Page 67 of In Compromise with the Earl
Undaunted, she let him kiss her until she felt drunk and gave him a soft moan as her arousal was building as well. Her hands moved restlessly up to his shoulders then sank in his hair. She molded herself against him while the heat under her skin burst into flame.
Sliding to her back, she gently coaxed him to rest atop of her, nestled between her legs, knowing without words what he felt, what her actions meant. Her body was trembling as he slid the chemise up her legs and as she shimmered it off her body.
Doing away with the last stitch of clothes between them, his mouth, hands and lips worshiped her body, giving into the natural urge to comfort her in the most intimate way. His hot seeking mouth wandered from her lips to drift over her eyelids and cheeks then down her neck, licking and nibbling his way down her throat.
Pinned beneath him, in the best way, Aphrodite could not help but marvel at his body. She ran her fingers over his shoulders and down his muscled arms. She kissed his chest but Oswald stopped her.
“Not tonight, Sweetling,” he said gravely. “Let me take care of you tonight.”
He had made her shatter twice during the night, and each time, he had aroused her to the crisis with only his skillful fingers and devilish mouth. When he did slit their bodies together, the sweet agony took her out into the sea of bliss.
“Stay with me, Sweetling,” he coaxed against her lips as his length slid in deeper, and she shuddered. “Let me love you tonight.”
While murmuring sweet entreaties in her ear, he fulfilled his promise and made love to her, appeasing her with languid, deep silken thrusts. The sure, strong strokes made her body tremble with delight while her hand slipped down his damp back. The intermittent bite of her nails into his back urging him faster.
Nothing had ever felt like this, had even come close. Aphrodite felt drunk with pleasure every time he sank deeper into her loving heat. Her eyes dazed with ecstasy, she splintered around him, Oswald’s name a silent scream on her lips.
When the sensations began to leave her body, Aphrodite felt Oswald threading his fingers through her silky ringlets while his arms held her tight. She blinked leaden eyelids open to see Oswald’s warm expression then closed her eyes again.
His lips landed on hers with a soft kiss and she responded with the loving desire she had in her heart.
* * *
Regretfully, Oswald peeled himself away from Aphrodite as soon as dawn came as he had to clean up and go speak to his mother. Last night had been disastrous and he had to get some answers from his mother. Had she deliberately gone out of her way to mortify Aphrodite or was it all some horrid coincidence?
He had a quick bath and dressed; while stepping into his trousers, his eyes landed on a still sleeping Aphrodite and a wan smile took his face. Barely two months ago, he would never have imagined that he would have found a companion, much less fallen in love.
Resting his hip on the edge of the bed, he smiled at her lax face and the tantalizing swell of her breasts under her blanket. Aphrodite’s hair was tangled, curly around her face with a strand tickling her nose. He reached forward and lightly tucked it away.
The touch was slight, but her eyes flickered open still; her sleepy gaze nearly tempting him to join her back in the bed.
“Mornin’,” she whispered, turning on her side. A plump breast with a tantalizing ripe-berry nipple was uncovered. “What it is? Is something wrong?”
“No,” Oswald leaned in to kiss her. “Nothing wrong. Go back to sleep, Sweetling.”
Her lashes fluttered closed, “You’re sure?”
“Very,” he eased himself from the bed and left the room, making sure to close it behind him.
As he headed off to his mother’s chambers, he found that Aphrodite was right about confronting her the next day. He had been boiling with anger last night and he would have said things that were irreversible. Now, with a clearer head, he knew exactly what to say to her.
He knocked on the door and at her word, entered. She was sorting cards again, looking unbothered, as if the travesty last night had no bearing on her.
“What is it?” she asked.
“Why, Mother?” Oswald asked. “Was last night a planned humiliation? Did you know about Westlake’s connection with Aphrodite?”
She dropped the papers. “No, I had not planned it, but it showed me what I already know. That girl is on her way to following her father’s footsteps.”
“Because she kissed a boy when she was a young girl?” Oswald’s tone hardened. “Come on, Mother, it’s human instinct. You cannot be so disdainful. You did the same too. Stop being a hypocrite.”
Henrietta’s head snapped up and Oswald kept his tone still. “Father told me he had come across you, kissing Lord Tulloch one night at a ball, you were barely seventeen. You shouldn’t throw stones when your glass house might shatter around you.”
“Oswald—”
“You will apologize to her,” he said. “It was unfair and unkind of you. Have you heard stories of her entertaining men? If you have, then I could understand but I promise you that is not the case. Tell me that is what you heard?”
“No,” she said.
