Page 35 of Persuasions of an Earl's Daughter

“God, Lil.” The words sounded tense. “So fucking beautiful.”

The coarseness of the words made her shiver. The only time she heard such words, they were uttered by young stable boys or tired old men. Never by beautiful gentlemen about to give her pleasure in a way she scarcely knew possible.

Yet she trusted him. She trusted a man whose self-control had snapped like hers and she trusted the words. They made her feel more beautiful than anything.Shehad driven him to spill curses,shehad driven him to this point.

He let his breath whisper over the curls at the apex of her thighs.

“August...” His name was but a tremulous sound from her lips and she couldn’t decide if it was a plea for more or less. All she knew was if she gripped these sheets in anticipation any tighter, they might tear asunder.

Before she could offer any protest, he laved his tongue over her folds.

“Ohh.” She knew it would be good. Understood a man like August could show her things she’d never experienced before.

She hadn’t known it would feel like this. Desperate to touch him in some way, she wound her fingers through his hair as he licked her again and again. He pressed deeper, harder, searching for that tight nub that would bring her exquisite pleasure. When he nibbled, her legs quaked and she closed her eyes, giving herself up to the miracles this man was working.

Allowing her no quarter, he licked, and kissed and she bit down on her bottom lip to keep her moans turning into desperate cries. Sensation built and she tightened her grip on him and held her breath as her orgasm overtook her. It flowed through her, pulse after pulse of pleasure while he kissed her gently and drew out each little beat of pleasure. A delicious, languid feeling of relaxation washed over her. It had to have been the first time since Icarus was taken that she had thought of anything else.

August met her gaze as he adjusted her skirts, the tilted smile on her lips leaving her even more breathless. “Someone’s sleepy.”

“What of you?” she asked.

“Rest,” he told her and moved from the bed. She saw his arousal tenting his trousers. Despite growing up with only women, she knew enough to understand it had to be killing him, just as her own desire had driven her to the edge of madness.

“But—”

“You’ve had a long day and need rest, Lil. Just do as you’re told for once.” He tugged the blankets from underneath her and brought them back up, tucking her firmly in almost to her neck. The comfort of the soft sheets and thick blanket made her eyelids heavier.

“But shouldn’t I do something in return?”

“No matter what you think of me, Lil, I’m not a selfish bastard. And you gave me more than enough.”

“Oh.”

She let her eyes drift closed. She didn’t think of him as a selfish bastard. At least she didn’t think so. Not anymore at least. He might have some selfish motives for coming with her, but she’d witnessed him being giving and kind too. And when he dropped a brief kiss upon her forehead, she couldn’t help but wonder what else she would find out about to him. There was more to this man than his scandalous reputation, of that she was certain.

∞∞∞

Contrary to everything said about him, August didn’t make a habit of escaping the bedrooms of all the many hundreds of women he had supposedly seduced. In fact, he didn’t make a habit of being in their bedrooms at all. So slipping past a slumbering Lilly was no easy feat. His heavy boots made the floorboards creak and he stilled, watched Lilly for a few moments and made his way to the washbowl.

He dipped a washcloth in the bowl and let the water drip gently for a few moments, watching the droplets splash and form rings in the cold water. The waning light of day turned the room gray, but it wasn’t enough to smother the image of Lilly, lying relaxed in bed, her lashes soft against her cheeks and her lips slightly parted. An image of utter satisfaction.

He rubbed his face vigorously with the cloth, grateful for the chill that raced through him. He couldn’t stay here and watch her sleep and he sure as hell couldn’t sleep himself. Not only was the hour too early for his sleep habits, but he also hadn’t rid himself of his damned erection yet. His best option was to do something useful or else he might be tempted into seeing if Lilly really wasn’t that sort of a woman.

What he’d done was dangerous. For both of them. His carefully constructed image of a rake had never left him in a position of having to do the right thing—mostly because there was no one to have to do the right thing by. For the first time in his life, he almost wanted to make good on his reputation. If he had no fears for the consequences and no morals, he wouldn’t think twice about bedding an innocent.

The sheets shifted and he glanced over his shoulder to watch her turn onto her front and press her face into the pillow, creating an endearing image with her cheek squished against the fabric, her mouth still open.

August smirked to himself. She’d probably have something to say about being called endearing.

And he really had no right to be thinking of her in any way other than a means to an end. Once they hunted down Icarus, he would persuade her to sell the horse to him and he could move on and never be tempted again.

Foolishly, he wasn’t certain he was going to regret anything about tonight, though.

He straightened his shirt, tucking it properly into his trousers, and glanced down. At least his tired jacket hid the declining evidence of his arousal. He wagered once he hit the night air, it would be gone. All he had to do was cease thinking of the taste and scent of her and the noises she made. Only Lilly Musgrave could tempt him like this. Her words...her bold, brazen utterance of how wet she was had entirely undone him. A decade of self-control and she’d shattered it in but a moment.

Perhaps it would be enough.

It wouldn’t be enough.

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