Page 70 of In Compromise with the Earl
Oswald’s large palms enveloped her hands. “We’ll work through it, I promise.”
“I can only hope so,” she leaned into his touch.
One of his hands parted from hers and formed a tender hold around her face, angling her head for a warm, reassuring kiss. “I give you my word.” Standing, he helped her up. “Let’s go home, but I think we should take the scenic route.”
“Hm,” she tipped on her toes and kissed his cheek. “I wonder why?”
After they descended the staircase and entered the lobby, Duke Strathmore turned to them, his snide gaze so much more cutting. On his arm was a lady from Lady Pandora’s retreat but she couldn’t place her.
“Lady Aphrodite,” his lips curled in a sneer. “I did not think I’d see your face again, and you’re here withhim.”
“Your better, yes,” Aphrodite replied lightly. “I see you’ve settled for—”
“Lady Katherine Fairchild” the lady said. “This is a casual outing.”
“Pleased to meet you again,” Aphrodite said. “But be warned, he will never treat you the way you deserve. And by the way, it’s Countess Tennesley to you, Duke. Oswald, dearest, we have another engagement to get to, shall we.”
With a curt nod, Oswald ushered her to the door only to hear the Duke call to his back, “Just make sure she won’t end up like your late wife, Tennesley. All your secrets will be out then.”
Oswald pivoted. “Be assured, there is nothing that you all do not know.”
“Are you sure about that?” the Duke taunted.
Scowling, Oswald said, “Good night, Your Grace.”
They stepped into the chilly night air and after a footman went for the carriage and it arrived, Oswald had a word with the driver, and they were off.
“The nerve of him,” she huffed while nuzzling her cheek contentedly against his chest. “Why would he even say that?”
“I have no inkling,” Oswald said stiffly. “But if he dares to start some other scandal, or I might just demand the dawn appointment that I wanted to have back at Ravenswood Manor.”
He ran his knuckles along her cheek. “Did you enjoy yourself tonight, Sweetling?" he asked.
“Immensely,” she smiled. “Any chance I have to laugh, I’ll take it. Thank you for taking me.”
“You are all that I have ever wanted,” Aphrodite replied, turned to him, pulled his head down and kissed him open mouthed, and hungry.
Immediate, Oswald hauled her onto his lap and her tongue mated with his. Sliding her hands into his hair, Aphrodite could feel his desire for her, and it fanned her own.
The heat of his skin, the seductive fragrance of his cologne, the demand of his lips and tongue stoked fire in her belly. Removing her hands from his hair, she slipped them under the lapels of his jacket and removed it from his broad shoulders and he freed his arms.
Oswald put one hand behind her back and with the other grabbed her plump behind to press her flush against him. Undeterred, Aphrodite tugged free the hem of his shirt, and quickly worked on the buttons. With the shirt free, she ran her palms along the contoured planes of his chest and the jutting ridges of his abdomen.
She felt strong, intimately feeling the mass of steely muscles and firm flesh. The harsh breathing and gruff groans torn from the back of his throat had her smiling into his kiss as she kept on with her explorations.
Emboldened, she shifted a little to slide a hand between his legs. Groaning, he pushed himself into her hands, relishing the delicious friction heating her palm. But he grabbed her hand, and growled. “Unless you plan to couple with me here and now, you’d best stop. I will not spend in my trousers like a greenling.”
“Oh,” she whispered. “You won’t have to.”
As she moved to the floor, Oswald made sure that the curtains were down while she freed the buttons along his trousers placket, watching his face as she did so.
Lacing his hands into her hair, he tilted his head back and lowed his lids to half-mast. She palmed his manhood and daring to look up, met his taut jaw and scorching eyes.
Rubbing her hand over his long, thick, turgid member, she sampled the hard underside of him. His Adams apple bobbed as she licked and nuzzled, making her way up the hard length and closed her lips around him, sucking gently until he groaned.
Wrapping her hand on the root of his thick, veined rod caused him to spurt a little. She rubbed her tongue against the underside again and he swore again, his hips jerking instinctively.
Gripping his shaft more firmly, she relaxed her muscles, taking him in deeper, the stiff, wicked slide of his cock filling her throat.
