Improperly Enticed By The Rascal Earl (Steamy Historical Regency Romance)

by Olivia Bennet

  Lord Burrows’s nostrils flared.

  “Very well…I surrender,” he growled, sounding as though the words were being forced from him.

  Edwin nodded, dropping his sword and let his wrist go loose.

  “It was a good match,” he acknowledged. “You are quite skilled.”

  Turning, he moved to hand his sword over to the waiting footman. When his back was to him, Lord Burrows tensed.

  “My Lord, look out!” Tabitha cried as Lord Burrows dove forward, attempting to stab Edwin in the back.

  At her warning, Edwin turned and dodged Lord Burrows’s attack. The gentleman stumbled and fell to the ground completely, losing his grip on his sword. Tabitha felt a wave of relief rush through her as Edwin regarded Lord Burrows with a bemused look.

  “That was not so very sportsmanlike,” he said in a conversational tone. Stepping forward, he extended his hand to the gentleman to assist him to his feet. “I would advise taking your defeats a tad more gracefully, My Lord. It is far more becoming of a gentleman.”

  Lord Burrows begrudgingly took Edwin’s hand and allowed him to help him to standing. He wiped off his trousers and released a huff of breath.

  “My apologies.” His teeth were gritted as he spoke. “I let my temper get the best of me.”

  Edwin patted him on his shoulder. “It happens to the best of us, My Lord. Now, if you will excuse me, I would like to get back to my friends.”

  Tabitha watched their exchange in awe, impressed by Edwin’s gallantry and mercy. When he turned to face her, she beamed at him. He paused in his tracks, his eyes going wide for a moment before his expression softened into an adoring smile of his own. He did not bother to hide his affection for her in his expression, and in that moment, with his true character on fully display to her, she did not care.

  Chapter 28

  The room was dark and warm, but the bedsheets were cool against her bare skin. She stretched out like a cat, reveling in the feel of the silk. It was luxurious and stimulating, but it was not enough. Not nearly enough. She needed strong hands and a hard body pressed against her. Her thighs clenched as her core pulsed with longing.

  “Tabitha,” a deep voice spoke from the shadows.

  Though she should be afraid, she was not. She sat up, gazing around her in anticipation.

  “Where are you?” she called.

  “I am here.” The voice was directly behind her and she whirled around to find Edwin sitting on the edge of the bed. He was naked, just like her, and his delicious smirk made her shiver.

  She opened her arms for him, and he crawled to her. His lips found hers, and she accepted his kiss with a groan.

  “Edwin…”

  “My sweet, beautiful Tabitha,” he growled, pressing kisses along the column of her throat. “You are so sweet. So soft. Mine.”

  “Yes, Edwin,” she moaned, tipping her head back to allow him better access.

  His tongue darted out and seared her skin as his hands circled her waist and pulled her up the bed. He laid her on her back, and held himself above her, caging her in with his strong arms.

  “Open for me, my darling.”

  Somehow, she knew exactly what he was commanding her to do. She spread her legs wide, without hesitation, and his hand reached between them to cup her most intimate place.

  Throwing her arms above her head, she clawed at the bedding as he stroked her with his fingers.

  “Edwin, Edwin, Edwin…” She chanted his name like a prayer as he drove her closer and closer to that sweet relief she had experienced with him once among the trees. She wanted to know it again. Craved it all the way into her soul.

  To her shock and disappointment, however, he removed his hand from her. She gazed up at him, wide-eyed.

  “Why…?”

  “I have something far more satisfying for you,” he rumbled, reaching down between his own legs. Her eyes followed his movements, her cheeks heating. She had never seen that part of a man before. Curiosity burned through her to know what lay between his hard thighs. To her disappointment, though, his hand and shadows obscured his length from view.

  She wanted to tell him to remove his hand, but he pressed his lips to hers before she could utter a word, stealing her breath. His hardness prodded her thigh, but he would not let her turn her gaze down to it. He kissed her like he wanted to devour her, and lost herself to him.

  “Are you ready, my darling?” he murmured against her lips. He prodded at her entrance and she shifted her hips, eager to take him inside her.

  “Yes,” she nodded. “Yes, I am ready.”

  “You are mine, Tabitha,” he growled.

  “I am yours,” she confirmed.

  With a grunt and a surge of his hips, he broke through her and pleasure exploded throughout her body.

  Tabitha awoke with a cry, shooting up in her bed startled and confused. Gazing around her room, she tried to make sense of what she had just experienced. She was hot, her whole body covered in sweat, and her feminine flesh was throbbing in the aftermath of release.

  That had been the most vivid dream of her life. Though she knew it had not been real, she had felt everything Edwin had done to her. She had not realized she could experience something so…so intense, without even being touched. Her chest heaved as she fought to catch her breath.

