‘No, beloved,’ he murmured. ‘I want to show you – I want to show you so much more.’
He hoisted her onto the bed and pushed the layers of her dress – petticoat – undershift up around her hips. The cloth bunched around her waist, and she wriggled impatiently to move it to more comfortable places. Lucius laughed.
‘Oh yes,’ he mumbled against her leg. ‘Squirm like that for me, Elinor.’
‘No.’
Her stubbornness returned for a second, and she lay still as a live woman can, just to provoke him. Their relationship never had been, despite his proposal, about obedience of a woman to a man, of Elinor to Lucius.
He smiled, and she could feel the movement of his lips against her thigh. ‘Then I shall have to make you,’ he said.
Elinor breathed out, her breath a hum of anticipation. She could not – would not – tell him how much she hoped he would keep his promise. His warm breath tickled her skin; he placed kisses the length of one thigh then the other, but somehow it was the area in between which throbbed as his mouth touched her. Then, still gently, he brought his lips round to her centre, and trailed his tongue against ... Elinor bucked up against him as his tongue flickered against that spot of need between her thighs. He repeated the gesture again and again until she was moaning and pleading with him not to stop, to continue doing that – yes, that. And still he kept on, until there was a sudden unexpected rush of feeling, and Elinor cried out as the world exploded around her, leaving her hardly able to breathe, to move, to think. He pulled her into his arms and held her tight as she rode the waves of ecstasy.
‘Lucius ...’ When she could speak again, all she could think to say was his name. ‘Lucius.’
‘Yes, my Elinor?’
His erection stood proud and she wanted more, even now. She was wet and wanting and she reached a hand between his legs and guided him inside her, revelling at the sharp indrawn breath he took as his manhood pressed against her womanhood.
‘I want you,’ she said, her eyes fixed on his.
‘Yes. Darling, yes.’
She rocked her hips back and forth, slowly, still keeping her gaze on him. There was a light pink flush against his cheeks and his eyes looked dark.
‘Lucius.’
‘So help me, Elinor, I can’t be gentle if you keep doing that,’ he murmured.
Her mouth twisted in a secretive smile as she continued to move. ‘Maybe I don’t want you to be.’
‘Elinor, My God, Elinor, do you know how much I’ve dreamt of you like this?’ Lucius’s breathing was unsteady; and she laughed.
‘Tell me.’
‘I ...’ Instead of speaking, however, he pushed her back against the bed and thrust into her time and time again. Elinor could sense that feeling building again – knew that it would not take long before she–
‘Lucius,’ she cried, the pleasure almost painful in its strength.
It seemed that was all he needed; she felt him pulse inside her as her heart thumped hard within her breast. There was a silence, a stillness, as they both tried to recover themselves. Then, as Lucius rolled onto his side and pulled her into his arms, Elinor spoke. ‘You were right,’ she said. ‘I didn’t think it could be better, but that was ...’ She didn’t have the words, but her smile said everything her words could not.
‘Yes.’ He kissed her. ‘And next time will be better still.’
‘I think I’ll die,’ she said, still smiling, ‘but I’m prepared to risk it.’
Lucius laughed, and they were silent again for a moment. Then he spoke of what had happened before, his tone serious again.
‘I will not challenge Sir Hugo,’ he said, ‘however much part of me wishes to. Duelling is for gentlemen, and Mansfield has proven himself anything but a gentleman. Also, I suspect this attack on you will be one of the last things Sir Hugo does before leaving the country. The man may not know it, but there is indignation afoot about bad gambling debts; and you are not the only lady whom he has discommoded.’
‘I’m not sorry he is leaving,’ Elinor replied, sober at once. ‘And yet, in a strange sort of way I feel like thanking Sir Hugo. If it weren’t for him, we might still be at cross purposes, still misunderstanding one another. And I’m gladdest of all that you won’t challenge him. He does not deserve to have that power over our lives.’
He laughed. ‘Most ladies would not be so generous, my darling.’
‘I’m not most ladies,’ said Elinor, pulling Lucius tightly against herself again.
‘No,’ he said. He angled his head to look at her. ‘No, you are not. You’ve never been “just another lady” to me, Elinor Crozier. I think you never will be.’ And the fervour of the kiss he placed on her willing lips made her think he was right.
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Table of Contents
Copyright
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Just Another Lady (Xcite Romance) Page 7