“Person. An ordinary man. Actually, a rather short ordinary man.”
“Be that as it may, I won’t know what that person is telling Mother to do and therefore will not be able to defend against it...him.”
“Hopefully my traps will give us enough information...”
“Let’s go check them now.” He reached for her hand but quickly pulled back.
“What is wrong? That’s twice you jumped away rather than touch me. Am I suddenly a leper?”
Dev ran his finger around his collar.“I am doing my best to maintain a respectful distance.”
“Why?”
He looked at her as if she was crazy. “Because you are a guest in...”
“Oh, don’t treat me like a fool.Why now? You haven’t been respectful from the moment we met.”
The corners of his mouth twitched. “I’ve seen the error of my ways.”
“Try again.”
“Because I’ve realized you are deserving of my respect.”
She knew that wasn’t the reason either, but if she called it bullshit, she’d be admitting de facto she wasn’t worthy. Score one for Dev in the verbal battle. She nodded her defeat, but one skirmish did not win the war. “If you want the information on the séance, it will cost you.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“I’m here because we made a deal. I have another to propose.”
“I can tell you the answer before I hear the terms. Since you have an interest in exposing the gypsy as a fraud, I need only wait until you do so and I will have what I want. At no cost.”
Rats. He was right again.
She sat on the nearby bench. If she wanted to keep him occupied past dawn, she would have to try another tack. Never having done anything like this before was a distinct disadvantage. What was it women of his time did? Pretend to faint and fall into his arms? Sprain an ankle so he would have to carry her inside? She doubted she could pull off either convincingly. Better to approach the problem head-on.
“I came here expecting you to try to take advantage of me. Which would have made matters so much easier since I have no idea how to seduce you.”
“You what?”
“I want you, and I thought you wanted me.”
“I do, but...”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“It’s just not done.We cannot simply...”
“Hop into bed together? Of course we can. Look, I’ll be leaving soon, probably tomorrow and...”
“Why are you leaving?”
Josie took a deep breath and decided not to tell the truth. “I’ve had word that my father is ill...”
“I thought you father was dead?”
Oops.What did she expect? She was making the story up on the fly.“I meant to say my stepfather is ill and I must return home immediately.Therefore tonight is the only chance I’ll have to be with you.
No strings attached. No expectations of the future.
Purely enjoying the pleasure of each other’s company. How’s that for a deal, Lord Waite?”
“If something sounds too good to be true, it usually is.” He paused.“However, I must admit I am intrigued.”
“Since we’re discussing this like two modern adults, I do need to make sure you don’t have any sexually transmitted diseases. I hear syphilis and...”
“I assure you I am disease free.”
“Well, that’s my only concern.” She slapped her knees and stood.“How do we start?” She stepped toward him.
“Whoa.” He held up his hand.“Aren’t you concerned at all about your virginity?”
“I’m not a virgin,” she admitted. At his shocked expression she explained,“Where I live, virginity is not prized as it is here.”
“Ah! You are a freethinker, a follower of the free love doctrine. I have read William Blake, and also Percy Bysshe Shelley’s Queen Mab. His recent On Love was quite interesting, although I can’t say I agree with his views.” But it did allow him to see her in a different light.
“If we’re going to discuss philosophy all night, I vote for a comfortable chair and a bottle of your best brandy.”
Dev chuckled.“Perhaps another time. Oh, right, there will be no other time.”
“It’s now or never.”
And he’d be crazy to let a stray, impossible vision rob him of the pleasure she promised. “I’m intrigued. How did you intend to seduce me?”
Josie shrugged. “I guess I was just going to play it by ear.”
“No, no, no. A proper seduction takes thought and planning.”
“Really. How would you do it?”
“First you must choose a romantic setting.”
“A moonlit garden.”
“Music provides a relaxing atmosphere.”
She cocked her head to listen to the soft echoes from the ballroom.“Done.”
“I would provide wine and foods with aphrodisiac properties. I would select the choicest bits and hand-feed them to you,my fingertips lingering on your lips.”
“We’ll have to skip that part.”
“Too bad. It can be quite sensual.”
She shook out her fan and cooled the blush on her cheeks. “What would you do next? In this hypothetical seduction.”
“Hmmm.That would depend on how receptive you...the woman is to my attentions. Possibly a dance would follow. A waltz, of course. A private waltz can be...erotic.”
Josie cleared her throat.“We’ve...a...done that.”
“Not this way.” He removed his gloves, tossed them on the bench, and stretched out his hand.
“May I have the pleasure of this dance?”
She followed suit, rolling down her elbow-length gloves and awkwardly yanking them off. She stepped into the circle of his arms.“I can’t see what difference...oh.” If his hands were warm before, now they were hot, hot, hot.
“The trick is to remember to keep your feet moving.” He led her into the simple box step.
Instead of holding her at arm’s length, he pulled her close.
He leaned back to look at her face.“You are not wearing a corset.”
“I don’t care for them.”