  Once she was calm, she lay back down against her pillows and stared up at the canopy of her bed in wonder. She felt…different, somehow. Had been feeling this way since her explosive encounter with Edwin earlier that day. Her body felt more alive. More sensitive. That tension she had been feeling inside her pretty much since the moment she had met him had eased, but now she knew it had been her body craving him all along.

  She wanted more of him. In her dream, she had been eager to see what waited for her between his legs, but she had been unable to. She realized she truly did want to see it. She wanted to know what it was like to couple with a gentleman.

  No, not just any gentleman. I want to know what it is like to bed Edwin.

  Her cheeks heated as her core began to tighten with need. She pressed her thighs together, but found no relief. In fact, her movements only seemed to intensify the throbbing of her feminine flesh.

  Edwin was able to satisfy my yearning with his fingers. Would it be possible for me to do the same?

  Though she would much rather it be him tending to her, she feared she would not find rest again with the persistent pulse hammering away between her legs. With careful fingers, she reached down to pull the skirt of her nightgown to her waist. Cheeks burning, she slid her hand down her belly, spreading her legs as she sought to ease the ache with her own touch.

  * * *

  Edwin could not get Tabitha from his thoughts. No matter how hard he tried to focus on other things, she was there in his mind, her face lit up with her pleasure. He was certain that, no matter how old he became, he would never forget that image of her lost in bliss as he worked his fingers between her legs. He was so haunted by the memory, he had to take himself in hand that night more than once to ease his agony.

  He could hardly believe he had done such a thing to her, a complete innocent, but he felt no guilt. She had enjoyed it far too much for him to feel any type of guilt. He was eager to see her again. To speak with her and find out if she was as tempted as he was to relive their encounter.

  If I were to marry her, we could have more than the occasional illicit rendezvous in the woods.

  The thought sent a jolt of excitement shooting through him. The idea of making Tabitha his wife filled him with more joy than he would have thought possible. He had never been so ready to make a lady his and his alone, but he wanted Tabitha all to himself. The idea of her with another gentleman made him nauseous and angry. No, she was his already. They just needed to make it official.

  “Morrington, what has you so distracted today? You are hardly worth playing with in this state.”

  Edwin glanced up at Habtage, who sat across from him with a hand of cards fanned out bet
ween his fingers. The other gentlemen they were supposed to be playing with were gazing at him expectantly as well, some clearly impatient, a few simply curious. It was not like him to lose focus during a hand of cards, after all.

  “Ah, apologies,” he quickly said. He played his turn, which did very little to advance them in their game, and let the next person go. Habtage was gazing at him with an arched brow, his bafflement clear in his expression.

  When Habtage had suggested they visit the gambling house in the nearby town of Alcove, Edwin had hurriedly agreed to the outing, thinking he might be able to think of something other than Tabitha for a few hours that day. So far, his hope was clearly in vain, as she continued to be his central focus.

  When the game ended, Edwin, who was usually a skilled gambler, had lost himself a small fortune, but he did not care. He thought there was very little that could dampen his high spirits at the moment, though he could tell that Habtage was rather concerned about him. His friend pulled him into one of the corners of the room they had been playing in and spoke to him in a low voice.

  “Is something the matter, Morrington? You are not yourself today.”

  Edwin patted his friend on his shoulder with a grin.

  “My goodness, do I seem so miserable?”

  Habtage blinked, frowning. “No, that is not it. You do not seem miserable at all…quite the opposite, in fact.”

  Edwin grinned. “Then there is nothing to worry about, yes?”

  Habtage considered him for several moments, then slowly nodded. “I suppose when you put it that way, there is not. I would suggest you stay away from the tables today, though, my friend. You are like to lose everything you own at this rate.”

  Edwin chuckled. “Yes, I believe you are correct. I should contain myself to merely socializing while we are here.”

  The two turned back to the rest of the room, but as they began moving toward a new table, they both stopped short at the sight of Lord Narnwood walking into the hall. The gentleman’s brow was furrowed, and he appeared troubled by something.

  Edwin and Habtage exchanged a glance before making their way toward the Baron to greet him.

  “Lord Narnwood,” Edwin said as they drew near. “What a pleasant surprise to see you here.”

  The older gentleman smiled wide at them, but his gaze remained anxious.

  “Ah, Lord Morrington, Lord Habtage, how good to see you both,” he said in a cheery enough tone. “Yes, I do not frequent these places nearly as much as I did in my youth, but I find myself in need of distraction at present.”

  “May I ask from what, My Lord?” Habtage asked.

  The gentleman appeared hesitant to answer.

  “I…I really would not wish to burden you with my troubles.”

  “It would be no burden at all, My Lord,” Habtage insisted. “Come, sit with us. At least have a drink to calm your nerves.”

  As his friend led the older gentleman to an empty seating area, Edwin ordered three glasses of scotch be brought to them. When the drinks arrived, Lord Narnwood drank his hurriedly, shocking both Edwin and Habtage.

