Page 116 of The Reckless Love of an Heir
Susan sat on one side of the stool playing the part at one end of the pianoforte, while Christine’s fingers moved over the keys of the other side. Susan glanced away from the music, looking over her shoulder. Neither Henry nor his father had come in. She continued playing, forcing a smile, for his family’s sake, as they began the next verse.
Susan was playing the last chorus when Henry walked in ahead of his father. Henry walked straight to the decanters as his father joined Aunt Jane – Mama. He whispered something in her ear then left her and the room.
Henry drank his brandy then poured another.
Susan played the final note.
‘What shall we sing now?’ Sarah asked immediately.
‘Let me look,’ Percy said.
Susan stood. ‘I shall bow out and let you play, Sarah.’
While the conversation continued over what to play next, Susan walked across the room to Henry. He did not notice; he was staring into his glass.
‘Henry?’
He looked around. ‘Hello. Sorry, I am feeling a bit miserable.’
‘You have no need to apologise, you have a good excuse to feel miserable. Would you like to retire?’
He smiled. ‘Yes. I cannot tell you how much I would love to escape this house.’
He finished his brandy then set down the empty glass.
‘Let me say goodnight.’ Susan walked across to the pianoforte. ‘Henry and I are going to retire, if you will excuse us. Goodnight.’
‘Goodnight, Susan, dear.’ Aunt Jane – Mama – hugged Susan.
Henry did not approach them to say goodnight. His mother lifted a hand in his direction. He smiled, that was all.
Susan returned to him, and he lifted his arm, not offering it, but encouraging her to walk ahead of him. Yet once they wereoutside the drawing room, his arm fell onto her shoulders and he sighed. She leaned against him as they walked towards the stairs. ‘What is it?’
‘Nothing for you to be concerned over.’
‘But I am concerned because, as I said last night, if it affects you then it affects me.’
‘That is very sweet of you to say, but I do not expect you to solve my problems.’
But I want to.She said nothing more. She did not think he was in a mood to be persuaded with words – but with her body, she could and would comfort him.
29
‘Ah,’ Henry sighed as he breathed in Susan’s scent, pressing his forehead against her soft stomach as she stood before him naked while he knelt on the floor in front of her.
He had not let her call for a maid but disrobed her in the sitting room, and now her clothes, and his, lay scattered across the floor and he was on his knees before her, holding on to her, just holding on.
He kissed above her hairline, then kissed her hip, then kissed the juncture between her thighs and reached his tongue between her closed legs. She moved and stood with her legs slightly apart, allowing him greater access as her fingers played in his hair. His forefingers and thumbs pressed into the first curve of her buttocks as he sucked her sensitive spot and licked the silkiest flesh.
He was lost in what he did, lost in her. Utterly absorbed. She was beautiful, and so precious to him. He used his fingers, then licked his fingers, then used them again as she sighed and rocked against his invasion.
Love.
He had thought he loved her weeks ago. But now… Now, his love ran as deep as a gold mine.
He stood up and kissed her mouth, his fingers cupping her bottom and holding her against his erection. Then he gripped her hand and led her to stand before the fire. It was not alight, but there was a rug there.
He moved behind her, brushed her hair over her shoulder, out of the way, and sucked the skin on the back of her neck gently as he held her hips and her bottom against his erection. Her head dropped forward. She looked drunk with desire for him. That was the strongest aphrodisiac.