“Too bad. I rather enjoy taking off a woman’s corset. Sort of like unwrapping a Christmas present.”
“This way is quicker.”
“My sweet little adventuress.” He leaned over to whisper in her ear.“I never said I was interested in quick.”
He kissed the spot behind her ear, and she wrapped her arm around his neck. He slid his right hand down her back, branding her with his fingers.
Her thighs tingled. He sucked in her earlobe, and she let go of his other hand to run her fingers through his hair. She tipped her head to the side and leaned back to allow him better access as he nibbled, and licked, and nipped the line of her jaw.
His lips seared hers with a fiery kiss. Her knees buckled, but he held her in place with one arm around her back and the other hand cupping her derriere.
“I can’t dance when you do that,” she said.The words came out in a breathy whisper.
He untangled their bodies, set her on her feet at arm’s length, and cupped her face in his hands.“Are you sure you want to continue?”
She returned his intense gaze. “I want to make love with you. Show me,” she said, although even she wasn’t exactly sure what she meant.
Still he did not move. “Whatever has gone before, for either one of us, is not important.This is our first time because it is our first time together.”
“Do you say that to all...”
“No. Only you.” He dropped his hands and turned away.“Forget it. Silly thing to say.”
She walked round him, and when he would not look her in the eye, she took his face in her hands.“I think it was the perfect thing to say.” She tipped her head to the side and smiled shyly up at him.“Good Sir, it is my first time. Please forgive my mistakes.”
He gathered her into a gentle hug and kissed her forehead. “There is nothing to forgive.The mistake is m
ine. My pride is at fault. I wanted you to forget any other man as I have forgotten all other women.”
“Done.”
He released her and stepped back.“That easily?”
“Well, there weren’t that many, and all were unremarkable.” She already knew she would never forget him. “I expect you will be quite different.”
“Is that a challenge to make this a memorable night?”
“If you wish to take it that way.” She grinned.
“So far it’s been pretty good.”
“Pretty good? I see I shall have to try harder.No pun intended.”
She raised her eyebrows.“I’m game.”
“I presume that means you are ready to begin again.”
“It means I’m ready for anything.”
He ran a finger from her ear down her shoulder and under her puffed sleeve.“I think the first step in this new dance is to be rid of some excess clothing.”
“Out here in the open?” she squeaked out, looking up at the bank of windows above them.
“This is a very private garden. Only visible from my suite.”
She counted the windows but could not remember how many she’d observed in his rooms.
She would have to trust him. Easier said than done.
She looked deep into his eyes.And reached behind her back to untie the sash of her dress, letting the loose silk hang free. She had specifically chosen the style for its generous cut.
When she flipped the ribbon away, his eyes widened and appeared to darken to a slate gray.
Emboldened by his appreciative gaze, she slowly raised the skirt of her gown, finally pulling it over her head and throwing it over her shoulder with a flourish. His charcoal gaze never left hers.
She lifted her knee to untie a garter but decided against balancing on one leg like a flamingo. She turned toward the bench.Dev ripped off his coat and spread it over the marble. “It’s about time you took something off,” she said as she sat. She crossed her legs and leaned back on her hands.“Please continue.”
He tore off his vest and clawed at his elaborately knotted cravat, cursing Carson under his breath.
“Come here.” She sat up and patted the bench next to her.“Let me help you.”
She worked at the series of knots, hampered by him kissing her wrist, her arm, her shoulder, her neck. Finally she took his chin and pointed it over her head. “Unless you want to wear this all night, you’ll sit still.”
“You are asking the impossible.”
“Only for a moment.” She freed the linen and started undoing his shirt, fumbling with the fancy studs.
“I’ve got that,” he said. He stood and ripped the soft lawn fabric apart, golden studs popping apart and flying in all directions. After discarding his shirt, he knelt beside the bench. Slowly he slid the hem of her chemise up her thigh, revealing the tops of her silk stockings tied with red ribbon garters. “Ah, yes,” he said, pulling the bow undone.“Merry Christmas.”
She leaned back on her hands again and straightened one leg. Holding her ankle up with one hand, he used the other hand and his teeth to untie the ribbon. He rolled down the silk, kissing each inch of her skin as it was bared. Although she liked watching him, the strain on her neck proved too much and she let her head fall back. Somehow that intensified the sensations, and she closed her eyes. By the time he repeated the slow process on her other leg, her breathing was shallow.When he did not release her foot, she struggled to a sitting position.
“No one has ever kissed my feet before,” she panted.
He grinned up at her.“One of the wonders of a woman’s body is that every part can be responsive to stimulation if treated properly.” He massaged her foot while kissing her toes, and she groaned in pleasure.
“Is a man so different?”
“We are simple creatures. Easily aroused.”
She pulled her foot free and slid to her knees in front of him.“Show me how to please you.”
“Everything about you pleases me.”
The sincerity in his voice gave her a warm glow.
She ran her hands up his arms, feeling the muscles quiver under her touch. “Then tell me what gives you pleasure.”
“Pleasing you gives me pleasure.”
