Page 36 of Her Daring Earl
“Thank you, Hastings,” Fitz said, remaining where he was until the butler’s retreating footsteps could be heard echoing away and Fitz rushed over to where she was crouched, stuck in the wine rack.
He reached his hands in and helped her out, as Eliza tried not to be cross with him. Her anger quickly fled, however, when she saw how distressed he was.
“Eliza, I am so sorry,” he said, his forehead creased in worry. “I should never have?—”
“It’s fine,” she said, waving away his words. “I didn’t want to be caught in here either. Did I like hiding as though I should be ashamed? No. But I would have had no excuse for my presence here, had I been discovered.”
“It’s not that,” he said, shaking his head urgently, and she stared at him closer, for she had never seen this side of Fitz before, such concern on his face, causing his entire body to hover on edge.
“Then what is it?”
A noise sounded from outside the room, and he shook his head, although his consternation remained.
“We don’t have time to discuss now. I’ll come to you tonight, all right?”
She nodded succinctly before he walked to the door, looking from one side to the next before motioning toward her, and she walked toward him, stopping when he grabbed her hand.
“When you get to your room, lock your door and do not allow anyone in except me, all right?”
“Why?” she couldn’t help but ask, never one to do as she was told without question.
“I know these gentlemen are my visitors, but I do not entirely trust them,” he said before pausing and saying with a frown,“not that I’m much better.”
“The difference is, I wanted this with you,” she said, placing a quick kiss on his lips and squeezing his hand quickly before slipping past him and up the stairs to find her chamber.
Grateful when she made it there unnoticed, she shut the door behind her and collapsed against it, sinking to the floor as she brought her hands to her chest, breathing deeply as all that had just occurred washed over her.
She had pictured this day for so long – making love to a man, feeling that immense sense of pleasure, and becoming a complete woman.
It was nothing like she could ever have imagined.
It was so much better.
He should have known better.After his past, to allow this… well. He had to speak to Eliza – not that he could fix anything now. It was too late. All they could do was wait.
He had worried about how long it would take him to convince the other gentlemen to retire for the night.
Fortunately, his mother and Eliza’s called the night to a close shortly after he reappeared, and Brighton’s drunken statesent him to bed early. Fitz was sure that Whitby would have stayed up for hours and droned on about the most minute of circumstances, rehashing every word spoken in Parliament while Fitz had been away, but fortunately, Fitz had been able to make his excuses and soon depart.
His steps were heavy as he climbed the stairs, stopping in front of Eliza’s bedchamber. He laid his head against the door, wondering how he was going to face her.
What he had done was inexcusable. While coming together with her had been one of – if notthe– best moments of his life, he should never have released inside of her. He had no idea if she was even aware of what he had done or what it could mean for them.
He knocked on the door as quietly as he could, and she whipped it open as though she had been waiting for him.
He slipped inside, finding that she was already prepared for the night. He stepped toward her, sliding his hands over her shoulders and her bare upper arms. “Are you all right?” he asked, to which she frowned at him.
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Well, after we—that is?—”
“Fitz,” she said, her lips sliding into the smile that he so loved, the dimples on her cheeks popping. “That was amazing. There is nothing to apologize for.”
“But there is,” he said, taking her hands and leading her over to the bed, sitting them both down upon the end of it. “I… I finished within you,” he said, looking deeply into her eyes. “Do you know what that could mean?”
“Yes,” she said, her lashes flicking downward to cover her gaze. “There is a chance – a slight chance – that it could put me with child. I know that. I am not stupid.”
“I never said you were. But it was my fault. I should never have allowed myself to?—”
