“What I’d like,” he said, holding out the ring again, “is for my fiancée to put this on her hand so the whole town understands that she chose me.”
With a tiny grin, Miss Braddock lifted her hand and spread her fingers.
“Yes, I will marry you.”
He slid the ring onto her finger, then leaned forward and, hovering a breath away from her lips, said, “I’ve no desire to postpone my amorous pursuit of you for a lengthy engagement; we may need to fight Grisham and Roxburghe for their wedding date.”
Her mouth curved into a grin. “Though I’m quite certain Miss Webb and Philbert would share their day, we cannot steal it. They’ve been engaged much longer than I and their suffering is greater.”
“Suffering?” He pulled back with a frown.
“If their fiancés are as talented at seduction as you, then it must feel as though they are constantly aflame.” She reddened and glanced down.
“Is that how you feel?” he asked, lifting her chin until she stared into his eyes.
She nodded. “I’ve never been affected by anyone in the same manner as you.”
“I certainly hope not,” he replied, inching closer.
He pressed his mouth to hers, and fire exploded in his body as though he were burning from the inside out. He welcomed the flames, basking in the heat licking across his skin.
She was his… forever.
The sound of carriage wheels passing the house startled him, pulling him back to their current position on the parlor floor. Reluctantly, he broke the kiss.
“I swore to your brother that he wouldn’t discover us on the floor,” Levi said, rising and holding out his arm.
She placed her hand in his. “I thought you swore we’d be dressed.”
“I don’t need to remove your clothing to bring you pleasure.” He dragged her to her feet and grinned. “Your brother should know that.”
He escorted her to the sofa, sat, and pulled her down on top of him, splitting her legs, so she straddled his lap.
“I’m fairly certain my brother would be livid to discover us in this position as well,” she gasped the last word when Levi shifted, digging his hardening length into her.
“Your brother should have been more specific on his restrictions,” Levi said, his hands gathering her skirt and petticoat and yanking the material out from beneath her, so her bare skin rested against his trousers.
His uncomfortably tight trousers.
Reaching between them, he unfastened his pants and shoved them down his hips, then tugged up the long shirt, exposing his erection. He grasped himself, lifted her, and guided her down onto himself, expelling a low groan as she sank down, sliding inch by inch until he was fully sheathed in her warmth.
Grasping her hips, he rocked her forward and thrust, drawing a gasp from Eveline. Her hands fluttered over his chest and settled on his shoulders, curving around them as she adapted to his guided rhythm.
Her moans surrounded him, and he encouraged her pleasure, driving himself deeper. Breath catching as his fingers dug into her soft skin, she?—
The front door opened.
Levi pushed Miss Braddock off his legs and jerked up his trousers, wincing as he tucked himself back into the material and fastened his pants. While he shoved the ends of his shirt under his waistband, Miss Braddock scrambled from the floor and darted over to the table, sliding into a chair as the voices of Roxburghe and Miss Webb echoed in the foyer.
“Roxburghe!” Levi ground out, his body raging.
“Lennox?” Roxburghe’s brown head peered around the open parlor door. “When did you arrive?”
“Shortly after Miss Braddock,” Levi said, gesturing to her as she halved the deck, pretending as though she intended to shuffle the cards.
“Did something occur?” Miss Webb glided around Roxburghe, concern filling her honey-colored eyes. “Both Miss Braddock and her brother vanished before the performance began.”
“Miss Drummond,” Levi growled, rounding the sofa and heading toward Miss Braddock, “is the sister of Miss Braddock’s rejected fiancé, and she’s been extorting money and jewelry from Miss Braddock in exchange for silence.”