She blew out a breath and sat back on her heels.
“Lovely sentiment but not very helpful. I’m looking for some direction here.”
“You want me to tell you what to do?”
“Why not? To sort of get the ball rolling.”
“I rather thought we were rolling along quite nicely.”
“Oh, I’m not criticizing, believe me. But I’d like to participate, not just lie back passively enjoying your attention. Although that was very nice.”
“What if I enjoy lavishing attention on you?”
“Come on. This is a getting-to-know-you phase. It’ll be fun.You ask me to do something to you, and then I’ll ask you to do something to me.
You’re not into anything kinky, are you?”
“Kinky?”
“You know, whips and chains, that sort of thing.”
He shook his head.“I am not into inflicting pain if that is what you mean.” He chuckled.“I do have a few toys we both may find pleasurable.”
“Hmmm. Maybe later. Let’s keep it simple for now.” She laid her hands on her knees.“Okay, you go first.What do you want me to do?”
“If you are determined to play this game...Very well, I want you to take off your chemise.”
She rose up on her knees and pulled the sliplike undergarment over her head. She wore nothing else.
Dev sucked in his breath. He clenched his fists on his knees, leaned his head back, and closed his eyes. “I don’t think I can do this.”
“Oh, no you don’t.You can’t quit when it’s my turn.” She debated with herself for a moment. Her nipples had puckered in the cool night air, begging for his attention. But it was hours until dawn, and she wanted to draw this out as long as possible. “I want...to see you naked.”
After a moment, he stood.He watched her watching him as he kicked off his dancing shoes, undid the knee buckles of his breeches, and peeled off his stockings. He hesitated with his hands on the waist ties, his erection bulging the flap of his trousers.
“I have never done this before,” he said.“I mean not like this. As if I were on a stage and you the audience. It’s a bit disconcerting.” He took a deep breath, undid the ties, dropped his pants, and kicked them aside.When he dared look at her, her smile of appreciation appeased his anxiety. She was not appalled by his size.
“You are like the statue of a Greek god...only bigger.” And right in front of her face. She licked her suddenly dry lips. Size might not matter but...ohmigod.
Dampness pooled between her thighs. She reached out but stopped herself.“Your turn.”
“Touch me. Please.”
Josie ran her fingers along the length of his penis from base to tip and back, reveling in the feel of silk over steel, but more so enjoying his reaction to her touch. She wrapped both hands around his shaft and an idea occurred to her. She kept her hands moving while she turned it over in her mind.
She’d given only one blow job before, and it had been a disaster involving lots of gagging and spitting. But as she fondled him so close to her face, she truly wanted to take him into her mouth.When she kissed and licked the tip, he moaned and called her name. When she took it in her mouth, his thighs quivered and he locked his knees to remain standing. He ran his fingers through her hair but thankfully didn’t push on her head or shove himself in deeper. She found the small opening on his penis with her tongue and tasted his salty essence.
He started to back away and she grabbed his balls to hold him in place.
305
“You must stop, Josie-love, or I will lose myself.”
She paused her ministrations long enough to mutter,“Go ahead.” She both increased and varied the pressure and speed of her hand up and down his shaft, tickled his balls, and s
wirled her tongue over and around the tip.When she sucked him hard to draw him in, he suddenly reached down and pulled her up into his arms.
He buried his face in her neck and muttered her name over and over as his entire body shook with his release. His penis throbbed between them, and her stomach was quickly bathed in spurts of warm liquid.
She held him tight and felt, surprisingly, powerful.
Dev released her only to cup her face in his hands.“What can I say other than thank you?”
She grinned up at him. “The word wow comes to mind.”
“Wow!” he shouted to the sky. Then he kissed her, long and slow, his lips gentle. “Your turn,” he whispered against her lips.
She opened her eyes and drew her head back.
“No.Yours. If you recall, I’m the one who told you to go ahead. So it’s your turn again.”
“Hmmm.”
“I told you this would be fun. What do you want me to do?”
“Something you said earlier gave me an idea.”
“Not the whips and chains?”
“No. I would never want to hurt you or mar your beautiful skin. I’m thinking more along the lines of Greek statues.”
He picked her up and she squealed in surprise.
He kicked his coat out of the way and stood her on the marble bench.“You are now a stone goddess and must hold the pose as long as you can, no matter what I do.”
Josie did not feel really comfortable as he watched her try out several poses.“Don’t I need an urn or something?”
“You are perfect as you are.”
She crossed her arms and stuck out her bottom lip.
“Can I be of assistance?”
“Where does a goddess put her hands?”
With gentle pressure he posed her, left hand palm out at the small of her back and her right hand reaching over her head to the back of her neck. He stepped back to admire his work and then returned to tip her head down a bit and lift her left knee a few inches so she balanced that foot on her toes.“Are you comfortable?”
“Yeah, sure. Not exactly natural. Who stands like this? Give me a long-handled brush and a bar of soap and I could be titled Goddess Washes Her Back.”
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