Page 30 of The Earl's Heiress
“I was a six-year-old boy at the time. Kitty always rubbed up against my leg.”
Her tongue darted out and licked her lips when he said,rubbed up against. His heart turned over in response, and his mouth softened.
“She wanted comfort, didn’t she? She wanted you to pet her?”
Not as much as I want to take you upstairs, lay you out on my bed and pet you until you moan with pleasure.
“That’s what I thought in the beginning, but later, I realized that Kitty was showing her devotion. She trusted me to protect and care for her, and I did.”
“How sweet.”
Her toes stilled and fell away from his breeches, but Temple’s sigh of relief was short-lived. Arabella’s left hand was resting on his thigh, perilously close to his … Something intense flowed through his entrancement. He gave a short cough, and a few pairs of curious eyes peered in his direction. A few of the guests stared at him expectantly.
“Pardon me.” He quickly took a sip of his wine, and everyone went back to their banal conversation.
Her hand was still there, and he couldn’t concentrate on his meal. It didn’t matter that she was wearing gloves, for he was sure that he felt the warmth from her hands radiating up his thighs. There was a tingling in the pit of his stomach. She was disturbing to him in every way, and she fascinated him. Who could have thought he would be riled by playful touching? She was attracted to him, and she wasn’t trying to hide it from herself.
Arabella peered at him over the rim of her wine glass, and she didn’t look sheepish; rather, her eyes were dancing with merriment. She was the most daring woman he had ever met. She liked being pleasured, and he would relish giving her what she wanted. Arabella was even more appealing because she embraced her sensuality. Wasn’t she afraid of anything? Passion and fearlessness were a heady combination. Slowly, her hand moved over to his inner thigh, and Temple almost pushed his chair back from the table, but he restrained himself in time.Another unexplained action, regardless of how small it was, would not go unnoticed. It was as though she wanted her fingers to learn him by heart andby God… he wanted that too, but not at the dining table.
The closer her hand got to his cock, the more it grew. She was stroking a growing fire within him, and it took all his concentration to dampen his desire. He couldn’t afford to have a bulge in his pants when he stood to make the announcement. He reached under the table and gently squeezed her hand. Whilst he didn’t remove her hand from his lap, he made sure to move it away from his growing thickness. He wouldn’t let his cock embarrass him. The rest of the meal proceeded uneventfully, and toward the end of it, he commanded everyone’s attention.
“I have some news that I would like to share.” Temple stood. “I had the pleasure of making Miss Arabella’s acquaintance when I rendered aid during a storm. It was serendipity. I’ve asked Miss Arabella to be my wife, and she gracefully accepted my proposal. We will be married in London during the season. As you all know, Miss Arabella is American, but I have explained to her that the season is the highlight of our social calendar and that thehaut tonwould give her a dignified reception. I trust that I can count on all of you here to show Miss Arabella kindness and treat her with the etiquette that we are renowned for. I would like to propose a toast to the wonderful future that we have ahead of us. Cheers.”
Temple raised his glass for the toast, and so did everyone else. He glanced down at Arabella and felt a surge of hopefulness for the future. She had made such a difference in his life over the past few weeks. His father’s death had been a different challenge to overcome, but he was well on the way to doing so. He could hardly believe that only a few weeks ago, he was living a reclusive life. She would be the reason that he is able to restore Stanford Manor to its former glory. His future was with her now,regardless of anything else he ever wanted before. He should have the courage to embrace it all.
CHAPTER 14
Later that night, Temple was lying on his back in bed, one arm behind his head and the other resting on his chest, staring up at the ceiling, yet not seeing it. He was exhausted, but he had difficulty sleeping. It was a warm night, and he decided to shed his nightshirt so he was naked atop the sheets, yet even that didn’t help. He knew sleep would claim him when he was exhausted enough.
He meant every word he said to Arabella at dinner. He didn’t want the ladies to keep saying offensive things about her. He had witnessed her tears and hurt, and he was loath to see her in such a state again. He knew how much her family wanted her to belong and to be accepted into this new world. Arabella wanted to make them happy. When he sat down after the announcement, he felt Arabella’s eyes boring into him, and when he finally looked up, their gaze locked. There seemed to be a deeper meaning to their visual exchange, and he gave her a reassuring smile. Whilst he couldn’t protect her from every slight, he knew the ladies heard his request tonight, but only time would tell if they would heed it. Arabella’s wealth would swell his coffers and make him even more powerful. Perhapsthey would think carefully about whether they wanted to make him an enemy.
Temple closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep with a smile on his lips. He was lying on his left side, facing his window which meant his back was to the door. Something brought him awake, but he wasn’t sure what it was. He groggily opened his eyes, suddenly aware that he was not alone. His muscles tensed, and he felt disoriented when the delicate aroma of Jasmine wafted over to him. Slowly, he rolled onto his back, moved his head to the right and came face to face with Arabella. Her beautiful face was illuminated by the gentle glow of the only lamp burning.
Bloody hell! She was in his bed, which was risqué, yet she was an irresistible temptation.
He didn’t tear his eyes away from her. The lamp cast a soft glow over the room as he tried to assess her unreadable features. She shouldn’t be here, and they both knew it. Yet, he drank in the comfort of her nearness and her warmth. The implications of her being so close when he was almost naked sent waves of excitement through him. His gaze traveled over her face before it returned to search her eyes. His cock was already betraying him.
“You risk your reputation by being here.” His voice was low, barely more than a whisper, as he stated the obvious.
He hesitated, conscious that his words rang hollow in his ears because he didn’t want her to leave. She yearned for him, and he desired her … needed her. She made him hunger so much so that his thoughts were jumbled. This overwhelming need to possess her blotted out all reason.
“Don’t I know it?” She said in a throaty whisper.
Temple started to chuckle; then it quickly died in his throat when she laughed softly. The playful sound of her laugh affected him deeply, and his belly grew tight with anticipation. Arabella had tasted pleasure. He had given it to her and it shattered herinnocence, and now she wanted more. Her heated glance made his cock twitch.
Arabella stood up from the bed, and the candle illuminated her delicate nightgown. She slowly unbuttoned it and let it fall to the floor in a heap by her feet. His gaze roved and lazily appraised her pert breasts and delicate curves. When he found her face again, he saw the smoldering flame in her eyes, and the very air between them seemed electrified. His fingers yearned to touch her, his mouth to taste her, and his cock to feel her tightly sheathed around him. Blood throbbed in his veins as she weaved a scarlet web of desire. He had pledged to keep control of his desire, but he was failing miserably. Yet again, he would take her and relinquish his self-control. If only she hadn’t been so tempting. He foolishly thought that he could have her just once, be deep inside her and then what?
Just once more.This really will be the last time before the wedding.
She crawled into bed and lay on her side facing him, then raised a hand and caressed his cheek. He turned his head to welcome her touch, kissed her palm, and was rewarded with her delicious shudder. His twitching cock was getting harder. Every inch of him was alive with the burning, urgent need to possess her. He brushed a thumb across her kissable lips, and just then, her tongue darted out and licked his finger.Damn. He moved his finger away as if he had been scorched. He would have her tonight, but until the wedding, that would have to be enough.
“I’ve thought about kissing you throughout the entire evening. I want to feel that thrill again.” The words were barely audible.
Bloody hell! He had barely made it through dinner without embarrassing himself. Sitting so close to her, with her hands on his thigh, had been torture … sweet torture.
“Where do you want me to kiss you?”
Her slender fingers touched her lips. “Here.” They moved to pert breast before they found the hot slit between her thighs. “Here and here.”
