp back. “I know, love. I’m truly sorry, but I have to admit I’ve never felt anything so good in my life. This is better than anything.”
She huffed out an amused breath. “Naturally, I’m so pleased for you.”
He leaned back and smiled, looking so carefree and happy that her heart filled with joy. For too long he’d been weighed down by worry.
“You are an imp, my girl,” he said, “but I promise it will get better.”
“I hope so, my lord, or I shall be most disappointed,” she said pertly. Who would have thought this would be a moment for teasing? But she was filled with an emotion as bubbly as champagne and it was all she could do not to laugh.
�
�No pressure there,” he said dryly.
She did laugh at that, but then he moved a hand between them, finding her tight bud again. Pleasure drowned out the fading sting, and she instinctively began to move.
She was tentative at first, with Jack’s hands guiding her as he whispered lascivious encouragement. Soon she found her rhythm, rocking on his shaft while his fingers stroked her. The shimmering, startling beauty once more glimmered within reach as she felt the first contractions deep in her womb. Jack thrust harder, one hand on her hip to steady her, the other teasing her sex.
All pain had been replaced by the most wonderful, utterly filled sensation. She draped her arms over his shoulders and let herself move in sensual, undulating waves. It was so wrong to be with him like this and so wildly scandalous, sitting on top of him, taking her wicked pleasure.
Lia loved every moment of it.
“That’s it, my love,” he said in a harsh voice.
He was now thrusting up in sharp strokes that touched an incredible spot deep inside her. His fingers flickered over her sex, driving her higher, making her reach for a sensation akin to an incandescent burst of light and warmth. Lia wrapped herself around him, letting him control the movement, relishing the slippery silk of his waistcoat rubbing over her tight nipples.
Jack growled and tipped her over his arm, leaning down to suck a nipple into his mouth. He gave a hard thrust and everything contracted in one last burst of need, suspending her on the edge. Then her need expanded and burst, flooding her trembling limbs with rapture. Her body clenched around him, inside and out, and she let out a few tight sobs of joy and relief.
They remained locked together for a few minutes, panting, their heated bodies slowly cooling. Jack smoothed a hand up and down her spine, gently pulling her back to sanity. Lia went along reluctantly, letting the perfect moment slide away with a gentle sigh of regret.
“All right, love?” he murmured against her ear.
She pushed up so she could see his face. He stroked her messy hair, regarding her with so much tenderness and concern.
“Yes, I’m fine,” she said. “Thank you.”
He kissed her nose. “You’re welcome, although I do think I should be the one thanking you.”
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