Page 429 of From Rakes to Riches

She smiled. “Hello, Lord Wade. And I wasn’t dragged. I came quite willingly.”

“Yes, married ladies have all the fun,” Lord Wade answered.

“You know that as well,” David said dryly.

Victoria stared in shock at Lord Wade, who only laughed.

“Ah, David, any married ladies sneaking off with me do so quite willingly.”

“Just remember the ‘willing’ part.”

Lord Wade put a hand dramatically on his chest. “Why Lord Thurlow, is that a threat? You’ve somewhere acquired a married man’s jealousy.” He glanced at Victoria. “Not that I blame you.”

“Lord Thurlow has no need for jealousy,” Victoria said. “And this conversation is silly. Shall we go inside?”

She took David’s arm and was satisfied when Lord Wade fell into place at her side.

As they entered the ballroom, no one seemed to be watching them. The orchestra was playing, and couples were jostling for position on the dance floor.

“Do you have a dance card?” Lord Wade asked.

David answered, “No” before she could even open her mouth. And then her husband swept her into a waltz that had almost the same intimacy as their kiss. She was floating through the air, as if her feet didn’t need to touch the floor. David looked at her with smoldering eyes, full of promise that the night was nowhere near over.

They spent only an hour at the ball, but that was long enough for Victoria. In the carriage on the way home, she didn’t want to break the delicious spell of anticipation that pulled between them.

Inside their town house, he took her hand and led a fast pace up the stairs. When she nearly tripped on the final steps, he swung her up into his arms and carried her the rest of the way, as if she weighed nothing.

She felt smugly happy when David ordered a grinning Anna out of the room and shut the door on her.

They were alone. Her arms were about her husband’s neck; his arms held her close—as close as possible with skirts and petticoats puffing up her gown where it draped from her legs.

He let her down very slowly, so that her body rubbed against his. Then he pressed her up against the door and kissed her again, quick and deep and full of hot pleasure. She had felt certain David was hiding a passionate nature; every night’s gentleness and intimacy had only proved it. But now she feltgiddy with the knowledge that hehadto touch and kiss her,hadto have her.

His hands kneaded her shoulders as they kissed. With a sudden tug, her breasts were suddenly overflowing the gown.

He looked down at what he’d revealed, then murmured her name as he dropped to his knees. His mouth on her breasts made her melt inside, made every passionate feeling roar to unfulfilled heights. He licked her and nipped her and drew her nipple into his mouth, then worked his magic on the other breast. If he hadn’t been holding her up with the press of his body, she knew she would have collapsed in a boneless heap.

David let his fingers caress her breasts as he spoke. “How do we get you out of this gown?”

She licked her lips. “Anna…sewed me in where the bodice meets the skirt.”

He groaned and dropped his head to her chest. She let herself hold him then, circle her arms about his head, feel the texture of his hair.

He suddenly turned her around and began to unhook each clasp in the bodice.

“I’m ripping the stitches,” he said.

As each thread popped, she gave a delicious little shudder. Soon her bodice slid to her waist, then the heavy mass of the gown fell around her feet. But there were still so many clothes between them.

David dispatched them quite professionally, layer after layer of petticoat, then her corset, all while she still faced the door. She took a deep, satisfying breath, expanding her lungs for the first time that evening. She wore only her chemise over her drawers, and even that had fallen to her waist. Then there was only stillness behind her.

“Turn around,” he said.

She did so, leaning back against the door, hands pressed to the wood. David was sitting back on his heels, watching her with so much expectation.

Then as he looked into her eyes, he reached for her chemise and pulled it off. He tugged on the string of her drawers, then guided the loose fabric slowly down her hips until she was naked.

Trembling, she let him look, knowing that the passion in his eyes was all for her. His hands settled on her hips and then skimmed down her thighs.

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