  He refilled his glass and began to sip it, though much slower the second time around.

  “My Lord, you seem quite distressed,” Edwin said, shooting a wide-eyed glance toward Habtage. “Is there anything we could assist you with?”

  The Baron stared down into his drink for several moments, his expression contemplative.

  At length, he finally said, “I was called on today by Lord Burrows. He had a request for me.”

  “What kind of request?” A sliver of dread unfurled in Edwin’s stomach. He had the distinct feeling that he would not like what Lord Narnwood had to say.

  The gentleman shook his head, his distress clear. “He has asked for my eldest daughter’s hand in marriage.”

  Edwin barely kept himself from crying out in instant rage and shock. The next moment, though, fear rushed through him, not knowing how the Baron had responded.

  “What did you say to him, My Lord?” He hoped Lord Narnwood did not take offense to his prying question, but Edwin could not go another second without know the answer.

  Releasing a sigh, the gentleman replied, “I asked for time to consider his offer.”

  Edwin tried not to appear too relieved.

  “Is there any reason to turn down the gentleman’s proposal?” Habtage asked. Edwin shot him a bewildered look, but Habtage shook his head slightly, as if to tell him to calm himself.

  “I have always had a strange feeling about him,” Lord Narnwood confessed, taking another drink. “There is something…wrong about him. I cannot put my finger on what, exactly, but it is there within him, lurking just below his noble exterior.”

  Edwin had similar thoughts about Lord Burrows. The gentleman put him on his guard without truly doing anything to warrant it. Yet, Edwin sensed something in him that was dangerous and unstable.

  “So, I assume you will not allow him to wed Miss Walters?” Edwin asked.

  The Baron took another drink. “In truth, I am not certain what I will do. I do not want her attached to such a man, but I am also not getting any younger. She has shown little interest in marriage, and I fear if I do not find her a suitable husband, she will be left alone and uncared for when I pass.”

  “But, My Lord, surely Lord Burrows is not the most suitable match she could attract?” Habtage questioned, sliding his gaze toward Edwin.

  Lord Narnwood shrugged his shoulders. “Years ago, I would have agreed with you, My Lord, but my daughter has rejected so many offers of marriage, no other gentleman appears to have in the slightest interest in her. I fear the only choice may be Lord Burrows, or she will be forced to live out her days as a spinster.”

  Edwin wondered if he should voice his interest in Tabitha in order to ease the gentleman’s worries. “My Lord, I…”

  Lord Narnwood set his drink down and dropped his head into his hands.

  “My poor daughters! What will become of them should something happen to me? It is a father’s duty to provide for his children and make sure they will be secure even after his passing. I am failing in this duty!”

  Edwin did not know what to say. The Baron was in such misery, he hesitated to inform him that he would seek Tabitha’s hand in marriage. He had wanted to discuss it with her first before approaching her father, but what if Lord Burrows received the Baron’s blessing before he could ask for it himself?

  I know Tabitha would not like me to go to her father before I had even brought matter up to her. Though it is the usual way of things, I would most likely hurt my chances with her.

  He was so torn, but ultimately, he decided to remain silent for the time being. Still, he needed to persuade Lord Narnwood away from Lord Burrows.

  “My Lord, it is also the duty of a father to protect his daughters,” he said, patting the gentleman’s shoulder. “If you do not have a good feeling about Lord Burrows, you should listen to your instincts and keep him away from Miss Walters.”

  The Baron was silent for a time as he considered Edwin’s words.

  “That is a very good point, My Lord,” he said at last. “I shall consider that when I am making my decision.”

  That was not the response Edwin had been hoping for. It seemed the Baron was not completely convinced to reject Lord Burrows’s offer, and a sense of urgency invaded Edwin’s mind.

  I must secure Tabitha’s hand immediately, else risk that snake slipping in and snatching her from my grasp.

  Chapter 29

  “Unity, do you know where Papa has gone?” Tabitha asked, wandering into the parlor where her sister sat bent over her needlework.

  Glancing up at her, Unity nodded. “I believe he has gone to Alcove, though I am not sure why. I believe some social engagement? Why do you ask?”

  Tabitha sighed, worry scratching at her mind. “One of the maids informed me that Lord Burrows had been by here earlier this morning when I was out for my walk. He did not request to see me, though. Only Papa.”
>
  Unity frowned. “That is rather odd. It is not like him to pass up the opportunity to be present in your company.”

  Tabitha agreed, and she knew she should be relieved that she had not been forced to deal with him. Yet something seemed strange about the situation. She could not explain it, but a deep sense of foreboding had settled over her, and she could not shake the feeling.

  “Did you see Papa at all before he left?” she asked.

  Unity appeared thoughtful for a moment. “Only briefly, as he was heading out the door. He did appear somewhat distressed about something.”